7 Weeks To Go!

It's been a while since I've been on here. Alot has happened since
our happy announcement. I still haven't been able to get to a doctor
to check if it's a boy or a girl. Trying to get the insurance has been
a struggle for us. But I have been feeling the baby kick alot and last
night couldn't sleep that well from all the baby's movements.

The baby has gotten really low, so I know I'm getting close. I could
have this baby before the 7th week hits. I have a feeling it's a boy,
my mother thinks it's a girl and they're prepping and buying things as
if it's a girl coming. I've asked them to wait until the baby arrives so
we can see then.

We're also in the prep phase of moving to another home. We've
outgrown this home and are now looking for something where we'll
all fit with the baby. I'm a little stressed by it and not looking forward
to it. I have been packing little bit at a time and will leave the rest up
to dh to worry about.



Tia (my eldest daughter) graduated last month from Everest College
from their medical program and is now preparing to enter her papers
to go on her mission. I'm so proud of her and the path she's chosen.

Ami's still serving his mission in Forth Worth, Texas and is currently
living with another Tongan family in Euless and enjoying his work in
the Lord's field.


Hinalei (second daughter) is busy in high school with volleyball and
studies.

Loni turned 10 years old this month and enjoyed his birthday money
from friends and family. We did cake and ice cream for that and took
him to a nickecade to play to his heart's content.

Loni and Nesi have a Polynesian program after school today that
we'll be attending. Don't know what their dance number is. I did help
with the costumes and will be there at 4 pm today helping the kids
get dressed for their last activity before school gets out on the 12th.

Another Blessing For Our Family

photo credit: zazzle.com greeting card

Last Thursday 11/29/12 on Nesi and Mom's birthday our family
got another surprise and wonderful news. I'm expecting! I was
scheduled to go in for my colposcopy Friday morning at 11:45
when I decided to run to the store Thursday night to get me a
pregnancy test. After the swollen feet on thanksgiving night and
bouts of nausea after smelling certain foods, I was certain that
I was pregnant. But wasn't sure, since it's been like 8 years or
so. After seeing the double lines on the stick, I knew I had to
make a call asap in the morning to let them know that the test
came back positive.

The day before I was on the phone with them and they asked
if I've already had my period, so it wouldn't interfere with the
surgical procedure and I told them that I hadn't had my period
and was still waiting. So they asked my when I last had it and
told me to get tested before coming in or I could go in and they
could do a test on me. So I decided against the latter, since I
was too eager to find out.

Dh is so excited that he was just walking around the house
singing and smiling! I was feeling happy and scared at the same
time. Thankful for the blessings, but totally not loving the morning
sickness deal. Most of this weekend, I've just stayed in bed with
closed doors, not able to handle the smell of my husband's
cooking in the kitchen. When I called mom to say happy birthday
to her, I also told her of the news and she was surprised and
asked me, "How long has it been since the last one?" Not sure
if she was happy for me, I said, "I know it's been a while and I
thought I was done as well." She told me that Heavenly Father
has more planned for me and to just pray about it. I'm one year
away from turning 40 and it's still a surprise to me, when I wake
up in the morning and thinking about it.

The kids are excited and arguing whether it's going to be a girl
or a boy. Loni says that it should be another boy to make it even.
3 boys and 3 girls..lol..Nesi said she's thankful for whatever He
blesses us with, she just wants a baby sibling to feed, change,
play and talk with.

Thanksgiving and Nesi's Birthday

Thursday- Thanksgiving 11/22

This thanksgiving turned out to be different. We had a full house 

but not for thanksgiving but for a funeral here in town, a friend 

of my husband's family. My girls flew down from Salt Lake to 

spend some quality time with us and we ended up cooking 11 

hours straight until 9:50 pm for this funeral to feed about 200+

people for that day. By the time 10pm hit my feet were so

swollen, I told my hubby that I'm done and going to put my feet up.

My hubby asked if we could cook that day with his sister, but 

she was arriving late from Nevada..so my girls and I did most of

the cooking. I felt bad for the girls because we hadn't had a chance

to sit down and spend some time together and they were hungry 

from their flight. So I told my hubby he'd better compensate the 

girls, since they came down to spend time with me, not cook for 

a funeral they were not going to. So he agreed. 

