Flutter...the wave of the Future

Make sure you check out both of these videos...

The Machine is Using Us

What a great visual of the history and future of computing...

anybody that's been touched by the Web 2.0 bug would appreciate it...

It's Raining...It's POURING!

Yesterday Jason was in the pool most of the day with the kids.  My mom, aunt, and I took a quick trip to downtown Kailua (the small city that we're staying in) to check out some of the smaller shops with expensive $ tags.  They were very cute, but too pricey.  I was disappointed to go into Baby Showers Hawaii and find hardly anything affordable and worth purchasing.  I hope to buy some Hawaiian material at the swap meet and hope to sew some fun things when I get home.  They want $20 for a burp rag and bib...but coming from the locals the merchandise was cute.

There are very few bathrooms around that are available for public use.  That's been a real headache during this trip...um pregnant, with small kids, and with older ladies.  You have to ask and then they say where the closest ones are and whether or not you can use theirs.  I had to give a lady $20 in Chinatown to borrow her key, which I didn't end up needing because the restroom key didn't even have to be used.  Getting to the crosswalk, crossing the street, going back up the street, driving a stroller through a narrow shop entrance, and up two flights of stairs (thank goodness I could leave the stroller with my mom and aunt) to finally get to the potty! Then I had to return the key to get my $20 back.  ....up the hill both ways in the snow....ha ha!

That night we had a bbq with the daughter of our 2nd Counselor in our Roy City ward.  She lives with her husband and kids in Kapolei.  They'll be moving back to Utah at the end of July.  It was a real treat to have them over.  The kids finally had some friends to play with and we were able to say "thanks" for assisting us with great suggestions about the island.

I am thrilled to find out that we'll have them to hang out with when we move over to Ko Olina.  They recently sold their home and are staying in the same condos we'll be staying at in the middle of June.  Their youngest son is Kai's age and he'll be out of school by the time we get to the condo....Yeah, play dates will be great!  The condos have a pool and the neighboring resorts have lagoons...so lots of fun in the sun.  And yes, a/c!!!!!!!  We'll definitely miss the beauty of Kailua and the roomy house, but I am happy to hear some good news about the new place.

We had yummy grilled pineapple and bbq hamburgers.  It was an enjoyable evening.  It'll be great to get to know them more.

Today was a slow starter.  We didn't get out of the house till 11 a.m.  I have been feeling tired more often and getting out can be slow.  We headed to Kaneohe to the Byodo-In Temple.  It was very beautiful.  I read that it was used as a filming location in the first season of 'Lost", where it served as the home of the Korean woman Sun's father.

The Byodo-In Temple was built in the 1960's to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first Japanese immigrant workers in Hawaii.  It was very peaceful and unique.  The kids enjoyed making the big bell gong, while grandma got bitten by mosquitoes.

For lunch we went to Teddy's Bigger Burgers.  That was fun since our Aunt is named Teddie.  After a few errands to some other stores, we headed home with a tired Eli.  He swam so much yesterday, you'd think he would have slept in this morning, but no it had to wait for a late nap today that turned into 3 hours.  

It has been raining off and on today, but around 6 p.m. it came pouring down.  The backyard ended up getting a second pool.  The porch where the washer and dryer are started to flood.  It was amazing to see so much rain come down at once.  Guess what, you'd think it'd get cooler, but no it just becomes hotter and more humid.  I have been so hot today!  Well onto bed!  

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Memorial Day Weekend

Grandma on top of the island.  Behind her is Diamond Head and Waikiki

All the graves were marked with an American flag and Lei

Some of the many Scouts that volunteered that day to decorate the cemetary for Memorial Day tomorrow.

The Sweet Couple decorating a Grave.

Last night we had an enjoyable and relaxing time on the Al'i Kai Catamaran Dinner Cruise.  It was so fun to be on the ocean.  I briefly got whoosy, but it was worth the change of pace of being on water vs. land.  The cruise left from Honolulu and took us east towards Waikiki and the Diamond Head Crater.  The sunset was short and cloudy but still beautiful.

This morning we went to church.  Following the meeting and lunch we took the Pali Hwy through the mountain to the Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetary of the Pacific.  The Scouts from the ward and from the entire island went there around 11 a.m. to place a lei and flag on each grave.  It was a sight to see.  As we were going up the driveway to get to the cemetary, hundreds of scouts in uniform came walking down from the cemetary from volunteering the last few hours.  It was remarkable to see all the work they had done.  The punchbowl lies up a giant hill/mountain and inside the hill is the cemetary. 

