We moved...again

Just down the street, but still a pain. I feel like I am unpacking everyday and cleaning and rearranging constantly. Yesterday and today it was paint, and just in one room...tomorrow, who knows. I'm tired. I started my own personal journal again, so I am writing less about intriguing things, and more about my boring life, so it's nice to come back to "Darla" and drop a line. The cable guy finally came today (he was originally going to come on the 18th) and it is nice to plug back into the "world." I didn't miss it much though...I don't miss a lot of things lately. I have too much crap to do to miss anything (except my meals of course) so I can't wait until we are finally settled. Ugh, tired. Goodnite.

NEW MOON

So, while I was in Utah recently, I finally watched TWILIGHT and to my surprise, I didn't HATE it. I probably would have if I'd seen it last year when it first came out and I'd read the books already, but I waited to watch it right before NEW MOON came out, since I heard terrible things about TWILIGHT.

What can I say, but I LOVED NEW MOON. I didn't do the midnight showing, but I saw the very next one @ 11am in Laie. (Lucky thing we bought tickets the night before because it was Furlough Friday and all the teens were there.) I was so excited to see it since the reviews from the midnight showing all said positive things. I know that Kristen Stewart is not the best Bella, but I soo love her "look" for the part. Her acting and Robert Pattinson's (Edward) face leave something to be desired, but I don't care, because Taylor Lautner played a greeeeeeeeat Jacob. (Yeeeeow, almost made me switch teams!) I felt like a teeniebopper watching this movie, loving everytime I saw a brown, bare naked, muscular, body, LOL! I can't wait for the next one, only 200 something days away. I really hope that the entire cast sticks around for Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, I thought they were all good, esp. Charlie and the entire Cullen family, even down to Bella's high school crowd. I just might re-read the entire series again during the Christmas break. In the meantime, I'm going back to watch New Moon again with the girls, 'cause Bo just couldn't stand Bella. I, on the other hand, really liked her in this one, and cried when she was shown screaming/crying in bed when Edward was gone. Somehow, I could relate to the pain.

"Always remember, my HA is within you FOREVER!"

This past Tuesday, my little family and I went with Lina to watch HA: The Breath of Life (PCC's new night show) for the first time. It was an awesome show, especially since our friend Ricky--who plays the main character, "Mana"--does such a superb job, so much so that my friends and I decided, TEAM RICKY is where it's at! Lol. I went with Lina and Tati again last night, and it just gets better, because we got to see 2 new people play Mana's mom and girlfriend. HA has a great story line and is so entertaining from beginning to end. I love the dancing, the props, the acting, everything...the music I am still taking time to get used to, but only because the music from the previous show HORIZONS is ingrained in all of us who grew up with it.

One of my favorite scenes is where the main character "Mana" grows from a boy to a man, and then proceeds to lead the dancers in the HAKA. (Wish I recorded that part, maybe next time!) Ricky is an awesome performer, because he seems to give it his all and nothing less...I really hope PCC pays him a lot of money, it would be a shame if they didn't.

Here is a clip from one of my favorite sections. Featured are Terina Oto as "Lani" and Ricky Suaava as "Mana."

In the meantime...

So much to catch up on...in the meantime I watched an episode of Cold Case on a recent Delta flight and really liked this episode (Season 6 Ep. 8) about a Russian opera prodigy who was murdered before her vocal dreams were realized.



Cold Case has such great stories and always feature awesome music. The closing song was Cindy Lauper's "True Colors" and it made me fall in love with the words, so I think it was one of my FB headlines this week. Lol. Anyway, until next time...

Laila

Finally made Laila's first video. Enjoy!

SICK OF BEING SICK

The title of this blog is so relevant in many factors of my life right now, but I'm not ready to divulge just yet. Being physically sick for the whole summer has been a pain in the ass. My girls have not been to the beach for months, and ever since we put the swimming pool away, we have been sick on and off. Lole has probably had a cough for the longest, and after a recent doctor visit, we found that she probably has asthma. Laila is also coughing and feverish on and off but she is teething and also had an ear infection a few weeks ago so it's hard to really pin point what's wrong with her. I, on the other hand, thinking nothing of my 2 month long cough, kept trying to muscle through it and cross my fingers that it would just dissappear and I would be back to normal.

Well, that didn't happen and I just kept getting worse by the day, especially since Labor Day Weekend was so very long and drawn-out, and I wasted a lot of time doing things I shouldn't. ANYWAY, the doctor nearly sent me to the Emergency Rm on Thursday because she said my asthma was so bad, to which I replied, "But I don't HAVE asthma!?" I guess I was sick for so long that I was wheezing badly and my lungs were too tight. SO I spent 2 hours in the doctor's office trying to fight a trip to the ER by doing 3 treatments of Albuterol, a steroid given through a nebulizor to help clear your airways. Ugh, it was horrible. Not only did I also have an ear infection, I had crazy sinus problems (green snots for days) and on top of that 2 kids screaming in my ear! I was doing everything in my power to keep from passing out, and I just wanted to cry because I was so miserable and couldn't take care of myself, let alone my kids.

Needless to say, I have been popping pills like crazy and breathing so much better through puffers, nebulizors, and other meds. These last 24 hours have been the calm after the storm! I don't know why the hell I wait so long to try and get better because being a sick mom is the PITS. I was so cranky and mean and irritable for so long that most days I just wanted to curl up in my bed and shut out the world. My poor kids, esp. Lole have been getting the brunt of my misery so I am flippin ready to get better already, so I can get them better, and we can all finally be FREE of illness and we can have FUN. Sorry kids, and you my Dear Blog...mommy's getting there!

