Costco Christmas Ribbon!!!

I was so excited when I stopped by Costco and saw their Christmas ribbon was out! I know it sounds odd that I would be so excited but I am telling you when I saw it I had to excuse my self for a moment and go do a back flip....Well not a full back flip! But you might wonder why I was so excited! I do love the spirit of Christmas! I love to reflect on the Savior and his birth! I love the cooler weather! I love the Temple Christmas lights! You can crack out the "white vanilla hot chocolate"! I love that I can stock up on ribbon for the year from Costco! I buy ribbon that I can use all year round instead of just Christmas colors!! So I was so happy to see the ribbon out already!! BUT...I have to tell you the real reason why I was so excited to see the Christmas things out! Last year at Christmas Rhett left for the Mission Training Center, ten days before Christmas! I remember thinking I just want Christmas to be here again so Rhett will of served a year and he will of reach his one year mark, his half way mark, or should I say his "hump day"! Then I could start the "count down" That seemed so far away! I am so excited for Christmas to be here so we can talk with Rhett on the phone! We were only able to talk with him a short time at Mothers Day! Since he was in the MTC at Christmas time last year, we were unable to speak to him at all last Christmas! So I know I am being overly excited but I am just saying, I can't wait for Christmas!! I think we will be able to skpe with him and Tom has promised me he would connect his computer to the big screen so we all can be there and have a great Christmas visit! I CAN'T WAIT!!!!

So stock up on your Christmas ribbon before they are out of the good colors! For all of you that have a missionary in the field....HOLD ON!! Christmas is on its way!!!

I do have to say I would not change anything! It is such a blessing to have a son or daughter serve a mission! No matter how tough things are for the missionary or the family at home, the blessings come in many different ways! In ways you do not or, will not ever even realize!! Tom and I are so thankful for Rhett...For his desire to serve his Heavenly Father. We are also so thankful for his enthusiastic, happy, loving spirit he has for his mission, his companions and the people of Italia!!

Birthdays!

Anyone that knows me well, knows.....I HATE MY BIRTHDAY!!!

If is was not for Tom reminding me about my birthday I would not think twice about it nor

would I know what day it would fall on!! My little sister Nena is the only birthday present that I have ever wanted and, that was important to me!! Nena was born on my 9th birthday!! Happy Birthday my little sister! I love you!

We also had another birthday in our family this month and that was Emma Poliahu Scheurn! Emma's Birthday is the 16th of August! She had a swim party at Granny and Pop's house on Saturday!! AND in the words of Emma it was FANTASTIC!!

I had a very nice birthday on Sunday! Tom and I went to church as usual with the exception that Tom announced in out Young Single Adult Ward that it was my birthday! I thought for sure I would not speak to him again!! During Relief Society....They said there were two birthdays that they wanted to say Happy Birthday to! Sister Scheurn and....President Thomas S. Monson...The Prophet of our church, and I share the same birthday!! Who else better to share your birthday with other than your baby sister and the President of our church!

We had a linger longer after church and we had a really fun time!

Joe made a great birthday dinner for me! He made chicken rolled tacos and tostados, homemade salsa and guacamole! It was delicious!! Walker and Melanie made my birthday

cake....It was a upside down German Chocolate cake and it was SO YUMMY!!! We had a hula hoop contest at Joe and Erin's and Emma won hands down!! I came home to some very special treats at my front door to top the day off!!

I hate birthdays but...If I had to rate this birthday on a 1 to 10 it was a 10! Tom and I top the night off with a box of chocolate dipped strawberries he got me, that were out of this world!! Thanks to all of my kids and grand kids and friends for all you did and all of the wishes and gifts!!

Love,

Tamy

Part 2.. Most Needed Vacation!!

We arrive at 7:30 am, this morning from our MOST need vacation ever! We had a non-stop week and I have to say it was one of our most favorite, peaceful, relaxing, yet busy vacation we have had in years!! Like I said in my last post we were staying at the Fairmont Orchid Hotel, which is about 30 miles north of Kona!! After our activities ended with Hyundai on Wednesday, Tom had decided we needed to stay a few more days! One of my sweet, dear, treasured friends, Maria Elena, just happen to be vacationing on Ohau at the same time we were on the Big Island of Hawaii. Maria Elena had never been to the Big Island so we talked her into flying down and spend a few days with us!! We had more fun than I could ever imagine! I HATE my picture taken but Maria Elena LOVES her camera so she took to many pictures to even count! It worked out well because, she flew in and picked up our rental car at the airport for us so we could drive to the other side of the island....The Hilo side! This is where Joe served his mission for the first 6 months or so and the last four or so! It was great to go back and see how things had change BUT...The best part of us going to Hilo was the drive there!! It is hard to describe the BEAUTY we saw!! The colors, the lush tropical rain forests, the volcano's moving down the side of the wall, the ocean in different places, the cattle ranches and the wild goats and pigs and the list goes on!!! Tom was a champ! He drove and we just "OOHED and AUHHED" the whole way there!! The views were breath taking! Ton and I have been on both sides of this island but we had never driven from side to side!! We always just fly into either Hilo or Kona!! We Have so much fun on the drive and laughed the whole whole way there!!!