My favorite part was watching this sweet older couple at a grave.  The wife was taking some native plants and flowers of Hawaii and individually cutting and placing them in a vase for the grave they were sitting at.  The husband sat patiently next to her holding an umbrella for his wife to keep the sun and heat off her shoulders.  He sat in the sun the entire time, switching his hands back and forth to hold the umbrella above her head.

After the cemetary we decided to take a right at the bottom of the hill.  I mostly do the driving because I get car sick so easily, especially around all the turns.  We were really grateful we went that way because it took us up the mountain and around and around to another mountain.  We located some boys at the top of the mountain selling lemonade.  They told us to keep going around and we'd find a State Park.  Wow!  What a view into the entire South shore.  We could see Diamond Head on the left and all the way to Kapolei to the right.  We were on top of the island.

I'll post pictures as soon as I can.  Dinner tonight:  yummy chef salad and garlic bread.  Tomorrow we are having a day with Jason and that night, dinner with the Peterson's daughter and her family.  Jason is comparing it to a blind date since we've only spoken to them by phone. 

We wish you and your family a very peaceful and enjoyable Memorial Day.  We feel very blessed to have so many people risk their lives for our freedom as well as the Plan of Salvation.  Mahalo.

Notes

A Rainbow Tree

Yummy Pineapple from the Dole Plantation

Just some random notes until I can journal more in detail later:

Luau- Bird Pics, Balls, Crafts-crane and lei, tattoos, canoe ride, bowling, spear throwing, pig roast, dinner and luau.

Bishop's Museum, Park- dropped them off, discovered disgusting park with tummy aches

Twilight- finally some relax time and hopes to finish #4 soon.

Dinner Cruise- tonight after a day of swimming with the kids (Jason), me exhausted all day, and going to face Costco on a Saturday afternoon.  Will I survive the exhaustion?  I feel like I am in the first trimester again....I am so tired.  I can't keep my eyes open even after a cold shower and it's only 10 a.m.  I'm loving it here, but I am missing my personal space of home.  

I'll be detailed later!

A Quick Post...I am Tired!

Monday we went to the yummy Dole Plantation.  Not tons to do there, but it was enjoyable and yummy.  First we rode the 2 mile train around the plantation and saw the big variety of plants....from Mangos, bananas, coffee beans, Ti, sugar cane, and the obvious pineapple.  Did you know it takes around 22 months to grow a pineapple?  It takes an additional 14 months or so to get the second pineapple off the same plant and that's all you get.  They have several variety of pineapples.  It is such a cute plant...very unique. 

After the train ride we went in their store and purchased some yummy Dole Whipped Ice Cream....Homer drool.  I want another.  They top the sides with fresh pineapple...so yummy.  We then took a self-guided and a guided tour of a garden they have there.  Various plants and vegetation that are so unique and so beautiful.   It was a fun visit.

Onto Waimea/the North Shore....those beaches are CRAZY!  The waves are huge and crash into the sand and then push up the hill....to crazy for me.  It really takes an adult and good swimmer to attempt to swim in the waves.  We then took the drive to La'ie and saw the temple in the light.  The sun was going down, but we did see it this time.  It's being renovated (it makes me sad) until 2010, so the white has been striped on the outside and it looks gray, but it is still beautiful.

Long day and still a long drive home....but we made it home and ate dinner after 7 that night!

Tuesday we went to Chinatown.  It was an interesting experience.  Not something I'd do again with my double stroller and kids.  It was fun seeing the fish, vegetable, and fruit markets.  It was very difficult trying to push a stroller around the packed shops and it wasn't quite the food I really wanted to eat.  We did however go to a restaurant that Jason's boss recommended.  It wasn't bad.  It was called Little Village.  I was grateful to go there and sit down in a very clean, cool, and enjoyable place.  I didn't really want to eat in the Food Court of the fish market....you know pregnant women and there sense of smell.  

Another trip to Wal-Mart in Honolulu.  I am so proud of myself that I was able to find it from Chinatown through the very crowded streets of Honolulu.  It's a busy city and I am locating things pretty well in our car.  Yea me!  We live in a city that is far away from the popular things to do here, so navigating this place has been a great learning experience.  I know all the freeways, highways, and I have almost memorized all the cities and where they are located.  That's especially helpful when you are trying to use coupons and see as much as you can in a certain amount of time.

