Quick Trip to Apia

We got to go to Apia again last weekend.  It was a quick but wonderful trip.

It's a good feeling to sit in the breezy airport and think, "It's my turn.  I'm going."

The flight is always fun.  I love being up in the clouds.

Our only goal for the trip was to go to the temple, so we stayed in temple housing.  It was wonderful.

Our friends the Macdonald's picked us up from the airport and invited us to spend the evening with their great family.  It was a great evening, and they even sent us home with some zucchini bread for breakfast.

This bread was manna from heaven.  Look at those green chunks of zucchini.  Mmmm.  When's the last time I saw a fresh zucchini??  This slice is even looks like a one-eyed smiley face.

The temple is beautiful of course.  

I'm intrigued by the Samoan patterns on the stained glass windows.  Very unique.

Blood, Burns, and a Brunette

BLOOD

Ella lost a tooth.  By this age, she's used to it and doesn't freak out.  She was even excited when Ephraim popped it out and it bled all over her mouth.  It's great to be eight.

BURNS

Isaac burned his feet... on the stove.  How?

Isaac is an independent 6 year old.  He wakes up earlier than everyone, wakes Owen up to keep him company (he's not as independent as he thinks), and then makes his own breakfast.  

On Thursday morning he turned on the burner to warm up some water for his instant oatmeal (we don't have a microwave).  As he was prepping the pot and water, he forgot the burner was on.  He climbed up on the stove to reach the oatmeal which is stored in the cupboard.  He stepped on the burner and burned both feet.  He was screaming, "I'm gonna die!  I'm gonna die!  I wish I never turned that stove on!"  

Some kids learn the hard way.

His feet are really tough since he's always barefoot. We've given up buying real shoes for him since he loses them, so we just get $2 rubber slippers.  We buy 3 pairs at a time so he can mix and match as he loses a slipper here and there.

Here are the burns.  You can see the curves of the burner coils.  There are really three of them, but you can barely see the one on his heel because the skin is so tough, the burn didn't really affect it. 

You can also see a little puncture to the right of the burn.  That's where he stepped on a nail last week.  I know.  This boy needs Flint Lockwood's Spray on Shoes.

He's fine now-- a little wiser and more cautious.

A BRUNETTE

Do you ever just need a change?  Do you ever feel that desire so strongly that you do weird things like pick up a box of Clairol Nice and Easy one day and dye your hair while making dinner?

Well now I'm a brunette, and my craving for change is satiated... for now.

                   After                                                                                           Before              

Oreo Mustache

It's funny what attitude a little mustache brings on.

I Had a Birthday

I had a birthday last week.  It was nice.  Our friends watched our kids one night so we could go snorkeling.  We saw lots of cool fish, bright blue sea stars, and two sea turtles.  The turtles were awesome!  The first one looked like it was flying in slow motion as it moved along.  The second was sleeping.  Ephraim later reminded me that turtles hold their breath under water -- even when they're asleep.  That's remarkable.  So I'm remarking.  Wow!

I have no pictures of that.  But it was a fun experience.  I reflected on my life that day and thought, when I chose to marry Ephraim Temple, I knew that my life would be unique.  And here I am, thousands of miles from a city or suburb.  Ten minutes away from sea turtles' natural habitat.  I am quite lucky.

I made pumpkin pie for my birthday because someone gave us a large pumpkin.  Mmm.  And we didn't have a lighter or matches, or enough candles.  So we just threw like six candles on there, sang, and we all blew all over the pie.  I didn't even make a wish.  After this many years, I know the truth about wishes.  They only come true with lots of hard work.  Candles have nothing to do with it.
And most of my wishes have already come true.

Here's to another year.

Goofy Kids - September