'Uta'atu Family

November, by Aleta Utaatu

2009-11-27T08:40:00.001-08:00

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
Click here to view photos

Tonga!

2009-04-04T20:47:00.001-07:00

As many of you know we finally went to Tonga! It really was a last minute decision prompted by my dad. We have been struggling to find jobs and it seemed like that might be our best chance to go. Its much better to go when you don't have jobs so you can actually leave. Besides that I'm pregnant (girl!) and the next time we go it will only cost more money. So we went! Everyone has been asking how it was. I can sum it up on three letters...HOT! It was also very beautiful as you will see from the pictures. It was so nice to finally meet my inlaws. They were very hospitable. We even got our own room to stay in and got to sleep in a bed. Joe was so happy to see his family. It has been very hard for him to be away. It had been eight years since he had been home last. There were a lot of tears when we arrived and twice as many when we left.

Tonga, for those of you who don't know is a very tiny island in the South Pacific. They are a day minus 4 hours ahead of us. So on a birthday you would have to call the day before. While we were there we experienced a very small but strong earth quake. As I mentioned before the weather is very hot and humid. When you take a shower you can't seem to dry off. It rained off and on like it does here only in much larger quantities. Even when it rained it was hot. All the kids, and Joe, enjoyed playing and dancing out in the rain. People there save the rain water in big concrete tanks. The water comes off their tin roof and goes through a gutter connecting to the tank. To use the water you have to get a bucket with a long rope attached and dip down into the tank. They also had water from the tap in the house but it was very inconsistent. It worked in the day and would be shut off in the evening. One never knows when that will be however. There is also no hot water. So imagine taking a shower for three weeks in cold water! Other nice amenities missing from Tonga, or at least from Joe's parents house are, a refrigerator, dishwasher, oven (they use a camp stove with a propane tank), and a washing machine. We washed our clothes by hand and ended up trashing some of Kalo's clothes when we got back. She was always covered in dirt.

One thing that was difficult for me was the amount and size of the critters that we lived with. Cockroaches get very large! We also were visited by very large lizards in the evening and night time. They wandered all over the ceiling and walls eating bugs. That is a good thing I guess. Joe's family owns a lot of pigs and chickens. None of the animals are in any sort of cage. They roam freely wherever they wish. Kalo loved this. She chased the pigs and chickens all day! Her grandpa would take her with him to feed the pigs and taught her how to call them to eat. They say, "Ma, ma!" So Kalo would run all over the yard shouting, "ma, ma, ma!" Even now at home she still says that when she sees a pig in our books. She really loved her grandpa. He took her with him around the yard and to feed his cows. Siosi doesn't have the same appreciation for dirty animals that Kalo does. She laid on the dogs and threw the cat around. Kalo cried and cried when Grandpa left her with us to feed the last cow. She has no fear! Siosi is more of a lady and much more delicate. Some people commented that Siosi was a paalangi (white person) and Kalo was Tongan. Also because Siosi burned and Kalo never did. She is about the same color as Joe now.

And now the news you've all been waiting for. Yes, Joe climbed a coconut tree. Too of them actually. I thought he was going to die and I would be going home without him. He seemed to have not forgotten a thing although he claims to have been much faster as a youth. I have it on film but not on camera. If anyone wants to see it sometime just let me know. We had a blast playing on the beach. The water is warm and the waves are very small.

These pictures are not in order unfortunately. Good luck!
Kalo's usual tried, hot look.

Latu, Joe's sister.

The beach Joe grew up playing on.

Grandpa Havili with the girls.

Joe with parentals.

The family with a few cousins.

This is the immediate family. We are missing Joe's brother who lives in New Zealand, and his youngest sister. We think she was at school.

Joe and Kalo with Great Grandma Tupou, Grandpa's mother.

Joe, Kalo, Latu (Joe's sister).

Guess who!? Joe at 12months!

Kalo!

Me and the kids. So hot!

Grandpa and Kalo feeding the cows.

Grandma and Kalo!

Joe wanted to show how a wild coconut grows. When the coconut falls it just starts taking root on its own.

Someone brought us this fish.

Siosi enjoying her drink of choice. The girls drank tons of coconut milk.

The backyard.

We got to go to the temple! Joe's parents watched the girls so we could go. Joe is the only member of our church.

This coconut tree is illegal to pick coconuts from because of the unusual way it grew.

Tongan temple.

On our way to a buffet lunch at a resort. We spent the weekend with Joe's Uncle who works for the Tongan government. His aunt gave us the royal treatment while there. She fed us, let us wash our clothes in her washing machine, bought toys for the girls, took us to an island to swim all day, and even bought a fan for us to use.

This is the island we went to for the day. We rode in that boat. It was about 15 min away from the main island. Very touristy spot.

On the island still.

Joe had a blast on that rope swing.

Siosi was all tuckered out.

On the island.

Back at home. Kalo entertaining Grandpa.

The girls with Grandma.

Hanging around at the house.

Great Grandma Tupou is like 84! The Tongans like to take naps on the floor with these wooden stools under their heads.

The blow holes. We went on our own little tour of the island. It was kind of crazy with the kids. We were driving all day and the kids don't use carseats there. They were climbing all over the seats and screaming. It was just so hot!

Me at the blow holes.

Can't remember what this is called. I don't want to explain it either; so google it.

This one they believed the first king of Tonga used to lean against with a stick and hit at anyone who wasn't supposed to approach him. They say he was 7 feet tall...hmmm...

It was really hot so thats why no shirts.

Captain Cook's landing.

Yes, he is holding T.P. We had to take it everywhere because most of the time the bathrooms didn't have soap. I had just gone but this place surprised me and did have it.

This is a replica of the first Tongan homes.

We had a big feast the first Sunday we were there. They roasted five pigs!

Joe's parents.

This was the day we flew out. We had to drive to L.a. to catch a cheaper flight. Crazy, I know. So we stopped at the L.A. temple to kill some time.

Happy Halloween

2008-11-03T10:28:00.000-08:00

Halloween has come and gone! So sad! We have just about finished eating all of Kalo's candy but can't seem to find Siosi's anywhere. Is she old enough to hide it? The kids had lots of fun. They went trick or treating with their cousins. Aren't they a cute bunch? Its nice to have cousins living so close. We were able to trade a couple costumes around.

In case you couldn't tell, Siosi was a chicken, Kalo a monkey, Eliana an elephant, Kenzie a lady bug, Porter a pumpkin, Alyssa a fairy, and Owen was Frankenstein.

2008-11-01T22:38:00.001-07:00

Joe and I found this online recently. It is the definition of a Tongan! I'd say this is somewhat accurate! Joe is pretty muscular but not huge.

Tongan:

The people who originate from the Kingdom of Tonga. The first polynesians. Gigantic, and have natural steroids; Ulu, and HorSe Tongans are gigantic, and all have a natural ability to play sports. there are two types of tongan bodies. the big (fat) ones, who tend to be naturally strong, and the big (muscular) ones who are the dominant athletes of whatever group they are in until they decide to stop playing. TOngans are powerhouses in Rugby and Football. Tongans are very nice, hospitable, and religious people. But when you make them mad they'll beat you to a pulp no matter who you are, or how strong you think you are.

Pumpkin Patch 2008

2008-10-28T22:21:00.000-07:00

The quality of these pictures just does not compare to our trip to the pumpkin patch last year. Of course we did take our family photographer with us before. She couldn't make the trip this year! We miss you Lila! You'll just have to settle for my version of some cute kids sitting on pumpkins. I really couldn't get a decent picture of Kalo. I tried catching her in the act of gazing at a pumpkin but all she would do was stick her little, fat fingers into the biggest, rotting holes she could find on some of the decomposing pumpkins.

Random Pics

2008-10-28T22:05:00.000-07:00

Look at the size of that mouth!

Karate chopping Kalo!

Harvest Festival

2008-10-28T21:50:00.000-07:00

Here is the hydraulic dump trailer that we just bought! We are relieved to finally have it as it is a tremendous help to our business. It will also be a great help when we move! This month we took the kids to a local harvest festival. It was great fun! Here we have pictured below a few kitty cats and their grandpa.

