Guest Visit from Photographer Scott

No, these weren't by me. Scott gave me a paid-for certificate to get scuba diver certified (I don't even know the term) two somewhat years ago. It's still in it's original blue folder with the dive video the store wants back. But he did go diving yesterday with our friend, Keidi, the girl with short blonde hair in all the pictures. I'm super depressed to hear that Keidi will be leaving us for Florida by this summer, she came to our sleepover, and she is an AWESOME awesome girlfriend. Scott says the water is Keidi's element. Seasickness, however, is Scott's element. He was sick all day yesterday and said he even threw up during the boat ride. I think I made it worse. Last night, I made some curtains and wanted to put them up when I got home from work a little before midnight. Of course, the two windows are right over our bed....so I was trying to softly step over his head as I put the two curtains up but I guess I woke him up. He opened up one eye and growled "can you stop moving the bed...I'm getting seasick all over again." (or something to that effect)

Photo 1: Keidi somewhere under the water, I have no idea where they are.

Photo 2: Keidi completely ignoring the state laws that state you must stay at least fifteen feet from the endangered turtles (honu)

Nah, just joking...I mean the law is real...but one summer back home on the Big Island, me and my friends would grab onto the turtle's shells and make them pull us around underwater.

Photo 3: I'm thinking Keidi is on the left and that might be John-John on the right. I don't even know if he went, but there's some studly guy who looks like him.

Photo: Cute little turtles having a morning snack

The things people say

No photo...but this had me and Scott doubled over last night at 24.

I volunteered to help Mel run the children's church performance for Mother's Day in May. Only because I think "The Way I was Made" By Chris Tomlin would be real cute if sung by cute little kiddies. But my stress for the last six weeks is trying to get people together to make a recording of the new version that's a little more fitting for mother's day. It's been too hard to get people together to make a recording at church and our sound techs at church have changed twice in the past few months. I desperately needed something...anything by this Sunday so we had an impromptu recording at the church. Grant, who didn't even know the song, came and helped Scott on guitar. Clinton, thank goodness, he listened to the song on the CD and then me singing the lame words that me and Scott made up at 11 pm one night when I refused to let Scott go to sleep.

We had to sing two tracks (two slightly different versions) so Tom pressed record, gave us the thumbs up and we ran through the first track. It's kind of dark in the church and Tom was waaaaaay in the back behind all the soundboards. We finished...and I looked at Scott...okay, now what? So, Scott yelled out to Tom asking if he was ready for us to start the second track. No answer. Now we're all calling out to Tom, we couldn't even tell if he was really back there. Clinton (his brother), on drums, says " I think Tom wants us to keep going and just go right into the second track." So, feeling bad that we had all that dead space, we launch into the second song. I really was rocking that one. And just as we end and Clinton finishes his last drum roll, the back door opens and Tom walks in and asks "what are you guys doing?" Um, we weren't even being recorded. Good job, Clinton, that a way to guess what your brother wanted.

Then, much much later that night, we were working out at 24 after minichurch. Well, Jasen and Scott were working out. Jenny and I were trying to guess what the heck you were supposed to do those weight-lifting contraptions. I saw Jasen keep trying to snatch my CD Player (heck no I don't have an IPOD) and I kept grabbing it away and telling him not to listen to the CD. But Jasen, stubborn Jasen, he didn't listen. I saw him with my head phones on and the CD player and I started to rush over to him. But as I was walking over, he grimaced and pulled the headphones. He kind of made a face as he gave it to me and said "Ugh, I'm not really into that kind." Yah, thanks, Jasen, that was me singing on the CD. Oh, Scott was laughing so hard he almost killed himself with the weights he was trying to lift. Then, Jasen tried to backpedal when I told him it was me on the CD but it was too late. The first reaction is always the honest reaction.

Oh, I forgive him....I'm not a real big fan of my voice either.

More Baby Reeves

More photos of Baby Reeves...I don't have any more stories of him because I don't have.

So....random snapshots:

At our girls sleepover, Scott's little mini-fridge was buzzing loudly and I thought it distracting since we were having girl talk so I unplugged it. It is chock full of soda but, smart me, I deduced that the sodas were cold enough to last the night. It wasn't until the next day when Scott asked me what happened to his mango sherbet that I realized that I forgot about the little freezer that was a part of the fridge. The little freezer that was chock full of ice cream that we bought and Chrystie bought. Oops...now all our poor ice cream bars are misshapen and sad looking.

Photo 1: More of baby Reeves

Photo 2: A little blurry cause I was taking the pic over my head with my right hand...but the pose is undeniable-ly worth the cutesie points
Photo 3: There he is...still sleeping.

