North Shore Notes

Seeds...

2012-02-03T05:35:00.001-10:00

There are certain times of the year, if you drive into Waialua along the windy road, you can se

the sunflowers and corn plants.

Today coming back from Mokuleia I took a little detour. I came across the offices of Pioneer Seed Company. I know that the sunflowers and corn are planted to find the plants that produce the

best seeds for different uses.

It was so pretty up there. Fields of green everywhere, cool trades and ocean views.

Fried Rice...

2012-02-02T05:36:00.000-10:00

or better known as "mishmash" a little of this and a little of that...

brown rice, Aloha Shoyu, mixed vegis, cranberry pork loin, green onion

mixed together and serve with some fruit.

even good the next day for lunch!

No eggs this time b/c hubs doesn't like them

Random...

2012-02-01T05:15:00.001-10:00

Just some random shots from spending time at the contest site. Some

of them are typical contest stuff, but others are different because of

the huge surf and all of the people it brought out.

Getting a slipper that was swept away...

Ekukai Beach Park memorial to Ronnie Burns...

After loosing a board, running back up the beach...

Probably the perfect viewing spot...

The "price" is making it out at Pipe on a day like this...

See the "Beach closed" sign...

this is what happens if you stand too close

the North Shore lifeguards...real heroes !

he looked exhausted

The swell is dropping, so until the next time, things will calm down.

Huge, day#2

2012-01-31T06:23:00.000-10:00

After a break on Sunday, the surf got huge again. Hubs and I took a drive up to Sunset and

stopped along the way.

Sunset Beach...

Pupukea/Gas Chambers...

Pipeline

Backdoor...

Chun's (no beach left, notice the caution tape)

Laniakea towards Haleiwa/Kaena Point

haze is the water vapor from the waves

Avalanche/Paradise

that's the Haleiwa Harbor buoy in the foreground

It's hard to capture on film exactly the size and sound of all this.

A roar and pounding of the beach is the best way to describe it.

Pipeline

2012-01-30T06:23:00.000-10:00

Yesterday, hubby and I were watching the Pipe Pro when they called it

off for the day because the surf was too big/out of control. They also said that

the surf was going to peak between 1-3 in the afternoon. We decided to take

a drive up ad see if we could even get close. I'm so glad we went and that I took

my long lens.

third reef starting to break...this is so far out.

It was really unbelievable how much water was moving around and the noise.

then around 3 things started to change...the surf got smaller and cleaner. Guys

started to paddle out and I was lucky enough to take these...

backdoor...

classic pipeline...

it really was a thrill

Royal Hawaiian Band

2012-01-27T05:58:00.000-10:00

Yesterday the Royal Hawaiian Band came for a concert at Waialua Elementary

School. It was great! One of kindergartners Grandparents are members of

the band. This was also part of the Blue Ribbon School celebration.

A group of second graders from the dance academy danced "Hukilau"

A group of students dressed up in native costumes from around the world to

lead the whole student body in "The World is a Rainbow".

A group of teachers/staff danced "Pua Mana"

Mahalo RHB for coming all the way out to the country for a great concert!

Fale Party...

2012-01-26T05:51:00.001-10:00

Last Sunday I was invited to a party at the Moody fale.

This was not only the usual monthly birthday party, but the last

one before two of the Moody grandsons leave on their 2 year missions.

It was quite a turnout this time. Lots of their friends there and to start off

we took a group photo and sang "Love at Home".

This time I took some chicken from Paalakai market...always a huge hit.

I'm so thankful that we have met this wonderful family and they

have included in so many gatherings.

Coco Puffs...

2012-01-25T06:23:00.001-10:00

Last Saturday I stopped by Liliha Bakery to pick up

some Coco Puffs to take to a potluck.

Saturday morning meant long lines, but I made it through with two dozen

of these over-the-top babies!

Coco Puffs are a small cream puff filled with chocolate and topped with

chantilly.

these two had never had one before and were covered with the goodness....

On one episode of Hawaii 50 there was a little grey box sitting on top of

Mc Garrett's car...they know good stuff!

Instant love!

Lost count how many Bishop consumed

he took the left overs home, I checked...

they did make it.

Coco Puffs...

Heaven in a little puff

Aloha Elder Rowley...

2012-01-24T06:24:00.001-10:00

Yesterday, after spending quite a bit of time with this nice gent

learning about iCloud, I went to HNL to see...

this nice guy leave on his mission.

Graham has been attending BYU on a football scholarship, so it was nice to see

so many of his friends come to the airport.

A last good-bye for mom and little sister...

in two weeks Graham's older brother will also

be leaving for his mission...2 Rowleys in the MTC!

Kung Hey Fat Choy~2012

2012-01-23T06:54:00.000-10:00

Happy Chinese New Year...

today is a day to eat long noodles

that will show long life!

No Self-Service...

2012-01-20T04:33:00.000-10:00

In Waialua we have two gas stations, one by the library and then this one...

Waialua Service Station.

Two pumps and FULL SERVICE!

People have told me that this station hasn't really changed much over the years.

Sometimes the gas prices are cheaper here than anywhere else around

and

we don't even have to pump the gas ourselves!

SURFER (the bar)

2012-01-19T05:18:00.000-10:00

The Paniolo movie was shown at a new venue at Turtle Bay Resort.

It's been open since right before the winter contest season started. SURFER Mag has put

their name behind it. They've done a good job with the decor and the

view is so beautiful.

I don't make a habit hanging out in bars, but this was a perfect place to have a smaller group, more

intimate.

They have a great menu that included pupu's and burgers/sandwiches and a special buffet.

We definately will go back to see some of the other events they have scheduled.

Na Paniolo O Hawaii...

2012-01-18T06:15:00.000-10:00

A few nights ago I went up to Turtle Bay to see the movie,

"Na Paniolo O Hawaii".

I had heard about this movie and seen the directors, Edgy Lee, other movie,

"Waikiki, In The Wake of Dreams" and loved her work.

This movie is a history of the Hawaiian Paniolos (cowboys).

The film was made in 2006 and there are only 3 of the original men that were the storytellers

during the movie are still alive.