Siosi swinging a scarecrow man she sort of made. It was made of candy but she didn't actually get to make it...only chose the string.

More crafty craft making. Unfortunately we forgot to pick up our finished products once they dried.

Down with EVIL!

2008-10-13T23:24:00.001-07:00

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1815825713
I got this video link from a dear friend (thanks, dear) and I think it is important enough to make it on the blog. Take a look and think twice before you vote.

Also on another note if Obama takes office he wants universal preschool! Obama says he believes in universal preschool, and that he’d pump billions of dollars into early childhood education, promising improved academic performance. So basically all of us stay at home moms will be staying at home without our kids there to teach and train them. Who knows how old he plans on stealing them away. I'll move to Tonga before he or any of his robots get their grips on any of my children! The best part about this is that all the families who are scrimping and sacrificing to be at home with their kids will be robbed of all that money and it will be payed to a daycare. The very thing we are against. How ironic is that.

Once again the left is trying to make decisions for us. They believe we are too stupid to think for ourselves. We aren't smart enough to teach our children the ABC's or count to ten. By the way my 2 year old can sing the ABC song as well as count to ten and she has never even been babysat by a stranger let alone spent an hour in preschool. They would have us believe that parents are sperm and egg donors and have no responsiblity in bringing up children. (Maybe because thats how they view their own relationships with their children!)By the time our universal preschoolers get to kindergarten, they'll all be gay and still in diapers. But hey, at least they will understand diversity right?

2008-10-03T22:23:00.000-07:00

We just got back from the Fall Home and Garden Show! It was our second home show to attend in the last couple weeks. I love going to those things. We are trying to get ideas for the show we are displaying at this month in Salem. We were also picking up a fountain that we purchased from the previous home show. It is a very hip fountain. It is made of concrete but looks like a tree stump. We will display it and also try to make a few sales from it. We will also be displaying some landscape curbing. Joe and Cory will be trying the machine out tomorrow. We are very excited to see what the outcome of the show will be. I entered a drawing and won a free blind cleaning today. I think if we are in our home by then I'll have them clean the blinds there. Tomorrow is conference and we are very eager to watch. Joe won't be able to watch the Saturday sessions unfortunately. He has to finish that darn job in Hillsboro. For our family members who aren't members of our church you might find it very interesting to watch. We get to listen to the prophet and apostles twice a year. They speak to us from the headquarters of the church in Salt Lake City, Utah and then broadcast it to all the countries in the world. They give very interesting discourses that help us improve our lives and uplift our spirits. Let us know if you are interested and we can give you more information on how to watch. The church's website is www.lds.org

Home Ownership Awaits!

2008-10-02T00:51:00.000-07:00

Joe and I made an offer on our first home! It was accepted and now we're just making all the preparations to get it closed. It is a true fixer-upper. Most everything that has to be done is cosmetic except for the dry rot in the bathroom. It has a huge double car garage that is actually over sized because it extends to the back pretty far. It is 1230sq ft. There are 3 bedrooms and 1.1 baths. I plan to change that however. If I can work things right, there will be a shower in the master bath and not just a sink and toilet. We need to paint inside and out, change the floors out, rearrange the kitchen, replace the water heater, and add a new breaker box. Not to mention the yard and concrete outside. Sounds like a lot? Well folks, it is! The funny thing about it is that Joe says he can fix it up all by himself. Let me see, it is almost 1am and he still hasn't come home from work. We really need to hire someone. He has been spending the evening putting in grout on a flagstone patio and doing all the finishing touches. We had to pay for an oil change for the first time in our married lives! He has no time anymore! That is a good thing, don't get me wrong. Our business is going really well. So well that we're having a hard time keeping up. I think we need to hire some people and just have two crews going at once. Cory was working in Salem today while Joe was up in Hillsboro. I spend a lot of my time running errands for them or talking to customers. You know, answering questions that I have no business answering. Everyone always tells me that I know more than I think. I guess that's good!
Hey everybody! Its time for a Kalo update!
2 teeth, cutting a third. She's had a temp of 102 for the past couple days.
Walks and sometimes runs. Pokes people in the eyes. Says mama. Hair is starting to curl in the back. Can't sit through church. Steals toys. Gets really excited to see Siosi when she wakes up in the morning or from naps. Gets excited to see Dad come home from work or to see Grandma.

Siosi: Loves to dance! Argues very well. Eats oatmeal for breakfast. Wants veggies all the time. Loves to go to story time at the library every week and check out the backpacks they have. Enjoys nursery. Says, "Leave her alone, she's just a kid", when we say no to Kalo for something. We still don't know where she got that one from. Is working on being gentle with Kalo still. Loves to color and paint. Makes cakes out of her color crayons. Always wants to help in the kitchen. Cries to go to Eliana's house. Asks about her Wyoming cousins constantly. Where's Keira? Where's Kylie? Still as skinny as a pencil.

Porter arrives

2008-10-02T00:26:00.000-07:00

I am for the second time this summer (or fallish) an aunt! We had lots of fun with Kimber's girls while she was dealing with the not so fun part of getting Porter here. For all of you who are wondering about this child's name let me tell you a story. David is a little funny with names. He wanted to name Kenzie, his second born, Maria. We had to remind him that he is white and, sorry Dave, we aren't in Italy anymore. Then he decided he had claim on Porter's name since he is a man. That doesn't really work out though. I believe the woman who carries the child for 9 months has automatic rights over name selection. David wanted to name their latest...Dustin Carling Strasser. Need I remind you we already have a Justin Carling Strasser. Confusing? So Kimber stood her ground and I backed her. One day we were driving to the zoo and I was throwing out names that might be better than Dustin Carling Strasser. I know I shouted out Porter Rockwell somewhere during that drive. Am I right Kimber? Also, I must take credit for Cory and Heather's baby's name. Owen Hunter Strasser. I told them to name the child Owen...so they did. Owen is Cory and my dad's middle name.

Kalo had the misfortune of playing in the sandbox with Siosi.
Siosi and Eliana gaze with wonder and awe at the new creature.

The cousins are happy after the birth of baby Porter!
Another dirty, yet always gorgeous face.
In the swing with Kenzie.

So relaxing...Kenzie fell asleep. Ahhh, how cute!

2008-09-02T10:05:00.000-07:00

We went to the State Fair and watched some girls dancing. Our girls thought it was great. They all think they are ballerinas.

Saturday we had our family pictures done. These last couple pictures are of the girls waiting to chose which ones we wanted. You will see the results soon!

One last thing. Kalo is getting really good at walking. She has taken 15 steps that I counted. Possibly more when I wasn't counting! I am so excited for her to be off the floor and hopefully not eating as much dirt.

2008-09-01T22:04:00.000-07:00

Here we are swimming at Silver Creek Falls on a very hot day!

2008-08-31T21:56:00.000-07:00

These are some pictures that I never posted because I am lazy. I wanted to show off my small garden. We dug up a garden space on the side of our duplex. The flower picture is of a beautiful flower I had been trying to grow for the past couple years. It finally came up! This is what it looked like before Siosi destroyed it. The other pictures are of Joe and the kids and I at the local rodeo that really wasn't very good. We were forced to leave early on account of extreme boredom. The other pictures are of Detroit lake. We went over there to go fishing and let the kids play when my grandparents came to visit. No one caught anything until I stepped foot on the boat. Then we started reeling in the fish! The little video is of some cute little ducklings that were following our boat. They wanted the bread my grandpa was throwing them. Enjoy!

2008-08-20T06:59:00.000-07:00

Kalo took FIVE steps! She is very eager to walk and is only 9 months!
The other day Siosi finished using the bathroom and got down and peered over the edge of the toilet. She loves to see what she has done. This time she squealed, "Mommy there's a snake in the toilet!" She was so excited!

Joe took the test too...he didn't know what he was doing!

2008-08-03T22:54:00.001-07:00

You Are Mulan!

Strong and spirited. You're no one's girly girl; actually you are very determined person with a strong sense of self. Never let go of that! The only thing that equals your sense of self is your family, but the traditions of society can always be bent to protect something or someone you love.

Which Disney Princess Are You?

2008-07-30T23:32:00.000-07:00

You Are Cinderella!

