The Best Of Christmas Lights

You don't even have to get in your car I've done all the work for you. Although watching these videos makes me want to find a display like this in my town. If I find one I'll let you know.
If you haven't seen enough when you're done looking at my posts check out

Link
http://www.planetchristmas.com/ShowingOff2009.html

Christmas Lights

All I Want For Christmas Is Light-O-Rama

Do you think Liight-o-Rama goes on sale after Christmas?

Merry Christmas

What do the neighbors do? Walk around the house with ear plugs or dance around the house with glow sticks?

Is This In Your Neighborhood?

Because Christmas is The New Thanksgiving???

I'm a slacker, always behind, or moving at my own pace .
Here's a little taste of our Thanksgiving.
The pictures are taken by the girl with her new fancy camera.

First The Preparation:::



Helping Teenagers!!!!!


Job Well Done



Table Ready


TURKEY!!


Is It Ready Yet???


Worth The Wait!!!

Room For Improvement

things that didn't work so well this week....
trying to type with four fingers,
attempting to take out stitches myself,
oush not ready yer

(see above about typing with a handicap, that was meant to be... ouch not ready yet)

substituting for 12 second graders one day before christmas break,
trying to figure out what to do when 12 second graders all have to go to the bathroom at the same time,
and they are all SO THIRSTY at the same time,
and they are wielding scissors.
I think I might have a claim for post traumatic stress disorder ( not to make light of those that really suffer from that, I'm purely going for humor here)

and last but not least my desire to work on my agoraphobia and social anxiety...
I think the 2nd graders set me back a few years.
but don't get me wrong they are all sooo cute, I just have no classroom management skills.

Mom?

being a stay at home mom can be a thankless job
there's kids,
there's dogs
there's husbands
there's husbands that don't like dogs
there's homeschooling
there's teenage hormones
there's adult hormones
there's dishes
laundry
driving
cooking
vacumming dog hair
dishes
driving
cooking
vacuming
it' s so not the glamorous life ,
cooking laundry
man when did i sign up for this
why didn't i take the make money to pay people to do this path
especially when the dishes aren't done and that is what is noticed
not the previous month's gourmet meals
and I'm not the perfect gilmore gils mom who crawls in bed at the precise moment of birth to say i love you
and i'm not the mom that makes the perfect breakfast and smiles in the morning
I try hard
it's hard
and I only have a few years left
pray for me
I'm sure I'll be writing about how much I miss these times soon.

Eddie Can You Hear Me???

There's some serious surf in Hawaii right now . Tomorrow there's a possibility of 50 foot waves or local style 25 foot faces.
Which means if this happens and it's clean THE EDDIE IS ON!! First time since 2004.
Who is Eddie Aikau you ask?


Here's his story from his foundation web page:
Edward Ryon Makuahanai "Eddie" Aikau (May 4, 1946 – March 17, 1978) is one of the most respected names in surfing. He was the first lifeguard at Waimea Bay on the island of Oahu. He saved many lives and became well known as a big-wave surfer. "Eddie" was a true symbol of Aloha.

Born on the island of Maui, Aikau later moved to O'ahu with his family in 1959. In 1968, he became the first lifeguard hired by the City & County of Honolulu to work on the North Shore. Not one life was lost while he served as lifeguard at Waimea Bay. Eddie braved surf that often reached 20 feet high or more to make a rescue. He became very famous for surfing the bigHawaiian surf and won several surfing awards including First Place at the prestigious 1977 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship. The local saying, "Eddie Would Go," refers to his stoke to take on big waves that other surfers would shy away from and his courage to make a rescue in impossible situations.

"Eddie" became involved in perpetuating his Hawaiian heritage. In 1976, the Polynesian Voyaging Society sailed the Hokule'a on a successful 30-day, 2500 mile journey following the ancient route of the Polynesian migration between the Hawaiian and Tahitian islands. In 1978, a second voyage of the traditional sailing canoe was planned. At 31 years of age, Aikau was selected for this voyage as a crew member. The Hokule'a left the Hawaiian Islands on March 16, 1978. The double-hulled voyaging canoe developed a leak in one of the hulls and later capsized in stormy weather about twelve miles south of the island of Molokai. In an attempt to get to land to save his crew and the Hokule'a, Aikau paddled toward Lanai on his surfboard. Hours later a commercial airplane spotted the Hokule'a and the rest of the crew was soon rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard. Aikau was missing at sea. Despite great search efforts "Eddie" was never seen again.

And to honor this legend on the North shore the Eddie Aikau Invitational was born.
The way it works is surfers are invited from around the world- there is a holding perioid of several weeks. If the conditions are right you are notified and you have 24 hours to arrive.
Here's more:
The surf has to be in the right condition for the Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau invitational contest to be held at Waimea Bay. Organized every winter, the tournament has rarely been held because surf at Waimea Bay hasn't met its requirements: ridable 20-plus-foot waves measured Hawaiian-style — from the back of the wave — or about 40 feet from peak to trough. The meet was last held Dec. 15, 2004.

George Downing, contest director of the Eddie Aikau invitational, said there was a 50% chance of running the event Monday and an 80% chance Tuesday.

Peter Cole, a member of the grass-roots Surfrider Foundation, said he doesn't think there will be waves as massive as in 1969.

"I've been studying the charts, and my gut feeling is they'll be big, but not like the '69 surf," Cole said. "That was legitimate 50-foot surf."

The monster waves are powered by two storms north by northwest of Hawaii that will produce high surf through Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

The swell that is predicted is something that has not been seen since 1969.
The island of Oahu is buzzing...
Eddie can you hear me??????

Here's video of the winning wave from Bruce Irons the last time the Eddie was held:



Waiting for text message alert.......
Oh but tomorrow is an epic day in many Ways .
It's the boy's sweet sixteen......

TWO WORDS

Two Words Come To Mind after viewing this photo of our new family member:
BABY DOLL



We are so happy.
Words of advice:
smell her,
love her,
stare at her,
FORGET ABOUT THE HOUSE,
hold her,
treasure these special although often scary moments,
be present- that is the best gift a new baby gives you.
smell her,
love her,
repeat.

The Girl Effect

A Very Sad Day

From the New York Times:
Owning the War | 8:10 p.m. President Obama began with an explanation. And in seven simple words, he laid out why he had decided to escalate the war in Afghanistan, declaring: “We did not ask for this fight.”

With those words, Mr. Obama formally assumed ownership of the war that began eight years ago. With those words, the commander-in-chief began his attempt to explain to a war-weary nation why it is necessary, once again, to send more troops to Afghanistan.

“Afghanistan is not lost,” Mr. Obama said, “but for several years it has moved backwards.”

The president is standing against a backdrop of flags, speaking to a large audience of cadets. Before he outlined the strategy, he explained why his review of Afghanistan took more than 90 days, saying: “I owe you a mission that is clearly defined and worthy of your service.”

“I do not make this decision lightly,” he added.

I had hope that it would be different.
I'm sad because we live in Hawaii where there are many service men and women, my children have been witness to the profound impact a deployed family member has on a family, a community. They are brave and selfless that is for sure. When I heard the news of 30,000 more service members deployed within the new year it hurt me. I can't imagine how it would feel to have your Dad or Mom deployed for the second , third , fourth time.
My Dad was deployed to Vietnam when I was three and my Mom was pregnant with my brother. It forever changed her, and therefore me and our family.
My heart aches knowing how much that is happening in our country right now with no end in sight.

Here is why:


Arlington Cemetary
Need I Say More?
Both of my parents are here.
They earned it.