Halloween weekend

Cannon and his little friend Connor - a neighbor and classmate 

Brecon looking snazzy on Sunday- he is sure a handsome young man

Empty kitchen before we move in

The first truck load arrives 

Combined Youth night line dancing fun

Happy birthday boy

Ben, gabe, Connor, and friend 

Pumpkin carving and seed sorting night

Ward party 

Mabel, Sariah, and Brielle had a blast all together

Candy crash and video games on Halloween night

The primary kids ar the church party 

More boxes and finding places for all of our junk 😬

 Platt family update—

Well the day finally arrived and we are now in a home for the next 3 (maybe 4 years!)! 🥳🥳🤩 After packing up All of our belongings the first week in June, traveling and visiting family and arriving in Hawaii July 15 —90 days in a hotel +10 days in a temporary apartment—  October 25th was the big unboxing 20 huge crates full of our earthly possessions in boxes and wrapped in brown paper!! So much tape and paper!! it has been exhausting to unpack to say the least but we are mostly done ✅  —-whew!! It’s been the craziest move thus far in our military time! I think part of me was really sure that we would have a house by the time (Elder platt )would start home MTC and we would be able to unpack — repack his suitcase properly— and send him off from a home… not a hotel 😢😢 but oh well! He actually didn’t seem to mind at all so that is good!
It’s so funny to see all of your belongings in boxes and getting unwrapped and trying to find places to put everything in a totally different house —it is a little bit of a struggle trying to place things  in the most workable space…. But I think we have mostly figured it out which is a huge relief. Our back patio is full of cardboard boxes waiting to get picked up from the moving company as soon as we give them a call. I will probably do that today!!

Friday was our ward trunk or treat. It was a potluck dinner, games and candy of course. The young men and young women had just had a combined activity learning how to do a couple of line dances and so after all the candy got passed out they turned on some music and it turned into the best costume dance party I was so pumped up. I’ve always wanted to do a ward Halloween dance party and it finally came true!!

So We just had Connor‘s birthday party on Saturday (His real birthday is Halloween ) so we invited a couple of families over for games snacks and pumpkin pie — which has been Connor‘s replacement birthday cake for the last eight years I would say! I am thankful that Costco starts pulling out their pumpkin pies early so I don’t have to worry about making one myself from scratch … I don’t even think I have actually made one myself so I would be afraid to see what that would taste like. Maybe I’ll give it a try this year for thanksgiving 😉😉

This sunday was our ward primary program which is always really great, it is one of the best Sundays of the year I would say. They called me to be in the primary presidency pretty soon after we got here so I was really worried about gathering the parts and having the kids ready to say their testimonies into the microphone, but it all worked out wonderfully ! We had a couple of cute little kids twirling and spinning and waving to their moms and dad‘s down in the audience. Cannon started getting pretty Wiggley so I had to try to stop him the best that I could. The kids just sang so nicely— one little girl Sophie is especially a loud singer… but in a super cute way. it was so beautiful and I started to cry after they sang “the miracle” the spirit was so strong! I just love primary music for that reason- they are singing about simple gospel truths!! It’s just the best! We fed the kids and teachers sandwiches, grapes, chips, and they got an ice cream cone from Sis Aliliama.

And yesterday was real Halloween the kids were so excited. Somehow they each had a friend or a group of friends to go off with and so that made the evening pretty chill for me and Ben. A neighbor invited us over to eat dinner before the trick or treating officially began— so that was nice to meet a Few of our neighbors.  Halloween in Hawaii is probably one of my favorites— the weather is perfect and there’s so many fun costumes and house decorations - also you can wear your actual costume and it isn’t  getting covered up with snow boots and warm jackets 😂😂 I’m looking at you alaska and Wyoming Halloween!! Good times!!

Saturday adventure

 A few weeks ago there was a Oktoberfest party with food and music and games for the kids. It was a fun reminder of the time that we lived in Germany and different fests that would occur throughout the year, but Oktoberfest is the biggest and most famous. So here in Hawaii there was people dressed up in German dirndl and liderhosen, music, food, and games for the kids —there was a certain race like a barrel race and Connor just did it really quickly and the guy said fastest time wins a prize that they are going to announce at the end. So we waited around and there was some contests that were going on but it’s starting to get later and later and the kids were pretty done so we headed back to the hotel. It was maybe be 10 or 15 minutes after we left when they announced the winner and thankfully Brecon had stayed to be with a friend and he quickly called us up and said they called Connor‘s name. We hurried back and found the people that were giving away the prizes. Connor won a big water gun, a pool big floaty that’s in the shape of a frog, a chair and then he also won two tickets to go to this upcoming pumpkin patch. So finally this weekend October 15 was the first weekend for the pumpkin patch and fall festival. The farms have been closed down for about three years for Covid  so this was a big event and everyone was excited, there were so many people! So this little farm had a tractor hay ride around the corn, banana, and pumpkin fields, some carnival games and rides, a petting zoo and the typical carnival food items. One of Connor‘s prizes from his race was to be able to pick out two pumpkins from the patch and that was pretty fun. However a fall pumpkin patch in Hawaii is so much different than what it would be in Utah, New York, or Germany. It was hot instead of the chilly fall season that most people are used to :) but oh well! We are enjoying the warm sunshine!! We got to shave ice and a bunch of different foods to try, but our favorite was the street corn with mayo Parmesan cheese in the Tahin Mexican seasoning. Yum yum!!