BAYFEST 09

This past Sunday we took the kids to the Kanoehe Marine Core Base for their annual BAYFEST. We had so much fun as this was the only real family activity we've done all summer! It was the last day of the 3 day festivities and thankfully there wasn't such a huge crowd. Black Eyed Peas had a concert there the night before and there were over 20,000 in attendance, so we were glad to have gone on the last day. Entrance was only $5 (which included all the entertainment) ride wrist bands only $15, and food EVERYWHERE. The first thing we did was eat--shimp scampi, pizza, and huli huli chicken for the 3 of us--but me and Laila were in heaven eating the mini donuts and funnel cake. We got to go on like an hour boat ride to (a very small) Coconut Island, where the UH Manoa Marine Biology Dept conducts research. It wasn't that interesting but it kept us cool and my husband and daughters got to ride a boat for the first time. There were even a few dolphins held there, which made Lole sad because they were in cages.

Lole went on her very first carnival rides; the ferris wheel, crazy plane, slide, bumper cars, and the elevator one (don't remember the name of the one where you sit down and the ride goes up and down like an elevator). It was so much fun watching her brave the rides. She then got really antsy when we sat down to wait for Fiji and Lost Coast Sound (Laga, Kiwini and Siaosi) so I had to go and get her glow toys. By the time that was over, my feet were killing, it was almost 9 and the kids were ready to go, so we left before Katchafire and the fireworks. Lole is still raving about the fun she had that day and can't wait to go to the next carnival.

Lole sliding all by herself

The only ride Laila was on

Fiji's performance (highlight of the entertainment)

POOPED!

DELIRIOUS

Iwa posted this video on Facebook one day of "Rose Park's Drill Team" performing at the Utah Samoan Flag Day this summer and we have been watching it ever since! I've seen their African Queen routine and this one tops it, esp because of those tiny little shorts. Too funny!

Lole's First Day of Preschool

This day has been long-awaited, and I have many mixed feelings. Lole has been my constant companion for four years...and I cannot say that I don't miss her dearly, nor can I deny a sense of longing for my girl who is growing up WAY...TOO...FAST! This morning, I woke her up to get ready and immediately she began to whimper (as in recent days leading up to this one, when the subject of her going to school came up). We showered together and I put on her clothes that I had ironed early this morning. I offered breakfast but she didn't want anything to eat, and we were off to 7-11 to buy her lunch. I was supposed to make her homemade musubis but someone ate the last can of spam, so I was dissappointed that her first school lunch was all storebought. Oh well! When we got to school, she kept saying that she didn't want to go, and I just wanted to cave and tell her I didn't want her to go too! Then, when she saw another kid crying as his dad left, she started to cry again! It was so hard to watch her cry, but I had to assure her that she'd be fine and that she would have a great time. Leaving her was tricky, so I walked around the classroom for a little bit, showing her all the cool toys and activities, the bathroom, the teachers, etc. As soon as one of the aids had her attention, I knew I had to make my escape.

Spending the morning with just my 6 month old was bittersweet. On the one hand, Laila has my full attention for a few hours a day, on the other, Lole is terribly missed. I have no one to keep a quick eye on Laila while I run to the restroom, kitchen, or laundry. I will miss our arguments/conversations and while I probably won't miss hearing Disney channel all day, I'll miss the noise and her constant entertainment! It's almost her school lunch time, so I'm wishing I were there to watch her take her first bite, make and play with new friends and learn something new. When her dad called to see how everything went, I started crying like a baby! Lol. Luckily her school is right down the road, like a 2 min drive from here, because I cannot wait to pick her up!

So glad her best friend and cousin is in her class!!!

Eddie Boy

On Jul 13th, my classmate and brutha (by way of my sister marrying his older brother, and me marrying his cousin) Eddie aka "Chump" was hit by a car right across my house on our only highway. It happened at night (on a very lively, busy one at that) and apparently, neither he, nor the driver saw each other while he was crossing the road. I have never witnessed anything like it, from the sounds of the car crashing into his body (as if it were two cars colliding), to the dead silence as he lay there, practically lifeless, with so many people watching. Kakela Beach Park was filled with people attending the Fonoimoana Reunion camp, which is directly across my house where some of my husband's friends and cousins (including Eddie) were kicking it after a rugby tourney. He was hit at full speed, (meaning the car did not brake until after he was hit) so his injuries were quite serious.

Upon arriving to the hospital, Eddie's condition was critical. Doctors said that his lungs had collapsed, his ankles and hip were broken, his spleen and liver were injured and worst of all, he had bleeding in the brain. We went the very next morning to Queens to visit, and he was still undergoing tests and scans and very heavily sedated, with tubes and wires protruding from his body. By then, the bleeding in his brain had stopped, but there was still swelling, and no one knew what his condition would be once the pain meds wore off. After about 2 weeks in ICU, he is finally free of his feeding/breathing tubes, and currently out of ICU. He is able to talk and understand what you say, but his dialogging can get a bit random--his sister calls it mumbling--so it made me a little sad to not be able to crack jokes with him like usual. Plus, he's lost so much weight...but even with that said, he is making GREAT progress considering the trauma his body has gone through. As it turns out, not even one surgery is needed, though doctors were pretty sure they'd at least have to operate on the hip and possibly the brain. Upon visiting him today after not seeing him for over a week, he recognized Bo and I right away, so we were so happy! His dreads are still in tact (though he did mention that he needed to cut them) and he had us cracking up because he kept telling Bo to get ready so they can go cause he needs to get outta there!! He even made swimming/fishing comments (some of his fav pastimes), played thumb games with his nephew Moses, and told Laila that she was fat. haha.

Eddie is very close to me and Bo and he is always there for us whenever we ask anything of him. Our prayer is that he continues to improve through physical rehabilitation, and the continued support and understanding from loved ones. His big sister Dawn has been Eddie's rock through it all, and I believe that his smooth recovery has a lot to do with her spiritual strength and optimism. Tonight as I was beginning to complain and HATE the world because I'm so sick of coughing, my neck/back pains, headache and menstrual cramps, the image of Eddie chatting it up with us from a hospital bed, quickly humbled me. In many ways, I am so DEAD, but today's visit has made me realize I need to really work on being more ALIVE, in my thoughts, in my actions, and in my outlook on everything. Wishing "Eddie Boy" (as my husband calls him) a speedy recovery!!!