Dignified and hard working. With a gentle and soft-spoken manner you have something many people don't. Patience. Even through the moments of heartbreak you're still able to hold onto all of your hopes and dreams. Bide your time; your dream will come true.

Which Disney Princess Are You?">

Kalo and Siosi Update

2008-07-22T11:46:00.001-07:00

Kalo is eight months old and growing so fast! She crawls on all fours and gets into everything. She also pulls to a stand and walks along the furniture. Yesterday she stood all by herself for the first time. It seemed like at least 10 seconds. A long time! Siosi and I cheered and clapped and then she sat down. She babbles mama when she is upset and sees me. I almost think she is saying mama but she's probably too young for that. She plays pretty well on her own but when she is tired she follows me around the house and clings to my legs. When she wakes up in the morning she is always very excited to see Siosi and has the same reaction when Joe comes home from work. I have been experimenting putting her on the toilet. She wets most of the time and has pooped twice. I know she is young but I figure since they do it in other countries, why not here? Diapers are so expensive! Every time I get her to go on the toilet thats one less diaper we have to buy.

Siosi...where do I start. Lately I have really been getting after her for things. She is not very obedient and she argues with me. When I punish her she says, "Hey, that's not nice Mom! Say you're sorry!" She also loves to be naked and refuses to wear clothes. That's what really gets me. I'll tell her to get dressed and come back five minutes later and she'll still be naked. After looking around at other two-year-olds who can't dress themselves and can barely talk I decided to let things go a bit. I realized I am expecting way too much out of her. So today I decided I wasn't going to be upset with her about anything (besides slapping and pushing Kalo) and just let her run wild and free through the house. So far it has been a pretty good day. My stress level is much lower. Siosi loves to go to Grandma's. She asks everyday to go there. She loves to play with her cousins. Ever since the Woffinden's left she asks where they are. She even asks about their dog Koby that they brought. Siosi loves to sing and dance. Her latest song is "I am a Child of God." She learned that one in nursery.

Day 5

2008-07-22T11:25:00.000-07:00

I guess I'm not going to post any pictures of what we did the last day because I'm too lazy. Anyway, we had a lot of fun doing the annual Strasser family carnival. We had the bouncy house up, had a money hunt, balloon darts, frisbee thing with hula hoops, sack races, a pinata, cotton candy, elephant ears, etc. All in all we had a great time. Except for the fact that Joe separated his shoulder doing the sack race. That was quite unfortunate. The next day I took him in to the doctor. They did a couple X-rays and told us that he had a grade 1 separated AC joint. Then the doctor told us that he would be required to wear a brace for a time and that he would have to come back on Wednesday (it was Saturday) for a follow up appointment with his regular doctor to determine whether or not he would need physical therapy. This was devastating for our family since our money is made from Joe's hands. So the next day we fasted and said a lot of prayers. We even had our home teacher give him a blessing. We we went back to the doctor he looked at the X-ray that had been taken on Saturday and told us that he didn't think there was really a separation. He said it looked like he had been hurt but that there was no separation on the X-ray! It was such a blessing and a miracle. He took off the brace and threw it away and wrote a note of release for Joe's employer!

Day 4

2008-07-15T21:45:00.001-07:00

July 3 we went to the St. Paul Rodeo. We love to go every year. This year was no exception. They have a great fireworks show at the end.

Colton is the cowboyest cowboy you will ever meet. He truly is one of those root, tootin' cowboys. He really is into styles and loves to wear his boots with everything!

We brought plenty of food stuffed in our diaper bags. Keira was really involved in the food.

My lovely sister feeding Keira, and Rob.
Kalo in her July 4th apparel.

Day 3

2008-07-15T21:31:00.001-07:00

The Portland Zoo! The zoo is much more enjoyable than the beach. I am not a fan of the Oregon Coast. Pictured below we have the eldest, most mature, and by far the most responsible of the cousins. Kylie is demonstrated to her younger cousin Siosi how to propel oneself off the top of the hay bales. Siosi sliding down a log.
Joe and David munching and crunching on crab caught the previous day.
The gang observing God's creatures.

Peyton Woffinden helping Siosi pet the goat.

The beautiful female Strasser cousins in a jeep.
Cowgirl Siosi.

Day 2

2008-07-15T21:22:00.001-07:00

The second day of the Woffinden's visit was spent at the beach. Some braved the waters crabbing, while others preferred to stay on the beach. I was one of those.

Grandma! She loves the beach. Some would say much more than others.

Woffindens visit

2008-07-07T22:16:00.001-07:00

My sister's family came all the way from Wyoming just to see some trees again. I see it as being compared to a diver having to come up for air every now and then. No one can live that long in a brown, treeless environment. Thus the Woffinden family made the 19 hour drive in one day (They were in a big rush to get here before they ran out of breath!). They were here for five short days.
Day 1:
Swimming at the pool in Corvallis. The kids really enjoyed it but it turned out to be cooler than expected.
Siosi, Eliana, Grandma, Kimber, and Kylie in the front.

2008-06-26T01:11:00.000-07:00

Here we are again. Its only 1am this time. Just a screaming baby, the computer, and me. Wait, I think she might have fallen asleep this time. So yesterday I went to the library with Kimber and my friend Carrie. They have these steps that the parents sit on during story time. Kalo climbed up the first step to get something she wanted! I couldn't believe it! This is a big change for me since Siosi didn't crawl till she was close to ten months.

2008-06-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

Last night Kalo woke up at her usual time. 3:30 am. She has been giving me a terrible time. I am tired beyond belief. I have been trying to let her cry it out but that has not proven sucessful as of yet. I let her cry for about an hour. I am running out of patience with her! In the end it was getting close to 5am so I decided to just feed her since that is about the time I eat too. Joe and I get up at 5am to get him out the door for work. Anyway, I had been laying in bed listening to her cry when suddenly the tone of her cry changed and became frantic! I thought her arm or leg must be caught in the bars again. So I ran in to help her only to find her pulled to a stand and leaning over the edge! I didn't think she was old enough to do that yet so I hadn't bothered putting the side of the crib up yet! She had pulled up to a stand and was terrified about how to get down. I was scared too that she could topple right over the edge. She still is only 7 months old!

Father's Day Weekend

2008-06-16T15:09:00.001-07:00

This last weekend our beloved brother Cory passed from the ranks of undergraduates to GRADUATES! Congratulations Cory! We celebrated with him and his family at the park Saturday enjoying an abundance of food. Sunday was of course Father's Day. I have often thought how every day sort of seems like Father's Day. What do we do differently? I make the breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I dress and bathe the kids. I keep the house clean (to the best of my ability!) See, Mother's day is especially special because moms don't have to do the everyday mundane tasks of cooking and cleaning. So this year I tried to think of something a little different. We ate outside! I put a blanket down on the grass and that is where we had our feast of specialty sausages, cherries, and Joe's favorite chips. I guess its more of a day of telling and thanking rather than physically doing the things we always do. We can' t go to work for them. I do feel very lucky to have found Joe. He is the hardest worker this side of Tonga and always gives all of his extra time to his family. He has been working the crappiest job ever but goes everyday despite the unpleasant circumstances. He is extremely loving to the kids and I. He tries to help around the house whenever he can and I must say he is rather good looking. I'm sorry if any of you feel your husband is inferior after reading this.

2008-06-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

Here's what you do: copy the list, and then bold the things you have done . I'm 90/200.
1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby’s diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said “I love you” and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing (do manmade rockwalls count?)
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don’t
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school (in two months I will!!)
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all fours
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced at a disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked the Grand Canyon
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter

Now its your turn!

Etu's Wedding!

2008-06-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

We took a trip to L.A. recently for a wedding in Joe's family. He hasn't seen anyone Tongan for so long he was starting to turn white. We decided it was time! Joe's family raised Etu through his teenage years so Joe considers him a brother. We all flew and it was quite a trip! It was much better than driving but flying with two kids can still be troublesome. It was fun for Joe and I to visit our old stomping ground. We drove past my old apartment and through the old neighborhoods Joe used to live in. A walk down memory lane. It was fun but it really made us appreciate the beauty of Oregon. L.A. is just concrete and billboards while Oregon has trees and greenery all around. Thats my plug for Oregon! Joe loves L.A. still. Anyone who doesn't believe me is more than welcome to come visit. Just don't forget your raincoat!

