Before it's too late--Some Labor Day FUN!

Labor Day camping in Treasure Park is always fun and something all of us look forward to--but this year, it came really fast and none of us felt prepared...so we kinda flew by the seat of our pants, but it turned out AWESOME and all the kids (since they are a little older and fight a little less) had a great time, all of us moms and dads really enjoyed eachother! Some of the best memories will be...
*Luke making fun of Tanner in work out mode (this is probably one of the most hilarious things ever,but unfortunately, Luke and Tanner only get in this mood every once in a while)
* trying to bathe 8 little kids in like 15 minutes in Adam and Steph's trailor before the hot water ran out and all of them screaming like they're dying (thanks Steph for making clean kids happen)
*playing cranium and laughing histarically at Tanner's humming kung foo fighting and Dad licking his lips 50 times while he draws
* sitting around the camp fire telling jokes
* Luke and Tanner dancing and hopping up on the hill side wearing glow in the dark glasses and ears--when those two get together--it's comedy!

--I love Labor Day Camping!

This is Poppa Danny's wood chopping crew--he said they all were picking up pieces of wood and hauling them to the trailor! He said he had a smile on his face the whole time! These kids LOVE their Poppa Danny!

My mom and the two littlest boys-cute Hollen (Adam's) and cute Marshall (Luke's)

Somehow I got to be in charge of crafts--so I decided that if I were a little kid, I would love to make bead camping necklaces and paint funny plaster monsters...it was funny and messy all at the same time! I was actually surprised how much the kids liked doing this--my craft brain is turning for all the years to come!

Playing games is a favorite activity--sequence is always fun and I got inducted into the cranium posse--that is a FUN game!

Uncle Luke busted out his balloon creations--I think my kids are the only ones that thought it was cool!

I don't know if 3000 miles away in Hawaii is gonna keep me away for next year--we'll see! Camping is definately one of my happy thoughts!

Let the Aloha Begin!

Dane at the beach!
The kids at the Famous Hukilau Beach in Lai'e! Dane says this is his favorite one because it has little and kinda big waves!

Another pic at the beach, before the sandy mess has begun!

Mom and Dad at the PCC waiting for the Tonga village show to start--for some reason when they were here there was a heat wave and a sweat wave and mom wanted anything to get her bangs off her forehead--this is what she ended up with!

At the Luau before the night show at the PCC--good food, good fun!

I LOVE MY MOM AND DAD!

We are here and have been here for a couple weeks already, but blogging has kinda been the last thing on my mind...this is definately an adjustment! I'm deciding to write on this frequently so I can remember what happens here--it's all gonna go fast, and there are lots of things I want to remember! Okay this is what happened...Nick had an apartment ready for us in Hau'ula, about 5 minutes away from campus. It was a nice apt. but really small, a one bedroom. And I was worried and frustrated because I felt completely out of the whole school thing that Nick was getting to experience, WELL...a week after being here in our little apt. Nick was asked how fast he could move into TVA--the married/family housing on campus that is a whole lot cheaper and it's just a great place to live because there are kids everywhere and lots going on! SO...needless to say--we were thrilled to get to move in so fast being that we were #94 on the list of people to get in! I think Heavenly Father knows me better than I think he does and pulled for me on this one BIG TIME! Dane is in heaven and Paige thinks she is one of the big kids--they both LOVE living here, Nick loves it because he gets to be so close to school and just cruise across campus to come home and eat lunch or whatever and he is a happy camper! And I love it because most of the moms around here and in the exact same boat as I am and it's fun to all sit outside in the evening and watch kids play and visit! More updates and pictures to come soon!

Let's Get Goin!

Well, I kinda feel like our adventure has officially begun--of course Nick is a bachelor and I'm a single mom, but we just figured out that it's not gonna be for too much longer! Nick has been in Hawaii for almost a week and he has found a job, bought a mini van for us and today called and said we now have a house to live in...so let the fun begin! I'm thrilled that we get to be a little family again soon--it's a lot tougher than I thought it would be, for all of us...in fact this past sunday Nick talked to Dane on the phone and after he talked to Dane, he told me that his little boy talked so good and that he's growing up so fast, and I said "Nick. are you kidding, you've only been gone 3 days!" Needless to say--Nick is in love with his kids! So I say...Let's Get Goin!

Pure Entertainment!

My kids are flipped over their daddy and Nick had to drive the backhoe up to casa for some construction and they both got to drive on it with him all the way to safford! Ahh...the simple things in life!
My precious little girl started nursery this past sunday and loved it! She is my social butterfly who is ready to be big already! Her dad is so proud that she didn't fuss or cry or anything, just waved to us when we left!

More Monster Trucks!

Just a few more pics of the Monster Truck show! Mommy and her favorite boy!

Cute Taylor and Paige!

I don't know how this little girl took a nap in the middle of the show, but she crawled up on my lap and shut her eyes and she was out for about 45 minutes--just needed to take a little nap!

All my kids!

We Love Monster Trucks!

Every year all the Hoopes Boys go to the Monster Truck show--well, a couple weeks ago Dane saw the comercial for it on TV and kept asking when we're gonna go...so we planned a little family weekend in mesa! We got to take Nick's little girl, Taylor with us too! She's such a sweet girl and our kids LOVE her! And luckily she loves them too! It was a fun weekend!
Anyone that says the Monster truck show is loud is underestimating it...it's REALLY LOUD! I didn't realize we should have taken 3 or 4 ear muff things (I forgot what they're called) Paige thought they were pretty cool though!

She wasn't for sure she liked it at first--and for some reason, she covered her eyes instead of her ears!

And then of course she totally got into like the rest of the "classy" people there and started cheering when the trucks broke a tire or something!

Dane loves anything with monster trucks--the way they sound, the way they look, they way the ramp, anything...this boy LOVES being a boy!

Summer Fun!

Paige is turning into a wild woman...I thought she was waiting for me to come in to take her clothes off...guess not!

This is how she helps unload the dishwasher--she pulls all her bottle nipples out first and has to look at them for a little while! And if I make her get off before she's ready, oohhh she's mad!

A couple weeks ago, Tanner's boys were here to play for the weekend and we did a favorite Hoopes summer activity...catch baby frogs at the river! This is seriously one of the funnest/funniest things ever--come over and we'll take you!

I know it's kinda gross cause you really don't know what you're gonna find at the river, but these little boys loved their "treasures" they found! They even found a rusted bike that they were trying to convince Poppa Danny to take and fix!

I am lame lately with taking pictures...my life is not my own lately, in fact I think I'm turning into a monster! BUT...I think things will be lots better now that Nick has successfully passed college algebra with a fabulous 87 in the class and now we have our husband and daddy back! I am really proud of him and it's been super rough around here! So time is flying by, and just an update...school starts Sept. 17th and Nick will go by himself for the first couple weeks to get our house kinda ready, all oriented in school and even have a few days to miss us before we get there! Then my mom, dad and us 3 will fly out to our adventure! Dane keeps telling everyone that he's gonna be a surfer, so I think he's pretty excited! Things are working out great--but they usually do (I guess that's what a little faith is for!) There is lots to do, but it's all exciting---so start saving your money for a vacation to Hawaii! Aloha!