Christmas and New Years 2011

Happy Holidays!

{Warning: This post includes a loooonnnnnngggg rant.}

I have been absent from the blogging world and enjoying the holidays in the real world ;) I will start by saying that I was NOT looking forward to this holiday season. Back in October when Kahili interviewed for the MTC job, I asked him if he would ask specifically about the holidays and when he would be expected to work. They told him that he would have no responsibility during Thanksgiving but he would need to work the Christmas devotional that takes place on Christmas morning at the MTC. His shifts at the Marriott allowed him to choose weather he got Thanksgiving or Christmas off. So, seeing as how he had to be in Provo for Christmas anyway, we decided to have him get Thanksgiving off so we could spend at least one of the holidays with our family. Thanksgiving was great. However, we came back to Provo and it dawned on me that it was almost Christmas and we weren't going to be able to spend it with either of our families. We wouldn't even get to spend it as a family of 3 because Kahili would be working at the MTC all morning and then the Marriott all afternoon/evening. It would just be 'Ihi and I all alone on Christmas. I started to get really sad and talked to Kahili about it. He told me that I should just take 'Ihi down to California and spend Christmas with my family. I didn't want to leave him to be all by himself so I sucked it up and was determined to make it the best that I could.

The week after Kahili and I had this talk, our friends, the Panees, came back into town for the holidays. We spent almost every day with them and kept busy. We went to BYU Men's Basketball games, shopping at the mall, to the movies, out to eat (a LOT! haha), played games, and just cruised the mall. Even when Kahili had to work, they invited 'Ihi and I to tag along to wherever they were going. This was just what I needed. To get out of the house and stop thinking about how sad the holidays going to be. Before we knew it, Christmas week was here! Kahili found out on the Wednesday before Christmas that he wasn't scheduled to work on Christmas and I was so excited! That meant he would only have to work at the MTC in the morning and then we would have the rest of the day to do whatever we wanted to do.

On Christmas Eve, we attended a family/family friend party with the Panees that was really fun. We had a potluck and I made cake bites/oreo bites. After we ate, we played basketball and volleyball. It felt so good to get some exercise. I was blessed to have some of the aunties take care of 'Ihi so I could play. Then we went home and were able to skype and open presents with my family. On Christmas morning, we were able to join Kahili at the MTC for the Christmas devotional where Elder Bednar spoke. We skyped with my family again and then Kahili came home around 2. We went to the Tusieseinas to have dinner and while we were over there we were able to skype with the Soons and open our grab bag presents. From there, we went to have dessert and play games at the Panees. It was such a busy and fun day and we were so blessed to be around people who we view as our "Utah family".

New Years Eve was a lot like Christmas Eve. We had a potluck with lots of good food then played sports until midnight and welcomed in the New Year with good friends. On New Years Day, we went to church and then went to spend our last night of the break with the Panees before they left this morning. We were so sad to see them go back to Seattle but we promised to visit them soon! We love you Panees!

Here are some pictures I have randomly taken throughout the past couple of weeks:

'Ihi and Mommy

'Ihi and Daddy

Happy girl!

At the BYU basketball game

At Ready to Learn playing in the 'snow'

Helping mommy cook dinner (She LOVES this!)

The blessing dress I made for 'Ihi's friend, Keilani

Give me some food!

She will not sit back and relax anymore! She's all about sitting up and working on those abs of steel!

Kahili and his old roommates at Thain's wedding

'Ihi and Keilani on NYE

'Ihi on January 1st, 2012...great start to a new year!