The wedding was in a park overlooking the city. Then they had the reception in the evening. I think there were about 15 pigs but I could be wrong. They roasted even more pigs the next day for a baby blessing! It was delicious! The wedding was quite the event for me, being a palangi and all. It was so much fun to see everyone dance, including Siosi. She loved the music and followed her cousin Kagee all over trying to imitate her island moves. I think she felt a kinship to her Tongan cousins and enjoyed seeing someone who looked like she does.

We also took the kids to the aquarium in Long Beach. It was a lot of fun as well. We only got video of that. Sorry, no pictures. Siosi loved the fish and seals. They were having Polyneisan week. Just our luck! We saw even more dancing! Siosi goes crazy when she hears the beat of the island drums!

None of these pictures are really in order. Enjoy!

I figured out that the dancers cover themselves in oil not only to prove their virginity (it is supposed to glisten if they are still a virgin)...but also to make that money stick!
Uncle Vai (first cousin to Joe's Dad), his son Kanavale, and his grandson Tyson.
Our family at the wedding.
Bride and groom toast.
Groom's relatives.

Groom's best men.

Mother of the Groom, Manaloa.
The bride and groom had their own cakes! I liked that part! This is the Bride's cake.
Groom's cake.

Groom shakin' it.

Bride, Groom, and pig.

Kalo, and Kagee. Siosi loved Kagee. She was her clone. She is still asking about her and now when she sees a picture of a dark little girl instead of saying its herself, she says its Kagee. Kagee is the grandaughter of Vai.

Doing the money dance.

At the park, or beach?

A scene from the airport.
Kalo with Manaloa.

Siosi and Kagee.
Joe and Vai at the blessing dinner.

The Famous Bath Pictures

2008-05-19T21:15:00.000-07:00

Another Genius Child

2008-05-19T20:51:00.000-07:00

When I say genius child many of you will probably turn your thoughts to our first born, Siosi who in the past has demonstrated superior thinking and problem solving skills. This time however, you must direct your minds to our youngest child Kalolaine. I was bouncing her around and playing with her in a way that I believe will create more elastic plasticity in her developing brain. One of the things I was doing was clicking my tongue. Suddenly she stopped and studied my face as only a genius child can. Then she began to mimic my tongue clicks! I know what you are thinking and I couldn't believe it myself either till Joe tested her as well. Sure enough, she mimics the clicking tongue!

First Prayer

2008-05-19T20:29:00.000-07:00

Every night before Siosi goes to bed I help her say a prayer. She usually just repeats what I tell her to say and then she sometimes adds her own things. So the other night she did it for the first time on her own. It was so cute! She started all by herself but I had to help her remember how to end. She was thankful for the nice weather, Grandma, Kimber twice, David, Eliana, and Kenzie. She prayed again today on her own over the food. I love to hear her pray because she is so little and pure still. In a way it reminds me of being on my mission hearing investigators pray for the first time. Its strange, but a lot of people don't realize that you don't have to say memorized prayers and that you are actually talking to someone. Sometimes I think if she makes a request for something it will be answered much faster than if I do since she is still so innocent! So sometimes I have her pray for Daddy's jobs, for her to be a good girl, or fall asleep really fast.

Joe and I are really excited because in about 10 days we will by flying to L.A. for Etu's wedding. Joe hasn't seen him for years and I've never met him. It will be really fun for us to go back to the old stomping ground. A lot of our relatives have never seen the kids before. This is going to cost us a ridiculous amount of money that we have been saving to go to Tonga but we need to go. Besides, we haven't received Joe's renewed resident card in the mail yet. We have been waiting for it for months and are starting to get worried. Our government makes it really hard for honest people to remain legal. No wonder we have so many illegals running rampant! If we want to ask them where the card is or if they have sent it we have to make an appointment to talk to someone in Portland! If anyone knows any different or has some secret number please let us know!

A Summer's Day

2008-05-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

Today was such a beautiful day! We went for a walk after church at my parent's house. The girls got to wear their summer apparel to church. I love the sun! So why are we living in Oregon? Good question!

On another note, the computer we have been using is old and missing parts, thanks to a very dishonest computer repairman in the area. It has been having problems and runs pretty slow. Joe calls it our lawn mower computer because it is so loud. We have been thinking for a while about investing in a new one so yesterday we took the plunge. We drove over to Fry's and bought a refurbished computer. It is soooo nice! I love it. This is my first post on the new computer and below is our first picture on the new computer. What a difference it makes! It is also exciting because it has a fire wire port to connect to our camcorder. Now we will be able to send DVDs home to Tonga. I just finished importing the first video!

Tulip Festival

2008-04-30T10:09:00.000-07:00

Another year at the Tulip Festival. There were not as many flowers this year as last. I must not have thought much of them because I didn't get any pictures. Here is a slide the kids and Joe were going down. It wasn't as much fun as it looks. The PVC pipes didn't move quite like they did last year. They really had to work to get down the slide. That's why you see three people going at once.

Kalo relaxing in the sun. The famous horse tire swing.
The kids loved playing in this straw play thing they had. There were tunnels going through the straw and a slide.

Joe and I were trying to rope this calf they had. Siosi just wanted to ride it.

Siosi Turns 2!

2008-04-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

I thought it might be fun to include some pictures of Siosi from her younger years as part of her birthday celebration. People always tell you when you are complaining about being pregnant that it is a lot harder when they are out. I have found that to be completely opposite! Siosi is much more fun now than she was then! Enjoy these pictures!

Here is a recap of Siosi's accomplishments for this year:

She is accident free and living great in this the new year of 2008!

Siosi can put on her own shoes (some of them), underwear, and pants.

She helps pick up her toys and disasters she creates.

Argues very well.

She loves Kalo and is less violent with her. In other words, she knows how to love her better.

Can name her body parts in Tongan.

Goes to nursery on her own and loves it.

Sings the ABC's.

Puts puzzles together.

Completes complex mathematical equations.

Has plans of running for President. She has heard anyone can run these days.

Siosi's Birthday!

2008-04-30T09:08:00.000-07:00

Siosi and Grandpa reading a special story she got from Signa. Signa and Siosi share the same birthday! Dan entertaining Siosi!

Unwrapping a present from Grandma.

Here she is unwrapping her new tricycle in our messy garage. The look of shock!

Sampling the cake.
Siosi and Eliana are admiring the cake. Probably the strawberries on the cake.

Siosi loves stawberries so she got a strawberry cake. She helped decorate it.
A very pleased birthday girl. We just had had Alyssa's birthday so she was really into the idea of birthdays. When she woke up from her nap that day I had decorated the kitchen. She was so excited she was running around screaming with delight! Daniel's birthday was a couple days after her's so she knows the birthday song pretty well now. In fact, she still sings to Dan days after his birthday.
New coat from Grandma and Grandpa.

The Brothers

2008-04-30T09:05:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of my six brothers taken at the last visit. They look so nice in this one. Wow!

Trip to Silver Creek Falls

2008-04-30T08:55:00.000-07:00

We recently had some visitors from Idaho. Bryan, Justin, Heather, and little Ashlynn. We attempted to entertain them while they were here so we did the usual things, go to Silver Creek falls, the zoo, and the beach. It seemed no matter what we chose to do bad weather followed. Here we are at Silver Creek Falls in the snow. During the very short time we were there it snowed, rained, and hailed. What an adventure! I didn't get any pictures of the falls for some reason. I think I was scared of my camera being ruined. But I did get a few of the kids braving the elements!

Kalo with cousin Ashylnn.
Eliana, Ashylnn, and Kenzie, the three look alike cousins!
The white covering the stroller is hail!

Trip to the Portland Zoo

2008-04-29T21:53:00.000-07:00

While Bryan, Heather, Ashylnn, and Gus were visiting we got to do some wild and exciting things like...go to the zoo! Here we have the cousins who at this point all happen to be female, attempting to pose for a picture. We were trying to get Eliana to hold up her squirming cousin Ashlynn but it was to no avail. Alyssa was our movie star who couldn't get enough of the camera. Siosi and Eliana in front of the elephants discussing who to vote for, O'Bomb us or Clinton. Alyssa walking by.
This peacock sort of came out of nowhere. I was merely practicing my Dr. Doolittle skills when the peacock became almost hostile and flared up his wings. We snuck in a few pictures before we felt an attack was imminent.
This is supposed to be a nest. Once again trying to get kids to pose. This one turned out ok!
Another picture in front of the elephants.