Eddie's sister Dawn, Laila, Bo and "Chump"

6 months

This little girl is so quiet and mellow, it's scary! She just had her 6 month checkup this week and she is currently 27in. long, and since her last visit (for being sick) at the beginning of the month has lost 1.4 lbs. She was 22.8 4 weeks ago, and now weighs 21.4. Doctor says this is ok, since she was actually overweight before. Since I have stopped pumping all together (due to laziness), she has been feeding straight from the tap, which is hard for me because I much prefer to see how much milk she is actually getting, but good for her because she is burning calories while doing so, and therefore maintaining healthy weight. She got some more shots and her ears pierced last weekend. She is eating solids like sweet potato, carrots, and peas (doesn't really like the sweet stuff) and an occasional chicken bone (which was ill-advised by the doc the other day, so that will stop!) No teeth yet, but there is one in the works and her hair is still in progress . She loves playing with her dad, but is very much a mommy's girl. When on her tummy, she used to just push her body with her feet to get places, but now she is actively utilizing her knees and feet to crawl forward. It is so hard to eat around her because she stares at us with a sad face and licks her lips. She is also very grabby, so we have to be careful what objects are near her, be it food, or otherwise, because she is relentless. She is so easy and I love that she has been sleeping through the night for months!

Jazzy Fete

My niece dances for a Tahitian dance group called Nonosina Hawaii and 2 weeks ago they were one of few participants in the annual fete held at PCC. This year's Te Mahana Hiro'a O Tahiti started off with the solo competition on Friday night (7/10), and then the group one on Saturday (7/11). Jaz competed in the 14-15 year old division (about 12 girls) of which she took first place, and then went on to win the Overall against the winners from the 12-13 yr old division and the 16+, which included last year's first place winner. On Saturday, Nonsina Hawaii went on to win most of the group competition categories as well. Jazzy is so humble and quiet and you would never take her for the kind of girl to put herself out there, performing in front of lots of people. But her love of dance more than makes up for whatever shyness she has, which is why I am such a proud aunty. As the eldest grandchild, I had the privilege of watching her grow from infancy, and babysitting her while my sister was finishing college. I still remember when she was barely a year old, trying to do a dance to Ilona Irvine's version of "Taapeape Papa" in our living room! She was so graceful and smooth then, just as she is now..truly, a beautiful dancer!

These clips don't do the dancers justice, but I wanted to share...my those drums are fast!!!

First group of 3 during the first round of 14-15 yr old division
Jazzy is the 2nd from the left (brown and orange)

Part of their aparima number from Saturday's group competition

Blessing Laila

*photo by Shanae Jones

It was a near miss (again) but we finally did it. Laila was blessed yesterday in our home, with very close family and friends around (the ones that actually got the message) and with the support of our awesome bishopric. It has been long-awaited, but well worth it considering this day was postponed for months, at first because we waited for my parents' visit from Utah, and everywhere else in the meantime because my husband was not ready (nor I for that matter). Those who know us well will confirm this was no easy task, especially on Bo's part, to prepare himself to bless Laila. The adversary worked hard to break us down and inhibit his progression (even through me) but all things are possible because of our Savior, and having a good and great God made this occasion an example of that fact. It was a momentous event for our little family (nothing short of a miracle) and we could feel our Heavenly Father's love for us and for our daughter on her special day.

*photo by Shanae Jones

Just before the blessing, Laila got some photos taken of her by a friend and up-and-coming photographer, Shanae Jones. My poor baby was only asleep 5 mins before we had to wake her up, hence the very angry/sleepy face. She was so tired, but didn't cry during the photos and also didn't make a sound in the priesthood circle. I was very relieved because that would have only made Bo more nervous. I could feel that he was overwhelmed by the responsibility that was his, but we both witnessed the spirit strongly, and had to take a moment afterwards to calm our emotions. We had awesome help preparing a feast on behalf of Laila, serving chicken, ribs, shrimp, fish, lusipi, NZ sausages, sweet potato, rice, crab and potato salad, cakes, fruit, faikakai (sp?), trifle, cinnamon rolls and mango otai. Since we actually canceled the blessing 2 days before only to reschedule the next day, we failed to invite everyone we wanted to and consequently sent people home with trays of grub. The most important thing was that my daughter finally got her blessing, and that she, along with her father and I are better for it.

Laila Fiagatsi Malupo, your life has been such a gift. You have the name of your aunt for a reason, because I truly believe you were sent to bring us together, not just as an earthly family, but as an eternal family with God. Something about your temperament, your spirit, your aura exudes peace, and it has been a joy to watch you grow and experience the world around you. A friend suggested once that the veil is still thin with infants, and if that is so, your smiles are enough to convince me that you, me, all of His children, come from a glorious place worth returning to. I love you always, Mom.

*photo by Shanae Jones

I wanted to be his Billie Jean

I mean who didn't? Let's face it, MJ was iconic and if you never had a crush on him as a kid/teen/young adult growing up in the 80's, you're lying. I looooved him when he was colored, but even when he started to get whiter than Madonna, watching him perform was still damn near amazing. That's why MJ's passing is so ironic because I've been meaning to do a post on him for MONTHS.