Today, Wednesday, we did the swap meet thing again.  I hoped to go early (it's open as early as 6 a.m.), but it just had to be the morning my kids chose to sleep in!  I have needed Eli to do it for some time now and he chose today to sleep in.  We didn't get out of the house till after 9 a.m....so the swap meet got hot quickly.  My poor kids are tired of that place, but it was more to allow the aunt and grandma to get in some good shopping...it's the only place to go for good prices.  The first time we went I got an adorable baby quilt for $35.  They told us it was cost around $60 or so in Waikiki.  We eventually found it in a shop in Waikiki for $55.  We've also seen various other items in other shops priced a lot higher than the swap meet.

We then went to Aiea and I found some cool and cozy pregnancy pants at Motherhood Maternity.  Relief, but still in need of some cooler shirts.  I packed horribly wrong for this trip.  It has been humid and hot most of the time.  With no a/c and a growing tummy, it has been difficult.  I packed a few items that don't fit the tummy anymore and a few shirts that are maternity, but are too hot to wear.  Big arms and g's make it extra hot for me.

Thanks to my wonderful babes and aunt...dinner was yummy.  Spaghetti is always good.  It was fun to come home and chill to AI...We knew the results prior to the show, hence the 3 hour time difference in LA.  It was posted on Facebook and the web.  

I am too tired to find the camera for pictures.  I wasn't going to type this much.  I am TIRED!  Goodnight and Aloha!

Weekend News to Kai's Class

Dear Class, 

This weekend was the best weekend of all.  I cannot believe what we got to do.  We went to the USS Arizona Memorial.  It was super duper awesome!  

We went to the Polynesian Cultural Center.  That place was the best!  It had all different kinds of villages called:  Hawaii, Fiji, Tonga, Aoetereoa, Tahiti, and Samoa.  We saw a fireknife competition, which was the best show ever.  The winner was Bula La'ie from Hawaii.  My favorite village was Samoa because my dad participated in the show and got to learn how to make fire out of two sticks.  Also we went on a canoe ride around all of the villages.  In Fiji, we went to this musical bamboo stick dance which was hard.  My dad and me played a Fiji version of shuffleboard.  At the Samoa village there was a guy who climbed a palm tree.  It was pretty cool!

This week I got to go to the Hawaii, Kailua Public Library and check out some books.  Which were:  Magic Tree House, Star Wars Bubba Fett, and Spongebob Comics.  I have read 5 out of the 10 books so far.  

Kami,  I also got to learn how to surf in the pool and in the ocean.  I barely caught the first wave.  My dad was being crazy on the second wave because he wanted me to catch a big wave.  It knocked me right over and I did 2 summer saults in the water.  It freaked me out!

When do you all get to go swimming?  Is tonight the bike drawing or was it last week?  My mom and I can't remember.  

Thanks for writing me back last week.  

Aloha, Kai

It's Growing on Me!

Tuesday evening my wonderful Aunt Teddie arrived.  We ate taco salad for dinner by the pool.  I stayed up late to watch the Biggest Loser finale (an hour into it...I need to go back and see the before and afters).  It gives me some positive and negative feelings to the show....I was doing so well back in January and February...then the flu hit our household.  It then turned into morning sickness and then it turned into full-time preschool and preparing for Hawaii.  I just hope to do lots of walking with the kids and not too many macadamia nuts and Hawaiian bread....lots of pineapple, strawberries, etc.

Wednesday morning I woke up at 5:00 a.m. to go to Jason's work.  I got a wonderful view of the sun continuing to rise from Jason's office window.  He has an amazing view of the USS Missouri and looking out towards Pearl Harbor.  I got to meet his Supervisor.  Jason is really lucky to have such a nice boss for the time we are here.  He is really enjoying his job so far.  He says he'll miss it when he leaves.  His boss sat us down in his office to discuss things to see and do with my family while we're here.  Jason took me to get a rental car at 8:00 a.m.  Yes, a caravan and no more laps.  It's been heavenly to have it so far.  

