Finding JOY in the JOURNEY...: 2011

December 26, 2011

Christmas 2011

Christmas morning we slept in and rolled out of bed to open the two presents we had;) We agreed not to do presents this year and to donate money to others who needed it more. When we had decided this (while lee was still away), I had already purchased two art pieces for our house...so I decided to wrap them and hide them so Lee could have something to open;)

This first piece is "O Jerusalem" by Greg Olsen and I just LOVE IT...I can't wait to hang it in just the right spot!

This next one was the REAL surprise..

When Lee was investigating the church, we would go up tot eh Visitors Center alot to meet with the missionaries or just feel the spirit there. Well for about a month, there was an art display of Mark Marbry's collection and there was one piece that Lee just fell in love with. He would go up there and just sit and stare and it!!!

Here he is in front of it at the Visitors center July 2009...

...and here he is with it December 2011;) Not as big as the original (not int he budget) but still just as beautiful! (PS Lee did not want me to post these because we obviously had just woken up but hey this is REALITY right???) He was really surprised and super touched by it...Mission accomplished!

Here's one of me just outta bed with my baby;P

Lee and Kayla like to wrestle and I think it's adorable!

Doesn't it look like they are playing nice.....

and then you see this picture LOL...he really isn't torturing Kayla and she really is about to bite his head off!

We decided to get a nice picture in front of the temple...it was windy but I think the picture came out great!

Mom Harp came down and spent the day with us:)

Our Tree was so beautiful this year...especially when it was all lit!

I made Kayla wear this Christmas Collar that jingled and she wanted to tear it to shreds but kept it on long enough for pictures:D

The day after Christmas we had dinner with my Mom's side of the family!

This is My Mom, me, My Aunt June and Aunt Jungja

These two LOVED Lee...and was the first time they met him!!!

My Uncle Charlie, Dad and Uncle John talking story in the living room!

Mom's famous Prime Rib!

Scott and Lee helping out in the kitchen;)

There was SO MUCH FOOD...and so delicious...I definitely ate too much but it was oh so good.

It has been YEARS since we had a gathering like this and it was a ton of fun and I am so grateful that Lee was able to be here for this.

December 24, 2011

Mele Kalikimaka Eve 2011

We joined the Johanson's for Christmas Eve to decorate gingerbread men and just hang out!

I really could just spend all day everyday with these girls and never stop giggling and smiling!

And this little cutie pie just melts my heart...

Working very hard to put the ginger bread house together (which we ended up not decorating because we kept having so much fun doing other things)

Whitney and Uncle Lee with their gingerbread man!

Makenna thinks the bunny ears trick is the funniest thing ever...I remember when I was that age and thought it was hilarious. What is so funny is how funny she thinks it is!!!

After decorating/eating our gingerbread men we headed outside to watch the girls play some soccer

Uncle Lee was the score keeper and I just sat and enjoyed having my Honey home :D

I just love this man to PIECES and can't get enough of his smiles and kisses...definitely the best Christmas Eve EVER!

We bought the girls some presents so they got to open them with us...Daddy looks a little excited about all this Princess stuff ;P

Later that night we had dinner with Mom and Dad and enjoyed a nice quiet evening. I didn't get many pictures because I just wanted to enjoy the night...which I did...doing what I love the most... Being with my Husband!!!

December 19, 2011

Caroling and BBQ!

Lee got home and jumped back into his calling as Young Mens Secretary and we went Carolling with the Youth!

We have an awesome bunch of kids who are a blast to be around.

Later that week we had a BBQ with the Johanson's and Lee made his famous Kiawe smoked Rib-eye steak...the girls were playing Uno while waiting for the steak to cook.

My little Princess Kaitlynn who I just adore eating so she could get to bed (we ran a little late tonight)

Makenna and Brynn patiently waiting for dinner;)

Here is my Honey with his delicious steaks...

