Christmas 2019

Holiday Concerts 2019

The holidays brought music concerts we were able to attend that the kiddos performed in. 

Graham started playing the saxophone this past summer with the intermediate school.  They put on a great show!

Turner Baggett, Graham, and Drew Forch.  Band and neighborhood buddies!!

Ben participated in the stake children's choir for church.  They had many, many rehearsals over a few months.  We were so proud of him and loved seeing how much he enjoyed singing the songs.

Lucy is in chamber choir this year at Radford High School.  She auditioned for it last year and they've had numerous performances throughout the year.  Their holiday concert was amazing!  It was in an old cathedral in downtown Honolulu.  

I just love these pictures that her friend took the afternoon of the concert while they waited for it to begin.  I'm sooooo not ready for this girl to leave for USU this summer.  

November-December Misc

Our last pack meeting with the Halawa Ward.  The church won't sponsor Boy Scouts or Cub Scouts starting at the end of the year.  Benny loved cub scouts!  He may continue with the pack in our neighborhood.  I don't know about Graham, though.  He's hasn't been as big of a fan.  

Sully lost his first tooth!  Love that big grin!

On December 7th, the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, many of the ships in port here did a float by with the flag flying high.  I was able to catch a few pictures right in our own backyard.  So much history right here.  Felt blessed and proud to be an American.  

Graham started with basketball!  He played on the Aiea Intermediate team as well as an MWR team though the base.  He caught the bug and has been shooting hoops and practicing ever since.  It's been so fun to watch him play.  He's got a lot of hustle in him!  He's quite a bit taller than most of his opponents and teammates.  We'll see how long it takes for them to catch up.  

Here's Sully with two of his favorite buddies, Miles Bernhardt and Konale Gomes.  Konale brought a note to Sully to say goodbye.  He moved to Kansas with his family later that week.  Such a hard part of this military life we're in.  He still FaceTimes with him occasionally.  He was in his kindergarten class and the two of them got very close.  

Thanksgiving 2019

Thanksgiving this year was festive and fun!  It seems to sneak up on us every year and this year was no different.  We still made time to make our annual Gratitude Turkey, though!  

Some of us participated in the neighborhood Turkey Trot this year.  Sully and Benny joined us and rocked the run! 

The Whittles were nice enough to host us for Thanksgiving dinner.  Caitlin made it so special!  

I wish I had gotten a better picture of the crew, but here we are.  The Whittles, the Rays, the Bernhardt family, and the Bernhardt's visiting family.  Ali is such a trooper.  Her husband, Jeff, was deployed, so it was just her and her boys, Miles and Worthy. Her step mother-in-law stayed with her for 2 weeks while recovering from hip surgery.  

A great day celebrating with family and friends! 

Life Update

Welp, it's October 3rd already and I can hardly believe it!  There's been a few changes around the house and a lot of things are still the same, but I thought it would be helpful to give an update on the Rays.

Lucy started a new job at Panda Express.  She works 15-20 hours a week and is handling it well!  She doesn't love all of her coworkers, but she seems to be managing that part okay.  She's also auditioned for a play with PACK (Performing Arts Center of Kapolei) and got a part, so she's attending a lot of rehearsals for that.  It's Frozen...she's the mother and has a few more parts in the ensemble.  She's also in concert choir at Radford and that keeps her busy.  They are prepping for a performance at Carnegie Hall in New York City at the end of the school year.

Lucy is still on track to graduate this year a full year early.  She worked hard this past summer to get it all set up.  We're not sure if she'll head to Utah State next year as a 17 year old freshman or stay and go to Leeward Community College for a year.  She thinks she's ready to go, we're not as convinced.

Oh, how she misses Tristen.  He left for his mission to South Korea two months ago and it's been a huge transition for her.....and for us.  He used to drive her everywhere!  I'm ready for her to have her license.  She takes the driving test the end of this month.

Graham is doing well as a seventh grader at Aiea Intermediate School.  He's had a hard time remembering to turn in assignments, but other than that, he's excelling.  He's playing the saxophone in the school band and already asks if he can quit.  The answer is no, so he keeps trucking along.  He and Benny are still taking piano lessons.  He's trying out for the school basketball team in a few weeks.  He has gotten pretty good!  We enjoy going out in the evenings to play 2v2.  Jason and Ben against me and Graham.  His shot is getting better and better.

Jason is still Young Men's president and is doing his best.  He gets a little frustrated with his lack of help and his lack of counselors, but he keeps working.  He plays the piano a lot during Sacrament Meeting.  I love when he plays piano. 

His job with PACOM up on Camp Smith is stressful, but good.  He likes the people he works with, but his hours are long.  He's been able to travel to Singapore, Papa New Guinea and Japan this past year. 

I'm still the primary president.  I'm enjoying the calling and the challenges that are teaching me.  We are prepping for the primary program at the end of the month.  I'm grateful for the music in primary.  I am the one teaching and leading the songs and they strengthen my testimony so very much.  We only have about 15 kids, so I feel like I really know each of them. 

We are trying to be faithful with our Come Follow Me lessons at home.  I have LOVED having 2 hour church and being able to discuss more at home with our kids.  They don't love it, but that's okay.  I'm excited to be studying the Book of Mormon next year. 

October Shenanigans

October Happs!

Loving the Halloween package from Grandma and Grandpa!  

Field trip to the fire station with Sullivan and his kindergarten class.  

Graham got lots of awards at the Court of Honor at the end of the month. He does NOT like scouting, but participated anyways to be obedient to us.  Glad it's over!

The Pickup Family visited the island and we had them over for pizza.  It was so fun catching up!

We forced the kids into a day at the beach.  They weren't happy about it, but we had a great morning. We brought the Baggett boys along to make it more fun. 

Kaneohe Beach on base for the win!

Halloween 2019

Halloween 2019 was a success!  Neighborhood celebrations, school parade, and church trunk or treat!  Good times!

Sully the ninja, Ellie Whittle, John Keithley, Aiden Stranges, Finleigh Whittle

Lucy dressed up with friends from school.  Prison Mike from The Office.

Ben the Rapper, Graham the Nerd, and Spiderman

Roy Gregg and Benny Boy