Baby Reeves

I have exceeded my limit of upload for Flickr for this month. So, the other photos of baby Reeves is just going to have to wait. Just a few more days and I can upload to my heart's content. We visited Erica today, brought her lunch, and met the little tyke. He was sleeping...in fact, he stayed asleep the entire time. Erica says he sleeps through everything...well, he did have to learn in utero to sleep with a mom who laughs like only Erica can.

Photo 1: He's just swimming in his clothes. He's tall and doesn't fit newborn sizes anymore

Photo 2: Here's Uncle Scott who usually doesn't carry babies this young...but with all our friends mass producing them...he's learning quickly.

Girls Sleepover- Before and After

Sleepover Party
Friday night, I had a girls sleepover at my house. My brother-in-law, Stanton, was going to be away at camp. My roommate Vinnie usually works nights. My husband said he could sleep at his mom's house, which left me with a house to myself. Yes, after living with all that testosterone, I could finally turn the tide. So, I invited as many girls as I could to come hang out and sleep over if they wanted. Unfortunately, as we got closer to this weekend, Vinnie then told me had national guard and had planned to not work during the night. Ummm, I told him "too bad...you can't stay here." It was tough love, sorry Vinnie. So he worked all night and went straight to National Guard. Then, my poor husband had his turn. He found out that he was slotted to fill in and preach the two saturday night services. Oh, sorry, babe, you can't stay here. You don't fit the main rule...gotta be a girl. So, after friday night church, he drove out to Camp Erdman for part of the Men's Retreat and slept in his car. Again, tough love.

My invite said dinner was at six and Deidre was there promptly at 5:45 pm. Then I found out that Joy couldn't make it (sick grandma), Ruthie couldn't make it (sick sister), and Keidi was going to be very very late (she was still out at sea protecting our coast). So when dinner rolled around, and it was just me, deidre, mel, and Jenny...I did think, this might be one of the saddest slumber parties ever. Especially since mel and deidre had to leave for church, though they promised to come back. But eventually the girls did finally start pouring in. A very pregnant Kanani arrived next, with two kids in tow. One of them suspiciously did not look very much like a girl, but I think everyone was kind enough to let it slide. Though, Mel and Jenny should have protested since Isaac managed to beat them at the Scene It Trivia game for Xbox. I started the game for him and had a lot of points...but still, we are talking about a little boy who can't read fast enough to play. He would just buzz in instantly and guess. And, darn it, if he wasn't right half the time.

And Kanani decided to freak me out by telling me that she was on medicine because she was having contractions all the time. Ummm, I don't think you can have the baby here. A lot of girls just came to talk story and talk story they did. My friend, Chrystie, from college and her sister, Malia, came....they're Waimanalo girls and soon there were always 10 to 12 girls sitting around our dinner room table...and they sat there talking for hours. I never even saw anyone get up for water or a bathroom break. And, they were laughing so much, you could hear them everywhere. I was a little worried about the noise but, oh, well, it was so worth it to see everyone getting to know each other. It sounded like like Oprah unplugged. Bow, Deidre, and Lisa stopped by and hung out....Robyn brought a friend, Erin. The girls who were willing to rough it and sleep over were Keidi, Natalie, Mel, Malia, Tricia, Angie, Jenny.

The girls who weren't staying over must have had fun because they all stayed until one and right after most of them had left...I was in the kitchen and I saw a police light cruise by very slowly and stop....and then it reversed and stopped right in front of our house. hee hee, we got called in for noise disturbance...hee hee. I wasn't really surprised, we were really loud, I thought it might happen. So, I went out in my pajamas and sweetly apologized to the nice officer in our garage. He was really really nice. I babbled something about how I was sorry and I understood the rules...I work for the police department, heck, my husband is a pastor (Scott was horrified that I dragged his name into the conversation, but at least, I didn't tell him what church we are at). I forgot to drop vinnie's name in there but it was late and I was tired. We were so blessed because we were all getting ready for bed so it was superquiet when he showed up...he just shrugged and said that he didn't hear anything and it wasn't anything. Whooo, sigh of relief.

I did think it was the funniest thing. I can't believe the police had to come try shut down my sleepover. I called Scott, who was sleeping in his car (did not think it was as funny as I did). He just keeps rubbing it in, that for 31 years, he and his brother have lived there and had parties and never had the cops show up...and it only took me six months.