We went to the Swap Meet again.  It was crazy hot this time for me and the kids.  I finally found some family turtle stickers for the car at home....I had some purchased from San Diego awhile back and misplaced them.  I needed new ones anyways with the added child in October.  I have been counting all the family and friends, families' birthdays, etc.  to determine what to bring home for everyone.  I will have to purchase a suitcase just to bring it all home in...then the added $25 luggage fee too.  After the swapmeet we attempted to go to the USS Arizona/Pearl Harbor.  It was closed by the time we got there.  After, poor Aunt Teddie got sick to her stomach while we were driving to Costco.  She is doing much better now...we're not sure why she threw up 3 times...but Eli did it too the first night he was here.  We love Costco!  It's so much more affordable to buy things there than a normal grocery store.  It's still more expensive then at home, but good to have food in the house.  It keeps us from spending too much money everytime we go out.  I fell asleep to Bride Wars...just too exausted from the early start of the day.

Thursday we explored Kailua...the area we are staying in.   We packed a lunch and headed to Lanakai Beach/Kailua Bay.  The water was so blue and colorful.  Afterwards we went to the Library.  Kai was in heaven.  He checked out 10 books and has already finished 1 1/2 books so far.  A yummy stop at McDonalds to cool off with a treat and then a drive to Waimanalo Beach and Makapuu Beach...I have no idea how to say most of these words.  When we get directions or tell the driver to turn onto such and such street....I guess as to how to say it.  It's a joke how well I can pronounce Hawaiian.

Later today/Thursday, Jason surprised us with a treat for himself.  He bought himself a used surfboard and headed to the Pyramid Rock Beach in the Marine Corp Base in Kaneohe.  He caught 2 waves...not necessarily standing, but he did it!  He came home and treated the kids to a dip in the pool and to float and attempt surfing on the board.  We had yummy chef salad with all the fixings, including huge fresh strawberries.  Mahalo Aunt T and Grandma for fixing it for us!  We are onto closing our eyes to a movie...oh, I mean watching a movie with the kids.   I am really feeling relaxed now that I am here.  It's so nice to have more books for the kids and a car to get around in.  It's so beautiful and a lot slower paced around here.  Most roads are 25-35 mph and the freeway signs aren't posted more than 60mph.  It truly is starting to grow on me, even if I encounter 2 dead cockroaches on my bedroom floor in the mornings.  Mahalo!

Dear Class,

A message written by Kai to his class in Roy City.  Following is a letter written to him by his class....so sweet and thoughtful.  

I am writing in my journal right now and it's only 9 a.m. here, but 1:00 p.m. your time.  I hope you get this in time!

Dear Class, 

How are you all doing?  I am having a great time in Hawaii!  It is super fun.  We found a new one in our pool.  It was a crab.  He is dead.  Which is unusual.

I couldn't swim very well last summer, but now I can!  I can jump in an 8 foot pool.  It is really cool.  Hey, that rhymes.

We have been going to the beach a lot.  

We went to a mall on Friday.  We took the bus to get there.  I got a new truck and a pocket game.

We went to the swap meet on Saturday.  I got four cars for me and my brother.  While at the swap meet, my dad was getting pit pocketed by a stranger.  It ended up being my mom's cousin's husband.  They are from California visiting Hawaii for a few days.  

On Mother's Day we had a really good breakfast outside.  It was pancakes and eggs.  It was so yummy.  We went to church and my sister and I sang a Mother's Day song with the rest of the kids.  After class, we got to play freeze tag, which was unusual.

I hope Mrs. Pilkington and Mrs. Miesch had a great Mother's Day!

Take care everyone!  Aloha, Kai

Aloha Kai,

 

We are writing you this letter as class using the big screen.  So each student is coming up with what we write.  

The whole class says, "We really liked your pictures!"  "We miss you so much!"

Auryn says. "I like the picture of the crab and it was weird that it was in your pool!" 

Camraya wants to know how you are, and she thinks you look like you are having a blast!

Dakota says, "I can jump in to 10 feet deep water, it isn't scary, it is fun." 

Felicity and Kyrah want you to have fun in the ocean, and think you might see more crabs. 

Kami asks, "Have you learned how to surf yet?"  River wants to know if you have been reading, and the class thinks MOST LIKELY you have! 

MyKenzie says, "We like you so much!"We really appreciate that you take time to write us and send us pictures. 

Nick wants you to have a good day, everyday, at Hawaii!

