Samoan prayers

Yesterday the Samoan Islands experienced a very large earthquake and the following tsunami waves. These waves had a devastating effect on these small island nations. Some of the smaller islands were completely submerged underwater.

In our ward we have many, many members who are from Samoa and are directly affected by this. Our Bishop served his mission in Samoa, our RS President is Samoan, we have a recent returned missionary that served there and the list goes on.

Please pray for not only our members in Samoa, but all the people there.

Waialua District Park

Here in Hawai'i the islands are divided into districts...Hawaii Kai, Kaimuki, Waikiki, etc. Waialua is actually a pretty big "district". Haleiwa used to be considered Waialua, but then became it's own town years ago (that's another story).

Our district park is pretty big and is located in what used to be considered the middle of Waialua Town. It's behind Waialua Elementary School, across from the library and Waialua Shopping Center, across from the Waialua Bandstand and close to the sugar mill. It's made up of complex of recreation areas.Basketball courts, and they gym. This is where Waialua Elementary School holds it's graduation ceremony and other community events. That's a pool located behind the basketball courts. Picnic areas

I just love the "retro look" signs on the bathrooms!

Baseball field and the tennis courts behind that. The big football field is located to the left of the baseball field.

When it's hot during the summer, you'll drive by and see people sitting in the cool shade of the trees. The pool is used year-round by all sorts of people. On the weekends you can drive by and see the bouncy houses and smell the ono BBQ of family picnics.

It really is a hidden treasure.

First BIG Swell

All night Wednesday night I could hear the surf. If it's big enough and the winds are right we can hear it from our house and that's a sure sign that the surf is pretty big. So Yesterday on my trip into town I went around towards the eastside, instead of the freeway.

The traffic was backed up, so I figured that Lanis put have some size...it did, not much, but I couldn't even take a picture. Chuns was so crowded I couldn't even pull over into a parking spot. Cars lined the road all the way to Pidleys. It was crazy and so many people out. The Bay didn't show anything, but it was picking up the surge, so the water wasn't calm.

Then I came around the bend to this...

This is Three Tables. There were 3 guys out. Couldn't actually see the "tables". It's a pretty dramatic place to watch because it's so close and the rides are pretty short. There really wasn't anyone even watching these guys.

When I got up towards Sunset, I could tell that there must have been something because of the cars parked along the road. Sure enough...

Not too many people out and just a perfect day. Wasn't onshore winds yet, so it was nice...hadn't gotten bumpy.

The farther I went, the windier (is that a word?) it got. The North Shore was definately the place to be yesterday. When I came back around, it was just getting dark and there were still guys out!

Hawaii Schools

(photo: Honolulu Advertiser)

The teachers in Hawaii have voted to approve their contract. This contract will cost them almost 8% in pay because of the 17 furlough days they have to take. This is 17 days of non-instruction...no school...nothing! It's sad that because of our economy it has come to this. At least the teachers have their jobs and by approving this, they can move forward and make the best of it. In CA they are increasing class size to try and save money, so this is just another way to try and do this.

They have published the dates, every month will have two Fridays off. I feel so bad because I can see it's going to be hard to make up the instruction time. At least they have a contract. Everyone at WES seemed to be glad that part was over and now they can just get on with it.

Just another sign of the times.

200

This is it...my 200th post! I never thought I'd have so much to say about our life here in Hawaii, our family and just things in general. This blog has helped me in so many ways...more than I can even begin to describe.

So in honor of 200, I've changed things around a little bit (thanks Bri), add somethings and taken somethings away. Enjoy!

Mahalo nui loa to all who read it.
J

There's also another post right after this one...the "REAL" 200th one!

Grand Birthdays

I know that this post is a little late, but I'm really making an effort to get caught up...so here goes.
June is a very, very busy month for celebrations in our family. Our anniversary, Traci & Billy's anniversary is the same day as Geoff's birthday and then there are the grands birthdays! With two of them being on the same day (Lauren and Greyson) and Jack's also being in that same week...their mother's put in some planning.
This year Lauren and Jack had a combined party at a park. They had two separate sets of friends, decorations, goody bags, etc. It worked out great. Everyone did eat Gluten Free cupcakes just to make things easier. Greyson had a party the following week at another park, and that was great also. This was a fun year with all the parties and Jack and Greyson really "getting into" it.

Lauren~7

This has been a huge year for Lauren. Going from not feeling very well all the time to feeling GREAT all the time. She's been so brave with all the drs. visits, blood test and even the endoscope. She's accepted the celiac and is learning to make adjustments. It's heart warming to see the change this had made. She told me that she wants to be a dr. someday, and this wouldn't surprise me. She has the sweetest voice and the sweetest spirit to go along with it.

Jack~4

Jack, Jack, Jack...he's into telling the silly jokes rights now. He's learned to swim, dive and even do a cannon-ball in the pool at the MH. He started Pre-School this year and loves it! He has started taking more risk...which seem to lead to scabs, black eyes or some "boy injury". He adores his sister and is always checking if something is "gluten or wheat free" for us. His job to earn $$ is picking up the golf balls at the MH and he takes that very seriously. He still wants to be a garbage man when he grows up, but that might change.

Greyson~2

Grey has gone from a toddler to a little boy this year. What a little boy he is! Even at this age he's very athletic. He can hit, kick and throw a ball better than most other kids. He was able to figure out how to ride a scooter within just a few minutes. He wants to try just about anything, including surfing. This year, on the days that Jack isn't in Pre-School, we babysit Greyson. This has been wonderful for us to get to know each other. He's the best eater and sleeper I've ever seen. He loves his older cousins, especially Lauren and has the best belly-laugh! Makes me laugh thinking about it.