Dh's sister, brother and two other friends of the family flew in for

this funeral. So the house was pretty packed and we only have 3 

bedrooms. I slept with all the children in our bedroom and dh 

camped out in the living room with his two friends. His brother 

took Loni's room and his sister took Nesi's room. So it all worked

out.

Friday- Celebrating Nesi's birthday 11/23

Nesi's 8th birthday was coming up on the 29th, same day with 

my mom and so I decided that we were going to celebrate it 

the next day since everyone was here. Nesi was not only excited 

but was thankful that her sisters were here to be with her. 

Dh's sister offered to buy the birthday cake from Costco since 

we were still feeling the effects of cooking the day before and I 

had to run to work. By the time we were singing happy birthday 

later that night, my phone was no where to be found and I ended 

up not having any pictures for Nesi's birthday. But her sisters did

take some and posted them here on Instagram.

Happy 64th birthday mom!! Love you!

Hope your Thanksgiving was a wonderful one!

 

Ami's First Letter from His Mission!

Ami getting ready to go into the MTC.

My mom called me last night to let me know that Ami has
finally written them back through, Meliani. He says that
he is doing great and they're living in a barn. Not sure if
that was a joke or not. Maybe it was...so slow here.
Anyways, he was so excited to say that he and his comp
anion are doing great and have already baptized their first
family and are still working on the eldest son.

If you don't remember where he was heading, he's serv
ing in Fort Worth, Texas Mission. I wrote him through
www.dearelder.com and didn't hear back from him and
then found out that the day I wrote him was the day that
he left the Provo MTC to head out to Ft. Worth.

So glad to hear that he's doing well and hopefully not really
living in a barn. Hope it's a nice one if he is. I just put the
youngest ones to bed after we had read scriptures and a
family prayer. Now to go and pack up his boxes to send
out in the morning. Just seeing his letter made my day.

Week Full of Busy Preparations...

Lets say the past two weeks, I've been worrying about the headlines
I've been seeing online and the news about what's going on around
the world regarding the droughts, articles about the collapse of the
financial system coming ahead as soon as this month or September.
yikes! etc...

It's got to the point where I'm using every dollar I get in my hand
to purchase canned food, meats, veggies..whatever I can find to
stockpile our cupboards. I'm still short in the first aid kit department
but slowly getting there. Hubby thinks I'm crazy and says that I
worry too much. I tell him to watch the news with me and he really
doesn't get it. So the week before Cash and Carry had a great deal
on the tomatoes 25 lbs for $13 and 50 lbs of white or yellow onions
went for $8 and change..I bought those and the strawberries to
bring home and make some jam and freeze all the onions and toma
toes, by cutting, dicing, slicing them into ziplock bags and freezing
them. Next up I'm ready to learn how to can or pressure cook the
chicken.

Hubby and I have worked up enough money to pay the rent for
3 months. So that should give us leeway to keep adding to our
stockpile.

my little helpers, Nesi and Loni helping me peel the onions. Loni
was too shy to be on camera.

I got rushed and accidentally added the sugar before the pectin and
now I have a runny jam. Not so happy with that one. Did finish the
whole bag of onions and glad that we let them sit in a bowl of cold
water to avoid getting tears while we're cutting them.

So making a wreath yesterday wasn't part of preparation. I saw the
tutorial on how to make it and had all the items already in my house to
make it and so proud of myself that I finally made a wreath that I
actually like and want to hang up. It took up 1 18 inch. straw wreath,
200 floral pins and corn husks to make this awesome wreath. It was
really messy too..

Ami's Mission Call...

Thursday night my phone was still not working (it's been a week or so)
and I haven't been able to keep in touch with the older children in SLC.
I've been thinking every night and day about my eldest son's mission
papers that he's submitted. He posted an update on Facebook about
how frustrated he's been lately with not hearing back from them about
his papers, then my little brother jokingly comments to go back to his
bishop and tell everything that he's keeping behind and forgot to tell
bishop. So I inboxed him and asked him to pray some more for help
from Heavenly Father. Didn't hear back from him, then I noticed on
Thursday he no longer has a facebook page.

