Kona, Hawaii 2008

Cheri and I just got back from 9 days on the big island of Hawaii. Thanks to Grandma Illum and Dan and Reiko for watching our kids during this time. We went on eight scuba dive trips and snorkeled four times. We did a day trip to see the wet side of the island with its beautiful waterfalls and flowers. Cheri is now a natural scuba diver. She stayed down longer than I did because of air (she uses a lot less). We saw many different kinds of fish, morray eels, octopi, sea turtles, and other undersea life. We almost got to see the lava flow. The lava flow was actually going into the ocean further to the east for the first time in eight years in a way more visible than normal. However, the flow went underground on its way to the new island being created just southeast of Hawaii two days before we went to see it.

The trip was so fun but, as always, it went by way too quickly. It was fun to spend time with Cheri's siblings and spouses (except Kristi and Clayton but we're willing to go back anytime)and parents.

Multiple Events

Getting caught up with the blog. We went camping with the Grandpa and Grandma Illum in Idaho Falls area. The kids had fun in the water. On the way back, we were able to go to the Twin Falls Temple open house with a good neighbor (Thanks Boothe family). We also visited Shoshone Falls.

Cheri and the kids went to Phoenix for a week and a half. During this time Mark worked on demo of the tile and carpet and replacing with laminate. Then scout camp was the last three days before picking everyone up at the airport. The kids sure had fun swimming every day and their swimming skills show it.

















Construction stuff from Lowes or Home Depot












Bryce getting into momma's mascara. He thinks it is for the lips.



Scout Camp







Cheri modeling Almary-made sticker necklace

Scout camp-out

Mark went on his first camp-out with the scouts last weekend. They camped up Diamond Fork Canyon 20 minutes up Spanish Fork Canyon. It was fun. The hike the next day was very hot. A couple of the leaders cooled off in the waterfall and none of the scouts or leaders got in the hot springs. It was 95 ºF.


Hot springs in Diamond Fork Canyon



Waterfall above hot springs


Mark poking through the waterfall

Visitors from down south

We have been having loads of fun especially the kids. Coey and Katie, cousins from Phoenix, came to visit. They have been to the zoo, the dinosaur museum, Monster IMAX, Art museum with art crafts, cooking smores and hotdogs up American Fork Canyon, and other activities that I don't even know about (sorry this is Mark reporting who didn't get to go on many of the activies. These were only reported to me). Almary just prior to the cousins coming participated in a choir camp. She looked like she didn't pay attention some of the time but still had fun and looked super cute. She was missing her arms for part of the performance but luckily they turned up later.

The art museum activity had loads of fun activities including face painting and making your own pot. For more updates, we will need to talk to Cheri. Until then enjoy a couple of pictures.


Almary choir


Art girls


Pottery Coey & Almary


Pottery Katie


Pottery Ry-Ry


Pottery Bryce


Cool double rainbow

End of School/Ryan Preschool Graduation

We included some videos of the last days of school. Almary did a cute dance with her class. She was supposed to wear a white shirt with jeans. Daddy let her get away with the clothes she was wearing; a pink shirt and jeans. Needless to say she stood out in her class!

You got to love Preschool graduation! Ryan was very cute. He had fun trying to hold still with the rest of his class mates.

The kids are very good at getting Ty-Ty to laugh and talk (when they aren't too busy or bounce him too much).




Bryce and his cousin Alex

I might be little but I think big!

the threesome!

Ryan Graduation

Family Bowling

Low resolution cell phone videos of family bowling


Almary Bowling

Ryan Bowling

Bryce Bowling

Cheri Bowling


Kids in Sunglasses

Father and Sons

Ryan, Bryce, and Dad went to the father and sons campout. They had lots of fun. Of course no one was more excited than Almary to have one on one with Mommy. Almary always loves sleeping in mommy's bed, watching a movie with mommy, a few good treats, and anything else that Almary's thinks of to do. Almary says that they rented a movie and watched lots of movies.

Besides the normal fire and s'mores, the boys had fun feeding the horses whose pasture we shared, climbing trees and playing with sticks, watching the Blackhawk helicopter which performed at a nearby air show for a scout camp, and a hot air balloon which landed near our camp.


Boys by the fire


eating tin-foil dinners by the fire




Carefully feeding the horses









A couple of cute other pictures