Lots of kids, Tall Trees, and one sssssnake.....

This past weekend we we were invited to go to the Sequoias with some friends. and we couldn't have been more excited because we didn't really have anything planned for the summer... SO our trip goes a little something like this.... On Saturday morning we got up early loaded up the van and met up with the other 3 families. With all of us we had 8 adults and 17 children..that's alot of kids....LOL we got on the road and headed to our destination... it was a nice scenic windy road kinda drive... which I got a lil nausea by the way... we got up there and headed to the Trail of 100 giants... what a fun, adventurous perfect trail for the kids... they were all excited to see the really big trees... and were running all over the place... us adults couldn't even keep up with them... LOL.. the weather was perfect and the sights were awesome.... after the trail we decided to find a spot for lunch... "boy did we pick the spot".. we set up the picnic and enjoyed the company, and food..and let the kids just run around the lil site... as we were all in " adult" conversation.. all of a sudden Jayden screams " AHHHHHHHHH a snake...if you know jayden he is quite the jokster.. so I said " jayden are you joking" and then he said" no MOM im not... so I was like " WELL THEN GET OVER HERE" .... he ran over to me.. so the men preceded to check it out thinking it was just a little something.... OH NO it was a huge rattle snake... the bad thing is the kids had been playing in that very spot the whole time..... at that point we all decided to clean up and head home...it was all very exciting in that exact moment.. but on the way home I couldn't help but think how the situation with the snake could have turned out alot worse with one of the kids... and I thought about how I am so grateful to be apart of the gospel and thankful that we said a group prayer before we left.. and that we are truly blessed and watched over...... Thanks to the Fergusons for planning this great trip and making us apart of it.... we had a great time....

The beginning of the Trail
Josiah all geared up and ready to go....
Kam had control of the wagon ...for the walk....
Jayden found a big hiking stick...
The first big tree we came to...
The trees had lil caves in them
Kala walking on a log across a stream
good spot to take a pic
we came to a fork in the road.. didn't know which way to go....
Hey get down from there...
Look how tall the trees are ..thats my husband in the lower left corner... and he is a pretty tall man..
Ty liked these trees that crossed each other....
awww.. finally finished the trail
our friend Kyle taking a siesta.. before lunch...LOL
our picnic site.. before the snake event
Josiah and Kaden.. talking baby talk...
and here is the big snake after its head was cut off..... yuck :)-
sleeping soundly on the way home... notice the fork in josiah's hand... he is obsessed with forks... I guess he loves to eat.... it is not rare for him to fall asleep with a fork in hand..LOL

Michael Jackson

I am so sad that he passed... and it really didn't hit me til this a.m. as I played my favorite song " man in the mirror".... as they show all type of coverage across all the channels... I can't help but get emotional..especially when they show him as a little boy.... my thoughts are that he has been in the spotlight since he was 5 years old.. and he never got to live a normal peaceful life, and now he can, and be left alone...I can not judge him for the things he was accused for... nor can anyone prove it....and why is it that they have to bring up bad things to remember him... why can't they just celebrate his life and accomplishments.... I don't even understand how they can bring that stuff up at a time like this.. I mean geez he is gone already..anyways that is my early morning ramblings.....

Random Silliness

Hello my fellow bloggers... it has been awhile since I last posted.. it's been a little busy and hectic here in the Manu home... why you ask?? because it is Summer Vacation and ALL the kids are home... you can imagine what I have been upto... some things off the top of my head would be.. breaking up fights between the kids, listening to whining and the constant phrase " I'm bored", blocking off the kitchen due to excessive snacking, taxing the kids to their various activities, washing and brushing Kala's hair practically everyday after swimming..., and counting down the days til summer is over....LOL.. those are just to name a few...Josiah is now 20 month old and weighs 35 lbs. and is 38 inches long.. update on the pacifier, he gave it up all by his self just all of a sudden he lost interest.. that was so easy.. he is talking up a storm..and loves to sing and dance...We haven't done any traveling so I don't have any exciting pictures, but I do have 1 picture and a 2 videos to show you of our younger 2 children... who are definitely are the comedians of the family.
On Father's day I was making dinner and I noticed how quiet it was... so I look around to see what everyone was doing.. Ty was reading, Kala, Kam and Josiah were all asleep... but wait!! where is Jayden?? so I look everywhere and Then I look behind the couch, and this is what I find.... LOl..




LOL at these videos... a couple of weeks ago we went to the pool and swam for lile 3 hours... we got home and Josiah was hungry and thirsty... and obviously tired too.... he would not let me put him to sleep.. and he wouldn't let go of the chips.. it was so funny...

Our Eternal Family

On May 23, 2009 my family became complete and was sealed for all time and eternity in the Los Angeles Temple. This was a very special moment for our family... and I am very grateful that this event was able to take place... with out getting into much detail... my family had to go through many challenges to get to this day... and everyday was so worth it to get us to where we wanted to be... The day was absolutely perfect... and My aunt and uncle were kind enough to come out and capture this special moment for us, along with other friends and family who came to support us including my cousin Melissa and her husband Richard who came all the way from Utah.... here are a few pictures....from our day....