Since March of this year, we used to frequent his official YOUTUBE channel almost every day (when it only had 2 pages of videos to flip through) because Lole wanted to watch 'em all time, and not just the popular ones...ALL OF 'EM! Thinking back, this was the very reason I never blogged about it, for fear that I'd be criticized for letting my child watch his videos so religiously. Anyway, when I found out he was doing a London tour beginning JUL 8, I thought for some reason that I was destined to see him perform LIVE for the mere fact that the original start date was my birthday. Concert promoters said MJ was in excellent physical condition, so I figured if he is well enough for London, maybe soon he'd do a USA tour, and by then, Lole would be old enough to come with. In the meantime, I vowed to get the entire video collection on DVD so she and I could practice our moves. Now with his recent death I'm sure commemorative CD/DVD sets are hitting the stores like crazy, and someone is making a killing (no pun intended).

I haven't been able to watch any news media on him since his death, but it doesn't matter to me. Dead or alive, black or white, wierdo or not, MJ will always be the best, period. Who would've thought Thriller would be the best selling album in history, given only 8 weeks to complete? No one, not even Quincy Jones. But much more than that, MJ had an intangible way of convincing you that Diana WAS Dirty, that you really WEREN'T alone, and this really WAS Thriller night, whatever that means. He made you feel his passion for music with every last "jammon" and every gyrating move. Ahh, I still think he is the only celebrity that could make me faint face to face. Now, I'll never know.

I have sooooo many favorite videos, but because my fondest memories of him were invoked by Billie Jean and his infamous moonwalk, I just had to. I love that even though obviously aged in this clip, his moves proved that he was still the KING OF POP.

Thanks for the memories Michael Jackson. May your journey be peaceful.

Vacay or Staycay

For the longest time now, my husband and I have been planning to take a family vacation next month. Our hope was that we would just enjoy some much needed time away from Hawaii and visit families in Cali and Utah. However, due to this recession, Bo hasn't been working steadily pretty much since Jan, and company jobs aren't really looking up until somewhere around August. Now as much as I would LOVE to get away and build fun memories with my family elsewhere, I am also a realist. I am the one who worries about bills and "rainy days" whereas my husband's view of money is that it "comes and goes" (therefore, it's ok to let it go...often...no matter the quantity). Even before this recession, I have always been very thrifty, cheap if you will, and have learned to eliminate my wants for only the basic of needs (most times).

I hate to be a ball-buster, but I cannot justify going on a vacation after my husband has been at home and without work. Up until yesterday, he thought I was still game, but I kindly made a suggestion that we postpone or cancel indefinitely. I heard the term "Staycation" and for us that means stay your butt home and create some kind of vacation on the island. It may not be the 'cation of our dreams, but it seems to be the smarter, wiser choice. There are so many places both of us have never been on Oahu (separately and together) and that includes beaches, lookouts, and other tourist attractions. Not only that, many hotels are discounting their prices to make up for the slow influx of visitors to Hawaii.

I'm still not 100% sure on which one will actually take place, staycation or vacation, but if it has to be...WAIKIKI HERE WE COME!

Having an AHA moment

I don't know if being a stay at home mom is for me, when in actuality, that's all I wanted to "be" when I grew up. As a kid, I remembered saying I wanted to be an astronaut (just because), but in my teenage years, the only other career I ever thought about (besides MOM) was teaching. Don't get me wrong, I love being able to spend these early years with my kids, but I just don't think I'm very good at it. Not surprisingly, my husband is the "fun" parent, always wanting to go places and see new things as a family (mainly for Lole since Laila doesn't speak human), whereas I'm always the one saying, "How much is this going to cost?" or "How long are we gonna be?" or "How far away is it?" In fact, my husband convinced me everyday last week to "ditch" the chores so we can go out, and I did...but by the end of the week my chores were swearing at me and guess who had to do it all by herself?

Even with 2 kids, this staying home FULL TIME is quite new to me. When Lole was born, I was in school full-time and nearing "senior" status, held a BYUH leadership position for half of her first year, and a calling as Compassionate Service Leader. I even tutored for a few hours a week at Kahuku High and had awesome babysitting help from my sister, my in-laws, and friends from school and church. In contrast, being at home with now 4 year old Lole AND the new baby with nothing else to do but care for them (and Bo) is so much more challenging to me. I've mentioned before that when too many things are coming at me at once, I tend to get overwhelmed and shut down. I am finding that even having too much time to manage can be equally challenging because it can possibly lead to a sedentary life, feelings of depression and low self-worth.

To make matters worse, I've literally been AT HOME a lot this year. Besides appointments, weekly errands, and an occassional movie or date, I pretty much post up at home all day everyday. I pulled Lole out of preschool this Jan because I thought it was too expensive, and then I stopped taking her to another early preschool she'd been attending just because I thought it was waste time and boring. That was a mistake, 'cause now LOLE doesn't want to go anywhere either, which is so out of her norm. Ugh, what have I done?!

Tonight, I realized that my baby is going to be 6 months at the end of July and although she's quite healthy, I, on the other hand, am not. Physically, I still feel worse than I did when I was pregnant. My apetite is hitting the roof and it needs to HIT DA ROAD 'cause I can feel my fat accumulating in ways never before seen. My hair is thinning, I have very little drive/motivation, and just enough energy to cover the kids needs, not so much mine or my husband's. Spiritually, I'm not even there...for reals.

SO I GUESS MY "AHA" IS THIS: I am seemingly out-of-whack because of my need to become SELF-ACTUALIZED...(more on that later).....Therefore:

I'm tired of being tired, so I will go to bed earlier and go back to sleep as soon as I'm done pumping (as opposed to staying online for another hour or two when I'm pau). I need to stop playing online games, ie. Bejeweled Blitz, and play with my kids...preferrable OUTSIDE! For my health, I will make the time for any kind of exercise, even if it means walking around the yard, or paying for an aerobics class my sister has been trying to commit me to for the last few years. And as far as food goes, I think right now I can handle "portion control" until my will-power is strong enough to cut out the junk (almost) completely. This recession is teaching me that I need to invest further in a practical career, so I'm going to go back to school within the next year or 2 for an online MBA/ACC or M.Ed. (already checking out my options with Univ of Phoenix). Most importantly, my spirit is the most in dire condition. Even when I was partying, at least I always knew where I needed to be, but nowadays, I find it hard to sit in church and truly want to be there for the right reasons. Between battling old demons and wallowing in self-pity, I've lost that "warm feeling", the happiness that comes from knowing I am doing exactly what the Lord wants me to, and finding TRUE JOY in that. With that said, I guess I have to get back to the basics ON EVERYTHING (me, my family and God) and find ways to live to my potential. Stay tuned.

