Macro Monday!

I love this picture! This was taken at the Dole Pinaeapple Plantation. A pink Pineapple, how cool is that?!

Characters in life.

I took my girls to go see UP tonight and couldn't help seeing the similarities between the main character and my grandad. You know, rough on the outside, soft and gooey on the inside. It got me thinking about him and even missing him a bit.

I have been very fortunate to have had a chance to really get to know my grandparents on both sides of my family and my great grandparent. The relationship with my grandad though has been one has evolved over time in a manner that I don't think I would have expected when I was younger.

Growing up I remember him as this towering man with a big voice and a short fuse. Quite frankly he scared the hell outta me. As I got older I started to enjoy his stories, and anecdotes about my father, aunts and uncles growing up. But now as an adult and having seen him with my girl and the super sweet and gentle way he is with them, I see him in a whole new light. I love to hear his laugh and love to give him a hard time about always assuming that I am calling to talk to my grandmother instead of him when I call. He's a very special character and I wonder if he knows how much I treasure the little converstions we have and his quirky sense of humor. I love you Grandad!

The above picture features some of the men closest to my heart. Grandad is the jolly looking fellow in the golf cap.

I've come to realize....

1. I’ve come to realize that my chest-size. . . will never be what it was when I was 16.
2. I’ve come to realize that my job. . .will always be tough, but it's a great thing to actually like the people you work with and for.
3. I’ve come to realize that when I’m driving. . .I bitch a lot about other peoples driving.
4. I’ve come to realize that I need. . .a full 8 hours sleep every night.
5. I’ve come that realize that I have lost. . .my ability to say no to Starbucks.
6. I’ve come to realize that I hate it when. . .people chew with their mouths open or talk with their mouths full. It's just disgusting!
7. I’ve come to realize that if I’m drunk. . .I will wake up with a hangover, I'm not 21 anymore.
8. I’ve come to realize that money...is great but not as great as love.
9. I’ve come to realize that certain people. . .just can't help who they are.
10. I’ve come to realize that I’ll always. . .struggle with my weight, but I want to fix the problem.
11. I’ve come to realize that my sibling(s). . .too far away, I really miss them and I should call more often.
12. I’ve come to realize that my mom…is a really strong person, I admire her for that.
13. I’ve come to realize that my cell phone. . .is far more essential than I would like it to be.
14. I’ve come to realize that when I woke up this morning. . .my room was freezing and my husband stole all my covers, hmph!
15. I’ve come to realize that last night before I went to sleep. . . I was exhausted.
16. I’ve come to realize that right now I am thinking. . .that I should be scrapbooking or something else more construtive with my time right now.
17. I’ve come to realize that my dad. . .can still brighten my whole day with a phone call.
18. I’ve come to realize that when I get on Facebook. . .I am usually bored.
19. I’ve come to realize that today. . .has been a fairly good day and I get to go back to work tomorrow since the kids are all better.
20. I’ve come to realize that tonight. . .I will need to go to bed earlier so I can get up for work in the morning.
21. I’ve come to realize that tomorrow. . .will be a good day too, at least I hope it will.
22. I’ve come to realize that I really want to. . . get organized and keep a neater house.
23. I’ve come to realize that the person mostly likely to repost this is. . Nadya maybe?
24. I’ve come to realize that life. . . is good, it just has a few bumps here and there.
25. I’ve come to realize that this weekend. . .I will be starting the girls swim lessons.
26. I’ve realized the best music to listen to when I am upset. . .is dance tunes, shakin it always cheers me up.
27. I’ve come to realize that my friends. . .are more like extended family, I really love them.
28. I’ve come to realize that this year. . .has brought a lot of changes.
29. I’ve come to realize that me exes. . .were just a part of the past and they can definitely stay there.
30. I’ve come to realize that I love. . .sushi
31. I’ve come to realize that I don’t understand. . .math, no matter how hard I try, it just ain't my thing..
32. I’ve come to realize my past. . .is a part of who I am today, so no regrets, I love my life.
33. I’ve come to realize that parties. . .are not really a part of my life.
34. I’ve come to realize that I’m totally terrified. . .snakes.
35. I’ve come to realize that my life. . .is pretty much everything I could ever hope for. I have great kids, a fantastic husband and good friends. What more could I want?

Getting back into the swing of things.