But we girls giggled over it and then fell asleep watching "Love Actually." The next morning, we had a prize for the girl who slept in the latest. Darn it, I bet Malia would sleep in the latest but she woke up third to last. Then I turned the tv on but the volume was on maximum volume so that woke up Jenny. The prize, a Polariod photo printer (Scott bought it from a store closing sale)...went to...guess who....Tricia. We had breakfast together and...the sleepover ended but not really because four of us just stayed in our pajamas and watched Bobby Brown "Sleep-walk/pee" on "Gone Country" til Scott came home.

That was the sleepover. I think I made some new friends and I loved having them over...can't wait until the next one.
Photo 1: Pre-Party, look how clean we made the house. We just shoved everything into Scott's and Stanton's room.(BEFORE)


Photo 2: The Noise-producing/police-report-generating area of the house (AFTER)

Playing with Photoshop

I was googling and found a thread on a photography forum about photo effects. But the greatest part was that you could download a file of photoshop actions to your computer.
"Go here http://photography-on-the.net/forum/...20&postcount=1 and down load Beau's look of lomo action. Run the action on a photo"

But you simply download the actions (its for photoshop CS, I haven't tried it with regular photoshop) and you play the action on your picture. It's so much fun. So this is a pic from last week, you may recognize the cute little face I already posted about but it's fun to revisit her.

Photo 1: The look of lomo


Lomo is a term used to describe a photography style initiated by the Russian camera, the Lomo LC-A ," and usually has characterisitics such as over-saturated colors, blurring, alternative film-processing and a candid approach to life.

Maryknoll Chemistry -Diet Coke and Mentos

Aaaagh, I can't ever forget my past...my roots have let me grow. I loved teaching because I loved the creativity and working with no boundaries...which probably brought about my end to teaching...because I work best in a job with boundaries. If I'm not given limits, I don't know when to stop working. Gone are the nights and weekends of being trolled up in my house grading and trying to come up with new material...Now, when the clock hits 3 pm, or 11 pm right now...I'm done. I go home, and watch tv...go to a movie...shocking, huh? But then, I look at my pictures and I sigh and ponder the good ole days.

Before, I couldn't post pictures because I am/was a teacher. Ooh, I wonder if I still can't. Oh, well, who you going tell? the police? too bad, I work there. ha ha.

These two photos are from our diet coke and mentos demonstration.

It's a very violent reaction, but there's nothing chemical about it. There is no change in the reactants involved, it is simply a physical reaction. A state of matter change.

All you need:

a 2 Liter bottle of Diet Coke (diet coke is easier to clean up than regular coke)

mentos

A index card

a long cylindrical tube

Notes: The most commonly used solution is coke/diet coke, but any carbonated drink will work. There are two types of mentos, use the mint ones, not the fruity ones. The fruity ones have a layer around it that keeps it from dissolving properly. For our tube, we used a test tube, but you can use a piece of paper or hand. Really you want something that gets the mentos in quickfire without clogging up.

Explanation: As the mentos hits the soft drink, it's outer coating starts to dissolve leaving behind a rough surface. The chemicals in the mentos also triggers a violent release of carbon dioxide. That's the key to this demo. All the carbon dioxide that's in the soda doesn't want to be there, it's held there by pressure. At this instance, it is being set free. As the first molecules of carbon dioxide are released, it changes the balance and all the carbon dioxide molecules change into a gas and spew out the bottle, taking soda with it and making a fountain.

It happens quickly so the faster you get the most mentos in there, the better. Thus the need for something that feeds the mentos one at a time(so they don't clog up) but very quickly. I think we got around 15 mentos in...before the fountain started spitting them out.

Photo 1: Here's C. Mochizuki (one of my favorite last names in my years of teaching) getting ready to pull the index card and drop the mentos in the coke.

PS. I love this picture because of Dexter jumping for joy. He's such a ham. And I notice that he's also wearing a non-Maryknoll sweater. Oooh, he never gave up trying to wear it every day.

So I posted these pictures on flickr so i can get them on my website. I'm getting addicted to checking them out on flickr. This is the second photo that got randomly commented on by a stranger and the second request for someone else to use it. I'm such a dork, I get so excited by that. You must know, I check out my counter website everyday and it's kind of like a popularity contest. I get real bummed when the counter graph goes down. Come one people, make that graph go up. Make my day!!!

PS. I got a root canal today!!! That means my tooth is dead. It sounds so dismal. But it means I can eat ice cream and drink cold milk again. Oh, that sounds delicious.

PSS. Sometimes if you search for your school on youtube.com...you find interesting videos that are obviously made during class. I can even hear my former fellow teachers trying to spread wisdom in the background. Oh, you sly computer-savvy teenagers.