We have a friend from church, George A'i, Sr. that is a member of the

Paniolo Hall of Fame. This was also his story.

Edgy Lee stayed after the movie and answered questions.

Her movies show parts of Hawaii that are disappearing.

Na Paniolos O Hawaii, true treasurers.

Winter Rainbows

2012-01-17T06:08:00.000-10:00

I love them because they're over Waialua!

Jerry's Pizza

2012-01-16T08:04:00.000-10:00

A new pizza place opened in Waialua, Jerry's. Our son actually had heard

about it when he was here. All of his friends were talking about it.

Jerry (the owner) actually had a place up by Sunset Beach thats how he became so well known.

It's in the Waialua Shopping Center (hahahaha, sorry inside Waialua joke), by the Aloha

gas station, the library and the bandstand.

We've been a few times and it's really good!

our pizza... 1/2 topical and 1/2 Waialua

Jerry's Pizza, a Waialua gem!

War Horse...

2012-01-15T13:39:00.000-10:00

Last week hubby and I finally went to see "War Horse". I had been afraid to see it,

worried that the horse died. I spoke to people that had seen it and found out that

wasn't the case.

It's not often that people will give a standing ovation to a movie in a theater, but that

happened when we went to see it.

This is an epic movie. The photography, acting, scenery, the music all made this a great movie.

It was the horse and the way this story was brought to life is what made it epic.

Needless to say, we would highly recommend it!

The Mall...

2012-01-13T06:12:00.000-10:00

Yup, 7/11 in Haleiwa has pretty much the same stuff as a mall.

UH logo wear, Holiday decorations, office supplies, t-shirts, toys (the much sought-after ZuZu Pets),

school supplies, back-packs, beach stuff, cosmetics and movies.

AND...musubi, char su, manapua, lup chong, dim sum, shoyu chicken,

laulau, sushi, poke and diet coke!

Love livin' in da country!

Happy Birthday Big Bear...

2012-01-12T05:43:00.000-10:00

It was hubby's birthday. He didn't want anything but to go to El Palenque for dinner.

He' been off-island during the day for work, so he was tired and just wanted

to eat early, so off we went.

a tip of a chip into the salsa is far enough...

he loves chicken fajitas...

my machaca, so yummy or way too much food...

he got his favorite soda...Penafial sangria.

Happy Birthday to my best friend and best guy ever!

hana hou, a hui hou

2012-01-11T06:17:00.000-10:00

Last night a group of us went to a new restaurant in Haleiwa. It was Charlotte's

last night in Waialua for awhile.

Marisa and Charlotte

yummy fries...tempura batter and truffle oil,

2 kinds of poke...

chicken wings...

1 handed Billy...

and his "Hawaiian sandwich". All kinds of meat...

portabella burger...

and a Wedge salad.

once again...aloha and a hui hou Charlotte.

See you soon!

More of a Wedding @ the Royal...

2012-01-10T06:01:00.000-10:00

Our Colleen with all of the Waikiki Beach Boys that watched over her while she

was growing up.

( thanks Suzy Makua for the great photo! I was busy getting a pupu plate when they were taking this photo).

Julia and Jessica Makua

Instead of a "sit down dinner" there were a lot of different food stations sat up

around the room, with it seemed like endless food. This is the tempura and Thai stations.

There was a beautiful pink cake and also a dessert bar.

Sheila enjoying herself

Suzy Makua, a fellow photographer.

A final shot of

A Wedding @ the Royal...

2012-01-09T05:46:00.000-10:00

On Saturday we attended the much anticipated wedding of our dear friend Colleen and her

beau, Drew. It was magical. From the time we received the invitation we knew it would be

special and it was ( I took over 400 pics! love my new camera).

It was that time of day that is magical in Waikiki...when the sun dips low in the sky

and the air is golden.

more photos of the magic tomorrow...

mahalo Colleen, Drew, Jack and Linda for including us!

Sharks Cove

2012-01-06T06:39:00.001-10:00

Yesterday during the big swell, I stopped at Sharks Cove. It was pretty impressive with the huge

waves, the noise and the spray. Sharks Cove is the snorkeling spot right across from Foodland.

It's usually full of tour buses and tons of people. Very, very calm most of the time.

I found this photo that shows pretty much what it looks like normally...

(Flicker photo)

....this is what was going on yesterday. Almost exact same spot looking east.

these next ones are a sequence...

Same spot but, zoomed out to the outer reef breaking

By far my favorite shot. A guy standing watching a huge locomotive size wave

roaring towards shore.

There really isn't anything I can compare this to. These swells are something to be seen/heard.

We've been lucky enough to see "the Eddie" run once, hope it's not another 25 years.

Riding mountains...

2012-01-05T07:12:00.000-10:00

Yesterday was one of the biggest swells so far this winter. Early before I went to school I went to

to Haleiwa Beach Park and realized that there were a bunch of guys out doing "tow-in" surfing.

They were so far out, and the lighting wasn't that good yet, but I got some pics.

These were taken with my big telephoto lens, and you can see how far out they are.

Some of the guys going out.

After school I went by the harbor and the guys were coming in...they had been

out there for five hours!

along with a big swell comes lots of these on the road....

and the firemen waiting in case....

people can't read these signs.

Big swells also also bring out lots of boards for sale...

these were on the side of the road, but Foodland had a lot of board selling.

Believe it or not, this swell wasn't big enough to run "The Eddie". The direction was

wrong and it was very short-lived.

So maybe next time.

VOG be gone...

2012-01-04T06:11:00.000-10:00

The last few days have been horrible weather. Kona winds=VOG.

I snapped these coming down "snake road" looking towards Kaena Point.

Can't even see the point, the ocean or Mt. Kaala. Can barely make out

the sugar mill.

My bronchitis is really giving me fits. I know how people with asthma feel...

like a fish without water.

The news said that the trades are coming back tonight, so we'll see if we have

clear, blue skies tomorrow!

A Shower of Love...

2012-01-03T05:59:00.000-10:00

Yesterday I attended a bridal shower for this sweet girl.

We've known her since she was a "wee lass" and now she's a beautiful woman

a week away from her wedding.