18 weeks

My baby girl is growing so fast! Last Sat. we had her 4 month physical and she checked out great. She weighed 19 1/2 lbs, and she shot up a little bit in her height (thank goodness). She's a tough cookie and didn't flinch/cry until her 2nd shot, but even then only a little bit. This is all good news considering we had a slight scare a month ago after she rolled out of her chair, on to the bed, and then to the floor, almost a 3 foot drop. I was only able to catch her right at the end, but not enough to soften her fall. I was so worried because she fell mostly on her head, but we have pretty soft carpet. Still, I needed the doc's opinion and took her in just to be sure.

Since her fall (apparently harmless), she's been fine. At 18 weeks, she is still such a quiet baby that even her giggles/laughs are quiet, that's why I love her cute little cry because at least then I can hear her. Daddy seems to be the only one who can really get her to laugh out loud and for a long time. Her hair is still, TAKING LONG to grow, but it only adds to her charm. She started eating baby food and is a big fan of rice cereal thus far. We've tried mashed up carrots, taro, and breadfruit, as well as the Gerber bananas and apple sauce. She seems to prefer the bland stuff as of now (plus her fingers), but my husband tries to push her limits by feeding her junk like chips and ice cream and it's driving me nuts!

My favorite thing is her BUMBO chair, designed to keep infants in a (tight) safe sitting position. It works wonders as a second pair of hands, and we've even taken it to the beach so she can post up in the sand if we have to step away for a few to catch crabs. She's been to many movies already: Hannah Montana, 17 Again, Night at the Museum II, and most recently, UP. She's great at sleeping through the night but I still get up to pump at least once or twice. It's pretty damn annoying, but I do it to keep up her milk supply (a friend jokes that I should work for Meadow Gold), and to catch up on my blogging/facebooking, etc. Lol! We are looking forward to her being able to touch the ground in the walker we bought her and are excited as she is just starting the beginning stages of crawling. Love you so much baby!

HELLO YOU!

Geesh, when my cousin's wife Hine told me I'd be on blogger much less because of Facebook, I didn't take her serious...but, seriously, it's true! Facebook is my new guilty pleasure, especially now that I've discovered the popular game "Bejeweled Blitz." I don't know why I play it, I'm not even good! I guess I just like the thrill of the challenge and so does my husband (1 minute to try and top your friends' high scores). Anyway, I've been getting in to the habit of falling asleep early--like before 10pm--and then waking up @ 2 or 3am to pump my baby some bottles while crusing the net. I'm in a kind of "blog funk" because I have so much to catch up on, and so little motivation to do so, but recently I've decided that I'd be a much better blogger if I did so with purpose. My friend Kait is a perfect example because she makes a hard copy of her onling blog, that acts like a journal. It's a great idea, and I will probably be doing the same once I get out of my "funk", if ever.

Yesterday my husband bought a pool for the kids (mostly him) to cool off in, and he and my daughter Lole swam in it for like an hour. Today, Lole racked in a total of 5 hours of outdoor/swimming fun. She is totally and completely PAKU (black.burnt.dark.) and is still sleeping in her swimsuit. That's how exhausted she was. Laila girl also got in the water, and floated around like a cool cat (she is so mellow it's scary.) Later, the cousins came over to swim with Lole and eat pizza but I was too tired to take in any more sun, let alone pictures. I guess it wasn't that dumb of an idea to buy a pool when you live right across the beach.

Mother's Day

After Nalu's baptism (see previous posts), that same night our ward had a Mother's Day party. They served prime rib and shrimp and I literally did not come up for air until mine and my husband's plates (and several pieces of cake) were done. What? It was a long day! Anyway, that night my father-in-law (and his fai-kava-singing buddies) serenaded us with a traditional Mother's Day Tongan song, dedicated it to my mother-in-law, and then dug out to go to fai-kava. Chee hoo, what a guy! We also enjoyed the smooth sounds of Uncle Benny Kai, and some beautiful hula dancing.

The next morning I forced myself to go to church (tired as I was) because the night before someone had told us at the party that the Primary was going to sing in sacrament. Now you know that I am a frequent "cutter" because had I known this, I would've been working with Lole at home and teaching her the words instead of trying to jam the tune into her head an hour before church starts. (Yah I know, I'm FIRED!) She was a little nervous to sit up on stage without us, but there were no tears/drama, she was reverent, and when they sang, she mouthed the words the best she could, meanwhile flashing the biggest smile back at me. It was the HIGHLIGHT of my day.

Afterward we went to Ted's Bakery to get my mom, my sister and my mother-in-law some pies/cakes, since I didn't get any leis for them. (I am soooooo not a lei person, or a flower person...food or money, that's my preference. Lol.) So after delievering their goods, we agreed to rerturn to my sister's house for some lasagna, salad, garlic bread and sweets later on (was onos), but not before enjoying a wonderful lunch cooked by my mother-in-law.

Although my husband apologized for not getting me anything special, he DID come to church and that is always a gift in itself. He also made up for it a week later by taking me to Red Lobster for lunch, but by the picture you would think it was Father's Day instead.

Again, what a fun weekend that was, especially being able to celebrate Mother's Day WITH MY MOM. I haven't done so in over 10 years, so this was indeed special. My mom is truly the backbone of the family, and I have always known/admired her strength. She brings truth to the saying that "Behind every great man there's a great woman" as I have witnessed many times over, though I'd like to say that she is "NEXT" to my father rather than behind. Recently I have seen the tender way in which she "carries" my Dad (emotionally, and sometimes physically) and to me, there is no truer love than the one that NEVER leaves your side. Mom is a ROCK and she will always be my example of faith, endurance, and self-less love. Miss and love you mama!

