Samoa Christmas 2010-Apia and Ferry

After Sauniatu we stayed in a house in Pesega for a few nights. Pesega is the village where the temple is located and all the Church offices are. Thanks to the MacDonald family, we enjoyed the Christmas spirit with movie nights: How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Christmas Carol.

We got to visit the Temple, eat Giordano’s Pizza, play on a great playground with our new friends Tasi and Josiah, and swim at Palolo Deep Marine Reserve.


Wanna see a trigger fish? (Like that famous Humuhumunukunukuapua’a.) Ephraim took this picture as this fella kept trying to bite him out of its territory.

On Thursday afternoon we boarded the ferry and sailed to Savaii.

Can you spot the palagi lady?

Can you spot the palagi guy?

Samoa Christmas 2010-Sauniatu

For this Christmas break we decided to explore our neighbors to the west—Upolu and Savaii.

Itinerary was something like this:

Monday to Monday

Apia, Sauniatu, Pesega, Ferry to Savaii, Aganoa, Vaisala, Ferry to Upolu, Sauniatu again, and Home

We began and ended our trip in Sauniatu, a quiet village in the mountains of Upolu. This village was a gathering place for early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Samoa. It is still owned by the Church and today is the site of various welfare farming projects, a primary school, a historic graveyard, a series of fales with carvings representing Samoan legends, and a fantastic waterfall!

Ephraim was asked to help them set up a fish farm, so we were lucky to stay in a lovely house on the property.

It was so relaxing and fun to hang out in such a beautiful place.

"Voi-laaaa!"

Ella was dancing like Billy Blanks, crackin me up.

And playing in the swimming hole and waterfall were some of the highlights of the trip! FYI, Ephraim’s backflip, still got it.

Santa's Workshop 2010

Our school Ta'iala Academy did its first Christmas play this December. It was adorable! The play is called Santa's Workshop, and if you're from Reading Pennsylvania or Florence Kentucky you may have played one of the parts when you were younger!

Our practices took place during Music Class at school in the Fale.

Here we're giving Teddy Bear his nose and freckles.

Our first performance was at the Hope House, a care center for elderly and people with disabilities. The children were touched by the condition of the residents, and afterwards they commented how good they felt performing for them. I feel like the residents gave US the gift by reminding us how to love and care like the Savior.

On a personal note, this was a tender day for me for a few reasons. I was thinking of my mom who helped create this play and who has directed it dozens of times with kids of various ages and abilities. I know I'm not as good a director as she is, but I felt happy to be "in her shoes" that day. I also had my little sister Robyn in mind as we shared our songs and dances. Robyn opened up a new world to me and my family, and I hoped she was watching the performance as well.

Santa Schwenke assured all the residents they were on his "Nice List".

Our second and final performance was for family and friends at the Ottoville Chapel. This one was just for FUN, and the audience was so responsive we really had a good time.

My photos didn't turn out so well, but let me assure you the a good time was had by all, and we're all so glad it's DONE! Until next Christmas...

Peaceful Morning

I love watching my kids sleep in the morning. They look so peaceful, soft, and serene. I also like it because it means Isaac hasn't woken me up demanding breakfast or foraging leftovers from the fridge.

When they're asleep like this, I never want to wake them up.