Look alike?

2008-04-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

Many people lately have been commenting on how different or similar Siosi and Kalo look. I think they look pretty similar. Here is a picture of Siosi when she was a baby and one of Kalo. Which is which? Don't bother with the date on the first picture since it is wrong!

Semi Family Reunion

2008-04-21T20:10:00.000-07:00

Siosi looking seasick.
Bryan, my dad, Cory, and Alyssa
Heather (sister-in-law), and of course Siosi and I
Dad and the catch of the day!

The title of this post is "Semi Family Reunion" since the entire family was not in attendance. Those of you who were not there know who you are. OK, everyone was there except Vanessa and Rob's family. Joe wasn't able to come either on account of his slave like working conditions. We went to the coast and camped in Yurts. Those things are definitely the most superior way of camping I have ever seen. For those of you who have never seen a yurt you must go to a state parks' website and look at a picture or two. They have heating, beds, a sofa/futon, table, chairs, and a deck equipped with a picnic table. The cost really isn't that bad either. I was very happy to sleep in a yurt since I have two little ones. The only problem was getting to sleep. I do not sleep well next to other people and Siosi is no exception. Next time she is getting her own sleeping bag. The other problem is that we shared a yurt and someone had a serious snoring problem. I will protect the identity of this person but many of you know who I am referring too.

We arrived in the late afternoon and took the children (what children we have left senza the Woffindens) to the beach to enjoy a stroll and build a few sandcastles. Much to our dismay however, the beach was not the lovely place we had stored in our memories, for the wind was howling and the sand was flying! It was so windy poor Siosi had trouble walking. We did manage to find a sand dune to hide behind so the children could play for a bit.

Other than being caught in a sandstorm we tried out Grandpa's new boat on the bay. Again it was windy but there was a heater and part of the boat is sheltered. Siosi and I went out for a short time to observe the men folk as they were crabbing. Siosi enjoyed seeing the pots come up and the few crabs that were trapped fall out. All in all it was a pleasant trip.

Genius

2008-03-29T17:53:00.000-07:00

I have such a novel idea. I am terrible at writing in my journal even though I know how very important it is. For some reason I am great at blogging. I have very fond memories of my mother reading to us from her journal (she still does) about us kids and all the crazy things we did. So I am now going to print out what I write on my blog and paste it into my journal! If you are bad at journal writing maybe you should try this too! If you are really good you could even put the pictures with what you write.

It is tax time. I am so stressed out about it! I am filing for our business for the first time and am so lost! We'll see if I make it through!

Little Pooper

2008-03-26T16:26:00.000-07:00

As many of you know we have been working for some time now with Siosi, trying to teach her to poop on the toilet. She is really good about going potty on the toilet but has struggled to drop the bomb in the right spot! I think she has figured something out that works for her! You know how lots of kids hide when they are doing the deed? Well, Siosi is one of those. So Yesterday she figured out that she can still hide and be on the toilet at the same time! Yippee! She has gone yesterday and today on the toilet all on her own. She loves the privacy and kept telling me, "Mommy, go out!" Here is our proud pooper!

Easter Weekend

2008-03-24T21:02:00.000-07:00

Siosi in her favorite pose sporting an Easter dress borrowed from her favorite cousin!
Polynesian Siosi at the park.

Kalo is pictured here ponderously plotting new ways to take over the world.
The girls in Easter dresses!

2008-03-24T21:00:00.000-07:00

Dumpster diving at its best!

2008-03-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

Here is a great picture of the kids at their best! Kalo update: Kalo is four months now. She is very mellow compared to how Siosi was at this age. She probably has more of Joe in her! She can roll over as previously mentioned. Poor little Kalo has been sick lately. They always tell you babies can't get sick but that's not true! So far she has had an ear infection, the stomach flu, and now a respiratory infection. I have started her on rice cereal in hopes of her sleeping longer. It has been a huge blessing because now she sleeps about six hours at a time! We all know that a happy mom is a happy family.

Siosi already had her update but I can add more! Siosi loves to color and scatter the crayons all over the house. She is good at picking up her toys and crayons. She loves Kalo and is good at making her laugh. Siosi still loves to be naked. That is a problem day and night for us. She enjoys nursery and seeing her friends and cousins at church. Getting to go places with Daddy is a real treat. Her face illuminates with a proud smile and tells everyone in the house "bye" or "see ya later!" She is very mechanical and does well with puzzles. She is also very observant. If she sees me wearing something of Joe's she'll say, "Is that Daddy's shirt?" Or if she hears an airplane outside, "Whats that noise? Oh its an airplane!" Siosi talks very well and even knows some Tongan. She is potty trained (but not poo poo trained! If any of your potty training veterans out there have some advice let me know!). Rarely has accidents. Siosi also is such a genius she can count to ten, although I'm not claiming that she understands the numerical system quite yet. One last thing about Siosi is that she loves fruit and especially oranges. She will sit in her highchair and peel and entire orange and then eat it. Most of it anyway.

American Idol 2008

2008-03-16T23:29:00.000-07:00

Siosi loves to sing and constantly goes around the house belting out songs. The popular ones as of yet are Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, ABC's, Popcorn Popping, I Love You (the famous Barney song), and Once There Was a Snowman. I was trying to get her to sing on camera but of course you know how that goes. You can fast forward to the end. I think that's when she starts singing more. She knows all the words to Twinkle, Twinkle but was stuck on the same words for some reason. If you are a Siosi obsessor like I am you can just watch the whole thing. Its about three minutes I think.

Easter Magic

2008-03-16T23:22:00.000-07:00

Easter time is always a magical time of year. The flowers start appearing and the world seems to come alive again. My parents always make holidays like Easter so magical and wonderful for children. So, traditions are being passed down to our kids. Here are the kids at Grandma's making Easter cupcake baskets. Siosi's is the one pictured below. She made it pretty much by herself and was going crazy with the coconut grass!

Babies Galore!

2008-03-16T23:15:00.000-07:00

Here are some of Kalo's friends. On the left in red is Ruby. Then Lilian. They came over for visiting teaching. What fun! Lilian and Kalo are only about 3 weeks apart! Poor Lili. What a face!

The day has arrived!

2008-03-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

Kalo finally rolled over! She is just barely four months and has been trying to do it for a while. Yesterday she was laying on the bed and managed to get from her back to her stomach. Oh yeah! Then today she rolled several more times from her back to stomach and once from stomach to back.

Fun times once again!

2008-02-17T19:57:00.000-08:00

The weather here has been exceptional these last few days. I think today it was in the 60s. Pretty nice for Feb. Yesterday we took a walk to the park. The kids had fun and Siosi especially since she had been cooped up in the hospital. Zoom in to see her tongue!

'OFA'ATU

2008-02-17T19:32:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day!
Here is our little artist. She had finished helping me with Joe's card and was on to her next masterpiece. As you can see, she is feeling much better but still fighting the ear infection.
Here is her hand. I tried to get her to hold still and show me her hands but she wouldn't. So I am forcing her! She had it on her clothes and face too. Typical, I know.

I gave Joe a banana tree that was half off because it was so ugly! He has wanted one for a long time because it reminds him of home. Aren't I romantic! He gave me chocolates and made me a candlelight breakfast. You can see the card Siosi and I crafted together.
Here is Kalo trying to roll over. Not quite there yet!

Disaster Strikes!