I'm tired and my legs dont want to move...

I'm so so so tired. I got home late from work and then ate dinner at midnight. Scott and I were supposed to go to work out at the turbo kickboxing class this morning with Kevin and Keidi but I was way too tired this morning. When Scott tried to wake me up this morning, I gave him the cold shoulder and the evil eye. Then, man, as I was just slipping back to wondrous sleep under my warm comfy blankets, I heard the annoying, persistent knock of Kevin at the front door. I tried to ignore it but the second round of knocks dragged me out the door. I trudged to the front door and gave him a withering look. But it did wake me up, so I did go after all and I'm glad I did. It was a lot of fun...although, my legs don't ever want to used again and I'm sleepy again.

These are some more pictures from the double Hope chapel baby shower. This is Yvonne's granddaughter, Bella. The minute she came in the room, I just lit up and my whole goal was to introduce myself and then steal the baby. And, I did. And as a added bonus, she helped me win the final game. I had three bracelets but Ruby had four bracelets so I spent some time eyeing out everyone and saw Grace wearing two bracelets. So I carried Bella over and said "look, Grace!" And on cue, she giggled and said "oh, what a cute baby!" YAHOOO, thank you, Grace. Those bracelets are mine, and I pulled ahead to win. I love a good game well played.

Photo 1: I played around in Photoshop too much with this one. I tried to adjust her lighting so she wasn't overshadowed by the couch and shadows but I think the difference is too harsh in some areas and she looks like a cutout in a zoomed in version. So, no big version this time.

Photo 2: Here's a closer version...she is such a cutie. I wish I could have taken her home.

Happy Valentine's, Baby

Little "Haley Blake" born on Valentine's Day, February 14th, 2008.

Our friends did a good job, huh? The little bundles of hope have begun to arrive. I must say, this was not the couple I would expect would have their first little girl on Valentine's. Such a cheesy and mushy holiday for so-not-a cheesy and mushy couple. Scott and I put our valentine morning celebration on hold to go visit the new proud papa and mama...and let's not forget the excited "tutu" Deb...so excited, she jiggled baby until her breakfast came out (the baby's breakfast, not Deb's). Oh, boy, I forgot babies like their milk to come and go both ways.

Scott took this next photo, I figured, I should have a photo of myself somewhere in my own blog. I put her in this position and then I kind of got stuck. So I pretty much kept her there because fear kept me from attempting to pick her back up. At least I tried, Scott stayed a safe 3 feet away at all times. And there's the proud dad, Michael, who looked as if he was charged up and ready for anything. New fathers must produce some sort of alternate energy hormone.

Here Haley is snuggling with her little friend. Well, more like, I put the bear on top of her and what can she really do about it. I do swear, though, when I first put the bear wedged up against her, she gave it the side eye like "what the heck is that so close to my face?" I then felt compelled to move it to a less crowding position.

My advice: Sleep all day and night, baby...I wish I could. ~ Keao Sunaoka

Third Watch

Today I switch to third watch...which means I start working at 3 and get out at 11 pm. Not my favorite time period, but it's a little more relaxed than days so I'm looking forward to the stress releasing. Which goes great with our series at church which is all about how to overcome stress and discouragement. Last night was my day off so Scott and I enjoyed a premature Valentine's by going to the gym...yup, once you get married, your concept of quality time changes significantlly. We met up with friends, Dural and Jasen. And Jasen, oh sweet boy, bless his heart, had a little difficulty talking to me and running on the treadmill. All I know, is that there was the loud screech like a car burning rubber and , suddenly, Jasen disappeared from my peripheral vision as he shot off the back of the treadmill. Hee hee, it was sooo funny. After that, I just focused on trying to stay in the center of the treadmill.

I took my niece, Lauren, to the park and took pictures of her in her new dress for Macys. I initially bought this dress for Kanani's new baby girl, but it was so darling that I bought one for Lauren too.

Kanani and Lisa's Baby Shower

There must be something in the water at Hope Chapel.

The baby tide is continuing at Hope Chapel. Today was my third and fourth baby shower in three weeks...a jaunty shindig thrown by the lovely Miss Corinne. It was absolutely adorable and for two little ladies I absolutely adore. Lisa is having a little boy(her THIRD) and Kanani is having a girl.

Mel and I tried to arrive fashionably late (my idea), since I figure I only have about twenty good minutes of small talk stored up and ready to use. But, darn it, if I wasn't out done by Lisa who came even later...I think she just wanted to make the big entrance. The food was spectacular (if I was Scott, at least 10% of the pictures would be devoted to photos of the food). Lori hand-rolled some sort of sushi, which she wouldn't let me help because she said I wasn't asian enough. Hello, isn't my last name Sunaoka???

