Spring Break

We had a great Spring Break.

We had fun at Classic Fun Center bouncing with cousins Brynlee and Beckham. Cora cried if I got her anywhere near the bounce houses. She is funny because sometimes she loves stuff and other times it freaks her out. She was tired so maybe that was why she didn't want to play.

Vela, Josh and Brynlee coming down the slide.

Brynlee and Beckam showing a little love.

Brynlee and Vela

Vela and Brynlee again.

 We went to Trafalga with some friends. 

Brooklyn and Vela on the airplane ride. 

Jaxten, Hema and Brooklyn

Hema took a day off work and we went back to Trafalga as a family.

Cora has been dying to ride the Frog Hopper. We finally let her and she didn't like it much.

These 2 could ride it all day long. They go over and over 10-20 times in a row!

Dancing was a little more Cora's style. 

The carousel.

Cora ready for a nap. I have pictures of all my kids resting on dad's head.
Adorable!!

We had a late movie night at our house. The kids each invited a couple friends over for treats and a couple movies. They had so much fun. Hema asked if we can do it every Friday.

Hema, Conner, Jaxten, Brooklyn, Vela and Breelyn. 

Getting tired, but not falling asleep.

We went fishing to Utah Lake State Park and over to Highland Glen park. Little Hema was excited to catch a fish. He loves to eat what he catches. We took the rest of this big bucket of cheese balls which my kids hated and the kids tried to feed them to the ducks, even the ducks didn't want them. They threw half the bucket in anyway. 

Went with to Neptune Park with the Palepales. We had a picnic and the kids played. Once again blurry photos! 

Vela twirling. 

Hema climbing.

We also went to the Monte L Bean Museum, set up the tent and tried to sleep out in the yard (but came in during the night because it was too cold), did lots of spring clean up in the yard, played for hours in the neighborhood, Vela and Daddy had a daddy daughter date, Me and Daddy had a dinner and movie date, we went to Thanksgiving Point gardens and lots of other fun stuff. 

I am so sad that tomorrow everyone goes back to regular schedules. I can not wait for summer!! 

Feeling Blessed!

I am feeling very grateful today and thought I'd count my blessings:

• HEMA - the best husband in the world - loves me so very much and treats me like a queen - works hard to support our family so I can be home full time - the most amazing father - a worthy priesthood holder who loves to serve and help others - a total hunk
• HEMALOTO, VELA & CORA - so blessed to be their mother - I get to be with them all day every day & I love it - they teach me so much and keep me trying to be my best - they are so cute and smart and fun and nothing beats their laughs, hugs and smiles
• HEALTH - nothing makes you more aware of what a blessing good health is than having kids - hope to be around for a long time to see these guys grow up and settle in their own families one day
• FAITH - I know God lives - I believe in Jesus Christ - I know where to turn for peace - where to find answers to the really important questions and what will happen someday when I do die
• AMAZING PARENTS - my parents are the best - they have always lifted me, made me want to be better - even when I was a real pain - they are the best examples 
• INCREDIBLE INLAWS - love them as my own parents - they have taught me so much about giving - they are examples of faith and fidelity - such great grandparents
• ADOPTION - pretty much my life would be very empty without adoption
• BIRTH PARENTS - not only am I grateful for our birth parent and love them, but I really like them all too - we are blessed that they allow us to be part of their lives - we have learned so much from them and they have added so much joy to our family
• GREAT FRIENDS - it's amazing how you can meet some people and there is just a connection there - or you can not see one another for years and then pick up right where you left off - I am grateful for all those around me who lift me and make me better
• MY MISSION - they things that I learned those 18 months have blessed me every single day since then - wouldn't trade those experiences for anything 
• EDUCATION - I feel blessed to have been able to study at BYU and graduate from there - I would love to continue my education, but this is not the season in my life for that - maybe one day
• MY HOME - I love it! - it is simple and comfortable and warm and safe and full of family
• MY CARS - they work most of the time - I may have had to jump start the van today - no big deal - still they safely take my family everywhere we need to go and fit all kinds of junk that we seem to need when we are out and about - and they are paid for which is always nice
• BLENDTEC - cheesy right? - but seriously I am obsessed with green smoothies - they give me so much energy and my kids will drink them too - well not vela, but Hema and Cora 
• GOOD MUSIC - I love hearing Little Hema practice the piano - I am taking lessons again - I love my cello - I wish I could play it like I used to - there is something about good music that makes me feel so uplifted
• SUNSHINE - I miss it during the winter - I am really looking forward to spring
• UNLIMITED LONG DISTANCE CALLING - why do my sisters all live out of state anyway? - but at least I can talk to them every single day if I want to, and I pretty much do :)
• BIG FAMILIES -I am one of 8 kids - Hema is one of 9 - so many wonderful sisters and brothers and   36 cousins for our kids to run wild with (with 2 more on the way) - that was probably the hardest part of infertility - knowing that we wouldn't ever have that big family like we grew up in - luckily we have our kid's birth families and that makes our family big too! 
• OUR COUNTRY - what a blessing to live in this great land - so grateful for those who have served and continue to serve to allow us our freedoms 
• BOOK OF MORMON - always brings the Spirit into our home - love reading every day with my family - even if the kids are sometimes wrestling or laughing or talking to one another 
• OUR TONGAN WARD - always said I would NEVER go to a Tongan ward - you should never say never - I've learned so much - feels like a big family - I love every one of my sweet little Primary kids

