Excitement Galore

So this time next week my mum from New Zealand, my mum's sister, her husband, their six children, two children-in-law and one grandson from Atlanta, my mum's brother's wife, her daughter and son-in-law from Las Vegas are all going to be here for a one week vacation...oh and my graduation...hehehe...sooo that is FIFTEEN relatives in total!

For those who don't know, I have a very very big extended family, especially on my mother's side.  She is the fifth of eleven children in their family and most of those eleven have pretty much fulfilled the commandment of multiplying and replenishing the Earth.  So I am pretty much used to big family gatherings.

This was taken on our last family reunion which was in 2006.  This is only 5 of the 11 siblings and their families, imagine if it was everyone!!!

I am very excited to have them here and show them where I have been living for the past four years.  We are on a strict itinerary because I want to show them as much as I could, which means packing in four years of experience into a week...hehehe...so were going to be going and going everyday...IT WILL BE FUN!!!

This is a picture that I took at the Makapu'u Lighthouse

THEN, two weeks after today Maverick and I will be going back to New Zealand with my mum for the summer break.  Though I wouldnt call it summer break since its winter in NZ during summer in Hawaii.  Its always a nice change to go to somewhere cold after being in the sun for the majority of the year.  

Also, we are going to have our New Zealand Wedding reception on 4 July (i know, six months after the actual wedding but airfares arent exactly cheap).  But its gonna be fun to go through another reception again.  Its like wedding stress all over again.  Still fun though!

Best girl friends in the world!!! Ate Mina, Jam and Marje

Im excited to have all these time with family and friends again.  It always great to come home.  As Dorothy would say "There's no place like home."  

So with that,

8 more days till graduation

14 more days till NZ

More exciting news on next blogs...

Bridal Pictures

So an amazing lady named Marianna Ah Quin, who is a budding photographer like me, was nice enough to do some bridal shots at Malaekehana and Temple Beach.  She did so good and here are some of my favourite ones...

Much mahalo Marianna!  You da BEST!!!

15 more days till graduation

21 more days till NZ

Little Things...

This blog entry is inspired by my ex roommate Alyssa.  I think that it is important to be grateful for all the blessings that we have been given... most especially the little things... so here are my 5 little things:

• goodnight kisses
• 10 mins break in the middle of a 2 hour class
• 2 for 99 cents filipino chips at the 99 cents store
• double sided tape
• printed pictures

so what are the little things that you are grateful for?

17 more days till graduation

23 more days till New Zealand

ZETTA the BETTA

...or ZB for short

so a couple of months ago our good friends Jen and Li Kane (who needs to update their blog) gave us this small sort of decorative bowl/vase with some blue pebbles and from that moment on, I decided that I wanted a Betta fish.  Although it actually took quite a while for us to get ZB because the closest pet store is in Kaneoke which is about a 45-min drive away.  

Regardless, here he is! He doesnt really do much but just swim around his little tank...hehehe...but hes very prettifull anyways.

        

Let the Countdown Begin...

Back when I was young and immature, (which was like 4 years ago, or according to my parents, next year) I used to countdown the days of everything!  and when I say everything, I mean evveerryyything!!! My birthday, start of school, end of school, if were going on special trip or any other special days.  I would even mark it on my wall calendar and my daily planner so I dont forget.  Now I know lots of people still do this, but back then I was just ridiculous because I would start counting down from like 150 more days.  So by the time it gets to like 10 or so more days, people around me usually be very ANNOYED and just want me to get over it already.  Even if they were all very excited for me at first and ask even asked how many more days to go once in a while. 

Thank goodness I have gotten over that obsession (actually I remember counting down for my wedding from like 80 more days).  But, I have decided that it is okay to start a countdown again especially if it is for 2 major events...BYUH June Commencements (with relative coming to visit) and heading back to New Zealand for the summer...

So that comes down to....

24 more days till graduation

30 more days till New Zealand

YYYAAAAAYYYYY!!!!!

Day for Mothers

With the upcoming Mother's Day in our midst, I wanted to dedicate this entry to my loving mother who has literally saved my life in soooo many different ways.  

There is no role in life more essential and more eternal than that of motherhood.

I think that mothers are one of the many things in life that we take for granted.  I know that I have often stopped and realized how much my mother does for our family and others and am continually amazed.  She has taught me a great deal about living a worthy life and how to appreciate all the many blessings that our Heavenly Father has provided for us.  Our relationship has come a long way from my rebellious years which I am thoroughly grateful for and hope that it will continue to grow stronger as I face new challenges in life.

All women become like their mothers.  That is their tragedy.  No man does.  That's his.  ~Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest

I remember back in the days thinking that I dont want to be like my mother when I become a mother myself.  I take all those thoughts back because I cant think of any other way to be a mother than to become like my mother.  Of coarse, I still dont fully comprehend how it is like to raise a child, but I am in a time now where I have to think about become a parent (which is still kinda scary) and establish an environment that will encourage my future sons and daughters to become worthy children of God.

Elder Russell M. Ballard said that, "There is no one perfect way to be a good mother. Each situation is unique. Each mother has different challenges, different skills and abilities, and certainly different children. The choice is different and unique for each mother and each family. Many are able to be “full-time moms,” at least during the most formative years of their children’s lives, and many others would like to be. Some may have to work part-or full-time; some may work at home; some may divide their lives into periods of home and family and work. What matters is that a mother loves her children deeply and, in keeping with the devotion she has for God and her husband, prioritizes them above all else."