So after months of being a dormant scrapbooker/crafter (aka. collector) I finally have the itch to get moving and get to work. The house is almost clean (always a big road block in making time to nurture my hobbies) so I don't feel so guilty stealing away to my craft room. It's time to make time for me! I have lots of plans for me time in the near future, I will scrapbook, I will work out, and I will make more time for my friends! Wish me luck and look for future posts of my completed work and daily happenings and progress.

Hawaii's Beautiful......but........

I want my mommy!!!!OK and my daddy, and my brothers and sisters too.
Today I find myself missing my family something terrible. I love Hawaii, it's so beautiful here but the company of the people that have known me my whole life is even more beautiful. I wish nothing more right this minute than to be sitting around the living room doing nothing but cuttin up on each other. I really miss that.

I miss Pablo like crazy. There are very few people in this life that will ever understand the significance of Mr. Potato Head in my life and all the little inside jokes that go along with him.
I miss Amy's calming presence and wittiness, Aaron and Bryan's brooding and thoughtfulness, and Angie's naivety. I miss sweet Hannah's laugh and fained airheadedness. I miss my mother's friendship and warmth and my daddy's big strong hugs. So yes Hawaii, you are beautiful, but your beauty pales in comparison to the one I love.

Reflections on 9/11

I woke this morning not really thinking to much about the fact tht it was 9/11. I knew I had to remember to call my mom and stepdad to wish them a happy anniversary and reviewed my mental list of things to get done today. I fought with Lexi, yet again, about her clothes and was frustrated when her disobedience made her and Kayli late for school. After dropping them off I ran to Starbucks for my caffine fix and standing in line behind a couple of airmen I heard the lady in front of me tell the cashier that she would be paying for their beverages. She told them it was the least she could do to honor our military today. At that point I left, without ordering my coffee, and cried all the way home. Here I had spent a good portion of my morning pissed off and fustrated over something as trivial clothing and there are hundreds of people today mourning the loss of friends and family taken that day. It really made me reflect on the impact that it's had in my own life and my own feelings that day watching the events play out over the news.



The morning of the 9/11 attacks I sat cross legged on the floor in front of my TV, pregnant with Lexi, crying and so visibly shaken by what I was watching that I began to have contractions. I have never felt so scared and helpless over the situation of strangers the way I was that day. And though I used to roll my eyes when my parents and granparents would talk about how they would never forget where they were and what they were doing when this or that happened, I understand now and I never want to forget how I felt that day. I want that reminder of how even through tragedy, the human spirit can prevail, that people can still come together and rally behind the battered and the broken, and lift the needs of others above our own. For the memories that stick with me the most, are those of the heros running toward the distruction to help those under siege who could not help themselves.



So today I will pray for the souls lost, the loved ones that mourn them, and the heros that tried to save them. And when the girls get home I will apologize to Lexi for my lack of patience and tell her that I love her. God has blessed my life in so many wonderful ways and trivial things are just not worth the energy of anger and aggrevasion when all is said and done, esspecially on a day like today.

Hair Obsession

I have always had a love hate relationship with my hair. I'm also very attached to it's length, like a child with a blanket. So cutting it is no small task. I usually frett over it for days, weeks, months before cutting it beyond a simple trim, nonetheless every few years I will get a crazy, wild, hair up my butt and decide to chop it all off. Now keep in mind for me "chopping it off" means cutting 6 or 7 inches off of my waist (or beyond) length hair. It's always a tramatic, exciting and cleansing experience.

During my most recent chop session I cut off a whopping 10+", bringing my hair up to shoulder length and the shortest I think it's been since someone else was in charge of making those decisions for me (about 6 yo). I'm still trying to make up my mind as to whether I like it or not, but I am leaning more towards than away. After all, I've had a couple of friends tell me it makes me look younger already, and let's face it, that's NEVER a bad thing to here.

This cut was a bit more of an interesting experience than any I've ever had before, the stylist was REALLY something. Q was the hawaiian version of Jorge from the movie Beautyshop (as played by Kevin Bacon), he was truely rockin the mesh shirt (complete with metal stud design) and cd sized silver skull belt buckle. He looked like he was plucked directly out of a horribly cliche gay night club scene (and he was totally straight BTW). I had to physically stifle the urge to laugh when I first saw him, it was just SOOOOO totally unexpected. But since I don't hate my hair, I raise my glass to Q the eccentric, keep doing your own thing sir, conformity is overrated.