Da Crismon's

Cave Exploring

2011-07-15T23:19:00.000-07:00

Ever since last summer we have talked about taking the boys up to explore the caves in a nearby mountain. Today we finally climbed that mountain and did a "quick" cave exploration. So we set off thinking we would park at the bottom and hike up but I didn't realize how far of a hike that would actually be. I think it's just me thinking, I just did my 1st 5K now I can do ANYTHING...not. Well reality set in and we 4 wheeled it up the mountain which was an adventure in itself. We made it to the cave openings and the boys were so excited they started running everywhere. As we got closer to the cave I was thinking this is pretty cool. Then we got inside and I started having flashbacks of The Hills Have Eyes and was just waiting for the "Hill people" to start attacking. Kevin's like go up to that tunnel and take a picture and I'm like this is exactly the point in the scary movie when the people get killed and 3 years later someone finds a camera with our pictures on it. Anyway, I'm way off track now. Long story short the boys had fun on our little adventure. Next time we will bring bigger flashlights and a tazer gun in order to better explore the caves.

COUPON MADNESS!!!!!!!!!

2011-03-19T19:47:00.000-07:00

Last months stock up only .19 a can

Todays purchase - ONLY $31.76

52 boxes of pasta = FREE

40 Bottles of Propel = FREE

14 Toothpaste's = FREE

Where to begin..... So we have been couponing off and on for the last couple of years but after watching Extreme Couponing on TLC, it finally all started to make sense. Now we know it's about stocking up when the price is right. Last month we stocked up on 104 Campbell's Chucky Soup's for only .19cents a can and 80 Chef Boyardee Ravioli's for only .27cents a can. We don't eat these items on a regular basis but if we had to it's something that is filling and can be eaten straight out of the can. With the economy in the toilet, gas prices rising everyday and natural disasters on the rise you never know when you might need to start using your food storage. With this said today I took advantage of an incredible sale going on at Smith's grocery store.

We purchased the following:
Retail/ Sale Price/ After Coupons
30 Powerade - $41.71/ $11.70/ $4.20
40 Propel Water - $55.60/ $20.00/ $FREE
52 Ronzoni Pasta - $119.60/ $25.48/ $FREE
12 Classico Pasta Sauce $39.60/ $17.88/ $12.00
14 Colgate Toothpaste $19.04/ $9.66/ $FREE+ a credit of .84cents
6 Colgate Toothpaste $17.64/ $8.94/ $4.44
4 Hershey Drop Candy $13.96/ $11.96/ $3.96
28 Pure Protein Bars $35.84/ $28.00/ $8.00
Totals - $342.99/ $133.62 / $31.76

Leo's Birthday and Baptism

2011-03-05T20:45:00.000-08:00

I might have gone a little overboard on the pictures, so get ready to scroll:)

Grammie and Leo

Cousins

Nana and Leo

Crazy cousins

Goodies from the Hawaii family

Cheesy Boy

Again, I apologize for the late post. One of these days I'll get it together.

Leo turned the big EIGHT at the end of January and we were so excited for his special birthday. As with all the kids that stop by our house on or around their birthday they get to choose their favorite dinner and cake. Leo went with a spaghetti dinner and a Pac Man cake. The cake didn't quite turn out the way I envisioned it but Leo loved it so that's all that mattered. After dinner we made the kids entertain us by performing for Pac Man pellets (donut holes). For every talent the performed they received one donut hole. It was a little slow getting those crazy kids going but once Maika got the hang of it he wouldn't stop doing his break dancing. I think he ended up with 5 donuts. Leo and Bear told a couple of jokes and the Raccoon did a little dance. Alex of course was too cool for school so he held out til the end and finally showed us his mad rubix cube skills.

The Saturday after Leo's birthday we went to St. George for his birthday party and baptism. It worked out perfect that we were able to have his party early in the afternoon and the baptism was later that night. He wanted a Wii/Pac Man party so we had a row of TV's and different game systems set up, a mega blow up slide that just fit perfect and an ice cream sundae bar. We had all the St. George family as well as Dave and the 3 boys from Provo, Crazy Grammy and Kevin's Mom all the way from Hawaii. After a quick clean up and change we were off to his baptism. He looked so handsome in his Ea and shirt and tie, he's growing up so fast. For the program they had all the kids that were getting baptized sing the baptism song and Leo happened to be near the microphone and he sang loud and proud, it was so cute. I of course was vaclempt through the whole thing but was so happy to see him baptized. We sure do love that crazy boy.

Holiday Festivities

2011-01-19T20:10:00.001-08:00

I know I'm a little late with this post but I figure I have a 30 day grace period before it's to late to post.

This year we kept it pretty low key for Christmas and New years just hanging out at home. We did however manage to put up a tree this year. I think this is the first year we had a real tree and I loved it. Christmas morning I made our traditional eggs benedict with hash browns, sausage and a baked berry french toast. We had planned on going to Sushi for dinner but were so stuffed from brunch we just lounged around and watched movies the rest of the day.

The following Monday I went to lunch with Nana, Beaner and Suhaila at Joe's Stone Crab at Caesars Forum Shops. This was my first time eating there and it was everything I heard it would be and more. We chose either a fillet mignon or the stone crab. I chose the stone crab and coleslaw. The crab meat was so tender and had the best flavor it was worth picking through all the shells to get to the meat. The coleslaw is mixed table side which I have never seen before and was the best I have ever had. To finish off the best meal ever we had a slice of banana cream pie. OMG! again the best ever, I think the thing that put it over the top was the homemade caramel sauce drizzled on top. After lunch we walk trough the Forum Shops to walk off some of the calories.

The next day Vannessa and the 3 older kids stopped by on their way home. Holidays are not the same without kids so we were so happy to have a few monkeys here to open presents and play with. A couple of weeks before Christmas Leo called to see when they would be coming to our house next because he wanted to put in his "food order". He said he wanted French toast and bacon so I made that along with eggs, rice and hashbrowns. I love that he makes random phone calls like that. After brunch they ate themselves silly with the goodies Kevin's mom sent them from Hawaii.

