Weekend in Seattle

So this past weekend I tagged along with one of my good friends Omi for some photo shoots in Seattle. Wow was it a culture shock for me. I've been to Seattle once during the Living Legend days at BYU--and of course we didn't get out much. It was just show after show. So, it was as if this was my first time in Seattle. We stayed in downtown Seattle and it was beautiful. The architecture there is amazing and it was far more cultured and liberal then I had expected. I know, I know--I so need to get out more. The cherry blossoms were in full bloom and so much prettier then the ones here in Utah. The city is full of joggers which made me feel like I was back in Provo Utah again! Obesity doesn't seem to be a problem in Seattle--there's "organic" everything. I've gotta say the streets drove me crazy and poor Omi was the one driving the whole weekend. There were one ways, round abouts, you'd be driving in one lane and then it would all of a sudden end--it was insane. We spent A LOT of time on the road trying to figure out where we were going, but it was sooo much fun. Omi also took me to eat a crab pot right off the shore and it was sooo onolicious. My only criticism was that the dipping cups for the butter weren't big enough for me--I was basically drinking that stuff. I also met some amazing people in Seattle. I helped Omi with a bridal shoot for the beautiful Rose Ramsey--I hope I make it out for the wedding and the Warner family is such a beautiful family. All the best with the move back to Hawaii. I also had the honor of meeting Pua and Mapuana. You gals rock! Thanks Om for all the laughs. I had a blast!


The only shot I got of Seattle was of the beautiful Seattle people I met so here is the Warner family!

ABC's of Me

ABC's of Me

Fill in your answers and tag 15 people. Thanks, Nimo!

A - Age: 28

B - Bed size: King size

C - Chore you hate: Bathroom--so I make Uela do it

D - Dad's Name: Vini Tumu Purcell, dad, grandpa, papa

E - Essential start your day item: Straightener

F - Favorite actor(s): I just saw Fast & the Furious so right now it's Paul Walker

G - Gold or Silver: Silver

H - Height: 5'7

I - Instruments you play(ed): Violin since the TVA days in Laie

J - Job title: Wife & Mommy 1st, Delta agent 2nd

K - Kid(s): 1 beautiful babygirl

L - Living arrangements: Married with 1 child

M - Mom's name: Patisepa Laveiseaso Fafai-Purcell, Grandma & Nana

N- Nicknames: Bubbles, Bubbs (this was only with the Livng Legends group at BYU--don't ask me lol), mommy, mom, babe, baby

O - Overnight hospital stay other than birth: 7 months prego--fluid was low

P - Pet Peeves: I aboslutely hate when people save their chewing gum--on a plate, behind their ear (yes I've seen that), on their hand--I hate it! My other pet peeve? I'd have to agree with Nimo- Negative people. Move it along if you're walking around with a dark cloud over your head!! I also hate when people can't be happy for others successes--we're all entitled to it, it's up to you!

Q - Quotes you like: "A day without love is a day without life!"

R - Right or left handed: Right

S - Siblings: 2 sisters-Lora and Sala, 2 brothers-Vini and Hyrum

T - Time you wake up: When im working- 4am When im off- as late as possible!

U - Underwear: A must

V - Vegetable you dislike: Lima beans

W - Ways you run late: Devyn and her oh so fabulous hair, but most of the time Uela ;)

X - X-rays you've had: Teeth and ankle

Y – Yummy food you make: Hmmm, chicken casserole. This one is a hard one cause sad to say, Uela does all of the cooking

Z - Zodiac:I'm a Capricorn

Just because a post is so much better with a picture

Con't busy week.....Saturday

So I had to dedicate a post all on its own to my niece Journey. She is Sala and Ron's oldest and the oldest grandchild in my family. Journey was baptized and confirmed Saturday, April 11 by her father. Yay Journey! Wow 8 years has flown by soooo fast. Journey is a special member of our family. She came to us when Sala was young and we all felt almost immediately that we were among an angel. Journey is such a sweet spirit and is a great help in our family. She is the oldest of four and is very motherly and nurturing. Hmmm, sounds like a great babysitter for the near future! :) Journey is in 2nd grade at Monroe Elementary and is a very bright and intelligent girl. She's a sporty-kind of girl. This year she was the only girl who played in an all boys Junior Jazz basketball league and I've got to say--she kicked some butt. Journey also has a beautiful voice and we love to listen to her sing. Congratulations Journey, I love you!

My busy week!

Tuesday/Wednesday: So it's almost the end of the week finally and I am exhausted. It's been a pretty crazy week for my family but a good busy, not the annoying busy. Tuesday night we had our last family dinner with Sister Lola Purcell who entered the MTC Wednesday and will be serving in the Oakland Temple mission. Sister Purcell is my first cousin and is from Provo. We are sooo proud of her and know she will be an awesome missionary. We love you Sister Purcell!