Let's see, my favorite moments...hmmm....when Lori suggested that the oldest woman there should pray and then our sweet hostess jumped up and pointed a finger a little too quickly.

Or...maybe when an impromptu and somewhat confusing game of "Simon Says" developed to break a tie over the "guess the diaper poo" game.

All in all, that was one of the most fun baby showers I've been to...and i'm just relieved that I can say the word baby without losing the shower game. These are some of the pictures that I wanted to put up...there will probably be more to come!!!
Photo 2: Baby bumps, what may be the beginning of a long friendship

Photo 3: Speaking of "guess the poo" game, here's the big sister getting ready to help out mommy.

Six months is just the start

Hah, I was so desperate to update my blog and so inclined to stick to my "No photo, No blog" mantra that I just shot pictures of anything that didn't compel me to have to leave my seat by the table. Lazy, indeed, huh?

Photo 1: My hubby, Scott, makes his second debut...yes, that is a whopping two pictures of him on this blog.

He's doing our taxes. He did find something real cute in this year's Turbo Tax edition. He's started our taxes and he's plugging in our answers to the thousands of questions it asks you. And one of the questions it asks is:

Turbo Tax: Did you get married in 2007?

Scott: Yes

Turbo Tax: Congratulations!

Isn't that awesome, so thoughtful of those tax computer program analysts. Makes me feel so warm and fuzzy. Speaking of which, we hit six months last week Monday or so...and let's hit a replay of that landmark day:

(the sound of scott walking in the front door)

Keao: Here, Scottie!!!

Scott: What is this? (points to a tray of beef jerky and salami which are his favorite)

Keao: Happy Six Months!!!

(awkward silence)

K: Today marks six months that we've been married.

S: Oh, you're so sweet. (more silence)

K: Ok. Where's my present?

S: ummm...it's in the car.

K: Go get it. I can't wait.

S: Ok, but I have to get gas first.

And that's pretty much how it happened, except if you have to swap the names and it wasn't a tray of salami and beef jerky but a vase of daisies...which are my favorite. Don't I have the most amazing husband. I did promise to make up for it by taking care of valentines. Any ideas?

Oh, silly Amazon, you gave me a heart attack!!!

I admit it, I've been eating amazing food and haven't exercised more than the walk from my office to my car...but I thought someone was very mistaken by my misshapen appearance when I received a bizarre email from Amazon.com. The confusion was cleared up yesterday when I received a follow-up email that went something like this:

Greetings from Amazon.com.We're contacting you about the e-mail message we mistakenly sent toyou indicating that an item was purchased from your baby registry;this message was sent to you in error. We intended to send you ane-mail regarding your Amazon Wedding Registry, but the text of themessage was incorrect. Please watch for a message regarding yourAmazon Wedding Registry in the next day or two.We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.

So, tonight, Scott and I went on an impromptu date night after I had a hankering for steak and someone blessed us with a gift certificate. We ran into an old classmate of mine who just happened also to be one of the weddings that Scott has officiated at. I think it was Scott's third wedding. Unfortunately, it didn't end well( the marriage, not Scott's wedding officiating) and, during the course, we became friends with the groom. Scott, the sweetheart waited patiently until this girl, who is a waitress at this particular restaurant, was standing near the bar and we walked over to say hi. Oh, bless his heart. It was the coldest shoulder I have ever seen in my life. She had her back turned when he patted her on the shoulder and greeted her and she didn't even turn around but muttered "hi" half-heartedly over her shoulder. And, my darling husband, kept going. He is not a quitter.

"hey, how are you doing?" hand still amicably touching shoulder to get attention

"fine" eyes still not quite turning his way

OUCH!!! We walked as quickly as we could out of there.

What did I learn from this? My way of waiting until they are out of sight and rushing out of public places works best for me.

PS. I've been married for six months and a few odd days. I'm officially an old married woman.

Love is in the air

Hey, look at me. I learned how to make some pictures bigger. Only vertical ones though. Yah, for me. I couldn't fall asleep last night after all the excitement of Leena's wedding. And then I had to work today so I'm exhausted. I can't wait until my day off on Tuesday. I'm sad that I missed out on a hike that Scott and friends from church went. Scott took our dog Charlie. He said there was a steep part that Charlie just could not get up. There was another dog there with the group who went up quite easily and then even came back down to bark at Charlie who still could not make it up. So, our hero, Mr. Ron C. carried Charlie up the hill. Oh, what a hero. But a little shameful for the Sunaoka household. Enough is enough. We're buying a stairclimber for Charlie.