Since Andrew is a mgr. at Dukes and she used to work there and upstairs, the shower was held

there.

The Executive Chef put together a special menu for the day. He even came

out and explained it to us.

The happy couple...Drew just checking in with Colleen before he left.

Her sister Jen helped manage all of the gifts.

It was nice to see so many mainland friends here.

The funniest thing was Colleen's nephew covering his head with a towel

whenever she opened a box with a "pink" bow...gotta love VS!

Her cheeks were so red...

her beautiful china.

So less than a week away for this and we can't wait for this exciting day!
Love you Colleen and Drew!

New Years Resolution...

2012-01-02T05:27:00.000-10:00

for the 2012 New Year...

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou 2012

2012-01-01T07:33:00.002-10:00

Venus and a sliver

2011-12-30T15:54:00.001-10:00

Clear, cold air makes for good stargazing in San Clemente. This happens to

be a sliver of the moon and Venus to the left right after sunset.

not as many stars as we see in Hawaii, but still nice.

Homeward bound...

2011-12-29T13:38:00.000-10:00

we're at LAX waiting to go home.

aloha, Cali, see you soon!

Home= warmth!

All by himself...

2011-12-29T04:39:00.000-10:00

no more training wheels!

Geoff and Bri decided to let Greyson try to ride his bike w/o training wheels.

They got taken off and off he went! The first time!

No holding him back now.

He's pretty proud of himself.

The look of concentration cracks me up!

Way to go Greyson!

San O in December

2011-12-28T05:20:00.000-10:00

The day after Christmas and a short trip to San O for Lauren to try and surf.

The surf conditions weren't really that good (for anyone), but she gave it a try.

It was a good day for just hanging out in the sun and since the tide was so low, finding

lots of treasurers in the huge tide pools and exploring the bamboo.

Christmas sparkle and shine...

2011-12-27T07:03:00.000-10:00

When we moved I split up my set of Waterford crystal between our children (couldn't

see using while eating outside). After the grandparents passed away, Traci

got a couple of special things that had been her grandmothers. A large Waterford

bowl and a set of silverware.

It's nice to see them being used at special family times like the holidays.

Christmas Day Festivities continue...

2011-12-26T14:59:00.000-10:00

for lunch we headed over to Geoff and Bri's house.

Lots of new toys to show Poppa how they work,

Bri's grandparents were also there, so it was nice to take a photos of 3 generations

Then in the early evening everyone came back to Traci's for dinner. It was

fun to see Emme playing with a doll high-chair that had been Traci's and

a dolly that had been Lauren's.

more Legos for the boys,

some special new earrings for Lauren

Intense Lego building

Some special cupcakes from Sprinkles for dessert

All in all it was a Christmas full of the love of family

and all that makes it special.

2011-12-26T09:08:00.000-10:00

and then Santa Baby brought me something I've wanted for a very long time....a new

camera! I take 1000's of pictures and have longed for something that would

make my pics look even better.

So as the day continued I got to take 300+ photos ....

the "after" mess...

Legos to put together,

posed pics

new skateboard action shots,

burning rubber on new bikes,

Oh Santa Baby, thanks so much! I love you!

Early Christmas Morn...

2011-12-26T08:08:00.000-10:00

Our Christmas morn started very early...6:30am! Lauren had wanted us there

early. As we drove the 1 1/2 miles from the MH to their house, we watched

the car thermometer go from a very chilly 35 degrees to a warmer 50!

As we pulled up the kids were leaning out their upstairs windows

waiting for us. I had time to shoot a couple of quick pics of the "before"

they let Traci take a quick shot on the stairs, before they ran down.

There was a blur of activity,

and some excited surprises!

A special gift, a Jamie Swim print of beloved honus

then...

A Christmas Tradition...

2011-12-24T05:47:00.000-10:00

We started a tradition when we got the MH, to have the grands decorate the "fakie"

tree we got for the living room here. We've gone from just Lauren and Jack, to Greyson and now

Emme added to the mix.

I've brought over a lot of "Hawaiian style" unbreakable ornaments and we just let them

go to it. We never change anything about it once it's decorated...adds to the charm of it.

As they've gotten older and taller, the ornaments have gotten higher on the tree.

Lauren, because she's the oldest, gets to put the star up last.

The finished product....

beautiful!

(Traci O'Neill photos)

A "Grand Boys" night...

2011-12-23T06:09:00.001-10:00

Last night we ended up having a "Grand-boys" night. Lauren wasn't feeling well so she stayed

home and Emme is a little young yet.

We had hamburgers at Rubys where there had a tree decorated with all kinds of

toys. The boys loved it.

We then went to San Juan Capistrano to look at the Christmas lights.

There are a couple of streets there that people go all out. Both sides of the streets

are decorated.

I love the excitement and wonder that were on their faces.

Eggnog French Toast...

2011-12-22T05:07:00.000-10:00

The two older grands spent the night last night.

I had some of Lauren's bread in the freezer (gluten free), left-over eggnog

from the Open House and powdered sugar. All the makings of a Holiday treat...

egg nog french toast.

The original recipe calls for Kings Hawaiian, but since she can't eat that, this was

just fine.

The kids were so excited. Real powdered sugar, no need for syrup or jam.

Served on Grammy's Christmas dishes...what could be better?

Soccer

2011-12-21T17:27:00.000-10:00

Greyson got to play soccer this year through a school district league. Hubby has been

able to go to several of his games during the last few months. Last Sunday was his

final game because it was a make-up, so I got to go. Geoff and Bri have been

working with him, so he understands the basics of the game...even going to the net

and yelling "I'm open".

he even tried to do a header

I'm glad that he got to play this year and he enjoyed it.

Poppa paid him for making goals....the kid has learned the value of $$ that's for sure!

A Christmas program

2011-12-21T07:31:00.000-10:00

We got to attend Greyson's Christmas program at his Pre-School.

The kids were so stink in' cute.

Grey took this very seriously. He knew all of the songs and the hand motions that wet

along with them.

Emme had the perfect spot sitting on Poppa's lap.

Isn't anything cuter than little ones singing Christmas songs.

Deja vu...