I could go on all night, but I won't. I'm sure I'll think of lots of good ones I missed while I am laying in bed. Its good for the soul to count our blessings. I am very blessed indeed! 

• 
  

Love this quote!!

"Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true!!!" – Leon J. Suenes

I've seen this quote before and then forgot it. This time I wanted to remember it.

...Oh and one of these days I'll have a second to actually update my blog!!! But right now I'm getting ready to go meet my mama for her belated birthday lunch! :)

Carlettos

While I was serving my LDS mission in Brazil, I met and became great friends with an amazing family - the Carlettos. I love them so much! They helped me feel welcome in a very different country where I was dealing with a new language, food, culture, etc... Really they become my family in Brazil. I even stayed with them while I dealt with a terrible infection on my foot and sweet Ines drove me to and from the hospital twice a day, every day. When my dad came to pick me up, they drove us all around Brazil, over to the Iguacu falls, we did a little shopping in Paraguay, we had such a great time - they were amazing.

Then when I came home, their oldest daughter Paula came to live with my family for a year. We had a lot of fun together. She hung out with Hema and I all the time while we were dating. She named her sweet daughter after me. She is truly a sister!

After Hema and I were married their youngest daughter Natalia came and stayed with us for a year. It was so much fun having her stay with us! Now she is married and living nearby here in Utah. 

Naturally I was thrilled to know that Ines and Carletto were coming to Utah for Christmas. We had them over for dinner and had so much fun reminiscing about my mission and the wonderful country of Brazil. Man I really do hope I get a chance to go back someday. There will always be special place in my heart for Brazil. One thing for sure though, my Portuguese has really gotten rusty! I need to get practicing up! Luckily Natalia is just 20 minutes away!

Here are a few pictures from the Carlettos visit.

Eduardo, Natalia, Carletto, Ines and Me

The kids being showered with gifts from Brazil!

The kids showing off their goods!
I think we've watched Rio about 8 times in the last week!

Little Nativity inside a pine seed from Brazil.
It's about 1 1/2 inches long. Perfectly Adorable!

It was so wonderful to catch up with the Carletto family! I love them! One day I hope I get to post pictures on here of my trip to visit them in Brazil!! Until then, estou com muitas saudades!!!

Recent Random Catchup Pictures

I have a ton of recent random pictures I seem not to have time to post lately....

So here is a quick catch up of some of them:

Everyone had dentist appointments and no one had any cavities! That is always good news!

Hema seems to actually enjoy the dentist now.

