I kept it simple—basically just cut fabric to fit Gavin and sewed the sides together. Very basic, but they worked! For the white stripes, we just used hot glue. So yes, the costumes were very homemade. At the parties we attended, only a handful of people recognized what we were. We got guesses like "Greek gods," "blue people," and “What are you supposed to be?” We proudly declared, “Water benders!” And honestly, it didn’t matter that only the true fans recognized us.
I didn’t manage to get a photo of the outside of our house this year, but our landlord’s son’s girlfriend went all out decorating the place with cobwebs and skeletons. Unfortunately, on Halloween night, every light was off, and she wasn’t handing out candy. So much for spooky vibes!
I also participated in a pumpkin carving contest at work with my coworker Faye. She had the brilliant idea to carve a turtle, and we created a beautiful backdrop for it, complete with actual sand from the beach. The guests staying at the hotel were the judges. Honestly, I thought our pumpkin was the best one. The next day at the hotel meeting, they announced that the Front Office team had won—and they showed a picture of my pumpkin! So, after all that work, the Front Office got all the glory. And of course, Gavin is part of that team, but he didn’t even help with his own pumpkin! No one bothered to correct the announcer, either. It was a bit of a letdown since we didn’t even get a prize or recognition for winning—or for just entering!
On a whim, we decided to sneak in one last tour of the Na Pali Coast before the weather turned. The ride was absolutely stunning! I don’t know why, but I felt so seasick that day, which hasn’t happened to me in years. I’m not sure if it was the motion of the sea or the fact that I hadn’t eaten anything all day. Either way, I was nauseous for a while. Still, I managed to smile for the photos. Honestly, if getting seasick is the worst thing that happens to me, I’ll take it. Life is good!
We also had a fantastic time at a murder mystery party hosted by David and Kassidy in one of their beautiful homes. We were all asked to stay in character all night, which made it hilarious. I was the peppy librarian who wanted to know everything about the mysterious island we were trapped on, while Gavin spent the night reminiscing with his old high school friend David. The final reveal? It was Gavin! We both laughed because, every time we do a murder mystery, Gavin turns out to be the murderer. Is there something I should be concerned about?
We had some gorgeous beach days at Hanalei and on the south side of the island. Kauai's beauty continues to amaze me. I thank God every day that I get to live here and experience this little piece of His creation.
In October, we also celebrated Gavin’s new role at the hotel at Rum Fire. He’s now a Food and Beverage Manager at the Sheraton, rather than working in Front Office. His new position came with a pay raise and better hours, and we couldn’t be happier about it. The transition went pretty smoothly, since he had worked in food and beverage a few months years ago as a voyager. The Front Office team says they miss him, which is surprising because they were pretty rude to him during the two years he worked there.
For the past several months, I’ve been working on organizing a Book of Mormon read-a-thon with the young women in our church. This was my first big event since being called to serve, and I felt so driven to make it work. I spent months dividing the Book of Mormon into sections and planning each activity. I had so many nightmares leading up to the event. In one, the bishop showed up with all the rambunctious young men. In another, the power went out, and we had no lights, audio, or video. In yet another, all my supplies were stolen. You get the picture—nightmares.
Thankfully, Emily stepped up and took charge of decorating the YW room, transforming it into a beautiful Jerusalem setting with draped sheets, pillows, and blankets. It was perfect! We had so much fun going through the Book of Mormon. I planned to switch activities every 15-20 minutes, so we did individual readings, watched videos, had guest presenters, played games, took breaks, sang musical numbers, made crafts, did group work, and had object lessons. It was a packed, fun-filled 24 hours.
Since we weren’t allowed to sleep at the church, we went to another leader’s house to rest. Some of the girls partied like there was no tomorrow, but I told them if they wanted to stay up all night, that was up to them. However, we were getting up at 5:15 AM to finish the reading at the church. I don’t think the girls fell asleep until after 2 AM, but they were up and ready to go by 5 AM!
The event went so well. We got closer as a group, and I know the girls felt the Spirit. It was amazing to hear their questions and comments about their favorite parts of the Book of Mormon. It truly was one of the best weekends. All the work was worth it! I crashed the next day and didn’t wake up until noon. I know the girls had a great time because I received some sweet texts from their moms. I couldn’t have pulled it off without Emily, who was a total go-getter and did exactly what I asked her to do. Everything worked out perfectly, and none of my nightmares came true. I hope the young women enjoyed the read-a-thon as much as I did!
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