New Years we decided to stay in. We were going to drive out and watch the fireworks but realized we would have the best view in bed watching tv plus it was so cold. Since we were vegging out we decided to break out the deep fryer and make our own party. We had crab wantons, lumpia, dumplings, coconut shrimp egg rolls and chinese noodles. This was a great way to end the year, relaxing and spending time with family.

A Night in Paris

2011-01-11T12:16:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve's Eve I was invited to see the Nutcracker at the Paris Hotel with Nana and the girls. I have never seen the Nutcracker or been to the ballet so I was totally excited. We had a little time before the performance so we stopped at the Creperie for some delicious Crepes. These were not your ordinary crepes either, they were huge and smothered in goodness. We had a mushroom and spinach, a shrimp and a ham and cheese crepe which were all topped with a creamy bechamel sauce. On the sweet side there was a chocolate and cream, a mixed berry and cream and a raspberry with lemon curd which were to die for. After stuffing our faces with utter bliss we headed to The Nutcracker. It was so cute to see all of the little kids dressed up and excited to see the ballerinas. ( I was a little excited my self) We had great seats and I was surprised how fast the show went by. The dancers were so graceful and their bodies are unbelievable. I would love to have arms like that. I think the baby mice stole the show, who doesn't love watching kids dressed up as chubby little mice jumping around a stage. It was absolutely a night to remember.

Thanksgiving weekend

2010-12-13T21:15:00.000-08:00

I know I'm a little late but as they say "better late than never". Thanksgiving weekend was awesome on so many levels, first I cooked a full Thanksgiving dinner(with some extras for the brownies) and we had our first guests over for dinner (that's right Van you are not a guest your my sister), that night we picked up 3 monkeys for a sleepover and 1 monkey insisted on sleeping on the bed which didn't help as I woke up at 3am for Black Friday. Black Friday shopping was cold, crowded, and there was endless waiting in lines but as always I enjoyed every minute. Early Friday morning Tan had the cutest baby boy which was the highlight of the holiday. Kellee, Van and Crazy Mama were also here for the weekend so it was good times eating, hanging with family and eating some more.( I didn't get any pictures, I don't know what I was thinking)

Sunday we celebrated Bear and Maika's birthdays with lunch and a chocolate fountain.(one of the Black Friday finds)

Design on a Dime (literally)

2010-11-23T21:53:00.000-08:00

No staple gun so we used our regular stapler

One of the arm chairs we bought didn't have a foam piece that fit so we had to ghetto rig this with a little extra felt I had.

No sewing machine so we did the nip tuck safety pin technique. Just wrapped it like a present and pinned away.

This back piece was glued to the chair and there was no way of getting it off without making a bigger mess so we did a little fold over and pinning technique. I figured no one will see the back so why not.

The finished product. We're not winning any Home & Garden awards but its definitely better than what we had.

In a hurry to make our humble abode somewhat presentable for Thanksgiving we did our version of Design on a Dime. Last Saturday we picked up a couple of arm chairs that oddly enough match our existing side chairs that I picked up at another garage sale over a year ago. In an attempt to make them all match we purchased a few yards of discount fabric at Jo Ann's and did our best at recovering them. When I say, "our best", I mean our best with out a staple gun or sewing machine. I do have to say they are a little ghetto because we had to use a regular office stapler and used the good old tuck and fold technique but they should at least get us through Thanksgiving dinner. 5 chairs $15, 6 yards of Fabric $14, 14 safety pins, staples free, uncontrollable laughter while completing this thrifty(ghetto)project, PRICELESS.

Garaging

2010-11-20T12:32:00.000-08:00

Growing up in Avon Lake,OH I remember my mom and my aunt piling all the kids in the station wagon and going "Garaging"(hitting up garage sales). I think because of this I feel compelled to check out every garage sale sign I come across. So today we set out with a budget of $20 and this is what we came home with, 2 chairs that I will be recovering, 1 set of 4 tv dinner tables, Cuisinart food processor with all the blades, lamp, desk organizer, portable toilet(great for camping or for the valley) and 4 yams(a cute little grandma was giving them away at one of the garage sales). Everything needs a little cleaning up but definitely worth the $20 we spent today.

A Very Crismon Day

2010-09-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

CHARLES CRISMON

SUPER CUTE!!!

We have been in Goodyear, AZ for the last couple of days spending time with Kevin's Mom who is receiving Chemo treatments at The Cancer Treatment Centers of America(I'll post more on that later). Today she was feeling really good and wanted to go for a drive so we set out for Mesa(about 35min away) to find everything Crismon. We stopped by the statue depicting the four founding fathers of Mesa ,Charles Crismon being one of the four men which is Kevin's Great great grandfather. Then we cruised down Crismon Rd and came across a cute little community called Crismon Crossing. After cruising down the road, which is quite a loooong road we stopped at Crismon Elementary which was SOOOOOOOO CUTE! We went inside to see if they had any T-Shirts or pencils or something with Crismon on it for sale. Can I just say I want to move there and have our kids go to that school. We were able to pick up a couple of shirts and they gave us a cute pendant and water bottle with the Crismon Cougar's logo on it, again sooo cute. We next went to Crismon Flowers and Crismon Baby Boutique which is owned and operated by Kevin's 2nd cousin's family. We had a quick visit with the family and found out a little more genealogy. Today was great day all around, Mom is feeling good and we got to discover more of our family history.

Pizza Party

2010-08-15T22:13:00.000-07:00

Alex turned 10 on the 8th so we had a little party for him on his way back home from California. All he wanted was a chocolate cake and pizza so pizza it was. Happy Birthday Alex we love you!!!!!