The night before we left to go to Hilo...Maria Elena just had to get some dusk pictures and of course.... that meant Tom and I would be her help!! I am actually thankful for all the pictures...Even though I did not have make-up on or my hair done but... It was beautiful! The ocean looks fake in all of these pictures!! All of these pictures were taken at our hotel!!!

Some how or another we ended up some what matching!!! Thanks, M.E. sweet girl. for all the fun pictures!! We LOVED every minute with you!! POP-POP!!!

With Maria Elena's arm TWISTED behind her back....We got a few pictures of her!!

ONE CUTE BOY!!!!! I LOVE TOM SCHEURN!!!!

I wish that was my sexy leg that is in front of me but...NOPE...That is Tom's!!!

Tom snapped a few of us girls....

And then we grabbed a innocent by stander to snap one of the three of us!! WE HAD SO MUCH FUN!!!!

My favorite drink matched my shirt! It was YUMMY!!!!!!

Each night we had special little treats that were brought into our room!! SO CUTE!!!!!

King Kamehameha In the park in Hilo!!

These pictures really do not show the beauty but this drive from Kona to Hilo was so interesting! It is funny to see how it goes from lava to such a tropical beautiful place as you go up the mountain and then back down into HIlo!!!!

Coming around a corner on the way to Hilo!!!

This Banyan tree was HUGE!! This is one tree!!! You can see the size compared to the car!

Tom showing us how big it was! It was massive!!!!

Same tree, I just moved back to get more of the tree!!!! It was gorgeous!!!

This is the Stake Center in Hilo where Joe served in 2000!!!

Down town Hilo!!!

This is one of Tom's top two Sushi restaurants that he has ever eaten at!!!! Ocean Sushi!!! Of course Joe told me to have a "Downtown" roll and is was by far the best roll I ever have eaten!!! Thanks Joe for that inside information!! It is nice to know a local!!!!

Tom had a smile ear to ear when this first plate came!!!!

The Kona Temple was closed but we went and walked around it! The grounds were perfect!!

We did not want to leave the Temple grounds!! You could just feel the spirit!!!

Maria Elena is a huge blessing in my life!! I love you sweet girl!!!!

Of course by the end of the day my battery died in my camera so I did not get but a few, not so good pictures of the helicopter that Tom and M.E. took around the island!!! Yes that is right....You could not pay me enough to get in a helicopter!! It was the end to a great few days! Or should I say a perfect, fun week!!! Thanks Tom Scheurn for making everything SO NICE!!! Can we go back next week??? Did I hear you say YES??? Okay my bags are packed!!!

Love,

Tamy

A Much Needed Rest and Vacation Aloha....Mahalo!!!

San Tan Hyundai is one of the top Hyundai dealerships in Arizona and since Tom is the General Manager we get treated to some fun get-aways! Hyundai treated Tom and I to a fantastic trip to the big island of Hawaii! We are staying on the Kona side about thirty minutes away from Kona! It has been perfect weather and we have had a great relaxing time! This is one of the islands that Tom and I went to on our honeymoon over 34 years ago. We came back to this island on our 25th wedding anniversary when we picked Joe up from his mission!! Joe served on the Hilo side of this island for about the first six months of his mission and then returned about the last four months of his mission! I think this is Joe's favorite island out of the four he served on for two years!! We all love the "Big Island"! It was interesting we met a very nice couple who own several car dealerships in Utah and their son served his mission here as well!! We always say "it is a small world" but I read once in the paper that the world is really huge but, "The Lord just makes it small"!

The Orchids everywhere were just thick and beautiful!!

We had a small Luau on the beach the first night!!

We had several different views from our balcony of our room that were breath taking!!

We had a Koi pond right out side our room, and there were several through the Hotel!! This one was where we ate breakfast every morning!!

Some more beautiful views from our room!!

This is the Koi pond just directly below our balcony! The sound of the water falls were so relaxing!!!

Tom and I ate dinner on the beach the second night and it was "Delish"! We then took a walk on the beach!

I think I must have been thinking....I never want to go home EVER!!!

Why does fruit ALWAYS taste better in Hawaii???

Early Wednesday morning we got up about 6:00 am and we went to our favorite spot!

I LOVED all of our flower arrangements!! They do not even look real!!!!

Tom on our balcony in "ONE" of the four new golf outfits he treated himself to!! I told him that "I hoped he could back those outfits up with his golf skills"! Not sure if he was honest!!

This was a four inch dragon fly that was on the wall of our hotel!!

Tom surprised me and signed me up for a very special..."Kona Coffee Sugar Scrub", pedicure and manicure! It felt like Heaven and the smell was even better! A hint of of coffee with lots of cream ans sugar!! It was wonderful!

We only have a few days left but this has been just what the doctor ordered for both Tom and I!!! It has been a time to just enjoy one other and try to not think about the world and what is going on EVERYWHERE!! We will come back to reality on Saturday but until then.....

Aloha!!