Nothing is like having grandchildren. It's so much easier and such a joy there aren't enough words to describe it. We just love them.

Thunderbirds

Over the weekend, I went with friends to Hickham AFB to see the Thunderbirds and the base's Open House. My friends called to say that the parking was great on the base which worked out great, since we had just been going to go to Lagoon Drive (by the airport) or Ewa to park and watch. We were able to get seats in the bleachers that were set up. It was hot, and no shade, but still great viewing. Thank goodness for stiff trade winds!

The show was great! I had actually seen them the last time they were here and the show was right over Waikiki. I really think that may have been a little bit more impressive since the planes were flying by the hotels and around Diamond Head. This was still a great show and well worth the sunburn I got.

600 miles per hour and inches apart is pretty impressive!

Thanks to the Air Force for the earplugs, bleachers and a great show.

Red Dirt

Yesterday a friend, Gloria, stopped by and we were sitting out in the yard enjoying the late afternoon breeze. She lives in Pearl City and we were talking about our yards and the pros and cons of growing different things. I'm not the one she really should be talking to about this, since I'm not the Gardener, only the one who gets to enjoy the Gardener (oopps !) garden.

Anyway, she noticed that we don't have any red dirt in our yard. I'd never really noticed that before. I remember we did at one time because the tile by the front door was stained by it. I got to looking around the street and there really isn't any on the street either. It's up at the end of the main street where the cane fields are, just not here. Wonder why?

I know it's around because I can see it on the dust rag when I dust or clean the windows. Hummm.

I've asked hubby about the red dirt and what makes it "red". "It's because of the volcanic origins of the islands and the iron that's in the soil after millions of years, it's what makes everything so green," he tells me.

I've seen vendors in Waikiki selling "Genuine Red Dirt Dyed" stuff. Can't imagine using dirt to dye something...but from experience it really doesn't come out of clothes!

So one evening we were driving back from somewhere and were coming through the pineapple fields along Kam Hiway and I shot these pics from the car of our famous Red Dirt.

Yup. it's red alright...not the apple sort of red, but a more burnt orange/red sort of hue.

A dust cloud from a truck or something driving in the fields.

I love the contrast between the red of the dirt and the green plants. Not just plain old brown dirt dust, but dust with some character...RED! I'll have to remember that next time I'm cleaning the stuff off the windows and table tops!

Home

After almost 2 1/2 weeks in CA, I'm headed home. This time I actually got to visit some friends that I haven't seen in a few years, but mostly I spent my time with the grands...Lauren, Jack and Greyson. We had a great time, they're growing up so fast. They make me laugh at some of the funny things they say/do and I'm also amazed at how smart they are. I did get some things accomplished here in the MH that I had wanted to do, so that was good.

I'll be glad to get home, although not sure what being in the hood will mean. Still waiting for the ruling from the Supreme Court, this could take months!

Need to finish packing and cleaning up a little here before heading to the airport.

Aloha,
J

Supreme Court

First off, Thank you so very much for all your prayers and good thoughts for yesterday! Also let me apologize for this weird e-mail. Since I’m not at home, I don’t have access to my regular Outlook address book, and have to cut and paste.

I’ve spoken to Terry several times and to other friends that attended the hearing yesterday. Terry said that Adrian was “brilliant”! He was nervous starting out (after all this was “The” Supreme Court), but then hit his stride and did such a good job! He had his associate Alan Ma there also, so that was good. Adrian stuck to the question at hand, answered the justices questions right away (something to be said for him being with us from day 1), he knew what he was doing…

I’ve also spoken to several of the people that were there and now have a pretty clear picture what went on. Good to have more than one set of ears/eyes. Mr. Davies showed complete disrespect for the court by not standing when told to “all rise”, tried to leave before the justices, he LIED on numerous occasions (“a 7000 acre fire came within 1000yards of my house and I was unable to use the emergency radio to get information”), he tried to rehash the whole case before the justices, refused to answer questions that the justices asked him, went over his allotted time, almost started crying “we can’t have friends over to watch football”, “we just want to listen to Christmas music to praise our Lord”, called Judge Doi (judge in our case) incompetent, couldn’t stay on the topic, did I say he LIED, and….he almost had a heart attack when one of the justices brought up the Maui case (they also had a restraining order against them in Maui for the same exact thing)! Since the judge brought it up, this opened the door for Adrian (which he couldn’t have brought up before). Of course everyone lied, everyone is out to get them, everyone causes problems, never them. He also said that they have a microphone inside the house that picks up everything and every night he puts the tapes or cd’s into a safe deposit box. We’ve always thought he had some way of recording us inside the house…just too many instances of things happening.

Since the Maui case was brought up it showed intent and that’s what it’s always been about. They have a history of this type of harassment,that still continues today in another form.

This is the last thing that they can file against us. We’re hoping that they’ll be labeled Vexatious Litigators and this would put a stop to most to these crazy lawsuits he’s filing. We feel he’s also doing this because she’s got a hearing on her arrest coming up soon and these lawsuits have delayed going forward on that.

Adrian feels that our order may have to have some of the wording changed a little bit, but it should hold.

We’re praying that there will be a speedy ruling and this 3 ½ year nightmare will be close to being over. Now if the HOA can just get them out…life really will be good. I’ve often wondered if I would see the end of it. Let’s hope so.

Thank you again for your support and prayers