Samoan Week

The week of July 8- July 12 my Mom had a great idea to so Samoan Week.  Each day we did an activity that was Samoan.  Now see I took too long to write this down so I am sure I will be off on our actual activities.  One day the boys scrapped the bark of the O'a tree to make the brown base dye for the tapa.  Another day we went down to land grant to get some local trees and then we planted them.  We also helped the boys make tapa boards.  The boys also learned how to husk a coconut.  Another night we paired off and learned Samoan legends and had the boys draw pictures.   It was great.  The other thing we did was make a Samoa dish every night.  The first night the boys made Pai Fala (pineapple pie) with Grammy.  We also made Papa (coconut bread), Faausi (papaya bread in burnt sugar coconut sauce) and Kopai (dumplings in coconut sauce).

On Friday, our last day we put it all together.  With a lot of help from the guys at the warehouse the boys prepared an umu.  Husking coconuts....

Scraping taro, ulu and coconuts.....

 Hmmm.  

Notice Skyler is always walking away from the work?  ;)

Of course when it is something Skyler shouldn't be around he is totally there.  Skyler was all into getting the fire going.

Next they prepared the palusami with the coconut milk from the grated coconut.

By the time the palusami was ready the fire burned down and the umu was ready to load up.  

 and cover up.  

A few hours later the umu was finished.

Here are the Grill masters cooking up Swordfish and teriyaki chicken.  Yummy!

Can't forget the Grill Master's Helpers! 

 Grammy and Vili made all of the Mailos (woven plates from coconut leaves).  The food was delicious....

 and the company even better.  

 Ready for the show.  

 Skyler shared the story about Sina and the Origin of the Coconut Tree.

The eel grew and grew and grew....

 Micah shared the Legend of the Two Brothers: Matafao and Pioa

 Brady shared the Legend of Fire.

 Riley shared a legend with his Dad.  The Legend of the Southern Cross.

 Alec shared the legend of Saia and the Origin of the Taro.

 Here are the Tapa designs the boys helped work on.  

  Grandpa was the chief pate beater.  ;)  He taught the boys the Sasa/Slap dance.  

It was a great week.  Everyone enjoyed their week and learned something new.  Full of fun activities and delicious food.  Thanks for the ideas Grammy.   

Trip: Day 1

Welcome Home!  My parents came home for just a bit this July.  We were so happy to have them and the boys were in heaven.  The night they arrived the boys slept over at their house and just about stayed the whole time.  We weren't going to let them out of our sights for very long.  So when they said they were going to Apia, Samoa well we went with them.  ;)

We left Tutuila for Upolu on July 4th.  It was bright and early in the morning and everyone was excited.  

Everyone was excited even Riley Owen until...... we got to the plane.  Jason was in front of me carrying Riley.  As Jason started to climb the few steps into the twin otter plane Riley practically jumped out of his arms and into mine.  Riley was saying, "No, no, no, no!"  He got so freaked out.  It was so sad.   We made it onto the plane and he was screaming and crying.  He was trying to get out of the plane.  I tried to console him but he was so scared.  I had him on my lap and I whispered into his ears that he was safe and told him, "Riley let's say a prayer."  The second I started the prayer Riley calmed down and just held onto me.  

We landed safely at the Fagalii Airport.  Now it is going to get a little confusing from here.  Well, date-wise anyway.  Upolu is just a half hour away but they are in a different time zone.  So we left on July 4th and arrived half an hour later on July 5th.  ;)  

We went to the hotel (Tusitala Hotel) to drop off our luggage and headed out to Falelatai.  This is the same beach that the show Survivor Samoa was filmed.  It was the first time I had been there and it is a beautiful secluded beach.  

When we got there Aunty Rola, Uncle Dave, Tavita, Angie, Doug and the girls were all there with more of Aunty Rola's family.  It was nice to meet up with them and visit there.

 Here are the boys just goofing around.

After a short visit we went back to the hotel.  My awesome parents watched the kids so Jason and I could go to the temple.  It was the first time in like 5 years that we had been able to go together.  What a nice way to end Day 1 of our trip.

Trip: Day 2

July 6, 2013

Day 2 of our trip started off where Day 1 ended... at the temple.  What a wonderful way to start off the day.  When we were done at the temple Jason and I walked across the street to the chapel to meet up with my parents and the boys.  They were having a Samoa Mission reunion testimony meeting.   It was nice for them to see former Elders from their time as Mission President. 

  Check out Riley walking down the hotel walkway looking like a big boy!

The day was overcast and rainy but we still decided to brave the weather and go over to Piula Cave Pool.  It was a bit of a drive and by the time we got there and Riley had fallen asleep.  The rain and wind had picked up so we sent the boys with Vince and Jason to swim in the Cave Pool.  Since it was raining I didn't dare take my camera out.   This picture is one I found online.

The boys swam a bit while my Mom and I visited in the van with Riley.  The boys said swimming in the cave pool was cool.  They enjoyed that adventure but then it was back to the hotel from there.

Trip: Day 3

July 7, 2013

Day 3 was a Sunday.  We went to the Pesega 5th Ward which was the ward my parents had gone to when they were in Upolu.

Isn't this the cutest?  Skyler is making sure Riley is safe walking back to the hotel room.  

Following church we went back to the hotel where we enjoyed canned tuna fish and an umu prepared by Kap.  It was so good.  Sorry no pictures of this either.  We ate palusami, taro and ulu.  It was so fresh and so good.

Right outside of our hotel room there were tennis courts and a little playground.   After eating the boys headed over there.  My boys of course go and made friends with the people playing tennis and they let the boys hit the ball around for a bit.  Then they played on the playground.

Sunday afternoon we took the boys for a little walk on the Apia seawall.  It was a nice stroll.  Well the boy were running up and down the seawall with me saying, "Be careful!!"  All I needed was for one of them to go tumbling down into the ocean.  They enjoyed the chance to be out use up some of their energy.  Day 3 was another good day.