Hawaii Crismon's in Las Vegas

2010-08-10T21:53:00.000-07:00

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At the end of July Kevin's family came to visit from Hawaii and we had a blast. Mom and Lisa flew in a couple of days ahead of the rest of the crew so we headed to St. George for the weekend. We had a fun couple of days visiting with family and I got to meet my cute little niece who was born just a few days before we arrived. After our quick visit in St. George we headed back Vegas and checked in to the Can Cun Timeshare on the south end of The Strip for the week. The rooms were a little snug but the amazing pool made up for it. The kids loved the water slides, the waterfall and the shear size of it. We managed to make it to the pool everyday along with a few of our Las Vegas attractions such as M&M World/Coca Cola World, Circus Circus, The Rave movie theater to watch Despicable Me, Cici's Pizza, Silverton Aquarium, Famous Dave's BBQ and The Rio Buffet and shopping. The kids had so much playing together and it was such a great week spent with family. Thanks again for spoiling us,we love you.
(I lost one of my memory cards so I will post those pictures once I find it)

Hurry Before The Baby Comes!

2010-07-20T18:25:00.000-07:00

I have had these pictures for almost 2 weeks and now find myself scrambling to put them up before the baby comes. As I type this Ness is in the hospital pushing away.
So long story short these are the pictures of Vannessa's baby shower on July 10th. Kellee and Khloee came from Cali and we along with Tan and Bossy Girl went on a little road trip to St. George. We had a lot of fun and Charmaine totally outdid herself. Everything was so cute and the games were so much fun. I especially loved the diaper cake, brown baby and all. The actual shower cake was adorable and so yummy. Even though our time was short in The George we had alot of fun. I love hanging out with my family. Thanks again to Charmaine.

Oh I almost forgot, the baby is being named after MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE and Kellee.
KAYLA-VAI MAHINA TEWAIRUA TAHU but you can just call her Kayla or baby Kay, either one is acceptable.

Fun Week With The Boys

2010-06-07T23:28:00.001-07:00

The cute hikers

Ready or not here we go!
Making our way up, I'm still able to breathe at this point.

The half way point where I had my first of many heart attacks. I tried to get them to call it quits but they wanted to keep on moving.

At the top they have this huge circle area to sit and view the area with and placards describing different things. If I could actually focus to read instead of gasping for air I could tell you what they said. Maybe next time.

Another look out area at the top with a picnic table

I was driving and heard giggling in the back seat and this is what I found on my camera

Leo being crazy

Brittan's Birthday Construction Zone
The Chocolate Dump Truck Cake - such a cute idea and very yummy

Last week we had the boys stay with us and it was a great way to start the summer. We tried to make it as fun and as inexpensive as possible. Luckily we have a nice pool at our complex so we went swimming everyday. One of the days we took them to the park where there happens to be hiking trails so I told them I would take them hiking another day secretly hoping they would forget all about it. Unfortunately for me they didn't. I even tried that morning to back out but I could tell they really wanted to go. So we set out with our hats and bottles of water and were ready for the climb. Even though I thought I was going to die the whole way up we made it to the top and back down in an hour. I'm really happy I took them and we already planned our next hike when they come back. We also went to Brittan's birthday party and Anna's Baby Blessing. I forgot my camera most of the week and then when I did bring it I ran out of batteries so I just have a few pictures to share. Next time I'll get it together.

2010-05-17T20:29:00.001-07:00

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Playing Tourist

2010-04-11T23:14:00.000-07:00

This weekend we played tourist with Chuck and Nat and had a blast. They were staying at the Venetian so we met up and took a nice relaxing Gondola ride. Our Gondolier's name was Vencenzo and he did a beautiful job of serenading us through the Canal Shops. Shout out to Uncle Ron for the discount:) That night we went and watched the movie, Date Night at Rave and laughed the whole time. The next day we ate at the Rio and stuffed ourselves before going to watch "O" by Cirque Du Soleil at the Bellagio. We had the perfect seats and everything about it was absolutely amazing. This was our first time seeing a show on the Strip and it couldn't have been better. Even though time went by too fast we had a great time. Thanks again to Chuck and Nat for spoiling us.

A Quick Visit!

2010-02-09T10:24:00.001-08:00

Well, we just had the time of our lives. Mom flew into Phoenix AZ for cancer treatment. So we drove down to keep her company. The Cancer Treatment Center of America is awesome. They make the gloom of cancer take a back seat while they pamper the patient. We were so impressed with all the services offered to the patients. It is like going on vacation and having the ability to do Chemo while you are there. I will now donate to the Cancer Society. The money truly goes to help the patients.

We brought Mom back to Vegas with us to recover. We were able to do few things and when she could taste again, we went to the Bellagio for dinner. She was able to get her crab.

We went back to Arizona to have her checked out. Then we went to our cousin Anette Crismons' wedding in Mesa, AZ. We were able to see and mingle with the family. It was great. On Sunday the 7th, Mom returned to Hawaii. She was greeted by her gang who had kept in touch with her through skype....they are happy she is back.

Thanks for the great time Mom. We love you!

Oh Happy Day

2010-02-08T22:22:00.000-08:00

I finally got my shelf I've been bugging Kevin about since Christmas. He no longer has to listen to me say "If I only had my shelf" or listen to me rant and rave how it can hold up to 1500lbs per shelf. That's right 1500lbs per shelf that's like being able to store 6 of me on EACH shelf. I don't think I will ever get close to the weight limit but it's just nice to know that I can. Of course now that I have my shelf I want another one.

Leo's 7th Birthday

2010-01-31T18:27:00.000-08:00

It's amazing what you can find at the $ store now a days

They each wanted a picture blowing the ball in the air so here we go.....

Leo showing off his presents

Crazy kidlets

Nana & the kids

The Tahu's

It looks like we just rented these kids for the pictures.

My baby turned seven yesterday, so we had a quick party for him on their way back from California. I asked him about a month ago what type of party he wanted and he couldn't decide between Batman, Spongebob, Pokemon or Mario Bros but he finally settled on Spongebob. I was secretly hoping he chose Spongebob because I thought it would be the easiest cake to make. They each got a goodies bag with a few toys and games and had fun entertaining themselves. We had his 2nd favorite dinner of Hot dogs and rice.For the cake I did a Spongebob Krabby Patty, you should have seen his face when he walked through the door he was so exited. I love that little Monkey.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T12:52:00.000-08:00

Sorry about my pictures I can't seem take one without blinking.

