My husband Bob and I are lucky to serve each Sunday in the nursery - we watch all the children ages 18 months-3 years old while their parents attend their Sunday classes. I love this service because it gives the parents a well needed break, and we get the chance to play with the kids and spoil them rotten, eat good food, play with toys and get ourselves messy. And of course we teach them about Jesus Christ, and God's love for them. But anyway, today we had a special celebration because it's the last time we will be all together in the same classroom. Long story, but to put it simply, the two wards who meet in our building are splitting. So our class will be devided into two classes, and I won't get to see all of the kids each week anymore. We wanted to show all the kids how much we love them. So today we brought special treats in the nursery - CUPCAKES!!! Thank goodness I had my camera so I could capture these moments on film. Look how cute they are in the pictures - especially Ivy who leaned over to eat her cupcake without her hands!! ;-) Man, I love these kids with all my heart - their friendship in my life is such a blessing. And may their parents forgive me for their chocolate covered faces, dirty clothes, and the suger highs they must have had when they got home. Bob said they could send us their laundry bill.. ;-) But anyhow, we learned a very valuable lesson today- NEVER bring cupcakes to the nursery!! You can never have enough wet-wipes handy... 
Here is the cutest guest at my luau ;-) Just watch this, and you can't help but agree with me.
After the party ended, my best friends were the last people to leave - Annie, my wonderful sister in law, and my Laura with her family. I'm so glad they stayed awhile - we hung out and played guitar hero and watched Annie and Shori fall asleep on the couch. It was the perfect ending to a perfect party! I'll never forget it.
Okay - how to explain how much fun we had this weekend? Where to even begin? Bob and I decided that we wanted to have a special party for our family and our closest friends - something to celebrate the end of the summer, and the beginning of our favorite time of the year - FOOTBALL season and the fall. We also wanted to share our new home with our loved ones, and give Larry and Darin (Bob's brothers who live in our basement) a special night they would always remember. And what better way to accomplish this than to throw a party - Hawaiian style!!
And so after weeks of preparation, catering real Hawaiian food from L&L Hawaiian BBQ, renting tables and chairs and decorations from various party stores, and spending almost 12 hours cleaning up the yard, trimming trees, and putting everything together, the day of our luau finally arrived - last Saturday evening. We had a pretty good turn out, even though not all of our family members were able to make it. I was so happy to look around my yard and to see the faces of all my family who did come. And my friends whom I have always considered to be part of my family. The kids ran around and played with the toys in the gift bags that my husband had put together for them. The food was delicious. We lit bamboo torches which were spread all around us to make the atmosphere more "Hawaiiany" (even though I have a major fear of fires, especially around so many trees and dry grass. We only had one minor incident when a torch fell over, but Shannon was able to put it out quickly with water, thank goodness. I'd hate to loose my new house so soon LOL~ ) But anyway, the whole thing was just so much fun, and so wonderful to see and spend time with my loved ones all evening long. Everyone received a lei as they entered our backyard, and I gave them all a hug and kiss. ;-) Larry made papaya ice cream slushies for desert, and also cookies to share. I wanted the party to last forever - it was fun to chill, relax and laugh alot. Thank goodness my mom had her camera with her, and was able to catch lots of moments that I would have missed otherwise. Thanks mommy!! ;-)