2011-12-20T12:47:00.000-10:00

On Sunday morning hubby told me that he thought the one bathroom toilet was

plugged up. He bought a new plunger and tried to no avail. Since we were having an

Open House later in the day, we had to call a plumber.

Bad news...the pvc pipe under the MH as cracked and broke. As far as we knew this was the

original piping, 1976 era. Couldn't use any water.

we went to Grey's soccer game, came home and got ready for the Open House.

"Merry Christmas, have some pupus...but you can't use the bathrooms"

so we had to spend the night down at the Hampton Inn...again. We'd

spent a lot of time there during the renovations.

They have really comfortable beds, so that's good.

The plumbers were here bright and early the next morning and problem fixed.

So guess that was our "Christmas Vacation" moment for this year.

What A Waste...

2011-12-20T12:24:00.000-10:00

Christmas tree lots with piles of trees...

piles and piles

trees under tarps...so close to Christmas they probably won't get sold.

A little sad.

Something to be said for trees coming to

Hawaii in shipping containers and once they're gone that's it...

no waste.

Hawaiian Snowman in Haleiwa...

2011-12-16T06:07:00.000-10:00

on the side of Aoki's Shave Ice

Baby It's Cold Outside...

2011-12-15T06:46:00.000-10:00

This is the first morning in San Clemente...8:23am!

all I can say is....Buuuuurrrr

Over The Skies...

2011-12-14T06:35:00.000-10:00

and through the gates...

today I'm traveling to the mainland with this guy!

Because the contest ended in only three days, Geoff was

able to leave early and get on my flight. Hubby will pick us up in LAX.

We know it's cold over there so he's bringing me a jacket.

Let the Holiday celebrations begin!

Poinsettia Tree...

2011-12-13T05:29:00.000-10:00

Last Saturday after hula, I went over to Kahala Mall to check out the Apple Store and

do a little shopping. I'd forgotten about the BEAUTIFUL poinsettia

tree they had as their main decoration. It really is breath-taking.

My favorite color red/green together in one spot!

While there, I got to see some of the Christmas program that was going on.

Jake Shimabukuro was there performing.

The place was packed, but it was nice to get some free

music by this wonderful musician.

I love the holidays!

It's just little things like free music that make it so special.

Haleiwa Christmas Parade 2011

2011-12-12T06:36:00.000-10:00

This years Christmas Parade in Haleiwa was the best!! We had a little rain, a grinch, all kinds of

friends in it (Heidi, Nate, Uncle George,MaryAnne, Lauren, etc), Mr. Moore the Principal of Waialua Elementary

was the GRAND MARSHALL, Bullpups, Red Raiders, Royal Hawaiian Band, the Gecko Guy (pumper) and of

course...Santa Claus in his aloha shirt and shakka!

We heard that the parade route was full all the way from Weed Circle to Haleiwa Beach Park!

We sat with our big group of friends like last year, I love seeing all the little kids so excited.

it really was good fun!

A little rain seemed to add some sparkle to the whole light thing....

loved it!

A Note to Visitors...

2011-12-09T06:14:00.000-10:00

Just a note to visitors...

*please don't dart out into the street thinking that we'll stop, sometimes we can't

*we have speed limits, so drive them, don't try to pass on the right, tailgate or "flip" us off because

we're not going mainland speeds...slow down!

*when the signs say "don't go in the water...don't!

*don't barge in front of us in a line we've been standing in...chances are we'd let you go anyway

*we aren't your "bro" or your "sistah"

*please don't try to speak pidgin...really (it only makes you really look like a tourist!)

*yes, we do know the price of gas, food, etc...but these are the prices we pay EVERY day

Now PLEASE...

*slow down to see the beauty of this place

*ask us questions, we love to talk about our home

*try our "local" food, not everything comes with pineapple to make it Hawaiian

*this is our home, so we really do "normal" things

So PLEASE, slow down, watch out and most of all enjoy!

ALOHA!

Just sayin'

One of the country's BEST!!!

2011-12-08T06:00:00.000-10:00

The day before Thanksgiving Waialua Elementary had their Blue Ribbon Winner celebration.

Mr. Moore had just returned from the awards ceremony in Washington D.C., so the kids were

excited to finally get a chance to celebrate.

Waialua Elementary is ONLY 1 OF 300 schools in the country to be chosen as a Blue Ribbon

School. Not only are we a small school on the North Shore of an island, but they

won this with hang approx. 65% Title 1 students!

This award shows what a HUGE commitment the staff and community has made

to Waialua Elementary to really make it "One of the Country's Best"

The celebration was full of blue...fingernail polishing, cotton candy, ribbons,

paw prints, slurpees, and movies, popcorn, dancing.

The military partners from Scholfield came down to spend the time with the kids. They danced,

threw footballs, jumped rope and gave the kids tours of a couple of

vehicles they brought.

Congratulations again on a job well done, WAIALUA ELEMENTARY!

Pearl Harbor

2011-12-07T06:42:00.003-10:00

Today is Pearl Harbor Day.

One of the places I always tell first time visitors to see is the Pearl Harbor Memorial.

The last time I was there was a few years ago and since then there has been

a new visitors center built.

There is nothing like it, the silence, the names, the oil bubbles still coming to the surface...

I've talked to friend that were young children here on that December 7th,

to hear in their own words what they were feeling and what

it was like is something I'll never forget.

70 years and their memories of that day are still fresh.

A Touch of Pink...

2011-12-06T05:55:00.000-10:00

I had to be in town for most of the and decided to take a drive down to Waikiki.

I wanted to see what the decorations looked like at the Royal. I drove up

to the front and the doorman came out to the car and asked me if I would like

him to take a picture. Obviously he'd taken this shot before!

These "Pretty in Pink" trees are just right for the

Pink Lady, aren't they?

Look what came to stay at our house...

2011-12-05T05:27:00.000-10:00

Yes, it's true, I've gone to the other side. Quite by accident. Hubby had to use my

computer last week (his was at the office for update) and he told me how slow

mine was. I knew that this was a problem for a while now. It's 7 years old, and

we haven't really had anything major go wrong with it, but it was just a matter of

time. So we started looking...Costco and Best Buy. Frustrating to say the least, no one

could answer my questions. We ran into a friend and he told us we should just

stop messing around and get a Mac. Interestingly, that's what the Geek Guy

told us also.