This year we decided to spend New Years Eve with a couple of our friends at the South Point Casino Bingo Room. I love playing bingo as it is but this was so much fun. Originally I was just going to go so I found tickets right across from my friends and unfortunately Kevin decided last minute so he was at a different table. Luckily for Kevin he happened to know a couple from his home town at his table so he wasn't totally alone. Out of 640 people he was bound to know someone.lol

For the price of our tickets we got to play 2 rounds of bingo, free drinks and food for the night and a few party favors. Just before midnight they stopped the game to show the countdown on the strip and then finished the last 2 games. No one in our group won but we had so much fun I think we are definitely going to do it again.

Christmas Party

2009-12-23T10:37:00.000-08:00

CROQUEMBOUCHE -French dessert often served in place a the traditional wedding cake made from cream puffs held together with carmel.

PEANUT BUTTER KISS CUPCAKES - Chocolate cupcake with peanut butter filling finished with chocolate ganache.

HOMEMADE GINGERBREAD MEN

WATER INFUSED WITH ORANGE AND CRANBERRIES & CRANBERRY HOLIDAY PUNCH

Cute Annie Modeling the appetizer table and also our piano serenader.

CARNEGIE DELI CHEESECAKE - Homemade from Carnegie's own recipe.

MOZZARELLA & TOMATO TOPIARY - I saw this on Barefoot Contessa and loved it.
MY LITTLE HELPERS. THANKS GUYS!

Last week I catered a Christmas party for my aunt and had a blast. Here is a list of what I served.
Appetizers: Panko Breaded Shrimp, Assorted Savory Puff Pastry Bites, Teriyaki Meatballs, Thai Lettuce cups served in Crisp Wantons, Assorted Crudites Tray, Cheese & Honeycomb Tray and a Mozzarella & Tomato topiary.
Desserts: Mini Peanut Butter Kiss Cupcakes, Mini Pina Colada Cupcakes, Carnegie Deli Cheesecake w/ Fresh Strawberries, Cranberry Banana Bread, Gingerbread Men Cookies and a Croquembouche (Cream puff topiary).
Drinks: Classic Christmas Cranberry punch, Orange & Cranberry Infused Water and Hot Wassel.

Some of the items were pre-made but I made a majority of the items from scratch. My poor oven was going non stop but I really enjoyed all the baking and cooking. Also a big thanks to Maile who filled and frosted 200 cupcakes and decorated all of the gingerbread men and Suzette for making the mozzarella topiary. Everything turned out exactly how I envisioned it.

UCLA Bruins

2009-11-22T20:12:00.001-08:00

We had the best quick trip ever. We left Vegas at 6am to go to see Xavier play at the Rose Bowl. We were entertained from start to finish. The Rose Bowl was awesome. We felt like we had been baptized into a whole new world. We are now Bruins for life! Kayla loved sitting behind the band and mastering the 8 clap! The Rose Bowl was more than just a game. I was distracted due to Kayla showing me all sorts of miscellaneous stuff going on during the game. For Kayla, she forgot there was a game. But she knew that Xavier goes on the field with the Quarter Back! That's A BIG STEP! We waited for X then went to dinner...We went back to the campus and had to say goodbye. It was sad to leave. We made our way back to Vegas and arrived around 1:30 am. The day was worth every minute we spent driving....

We need to Kick USC in the .......Go Bruins!!!!!

UCLA Wins against Washington 24-23

2009-11-08T14:41:00.000-08:00

Season Opener vs. Adams State College

2009-08-28T13:19:00.001-07:00

Opening Season for the RED STORM of Dixie State College 38 to 27 WIN!!!

Happy Smiley Face Birthday

2009-08-07T21:26:00.000-07:00

THE ONE MAN CLEAN UP CREW

Tonight we celebrated Alex's 9th Birthday with a quick party after Ness picked the kids up from "The California Exchange". I started off the day making my list of what I needed to get at the store for the party later tonight until I got a call from Vannessa saying they would be here at 2pm so I had to scratch the shopping idea and make due with what I had. I did a quick scavenger hunt through the house for any and all party and cake supplies. It's amazing what you can find in the house when your in a pinch. So out of what I found I did a primary color scheme with a Smiley Face cake and decorated the table with candy. When in doubt give them candy, they'll be on such a sugar high they won't notice nothing matches.

Luckily they were running late so I was able to get everything done. When Ness saw the cake she said "Oh my gosh how did you know he loves Smiley Face's" and I was like of course I know he loves smiley faces. (I honestly had no clue I totally lucked out.lol) When it was all said and done Alex was happy and that's all that mattered. Happy Birthday Alex, we love you!
The video is a little fuzzy because the kids were playing with the camera and put their dirty fingers all over the lens, crazy kids.

Kiana's Birthday Dinner With The Pope

2009-06-29T20:41:00.000-07:00

Last week we went to Buca's(The best Italian Food)for Kiana's Golden 25th Birthday. This was my first time there so I didn't know what to expect and can I just say the food was fabulous. So we were seated in "The Pope" room and it was as gaudy as they come, I loved it. There was a dome ceiling complete with painted chubby cherubs, pictures and shrines of the Pope everywhere and best of all a bust of the Pope smack dab in the middle of the table. Does it get any better. We had a lot of fun talking, laughing, singing and eating. Can't wait to do it again!

A few more Pics

2009-06-27T18:33:00.001-07:00

These pictures were sent to me from Terina Lepou our cousin in NZ. Thanks T.
In the pictures are Moana (MOM) Siapo (Chief) Paul Lepou (cousin) and Christabel S(cousin).

Remembering Uncle Bud

2009-06-15T00:57:00.001-07:00

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I've been thinking about Uncle Bud and thought I would re-post the funeral pictures. His 1 year anniversary was on a few days ago so I thought it would be appropriate.

Though we didn't get to see Uncle Bud on a regular basis it was always exciting when we knew he was coming to the next family event. The last event I saw him at was Wabby's 1st Birthday that April. When he arrived it might as well have been the President because everyone was so happy to see him and he was happy to see all of us. He just had a way of making everyone around him happy. We love you Uncle Bud.