2008-02-17T19:07:00.000-08:00

About 4am Monday morning I heard Siosi crying a bit in her room so I went to check on her. She was having difficulty breathing. I took her in our room and laid her in our bed to monitor her more closely. Her breathing was so violent the bed shook. I called the nurse hotline only to be told that she was congested. Oh really! I could have diagnosed that myself! Siosi had been sick for some time before with a virus that went into an ear infection. By midmorning I felt so sick and worried that just packed the kids up and went to Mom's house. It doesn't seem as scary when you have two opinions about what is going on. Siosi was getting so little oxygen that she just kept sleeping and sleeping. Then she started throwing up. That's when I called the doctor again. They told me to bring her in ASAP! Total opposite reation from the first call. Once again, you must be your own advocate! Turned out the virus attacked her bronchial tubes and they had become so irritated and inflamed, she couldn't breath. She was hospitalized for three days. During that time she was given an steroid via IV to reduce the swelling in her lungs and bronchials and oxygen treatments. She also received an antibiodic for her double ear infection which still hasn't gone away! We are on the third type of medication for it now! Now that we are at home we are using a nubulizer for breathing treatments and a couple other meds.

Those were some very slow three days! I am grateful for the priesthood that blesses our children. Siosi felt so much better the second day there, we could hardly keep her still to keep the IV in! I am so glad to be out of the hospital too, to keep away from the sounds, sights, and smells of the hospital that make me physically ill! YUCK!
I felt so sorry for her being in this crib. It looks like a prison!

Stripping Siosi and Krazy Kalo

2008-02-10T22:06:00.000-08:00

Siosi's new thing is to strip down to nothing each time we put her to bed. She thinks its just the funniest thing. Last night I went in and dressed her four times. This is her (we covered her up for the picture) when she had fallen asleep. We were finally able to dress her. In the morning she yells for me to come get her to go potty when she wakes up. If I don't get there fast enough she strips down and jumps in her bed laughing hysterically. We are not going to dress her over and over again any more. We've only redressed her once tonight because she had to go potty again. I think its pretty funny too but we try to keep it a secret from her. Siosi didn't go to church today. She is sick again! Can you see the river of snot flowing from her Tongan nose?
Kalo all dressed for church.

Here is Krazy Kalo. I had her laughing really hard but when I got the camera she seemed to simmer down. I couldn't get her to react like she was. You get the left overs I guess. They never perform on demand!

Hanging Around

2008-01-28T19:54:00.000-08:00

When Siosi was this age Eliana pushed her in a stroller like this too! Siosi thought this was the greatest thing!

Sister love!

Here is K-lo all ready to go.
Look alike?
Siosi loves to keep her coat on because she thinks she is going somewhere.
K-lo was playing so hard that she fell asleep. I was busy making dinner in the kitchen and sort of forgot about her because she had stopped making noise. When I went to check on her she was out! No greater joy!

I picked that thing up from Target for only 5 bucks!
It snowed this morning! Here is Joe going to work. He wasn't as pleased as I was.

Sick mom ramblings

2008-01-27T21:53:00.000-08:00

I am one sick mamma! Ok, I'm not that sick yet but I feel it coming on. Don't all you moms out there just wish for a sick day like your husband gets to take from work when he is sick? I think I'll tell the boss I'm not coming in tomorrow. Joe and Siosi are sick too. So I put Siosi to bed at 6:45 and then Joe to bed at about 8pm. After that I began to feed Kalo when suddenly I had to put Siosi back to bed again. Then Kalo went to bed. Then I put Siosi back to bed again. Then Siosi back to bed again. Then Kalo a couple times more as well. So far I think Siosi is going to stay in bed this time. She has had a high fever today and yesterday. A mother's job is never over. The last time I put Siosi to bed I said to her, "Love you Osi." She answered back in her little Siosi voice, "Wuv woo Mom." That makes it all worth while. Uh oh! Kalo is up again!

Kalo's Blessing

2008-01-09T22:20:00.000-08:00

Sunday Kalo was blessed by Joe. We are so lucky to have such a great husband and father who holds the priesthood and is worthy to give our children blessings such as this. After church we went to Mom and Dad's for a lovely dinner and some great conversation (Conversation is always great when you get a bunch of Strassers together!) Siosi was very excited to have our family pictures taken.

Dad and the girls!
Eliana wanted to be in the picture but someone told her she had to move so she was crying. It was pretty funny! She loves having her picture taken!

Here are Kalo's glamour shots! Isn't she gorgeous?
Close up of the dress Grandma made. This is the same one Siosi wore. We were surprised it fit!

Love this shot. "No more pictures please!" The princess has tired.

Ahhhh....!

2007-12-27T20:24:00.000-08:00

I am finally breathing a sigh of relief for several reasons. Number one is that Siosi only had one accident today! I have just been putting her in training underwear except when she is sleeping and today I saw the fruits of my labor! Only one accident! We have a sticker chart for her in the bathroom that is really motivating. She loves the stickers so much that she can't concentrate sometimes on actually earning them. She just wants to admire them and play with them. We have one sticker that is a cell phone and when she chose that one (her first choice!) she put her head to the chart and said,"Hello?"

The other relief is that Kalo is sleeping through the night for the most part. I have had almost three nights of sleep now! Its amazing how different you feel when you sleep.

Lastly, Christmas is over! I love Christmas but it seems to have gone on forever this year. Maybe thats because Siosi constantly tears everything off our tree and drags it all over the house. I am eager to take the thing down and burn it! I'm just waiting for some help from Joe. We had fun this Christmas with Siosi. She got her first baby doll in the hopes of her expending all her curiosity on the doll rather than Kalo. As you can see from the picture, Kalo goes through a lot of torture! Joe and I got each other the same gift. A magellan. We need it for Joe's job and it is a tax write off for us. You know what they say..."Great minds think alike!" I got a better deal on mine so we took Joe's back. Another exciting purchase that we made (not for Christmas) was a treadmill. I have gained an exceeding amount of weight and although Joe is striving to be like Nephi, he decided not to take it too far in being "large in stature." We looked at the prices of a local gym and decided our best option would be to purchase a treadmill. I can't really get out with two kids now and the weather here is not very motivating half the year. Hopefully it will prove to be a good investment. One of my dreams has always been to have an exercise room in the house. Maybe one day when we become disgustingly wealthy we'll have it and now we are just one step ahead!

Siosi's present from Grandma...A magical bus (she thinks its magical. She was trying to ride in it but didn't realize she doesn't fit!)
The Sunday before Christmas:

Here is Kalo in her Christmas dress! We couldn't get Siosi to stand still. She always walks toward the camera when we try to take pictures of her.

Siosi is always so loving with Kalo!

Christmas Parties!

2007-12-20T11:29:00.000-08:00

We had our traditional family Christmas party on Monday. It wasn't the same somehow with Vanessa's family gone. We played games, sang songs,ate and ate and ate. Then Santa came and gave his fun little gifts. All the kids were scared of Santa except... Kalo!
Grandma and Grandpa gave all the girls matching P.J.'s. All the older kids anyway.
Here is Kalo at our ward Christmas party. This is the real Santa!
Siosi was so terrified that Joe had to go up with her. I'm sure he really enjoyed sitting on Santa's lap though.

Jingle Bells

2007-12-20T11:11:00.000-08:00

With the new baby being born, I've had some pretty hectic days. Yesterday as I was changing another one of Kalo's famous exploding diapers, I was inspired to write this little ditty to the tune of "Jingle Bells." I'm sure all you moms out there will feel me on this one!! You can listen to the low budget music video of it below.

Dashing through the stores,

Kids screaming in my face,

Can't this Wal Mart checker,

Quicken up the pace?

There's so much to do,

Don't have time to pee,

Why does Christmas shopping,

Always fall to me?

Oh, runny nose, stinky toes,

There's laundry I can't play!

I've been changing diapers all throughout the day...

Stinky one, yellow ones, wet ones ho ho ho,

I'm so jolly happy,

Oh mothers don't you know!

2007-12-13T16:54:00.000-08:00

Here is Joe working hard for the money. We have decided to take a change in the direction of our business. Instead of only doing concrete and masonry work, we (Joe) will be installing sunrooms for rich people! Should be great! We are hoping that this will help us become disgustingly wealthy.
Joe and I like to go to watch my brothers Dan and Shawn "wrastle" Here is Daniel dominating his match!
We didn't have seats...

Christmas at the Capitol

2007-12-13T16:40:00.000-08:00

We took the kids to the state capitol this week to hear the high school choirs sing. The acoustics are great there! We enjoyed seeing the decorations!

