Aloha XI: Wave Your Flag
Created: 12/25/2011
Length: 01:05:01

Ma$on Man, Kalani, California, Hawaii, Ashlee & Jon, El Salvador, Philippines, Barcelona, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, France, Drop It Low Girl

You must click here to upgrade your Flash player to see this video.

Months ago Kalani got into Harry Potter. It all started with her getting Lego Harry Potter video game for her birthday day. She started to watch the movies and talking about it with my sister. Finally we got her to start to read the books. She has wanted me to throw her a Harry Potter party for a few months, but I just kept putting it off. We had some pretty fun vacations I wanted to enjoy before I thought about having a party.

Finally the vacations came to an end and I had time on my hands. I googled “Harry Potter party ideas” and my search gave me LOADS of ideas. I couldn’t do everything that I saw or read about, but I did do a lot. We had around 30 people attend and I think everyone had a good time…even the parents.

"A Magical Day" sign on our garage

They had to run through the "brick wall" to find the correct platform

Sign on our front door

Professor McGonagall had to give some instructions to all of the 1st years

The sorting hat told everyone which house they belonged to

Everyone got to choose their own wands

Each house had their own class schedule

They all practiced spells using their wands

Potions class

Mixing the ingredients to see if they made "Goblin Goo"

Our bearded dragon was part of the Magical Creatures class

Everyone hatched their own dragon egg and inside the slim was a baby dragon (dinosaur)

The Magic 8 ball was used for Divination (the art of fortune telling)

Everyone went home with one of these "fortune tellers"

Transfiguration class = dress up class. A witch, wizard and house elf

End of year feast in the Great Hall

Dragon Snot

Butterbeer

Everyone enjoying the feast

We also played my version of quidditch, but because it is so hot outside we didn’t play for very long. I had a lot of fun hosting this party. I don’t know if I will take the advice of one of the students and have a party every year though.

We have had a busy summer. It seems like something was going on every week.

First off was Girls Camp. I was the camp director for about 28 girls from our church that were between 12-17 years old. Camping in Texas is different. It is hot, humid and you have to worry about hurricanes. And to get to any location where there is water or hills is FAR from Houston…like 5 hours away far. We planned and planned and then things changed. Then we planned some more. It all turned out really well and I was happy to be able to teach these young women and get to know them better.

While I was at girls camp, Matt had a work trip to the Philippines. He thoroughly enjoyed himself and wants to go back. He already has a post about his trip here.

Then Matt returned home for a day before he left to Florida for a conference.

The following week we had some friends from California come to visit for a few days. We would love it if they would move here so we could see them more often.

The last week of June we flew to California for a Farley family reunion. It was great to see our extended family again and Kalani really loved being around a bunch of cousins her age.

These cousins are all about the same age

Grandma & Grandpa with most of their grandkids

Grandma & Grandpa with most of their great-grandkids

The month of July has been a little bit calmer…at least not needing to be in the car for hours or take an airplane. I watched my cousins for a week while their parents attended a funeral in Utah. And I was busy planning a super fun Harry Potter party and decorating for a couple of weddings.

One more trip for me this summer and then we start back into school, co-op, gymnastics or swimming, choir, art, book club, and any other fun activity that we can schedule in. And I also have the great blessing of being the young women president over 30 girls ages 12-18 in our church. My life is busy. I may go crazy. But I’ll have fun going crazy!

Yes we just got back from Europe, but when my brother decided to get married in Hawaii, we needed to make that sacrifice and get on a plane and spend time in Hawaii to support him!

They are the reason why we went to Hawaii

We had a super fun week. My aunt and uncle joined us and celebrated their 20th anniversary. And then my uncle’s brother and wife asked to tag along to celebrate their 20th anniversary as well. We are Hawaiian and everyone is part of our Ohana…so of course it was great to have more people join in the celebration.

Tuesday: Fly in, eat, find our house and the beach

This beach was 100 yards from our rental house

Wednesday: hike to the lighthouse with Cheryl, swap meet & Pearl Harbor and attend a bridal shower

My college roommate's mother-in-law...and my friend. I've known her for 12 years and she finally met ALL of my family

Great way to get some exercise...walking to Makapu'u light house

Visiting the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor

Thursday: Spend the morning with Cheryl going on a hike, visiting a lava tube, spitting cave, Dog the Bounty Hunter’s house, pick up Matt at airport and surf

All of us that hiked to the top of the ridge above Hawaii Kai

Tom Selleck's home for "Magnum P.I." that we saw on our hike

We walked through a lava tube and found ourselves here with the ocean at our feet

They got soaked at Spitting Cave

I think Dog is a fan of himself with this mural on the gate of his home

Surfing in Waikiki

Friday: Temple wedding & Polynesian Culture Center

I love to see the temple...especially when a sibling is being married (sealed) inside

I love my sisters and that we could all be together on the temple grounds

And I love my brother and my NEW sister

Learning about the island of Fiji as a family

The groom was able to take part in the Tongan village show...after being married for 5 hours

Saturday: hike to Maunawili Falls and wedding reception

Prom photo while on our way to Maunawili falls

The wedding reception was really nice. The bride sang and had friends perform songs. And the food was AMAZING! I love Hawaiian food. It was wonderful to see the 2 families together and how easily it was to work with each other.

Sunday: church, visit Punchbowl Cemetery & family get together

Memorial weekend at Punchbowl Cemetery

Sitting around "talking story"

Monday: drive around the island and fly home

Since our flight didn’t leave until the evening, we had some time to kill. So, we drove around the island. Up to North Shore and back towards the airport. We stopped at the Dole Plantation and Iolani Palace and tried to remember the beauty of the island.

Did you know this is how pineapples grew?

More Hawaii vacation photos

Our final destination on our European vacation was Barcelona, Spain. It took us 7 hours to drive from Nice, France to Barcelona but we all survived. It was also nice to have a really cool hotel room waiting for us…after we found it. The only down side to our hotel was that it was off a main road and Barcelona vs. Madrid in the Champion League was happening during our stay so we didn’t get much sleep.

Barcelona has some really crazy cool buildings. Antoni Gaudi was the architect for many of the Dr.Suess looking buildings.

La Sagrada Familia ... still 30 years away from being completely finish

Casa Batlló aka. House of Bones

This was how we saw Barcelona. With really only one day there and with kids, this was the best option

After 2 weeks in Europe, this is what the Farley boys looked like!

We had a wonderful time seeing another part of the world and being together with family. And luckily we didn’t kill each other or get into any accidents.

More photos of Barcelona