So early Saturday morning, we were at the Apple Store in Ala Moana. It was a mad-house!

Two hours later, we were leaving with the white box and all my stuff set up. Hubby spent

his time there playing with all the computers and now is a Mac Lover! "So easy", he swears

Tomorrow I head back there with my old laptop, external hard drive and the new

Mac and they are switching everything.

Since the school uses Mac's, I'm already very familiar with them and

how to get around.

Everyone's commet...."well it's about time"

so you can teach us old dogs some new tricks!

Country Fact of Life...

2011-12-02T05:32:00.000-10:00

We live in the country. There are regular sewer lines in very few places

here on the north shore.

If you live in any type of "older" home, chances are you have either a

septic tank or a cesspool. We happen to have a cesspool. We've had it

checked and it's fine. If we had done the construction, we would have had

to put in a septic tank, which are about $14,000 total. So needless to say

we still have the original one. We "feed" it yeast once a month, and watch

what goes down it. Seems to be just happy!

So a regular sight out here are the pump trucks. Just a fact of life.

Keep the Country Country!

Mele Kalikimaka around da hale...

2011-12-01T05:40:00.000-10:00

Hubby and I put up our decorations the other day.

Our tree still looks great, we love it because it's made for small places...tall and skinny! Amazing

that with a pine scented candle, just like a "real" tree and not the mess.

Love getting out all the decorations we've had for years,

I've taken a lot of my Santa collection to the mainland (along with my Spode),

just not enough room here, but I love these guys

The wreath that I made the first year we lived here...still lookin' good,

treasured ornaments that mean so much and bring back so many memories.

so, it really is beginning to look like Christmas in the small 'kine hale!

Malaekahana

2011-11-30T06:23:00.000-10:00

Hubby and I took a detour into Makaekahana Park. I'd never been in there and he had, but it

had been many years ago. This is such a pretty park.

Huge old trees, so there was plenty of shade from the ironwood trees for the camp spots.

You can see the weather wasn't so nice, but such a pretty beach. This time of the year,

it's pretty windy over there, but still nice. That's Laie Point off in the distance.

right offshore is Goat Island. We found out that at a low tide,

you can wade out there, it's a bird sanctuary.

Plenty of open space for picnicking

Makleakahana, another hidden treasure

All Time Favorite...

2011-11-29T06:39:00.001-10:00

Yesterday our cable, internet and phone were out for hours. Hubby suggested we

watch a movie, his choice. First choice..."Once Upon A Time In Mexico"...no. His

second choice was this movie...

We've seen this so many times and actually own 3 copies of it.

It's still so darn funny.

We were laughing so hard that one of our neighbors came over to see what

we were laughing about.

We both decided the reason it's so funny is that it reminds us of

funny holiday stories we've had over the years.

It's a classic...have you seen it?

The Decendants...

2011-11-28T06:33:00.000-10:00

I'd read this book almost two years ago, then found out they were making a movie

from it and I couldn't wait!

Hubby and I went the other day. He thought it was going to be a "chick flick", but came

away loving it as much as I did.

Loved the opening voice over...that's a true picture of living here.

The director got it right...leaving shoes outside the door, gecko sounds, goats, even the

old kamaaina house decor.

Sometimes I think "local" audiences are the hardest to please. There are so

many wrong depictions of Hawaii...we can appreciate when someone actually

gets it right. Not often movie audiences clap throughout a movie.

So, if you'd like to see a great movie about modern Hawaii, this is the one.

*the girl's language can be rough*

also loved the soundtrack, pure Gabby.

Thanksgiving~Hawaiian Style...

2011-11-25T06:42:00.000-10:00

You can take your turkey to the imu at the high school and cook it there ( I heard it was full),

Thanksgiving was beautiful with warm water and off-shore trades blowing

(Sunset Beach)

We had our traditional Kaamooloa Road Thanksgiving Feast at the

Watanabes next door...30+ people

tables were decorated with the flowers

that I had made last week for church....majority of them came from

cuttings in our yard

Malia LOVED my cranberry sauce

no words can describe the goodness...

We're so thankful for another year of

"Hawaiian Style Thanksgiving."

Thankful Thursday~Family

2011-11-24T07:02:00.000-10:00

They mean the world to me

Happy Thanksgiving

1/2 hour East...

2011-11-23T05:27:00.000-10:00

I'd always wanted to just drive for 1/2 and hour and see where I was at the end of that 1/2 hour.

This morning I had to go to the east side and decided this would be the perfect day.

At about 28 minutes, I was at the Malekahana Bike Path, so I figured Laie would be the 1/2 hr mark.

Laie is well-known for several things; the LDS Temple,

BYU Hawaii

Polynesian Cultural Center

and Hukilau Cafe.

There are a lot of other things that make this a great place...

the re-done Laie Palms Cinemas (two smallish screen, really good popcorn and cheap prices!),

Laie Village Center,

Laie Point,

a great little market,

more round-about signs than anywhere else,

also probably more ulu (breadfruit) trees than any place else on Oahu

and

the famous Hukilau Beach.

We love Laie for its mellow local feel.

Can't Wait...

2011-11-22T06:26:00.000-10:00

*can I just say I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this invite.

So classic, just perfect for a classy couple and a very classic venue

Monkey Business...

2011-11-21T05:12:00.000-10:00

Sweet Sadie turned 1and had a party that was full of "monkey business"

It was held at a cute little water park in Scholfield Barracks. I didn't know that

anyone could go and use those facilities (except the PX). Really a nice park.

Kelsey, Sadie's mom made the cutes cupcakes that looked like monkeys! The kids played

a few games, find the banana, etc.

Happy Birthday Sadie, you're the cutest monkey ever!

A Classic...

2011-11-18T05:13:00.000-10:00

Our neighbor, Ed, recently got a classic...a 1988 Chevy El Camino.

It's such a cool car.

What is it about those classic cars? Just plain coolness!

Hubby and I can appreciate just how cool this car is.