Aloha from Lakeview Elementary,

The first graders and Mrs. Pilkington

P.S. Mrs. Pilkington had a great Mother's Day and so did Mrs. Miesch!  Thanks for caring!

We're Feeling Homesick Already!

Friday- after the bus ride....we came home and had boiled potatoes, corn, and fresh pineapple.  We were all tired from the long day.  

Saturday-the Swap Meet.  It's the only place to buy things that are affordable.  We loved it and it's huge!  We only got through 1/4 of it.  It circles the stadium.

The most exciting part was running into my cousin, her husband, and her daughter.  They are visiting cousins that live on the island.  My cousin is from Southern California and to run into her at the swap meet in Hawaii is pretty neat.  Her mom will be joining us on Tuesday.  We can't wait to see you Aunt Teddie.

After the swap meet we went to see Jason's work.  He works on Ford Island.  As you go over the bridge to get to the island you can see the Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri.  It's an amazing site.  You can drive along the pathways where the Pearl Harbor Naval Air Station once had planes coming and going off the island.  

That evening the kids took a dip in the pool and discovered a dead crab in the bottom of the pool.  Tired kids allowed for an evening out for Jason and me while Grandma watched "High School Musical" with the kids.

Adventure out to Waikiki and Honolulu isn't the greatest....I mean it's beautiful, but very busy and Vegas strip like (without the crudeness)....just busy with lots of hotels, fancy shops, and lots of people.  I would never want to live there.  We went to the Ala Moana Shopping Center and got an Orange Julius Smoothie...oh yes, heavenly to a pregnant woman that craves the stuff.  We window shopped a bit and noticed how much more expensive things are there then at the Swap Meet.  We avoided a $10 movie ticket and decided to walk along the beach.  The sand is quite rough compared to the beach area we are living by.  We watched a big cruise ship take off into the night, while watching standing paddlers with their glow sticks on paddling along the shore line about 100 ft. off the shore.  When you don't want to spend money and it's too dark along the beach, what's left to do at 9pm at night?....Yep, we found Wal-Mart.  Hoping to find some better deals on a few household items.  A few items yes, but not great!  Sunscreen was $2.50 cheaper...it's been needed quite a bit.  

Sunday- a great day for me.  I had the opportunity to spend Mother's Day with my mommy!  Jason made us breakfast and we ate it outside.  We went to church and enjoyed the meetings.  My mom and I received a carnation and a yummy snack mix from the youth.  It wa very sweet.  

In reality...We are all feeling a bit homesick.  We have been overwhelmed with so much fun and good times, but we are missing everyone and the comforts of home.  We feel very blessed to have been given this opportunity to be here.  It's been amazing!  The kids are missing their bedrooms, friends, and comforts of home.  The heat of the house and humidity outside has made it difficult to enjoy a whole lot.  I feel bad that I am always getting after the kids....watch out for this furniture, be careful of the flowers, don't get too close to the pool, be sure to shut all the doors going outside, etc.  It's been difficult.  

I am so grateful my mother has been here for me while Jason has been at work.  She has helped keep me sane.  Aunt Teddie will be here shortly and we hope to have more freedom with getting a vehicle to get out more and enjoy the sites.  $$$$ is what matters when traveling in Hawaii and entertaining 3 kids at different ages...it's been a challenge, but wonderful memories are being built.  

There is a play group planned on Tuesday with the ward...we may be able to go, depending on the bus situation....it's not the easiest route to get to for the beach they are holding it at.  We'll wait and see.  

Till then, Aloha and a Happy Mother's Day to all my wonderful Mothers, Sisters, and Friends out there!

We Braved the Bus!

Bob's Pizzeria- Thursday night after the Farmer's Market.

Our local beach in Kailua

Jason's Office View of the USS Memorial.

Surfing the Hammerhead!

Skinny Pigs

Just Bird Talk!

Chilling Chameleon

Rough Day!

Last night was fun at the Farmer's Market. Still things are quite expensive. We purchased really tall green onions ($1), 3 tomatoes ($2), 2 onions ($2), and 4 small corns on the cob ($3). We also purchased some Beignets (French donuts), a bag of French Cookies, and a French Baguette. We sampled some local sea asparagus. Jason loves his squid jerky he purchased a few nights prior at the local Long's Drug. We decided not to eat the semi costly cooked food while at the market...thinking it would be more affordable to go somewhere else. We did find a pizza joint, but it still wasn't quite affordable. A drink and 2 overly sized pizza slices were around $6.