Photo 1: the beautiful bride, she's half Indian-Japanese. exotic mix, huh?

Photo 2: My favorite girl, the flower girl. I'm going to miss her, she was so precocious.

PS. The couple had a sand ceremony part. I don't know where they got the idea from. This picture is in it's raw form, untouched. It just came out perfectly.

Their first dance...the CD kept skipping and all I could do was pray and speak in tongues over the possessed CD player. And, if you can picture it, Scott was by himself on the empty lagoon beach with a table on the sand and a cooler of cider for the toasts. He was such a trooper.

Leena and Matt's Wedding 2008

Love is in the air. Today was Matt and Leena's wedding. Leena and I work together and she got engaged not long after I got married so I quickly volunteered to help. After my wedding, I have sympathy for all brides-to-be everywhere. So, if you're getting married soon, hit me up now because I'm pretty sure my sympathy pains are fading and fading fast.

I'm going to keep this short because my lovely sister, when asked if she read my blog, said "'um, some of it. There's just so many words." So she missed the story of our mother, but knew all about the green sweater mention. I think she just skims and looks for her name...or her child.

I have to work early tomorrow and I'm tired since Trang and I, and Scott too, worked really hard today to help Leena with her wedding. But I couldn't resist putting the first two pictures up with more to follow next week.

Congratulations to Matt and Leena!!!

Photo 1: The ringbearer, Lily, put up much resistance to the flower headpiece. She was adorable, they had her practice dry runs of running up and down the aisle.

Photo 2: Probably my fave pic. This was actually during the ceremony. I just happened to turn around and saw this little boy trying to escape. It was great, he was so funny. Later the couple had their toasts out on the beach(we were at Ko Olina/Paradise Cove) and Scott said the boy just threw himself face-down on the sand and looked like he was making snow-angels.

Hilarious...check it out before it expires

Miss Ruthie made me and Scott the most hilarious Christmas E-Card that I have ever received in my life. You need Java to watch it. Hurry and watch it before it expires.

http://www.jibjab.com/sendables/view/bxjWlG2sLuN2phZkcblIIMHS

The three naughty elves on the roof are (left to right) Steve, Jasen, and Kevin

Musings of a Sunday Night

Random thoughts for tonight:

I was on news footage on several channels for a very very tragic event that still makes me cry when I drive by the highway sometimes. There is footage of me dusting a railing for fingerprints and it looks like I'm smiling, which I swear I was not. I got a lot of comments about it and people who offered to pray for me. One sweet woman even brought me flowers and I started to cry again when she hugged me. But then there is the voicemail message from my mother... here is an excerpt

"...I saw you on the news, baby girl. I didn't think it was reason to call considering the circumstances (and yet the call)...

I just wanted to say I love you. I love you. I love you. (oh that's sweet. I really..oh wait, she is still going)...

This might be silly but, I hope you remember to wear sunblock.

You're not the most tan person.

You should wear sunblock...you know, you've had enough experiences with being burned...anyways, I love you..."

click

Sigh, memories of being mocked by my entire family growing up for being little snow white. Apparently, it never ends.

Moment 2: Scott and I were talking about our wedding photos again(by Nely Fok) because he finally showed his mom the pictures. And as we discussed our favorite pictures, Scott says " I really love the pictures of your grandpa and my grandpa." I nodded in agreement. Scott : " I think because there's so much texture in the picture. You know, they're all wrinkly and stuff"

Hee hee, i am so emailing my grandpa with that story.

Photo 1: Sailor Moon

Photo 2: I think this picture is so cute because she looks like she's dwarfed by the chair.

Photo 3: A Montage if you will

PS. I bought her that sweater from Gymboree and I remember telling the saleslady that my sister probably wouldn't like it because it was "haole" clothing. So far, at the past family events, I've seen my Lauren in a filipino-like fuschia and green dress or a bob marley onesie. So, when I returned Lauren I just kept the sweater in my car. I did get a call from my sister demanding to know where it was and she emphatically told me "hello, of course I like haole clothes, i give all my kids haole names." I didn't understand it completely but I will return it promptly.

Happy New Years!!!

Hi, I'm Lauren, I like to lick my pillow and eat cheerios off the ground. = )

I'm not kidding about the licking pillow thing. I showed this nifty little trick to Scott and Lisa S. I put Lauren in her carseat and told them to "watch this." Lauren is just sitting there with her big brown eyes staring at us staring at her. Then I plop her little Elmo pillow in her lap and in 0.35 seconds, she leans forward, sticks out her tongue and licks away. And she won't stop until she falls asleep or you take her out of the car seat. She's weird that way.