Celebration With Friends and Family

2009-06-04T18:48:00.000-07:00

We just got back from Utah and what a great time we had. We celebrated the High School Graduations of Ella and Xavier, celebrated Hayley's 16th Birthday, Celebrated Rylan's Baptism and Xavier's Ordination.

Thursday Ella graduated in the morning but we weren't able to make it til the end for pictures because Kevin is still recovering. Later that night was the big party for Ella & X. They had the best food and desserts ever. I think I gained 10lbs from that day alone. The entertainment was great and the best was when the kids jumper tipped over. Luckily no one was hurt but I was bound to happen when you have 50 kids all trying to get on. We were able to see alot of friends & family we haven't seen in a while. We even got to have a mini Kalama reunion with Maile, Malia & Dave and Lauaki & Marylani.

Friday night Xavier graduated so we did another drive-by picture moment. Afterward we went to dinner and celebrated Hayley's Sweet Sixteen. I can't believe she's already 16 I remember going to her 4th Birthday party when Kevin and I were engaged.

Saturday morning was Rylan's Baptism and what a turn out he had. He was baptized by Xavier and confirmed by Kevin, Candida and Kevin's Mom gave the talks on Baptism and The Holy Ghost, Shanice lead the music and Ella & Lisa gave prayers. It's always so nice when the whole family can participate.

Sunday we finally check out of the hotel and went to church with Ifi & Candida because Xavier was being ordained to an Elder. Unfortunately I was stuck in the car with a sick Mr. Leo who after a quick stop to the store for medicine and a Redbox movie he quickly recovered. We had a nice lunch with all the family after church then said our tearful goodbyes and hit the road. This was a really great trip for all of us.

- A COUPLE OF HIGHLIGHTS -
- Silly string fight with the Siufanua kidlets.
- Leo getting to go swimming with his cousins.
- The original Pink Cookie.
- Witnessing how spoiled Mr. Leo is around the girls, so cute.
- Getting to see friends and family we haven't seen in a really long time.
- Talking to Maile, that girl is crazy fun.
- This conversation with Leo. Background - We are eating dinner at Sarah's house and she made the best BBQ Pork Chops & Rice. Leo: "MORE CHICKEN PLEASE" Me: WOW YOU ALREADY ATE ALL YOUR FOOD." Leo: "YEP" Me: "ISN'T AUNTY SARAH A GOOD COOK?" Leo: YEP, AND YOUR A GOOD CEREAL COOK AUNTY KAY."
After all the food I make this kid the best he comes up with is "Your the best cereal cook" Gotta love him.

Leo's Graduation Dance

2009-05-23T15:30:00.000-07:00

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Mr. Leo's Graduation

2009-05-21T22:04:00.000-07:00

Wednesday morning Mr. Leo had his Kindergarten Graduation and it was the cutest thing ever. The kids sang and danced to a couple of songs they learned this year but the cutest one was a Hawaiian song choreographed by his Aunty Shannon. When they handed him his diploma he was so excited and stated to giggle. I wish I had the video of it because he was so dang cute. Hopefully his mother will post it.(hint, hint)I can't believe my baby is growing up, before I know it he'll be graduating High School.

A Small Family Reunion ( Farewell )

2009-05-19T16:24:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful trip to say farewell to our dear Uncle Paogoui. We were able to see our aiga from down under. Aunty Siapo, Paul and Terina. Even as we mourned the passing of Uncle, we were able to to visit and catch up with each other. We were also pleased to meet our cousin Christabell a daughter of Uncle Paogoui. We had such a great time, saying goodbye was bittersweet. All our love to our aiga...that means all of you down under too. We love you all...Kevin and Kayla

Foodie Night With My Cousins

2009-04-23T23:10:00.000-07:00

I think I've have died and gone to Heaven, Foodie Heaven that is. I just got back from the Epicurean Festival at the Flamingo and can now go to sleep happy. My cousin asked if I wanted to volunteer for this event and in return we could get in for free so of course I said "YES!". Kiana, Max and I worked for about 2 hours then we were released to devour the goodness of tons of local restaurants. When I walked thru the door I thought I heard angels singing when I saw endless tables of scrumptious food. It was like an adult version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. There were tables of desserts, steaks, mini hamburgers galore (even a dessert hamburger), desserts, seafood, Mexican, Italian, Indian, Chinese and even more desserts. Just when you thought you were done there was another section filled with more food booths. There were lots of great ice sculptures, carved fruits and great displays. I can't say enough about how great the food taste and looked.

I thought it was never going to end when all of a sudden my stomach had its fill and was not allowing anything else to go in. It's amazing that even though your eating just a small sample you get stuffed really fast. I tried the whole mind over matter thing but it was time to stop because my "I think I've died and gone to Heaven" was soon becoming my "I think I ate too much and I am now entering Hell".

On our way out the door and just when we said we weren't going to eat another bite we spotted the cotton candy machine and I left with a smile on my face and a little of cotton candy.

Spring Break

2009-04-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

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Spring Break

2009-04-19T18:00:00.000-07:00

Last Tuesday Dom & Shanice decided to take a little road trip and came to Las Vegas to spend their Spring Break with us. The first thing on Dominique's list was to hit a buffet so he could get his Crab fix. We ended up going to Green Valley Ranch which is always a good choice and filled up on crab.

Wednesday we took a drive over to the Hoover Dam and walked around a bit but it was kind of windy so we didn't last too long. That night Shanice made her Las Vegas cooking debut and made smothered pork chops which were so yummy.

Thursday we went to m&m World and Game Works. We decided to stay in for dinner so went wen with an Asian theme and Shanice made Beef Broccoli and I made Thai lettuce wraps. I must say Shanice is shaping up to be quite the cook. Later that night we decided to make a few jars of strawberry freezer jam, yum-o.

Friday we ended up going to the Adventure Dome at Circus Circus and I must say I was surprised at how many rides those two kids were afraid to go on. They did end up on the roller coaster where Dom lost his hat but refused to go on the Dysco ride in fear of throwing up. One of their favorite rides was over in the kiddie section, so funny. We of course couldn't leave without winning a few stuffed animals. Later that night we went to the Silverton to get in another crab fix. Later Shanice, the new chef, made homemade chocolate chip cookies and they were almost all gone by morning.