Friday: Our family along with some of our good friends, took our annual trip down to Provo to watch Tiafau Purcell, Lola's brother (we missed you Lola, I'm sure you heard our cheers from the MTC) dance in BYU's end of the year Ballroom concert. Can I just say it was nothing short of AMAZING! Tia is on BYU's International Ballroom tour team who has been top notch in competition. They are the Undefeated National Formation Champs since 1982. They have been criticized on their costumes, because although it's ballroom dance, every piece of clothing is modest and follows church standards--I think it's awesome, but still beautiful. Tia also dances individuals and has taken 2nd place in nationals. This year was special because it is Tia's last year on the team. He is only a Junior but will be gone his Senior year doing an internship in Brazil. The theme was Viva Espana, or Live Spain and our Tia was the poster boy for this years concert. Tia was the star of the show and closed it up with a solo doing the Paso Doble. We are all soooo proud of Tia and all he's accomplished. I wish and expect nothing but the best for Tia. He is an amazing person both on and off the dance floor.

Saturday: This morning my younger brother Vini was endowed in the Jordan River Temple, in preparation to serve in the San Bernadino California mission. It was a beautiful session and words can't describe the feelings I felt being in the celestial room with my parents, both sisters along with their husbands, and now my younger brother. Just one more little brother to go and we can all be there as a family. The temple just deepens your love for your family and this morning was such a special treat for us all. I'm glad Vini got in there asap--after Bednar's talk this past conference I know he will need that extra protection you are given when attending the temple. We love you Vini!

Right after Vini's endowment session Journey was baptized.

It's been a busy week, but a fun one!

Book Review: Sarah's Key

There's nothing more relaxing then a good book. I just finished Sarah's key and I am so embarrassed to say that Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay has been sitting in my "to be read" pile for over 2 weeks. We took one of our many trips to Barnes and Noble because my husband is a reading freak and Uela refused to buy me another book until I finally got to my TBR pile. So this past weekend I escorted my grandmother to Oakland to catch her flight to Honolulu and I dug it from under my pile and threw it in my purse. I wasn't sure if it would be a book that I would love. I haven't always been fascinated with books about World War II, especially ones that deal with the Holocaust, they're just so depressing. Unfortunately this one got buried, and I kind of forgot about it! What a huge mistake because I thought this book was very, very good. This just further proves what I already know -- too many great books and not enough time to read them all. This book covered a horrific event in France history; and I hate to admit it, but I was absolutely clueless. Like everyone else in the world, I was aware of the Holocaust -- I just didn't know that almost 13,000 Jews were arrested in Paris on July 16th, 1942. These people were taken from their homes by French policemen under orders of the German Gestapo. Most of the adults were sent directly to concentration camps; however, some of the adults and children were moved to the Vél d’Hiv, an indoor stadium used for bicycle races. For almost a week, people were held here in horrific conditions until they were shipped out to concentration camps.

The beginning of this book just broke my heart. When the policeman came to round-up her family, Sarah, a 10 year old girl, locks her 4 year old brother, Michel in a closet and tells him that she'll be back for him soon. Unknown to her at the time, the French police are taking her and her parents to the Vél d’Hiv; and they have no plans to allow Sarah's family to go back home . The guilt that this young girl feels for leaving her brother just tore me apart. Michel is about Devyn's age and I actually felt sick as I read (and thought) about Sarah's pain. As a reader, I just kept wondering how much Sarah could handle; and I have to say that I couldn't stop thinking about this young child. The book also tells the story of Julia, an American journalist living in France 60 years later, who is researching the Vél d’Hiv incident for an article. Julia is amazed that she wasn't familiar with this part of France's history, and she soon finds out that most French people aren't comfortable discussing it. As she learns more about this awful time, she discovers that her husband's family has actual ties to a displaced family. As Julia's personal life becomes more complicated, she begins to get emotionally involved with the people she is researching; and she eventually starts to question her own life.

The author did an incredible job of weaving together the two stories. From the very first page, I was drawn into these characters' lives, and I had to know what happened to them (especially Sarah.) This book also had quite a few surprises in it which kept the reader guessing. Most of the characters were living with some type of secret; and I thoroughly enjoyed how Ms. de Rosnay "unlocked" each of these secrets. I thought she did an amazing job of tying together the stories and developing the symbolism of the key throughout the novel. After reading this I'm curious as to find out more about Vel d'Hiv and also to find more books by de Rosnay.