Hmmmm, this if my first New Year's that I don't have a list of Resolutions all ready to go. I'll have to think about it. It has been a super busy 2008 and I'm already $10,000 dollars in the hole. We were sitting out in the church courtyard at the end of the Sunday 8 am church service. I was trying to eat my breakfast before I had to report to a children's church meeting. I handed Scott my dirty napkin and he said he could throw it in the trash can...the trash can was about 30 feet away. Um, there's no chance in the world. Plus, it's a little napkin, my mind was working furiously trying to weigh the laws of physics with the force needed to propel that napkin through strong headwinds. Ooooh, I see easy money.

I told him, "I'll take that bet and I'll give you 100 to 1 odds"

Scott: "Okay, I'll bet you five dollars."

Me: "I'll bet you five dollars!!! Wait, I want $100 dollars, I just want to bet so that I get $100 dollars WHEN you lose."

Scott: That means I get ten thousand dollars if I make it.

Me: Whatever! Deal

Then he threw it and it was like slow motion. Time slowed down. I remember turning my head and then having this weird fear that he was going to palm the napkin and try to outsmart me so I just stared at his hand. But everyone around me started cheering and they said...they SAID he made it. I didn't believe them and I ran over and saw a napkin in the trash can but, heck, hello, I'm sure there are plenty of used napkins already in the trash can. But I guess I have to believe. Everyone vouched for Scott...he is a pastor and we did happen to be at church with God-fearing people. I don't know...I still don't want to accept that he actually made it and I didn't even get to see it. $10,000...we're working out an installment plan.

Hey you all!!! Welcome to 2008!!!

Sugarbowl Ain't So Sweet

The Sugarbowl and the SuperDome:

I went to a few Boston College games but they were so long ago, I can't remember them. So this was like a new experience for me. We all sat together(except my parents who had nicer seats) with the McWilliams boys and Uncle Augie behind the field goal. I bought posterboards from Walgreens pharmacy and made signs in our hotel room. Like:

Bulldogs Can't Stop Hawaii (B.C.S. Hawaii)- but it turns out they could and they did

Hawaiian Recipe: Bulldogs + Sugar + Shoyu = Adobo (Scott's idea, it was a big hit with the fans, I had to hold it up for a couple of minutes so people in our section could take pictures of it) Turns out we ate something alright, but it wasn't the opposite team.

Imua, e na koa. We Believe. (Go forward Warriors)= And we did believe, but they didn't move forward so much as they moved backwards.

It was a depressing game but I still thought it was fun anyways. The stadium was huge and amazing. The noise was deafening. I guess it was good that we had nothing to cheer for after the first quarter because I was certain I was going to lose my voice before the game even began. And we waved our ti leaves like there was no tomorrow. Some people had the whole ti leaf plant going in their hands. There was one sad moment in the third quarter when Colt Brennan was on the offensive drive and we were screaming at the top of our lungs. Some lady came up to our group and asked us to sit down. She was wearing our team colors so it was confusing. And Brennan is still playing so we were still trying to cheer and look at the field but she kept pestering "eh, can you guys sit down or what?" We were a little distracted by the game but then she pulled out the "sheesh, where's the aloha, we cannot see." I was ready for snap but it was my pastor husband, who was wearing earphones so he did not realize how loud he was, who yelled back "we're standing cause we're fans!!! why dont' you stand?" Still, after a few more plays, the drive ended miserably and we sat down for the rest of the game.

I must say Georgia fans were very cool. They're very loud and intense, but they're not hurling trash or water bottles at us(flashback to Aloha Stadium). They didn't rub in the whooping and so, I give them props. But still, "go LSU!!"

Photo 1: Some fans have pom-poms, some fans have towels. We're earth-friendly with our ti leaves.

Photo 2: Me and my UH-crazed hubby, Scott. What the heck is that wrapped around my hand?

Photo 3: Mike, me, and Scott. Mikey was counting to three and I tried to finish my yawn by "2." Didn't I tell you that no one(namely my parents) wouldn't let me sleep my much desired 13 hours.

Cold in the hot and dirty south

New Orleans was amazing. My ever-faithful UH crazed hubby, Scott, vowed to follow his team wherever they went. So it was off to New Orleans for the Sugarbowl. Now, I thought Louisiana was so far south that it would be nice and toasty and it was, as long, as you didn't leave the warm confines of a thick down blanket in the comfort of your heated hotel room. Don't let the sun shining in the first picture fool you, it warmed up the daylight hours to a measly 34 degrees.

