Aaron's Birthday in Maui

Thursday January 15th Aaron turned 41!!

We took the family to Red Lobster to celebrate 

then opened gifts and had Ice Cream Cake from Dairy Queen - Aaron's favorite. 

Day 1:

 we took a 12:12 flight to Honolulu and then on the Maui!

We stayed at Honua Kai Resort.

This was the first year we were a little disappointed with our room.  Normally we have a large living space, big bathroom, and bedroom.  This year was still nice but not the same for the same price... :(

We asked why this year was different and they said "We must have been upgraded each year without knowing it."  Which is nice but changes expectations.  

Living Area

Messy room - I remembered to take pictures while we were packing to come home. :(

View from our balcony - Ocean to the left.  Street to the right

Resort Grounds at night

walking from pool/beach to room

 Day 2:

I relaxed at the pool and beach while Aaron went scuba diving with Brian (Dive guide at Honua Kai).

Aaron went scuba diving in North Kanapali called the "Corals" $92 - pictures to come

Lunch: Dukes with began the daily ritual of Hula Pie.

Day 3: 

We went to the Cannery to look for souvenirs for the kids. 

We went into Old Lahina and shopped Front Street 

We saw this guy everywhere talking to himself wearing the same outfit with crazy hair.  

I guess if you're going to be homeless Maui is a nice place to be.

We picked up our new favorite appetizer  Ceviche/Seviche 

from Amigos then we headed back to the resort to watch the two FOOTBALL games.

Dinner: Gross hole in the wall Mexican restaurant - can't even remember the name. YUCKY

Day 4: 

We laid out at the pool and beach ALL DAY LONG.

We drove to Whalers Village for dinner

Dinner:  Hula Grill

and got Hula Pie.

 Day 5:

Aaron dove with Brian again in Southwest Maui called "Coral Gardens".  

He saw lots of HUGE turtles.

I lounged around at the pool of course.

We went back to Front street for dinner and say MISSIONARIES!

Dinner: Kimos

Yes - we got Hula Pie

Day 6:

We needed a break from the sun so we made it a sight seeing & shopping day.

We stopped at a Farmers Market.  Apple Bananas are yummy ;)

We drove around the Ritz Carlton properties. It was beautiful but looked a lot like Lake Tahoe.  

We headed back to shop the store on Front Street again.

Seeing the Banyan Tree

We ate lunch at Cheeseburger in Paradise.

We stopped at the store for steaks to BBQ at the resort. 

Aaron did order a Hula Pie from Dukes and brought it to the room. :)

Day 7: 

Aaron went diving with Maui Pacific Divers on two dives. $180.

The ride to the dive sites was an our away. 

1st: Lanai Cathedrals

2nd: Sargent Major

Pictures to come.

I enjoyed the pool. :)

We headed back to Whalers Village 

Dinner was at Leilani's on the Beach

Of course - Hula Pie

Day 8:

 We sadly Checked out at 11 am. 

Last minute shopping at the Cannery

Went to Regal Megaplex to see American Sniper

LOOOOOVED IT!

To a Flight to Honolulu 6:30 pm

Ate dinner in the airport at the Kona Brewery.  

Then boarded a 9:50 pm flight SLC bound.

Day 9: 

6:30 AM we arrived in SLC Utah scraped our frozen car and headed home to see our 3 little kiddos.  Thank you Josh and Megan for keeping them so happy and safe while we enjoyed the sunshine.

Although cold Utah is still beautiful

Utah Mountains at Sunrise

Flights $1600

Hotel $3100

Car Rental $450

Creep- Kenz Hall (Radiohead Cover)

Play It Forward

Click HERE to read about a benefit concert Kenz had the opportunity to play.

LDS LIVING Article

LDS LIVING wrote a great Article about 18 Mormons on Reality TV that Stood for their Standards. 

I loved seeing Kenzie's name on the list.  She has made be very proud and is a great example to me. 

Click HERE to read the entire article

Click HERE to see the magazine LDS LIVING

American Idol

You can’t talk about Mormons on reality TV without mentioning American Idol and David Archuleta. However, the famed singer wasn’t the first Mormon to compete on the show. Carmen Rasmusen Herbet made it into the top six during the 2003 season of American Idol. During the show, her modest dress standards repeatedly put her at odds with the show’s wardrobe stylists. In fact, a stylist was quoted in Us magazine as saying, “She has a fantastic figure, so [her religious guidelines] are restricting.” But Carmen stood her ground every time—an impressive feat for a teen in a high-pressure showbiz environment. “I really think I found strength beyond my own,” Herbert says. “I wanted to do what was right. I wanted to dress modestly. I was taught to stay true to my values and stay true to myself—even after I went out into the world.”

Five seasons later in 2008, LDS singing sensation David Archuleta was also criticized for his values, in particular, his humility—skeptics thought it was an act. Immediately, David’s friends came to his defense. “People just didn’t understand how David could be shocked when the judges complimented him,” says Dean Kaelin, David’s voice coach. “People thought, ‘How could he not know how good he was?’ Not only does David have a beautiful voice, he is just a good, good kid. That was a shock to America. People couldn’t accept that he was just a humble kid.”

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David Archuleta: Still Making Headlines

After his success on American Idol, David Archuleta saw tremendous success both in his music career and out in the mission field.  In addition to his mission to Chile, Archuleta continues to stand for his beliefs and inspires through his music and his considerable charitable work.  

--> Order David Archuleta's most recent album, "No Matter How Far," from deseretbook.com today.

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Though Archuleta lost to David Cook in the show’s finale, he’s gone on to have a successful singing career—and even put his work on hold to serve a two-year mission in Chile. He returned home with honor in March of 2014. Other Mormons on the show include LDS singer Brooke White who competed on the same season as Archuleta and endeared herself to the judges and fans when she explained that he’d never seen an R-rated movie or had a drink of alcohol. She was eliminated after making it to the top five.

And just last year, Latter-day Saint Kenzie Hall had a shot at performing on the show after being selected to advance out of 40,000 applicants. However, in a surprise twist, the show eliminated five of the 15 female contestants without ever allowing them to sing for America’s votes. Though disappointed, she told the Deseret News, “All along, I knew I had to rely on my Savior because He sees the bigger picture. And I had a good experience, I think, because I kept to my standards, and I’m proud of that.”

Photos courtesy of LDS Living; Deseret News. Left: Carmen Rasmusen Herbet. Right: Kenzie Hall.