These classic cars have history, they have class but most of all they bring back memories~ cruising,

drive-in movies, races, car hop service and more.

Mahalo Ed for bringing "coolness" to Kaamooloa Road!

Thankful Thursday~Faith...

2011-11-17T05:47:00.000-10:00

Everyday I'm thankful for my Faith and what it means to me...

(pinterest image)

Life is so much better because of it...can't imagine a life without it.

Welcome Home...

2011-11-16T05:39:00.000-10:00

Our neighbor, Billy, is home from his deployment in Iraq. Doesn't seem like a year

ago we were bidding him aloha and a hui hou.

Its so good to have him home and safe.

The surprise welcome home party was at Steve and Christine's house again.

Christine made all of her wonderful "heavy pupus". Everything Billy loves!

Welcome home Billy! Glad you're back!

Wall Street comes to the North Shore

2011-11-15T05:58:00.000-10:00

I came across this protest the other day. A guy told me it was a fragment group

from the Wall Street protest that are going on in town. This was across

from the Turtle Bay Resort.

Right next to them was this group of HPD officers, part of the

special task force. I knew this because they were wearing their

"aloha shirt uniforms".

These new "uniforms" are supposed to help the officers blend in :)

We don't get much of this type of thing going on out here...

most protesters don't want to drive out this far.

Just thought it was funny because if you've ever been to Turtle Bay,

there's not a lot of traffic like Haleiwa.

I caught one of the officers taking a picture of the group...wonder what

that will be used for?

600!

2011-11-14T06:22:00.000-10:00

If someone had told me almost 4 years ago that I'd still be
writing my blog, I would have laughed.
I never thought that I'd find stuff to write about our life here, but
even with some post about our family on the mainland, most of
this blog has been about life here in Hawai'i.
My blog has been more of a journal for me... a chronicle of
the good, the very good and some pretty bad.
I've never wanted to dwell on the bad, but since it has been such a HUGE
part of our life here, I had to mention it.

I'm always surprised when someone tells me they read my blog or I see the counter change( I added
the counter because I was curious).

So, I've been through three cameras, thousands and thousands of
pictures. I've loved it all...
here's to another four years of
"North Shore Notes and Living Our Dream"

You may notice that I have a new blog header/design. In honor of my 600th post, I asked
our very talented and bright daughter-in-law, Bri if she could design something new for me.
Needless to say...I love it! Thank You, Thank You.
Please check out just how talented she is by clicking on the
Emerson Grey Designs
button on the my sidebar.

Veterans Day...

2011-11-11T06:57:00.000-10:00

Mahalo to all who are serving now and those who served in the past

that we may enjoy our freedom.

God Bless You All~

Thankful Thursday~Blessings

2011-11-10T06:33:00.000-10:00

"name them one by one..."

Hawaiian Surfing~Traditions of the Past

2011-11-09T05:37:00.000-10:00

The other night hubby and I went to a presentation by the author of this book, John Clark.

He's written 6 books on Hawaii's beaches, is an ex-lifeguard,

retired firefighter and author. This was a slide show that showed the

six different types of waveriding here in Hawaii; board surfing,

bodyboarding, outrigger surfing, bodysurfing, river surfing and sand sliding.

He's been able to document all of these from very early (1800's) Hawaiian

newspaper accounts.

He even touched on a non-traditional wave surfing~bag surfing...where beachboys would

take pillowcases from the hotels, fill them with air, close off the open end with their hand

and ride the waves.

Our friend, Randy Rarrick was the MC for the evening.

side note...John Clark still surfs everyday in Waikiki and most often on these

"old style" paipo kine wooden boards. These are actually his boards he brought.

There's a section of the book that describes all the surf spots in Waikiki with their

traditional Hawaiian names and the newer ones. Interesting how the traditional names

were very accurate in their description of the type of break it is.

Our Life For The Next Week...

2011-11-08T06:05:00.000-10:00

Today starts all of the APEC road closures. Hubby has to go into Waikiki

on Thursday to pick up a business associate (they couldn't change the trip)...so as the news is saying

"travel times are going to be unpredictable".

We've been told to stay informed, stay out of the restricted areas, don't travel to

Waikiki, the Convention Center or Ko'olina unless necessary. Even trash pick up in those areas

is being disrupted.

But...this is a chance to "...spotlight Honolulu and our island on a global front"

Needless to say, won't be going anywhere near town for the next week (no hula, etc).

Arbor Day 2011

2011-11-06T10:22:00.003-10:00

Every year for Arbor Day, Hawaiian Electric Company offers a "free tree giveaway".

The closest place to us is Waimea Falls Park. We love going to this one for a couple

of reasons, we always run into friends and can talk story, and the free plants/trees

are grown right there at the park.

Hubby spends a lot of time looking over the plants until he decides. If you've ever been

to our house, you know that he really does have a "green thumb" and knows so much

about gardening here. He has a ton of books, so he knows what will grow in dry

Waialua or not.

We came away with our free native plant and he bought a couple of

other plants...so it was a good day.

Aloha Mr. Moses...

2011-11-05T07:21:00.000-10:00

The Skills Trainer for one of the kids in our class is leaving

to work at a middle school. Today was his last day and all

of the kids were a little sad. Mr. Moses not only worked with

his student, but also all of the other students. He was such a good

sport~ dressing up as Goldilocks for Halloween and always

helping Mrs. Luarca and I with computer problems.

All of us in A-10 will surely miss you Mr. Moses!

Master Chef taping

2011-11-04T05:33:00.000-10:00

Our next door neighbor, Christine, is sending in a demo tape to the MASTER CHEF

television show. She asked if she could use our kitchen since its a bigger than

hers. She had a friend who is a professional photographer do the filming and

I must say it was great. She did such a great job.

She made an original pupu dish she has named "Waialua Stack".

Kimchee fried rice, homemade kalua pork and guacamole made from theses
avocados!
I got to try it when the taping was finished and it was delicious!

Good Luck Christine...anytime you want to use my kitchen to make delicious food,

let us know!

Thankful Thursday~Rainbows...

2011-11-03T06:03:00.000-10:00

and the promise of a bright day that they bring.