After the pumpkin patch we grabbed some food at Costco (classic) pizza and hot dogs and then we headed over to a beach where we would meet up with some friends. The beach is near a local attraction called mermaid cave— there are some shoreline coral caves you can jump down into or you can jump right into the ocean and swim through them— we got there around 3 and stayed until sunset. To be honest-  It was pretty dangerous —everyone that jumped into mermaid cave came back with bloody shins hands and even one kid hit his head pretty hard… we were showing our friends- the Meredith’s how to endanger their lives of their children 😬 😬😬. funny enough, no Platt’s came back with bad scrapes or injuries that I could see. Cannon did jump off of the ledge out to the ocean and there was a couple of pretty big waves sets that kept pushing him and pulling him out and he couldn’t make it to the edge to climb it out, he started to panic and then Ben jumped in to be with him and by then the ocean had calmed down and they were able to get out. Cannon said that was the last time and then he was scared of doing it again!!  Again— it was a dangerous evening activity— but a good time 😆😆 Also- we have recently purchased some underwater scooters (A little motorboat “spy gear” that you hang onto that can pull you around the water and help you to dive down to the bottom quickly) and all the kids and adults had fun playing around with those—so that was good. The sunset was beautiful! Such vibrant colors you see with your eyes and then you try to take a picture and the camera just doesn’t quite get… but it still looks okay, you know?
So things are going good here for the family, even if we are still living in temporary houses and waiting to officially move into our own house :) we should be getting closer// maybe sometime in the next 2 weeks… fingers crossed!!

Mabel Sariah and Brielle have fun together!

The yummy food at the fall festival 

Carnival attraction… never quite what it seems… Brielle wishes it would have been longer ;)

Beautiful sunset from the west side… it really was gorgeous!

Kolekole to the top

Well it’s Tuesday and all the kids are back into school. Connor was saying last night how fun our fall break was and that he doesn’t want to go back to every day going to school but I told him listen “Hawaii is great we got to enjoy a whole vacation and we didn't even have to pay for the plane ticket to get here for just a week… we LIVE here :)” it is both good and bad to live in a vacation destination :)

our Monday adventure included the big hike of the Kolekole Pass. Not just to the bench like we normally do… all the way up!! I have been telling the kids all week long that I wanted to go on a hike during fall break and dad picked to go up —-up to the top which is rated as a hard hike and with the elevation climb/gain of almost 1,300 feet and about 2.9 miles up.  it was pretty difficult we were scrambling and climbing straight up these rocks. Brielle wasn’t quite sure about how far she wanted to go and then she started to feel emotional and started crying as we’re going up the hill - we were all feeling hot and her legs are shaking and tired because they’ve been not very active watching a lot of Disney show and sitting in class all day— am I right? Dad just talked to her calmly and then she was okay for the rest of the journey. Cannon, Brecon and connor did not complain at all. I did get a little worried about Ben a couple of times he had to stop and sit down he was starting to feel lightheaded from the aerobic exertion that was required to climb straight up this ridge. It made the hike a bit longer to stop so frequently, but nobody complained as long as they were waiting and resting in a shady spot. He said good news- at least he didn’t have any chest pain… that would be very concerning!!
But the views from the top were pretty awesome we could see all the way over to the west side Waianae— down to Waikiki and diamond head—and then the whole middle of
the island from Mililani up to Wahiawa! 

Now the tricky part was coming back down the mountain. Remember it was so steep we were basically climbing straight up these rocks so in order to come down we had to really slide on our butts and use our arms to lower our legs down…and then the rocks were really gravelly and loose so it was pretty precarious coming down that mountain but everyone was way more happy coming down then going back up, even Brielle. Brecon and Connor and Cannon were in the lead and I kept saying  hey slow and steady “ safe and slow is the way to go “ and Brecon turned around and said Cannon is not being safe which makes me think that he was probably flying all over the place and kicking down rocks on his way down!! At least no one tumbled down a steep edge or fell off the mountain, good news right?

So then we made it back to the hotel we were all exhausted and everyone got to take a nice  hot shower but what was so funny was even after everyone was showered and washed if they took the white towel and wiped their legs or their arms there was so much red dirt still on the bodies!!  I don’t think the housekeeper ladies will be too happy with what we did making the white towel turn to red dirt!! We decided we were going to go out as a special treat ( ha ha )we didn’t have any dinner so we needed to go get something! Cannon said he wanted a happy meal so we got that on the way home but we went to Chili’s and had an expensive dinner. The favorite was probably the refills on the strawberry lemonade I think we got at least five or six definitely worth the five dollars per drink— and we were all probably still a little bit dehydrated from our hike so the nice beverage was very much appreciated:)
So it was a good day… and thankfully my knees and legs are not very painful just a little sore! I’m not as young as I used to be 😉

We are also moving out of the hotel in a few days it’s been so crazy to stay here for so long… we will be in that temporary lodging over on Wheeler for couple of weeks and then we will move into our house around the 25th —it will be nice to finally unpack and get our stuff unloaded :) I wonder what got broken on its journey across the ocean?? Oh well. It’s just stuff. 

