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!