I am trying really hard not to spend a lot of money, but you can't help it if you want to go out. Today we braved the bus. For grandma, myself, and the kids it was $5 one way. We went to Windward Mall in Kaneohe. It is a beautiful commute. We decided to go there since it would be indoor, a/c, and they'd have a play area for the kids inside. All went well getting there. Unfortunately for Kai, he was too tall for the play area and was told by a security guard that he couldn't play. I was too busy with the other 2 kids to notice the height requirements. He is always trying to be taller so he can ride more rides at Lagoon and today was the opposite for him...he had to watch all the other kids play.

While at the mall, we found a Chinese $.99 store. Lots of things in Chinese that I couldn't really determine what the item actually was. We did find a few items for the house. The guy we're renting from doesn't rent out normally so we have had to purchase a few items for the kitchen...including Teflon utensils so I don't scratch his pots and some more plastic ware so we can eat outside.

The majority of shops were ones you could find at a mall at home. It was to be expected...but great fun to get out and explore. They had a pet store with some cool animals. I have never heard of a skinny pig. Hawaii doesn't allow snakes...so Kai was once again bummed during the trip. But way happy we found a little hand held old school game with lots of games on it for $2.

I am probably boring, but once again I am journaling for my sake.

While exiting the bus, poor Kezia got terrified by being the last one off and the back door being to heavy for her to push and it closed on her. I had gotten off with the double stroller, my mom was helping sleepy Eli off the steep steps, and she was behind her and the door closed. The driver luckily knew what was going on and the people on the bus were nice enough to open it for her to get off...no handles for me from the outside to open it from. Once I got here she started bawling. She was terrified she was going to be left on the bus. Poor thing. ....A part from this and things from earlier, including Eli getting a small bloody nose while in one of the stores, Kezia chipping a tooth while at the play area, and Kai being bummed off and on...the day went rather well. We'll be experiencing the bus again. TGIF....the weekend makes for more visitors at some of the tourists sites, but we hope go to Pearl Harbor tomorrow and see where Jason works as well as the Swap Meet (hopefully some better prices).  We are thrilled to spend the day with Jason/Daddy!

The Black and White Spotted Cow

The picture is our backyard. The egg swings are so fun!

The Black and White Spotted Cow...Yep, that's me! The last 2 days I have gone swimming in the pool and the ocean and I have missed putting sunscreen on several parts of my body. So I am sunburned on the backside of my upper arms from one day ago and now on both inner knees when I was sitting on the sand. Once they become tan I'll be dark in those spots and white on the rest of my body...and being that I am looking more and more pregnant, hence the cow!

The pool man for the house confirmed my worse nightmare. The dead centipede in the pool is poisonous. So I need to be on the look out while the kids are playing in the yard. At least the cockroaches aren't. Eli keeps throwing his binkie on the floor of his bedroom in the middle of the night. This morning I found two new cockroaches upside down slowly dying from the poison, close to where he throws it. So when he does it I hesitate grabbing it off the floor in the dark...hoping it's the binkie and then I have to go wash it off because I am not sure what the bug poison looks like and where it is actually in the room and just the fact the floor is dirty with the bugs crawling around on it. It's part of the beautiful experience here in Hawaii.

I hope to post pictures of Jason's office view. He says he has view of the USS Missouri off Pearl Harbor. We hope to take a tour of the base on Saturday after the swap meet. YEAH!

I am going through sunscreen tons. I bought the spray kind...costly but convenient. I am almost out of it, so I decided to get a cream version at the grocery store so it could go further....$10 later for an 10 ounce tube and $5 for an 8 ounce bottle of aloe vera. Not cheap. There is a Costco coupon we are waiting to use to get more. We would like to make a stop at the Wal-Mart, but they aren't everywhere here. That is a good thing though. It allows for more mom and pop stores to be available.

Last night we drove around Kaneohe Bay, which is close to the Marine Corps Base. They're are a lot of Bases on this island. Yeah, we found a Redbox/DVD Express inside of the Foodland store.

I am looking forward to the days ahead to see more details of the island. My mom got to go to Pearl Harbor the first day she was here with Jason. The kids and I were still on the plane when she did this. I look forward to seeing it soon. I have driven past it on the freeway, but it's hard to see much of anything....just lots of buildings and industrial stuff.