Lole's First Haircut

It was during my afternoon nap on Mother's Day, that Lole decided she'd give me a "gift" of sorts...one that I'm sure every child gives their mother...she cut her hair! Eek. All I remember was waking up to a screaming child and an angry husband trying to open the door that she had locked. Apparently, Daddy warned her not to play with the scissors, and 10 mins later she made her debut into the living room with a towel over her head. When he saw little short hairs hanging out, he yelled, and she freaked out and came running. I was still half asleep and after worrying that Daddy was gonna lick her (thankfully he never), I just busted up laughing cause at that point, WHAT CAN YOU DO? The damage turned out to be minimal, and we probably could have left it untouched because all she did really was cut bangs. If you ask me, she did tons better than any of my self-made bang-cuts...mine were hideous, crooked and all! When we went to the salon a week later, the lady couldn't do anything about the bangs, but she did frame the rest of it and cut off 2 inches all over. She loved getting a real haircut for the first time.

Salon day (purple dress)
The next day @ the mall again (with Nalu)

Nalu's Birthday Weekend

Kainalu Tuita'alili is my sister Fia's middle child--arguably her favorite--and he turned 8 on Friday, May 8th. What an awesome day that was, starting with his (Kahuku) Elementary May Day @ BYUH (thank goodness it was there and not @ PCC cause the air con. was heaven), a trip to Chili's in Mililani (by his request), and then later on the Kahuku High May Night which my niece performed in. On top of that, Nalu got baptized the very next morning! It was pure awesomeness, especially because my parents were in town to witness/partake of it all. (Below are separate posts from that crazy weekend!)

Kahuku Elementary May Day

May Day in our community is a treasured event because the kids/instructors really put on a PRODUCTION, no matter the age. You have to be there to really appreciate the CUTE factor. This year, Nalu's 2nd grade class had a Surfing/Beach theme which was a crowd pleaser, along with whatever grade did MOTOWN. It's always interesting when the kids perform non-Polynesian numbers...someday I'll post the footage.

Chili's

Immediately after May Day, we shot down to Nalu's favorite restaurant a little over an hour away. It was my first time trying Chili's White Chocolate Molten, and let me just say that stuff is GOOOOOD. I can't decide between the chocolate or vanilla, all I know is they both ROCK. (Fatso!)

KHS May Night

Kahuku High's May Night was emceed by "Da Braddahs" so this was another "had to be there" event. This year, they honored past Kings and Queens and for my class, Hoku Kamakeeaina represented '96. My niece danced in Tahiti (one of my favorites cause all the dancers were skinny and pretty--yes, i can like it just for that) and Tonga, something new for Jaz. Our friend and Tongan royal, Funganimapa Tuipulotu (son of the late Prince Tu'ipelehake) and wife Tapu were recognized and danced with some of the community's Tongan elders, so it was cool to see. Jazzy did great, and still managed to give a sweet talk for her brother's baptism the next morning.

Baptism

Nalu's baptism is the first that I've seen of all my nieces and nephews (there were 5 before him), so obviously his was very special to me. I was so impressed with his maturity and poise; the reverent manner in which he conducted himself and the sureness of his testimony. Likewise, it was great to see my brother-in-law exercise his rights as a father and worthy priesthood holder. I'm very proud of my nephew for his decision to be baptized and confirmed a member of our church. He is such a good kid: humble, obedient, honest, loving, and respectful, with the heart of a king. One day I hope to have a son or sons, and if they are anything like Nalu, I'd consider myself very fortunate.

My First BF

Let it be known to the blogging world that CATCHING UP after an absence (almost a month), really sucks. I was just about to start my lengthy recap of my parents' visit from Utah, when my daughter asks me to make her saimin...at 11:30pm. I have a few "choice" words I'd like to say to her for not eating when I told her to, but I will keep them to myself because Jesus loves the little children, and so must I. I also busted my phone tonight (only 3 weeks old) so I'd like to just hurry up and sleep this day off already.

When I was a 3rd grader attending Lupelele Elementary School in American Samoa, Kehau was the first real friend I ever had. She had ehu-blond hair, green eyes, fair skin, and a name I never forgot. She had just moved from Hawaii that year, so I was immediately drawn to her, though I don't quite know what exactly she saw in me as a friend. She was feisty, and I was quiet, but we were good kids. I remembered feeling so special when she asked me for my house number so we (little moe mimiz) could talk on the phone. My family moved to Hawaii before the '87 school year, so I was 9 the last time I'd seen her. I have always wondered what happened to her ever since.

Last month, the Galeai family in our ward spoke during sacrament mtg. Because I never forgot Kehau's name, I approached the family with excitement, because her resemblance to them was unmistakable. My hunch was right, and on Mother's Day I found out that she was coming to Hawaii from Idaho, to bless her son in our ward. {Small world, huh?}

Well, this past Sunday I was finally reunited with Kehau, and I am stoked to reconnect and possibly build a new friendship all over again. I wonder how differenent/alike we are, where our paths have led us, and whether or not our personalities are even compatible any more. I guess we shall see. This time around, I asked for her number and we have agreed to catch up via email.

Here we are, 22 years later with our babies that were both born in Jan, 10 days apart.

PS: I just got an email from her this morning, and she says I was always the smartest girl in school, teacher praising my work all the time (how come I don't remember that?) Anyway, it really is awesome to find her.

M.I.A.

It's been a busy few weeks thus far in May, and lately I've opted to sleep more and play on the computer less. I will, however, commit to one blog everyday until I am caught up with all that I've been meaning to blog about but just never came around to it. Stay tuned.

