The Big Island

Hawaiian Sacred Temple Area for the King

Lava Wall built 400 years ago without mortar

Turtle Town.  Dozens sunning themselves and swimming in the tide pools.

Beautiful soft sand, blue clear water, sunsets.  That's the idyl picture of Hawaii and we soaked in it for two solid weeks

The volcano!  Smoke billowing out, but it's not active.  Fun to see from the different viewing points.  We did not see flowing lava however I guess you can if you take the helicopter ride.

Aloha!  Live band and hula dancer in the waiting area of the Hilo airport.  Beautiful voices and harmonies....all for your listening/viewing pleasure while you wait for your flight.
Now the comparison of Maui to Hawaii.  Maui is much more beautiful, but Hawaii really seeps into you and you love it as well.  If I could choose to live on one of those islands?  I would have to do 1/2 and 1/2 b/c Hawaii felt like there was more local life, but there are tons more tourists in Maui for a reason, it's gorgeous.  I did love having the temple to go to, so that just might be the tipping point.  We didn't have any rain while we were there, just sun and tropical breezes.  I'm up for living there Tom, are you 'in'???

Heavenly Hana

At the end of Nahiku Road.  Waterfall flows into the ocean.

The coastline at the end of the Nahiku road.  

There have been huge swells.  Makes for a very beautiful ocean.

Wai'anapanapa Park or Black Sand Beach.  This really struck me as unique with the black lava and the greenery growing on top.  Some cool blow holes here as well.  I loved the hike we took here.

The Seven Sacred Pools.  Sometimes they allow you to swim in the pools, but not the day we were there, too dangerous.

We hiked up the Piiku trail to see the 400 foot waterfall (photo below).  You hike through a bamboo forest that was enchanting.  You could hear the bamboo trees knock together in the wind.  Awesome!

I must have taken 100 photos of this forest.  Every turn was picturesque.  

Charles Lindburgh is buried on this hillside.  He said he would rather spend 2 days in Maui than 2 years in NYC.  I get it.

The Venus Pools.  That is me in the water.  You can see somebody about the jump from the cliff on the left.  The ocean flows into this pool of water, but its natural protection keeps it pool like.
On the day we left the area we found a red sand beach that also had a natural barrier from the sea.  I wish I had had my camera for that outing but it was in the car.  My memory will have to suffice.  If I had another day in Hana I would have for sure spent some time at the Red Sand Beach....next time.  So glad we spent time in Hana (2 nights).  Highly recommended.  It's a tough drive to get there, but once you are there, it's dreamy.  We did have to pay $4.50 for a quart of milk.  Our simple condo I don't even want to say how much I paid for that.  It's not affordable but its awesome.

Eat, Drink and Be Maui

We swam in the pool and relaxed in the hot tub at our condo complex in Kihai

We walked beach after beach

Snorkeled and saw beautiful fish, stunning coral, but the best was huge turtles.  One was in front of us and we almost tripped over him!  

After all that beach time we were hungry and found great fish tacos as well as acai bowls.

40 years together:  Jan 7, 1977 to today Jan 7, 2017.  Better than I could have ever dreamed.  20 top suggestions for a great marriage:  1. get the right guy, 2. laugh, 3. love, 4. work hard, 5. forgive, 6. go on dates, 7. get away together often,  8. read scriptures together, 9. try to see their point of view, 10. share the work, 11. decide who is best with money and let them do their magic, 12. realize you are on the green side of the fence,  13. don't decide or discuss anything when you are too tired, 14. realize you each have strengths and differences and that is a good thing,  15. pretty thin pancake not to have 2 sides (to arguments), 16. take walks together, 17.it's okay to approach child rearing differently just don't let the kid figure that out,   18. go to the temple together, 19. pray together, 20. let your spouse have time for their own individual interests.
Now read them again and that will make 40 top suggestions!

You ask where I want to live?  Right here!!!

2016 High and Low

From Anita:
Low:
Moving from our penthouse apartment in Brussels was traumatic.  The move went smooth as silk, but the emotions were heart-wrenching.  I cried on our flight that left Nov 4th from the Brussels Airport to SFO.  Our European 'home' came to a close, at least the adventure of working for NATO, serving in our ward, taking long week-ends to go to the Dreesen or a hundred other places in Europe,  eating at Lotus Vert whenever we felt like it, walking downtown to the Grand Place for an afternoon, the Friday night market, tennis at the Davis Club, Christmas Markets, the Cinquantenare Park....all of it.  It ended.  My definite low of the year.   And Tom having to get a stent.  And we must not forget how awful the bombings were in Brussels. (as well as Nice and Paris)


High:  Our Mission call to Italy!  Having every.single.child.spouse.grandchild. come to visit. And getting that marvelous memory book about those visits of 2016 from all the kids while at my Moms for Christmas!  Finding the extra apartment of Daniels to rent for 8 months.  Taking Suzanne to Israel.  Tom retiring. Tom getting his stent and getting a bill of good health (funny how the highs/lows are almost always related!) Our 2 month retirement party in France and Italy.