I then get inboxed by my eldest daughter Tia that he got his papers
for his mission in the mail and won't open it until that evening when
my parents get off of work. Nobody contacts me yet about where he
is getting called to because they were busy getting ready to fly out to
San Francisco to a family reunion for my mom's Taumoepeau family.

Just found out that his mission call will be on August 22nd! 

I really wished that we could've gone to that reunion. I haven't seen
my cousins for over 20 years..yes, long overdue. My children need
to see their cousins and know who their family is. But due to bills
and a house to pay for, we just won't be able to go.

I finally get onto fb last night [friday night] and my daughters had
already announced it on their updates that he got called to Fort Worth,
Texas! I cried tears of joy and felt so happy and at peace that he
will finally be able to go.I wished that I was there at that moment
to sit with him while he opened it.

Now that everything is for sure and guaranteed, I've switched into
preparedness mode. My parents are paying for his mission, even
though I asked them not to and that I will make payments on it.
But they've been adamant about paying it off before he leaves. So
I figure the least I could do is to stock up on ties, shirts, suits and
shoes..etc. Time has gone by so fast and I hope that in the future
Ami will be able to convert his father to the gospel. His father has
always disliked the Mormon church and felt that things couldn't work
out between us because he was a strong Methodist and I a Mormon
who wouldn't convert to his church. It's been years since he's seen
his father or heard from him and I told him, Ami maybe you will
be the first to convert him and help him out and he just shook his
head. I pray that Heavenly Father will help heal his broken heart and
give him hope for a better future with his earthly father and I. We
haven't always been there for him and I hope he'll forgive us for
our parental mistakes one day.

Memorial day weekend, birthday and family time

Hope your Memorial day weekend was a good one! I'm glad to be back
and writing again. It's been another couple of weeks and I hadn't planned
on being away so long. So what's new? For me, I've been trying to get in
as much time with my online courses learning more sewing and today...
gardening. I got paid today and said good-bye to most of my check as
they went to the utility bills, then I treated myself to a new online garden
ing course with Craftsy.com. The week before we celebrated Loni's 9th
birthday. He wanted coconut-cream cupcakes or cake and I made him a
Bakugan cake.

For Memorial day, we just spent family time in the back yard, cutting the
grass. The grass was so long it was up to our thighs, so Mel took to the
over-grown grass with the lawn edging machine or however you call it.
While I took over the bbq he started of Teriyaki chicken and hot dogs.
The kids had tons of fun running around the back-yard and helping rake
up the mounds of grass. 

Last week, I got caught up with making cupcakes with the kids. It was
fun, but after gaining an extra 8-9 pounds tasting and what not..it wasn't
so fun anymore. So I left cup-caking to another time where I'm more in
control of my will power. You can go here for the Hawaiian cupcakes 
recipe at Foodista, recipe by Leah Rodriguez. They're sooo yummy, you
have to stop yourself at one or else you'd eat the whole batch..hmm,
kinda sounds like what we did..

 Hawaiian Cupcakes with Coconut Cream

Cheese Frosting

Red Velvet cupcakes and Lemon Cupcakes 

with Lemon curd filling

Guava rose cupcakes with Guava buttercream

This week I started a welfare group with my friends, Umu and Ta. 

What we're doing is taking turns buying $50 worth of products for

the person of the week. So Umu is this week and Ta and I would 

buy her $50 worth of products that she wants for emergency stash. 

She's requested $50 worth of Scott's Toilet paper and cases of 

bottled water from Costco from me, Then she'd request something 

else from Ta, again $50 worth say, toothpaste, shampoo, etc. Next

week is Ta's turn and her requests, then my turn the week after. 

We're doing this every week until our stockpiles are full and set for

winter, when the guys aren't doing construction anymore.

So it works out for us. Other groups would have 9 women and do

$20 per person. So it depends on the group you're in and the women's

needs in the group. We do make sure that we only deal with women 

who won't flake out. So that's a quick look at what I've been up to 

for the past couple of weeks. Hope this week brings you and your 

family many blessings. I'd love to hear how your week is going!!