FLU CRAZY

"So far so good we still living today

But we don't know what tomorrow brings
In this crazy world"
-Lucky Dube

I haven't been blogging much because I've been sick for 3 weeks. I only went to the doctor after 2 weeks of coughing and a night of fever & body aches, and was told last week that I'd feel better in 2 days. (Uh, yah, still waiting.) The diagnosis was strep throat, something I get at least once EVERY year, but with the current SWINE FLU outbreak, it's scary to think that our regular flu season could take a turn for the worst because so many in our community are getting sick.

In the Honolulu Advertiser, there's an article about "possible" swine flu cases that are currently awaiting test results on our islands. Govt officials are talking about screening airline passengers coming into Hawaii as a means of prevention, and urging people not to stock-pile anti-viral flu medications. Supposedly, we are well prepared (compared to other states) with our airport "surveillance" system, briefly described as a "system that relies on airline crews to identify potentially ill passengers." (Wow, GENIUS!) Lingle is urging people not to panic, but to be ready just in case, but really, if that's all Hawaii has PLANNED for a possible pandemic, we are SCREWED. (Not that it would get this bad, but can anyone envision another KALAUPAPA?)

In response to the above mentioned Honolulu Advertiser article, one reader suggested that the virus was created by the govt to wipe out the elderly and the "weak", thus easing the economy by reducing the burden on Social Security & Health Care. (LOL)

This morning, a friend posted this article on Facebook, that connects the Swine Flu virus to American owned pig factories in Xaltepec, Mexico, a very possible "Ground Zero" along with these VERY TELLING pictures. ("For the love of money is the root of all evil..." 1 Tim 6:10)

While in town at the Social Security Office today (no I wasn't trying to claim early benefits), I saw one oriental lady with a mask on and it reminded me of the SARS scare from a few years ago. Also in that same office, there was a young mother with her infant, and an elderly woman who looked to be her mom. When a man coughed behind them, the younger woman and her mom exchanged looks, and grandma quickly swooped up baby and took him outside. I guess I should've done that too, seeing as my child was sitting right in my lap, but I didn't. I mean hello, I've been coughing around my infant for 3 weeks already, so what good would that have done?!

I don't know about you, but all this hysteria and the conspiracy theories that surround it are so CRAZY I have to laugh, and NOT because people are falling ill/dying everyday, but because if I don't I WILL GO (FLU)CRAZY, paranoid and panicky! Personally, I don't think that closing our American borders is the answer(seeing as the virus is already IN the US AND because we've been so unsuccessful in attempting this throughout our history). Apparently, neither is the FLU vaccine, because in some cases it's been known to have worse affects on people than the actual virus. Even if we did have one for this particular strain, viruses MUTATE, da buggahs! Education and prevention is the key, but what is your take? Propaganda...Conspiracy...Coincidence...Signs of the Times? I mean, what else can we do but wash our hands religiously and pray even more vigorously!?

We are living in....living in....THIS CRAZY WORLD!

You're Still the One

PRESS PLAY

Listening to "You're Still the One" has just brought back a ton of memories. It was one of our favorite songs my girls and I used to sing when I lived in Utah, and eventually became my wedding song a few years later. I met my husband in 1997 and you could say that from the get-go we were oddly matched, or dare I say, ill-fated. The story of our love is enough to write a novel, maybe a few volumes even, and that I will save for a later time...like when I actually HAVE time. We've been together for 12 years, 8 of them just living solely for each other. {"Looks like we made it; Look how far we've come my baby.We mighta took the long way. We knew we'd get there someday"} For years we suffered the want for children, and yet at the same time, we weren't submissive enough to give up our worldly behaviors. Eventually, through our faith and the gift of modern medicine, our cries were heard and we were granted Lole, and most recently, Laila. Looking at the product of our relationship, my girls, {"Ain't nothin' better, we beat the odds together. I'm glad we didn't listen, look at what we would be missin"} I cannot speak any regret for the man I have chosen and for the life that we now live, even though he can drive me CRAZY! Yes, we've had many, many, many (did I say many?) hard times and are still "under construction", but all the good times are worth fighting...for our marriage, our family, and our love. {"They said, 'I bet they'll never make it' But just look at us holding on. We're still together still going strong."} You're still the one.

1997

A Family Friday

This past week I've been so sick and therefore, stuck in the house every...single...day. But I couldn't stay in any longer when I saw how PERFECT yesterday's weather was for the BEACH. More than just warm and sunny, having little to no wind outside was what won me over. (So I don't cough all over the place.) We hit up Kakelas across the street as soon as Bo got home from work, and we were stoked to watch Laila's reaction to her first feel of ocean water and sand. I had been promising Lole to go swimming for days, so it was nice to finally let her have fun too. The only annoyance for me were the MOSQUITOES! I mean, since when did THEY hang out at the beach too?

Later on, Bo and I went on a much needed date once the kids were asleep. We wanted to go eat in town, but got lazy and (since we ate before we left) we went to a movie instead. I won't say what we watched (yes, it was that dumb) but we got there over an hour early. Due to the wait, I could tell my husband was getting tempted to pass the time in a nearby bar, but I didn't give in and we sat around talking instead. (Thank goodness!) We laughed and laughed outside our theater and were surprised to find we were the lone attendees (another hint that we should've watched something else!) We weren't hungry so we just bought candy and water. I almost cursed when I asked for a cup of ice and got an infant size cup instead. Then I asked for a bigger cup of ice and the cashier charged me $4.75 for it, so I told her she might as well just put soda in it too. And I know times are hard, but $4 for a $1 bottle of water? Ugh, next time I'll take an empty bottle and fill it up at the water fountain. Once in the theater, we got bored and took pics, then when the movie started, Bo's snoring (or ROARING) began! I was so tired I couldn't sit still so I laid Bo's shirt across the seats (I know, yuk!) and knocked out too! But even with all the wasted money on gas, a movie we never watched, and expensive snacks, I gotta say it was worth the time spent in each other's company. That night I watched my husband and kids sleep until I couldn't open my eyes anymore. It was such an awesome day!

