Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Professor Mana Burke...


"Hey mom, guess what? I can actually see better now with these new glasses!" We love them and hopefully it will keep him from running into the walls and doors.

Monday, March 28, 2011

ASU Bound!


When Jordan gets back.... he's been accepted to Arizona State University.... Go Sun Devils!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Aloha Spirit in Tempe!

Here we go again... we just can't get enough of the Aloha Festival. Its an event my whole family looks forward to every year. The ono grinds, smells of the flower lei's, seeing old friends and most of all the beautiful dancing.

We first stopped at L&L Hawaiian BBQ for our lunch on Happy Valley Rd... okay, we weren't at the Aloha Festival eating the food offered from the vendors but we prefer a $7 plate over a $12 plate anyday. Plus L&L brings back the old memories of living in Hawaii. Once we arrived at the festival we could hear the pounding of the distant drums, palm trees swaying in the breezes, smells of the kalua pig being roasted (not really but maybe chicken) and we knew we were home again.

We enjoyed watching Kilali's Hula troop first. They were incredible! Gladys and Nauma Apelu are the founders of the group and they worked in the Samoan Village at the Polynesian Cultural Center when Mel and I were there working in the Maori village. She's still gorgeous as ever as well as Nauma being handsome and now its their children that are keeping the heritage going. After hanging around in the HOT HOT weather for a couple hours I was all pau! (done) and Mana looked like he was ready to expire so we retired to our hotel room.

Maryella and I are such cheap skates we always look for great deals on lodgings (usually with Pricline) two or three days before we need to be there. That way hotels release more rooms at a bargain price. We ended up with one we have never been to before, the Fiesta Inn Resort. It was hey okay for the price we got. $70 per room and no resort fees... Yes! The beds were super comfy and the pool area was just fine, it cooled the boys off and that's what matters more than anything.


We then had our annual BYU-Hawaii/PCC party in Mesa. I love getting together with our old friends from way back in the day. They are like whanau, aiga, matavuvale, family. Our children didn't want the evening to end and we barely got back to our hotel 10 minutes before midnight! Whew... almost turned into pumkins.

On our way to L&L Hawaiian BBQ
The CrewMe, Gravity and MaryellaOur BYU-Hawaii / PCC Party afterwards..... So much fun!