Saturday Dom & Kevin made breakfast then we headed up the the Scholer's to swim and BBQ. We also had Leo and Elias for the day so we all hung out and had fun by the pool. Leo was trying out some of his new tricks by riding the big wheel into the pool, what a crazy kid. Shanice was having fun until she dropped her phone in the pool. I think by the end of the night she was going into texting withdrawals. Later at home we decided to do a little chocolate fondue and just about licked the pot clean.

So finally Sunday arrived and it was time for the kids to head home and I noticed they were in no hurry to get on the road. I must say weren't in a hurry to see them leave either. We had so much fun with them and really enjoyed our time with them.

Happy Easter

2009-04-14T15:17:00.000-07:00

Ness and the kids came up Saturday night to spend Easter with us and we had a blast. Easter morning the kids went on a mini scavenger hunt to find their Easter goodies and were sugared out by the time we were ready to go to church. After church we headed up to the Scholer's for dinner and an Easter Egg Hunt. Dinner was so yummy and lots of good desserts. Daniel hid the eggs and the kids ran like crazy to find as many as possible. I think it took longer to hide the eggs than it took to find them. Thanks to Nana & Aunty Tan for the great treats for the egg hunt.

May The Force Be With You, Til Death Do You Part

2009-04-09T21:07:00.000-07:00

I think I can take him

Kevin getting the death grip

The RMI Gang

We just got back from one of the coolest weddings ever. Our friend, Jen got married today and as a surprise to her husband (and the rest of us) she had Darth Vader as the minister. We were waiting for her to walk down the isle and all of a sudden the Darth Vader Death March started playing and I was like no way. I must say that was so much more fun than the traditional wedding march. So then Darth Vader walks her down the isle with 2 Storm Troopers right behind. So the whole ceremony was done by Darth Vader in the authentic voice of course, so cool. I was very impressed by the costumes they looked like the real deal. It was just the right amount without making it a completely Star Wars themed wedding.

The reception was very nice with perfect weather, pretty in pink. The food was catered by Famous Dave's BBQ which I now think is the best place ever. They also had a candy buffet, how can you go wrong. Everything was top notch. The bride looked beautiful and this is definitely one of the best weddings we've been to.

Toasty By The Fire

2009-03-22T15:52:00.000-07:00

Last time the kids were here they helped Kevin build a little fire pit in the back yard but had to leave before we could use it. They came back last week so we had our 1st hot dog roast. They were so excited to stick something in the fire the hot dogs ended up black on the outside and cold in the middle. We then quickly moved on to the s'mores where they had fun catching the marshmallow on fire and blowing it out.To finish off the night we had a sleepover in the living room and watched Beverly Hills Chihuahua. The next morning they finished off their "Grammie Crafts" and of course Bear found a way to incorporate marshmallows.

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T18:31:00.000-08:00

This year for Valentine's Day we decided try out Carnegie Deli at the Mirage. I have wanted to go since we found out it was there but always seem to forget about it plus we hate going anywhere on The Strip. I am glad we decided to do lunch instead of dinner because there was quite a wait to get a table. One of the reasons why I wanted eat there was for the pickles. I remember going to the real Carnegie Deli in New York City with the Scholer's when I was younger and could still remember the homemade pickles they bring to the table, they are sooooo good. The sandwiches are huge but I didn't realize how HUGE until it was brought to the table. We ordered the "Woody Allen" and a Frankfurter w/sauerkraut. I ate half of the pickles before the food actually got there so I only got through a few bites of my sandwich before I was done. I knew we would be too stuffed to eat desert but you can't go there without ordering the original New York cheesecake so we ordered one to go. Also very yummy. I just realized I am talking alot about the food but it was also a great date. Kevin doesn't like to get too caught up in these "Hallmark Holiday's" so I was very please when he made the suggestion to go out for Valentine's Day. Thanks Babe XOXO

What a great day with the Family!

2009-02-06T19:56:00.000-08:00

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We just came off the fastest trip to Utah. We were there to visit Dominique since he has been sick since the middle of november. There was also "National Signing Day" for College Football. We had the honor of being present to watch Xavier Su'a Filo( Ifi and Candida's son) commit to UCLA for his college football Career. Kayla had time to drop by the Siufanua's and say hi.

We arrived Tues afternoon and left Thurs afternoon. We are now home thinking of how great it was to see everyone and spend a quick minute. Congrats Xman!

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Mr. Leo's Birthday

2009-01-30T17:42:00.000-08:00

Today is Leo's 6th birthday so we had a quick celebration before they had to leave for the California Exchange. When I asked him what type of cake he wanted he said Mario Brother's. At first I thought that wouldn't be too hard to find so I was cool with it. Then as I tried different stores to get one ordered I was forced into accepting it was 2009 and not 1992 when you could find everything Mario. So I made another call to Mr. Leo and tried to persuade him to change it to Spongebob. He was quick to tell me that he had already planned out his parties and he was doing Spongebob in California, Wallie in St. George and Mario with us. With that said I was left to create a Mario cake on my own. I had to take it old school since I have no idea what the new Mario is like so I wasn't sure if he would actually get the picture but once he saw the Mario figures that was all he needed.
Happy Birthday LEO!

The Next American Idol

2009-01-15T14:54:00.000-08:00

I am so excited for this years American Idol! I have been searching the internet for any and all information on "Our" American Idol. I couldn't believe how many fanatics there are out there. There are tons and tons of websites but the best one I have found so far is mjsbigblog.com she is a true fan. I read that she spends 8-10 hours on the website everyday(Crazy!). Anything you ever wanted to know about anyone who has been on AI since the beginning is on there. One thing that I thought was cool is that she posts a video of each audition after it airs. I thought this would be handy for anyone that wants to download "Our" American Idol's video next week.