Bloggin my Blues

"There are three kinds of people: Those that make things happen, those that watch things happen and those that wonder what happened." -Unknown

Lately I've been feeling like I'm somewhere in between "watching" and "wondering", so blogging has been pushed back to the bottom of my list of "to-do's" (if I even had a list). On top of being physically sick, I feel mentally absent and emotionally withdrawn, and from what I don't know. I think the appropriate word to describe me right now is SLUGGISH and I am totally in need of a PICKER-UPPER of sorts. I know most of this low-energy has a lot to do with the combination of no exercise and my super increased apetite, so if anyone has some good home workout videos, please help a sistah out. My mind at the moment feels so CLUTTERED with all the things that can sometimes overwhelm people on the daily; husband, kids, finances, bills, chores, etc etc...and then to have to manage all the ONLINE FRIENDSHIP SITES....uh,it's overwhelming! LOL. I feel like there is so much more I can do, but by habit I tend to DO NOTHING when I feel like life is coming at me from all angles, at the same time! If anyone has any suggestions/helpful hints on how I can better manage my day to fit in caring for my family, cleaning, cooking, laundry, balancing books, exercising (physically & mentally), I would love to hear it. Better yet, I NEED TO HEAR IT!

HE LIVES

"And now after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony last of all...that HE LIVES." (D&C 76:22)

First Presidency Message:
"At this Easter season of hope and renewal we testify of the glorious reality of the atonement and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. The empty tomb brought comforting assurance and provided the answer to the question of Job, “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14).

Because of the Savior’s resurrection we will overcome death and become the beneficiaries of His mercy and grace. In a world of trouble and uncertainty, His peace fills our hearts and eases our minds. Jesus is in very deed “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

We give our sure witness that Jesus is the Christ. Though He was crucified, He rose triumphant from the tomb to our everlasting blessing and benefit. To each member of the human family He stands as our Advocate, our Savior, and our Friend."

Lole & cousins @ Dole Plantation

L to R: Jaz, Nalu, Hepua, Lole, Sinalei, Juju

In all my years living in Hawaii, I have never been to the maze at the Dole Plantation in Wahiawa. This afternoon, Lole was lucky enough to tag along with her 2nd family, my sister Fia and her 3 kids. There they met a cousin of ours, who happens to have 2 cute little girls that I'm sure Lole was more than happy to play with. (She doesn't get to play with very many girls her age.) Here is the recap my sister sent to me along with some pictures:

"Thanks for letting us have Lole today. She had a blast. The maze was too confusing and we got lost very easily. We didn't even try to do the whole maze after only attempting two sections of the maze. We gave up and hit the ice cream stands! Jaz was the navigator, thankfully, she had the most sense of direction (NSEW) and helped get us all out. She (Lole) was the only one who DIDN'T want anything pineapple to eat at the Pineapple Plantation! So luckily at their snack bar they did have Ted's Bakery Chocolate mousse for her to eat. They went rolling down the hill after we ate ice cream...."

Don't they look like a fun group? Fa'afetai sis!

8 WEEKS, 5 DAYS

We took Laila in for her shots and 2 mo. checkup today. She was weighed twice because the doctor didn't believe the number the nurse wrote down the first time. And since we had to take off her clothes twice to do so, she peed both times on 2 different scales. Lol. Doc says she's too heavy for her height (ie. short & fat). I pump breast milk almost exclusively and so that may be why her weight is off because she isn't burning enough calories through nursing. Pumping is hard work because of the extra time it takes me to wash/sterilize my "gear" and because I do it regularly even when she's still sleeping. But it reassures me that she's getting enough milk, and is easier on the "girls" because she had such a poor latch. Still, I'm thinking I should start making her work harder for her food from now on. Her current stats: Weight: 15 lbs. 5 oz., Height: 23.5".

Laila is a wonderful baby. She smiles all the time and is beginning to talk ("coo") more often. She likes to suck on her fists and has the cutest puppy-dog eyes. The poor babe is gassy all the time, so I always tease her that she's making popcorn in her diaper! Haha. Her lashes are growing thicker but her hair is still struggling behind, much like Lole's was. She loves to look at and listen to her big sister talk/sing and she has these fat cheeks we just want to bite off. She is such a joy!

Am. Samoa Quarter

My 4yr old took the longest LATE NAP ever (I think she got up at 10pm)! Consequently, we are up watching Disney Channel at 3am and getting on each other's nerves. While surfing other blogs, I found this, the AMERICAN SAMOA quarter scheduled to be released in July '09. Isn't it prettyful? Read more about it here.

Waimea Falls

My sister and I brought our kids back to Waimea Falls for a Spring Break activity because 1)it's close by and 2)it's affordable (Kama'aina: $6 adults, $3 children 4+up). The last time we came here in October, I was 6 mos. pregnant, it was bloody hot and I was very "exercise-deprived." This time around the weather was much cooler, baby rode on a stroller (not my pelvis) and yet, I still had a little trouble catching my breath! Oh well! Luckily, the "hike" (scenic walk with occassional, short climbs) was much easier than I remembered. We rested midway on a nice picnic bench, enjoying sandwiches, chips, musubis, pake cake, crackers and spicy edamame beans (yum) and then ate french fries and Acai bowls after the cold swim. Because we had baby, we took extra long for diapering, a pump session, and of course feeding Laila, so the kids had more time to enjoy the peacocks littering the front entrance. Gosh, those birds are annoyingly LOUD, but pretty. This was the longest Laila had been outdoors, so I was worried about all the passing showers we had to endure. But I was glad she got a little sun by the water and that we all enjoyed some nice fresh air. It was such a relaxing day.