April 26, 2009

Dear Friends and Family,

We are feeling guilty about being so “delinquent” in our letter writing! We just seem to keep so very busy with our every day activities at work, (Bob just ask me if we should call it “work” because it really is our mission!) But we must say that this is a service work mission…and we would never want to change that! Bob starts each day at 7:00 a.m. and I follow behind him at 8:00 a.m. We try to get a lunch break and when we do we come home (just across the street) for 45 min to 1 hr. and then back until 4:00 or 5:00 p.m. (Sometimes that turns into 6:00 p.m. or often later!) Then we work about 2 nights a week at the restaurants and luaus and the other nights we usually have ward and student activities. Night time finds us dragging into bed about 10:30 or 11:00 p.m. (we must admit that sometimes we stop for a session of “Lost” before going to bed! Our neighbors upstairs got us going on that, (and we know that a lot of YOU kids are caught up in it also… we watch them on DVD…having about 5-6 years worth to catch up on! Boy will I be glad when we are caught up to this year’s series so we can figure out what is going on!) “Lost” seems to be our “winding down” for the night. Most of the filming for “Lost” is done here in Hawaii so we like seeing some the places we recognize.
On Sat. we do our cleaning and yard work and shopping and try to get in an afternoon of relaxing at a beach or sightseeing if possible.
Sunday is a marathon of meetings as we have become so involved with the ward and Stake. Bob is now on the High Council and I am Enrichment Leader in the Stake R.S. We continue to be mentors for our ward which gives us lots of interaction with the students and we really like that part.

We had a great visit from Gerald and Kaye Carter and Jim and Betty Kimmell from Feb. 25, 2009 to March 3, 2009. We told them the “ropes” of vacationing here on the Island of Oahu and they were off and running. The weather was very windy and rather cool (typical winter weather for Hawaii) while they were here, but they seemed to enjoy themselves and we must say that we LOVED having them and visiting with them.Here we are on top of Diamond Head with Honolulu and Waikiki in the background. Can you imagine the six of us making the trek up on Diamond Head? Well, let me say that is the second time we have made the trip and when the Laursen’s were here, it happened again! It is a great hike…we love it!

I spent a week down with the “gom-boo” flu in late March, but Bob was strong enough to stay away from it! Making me stay in bed is like “torture”! But I actually wanted to during this time…must have been really sick, huh? Bob said to be sure to tell everyone that I am NOT a good patient. He tried to take care of me and I just didn’t feel like being “mothered!” Anyway, we made it through that siege!

So now it is April 1st, 2009 and the Laursen’s came to town! We had so much fun with them and loved every minute of their time with us.
Here we are at the famous Hukilau Café! WOW did the boys like this place! Just like everyone else, it is a favorite spot once you get a taste of the Hawaiian food and atmosphere of this joint!

Dale, Lisa and the kids never stopped once they got here! They went from morning to night at high speed. If you are interested in knowing all they did and saw, email Dale and he can send you a LONG list of everything they did, saw, ate, and experienced! It was all so much fun, and Taylor was such a great sport even with her broken foot! The only thing she could not do was climb Diamond Head…so she and I went shopping at the Ala Mona Mall instead! She took home “her own private beach” in her cast…when Uncle Ryan cut it off…there was the sands of Hawaii!!!! So lucky for her to have an Uncle that can make sure she had a water proof cast for coming to Hawaii…thanks Dr. Taylor! The ocean did claim one her crutches however! It was their last day here and she wanted to go boogie boarding one last time…the waves just caught her by surprise! I wonder if some whale is using it for tooth pick right now.
So here is the gang down at the International Market Place having a “puka dog!” Every have one of those? Thanks to Jeff Drury, (Cindy’s son), we now know all about them and will introduce them to anyone that wants an introduction!
Want a tattoo? The Laursens spent two days at the Polynesian Cultural Center and this is part of what “the boys” have to show for it! Looking great, don’t you think?

So Aloha to all of you! We hated to see them leave…the next few days left us homesick again for everyone at home!

So this ends our letter for this evening. We send our love to all. We are looking forward to more family visits soon!

We understand Utah is finally getting some spring weather! Yea for all of you!

Love from us here in Hawaii!

Love to all forever and always,

Elder and Sister Remund
Grandpa and Grandma
Dad and Mom
Bob and Vickie