Highs from Tom

1.  Having all our posterity come to Belgium one last time. Feeling their love for us and our love for them.  

2.  Getting Daniel Blumenthal's apartment for 8 months, so we could make it happen.  Thanks, Daniel. 

3.  Retiring at the right time.  Just as things were getting really ugly, I could just walk away from it all.  How often does that happen?

4.  Getting those overwhelming impressions that now was the time to go on a mission.  He didn't want us to wait. 

5.  Mission call to Italy.  The way everything worked out just perfectly, like it was meant to be.  I know it was. 

6.  Visiting the kids and grandkids again when we got back to the U.S.   Monterey, San Diego, Idaho Falls, SLC, Farmington.  Next stop Yardley, Pa.

7.  Suzanne opening up her house to us for extended periods of time.  She is amazing. 

8.  Watching Audrey Packer in action (all 93 years of her) working on renting her properties, visiting her younger friends in the nursing home, not letting anything go to waste, determined not to spend any money, still giving us advice, and not listening to our advice.  Bless this pioneer woman and her strength and determination.  She will go out with her guns blazing.

9.  Another year with Anita Packer at my side.

10.  The medical care I received in Belgium which resulted in a preventive procedure to clear a partially blocked diagonal artery to the heart.  I dodged the bullet on that one. 

11.  All my kids happily married, working hard, active in the Church, loving their families.  It warms my heart like nothing else. 

12. As I have said before, I am living my dream.  I don't know how it could be any better than this.  

Lows

1.  Leaving Belgium and our apartment on Square Ambiorix.  It was a great ride!

2.  Getting released from our primary calling teaching the Sunbeams together.  We loved those kids.

3.  Feeling helpless the last few months at work as people came into my office complaining about the way things were going downhill so fast.  "That wouldn't have happened if you were there."

4.  Having to watch my cholesterol intake (i.e. no more ice cream, pastries, etc).

5.  Coming to Utah and realizing what a sissy I am in cold weather. 

Happy 2017!  I don't know how we will beat 2016, but we will try.   Dad

From Jake's Family:
Jake

My high was a promotion and 3 weeks in Europe. That shouldn't happen in the same year; feeling the old, familiar Spirit in our new Ward nearly every time I've gone. Having love at home. 

Lows were spending the best Fall day of the year doing a bike tour instead of hiking with the family...and I did that to myself. Watching my kids struggle to adjust to a new life. Throwing my back out and being sedate for months. 

I am grateful you had so many highs Mom and Dad. But so sad to imagine the heartbreak as you left home...god be our strength and anchor as everything shifts around us.

 Mel

Highs: San Diego business trip with Jake, having my sister and brother and their families come to visit, biking the Loire valley, Greece, Maine, San Francisco and Monterey, spending time with my family and watching my kids grow, making new friends

Lows: Seeing my kids with broken hearts leaving their home and friends and adjusting to their new schools, the trauma of Lily slipping through the gap onto the train tracks below the train

Rachel

Highs: Met new friends, went to Europe, went inside a temple, the aquarium, sunset, beach, and cousins at Monterey, finished Harry Potter, memorized Articles of Faith, new piano, learned a lot about myself

Lows: Left New Jersey and my best friends, middle school with no air conditioning, mean girls, never went camping, winter break was too short

Tommy 

Highs: The blizzard, summer break (no school), scoring touchdowns in flag football, eating chocolate frogs at the Harry Potter festival

Lows: Moving

Kate

Highs: Getting Mrs. Brown for Kindergarten, having Sophie and Jack at our house, getting a new TV

Lows: Having days of no school, or no dance, Daddy's work closing

Jed/Nicole's family:

Colie

Highs: Europe trip with my family & watching Cora immediately love gelato and gaufres, Jed taking me out on dates, moving to a new place and making new friends that I hope will be lifelong, having a pool outside my door all summer, hiking/camping with my family, soaking up Cora's baby goodness and enjoying the hilarious & exciting transition to toddlerhood, Jed's perfection of homemade chocolate chip cookies

Lows: no painkillers post-surgery due to being allergic (yet again) to drugs, missing ski season due to surgery, not being able to take Jed to Switzerland

Jed

Highs: being married to Colie, being a father to Cora, seeing the magic in Cora's eyes during the Christmas season, traveling around Europe with my family, the people who made that delicious gelato in some random town in Italy that we visited

Lowes: ... I prefer Home Depot ...

Cora

High: penguins, "schnacks" (snack time), rough housing, reading books, going to nursery

Low: waiting for the microwave to heat up my "yunch" (lunch), wearing bows

From Dan and Lara's family:

Thanks for sharing and for carrying on a tradition, Mom.

Dan and Lara: High - Europe trip, summer trips (Hebgen, McCall, Wallace, Lake Powell), couple trip to Florida, watching our kids adjust and thrive in Idaho.  Low - longer and more intense than expected recovery from Lara's surgery. 

Daph: High - Europe trip, qualifying for State in XC, high school.  Low - my dad bugging me to finish drivers ed. 