I love my mother and everything that she does.  I say that she has saved my life because she was the one that directed me to stay close to the church.  She saw the daughter of God within me even during the times that I could not.  She has taught me many valuable lessons that I will for sure pass on to my children.  All in all, my mother is the greatest and I would not want my life with her any other way.  Ive been away from home for nearly four years now and I thoroughly appreciate the time that I get to spend with her and the rest of the family, especially because it is only about a month or two in each year.  I miss my family everytime I am not with them, so I am thankful for modern technologies that help us stay in touch with one another.  

I would like to end this entry by expressing my gratitude to all the mothers and future mothers out there.  A women's divine role in this world is to nurture and raise children to become faithful sons and daughters of God and good influences to society.  I look up to any mothers that are doing just that, and for that reason, no matter how scared I may be, motherhood is something that I am looking forward to.

2001

 2009

New Job

Maverick got a new job! He will now be working at the Kualoa Ranch as a Japanese tour guide. It sound like such a perfect job for him since he will be riding ATV's and horses and pretty much playing the whole day.  Plus, it will give him a chance to keep up with his Japanese. This is very exciting for us because besides his Photo Poly job, he will have this job (which pays a lot more!) to help us financially, plus my 19-hour Auditorium job.  Definitely blessings from Heavenly Father.  Maybe we will finally be able to zero that credit card.  Bring on the money!

The Promised Land

Jacob calls the Big Island of Hawaii, "The Promised Land", so it is only appropriate to title this entry accordingly.

Our 6 day escape to the promised land was nothing short of AMAZING! It was the break that all four of us definitely needed.  As much as we love our little Laie town, getting out of it (especially after an insane Winter semester) is very much needed from time to time.

Now, 6 days worth of adventure is too much to blog about.  So instead, im going to do a photo summarization, its more exciting this way.  I take a lot of pictures so pretty much everywhere we went had a picture so basically, it is the best way for me to summarize the trip.  I will be uploading more photos on my facebook account so if you want to see more action, head over to facebook.  

ENJOY!

  We got our boarding passes and we are soooo ready to go.

  Arrived in Kona at nighttime so we just had a nice first night in.

First stop, beautiful Hapuna Beach, where we all got slightly burnt.

 Talented Auna family's jam session...so FUN!

   

Lava flows all around while driving on Saddle Rd. Miles and miles of these can be seen on a lot of different places around the island.  Pretty crazy that the whole island is basically a whole bunch of volcanoes that are still continuously letting lava out.

    

This is the Kaumana Caves which is basically a huge lava tube. It was pitch black inside and we had a pathetic little flashlight so Janice and I didnt want to go far into the cave.  Maverick went to this cave before with another friend and apparently, they went about a mile in, and only decided to turn back because they were crawling already.  CRAZY BOYS!

 The cave had some cool name carvings from like 1880's and 1930's.

  I'm barfing up Akaka Falls...hehehe

  

This little pond is located on top of Akaka Falls. After a little hike up, this beautiful place with FREEZING water was nice and relaxing for me and Janice while Maverick and Jacob go on the rope swing

  

This is Boiling Pots at Wailuku River.  We went exploring to the falls at the very far end where Mav is pointing and it was so much fun.  We got some really good footage too.

 Maverick jumping off a hidden water fall near Kahuna Falls...He actually landed on a rock in this jump and its still giving him back pains...tsk tsk tsk

  Love jump shots...this was at Coconut Island Park

   

Setting up camp at Jacob's aunty's backyard...hehehe...We really wanted to camp because we wanted to test out the tent that we just bought off the Duncombe's...pretty good tent too

  This is us inside the tent in the morning

  Beautiful Waipio Valley

  Maverick, Jacob and Jacob's brother Jarom after a bodyboard session

     

Picnic stop on our way to the volcanoes

   

This is the entrance to the Kilauea Volcano visitors center. On the right is Kilauea Volcano letting out a lot of vog.  This volcano is actually constantly flowing lava out.

   

This is another lava tube.  But it was easier to walk through it coz it was lighted up and the ground was level

    This is the southern most point of the USA, and of coarse we had to jump off it...hehehe...sorry mum! Not gonna lie though, I was pretty nervous before I jumped off, it took me a while to actually do it.  Im glad I did! The water is so clear and blue, it was AMAZING! The picture on the right is Maverick and the one on the left is me on a different jumping off spot, they are right next to each other though...to get back up we had to climb the flimsy ladder...I coudntve done it if Maverick didnt help me up it, hes the one in the water holding the rope down.  Good thing we didnt see any sharks coz that wouldnt have been a good thing when it takes so long to get out of the water...

  

Also at the South Point is this puka (hole) and it was really pretty too...Maverick wanted to jump in it but I didnt let him because the tide was coming in strong and it looked a little dangerous...Good thing he listened...

 Posing for pictures at the South Point puka

   

So we were on our way home and we see these animals just hanging out on the side of the road.  Yah there was a fence, but they were just there.  So we made a U-turn and stopped to say hi.  The boys were pretty excited coz it was their first time to see a zebra...they are so deprived...hehehe...there was also a donkey and a longhorn cow there too. 

   

Mav and I with the amazing Pres. and Sis. Auna.  Jacob's parents who were soooo nice to let us stay in their house and eat their food.  We are really grateful for their hospitality.  On the right is loving Grandma who was sooo great! She made me wish that I had more conversations with my grandmas.

   

Right before leaving the Big Island, we did a session and initiatory at the Kona temple.  It was a great way to end a GREAT vacation.  Last time we went to the temple was on our Honeymoon which was back in December, so we were really grateful to have had another opportunity to go to the temple, especially that the Laie one is closed right now.  

   

That's our plane back to Oahu. