327 W. Cave Bear Ct.- PAINTED-

Our house was looking so bad- it was awful.  We had so many holes and the back and side of the house was so faded it looked really bad.  When our house was built back in 2003, it was in the time of the BIG BOOM in Boise.  They were building houses like crazy.  Unfortunately, they didn't do a good job because they were in such a hurry.  10 years later we are paying for the poor workmanship of the big boom.  Our paint job was horrific.  Our windows weren't even trimmed.  Our driveway is cracked because they didn't do the foundation correctly and our appliances are all dying slow deaths.  Everything was as cheap as they could get.  We bought our  home in 2005- right at the peak of the boom- so we paid top dollar.  7 years later, we are still in our home that was only supposed to house the Hammer family for 2 years.  With the market crash a couple of years ago- we are s-t-u-c-k. 
We decided to paint the house so when we do sell it someday, it will be ready.  We hired Kari's painting.  They are twin sisters who did a fabulous job!  They were so fun, I wish I had a picture of them.  It was fun to talk to them and get to know them.  They power washed and then caulked the entire outside.  They told me my house was the worst they had seen...in terms of needing to be caulked.  The painting took 3 days and they did a great job.  The stucco paint was not the right color, so after having to get more paint-  we got it right.  It looks awesome!

Happy Birthday Joel!

43 never looked so good.  We flew to Hawaii on his birthday and really didn't get to celebrate- so we made him a cake and he got to make a wish! 
I had Jason take Joel to Cabelas and pick out some new fly fishing stuff.  He came back with a rod, reel, shoes and waders.  I hope he will use it and learn to fly fish with his brother.  He needs some time to decompress from his stressful job.  Happy Birthday!

Oahu Hawaii

The last Hammer trip was in 2005 and we went on an Alaskan Cruise.  It was time to go again and this time we decided to go to Oahu.  Jan knew a family who were part owners of a home on the beach in Laie.  The house was a great location near the temple, Polynesian Cultural Center, and BYU Hawaii. 
Joel and I decided to go over a day early to celebrate his birthday.  So on May 29 we left and stayed in Waikiki at the Hawaiian Hilton Resort.  It was beautiful and we enjoyed out stay there.  They had cool fish, penguins and parrots.  We stayed in the rainbow tower on the 11th floor with an ocean view.   All free of course.  I love traveling with Joel.  We get to go through the Gold lines and board the plane first.  At the hotel we also got to eat at the executive suite for free.  I do pay in other ways.

We rode a shuttle back to the airport where we met up with the rest of the family.  Gary and LaRee, Jan and Gordan(he came for a couple of days), Julie (Donald didn't come), Jeff and Mel, Jarin and Carolyn, Jordan and Melissa, Jason and Stephanie.  Gordan invited their two boys Cade and Caleb too.  Hu?  He works for Sky West so free airline tickets make it easy. (Jill and Vince didn't come because they were in Ohio with Josh and Dina and their whole family) 

Brother Bosso came a little while later and picked us all up in his huge van.  Jan rented a car too, since their schedule was a little different than ours.  We got to the house in Laie which was about an hour drive from Honolulu.  The house was great and we ran out for a walk on the beach and some boogie boarding.  We also found the temple.

I had a streak of bad luck while on our trip- (while boogie boarding a huge wave crashed down on me and I went flying and my gut landed across my board leaving me with a black ine bruise across my stomach. I also either bruised, cracked or broke my ribs...they hurt like none other)

Each morning we would get up early (since we weren't adjusted to the 4 hour time difference) and walk on the beach.  We ate amazing food since brother bosso is a cook.  He made us 2 meals a day that were authentic Hawaiin meals.  They were delicious!!  We went to eat lunch at the Hukilau Cafe and that was really good.  We saw an actor from the Hawaii 5-0 TV show.  We also went snorkeling to Shark Cove and ate shaved ice at Oleki.  We stopped at Ted's Bakery and did more boogie boarding at the house with a night time crab walk on the beach.

(On this day-I was in the bathroom going to take a shower and took my swim suit off and found a crab between my chest. haha.  It scared me half to death. )

We got up early and went to the temple and did a session and then some sealings.  It was beautiful and fun to be with the Hammer Family.  We went back to the house and had the most amazing french toast with this bread that Brother Bosso buys at the Titas Shrimp shack.  We also went to BYU-Hawaii to the bookstore.  We then headed to the PCC and spent the rest of the day there. We went to all 6 islands; Samoa being our favorite.  We ate at a Hawaiian buffet and then went to the night show and that was super good!  Loved the PCC- could have spent more time there.

We started the day with snorkeling in the morning around the cove from the house.  A group of us went and it started out pretty good.  Jason had spotted a turtle and we were swimming out to see it.  I suddenly had a burning sensation around my mouth.  I popped up and took out my snorkel.  The burning spread down my cheek, neck and back.  It burned so bad, I started screaming.  Jan was behind me and yelled that I had a man of war on me.  I freaked out and started rubbing myself and splashing in the water.  Joel came over to me and helped me get the beach.  I was crying at this point.

We rubbed sand all over my stings...I was not going to let anyone pee on me!  We walked back to the house and they poured vinegar on paper towels and set them on my welts!  I looked like I had been whipped!  I don't even have a good picture to show my pain.

We drove to Honolulu and went to the swap meet around the stadium.  This was fun as I like to shop.  We picked up a few souvenirs and ate some delicious food.  Pineapple with this amazing seasoning on it!  A pork sandwich and a mango smoothie.

We then went to Pearl Harbor.  This was very touching.  We saw the Arizona in the ocean and it is still leaking oil.  2,100 men are still entombed inside.  As I read the names on the wall I couldn't believe all the similar last names...probably brothers. 

We made our way back to Laie and went swimming in the ocean until sundown. 

Gary wore shorts for the first time in his LIFE!  I think he looks great, but he didn't wear them again.

We went to church...all 3 hours!  Then we went back to the house and ate some yummy snacks and took a much needed nap!  After the nap we went on a walk along the beach and found a nice park/campground.  We ate again...a really nice dinner cooked by Brother Bosso and we had desserts cooked by Sister Bosso.  All was very good!  And all was Hawaiian foods.

On Monday June 4, we drove into Honolulu early and was dropped off at the airport to rent a couple of cars.  We really wanted to see and do more things and Brother Bosso is not a tourist like us and felt that the best things were in Laie. 

We drove out tot Hanauma Bay...the best snorkeling on the Island.  But I personally think Maui Snorkeling is the best.  We had a good time there and saw lots of cool fish.  We had a picnic together and then drove to the blowhole and then to Waikiki Beach.  We played there for a few hour and all the brothers tried surfing. 

We ate dinner at the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant, and I got a fun tropical drink!  Can't go to Hawaii and not sip on a fun tropical drink.  We then drove back to Laie.  Although our car had Jeff,Mel, Jarin and Carolyn, we had a bit of trouble finding our way back.  ; )

BYW- Hawaii is not the place to look pretty.  No makeup, crazy hair and clothes that show everything is pretty much how it is.  Oh well, it's worth it.

June 5th we drove to the Dole Pineapple Plantation.  This was fun, because we got another fun tropical treat.  Pineapple ice cream whip!  kind of like at Disney Land but better!  Did I mention that I gained a lot of weight on this trip?  We rode a little train out to see the pineapple fields and that was pretty stupid, but the ice cream was worth it. 

Chickens roam free in Hawaii.  you see them all over the place,  especially outside the grocery store.

We stopped at the shaved ice place on the way back to Laie.  This time we tried Matsomuto's.  It was so good!  We got ice cream in the bottom with some lovely tropical flavors and then sweet cream on top!!  Yum!!!  Then we stopped for lunch...as if we needed to, at Tita's Shrimp Shack!  This was really good and I really love Hawaiian food.  We hurried back to the house and went for a swim in the ocean one last time.  We then packed and got all ready to drive out to the airport and fly home.  We found our gate and then heard our names on the intercom.  They told us they were upgrading us to first class because of Joel's diamond status!  haha.  Good luck...finally!!! 

We got home the next afternoon and found all well with Caden.  He stayed home and worked a lot.  He spent the night a few times at Eastman's and Ball's.  The girls were in Pocatello with the Weston's... being spoiled rotten.   They rode to Jerome in Grandpa's Semi Truck and I picked then up there the next day.  Chloe quickly put on her cute dress and gave us a little Luau show.  We brought home a big shell you blow in and it's a really loud horn.  The girls got dresses and the boys got BYU-Hawaii shirts.