This was our first big hard hike that we have taken with the kids on since being back on the island.  So fun to check off another one!

Cannon was like a little mountain goat keeping up with Brecon and Connor on the ascent and also he was pretty crazy coming down. I am probably glad I didn’t see his downhill strategy I think it was pretty haphazard and lots of tumbling rocks. 

 

And he’s off!!

Elder Platt and Ben got on a flight Tuesday night to fly to Salt Lake and arrive Wednesday morning. The airport was good but hard and we have the Nakata‘s and the Olivas family there to send our missionary off. With the weird red eye flight—Elder Platt had a hard time distinguishing between his dreams and reality and probably with all the adrenaline and sleep deprivation he started to act confused and have some hallucinations. One point on the airplane he thought Brielle and his mom were sitting in front of him and that I was crying and so he kept patting the ladies head or tapping her shoulder and telling her it was OK and then also talking to the person next to him and saying “that’s my mom”.

When they landed in Salt Lake and got the luggage in the rental car they were getting directions to their breakfast place to meet the Colwells. After a while of getting directions Cael said I can’t do it and been asked what do you mean? So I had a secret plan and I can’t tell you…forget it.  Brielle really gets a kick out of the secret plan story.

After breakfast they drove down to Provo to meet Isabelle Bangerter on campus. Elder Cael Platt was acting especially loopy/sleepy closing is eyes and acting intoxicated as they say and chatted about school and life on campus at BYU. We sure had fun with the Bangerter family in Alaska!

Breakfast with Austin Colwell- Who just got back a week before from his mission in Chicago!! Austin really was an inspiration to Cael and one of the reasons Cael was excited and wanting to serve. Austin would share is testimony and love for his family in such a heartfelt and thoughtful way as a young man while we were in the same ward here in Hawaii— what a good boy!!

Ben and Cael also had a good visit with the Davis family. Annika Davis just got back from her mission in Cambodia and had a life changing experience there. She had good advice and things to tell Cael to get ready for. She is such a happy cheerful young lady! If she can do it then so can this guy!

Dropping off at the Provo missionary training center— it’s just that. You unload the bags give your hugs and say goodbye. I was on FaceTime listening to the play-by-play. It was raining really hard and so the covered garage makes it very convenient to carefully get the missionaries out and on their way. I was so glad that Ben was there. As Cael started to walk away with his welcome missionary he didn’t even turn back to wave goodbye he was off and on his way! My momma heart really felt this one hard… so happy/proud of my boy!

Lunch with Oshyn at In and Out. Even though E.Platt hasn’t had an appetite … he still manages to socially enjoy food when friends are around. 

Our last lunch at the food court. We were trying to be adventurous and support the new restaurant in the food court but it ended up being very disappointing. The dessert crêpe was supposed to be a Nutella banana with ice cream on the side, but the only Nutella was just a measly thin spread up on top with a few brown bananas thrown haphazardly all over. Cael suffered through it and only shared a couple of bites with me 😂

Our last family photo at the airport.

Aloha ‘Oe Elder Platt. One of the most sweet and endearing traditions in our Hawaii ward is saying farewell to those who are leaving. The entire congregation sings along the words of the song (I cry every time) and at the very end everyone can come up in place leis on their friend before they leave. It is just an emotional moment- but also meaningful, thoughtful, and appreciated.

See you in two big brother— Brecon

The rest of the leis from the Wahiawa 1st ward. He really got buried in love from our ward family. 

Elder Platts district online MTC.
 

I want to be a missionary now-

Elder Platt was set apart as a missionary and will be serving the Lord for two years in Cambodia. After a beautiful and powerful blessing from the stake president-so many promises and blessing to have health and strength and a quick mind for learning, understanding, and speaking a new language, and working hard as a missionary!! Brielle shared that she is going to miss Cael because he is like the big sister that she never had- always willing to paint nails and do makeup with her… and during the setting apart—Cannon fell asleep! 

He has officially begun his Home (hotel) missionary training and will fly to Provo in 8 days!! I am so excited- happy- sad- and happy for this great adventure he is about to embark on. What a great young man Cael has growing up to be!

 

First Day of Schools

Brecon is started his freshman year at Leilehua High School. Early morning seminary started and he was able to meet a great group of friends so he didn’t feel alone and knew some friends before starting at a big school. Going to Tuesday night and Thursday night youth activities also seem to help! 

Brielle is in fifth grade and Cannon in second grade. It is fun to see familiar faces at their school and have some of the office staff recognize us as well. Here’s to a great year of learning!

Connor is at Wheeler middle school in seventh grade. So far she is enjoying it and has made some good friends in his classes. He was pretty surprised by the free flowing vulgarity… it’s too bad that happens :(