Twilight Date Night

2009-01-10T20:52:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I have to start by saying that I was a little skeptical about reading the Twilight books because I thought is was just for teenage girls but I finally broke down and read the first book and was so hooked I read the last three books two days at a time. With that said I finally convinced Kevin to go see Twilight with me tonight so we made a date of it. Again I was a little nervous on how good the movie would be when I saw how many little girls were in the theater but I have to say I loved it. I thought it was especially cute when Edward was shown for the first time all of the little girls gasped and oohed and awed all together and then again giggled every time he came on after that. I have to confess I had a little smile on my face as well.

Kevin on the other hand was waiting for the fangs to come out and a little more bloodshed. I didn't expect him to like it but he was a good sport for taking me anyway. After the movie we went to one of our favorite Korean restaurants which was totally delicious and made for a perfect date night.

Leo's Photo Album

2008-12-26T14:09:00.000-08:00

I let Leo take a few pictures when he was visiting and this is what he came up with. I also asked him to name the pictures thinking that he would tell a little about each picture but he just gave them names.

CAMERA OF DOOM

ALIEN MAN

KOOKMAN

KATIE

KEVIE

In the sun she melted small, small, small

2008-12-19T18:08:00.000-08:00

I must confess I used the zoom on my camera to make my snowman look four feet tall but in reality it was only a foot tall. I had good intentions but as soon as I started gathering snow with my bare hands this was all I could do.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow

2008-12-17T20:49:00.000-08:00

It finally feels like Christmas! It started to snow this afternoon and hasn't stopped yet. We haven't seen this much snow in the 5 years that we have lived here. I love it! The only downside about the snow is driving in it. It took me an hour and a half to drive home today and we missed out on a great birthday party for Uncle Eric :( Since we were snowed in and not going anywhere I decided to make a snowman. It's not the greatest but it made me feel like a kid again if only for a minute.

More Fun With The Crazies

2008-12-11T20:51:00.000-08:00

Before Kamaile and Wabby left last weekend we went to the Cactus Garden at Ethel M's and the train in Boulder City. Enjoy the pics!

Stuffed

2008-12-02T18:01:00.001-08:00

So we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving a day early which made for an extra day of leftovers. After 4 days of being very creative with our leftover turkey and ham we are officially done, unless we actually decide to defrost the stuff in the freezer. With that said we had and are still having a great time with the family that came to town. I can't get my Smilebox to work so get ready to scroll for a few pictures.

Happy Turkey Day

2008-11-25T23:03:00.000-08:00

First of all I must say today was a great day. This morning Kamaile, Gray and Wabby flew in from Oregon and spent the morning at our house. I can't help but smile when I see that head of hair bopping around. Later on I had the kids help me clean and stuff the turkey. They were a little hesitant at first but eventually got in to it. For all of their hard work they were rewarded with a Purple Cow.

Dixie Wins in Azusa 30-23

2008-10-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

We had a great trip down to Azusa to watch Dixie State College take on Azusa Pacific University. We were greeted by friendly people everywhere, saw a good game and drove back right after.

2008-10-18T00:07:00.000-07:00

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2008-10-17T19:12:00.001-07:00

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A Picture Perfect Day.

2008-10-14T12:44:00.000-07:00

Sunday marked the 4th Anniversary of Papa's passing and it was also Kainoa's Birthday and Baptism. We were so happy to be here for this great moment in Kainoa's life. He was baptised by his father "Chuck D" and confirmed by his uncle "KDWAG".

Soccer Anyone?

2008-10-11T20:42:00.000-07:00

We had a fun field day of soccer and everyone's a winner. Kainoa started us off with a elbow busting high paced game which ended in a tie. Then Keili and her 6 year old team had a very fun back and forth score topping game whith Keili scoring one of the 8 goals that helped win it for the team. And last but not least, off to Pearl City to watch Taliyah. It was a tough game 0-0 until the last 5 minutes of the 4th quarter when her team kicked it up a notch and won the game 4-0. Way to go kids!

Under Construction

2008-10-11T20:23:00.000-07:00

While we are here we are able to help out a little with the new house. Mom and I put on our uniforms and helped Chuck stain the Ohia posts. Aren't they beautiful?

Fun in Paradise

2008-10-08T23:03:00.000-07:00

After a long and painful plane ride we made it and I must say it was all worth it. We arrived early Tuesday morning and the first stop was to Zippy's for a Zip Pack. We then took a quick nap then off to the beach. After the beach I made a mexican dinner of fried tacos and spainish rice. By-the-way if you are trying to find mexican foods or ingredients Hawaii is not the place. I don't know what I was thinking. We were then entertained by the Crismon Klan. There was dancing, jumping, singing and even a few handstands. We then ended the night with Karaoke. Charles and Nalei sang La Vida Loca which was the biggest hit of the night.

A little get together in St. George Utah

2008-09-22T21:12:00.000-07:00

We're Finally Home

2008-09-08T19:18:00.000-07:00

After 5 days of traveling we are finally home. Last Wednesday we picked up Kevin's Mom from the airport and drove straight to California to visit her brother who is in the hospital. We had such a great visit with his Uncle and his family we didn't want to leave. Thankfully he is doing much better and will be able to come home soon.

We were able to stop by the New Port Beach for a minute, 15 to be exact, out of all the change in my purse I only had 1 quarter. Being there brought back memories of going to the beach with Uncle Bud and Uncle Ron and their families. I love the beach!

We made a quick stop to see the newest Crazy Baby in Hysteria. I can't believe how much red hair she has. She is the cutest Strawberry Shortcake ever. She can already talk and said that her favorite Aunt is Aunty Kay, sorry Kiana.

After a 30 min pit stop in Las Vegas we headed to Mesquite where we stayed Friday night. The next morning we drove to St. George for Alex's Baptism and Fat Man's Blessing. Alex was so handsome in his white jumpsuit. Fat Man was totally adorable in his whites as well. It was good that they blessed Fat Man the same day as Alex, a couple more weeks and they would have to put him on a chair or have at least 20 guys in the circle.lol. After the Baptism/Blessing we went to the park for lunch and fun in the sun.