Tonight we hope to go to the Kailua Farmer's Market. I'll try and post a slideshow soon. With time!

Aloha says the Cow!

I've got to journal our days here...so for those that are reading I hope you don't find it too boring. The house here in Kailua is so beautiful. It has an amazing backyard with lots of beautiful foliage. It has an amazing tree...Jason knows the name of it. It has 2 egg swings hanging from it and the kids go crazy for them. It has an 8 ft. deep pool. We found my worse nightmare at the bottom of it....a centipede that's about 6 inches long or more.
The house has 4 sliding glass doors that go the backyard....so I don't relax easily when it comes to sleeping in. I don't sleep in because I am terrified Eli will get outside and fall in. The doors have locks but he's smart enough to test them and figure them out. We debated on getting a playpen, but we know he'll overcome it and flip himself out of it...all the rooms have tile so we don't want a damaged head from him falling out. The only bedroom without a sliding glass door in it is the one I share with him. No cuddling with Jason for a few weeks. We debated on getting a gate in that bedroom too, but lots of $ later it probably still wouldn't work. So I am up with the kid at 6 am most mornings....the jet lag in us all and the amazing birds chirping in the morning and the sun coming into the house is what gets us up so early.
We were VERY LUCKY to have gotten to rent this house. The owner is out of town for the weeks we needed it and he never rents it to strangers, but felt it would be good for him to do so. It's gorgeous in a gorgeous area. When we move to Ko Olina in 6 weeks we'll be bummed and missing the beauty. Ko Olina is in a resort area and not so done up in it's near surroundings. Kailua is awesome. We have the ocean about a block away and in our backyard you look up and see some amazing mountains.
The house does come with it's visitors...cockroaches. About every morning we wake up to some upside down ones....waiting for the poison to eventually kill them. They are big! My first experience with one was while we were waiting for Jason to bring the care to pick up our luggage. The kids and I were sitting on a bench and running up the backside of the wall was one. Then that same night, Jason went to close the sliding glass door and 2 were running up the screens. There are small lizards in the yard...we think they eat the roaches. Just now I am noticing a huge snail in the garden climbing the fence.
The hibiscus plant/flower is my absolute favorite and they are everywhere. We went to the temple late Sunday night and WOW they have this driveway that takes you to the temple and it's loaded with yellow hibiscus plants. Another favorite are these trees that have small bunches of flowers. You'll see them in our hair on some of our pictures.
The kids have been great until yesterday! Eli has been hitting his sister and then onto Kai when I was trying to drive to Waikiki. I did it though! I drove through the island to Honolulu and Waikiki and then to the airport to drop off the weekend rental car. We won't have a second vehicle for the week, so onto learning The Bus. Hopefully it won't be too hard with the kids.
While in Waikiki we went to an aquarium. It wasn't huge and not too much to see. The one in Sandy is just as good...a few more exotic fish were there and a seal. We walked to the boardwalk and looked out at the ocean. Waikiki is a bit too busy for me. While driving past the beaches it was crazy! It was like the strip in Vegas. Lots of people and lots of hotels. I am glad were not staying there. Too much hussle and too many people. The kids, grandma, and I found a Ramen restaurant that we had a Happenings coupon for. It was around the corner of the freeway entrance, something I needed since I had to get the rental back quickly and I didn't want to get lost. The food was good. I was proud of myself for getting around down there and locating a little food joint and experiencing that uniqueness.
After we dropped the rental car off, we squeezed into Jason's car and went to Target. Prices are high on a lot of things that I wouldn't expect....like Hawaiian attire. But all in all milk is priced between $3.92-$3.99 a gallon, better than we expected. Pineapples are affordable, duh! Bananas are $.99 a pound and Costco prices on fruit are a bit higher too. We bbq hamburgers for dinner and enjoyed our HUGE strawberries from Costco.
Jason seems to be enjoying work so far. He says everyone is really layed back around here. He has been invited to go golfing on Thursday....$40 plus a $30 registration fee....he's debating it because of the price. He says no, but I hope he considers it because it would be an experience for him. We'll see though. He's being smart though because he wants to make sure we save money for new windows for the house...a neccessity.
We have had a full weekend so far. Today we hope to take it easy...swim in the backyard or take a stroll to the beach and play in the sand. Hopefully we'll finally be able to relax. Aloha!