A visit...

2011-11-02T06:07:00.000-10:00

We had a really nice spur-of-the-moment visit with Debbie & John.

They had been staying out in Makaha (a last minute trip) and before

they changed hotels to be in town, we wanted to get together.

They drove all the way over and we had a great dinner at Ted's.

The weather was great, it was relaxing and great conversation.

Debbie hadn't been to our place for several years...so she was shocked at

how beautiful the yard was.

Debbie had been my principal at Lobo before I retired.

Mahalo Debbie & John for coming all the way over here from Makaha!

**while we were eating ran into another friend from San Clemente...Don Craig. They were here for a son's wedding. Once again, small world.

Waialua Halloween

2011-11-01T05:39:00.000-10:00

Halloween in Waialua included...

a visit from the Halloween Phantom,

A-10 girls,

A-10 Boys,

A-10 spooks, ninjas, witches, oh my,

Goldilocks and the 3 bears,

a Tinkerbell princess,

a dead Repunzhel, Bo Peep and Snow White,

Red Riding Hood and a Big Bad Wolf,

the Adams Family...

Oh My!!!!

Never too old...

2011-10-31T05:49:00.000-10:00

to dress up for Halloween.

We had a Halloween party on Kaamooloa Road the other night.

There were some great costumes. I only got a few because my camera started

acting up, but you get the idea.

Dog the Bounty Hunter & Wife,

Dead Little Red Riding Hood,

Batwoman,

Cleopatra, the lovely hostess of the party and

an old surfer.

As with any party there was a ton of food...this was just at the start.

The Adams girls outdid themselves with the the kids games!

Great Party!

It was "SPOOKtacular"

Sunset Beach Fresh...

2011-10-28T06:03:00.000-10:00

I spotted this new little stand on Kam Hiway (towards Kahuku).

I loved the way that he had all of his local fruit displayed!

These are the real "local" fruits...not like the stuff you see at some of the other

stands along the road (where they have the boxes the fruit came in sitting on the side, not really

alot of it local grown).

apple bananas, lilikoi, avocados, pineapples, star fruit papayas

just another reason to "buy local"

First Sign...

2011-10-27T06:21:00.000-10:00

that the surf contest season is fast approaching.

Post script, ..."Gone"

2011-10-26T18:23:00.000-10:00

When I posted this I knew they were close to the end, but everyday when I drove by the walls

were still up until this morning...it's finally gone. I had to laugh at the toilet left sitting

out there.

Eastside came North...

2011-10-26T07:23:00.000-10:00

The Kailua smoothie place made famous by President Obama has

come to the North Shore...finally.

Seemed like they were working on it for months and months.

Nice to have another choice.

Going, Going, Almost Gone...

2011-10-25T05:57:00.000-10:00

If you've ever come down Kaamooloa, you've probably seen the "pink compound"

before you turn into our lane. I found out recently that it had been sold. I started noticing that

there was a guy there that was doing a lot of trimming, etc. He told me that he was the new owner

and explained that all of the houses on the property were "illegal" so he was going to take them

all down. That's what he started doing...by himself!

This is what he used to knock them all down, except for one.

This one was closest to the road and he knocked down one that

was attached to it.

Then I noticed that the front house was being taken apart, board by board.

There were a lot of guys over there working on it. Seemed like it went slower

than the othere ones.

Today he told me that everything is going to be used by someone else down the

street. The whole group came and worked in exchange for all the free materials.

Cool that it's being reused.

The whole property is almost 2 acres, has a great view and even has an underground spring.

APEC "spruce up"...

2011-10-24T06:15:00.000-10:00

In a couple of weeks Honolulu will host APEC (Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation).

As its gotten closer, the news has been filed with new articles about how this is going

to affect all of us. What roads will be closed, parts of the airport being given a face-lift,

court cases being moved from downtown to other courts around the island, events being

cancelled because there won't be any extra police/sheriff officers (they will all be working

on APEC), etc, etc, etc.

I've read these articles with interest, but they really don't have any affect

on us out here since the majority of the people will be staying in town.

I've been following the controversy of the Nimitz Hiway palms. If you've ever driven from the

airport to Waikiki and not gone on the freeway, you've gone along Nimitz Hiway.

There are parts of it that are industrial and then it goes along the harbor, skirts downtown past car

dealerships, small local food stands and then changes into Ala Moana Blvd. around Ala Moana

Beach Park.

Around the harbor area there's a median strip down the center, this is where the guys selling

newspapers stand. And its this area that has lead to numerous articles. In an effort to "spruce-up"

Nimitz, the C&C has planted coco palms and laid sod in the median.

Honolulu is an urban area, but it's not lacking beautiful trees. Kapiolani Blvd. is shaded

with huge trees, there are shower trees downtown, Kuhio Blvd. in Waikiki has beautiful trees.

Now we have the Nimitz palms.

They are nice to look at, hope they don't die in the next 2 weeks (which is one concern),

If they really were moved from one vacant area to Nimitz and didn't cost much, that's OK.

They really do add something. Isn't a coconut palm one of the things visitors

expect to see in Hawaii.

Only one problem that I can see...

how are they going to move all of the homeless and their tent cities

off the sidewalks or from under the shade of the palms?

Paya...

2011-10-21T05:50:00.001-10:00

A few months ago, the big news on the street was the birth

of Misty's kittens.

During the last month a lot has happened with the kittens and Misty. Misty kept moving

the kittens around from under all the houses, except the girls (she would never keep them there).

Two of the kittens were given away to a friend.

Long story short, after several run-ins with the girls male dog, Koda, there is only

one kitten left (Misty is also gone).

This girls named this little guy Paya, as in papaya. When he was smaller, he would climb

a papaya tree and sit up there.

Now that he's bigger, he hangs out in the mango tree in the girls front yard.

He really is pretty cute and has a playful personality.

Lets hope he is smarter than the other ones and stays

away from the dog!

Welcome Home!

2011-10-20T05:51:00.000-10:00

Quite a group came to HNL to welcome Carly home from her 18 month mission

to Toronto Canada.

Cousins (who were now taller than her), Aunts, Uncles, Brother and Sister In Law, Sister,

Grandparents and Friends all came out.

