i wasn't going to make one, but...

After all the Christmas cards that began trickling in...how could I not return the sentiment?

(without feeling like a putz, that is)

SO, here it is~

I know...kinda plain.

And a so-so family picture, to boot...

BUT, it's not without love!

Next year, I'll do better, I promise!

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas...

Ok. To be honest, that's sort of a lie.

When one lives in Hawaii-with the weather hovering around the upper 70's and even into the 80's? Can you really blame me for saying,

"WHAT? Christmas is here already?!? I'm not even done with all my Christmas shopping!!"

-Yea, that's sort of what was going through my mind TODAY!

Anyway, regardless of my mental preparedness...or, lack thereof...it seems Christmas is finally (already?) upon us, and so have the Christmas festivities.

Jolee and Anna have a preschool class they go to once a week with Mrs. Neill. This sweet lady goes all-out, and I mean, ALL-OUT with her little goodies for the kids.

This year, she made sugar cookies (in gingerbread man shape) for all the kids, as well as Christmas themed napkins, and gave each student a hand-sewn stocking with fruit (she's a teacher, what can I say?) and play-doh (my least favorite kid toy, but whatever).

Anna and Kumen enjoying their cookies.

Not pictured is Jolee...she was eating those cookies the ENTIRE time.

*see first picture in this post


Then this evening...

We had our church ward's annual Christmas party.

I took pictures of the beautiful play the kids put on...but it was so dark that I just didn't even bother to post them.

I'll just point out that Kela sang in the choir and Mitch was a shepherd in the play. They did great, and it was a spectacular Christmas program.

What's a Christmas Party without a Santa Claus, right?
And what's a Santa Claus picture without a crying child?
At least Kela was enjoying the festivities...one out of three really isn't too bad for our family when it comes to Santa pictures.
Usually, they flat out refuse to even stand in line!
Oh yes, progress is progress!


The girls with their friend, Makani.
See how happy they are when there isn't a Santa lurking in the corner?

Oddly...Jolee decided she liked the view upside-down.
She did this for a little too long, I think...

See? Too dizzy to even stand up straight.

Mele Kalikimaka & Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

maika'i

In Hawaiian, "Maika'i" means "Excellence."

And at Pearlridge Elementary school, they have something called the Maika'i Award-which teachers and students pick TWO students from each class per quarter to receive. Students are usually chosen for not only progress in schoolwork, but also in their attitude and behavior representing the school's values...which embarrassingly, I can't quite remember this minute.

Anyway, this quarter, Kela was honored with the Maika'i Award for her class!

Hooray for Kela!

During the assembly, we got to go up on stage with Kela (and Anna and Jolee in tow) in front of the whole school as they honored all the students in the Kindergarten classes!

You can't see it in this picture, but there's RED DIRT everywhere around the school campus. Jolee was so busy making mud pies in the red dirt that by the time we got on stage...her white shirt was no longer very white.

*sigh*

monkey see, monkey do

Ah...to be a kid again...

(Which, BTW, was the last time I was able to do this...*sigh)

tourist for a day...

My Good, good friend from high school days came to Hawaii for a short visit in the Islands.

Actually, she was just passing through Oahu on her way to Kona...so we got to spend all of a day together. And with such a short amount of time, I had to wrack my brain for a brief, but thorough, circle island tour!

As soon as Sara stepped off the plane, I dragged her to, of course, Diamond Head. Poor girl didn't even get to rest after her flight!

Sorry, Sara...but we were on a tight schedule!! :)

Wow...look at the VOG! With Kona winds, the view wasn't as spectacular as it could have been...but the weather was surprisingly cool and with some light sprinkling of showers on our way down, it was still a great hike!

Our final day together, we set out for a whirlwind tour of the island of Oahu.
First stop, Pali Lookout.
Again, a bit VOGGY...but still a nice view. And surprisingly, very chilly.
Can you see the girls whining and complaining about the cold and wind?
Well, they were!


Then it was off to the North Shore.
We drove by the PCC (which, next time, we'll actually go INSIDE!), my old school-BYUH, and then Laie Hawaii Temple.
Afterwards, no stop to the North Shore is complete without a trip to the shrimp truck in Kahuku!!
Mmmm...shrimp scampi!


Then, to round off our Circle Island tour, we drove by Sunset beach and Waimea Bay where the surf was pounding out some serious 15ft.+ waves...and headed through old Haleiwa Town.
Where, of course, we had to stop by for some shave ice at Matsumoto's(which, BTW, who knew they actually have a website?!).

Then, barely making it to the airport in time, we said Aloha Oe to Sara...

come back soon!!!

priority no. 1

Ever since Thanksgiving...all my husband has been talking about is one thing.

Despite the fact that our tub needs re-caulking...

Or the fact that Jolee's crib needs to be disassembled...

Or, that Anna's Christmas present is in our shed un-assembled...

Or, that our car is so messy that we are most likely hosting a colony of ants and who-knows-what...

No. More important than all of that, is ...

Glad someone has their priorities straight!

**And at the risk of this winding its way into Mitch's ears or eyes (and since I know some of my readers, this is quite likely...) I'll just say that I love my hubby and think the lights look great, hon!

i'm thankful for...

...Not having to cook this year!

As per our usual arrangement, our families dispersed the responsibilities for our Thanksgiving dinner. And what did I get? Yep, the Turkey.

AND, since I've yet to successfully make a flawless turkey, I was a bit nervous...until I realized I could get away without having to cook at all!

How, you ask? Here's how:

What's that you say?

What's a big pit in the ground with burning rocks have to do with cooking a turkey?

Every year, the Boy Scouts in our ward put together an IMU cookout as part of a fundraising effort. The last couple of years, we've just put a pork or beef roast in there, but THIS YEAR, I decided to make a "Kalua turkey."

Genius, right?

Here are the cheerleaders...waiting for the rocks to heat up for the IMU pit.

Once the rocks are sufficiently hot...down goes the shredded banana stalks.
And then the pans of various meats....ours is one of many pans there.
Obviously, there were MANY people who were eager to NOT have to cook on Thanksgiving Day as well.

Then, it's time for the banana leaves, then burlap...
...and then a tarp...and then dirt.

Sorry...I forgot to take a picture of the big reveal.
Ok, to be honest, they opened up the pit at 7:30 am the next day and I was NOT waking up early to take pictures when I could (and did) sleep in.


The crowd on Thanksgiving Day.
Family and friends...what a better way to spend the day!
And no better way to show thanks for each other than to enjoy good food and great company!

Hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving as well!!

...now, Bring on Christmas!