Visiting Hawaii

My Sister Tiffany came to visit us in Hawaii for two weeks and we had a BLAST! We got to be tourist and explore the island. We crammed many great adventures through our her stay.

*Jogged on the beach.
*Watched the sunrises on the beach.
*Hiked to Mahuka Heia State Monument, Monoa Falls, and Waimea Valley Falls.
*Night Crab Hunting on the beach.
*Visited Haleiwa and had shaved ice and ice cream at MATSUMOTO.
*Snorkeled on Temple Beach and Hanauma Bay.
*Visited the PPC and watched the Night Show.
*Went to Hula Practice.(She didn’t try to hula, what a shame!)
*Went to Laie Point and saw the water sprays from the whales.
*Took her to school with me for music class.
*Saw a Monk Seal beached at Turtle Beach. (Forgot our cameras!)
*Played and Swam on the BEACH, BEACH and BEACH!
* Went Kayaking on the ocean. (Two amateurs trying to navigate the ocean, SCARY!)

Here are some photos of her stay.

The best part is, I got to spend time with my sister and reconnect.

Night Crab Hunting!

What a simple and fun thing to do with your family especially for Family Home Evening.

We took my sister Tiffany to experience this fun activity. We search the shores with our flashlights to see who can get the biggest crabs. We discovered the crabs were only calm in the bucket if it was dark but flash your flashlight on them and you'll see them trying to jump out. Which is kinda freaky! We had a blast chasing those creatures and trying to win. Best part of all after we are done we return them to the ocean.

Sunrise in Paradise!

I HAVE BEEN BAG TAGGED!

I was reminded today that I have been tagged and where was the post. For my defense I just found out I was tagged last night and I thought Mya's post is prettier.

Anyhow, This is the contents of my handbag. Well, the "clean" version;




This cute Kenneth Cole handbag, I got at a steal at Ross in Bountiful, Utah. Actually I purchase this bag when I found out that we were flying out to Hawaii for a job interview. I wanted a bag that wasn't a DIAPER BAG and it was big enough to fit some diapers and wet ones. This bag definitely fit the bill. I love all the pockets it has and I can even carry sippy cups in them. As for the contents, as you can see are not much. There is my wallet ( can't leave home without it), a lipstick (just in case I need to doll up. Yeah right, it when I'm performing with the Hulau out in the community. ), a compact(must need to see if my lipstick is smeared)a pair earrings( cute on but kills my ears after a while), hand lotion( must keep my hands feeling soft) my keys, and a course a mini candy bar(when it just gets too crazy being a mom and chocolate just helps).

So, as you all know I am a MOM and this is what my contents of my bag really is;

Pretty much the same except some "true" stuff of me inside. Receipts from Foodland, that are three months old,( Don't know why I'm hanging on to them.), A Maika'i card reward coupon(hey, need that to exchange for the free bag of Hersery Kissess at Foodland), a candy wrapper(surprise, surprise!), two pens( just in case), bobbie pins and a hair tie( a must in Hawaii, especially when you have bad hair day or days), a cap for a missing chapstick (I been looking for that caps for months), a clothes tag(I just don't know why that's there) a Barbie fruit snack for the kids (are they really fruit snack more like sugared gummy treats!), some change(too lazy to put it in the wallet),two game pieces from McDonald,( I must had thought I could win, DUH!) a ketchup packet( who, know when I would need it), Oh, yeah for those stale French fries(HELLO, what the heck! Yeah, I know the kids saving them for later)a dirty wet one and NAPKIN, NAPKINS, and NAPKINS(I counted and I had 2o, why would I have so many, oh yeah, I have kids)

But since the second week of January of 2008, I been carrying another bag. A BACK BAG and this is the contents;

My wallet(a must because it has my student ID) a bottle of water(when I get thirty from my bike ride to my first class) my big planner( to help keep everything straight for a busy mom and student.), a Foodland bag( Yes, I have a bag. I use this bag to cover my bike seat when I park it at the school in case if it rains.) 4 pens and two pencils( must think I need this many), my biology book and folder, my music book and it clipboard( music lecture class is taught in the band room , that doesn't have any desk to lend on to take notes, hence the clipboard,) and finally cotton balls!? I don't know why I have have them in my backpack and why do I have 5?

So now, I TAGGING.... hmm....
Clay (my baby sister) I wants to see your post soon.

And thank you Liz for my first TAG and making me feel that I have finally arrived in blogging. Also helping me realize my bags needs to be cleaned out.

Birthday Girl!

Our little baby girl is now 3 years old!
We can't believe, how time has flown. We had a GREAT day! In the morning she was allow to open her gifts given for her by extended family and pick her own breakfast.(Frosted Mini Wheats) For the rest of the morning we played with her new gifts. For lunch, we walked to McDonald and a course she had a Happy Meal. She LOVED it!
We waited for her brothers to come home from school and headed to the beach. We had a GRAND time.

After the beach, we had Mya's favorite dinner, PIZZA. She decided she wantes cupcakes for her birthday cake and she enjoyed every bite of it. Afterward she opened gifts given by her family.
She bring such happiness in our lives and we are grateful for all she has been teaching us.