Last time Vela wouldn't even open her mouth. This time she did perfect! So proud of her! 

We also took the kids to get haircuts before school started up. We went to Cookie Cutters. The kids thought it was so much fun there and wished they  could have tried out every single fun chair. 

Hema was relieved that a boy was cutting his hair. Here is his before long fluffy hair!

Vela was please she didn't have to have the boy cut her hair. The girl tried to convince me how cute Vela would look with lots of layers in her hair. I said NO WAY! Just a trim please!

AFTER! This picture seriously cracks me up! Vela wanted to look like a princess so the girl did this "crown braid." It was so funny! Hema and I couldn't stop laughing at the fact that she looks like a polygamist child bride! Disclaimer: We may live in Lehi, Utah - but we are in NO WAY associated with any polygamists! That is just a princess crown okay! :)

When Hema's birth grandparents visited for his birthday the brought all the stuff to make a variation of this craft from the Friend magazine. We made them for FHE the following Monday and the kids thought it was so much fun! A lot of the stuff came right out of their garden! She also had us substitute chicken salad instead of the cottage cheese, cute and yummy!  

Hema with one of his bugs. 

He really likes olives more than tomatoes, so he invented this bug.

We recently went bowling as a family. The last time we went (several months ago) the kids thought it was boring and refused to even bowl the second game we had paid for. This time they loved it and begged for a second game!

Hema is really getting the hang of it. 

I love this picture of Vela mid air - cheering herself on! She would roll the ball and it would seriously take 20 seconds to get to the end of the lane. Hema and I would say, "It's not going to make it..." and finally it would slowly hit the pins and knock a surprising number down. It was so funny. They whole time as  we waited for the ball to hit the pins she was jumping and dancing! It was pretty cute! 

Cora just mostly cheered everyone on and looked adorable! 

Had to take a picture of this! Honestly the 1st time ever that I beat Hema! Whoo Hoo!

I think we were the only family left in Utah county that hadn't bought Tragalga/ Seven Peaks passes. They finally dropped the prices really low last weekend and we bought them. The Lehi Trafalga is about 5 minutes from our house so we've already been there lots! 

Hema and Vela love this ride. But right before we left some dorky kid that was about 17 with a mo hawk soaked them mercilessly. Really?!?! They were both in tears on the way tot he car. 

So fun!

Rides, rides, rides!

Vela rode this ride no less than 20 times in a row. She laughed hysterically every single time! 

We also went to Seven Peaks Salt Lake (the old Raging Waters) on Saturday after Hema's football game. I don't have a single picture because I only had my new camera and was too scared that it would get stolen to take it in.  The water parks are closed for the year but we hope to hit them up a lot all summer next year. 

Katoa Family Camp 2011

We always have so much fun at Katoa family camp. This year all of Hema's siblings and their families were there except his sister Milika, her husband and 2 of their kids. This year we camped at Deer Creek and the weather was perfect. 

 Hema and the kids after the tent got set up on Wednesday. 

 Gorgeous view from our tent.

And looking the other direction. Utah is so beautiful! 

 Thursday was all about the water! 

 Lots of swimming. 

 Fishing and playing in the sand.  

 We stayed and played in the water for hours. 

Here is Leilani as a mermaid.

 Aunt Salote and Uncle Semisi made lots of sand art.  

 Ilaisaane as a dolphin. 

 T Rex being attacked. 

 Fun games for the kids Thursday night.

More games. 

 Friday more swimming. 

Hema riding an alligator. 

 And of course more sand! 

 Salote buried Gene, Leilani, Joey, Hema and Loseli here. 

 Vela and Ava as a heart. It got pretty hot and they weren't sure they were having fun. 

Talo and None with Cora.

 Hema's mom cooked up all kinds of fabulous food for us every minute and we played and laughed and visited until the wee hours of the morning each night. All the kids played so well and never fought at all. Our kids were so sad when it was time to go home. I am so very grateful to have married into a family that I love so much! Can't wait for camp next year!