Saturday night we went to Dominique's 2nd College Football Game where they totally smashed New Mexico 38-3. I was trying to concentrate on the game but I couldn't keep my eyes off the cheerleaders who where being dropped left and right. As well as the Hoochie Mamas dressed up for the club not a football game. I think I have Sports ADD. Slowly but surely I am starting to understand whats going on on the field. Anyway back to Dominique, he played an awesome game and had a couple of really good sacks, I think that's what their called. Fun was had by all.

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Xavier " X-MAN" Su'a Filo

2008-09-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

Dominique..,.Dixie State College 38 Eastern Washington 44 OT

2008-09-01T22:28:00.001-07:00

Not a bad run for a young Dixie team against a NCAA div I team.

A Fun Weekend with the Dixie Rebels and the Yahoo's

2008-08-19T17:17:00.000-07:00

We had a great weekend with Dominique, his roommate Von and the crazy Yahoo's all here from St. George. The boys were here for a Missionary Homecoming and the Tahu's were here doing the "California Exchange". We also invaded the Scholers pool on Friday after enduring 2 days of no air conditioning. Thanks again Scholers.

Many Thanks to the "Kitchen Crew"

2008-08-06T21:58:00.000-07:00

I want to thank everyone who gave of their time and energy to help make the food for the reunion. First and foremost my Husband who put up with all of my orders and ran the home base while I was out running around like a crazy lady. Sarah and Manu for letting me take over their kitchen and family for the week. Max for being there each day ready to help where needed. To all the girls, Neesha, Ella, Shanice, Moana and Baby Sarah for do anything that was asked with a smile. Thanks to the delivery crew of Xavier and Dominique for getting the food where it needed to go in one piece and Wendy and Rylan for helping with food preparations. I am so thankful to be part of a family that is so supportive. I could not have done it without you.

Uncle Bud's Funeral

2008-08-06T21:48:00.000-07:00

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I was thinking about Uncle Bud lately and thought I would repost the funeral pictures from last year. His 1 year anniversary was on a few days ago so I thought it would be appropriate. Even though we didn't get to see Uncle Bud on a regular basis it was always exciting when we knew he was coming to the next family event. The last event I saw him at was Wabby's 1st Birthday that April. When he arrived it might as well have been the President because everyone was so happy to see him and he was happy to see all of us. He just had a way of making everyone around him happy. We love you Uncle Bud.

A great weekend in Utah

2008-06-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

Baby Sarah "thinks she's my mom"

2008-06-06T15:14:00.000-07:00

Dominique Moe Graduation 2008

2008-06-05T22:39:00.000-07:00

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A Few Memories

2008-05-22T10:37:00.000-07:00

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Tourists

2008-05-19T17:58:00.000-07:00

Just Kickin it @ the Belagio. Kays B-DAY!!!!

2008-05-19T17:55:00.000-07:00

Um, are those baby bald eagles?

Happy B-Day Kayla

2008-05-19T17:48:00.000-07:00

Much happiness at the Belagio.

Happy Birthday Kayla May 18th

2008-05-19T00:18:00.000-07:00

Wow, Kayla another year closer to the finish line. Hope you had a great day.

I went also, I had a different take on it

2008-05-14T22:32:00.000-07:00

So we got up at six in the morning to make it St. George for the Graduation...Not Fun! Since it started at 10am and we got to the school at 10:06am and the best parking was at the business across the street,I stayed in the car and waited. I'm sure my life won't be the same, since I missed the speakers and...oh yeah this was just kindergarten..whew I'm safe. So then the plan was to go to In and Out for lunch. Yep the drive thru was around the corner an it looked pretty packed. So we went to take care of some other things on our list of things to do while in Utah.

The next thing was to renew Kayla's drivers license. Oh it's not in the same place anymore, it's out next to Purgatory the State Prison. this is in Hurricane. So we drive all the way out there to find out that she cannot renew, since her license has been suspended for 18 months. Oh yeah, need to pay for that non-moving violation in Filmore, UT. Okay let's take care of that. Oh Filmore is like May berry they cannot take payments over the phone. Are you serious? So Kayla is officially driving with out a license.

So I'm thinking like, lets go home. Oh yeah, "my mom and sisters are waiting for me to see the statues." So we get a hotel room and spend the night. That night she tells me "we are going to the farmers market in the morning." I asked what time "oh like 8:30." Ok lets be on our way by lunch.

When we wake up it is 10:45am. "We are meeting up right now." What the farvignugen is going on? She comes back at 12:30pm we check out at 1:00pm. Obviously not on our way home. So ok let's visit one of our friends then leave. Kayla agrees. We visit with our friend for about 1 1/2 hours. Let's go. Oh let's go to the party."What party?" Bear Bears graduation party.

We got home at 9:30pm Las Vegas time. A good time was had by most! Kdawg............

The Graduate

2008-05-14T21:03:00.000-07:00

Fun in the George

2008-05-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

We went up to St. George last weekend to celebrate Bear's Kindergarten Graduation and to get together for Mother's Day. The graduation was adorable up until the point that some random guy starts singing his version of Start Spreading the News, of course he changed all of the words to fit leaving Kindergarten for 1st grade. I think he might have been a teacher or something but he was definitely an American Idol reject. It was completely cheesy and I was like "Can I get a barf bag with that diploma" anyways besides that it was great. At one point Bear started crying and it was the cutest thing ever. When we asked her later why she was crying she said "When I looked up and saw everyone here I was so happy". At that point I thought Honey, (this is what the grandkids call my Dad) would be proud. My Dad is constantly crying about anything and everything but thats another blog. After the graduation we went to see an amazing sculpture exhibit at the St. George Temple Visitors Center then had dinner at Olive Garden for Mothers Day. Needless to say fun was had by all.

2008-05-14T14:35:00.000-07:00

2008-05-14T14:33:00.000-07:00

Just Cruisin In Las Vegas!

2008-05-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

Just thought we would throw our hat in blog ring and feel as if we were with the in crowd. Peer pressure is such a evil beast. But we are in now so lets blog! We are still holding it down in the LV.
There seems to be quite a group of Kalama-ites here. So anywho that is about the extent of our blog-ability at this time.

Stay tuned for exciting things in the future.