Happy Birthday Sarah!

Been a busy week. Mere is getting to the inquisitive and very observant stage of life. She asks lots of questions and all week has been saying mommy's a girl like Mere and Glenn's a boy like daddy and things like Mommy's white and daddy's brown. It's a fun state of life :) I like it when kids are noticing and interested in everything! Cooking is one of her favorite things to do and I often over hear her talking to her bear and Glenn like I talk to her. Glenn has been teething and is having a rough week. He is learning lots to, he tries to apply what he knows to everything, for example, the trains stick together with magnets and so do the duplo cars, so he wants all the cars to be able to stick together and gets very frustrated when they don't. He also enjoys climbing on chairs and standing on the couch and looking out the window. At the park he enjoys exploring more than playing on the actual structure.

This Saturday I went to the Aquarium at Fisherman's Wharf with some friends as a birthday surprise :) It was fun to spend time together and neat to see the aquarium (thanks Tima :) Fisherman's wharf is always interesting, wish we had had more time.

Sarah with her birthday cake (actually marble squares which Mere helped make). Folau to the side.

Petting sharks.

Part of the aquarium had tunnels of water so you're surrounded by fish...

Folau and Sarah at the entry and moon jelly fish

random things at fisherman's wharf

wedding from last week

Temple visit, wedding, fall portraits

Our goal is to attend the temple at least every other week, though we sometimes fall short we enjoy our visits and are grateful the temple's so much closer! We like to take Mere and Glenn often too, so that they can feel the spirit on the grounds. Mere often asks to go to the temple, so that's neat to hear from her and we want to encourage that. The temple is such a place of peace and comfort. The Oakland temple has a visitor's center and you can walk around the gardens on the top. You can see Mere was particularly interested in the statue of the children in front. . .

I tried to get some photos of the kids together, not as easy as one...and Mere makes some funny faces when you ask her to "smile nicely." Glenn is now one year and two months and Mere is 2 years and 8 months old.

We also attended a wedding at the Methodist church and Saki and his friend Pene danced a Fijian and a Tongan number. I glad Saki still gets the chance to use his talents in dancing! Saki and I made the spears and waistbands. The first pompom I made for the spear was WAY too big, and took hours, but I figured out a way to do it faster and we were very happy with the results! Our kind neighbor also lent us his tools and the wife helped with one of the pompoms.










Mere wanted to join in the dancing and was mesmerized by the special numbers. I really would like to give her dance classes for her birthday or Christmas!






Notice the scripture by the statue. . .

Family Visit!

Saki's sister and her family made the trip from Utah out to the bay for a fun filled week! Brenna and Mere are close in age and enjoyed being wild together :) We spent some time around the house and also got to go to Stinson Beach, the zoo, a church baptism for a distant relative of Saki's family, and a (Fijian Branch) family dance. Saki and I blew up lots of balloons the night before with some other members of the branch :)

h

couldn't quite figure out the timer on the camera...



Mere and Nina, Glenn wandering around-he wandered with a dazed look and a bun in his hand for some time as he was tired and didn't get what was going on, but then he started joining in the fun :)Mere just wanted to dance with others all night long.





Tima and Tess, Saki's mom Seru with the kids :)

Brenna and Mere looking out the window at the wind blowing the clouds.







Glenn loved the loud penguins. Glenn and Tess.