S'more Please

Keeping with my plan to show my kids some of my favorite things, we just had to have a bonfire!



Keaka was simply mesmorized.

He sat staring at the fire and finally announced, "Grandpa, that wood in the fire is what you cut up and stacked earlier. "

It is always fun to watch the wheels turn as he learns.



Aunty Joanna got in lots of good snuggles with sweet Kamaluhia.

No bonfire is complete withouth my personal favorite...

S'Mores!!!

Or as Keaka calls them,

 "Graham cracker, marshmallow sandwiches"

We had a good laugh at the gooey mess we made.

Keaka's first bonfire and S'More experience may have been one of my favorite memories from our time in Michigan. 



To Grandmother's House We Go

Ready or not, here comes flights number 4 & 5.  

It was my first experience flying alone with three children alone.  (Kumu had a few extra days in Orlando before heading to LA.)  Things went rather smoothly, but you will notice that there is no picture of flight 5.  

At least they saved the melt downs until the end.  

Keaka was so excited to get to Grandma & Grandpa's house to play with his cousin Elise.

These are the headphones you use when your Daddy is a recording engineer. .

Leiahi is absolutely lost in her video.

Sweet Kamalu was a champ, and flirted with everyone around us.

With over two weeks away from Kumu, we were glad to have time with Michigan family to look forward to.

A Day At Disney

While in Orlando, we were blessed with a free day at Walt Disney World!

This was such an exciting God provision... especially since Keaka was not convinced that we were actually in Orlando until he had personally met Mickey Mouse.

The kids were not sure what to do with themselves when they finally met Mickey and Minny.

.

Kamalu had fun at DW too!

We even got to fly with Dumbo... and the amazing Aunty Sarah.

God once again surpassed our expectations.  It is really special to have these fun memories be part of our Big Adventure.

Keaka Meets McQueen

Week 1 of our journey, and guess who else was in Orlando!?!

Lightning McQueen!!!

For those of you who know Keaka well, you realize these pictures are proof of a dream come true.

McQueen's good buddy, Mater, was there too.

As well as Finn McMissle!

While at Downtown Disney, we also had a little boat ride.  Can we say "EXCITED!"

Leiahi wasn't too sure.

Our amazing friend/nanny/hostess, Sarah.

Kamalu had funny too!

We even saw a plane sky writing "Trust Jesus" as we were leaving the park. 

It was a fun first week as a family.  We were grateful we had flown into town a few days early so we had an opportunity to adjust to the six hour time difference before the Circut Rider events began.  It was an unexpected bonus to meet our friend Lightning McQueen in person!

All I Have Is Yours

What started as some empty kleenex boxes, turned into a beautiful teaching moment with my children. 
The kids had been given some money recently.  I am talking, a few dollars here and there, and change from Easter eggs all beginning to crowd my counter. 
It inspired a craft idea.
We used markers (aka: the most exciting thing EVER in my house) to decorate the white side of some wrapping paper, wrapped our old kleenex boxes and put holes in the top.
It was in the moment that I was about to give them the money to put into these self made piggy banks that I realized we would need to count our money so they could tithe accordingly.
Wait... I needed to teach them about tithing.
Kumu and I have always tithed off of "their" money for them, but Keaka was old enough now to understand the idea.
I cannot put into words the joy I felt as I was able to explain to my kids what it meant to give back to God out of all that He has given us.
Some people might look at our lifestyle or physical possessions and think we are poor.  We live in a small home and rely on the generosity of others for our basic needs so we can do our part to fulfill the Great Commission.
If you ask us, we have all that we need.  God has never failed us or left us in want.  He has always supplied our needs.
I am rich in so many ways, and believe God when He says to test Him in this (tithing).
It may not seem like much to me, but for Keaka to hand back all those precious coins was a sacrifice.  He understood though that He was giving back to God from what God had given him.  When he gave, he put all that change in the offering basket with delight.
Leiahi is still too young to fully understand, but she definitely delighted in the new game we were playing :)
These are the priceless moments.

Psalm 37:25

"I was young and now am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread."

2 Corinthians 9:7 

"Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

 Malachi 3:10 

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."

Happy Birthday Leiahi!

Since we will be traveling on Leiahi's Birthday, and she is one of four little girls turning 2 within a two week span... we had decided to have a triple 2nd Birthday Party.  She and two of her little friends had a butterfly themed party this weekend.  


Here are few picture from the special celebration.

Leiahi is truly our little princess.  She is a beautiful girl and brings us so much laughter and joy.  Her adventurous heart and endless chatter keeps us on our toes. She is fiery just like her name, but also loving and very affectionate.

As Grandpa and Grandma say, she is a little peanut.

Thank God, for our Ahi Girl!

Glory, Glory, Lord!

If you told me (Kumu) a year ago it would take a this long to complete our first full length compilation album I would have told you that you were crazy.  I also wouldn't have started.  

But after a year of organizing the various artists, recording, and mixing, it is finally done!  

Countless hours of learning and training have been poured into this record, and I can say that I have learned a lot.

We are finished with our part in the studio, tracking and mixing.  It is now in the post production phase with the mastering engineer.  He will put the songs together so they sound like they all belong on the same record, with the same levels and good traditions.

Glory will be released on June 3, 2012!  

Available for purchase on elevatedmusic.com, iTunes, or live at the 

School of the Circuit Rider in Orlando, Florida!

Also released on June 3...

&

The Circuit Rider Album, which is scheduled to go to post production at the end of this coming week.