Mountain Home, ID

August 7-9, 2008: We spent the weekend up in Mountain Home. It was the Finau/White family reunion (because their last name was White...not because they are White like me!). No, really. It was such an awesome experience to spend time with Pai Pai and Sepeta and their family. He moved to the islands years ago and met my husband's Grandmother and Mother and sisters, and he started the Tonga Trading Company in Hawaii years ago. You can read about it here: http://www.hawaiiandiscovery.com/about_thecompany.php
It was truly an awesome experience to have the chance to be around some other palangi people who love the Tongans like I do.

PS: We have been blessed with little sickness during the trip so far, but poor baby Mele came down with an all-over rash while we were there. Nothing a blessing and a bath in baking soda couldn't fix. She's cute in the pic, huh?

Bountiful, UT

August 4-6, 2008:

"This is the place"....we finally made it to Utah! Yay! It felt like the Pioneers finally arriving! I drove in about an hour before having the chance to sing at a Fundraiser in Bountiful for my friend Ashley's sister McKinley. The concert was at a home up on the mountain in Bountiful with such a breathtaking view! Wow! I could take that scenery everyday! I spent the next couple of days catching up with my best friend from back in the day in NYC....my Ash. My girls loved getting to play with her little boy, Eliot. We got to hit temple #8 on my trip in Bountiful. What a special experience to go through the temple with one of my best friends in the whole world!

(More pics to come)

Denver, CO

August 3, 2008:

I was very excited to visit a place that I had heard so many stories about and finally get to put faces with names and visuals with places. My husband, Tommy, had served his mission here about 10 years ago. We had the chance to go to church here and even meet Tommy's mission "Mom and Dad" the Standrings. They own beautiful horses that we enjoyed getting to meet, also. Fond memories coming to life here. Speaking of memories, here is a crazy story. In about third or fourth grade, my elementary school teacher in NC set up our class being "pen pals" with a class in Rawlins, WY. I have written and kept in touch with the one they paired me with since that time. I finally got to spend some time in person getting to know my pen pal of so many years, Lisa Christian. She even helped us out with a place to stay in Denver! What a fun story to be able to tell!

Omaha, NE

August 1-2, 2008:

I had no idea how big Omaha was. Wow! I was surprised. We had a nice stay here. I did a Youth Fireside, and signing at The Shoppe at Winters Quarters. I did get to go through temple #7 at Winters Quarters. The girls are getting such a huge dose of church history on this trip. We visited the Pioneer Cemetery here. We had also stopped through Liberty Jail on the way in. So many special places to be.

Kansas City, MO

July 31, 2008: I got to stop in and do a signing and performance at Eden Bookshop in Kansas City. The people here were so nice! I had my own little fan club going. Fun people!!!!

St. Louis, MO

July 28-30, 2008:

So, I was excited to have the chance to be back in St. Louis. I spent some time in college here at Webster Conservatory. This was visit to temple #6 on the trip. The sad face though is because they were closed this week for cleaning, so I didn't get to actually go through. Boo hoo. I did a YSA fireside downtown. It was great to get to see my old roomie, Trisha Brown Cheek, who is now prego and very cute as such! I also got to visit with a close friend, Stephanie Welsh, who is now married with a very cute son! We also got the chance to visit the St. Louis zoo with the girls. They LOVED seeing all of the animals. I would never have made it through the experience without seeing the penguins. The girls asked probably a gazillion times until we finally found them! I loved the butterflies, myself. They call this one "The Great Mormon!" Believe it or not, its true!

Break Time

Here are a few fun pics from just chillin on the trip. The girls have had a lot of adventures in and out of many hotel rooms. They prefer the hotels with pools for some swimming and, of course, ones that have some good cartoon channels!

Nauvoo, IL

July 25-28, 2008:

OK. So, I have to say, this has been such a spiritual place for us to be. It was right around Pioneer Day, and we were here in this beautiful city built by the Pioneer Saints so long ago.

All along my drive, I have tried to imagine leaving my home and all I've known in the east and heading to the west...walking a really, really long way...with kids...and everything! I can barely do it with an air-conditioned Suburban and McDonalds for the girlies along the way. How the pioneers did it, I will never fully understand, but my gratitude towards them is probably more full than I have ever experienced right now.

Literally, I felt the spirit from the moment I arrived in Nauvoo. The first time I came here was when I was in school in St. Louis, and I travelled up with a Young Single Adult group. I remember specifically the strong spirit I felt at the temple site when there was no temple there as it has been destroyed in years past. I was elated to drive downtown and see the beautiful temple which now stands. (Yes, Temple #5 on my trip. LOVED getting the chance to do some work here!)

We stayed in a special place: The Nauvoo Family Inn and Suites. The second time I came to Nauvoo was when my husband, Tommy, came out to see me in St. Louis while I was still in school. We had gone to see Carthage, and we were totally shocked when we had the chance to ride over to this place because his mission president and wife (President and Sister Horne) were staying there!! This is a very special memory. I even got to sing for them in the lobby there along with Elder Kikuchi who had been staying there, as well, at the time!

And now, for my third visit to Nauvoo. It was too cool again to have my name up downtown and to get to sing and sign in the Latter-Day Harvest Bookstore. The people here were so kind. I even gained some fans...the guys from The Living Scriptures cheered me on after every song! They were too sweet!

We had the chance to take the girls to see the Nauvoo Pageant. WOW. First of all, Andi and I had so much fun taking the girls around to the various activities they had for kids and families before the show. Jaz and Luseane learned to braid, and we got to play with Pioneer toys. My little pioneers are perfectly precious!!! The Pageant itself was so awesome! The actors and actresses did so well at not only performing, but also conveying the message and truly sharing the spirit of Nauvoo with the audience. You could feel the presence and contribution of the early Saints. I LOVED it.

Then, to top it all off, I got to see the Nashville Tribute Band perform. I am such a Jason Deere fan now. Wow. I love both of the CDs they have put out, but experiencing this live was something I am so glad I did not miss. Jason's testimony was so deep and so touching about these early saints (especially his knowledge of Emma Smith and Porter Rockwell). He has done so much studying, and it has paid off in some truly touching ways for all of us listeners. What a night!

On our way out, we had the chance to stop at Carthage Jail where Joseph and Hyrum had been martyred. I had only been there once before, but the same tender spirit rests here (especially in the room where they were shot). I am glad I had the chance to experience that feeling again. (I also have gained more depth in my respect and love for Hyrum. I think this was enhanced by the Nashville Tribute's song "Brother I'll Follow You."

All in all, this was such a great weekend, one that I will never forget. When we attended church in Nauvoo on Sunday, their opening song was "Scatter Sunshine." I think it is here in Nauvoo that I really felt the depth of why I am out here doing this. I just want to Scatter Sunshine myself. That was my nickname, back in the day, "Sunshine." The Sunstone from the Nauvoo temple was a reminder of that. I am so thankful to have the chance to fill my soul with this light again, and I am more than happy and excited to continue scattering it.

Farewell, Nauvoo.