I wasn't supposed to be in this one. It should have been just a floating baby. Oh well.

HA HA HA HA HA!!

2007-12-07T11:12:00.001-08:00

I just was at Kimber's blog and saw her elf dance so she gets all the credit for this. It was so hilarious I had to get in on the action. Check this out. Very funny. Once again, Joe is the most entertaining dancer of all of us!
http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1220491920

The Puzzle Master

2007-12-06T13:30:00.000-08:00

In between tearing up the house and tormenting Kalo, Siosi has found a new love...puzzles! She only has one so far which was given to her at the baby shower, but she loves it.

Kenzie's Birthday

2007-12-06T10:56:00.000-08:00

Monday was our niece Kenzie's first birthday! Here are some fun photos Lila took. Kalo! She looks like her sister in that photo.
Eliana, Alyssa, and Siosi playing the the bedroom. Where is the birthday girl?
It was a team effort to get those presents opened!
Birthday girl!
Kimber made a very fancy cake. Looked like a circus clown cake!

2007-11-28T22:01:00.000-08:00

These pictures are totally out of order! I'm not a blogger expert yet so I can never figure out how to rearrange things once I get them on here. We just finished with a very busy week. Family came from Idaho and California for Thanksgiving. We had everyone here except Vanessa and her family. As carrying on with tradition (and keeping up with the Strasser family eating habits!) we had plenty of pies. I took a picture for proof. This year there were about 24 pies all in all. There are only 20 pictured here due to some early eaters. I was planning to make a traditional Tongan dessert but Joe says they don't have any! I still don't believe it so if any Utaatu family knows of a Tongan dessert or even one that we can pass as a Tongan dessert, please let me know! Once the crowd went home we got our Christmas tree. I really wanted something other than a Douglas Fir so we paid the big bucks and got this one. It cost us an arm and a leg despite it's small stature. Siosi had great fun helping us decorate it. She continues to decorate it and undecorate it all day long. This is going to be a problem for me!

For those who don't know Siosi is old enough for nursery now! Actually she just turned 19 months. The other day I was driving to an appointment and heard her singing in the back the nursery's clean up song. Now when we try to get her to clean up her toys we sing the song with her. She thinks its great fun.

Kalo is almost done peeling. It will be nice to have a baby with nice baby skin. She is always very hungry. I have to feed her all day. Her doctor told me to supplement with formula. She still eats all day! I'm hoping this is just a phase. Siosi loves Kalo. She tries to comfort her when she cries and is a great big sister. I just have to make sure she doesn't smash her head when she is kissing her! Kalo is smiling! She has such an angelic smile!

Joe is working hard at his job. We keep having more and more jobs come in despite the time of year! We know we are being blessed! We are trying to get enough money to get ourselves to Tonga to visit our family there.

Siosi was a bit scared. Not like her rocking horse at home!

Bath Time!

2007-11-20T10:28:00.000-08:00

This is Kalo's first bath! I waited till her cord fell off so I could give her a real bath. These are the after bath pictures. Doesn't she look dashing in red?

Here is Siosi all ready to go to Grandma's house. I had been looking everywhere for these plastic boots so she could play outside and finally found some in her size!

Kalo out of focus.
These pictures are out of order. Sorry! Here is Kalo getting her bath. Her skin is peeling so bad that the water was pretty nasty looking when I was done bathing her.

2007-11-18T19:09:00.000-08:00

I copied these pictures from my mom's camera. So here we have Joe with Kalo. Obviously the dates are all wrong! I had to put these pictures on too so I could copy them onto my computer.

The whole crew at the hospital. These are my brothers with their wives and children. Except Shawn. Luckily he isn't married.
Siosi at Grandma's with cousins Eliana and Kenzie
Painting pumpkins for Halloween at Grandma's.
Grandpa showed the girls how to paint their toes! What a mess!

Kah-low-lie-nay

2007-11-13T20:15:00.000-08:00

There has been some confusion on how to pronounce Kalolaine's name so just to clarify, it is Kah-low-lie-nay!Here are a couple more pictures from the hospital.

Here are some more pictures!
Siosi loves to kiss Kalo!

One last hospital picture.

Kalolaine Gale 'Uta'atu!

2007-11-11T21:14:00.000-08:00

Kalolaine has arrived! She was born Novemeber 7 at 6:06pm. I am so thrilled to finally have her with us. This pregnancy has been a breeze compared to the last and so was the labor. I didn't have to resort to any castor oil or other witches brew to start the labor. I came very close, however. The day before I had her I did a jog/walk to the church for our exercise class where I did laps around the gym. Then I did a jog/walk back home. I wasn't moving very fast for a normal person but for a big pregnant lady it was! I started into labor in the middle of the night and checked into the hospital by 1pm. I didn't think the labor pains were that bad until the car ride over. My mom drove me since Joe was working. He met us at the hospital. Luckily I had it all planned out and had packed extra clothes and things for him to take a shower at the hospital. So once we arrived, I began progressing very fast. I had an epidural soon after arrival and the rest was wonderful. I am such a fan of epidurals! It worked very well and didn't wear off this time. By 6:06 Kalo arrived! She is healthy and strong. Much larger than Siosi was. She was 8lbs 2oz and 19 1/2inches tall (Why do we say long?) So all in all this time around was a good experience. Un fortunaltely we have most of our pictures on my mom's camera. Joe only took these ones. This picture marks what I will be doing for the next 18 months (hopefully) with Kalo. It was the first time I changed her diaper!
Getting Kalo ready for her picture.
Siosi getting to know Kalo. She adores her. She always wants to hold her and give her uma (kisses). It is fun to watch them.
Here she is all ready to go home!

Baby Shower for Kalolaine

2007-10-24T22:54:00.000-07:00

Here I am getting measured by Julene. Everyone had to guess how many T.P. squares around I was. Can you guess? Surprisingly enough almost everyone guessed right. OK I was a whopping 11 squares! Does that compare to what you measure? I hope not, if you aren't pregnant that is.
A very good friend of mine who I have know almost my whole life loves to spoil. She gave this rocking horse and the dress below among other things. Siosi goes wild on that horse. The thing makes neighing sounds and moves it's face and tail. Siosi yells at me to turn it on as she rides it. She rides so hard it seems as if she'll do a 360.
I'm going to have Siosi wear this dress for Christmas this year. Kalo will never know...
Here I am opening something...
Here I am thinking about what I opened. Or maybe I was thinking about all those toilet paper squares I was measured with.

These are the braves souls who lasted till the end of the shower. Some had to leave early. What a party! As of today I only have 12 days left till my due date. Hopefully I won't make it. I have officially found a nun costume for Halloween though. At least I have some incentive to not have the baby early. Also, I really would like to go trick or treating this year. It will be Siosi's first time! Who could miss that! The last time I went was with Sarah (girl pictured above to far left holding handsome babe) when we were seniors in high school. It would be nice to freshen up my skills again.

Fall Fun!

2007-10-16T13:54:00.000-07:00

Saturday we followed our new tradition of going to the pumpkin patch and going through the corn maze. It was very fun this time since Siosi can walk. She ran like mad through it and ended up very muddy. We got to go on a tractor ride that takes you out to the corn fields and then at the end we got to pick out a pumpkin to take home. They have a little stand where you can pay for your pumpkin or fruit if you like. I ended up having to pay for more than just our pumpkin and indian corn. I found Siosi underneath the table eating an apple she found. So here is the first picture of Joe and Siosi on top of the world...or the haystack anyway.
Siosi on the haystack getting ready to jump. We really missed having Kylie, Peyton, Colton, and Bryce here this year. They had a blast on this haystack last year.
Joe with our pumpkin.
Yes, I'm still pregnant!
We made Siosi wear her halloween costume so we could take our Halloween pictures of her with the pumpkins. She looks a little like a devil but actually that is a lady bug costume!

Siosi with cousin Alyssa.
Oh, what love!

Some random pictures from Lila

2007-10-16T13:24:00.000-07:00

Here is Siosi having fun with her cousins at Grandma's house. This was in August I think.

Part of the fun of going to Grandma's is raiding her garden. Siosi loves fruit as you can see.

Here are Eliana, Kenzie, and Siosi enjoying the sun.