MOANIKEALA

Performed at the Moanikeala Hula Festival at the Polynesian Cultural Center this Saturday. It was a long day starting at 6:30 a.m for stage practice. After stage practice, we were directed to the dressing room at the terrace. We set up our potluck breakfast and enjoyed the food. Afterward, it was dress time and to wait until curtain time. We were part of a special ceremony to welcome an hulau from Japan, who was participating in the festival. We did our Ole and gave each of them a lei. It was a special moment to be part of. We were the last Hulau to perform at the festival, which was at 2:00p.m. It was an amazing experience. It was long day but I truly enjoyed being around the women in my hulau. There is such a special SPIRIT in this group. They welcome you as part of their family. It's been 1 1/2 years that I have been performing with this group and loving every minute of it. I learned some much for these women and the true meaning of Aloha spirit.

NATE'S 6TH BIRTHDAY!

Nathan had AWESOME time on his birthday even if the weather wasn't cooperation!

It's so hard to take pictures when the birthday boy likes showing his fake smile and laughing.

Nate's wanted to go to the beach for his birthday but it was raining all day. He finally got his wish a couple of days later.

He had a great time boogie boarding and playing in the sand with his sister.

Nate is a joy in our family and we are so grateful to be part of his life. He's already asking about his next birthday and all the things he wants to do.

I DID IT!

I finally did it! I started school today after being out of a classroom for 12 years. I was excited, nervous, and a little freaked out. I must take advantage that I'm an professor's wife and I can go to school for FREE. After putting my education on hold to support Blake and raise my children. It's now my turn. I'm just going part-time and taking two classes. It was hard trying to find classes to go around Blake's classes schedule and my choices were limited, but I was able to find two classes that I found interesting. There are Introduction to Biology and World Music Cultures. The fun part of this solution is going to be playing tag and swapping Mya with Blake. I have a class that ends at 7:50a.m and then I run to Blake's office and pick up Mya. Blake teaches a class at 8:00 a.m. Then five minutes before his class ends, I drop Mya at his class and it gives me 10 minutes to run across campus to go to my second class at 9 a.m. But today was crazy because the Boys are till on their Christmas Vacation Break and don't return to school until Monday the 14th. So, I was hauling the crew to Blake's office this morning. CRAZY! This year is definitely going to be an adventure juggling motherhood, being a homemaker and a student. I returned back to school for myself and my children. (With a big push from Blake.) I want to show my children it's never too late to get an education. Wish me LUCK!

Diamond Head State Monument

Enjoy The Little Things

It's truly AMAZING, to see the world through the eyes of a child. The joy and happiness they find in the most simplest things. It make your realize what you have taken for granted and rediscover what's precious. Especially on the holidays, we tend to go overboard with material things. Just remember what's truly important and cherish every moment.

Pipeline Triple Crown 2007

Pancho Sullivan Day 1 (a 7.3 wave--he took 3rd overall). Due to the small waves this year, this was one of the few tubes of the competition.

Let's the Surfing Begin...

North Shore...at Waimea the waves were Awesome and we went to see the surfers battle the waves.

Nathan thought this was Totally Wicked.

I couldn't believe how BIG the waves were and I was told this was NOTHING.

I LOVE how this photo turned out of Isaac watching the surfers.

Truly amazed of the skills and tricks these surfers were doing on these waves.

Whenever Mya sees a camera she just has to pose. What a Cutie Pie!
As for the surfing, we can't wait for Pipeline with starts December 8th and we'll be there.

Pearl Harbor

Happy Thanksgiving!

What a day! We started at 7:30 a.m with our Annual Ward Football Game. Old Men vs Young Mens. It was a blast to watch. There were a lot of Shouting and Laughter. A course, the Young Mens LOST! The Men sure showed the Young men ,whose better.

I enjoyed watching Blake play and he played very well. He made those Young Men WORK.

We enjoy our Thanksgiving meal for Lunch and the Kids help make the Jello Turkey Cups for dessert. Everyone decorated their own cup.

As for the table, the kids set it. This is the second time in our married life that Blake and I have made our own turkey for Thanksgiving. It's our first time as a family that we have Thanksgiving just on our own without sharing with another family.

Blake and I studied and searched for the right recipes for this meal. I did the Turkey and the dressing and Blake did the rest of the meal. We thought it came out well. There are things we would do differently next time but over all it was good.

We have a tradition of asking everyone at the table to tell everyone what their are thankful for. We had Nathan who was thankful for the Turkey and his family, Isaac was thankful for Scooby Doo, the Lord and for his family and for Mya, I asked her what is she grateful for and she paused for a second and said"Jesus". How's sweet is that!

We didn't go to the beach today but had fun day playing football, playing on the playgrounds, attending an baptism, basketball, napping, hide and seek, reading books, computer games (Jewel Quest 2 and Cubis®2), monkeys in a barrel, and watching football and "Surf Up"(Cute Movie). We are truly thankful for the many blessings the Lord has given to us. We miss our families and friends on the mainland. We wish you all an Happy Thanksgiving.

Yummy!

Nathan was so EXCITED with the Thanksgiving crafts he made in his Kindergarten Class but especially with this Apple Turkey.

He just enjoyed showing it off to everyone in the family.

He's such a sweet boy who loves to give hug and always telling you he loves you. I just had to capture his excitement of all the crafts he made himself.He told me that the necklace is for me to wear anytime but can I wear it to Church this Sunday. Pretty Neat, Huh! PRICELESS
(He especially enjoyed eating the Apple Turkey, it's was YUMMY!)

Red Afros Are Beautiful!

Taking A Walk

Future Mommy....Mya and I take daily walks on the weekdays and she had decided that she wanted to take her baby with her.

It was so cute to see here pushing her stroller.

She also just loved the attention she was getting from people on the road.

These are the times I'll always treasure.

Happy Halloween!