We stayed in the hotel with my parents-in-law(who were intent on using every minute of every day and would keep us out well past our bedtime) and Mike(the ghetto hawaiian boy who used the hotel bathroom handtowel as a scarf for the whole trip) who shared our suite with us. He insists that Scott was snoring so loudly the first night that the people next door to our hotel room were knocking on the walls. I wouldn't know, I was off in lala land. We also met up with friends from church, the McWilliam men and Mikey for the game and pre-game festivities.

I was very adventurous, I did try a taste of: Beignets(french doughnuts that are like malasadas without powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar), gumbo, jumbalaya with alligator sausage, and etoufee(tastes like portuguese bean stew). I was very proud of myself. I even tried an oyster...but, I was right, I still don't like oysters.

We went to see two plantations, one a working plantation called Laura Plantation. It was not as extravagant, it was more a working businessmen. But because of the unique law in new orleans at the time because of the french influence, it was run by women for over 70 years. The women who led the tour had a southern accent, spoke french, and talked about the "americans" as if they were still a new thing in New Orleans. It was great. Reminded me a lot of home. It was sad to see the slave houses in the back but it definitely made history seem a lot more real and present. the original owner had 27 slaves and she had a list of them, their qualities and their prices...such as " so and so works in the field and is hard-working." We had to laugh at one description, it said that "So-and-so is a lunatic." I wonder if that was just personal bias.

The next plantation we went to was called Oak alley and that one had majestic magnolia trees and sprawling lawns that are what you imagine when you imagine Tara. The tour guides were these young teenage girls in ridiculous hoop skirts. Scott snapped a picture before the tour guide admonished him that pictures weren't allowed inside the house.

We ended our trip with a visit to the Audobon Aquarium which I was told of by two Orleans girls on the airplane. It was absolutely amazing. I got to touch stingrays and a baby nurse shark. Mike and Scott keep telling everyone that they touched a shark...they just leave out the two first words. And I saw two sea otters, jellyfish, an albino alligator...oh, the list is endless. They had to kick us out of there....literally, out the side door/employee's exit.

Photo 1: Walking down Bourbon Street in the late afternoon.

Photo 2: The porch at Laura plantation in Louisiana
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Benji's 30th Birthday Party!!!

Happy New Years from Fruh-reezing New Orleans. I always thought the dirty south was hot hot hot. It is giving boston a run for it's money. All those t-shirts I brought are sitting in my suitcase....it is freezing out there. It is still a great trip, despite the humuliation that Georgia brought us in the Sugarbowl, I still think it was worth the trip. It was the coolest experience to fly on a plane and land in airports in Texas and Arizona and recognize green-shirted Hawaiians wandering around the airport. It was like our own spiritual journey to Mecca. The Georgia fans have been absolutely gracious and I just wish I had more UH stuff to wear. Those Georgia fans have logos on everything, we're talking Georgia hats, scarfs, gloves, and shoes, socks. They

are crazy Georgia everything. I'll blog about it later. Today we went with Leilani to look at two plantations and learn about their history, it was very interesting.

These pics are from Leilani's boyfriend, Benji's 30th surprise birthday party. Leilani was worried about people drinking and driving with all the traffic accidents happening lately. So someone brought a portable breathalyzer machine. It had a handheld machine with a package of disposable plastic moutthpieces. We advised Leilani to be very stingy with letting benji play around with it so they wouldn't use up and waste all the mouthpieces. Turns out, there was no need to worry about that. She tried it once and then left her mouthpiece on and told Benji to try it. He did...and got so excited about this new toy that he ran off and everyone at the party was crowding around sharing it, trying to beat each others alcohol reading. Then we got really worried when Kahekili, Chrystie and Matt's 9 year old boy, ran over to the crowd. No...noo....

...Kahekili...don't put that in yo.....aw, too late. Matt just shrugged his shoulders and said "we'll just brush his teeth as soon as we get home." Maybe all the alcohol from everyone else will kill any germs. The centerpiece of the party was the cake...a huge affair of chocolate in the shape of the Aloha stadium. Leilani had it made by a bakery called Cake Lava in Kailua. Scott and I brought it in the back of our Saturn vue and it was a stressful ride but it made it to the dock, and Benji's dad, took it across in the back of the boat.

Photo 1: Someone's slipper by the shore

Photo 2: Angela, Benji's niece, and her friend playing in the hammock

Photo 3: Tracy's daughter posing by the amazing aloha stadium cake.