Due to some unfortunate events, the people who usually take care of the decorations, tiki hut, bbq grill, sound system and stage for the Luau were not going to be able to help us this year. Kelley had asked a few couples to help with the decorating, but then I realized they were just planning to help me put up whatever I had got for the decorations.   I was stewing over some ideas and Katie says "let me try something"  So she goes out to the garage and digs around in the piles of wood, finds some old boards and paints some cute "luau" words on them.

 Then she makes it into a sign, (yep that's her using the nail gun!)   sticks it in a bucket and there you go.  Then she just busts out these other things to go with it for the tables.  How cute is that?  She is pretty amazing creative and talented!  I am so grateful for her help!  I really don't know what I would have done without her.

 Kelley and KC got the yard in shape a little bit early because we were expecting a big rainstorm Friday afternoon.  It showed up just like they had predicted and really dumped on us. The temperature dropped about 20 degrees too!  It rained all night and the next morning too.   But about noon, it cleared off and the rest of the day was just perfectly pleasant.  That was sure an answer to my prayers.

 The guys out getting the fire going for the meat.I'm so grateful for good for good friends that always come to help with the luau!  The rain and cold didn't keep them away.

 Candice came over to help and we got all the tables decorated.  I got out daddy's trunk with his things from Tahiti and put some of them out on the tables too. It  looked pretty neat

 Ha ha this was one of the dumbest ideas I've ever had...initially, we went looking for decorations at the dollar stores and the party stores.  Dollar stores were out of all of their luau stuff and party stores were pretty pricey for just a little grass hut looking decoration.  So I decided to get raffia and make my own.  I knew right away that it was gong to take way too long after just a few minutes of stringing the raffia onto some twine, but I had bought all this raffia so I decided to get done what I could.  I don't even want to say how long it took me.  It turned out pretty cute though.  (Note to self.  BUY grass hut decoration.)

I thought the cooler temperature would keep people away, but they came in throngs.  Stephanie, Jeni and Darilyn came over early to help with some last minute things.  Bro Barcarse had been working with several of our young women and young men, teaching them some Hawaiian dances.  He also had all his entertainers and band there too so we had a real nice program.

Everyone brought food and we had more meat than last year, but we still ran out of almost everything.  I think the entertainers may have cleaned us out...they can really put the food away!

A bunch of people stayed and helped clean everything up.  It was good to see some people we haven't seen for a long time and some we had never met before.  It's great to see neighbors who aren't members come and have a good time with everyone.  I dropped into bed exhausted, but happy the rain stopped and everything went so well.