He claims they did not come out as good as usual and that he needs to "warm up" a bit...but to me they tasted HEAVENLY and the fact that we shared the meal with such awesome people made it taste even better:)

December 18, 2011

BYUH-H Groundbreaking

Elder Holland came to BYU-H for graduation and to attend a ground breaking ceremony for a new building on campus. It was open to the public, so Lee and I went so he could meet his very first Apostle:D There were so many people there that we couldn't get a picture with Elder Holland but here he is just about to shake Lee's hand!

It was a gorgeous day and the ceremony was very nice...it was a wonderful experience for us to have together. Lee was not here when the Prophet came to dedicate the Temple November 2010 and he was sad to have missed that. So this was really nice to attend together and share one of Lee's many "firsts" in the gospel!

Yes we look like goobers in the hats but we had to wear one while turning over some dirt for the new building!

Our favorite neighbors turned dear friends EVER were kind enough to save us seats:)

December 15, 2011

Ward Christmas Party

The cultural hall was decorated so nice this year and it felt very romantic and festive:)

Me and my Honey looking so handsome in his shirt and tie!

It felt so good to have him there with me...everything feels, looks and tastes better now that my other half is where he belongs!

Lee loves to color...and the girls loved that he was coloring with them. Thats one of the things I love about my Husband...he has the heart of a child!

My princesses...

I think we all had a bit too much sugar because we were luaghing and beign silly all night!

Aoetera and Kaitlyn are my two adopted babies...if either of them are ever missing, Im pretty sure you will fin them at my house:P

Lee was SO excited to see Santa ROFL!!!!! He had some very special requests for Christmas and wanted to make sure he got that info direct to the source! Everyone around were dying laughing when he hopped on Tui's...I mean SANTA'S lap!

Makenna...

Whitney...

Kalia...

Aoetera...

My beehives...plus a Girffiths boy;P

Hea, Jas and CJ...

Taylor was so cute...she was afraid of Santa and took some convincing to sit on his lap...funny part is that Santa is HER DAD...she had no clue!

L8 youth...

Nina Blakes little baby...

Lopez kids...

Sage...

Lauaki Ohana...

Keauwe Family...

Abigail doing her fabulous piano solo...

Once upon a time...

Mibi grew up in Laie and attended Kahuku High and Lee grew up in Haleiwa and Mililani and attended Mililani High. Mibi went to College at BYU-Hawaii and then served a mission in the Utah Ogden Mission before meeting the man of her dreams. After school, Lee jumped into the workforce looking for his career and eventually ended up working for Mibi's family flower shop at Turtle Bay while Mibi was serving her mission...and never thought that this job would lead him to his "Angel". We met in Septmeber of 2001 after I returned home from my mission. I came back to the flower shop to manage things for my Mom and Lee had left to pursue his education. Well a few months later, Lee's education path didn't take the direction he had hoped and instead life lead him back to Turtle Bay. The first thing he did was call Mom to get his job back and of course she said YES. So, I was Lee's boss and there was an instant friendship...it felt as if we had known each other our entire lives. We kept it strictly business for a few weeks and then one night I was gong to make a Wal-Mart run after work and called him to see if he wanted to come along. His phone was busy (the days before call waiting) and I almost gave up...but after a few more tries he picked up and from that night on we were inseperable. I think we told each other our life stories that night and we both knew then that our lives would never be the same! Over the next year, we formed a deep love and respect for each other which kept us connected through a few rough patches and across the ocean as Mibi moved back to Utah. Finally after a year of being best friends, we both realized that there is no one on earth we would rather be with than each other! We were a couple for about two years when Lee proposed to me and we tied the knot at the exact place we first met...the same hotel the flower shop was located when we worked there...TURTLE BAY. And to add to our JOY, we have a beautiful daughter Savannah (Lee's biological and Mibi's spiritual daughter ) who we just ADORE! She is so smart, funny, outgoing, a jabberbox like her Dad and just the cutest thing you have ever seen!!! We also are praying that we can give her a little brother or sister sometime in the next year or two!!! Until then we have a Doberman (Kayla) and a cat (Shadow) that we spoil rotten and of course all of our Nieces and Nephew's. It has been almost 8 years of wedded bliss and although we have had our ups and downs, each experience has made us grow more in love with each other and are still each others best friend!