M - I - C - K - E- Y M -O - U- S - E

This past weekend we took a family trip down to Disneyland... well the reason we went is because My daughter's girl scout troop planned a trip with their cookie money they earned, and it was also my step-daughter's birthday so we decided to make a special weekend out of it......we got to Anaheim on Friday evening.. we stayed at the Hilton which we got a really good deal on price line... anyways we got up Saturday morning..and we were off to "the happiest place on earth" we started off our day at Club 33 it is this members only dining place that the girl scout leader we some how able to get us in there.. WOW what a beautiful neat place ... Walt Disney had built this place so that he could entertain the important people that came to visit... We had breakfast there..it was a neat experience.... after that we were off to enjoy the park.... we all kinda went our separate ways... except for Kam, Josiah and I we went with our friends the Ramils and there lil ones to ride the kiddie rides.... later we caught up with the rest of our kids and our friends the Tilletts and did some rides with them too.. at first I was worried about going with a lil one... and what a hassle it would be.... but he was sooo good we had no problems.... except with the excessive diaper changing.... from all the junk he was eating... and him not standing still in the lines... but that's expected.... he only got a lil scared on the pirates of the Caribbean and held on to daddy real tight...all in all we had a really good time... and I want to go back soon....here are some pics of our day....
Josiah at the Hotel getting ready to go to Disneyland
inside Clubb 33 the decor was beautiful...
Isabel and Josiah at Club 33
Kala and Izzy right outside Clubb 33
riding the Pirates of the Caribbean, Josiah wasn't sure if he liked it...
he loved the merry go round
we had to pry him off of of the horse...lol
Nap time..with Mickey
all rested and ready for the parade to start
the kids loved the parade....
just had lunch at a mexican place in the park
riding the train in the bug' land at California adventure...
Josiah and Izzy waiting in line for Toy story
Daddy and Izzy
Jayden and Caesar
Izzy, Mikayla, and Marissa's mom
The Ramil's, the Tillitt's and our family all went on the Toy story ride together, it was a lot of fun...
K.C. and Tyler on the Toy story ride
Josiah finally knocked out... with his mickey again and his 1st visit pin... we didn't leave to 1am.... (yawn)
and this is a flower arrangement that my hubby surprised me with at the end of the night... notice the pink on... it is fake and lights up.. the rest are real flowers that he put together....

Look what I can do and say!!

Josiah has been talking a lot lately.. and also learning where his eyes are and stuff here is some videos of what he has been learning.... oh and "Uma" means kiss in Tongan he is bilingual too...LOL... just yesterday he started singing his ABC's and then this morning he told me he went pee pee... he is growing up so quickly.. he is currently a whopping 33 lbs... and wears a 3T... he is officially 18 months old and had his first Sunday in nursery all by himself, he didn't cry once and the teachers said he was so good... YEAH!! he also is no longer on a bottle... it was so easy he just didnt want it any more... and I said " are you a big boy now?" so he walks around saying "big boy" now we will see how well we do with the pacifier?? he is my 2nd baby who love's the pacifier we had to pry it away from Kala at 2 years old and she fought and kicked for the thing... so I will give him till 2 and it's gone... anyways I thought Id give you an update on Josiah... enjoy the videos and a pic of him and his friends =)

What do these 3 friends have in common?? They LOVE!! the Pacifier and I couldn't help but take a picture when they all decided to sit next to each other

Another Manu family,funfilled, spiritual weekend....

This past Friday My family and I were able to finally sit down and watch Kala in "Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" My Dad came up from southern Cal to go with us, and we decided to leave Josiah back with the Tonga's since I knew he wouldn't sit thru the whole thing.... When we first got there we were like in the 10 row and I couldn't see anything I was so disappointed, but then our friends told us there was some seats in the 1st and 2nd row... we were so excited... and it was such an amazing show... and I was such a proud mom to see Kala up there... she looked so beautiful...!! After the show we took my dad to Sonic since he had never been.. where they do the carhop..The next day we got up and went to our friend's daughter Natalie's Baptism she looked so pretty in her white dress and I could tell she was pretty proud, It was so neat to have my Dad there since he is not a member I wanted him to experience my Religion and see what the most important thing in my life is all about... After the Baptism we all headed to the Ramil's for lunch... for some pizza and Hawaiian bbq mac salad...yummy.... after lunch my dad decided to head back home... we were so glad to have him for a visit.. =) later that night we went to dinner with our friends the Smiths whom we are so grateful for taking our son Ty to seminary everyday for the past 2 years...we went to famous Dave's...which was sooo good... after that we decided to head out to relay for life to support my husbands job out there raising money for cancer awareness.. and do a few laps to work off all the food we ate....!!! we had Josiah, Ty, and Jayden in tow.. and talked to the boys about cancer and raising awareness. We decided to stay out there til our daughter was ready to be picked up after her cast party... we didn't get home till almost midnight and by that point I was wiped out.. and kept thinking how am I going to get up in the morning... LOl... but we did and headed to church... where my husband was called to be the secretary of the Elders quarom. I am so proud of him and grateful that he holds the priesthood. Last night he had his 1st little meeting and can tell he is pretty proud to have this calling... congrats Babe!!well that about sums up our weekend.... today I am pretty tired...!! the only thing I didn't do this weekend is take pics.... I didn't have any batteries =( here is one of Kala with her hair flat ironed for one of the performances that someone else took.....