Dirty face!
This is Siosi on her first 4th of July.
Here she is sporting her favorite sunglasses on her 2nd 4th of July. This picture was taken at the St. Paul Rodeo.
Getting into her favorite drawer at Grandma's.
Siosi has always been such a religious child! This was taken at Grandma's birthday party in March.

Joe's Birthday! 30!!

2007-10-11T06:38:00.000-07:00

Here is ol' Joe making curly fries with Ma Strasser's handy dandy curly fry making drill. For his big one we decided to celebrate carnival style. We invited a bunch of friends over and ate curly fries, hot dogs, and sno cones. We also played volleyball. The kids had fun jumping in Grandma's newest garage sale find... a bouncy house!
Here is Joe passing off some curly fries to Joel. Just look at that smile.
Here is everyone just pigging out.
Siosi enjoying her sno cone. We had to change her clothes half way through the party.
Here she is still clean!

We celebrated his birthday on the day and did the carnival the day after. Here he is just after he blew out all 30 candles. Don't bother counting them because people started removing them before I had a chance to take a picture. Notice our little birthday helper....Eliana! Like I said before, she just loves birthdays and is always ready to help you blow out your candles, just in case. She is already gearing up for her own birthday Jan1 and reminds us of it frequently.
Me, Siosi, and Eliana. Remember that I'm still pregnant, so that is baby you're seeing.
Joe was really excited about the army style birthday decor.
This was our fire. I thought the guys would make an enormous bon fire but this was the best they could do. Really uncharacteristic of them if you ask me. Think about the guys that were there...Cory, Joel, David, Dan, Shawn and some others that demonstrated their fire making abilities on the fourth of July. Yes, it is odd.
For some reason Siosi has a frowny face in all these pictures but normally she is very happy. I'll just take a second and give you updates on her. Siosi is talking pretty well. She is 17 months now and has been speaking in sentences for a couple months. She says things like...Where's daddy? I want...(you fill in the blank). She can say elephant and hippo (We have a zoo book). Actually she can repeat anything you say. She repeats us constantly. She loves her grandma and frequently tells us she wants grandma. Every time we leave grandma's or she leaves our house Siosi throws a big fit and cries for her. Grandma just loves that! We caught Siosi on camara climbing up into her high chair. She is a real acrobat! She adores apples and begs for them all day. When I give her one she'll carry it around gnawing on it till she sees a new one and it looks much more appetizing. She throws the old one and cries for the new one. Oranges are also apples. Some favorite foods besides apples are broccoli, corn, grean beans, and pizza. Siosi loves balls. Whenever we are shopping and she sees a ball she tells me she wants it and has to hold it (or throws it for me to chase after) for the duration of the shopping trip. At Target once I tried to resist giving in to her and we ended up having to leave the store. She cried all the way home, "I want a ball!" It was terrible. Siosi is very good at identifying people in pictures. We have a picture of her with her cousins on our fridge. She loves to point out who Kylie is. She also loves her cousins that live here, Eliana and Kenzie. We are in the same ward and if we don't sit together and she happens to spot one of them across the chapel she shouts their name as loud as she can and screams for them over and over. She gets so excited for them she shakes. It is pretty funny. This happens almost every time we see them. The same reaction! The last thing about Siosi is she loves to pray. She even says prayers on her own. Well not understandable ones but when we say a prayer she folds her arms and starts to mumble in a low tone as if she were praying too. Then at the end she shout, Amen!

Ok, Joe's brother To'a just sent us these two pictures. I thought they were really neat since we have almost zero pictures of family in Tonga. This is Joe's Grandpa Halatoa and Grandma Siosi. They are Joe's mom's parents and Grandma Siosi is who we named our Siosi Leka after! I had never seen a picture of her before. Now we have something to show Siosi Leka when she is older so she knows where her name is from! The kids in the picture are Joe's first cousins but the girl Grandma Siosi is holding is Joe's younger sister, Latu.
This picture has Joe in it. Can you guess where...he is the one on the end with half his body cut off. Apparently the photographer was having some trouble. This is the only picture we have of Joe as a little boy. We have one other one of him when he was about 9 or 10. Doesn't he look like a trouble maker! The other kids are some first cousins.
This is me being pregnant. We hadn't really taken any pictures yet. The date is off. It was actually Oct 7. See the car seat in the background all ready to go! I might not look very big but I was trying to suck in a little. If anyone has any tricks of how to make this baby come out let me know. I only have about three weeks left till the due date, Nov 5, but I would really like to go the standard 2 weeks early if possible.
Here is the bouncy house! We also used it when Kimber and I canned apple pie filling. We brought it in the living room at Grandma's house and let the kids jump in it so we could get things doen. Grandma got some balls for it too. Its like having McDonald's right at home! This is Siosi and Eliana jumping with a friend at the party.

Aleta's Birthday!

2007-09-16T20:46:00.000-07:00

Looks like Joe knows me all too well. He also gave me breakfast in bed, washed and cleaned my car, surprised me by cleaning and decorating the house, and took me to dinner. What a man! I guess he was making up for forgetting our anniversary. It was only our second! We had a fun day. I was also treated to a spa pedicure by Kimber and Lila, although their husbands David and Joel for some reason take the credit.
Eliana just loves birthdays and doesn't care whose it is...just as long as there is cake and ice cream. She can't wait for Joe's next week!
I'm still pregnant so I got some maternity clothes. I am close to being finished but I guess thats Joe's way of saying he wants even more kids!
Siosi was providing the entertainment. Here she is performing her circus head stand usually only done when she is very sleepy.
Here is Joe trying to communicate with his family. He can't get a hold of anyone in Tonga for some reason. Next week is Joe's birthday. He is going to be a whopping 30! Now thats old! We would like to roast a pig but we'll have to see!

Siosi isn't much of an eater but she loves to sleep!

I know this is a terrible picture of me but I just had to include it. I'm reading a hand-crafted card by Kylie Woffinden. It was even signed. For those who don't know, eight-year-old Miss Woffinden is not only a famous artist and poet, but she also does these beautifully hand-crafted cards. She is also my niece!
Present from the Woffindens. Turned out to be cinnamon bears! Hooray!
The party wasn't all that lively. Just look at the guests!

Our Day at the State Fair

2007-08-30T21:37:00.000-07:00

Whoa Nelly!
Shawn got lost... even in bumper cars...
Dan is trying to be a cool cat for a lady driver not pictured.
Siosi and I at the horse stalls.

Siosi and Eliana in the canoe ride!
Siosi and I in the petting zoo. Why are there caged animals in a PETTING zoo?
Siosi is a mix. Her daddy is a koala bear and her mommy is a kangaroo!
Playing in the bouncy house.
Joe showing off his driving skills!

2007-07-16T15:14:00.000-07:00

Two hot pregnant mammas. Me with sister-in-law Heather. By the way, the dates are wrong!
Our monkey!
Everyone is piled in and ready to go in Kimber's brand new stroller! Fits 5! Siosi's cousins and her friend Ben.

2007-07-16T15:06:00.000-07:00

Siosi with cousin Eliana.

I'm starting her early... The cousins in matching shirts. Eliana, Siosi, and Kenzie.

Yearly trip to the Starlight Parade in Portland, OR

2007-06-03T21:48:00.000-07:00

Shawn and Daniel working hard for the money.
Siosi, Joe, and Aleta walked around all day watching the crazy people in Portland and finally got to sit down and rest.
Siosi had no nap all day. Look at the face! We didn't even get home till 1am!
Giant horses Joe says they don't have in Tonga. Well only a few anyway.

Memorial Day at Silver Creek Falls

2007-06-03T21:42:00.001-07:00

Joe with Siosi on the trail.

This is us behind the big waterfall. Before the hike we had a big BBQ and the cousins all played in the park!

2007-04-23T20:27:00.000-07:00

Utaatu family April 2007

2007-04-23T17:54:00.000-07:00

Joe is trying to fit through the tunnel!

Siosi on her horse.
Joel's favorite picture.
Siosi making her way through the tunnel.

Joe riding in a wooden shoe at the tulip festival. The best way to travel!

Siosi in a baby size wooden shoe!

Siosi's continual fountain of snot.