Since her sister is a pilot for Hawaiian Airlines, she was able to get her

parents out to the gate to meet Carly when she landed.

She still had on her warm Canadian clothes! Long socks and a sweater!

I love this picture of her dad taking a picture of the crowd.

Welcome Home Carly!

Sunset dinner...

2011-10-19T06:00:00.000-10:00

Last year at about the same time our good friends the Iwanas and the Nitchmans came out

for dinner. We decided to do it again this year with an added couple. Since this was a bye

week for UH football, it seemed perfect. The weather

had been so nice up until Saturday, when it was hot and humid.

We headed down to Kaiaka and set up our little table.

Food was the center of attaction again (or as always).

The rainbow was beautiful, but the dark sky was not.

Paalakai fried chicken, Kahuku corn, Paalakai bakery butter rolls, musubi,

and Benita's famous Mac Nut Brownies!

What could be better?

Right after I took these pictures, the rain started. We stayed a while since it was

more of a mist and it was warm, but finally had to retreat back to our house.

In any case, good food, good friends means good fun!

Thanks again guys for coming "all the way out to the North Shore!"

A Small Kine Hoike...

2011-10-18T05:18:00.000-10:00

Our neighbor, SuSu started taking hula. Her dad stopped me when I was leaving

for hula and said she was doing a hoike in Haleiwa. So I left hula early and rushed

back out here so I could see it.

I'm sure this was her first one and I could tell she was a little nervous.

She, and all the girls, did a great job! I could tell she knew all of her songs and

the motions that went with them.

They were dancing "My Yellow Ginger Lei", and I love their

little hands showing the "flower"

I actually knew three of the other girls that are SuSu's hula sisters.

One from my class this year,

a friend we've known since she was born,

and a girl from my class last year.

I loved that they had live music! It always adds so much.

just one little thing missing...a smile.

Afterwards I asked Su if she was nervous and she said "no, she just

didn't want to smile".

I know how that feels. It was really nice to see these young girls

dance such beautiful hulas.

I'm glad I got to go.

Pupus and Good Friends

2011-10-17T06:01:00.000-10:00

Last night two of my very favorite people had me over for pupus and a visit.

They've moved into a great new place and I hadn't seen it yet.

We had the best pupus! I could have just eaten the guac and been

very happy.

It was nice to just sit and get caught up. We've known them since we bought

our house and they've been such a huge help to us.

Mahalo again Travis and Marisa.

Love you guys!

Emerson Grey Designs

2011-10-15T06:23:00.000-10:00

Our favorite Daughter-In-Law, Bri, has started a new business,

Emerson Grey Designs

I've seen what she can do with her amazing finds. She has a real talent

for design and also the experience.

Give her website a look and then contact her for all of

your design needs.

We love you Bri and are so proud of you!

Ironman

2011-10-14T06:24:00.000-10:00

When we first decided to go holo holo, I told hubby I'd see what deals I could get, but it

was Fall Break. Well we got the deal and took off. Little did we realize but it

was Ironman Week in Kona. Yikes! The place was crawling with tons of people everywhere,

especially in downtown Kona and all over the highways.

We only went through downtown once, and that was enough.

Our travels actually took us on the Queen K highway that is

used for the bike part. Wow! Long, hot, voggy, did I mention long and HOT?

The winner finished the whole thing in 8 hrs 3mins.....amazing. 2 1/2 mile swim,

112 mile bike and 26 mile run!

Kohala, Hawi and another end of the road

2011-10-13T05:26:00.000-10:00

We went to Waimea for lunch and decided to continue up to the Kohala part of the

island. We decided to see where the end of the road took us, and we weren't

dissapointed. We passed through Kapa'au, which is said to be near

the birthplace of King Kamehameha. We got to see the original statue. I've seen two other,

Hilo and downtown Honolulu, so it was interesting to learn the history behind this one.

One small, single story hospital for this area. Hubby had gone here years ago and he

said it really hadn't changed much.

quick pass through Hawi ( it was raining)

We reached the end of the road and found another beautiful valley.

We stopped at Mahukona Beach Park and found out about the

railroad that served the sugar plantations in the area. They tried using

railroads to haul the cane, but once big trucks came along, all the railroads

stopped running.

This is what is left of the station next to a pier where the ships would come.

We were laughing at this sign at the beach park camping area. Do you think

they'd take our chickens?

Hilo and Waipio

2011-10-12T06:47:00.000-10:00

Since both of us have spent some time in Hilo Town, we decided to pass through, after a

stop at Big Island Candy, and visiting with a friend.

After crossing the Wailuku River on the "singing bridge", we made a little

detour to look at some great old houses that were in an old part of Hilo.

The drive up the Hamakua coast is beautiful. We took another little detour to go on a scenic drive.

Since re-reading this book again, I really wanted to pay a visit to Waipio Valley.

It was very late afternoon, so the pictures didn't come out as pretty

as it was. The valley is 6 miles deep and considered a very spiritual place

by the Hawaiians.

The beach here is black sand.

Interesting to find out that a tsunami and another time a huge flood filled

the valley and not one person who lived there died.

I think the sign said that it was a 25% grade, and just by looking at the road...it's so steep!

Maybe someday, with four-wheel drive.

to be continued...

Hapuna and Puukohala

2011-10-11T06:36:00.000-10:00

Summer 1963 spent a lot of time at this beautiful beach...Hapuna. I can remember

the talk back then, "some rich guy had bought a lot of land there and was going to build a hotel".

I couldn't imagine what that would have been like. Well that "man" was Laurance Rockefeller and

the hotel became the Manua Kea.

Hapuna Beach has been named one of the 10 best beaches in the world. A lot has

changed since 1963, the little beach shacks are gone, there are restrooms,

but the one thing that hasn't changed are the Kiawe trees in the area.

We were wondering if some of them were there when I was young.

In this area is a huge heiau, Pu'ukohala.

In 1963, this site was all overgrown and I still remember getting

"chicken skin" walking around it talking about the human

sacrifices that Kamehameha had done there.

being there today, brought up those same "chicken-skin" feelings.

to be continued...