Aloha!!!

Well we made it all in one piece.  It was tough, but worth it!  It all started rough Thursday night.  We didn't leave our home till 11:30 at night and got to my mom's after midnight.  We almost had the packing correct, with the exception of 2 bags being too heavy and one being way light.  Jason fixed that!  

He left around 5 a.m. with my mom and dad.  My dad drove them to the airport.  After Jason and my mom were in the terminal and my dad had gotten to work at Primary Children's, he noticed his bag missing.  Jason had accidently grabbed it, thinking it was my mom's.  My dad got to the airport just in time for Jason to run back out of the terminal, hand it to him, go through security again to then get on the plane just as they were boarding.  Lucky!

I left my mom's at 11 a.m. with little sleep.  I tell ya I was frazzled at this point already.  I almost forgot to deposit some tuition checks at the bank and while doing so I remembered I had left the camera battery charging at my mom's.  So back up the hill I went to pick it up, to then pick up my mother-in-law, and then to the airport.

Curbside checking is awesome!  Even the security check went fine....8 bags later including getting out all the electronic devices, liquid bags, shoes and jackets off, etc.  We ate lunch at the airport, boarded the plane, and all went smooth.  No fever for Kai.  My medicines helped my tummy and head conjestion.  

We landed in LA and doom!  It was tough at that point.  I had to drive the stroller loaded full of all of our stuff outside of the airport, board a shuttle bus, then walk to another terminal to then do a security check AGAIN!  This time longer lines and lots of eyes on me!  I was looked at oddly as soon as I exited the plane into LAX.  

We got through security, found our gate, used the bathroom, and the 1 1/2 hour layover was gone in an instant!  We got back from the potties and they were already loading the plane.  It was tough, but the kids were all champs.  The airline checked a few of our bags under the belly which was great!  I didn't have to walk to the very back of the plane carrying 8 plus bags...with little help from my little kids.  They flight was great.  Eli fell asleep quickly and slept the rest of the way.  Kai and Kezia did great.  The food was awful though...some Italian pasta salad stuff...not for kids...but thank goodness I packed other snacks.  

We were greeted at baggage claim with a smiling Jason and Mom!  They greeted us with some beautiful Leis.  Hawaii is so beautiful!  It's been amazing so far.  We are so pale then everyone...this is to change.  Please continue reading Kai's journal entry.  He sums it up well.  Aloha and Mahalo to all!

The following is a journal entry written by Kai for his weekend news that he shares with his class at school.  His words explain a lot of what we have done so far this weekend.  

Dear Class,

I know this is late for the Monday Weekend News, but we are 4 hours behind Utah and it's been busy to finally sit down and write.  Hopefully our internet connection will work while I type this.

Happy Birthday Kami!

It's great in Hawaii.  Our island is Oahu.  When I went on the plane, it wasn't just one plane I went on, it was two planes.  One to Los Angeles and the other to Honolulu.

Mrs. Meisch,  I have already finished reading "High Tide in Hawaii."  Thank you for the book.  It is good!  

Mrs. Pilkington,  I have to write on my journal and my mom and dad put it on the computer.  

At Hawaii, my family- me, Kezia, Dad, Mom, Eli, and Grandma Simmons went to Costco on Saturday.  We had to get a lot of food and stuff to help our house.  We also went to the beach park in Kailua.  This is where we are staying for the first 6 weeks.  We went swimming in the ocean and then came home and went swimming in our backyard.

On Sunday, I went to church.  The hallways of the church were outside.  I met some new friends.  After church, we went on a trip around the island.  We saw the Pacific Ocean.  We went to the North Shore and ate at a restaurant across from the beach.  We went to the Pipeline to see the surfers.  We went to the Laie Temple.  It wasn't lit up at night because they are remodeling it.  Instead we went in the Visitor's Center.  There were all different kinds of Book of Mormons in many different languages.  

We have come across many insects and birds.  In the mornings, we can hear all kinds of birds chirping.  We have lizards in our backyard.  A few cockroaches in our house that  slowly die after eating the bug poison.  We also saw a frog and centipede in our swimming pool.  

Have a nice spring and summer.  Kai

P.S.  My name is the most popular word used in many names of places.  Such as Kailua--the city we are staying in.  We are staying on Kainui street.  We have driven past Hawaii Kai.....Kai in Hawaiian means "Ocean".