Zane:  High - hunting, Europe trip, scout camp.  Low - surgery.

Scarlet:  High - Europe trip, lead in Seussical the Musical.  Low - falling off the houseboat and thinking she broke her arm and rushing across Lake Powell in the dark to the ER in Page, AZ 

Brauer:  High - Europe trip, Lake Powell, Hebgen Lake, 8 year old trip to Nauvoo and South Bend, having baller-quality swagger. Low - Notre Dame football having an off year. 

Levi:  High - tubing behind the boat, anytime he doesn't have to go to church, wrecking at Madden.  Low - not being able to ride a bike without training wheels, not being able to make a basket on a 10' hoop.

SD Herways:

Seth - High: All the trips and traveling.  Every time I went mtn biking and skiing.  Getting to water ski twice over the summer and, for whatever reason, I always have the time of my life at water parks.  Finally making a decision on life direction.  Everyone was healthy and safe and that's the biggest thing of all.  Low: We have had so many years where the lows were all very trivial.  We had some legitimate lows this year.  Always grateful that they aren't worse.  But Heidi's miscarriage at 16 weeks was difficult and still lingers.  That was the biggest by far.  a

Also seems trivial, but thinking we had our St. George living situation figured out and being very emotionally invested in the house and the area and then having it all fall apart so quickly and, over a month later now, still having that up in the air is no fun.  Turning down the University of Utah job and the decision process leading up to it was also difficult and still wondering whether or not that was the right call.  

Heidi- High: Kauai with Seth and Europe/Egypt trip as a family, sisters trip to Vancouver BC, having visitors, watching Taft be super brave performing in the school talent show, watching both Taft and Luke work hard and improve in soccer. Taft especially was not pumped to play early in the season, but ended up having a great season. Always grateful that we are blessed with good health. Jonah's language exploded these last few months and has made life much easier! He rules the roost.  Low: Miscarrying at 16 weeks and having to make a decision about Seth's job offer in SLC immediately after. It was very difficult to clearly make a decision when we were still really mourning our loss. Ditto to Seth and the St. George housing situation. 

Taft - High: soccer, Egypt, talent show, Idaho.  Low: I don't know.  Science camp; there was a guy who messed up every project I did. He was kind of bossy too.

Luke - High: Egypt, scoring my first goal. Low: No lows.  Every single thing was fun in the year.

Jonah - High: Being the man of the house when his brothers are at school. Being super cute and getting his way  A LOT.  Low: Being forced to go to preschool for a few weeks until mom gave up. 

Portugals:

Noel

High

Couples trips

7 weeks in Europe

Low

My sister moving from our street to Florida

Natalie

High

Dates and couples trips with Noel

All our trips esp Europe and Australia 

Realizing leaving the charter school was the best decision 

Really enjoying the ages my kids are right now. 

Low

Brussels attacks

Bryn

High

Disneyland Paris, our summer in Europe, turning 10, gymnastics

Low

Missing gymnastics while we were in Europe

My cousins moving away

Isa

High

Disneyland Paris, getting baptized, getting ears pierced, Hawaiian Falls, the entire summer, 1st day of school, Christmas 

Low

My bike crash, cousins moving 

Tori

High

Sleeping in the same room as my sisters all summer

Here's ours (Steve and Felicia :) Sorry I had actually typed most of it but forgot about it in my drafts. Ooops :)

Felicia highs: Watching Kent grow into a very high energy, very caring toddler. Going to Europe for the 2nd time in my life (something I never thought would happen and I'm only 23!) Steve and I taking our first trip alone without Kent to Paris while Grammie and Pop watched him. Having my brother move only 30 minutes away from us. Watching Steve grow and pursue his career in hospitality. Hiking Moab with my family and seeing the arches for the first time. Taking Kent to lagoon and seeing how much of a roller coaster junkie he is! (couldn't get him off the rides! It was hilarious.) Going to 2 BYU games this year (a new record!) Cutting my hair super short! Falling in love with my new hobby, cross stitch. Being married to a wonderful husband for almost 4 years. Taking Kent camping for the first time. Having my Grandparents and Aunt, Uncle and cousins all come visit us in Idaho. 

Felicia lows: Not many. Dealing with toddler tantrums. Tearing up my ankle. Feeling like someone is always sick with something. 

Kent Highs: Kent loves all construction vehicles, he has to say "night night diggers" every night before we can put him down. He absolutely loves doing dishes. Seriously. Lots of dance parties. Learning a new word almost weekly. Having playgroup on tuesdays. Feeding the pidgeons in venice. Playing in the sand at Moab. Roaring at the tiger at the zoo. Loves brushing his teeth. 

Kents Lows: Church. Not having any dishes to do. Long car rides. Doesn't like being told "No."

Steve highs: Europe, being a dad and husband, working in an industry I enjoy, BYU football games, visiting Europe at least one more time with all the good food, visiting Moab for the first time, 

Steve lows: BYU losing to Utah and Boise St. 

      ^^^

He's very exciting :P

Thanks again everyone for contributing.  Each year we learn and grow and experience life.  We love you all.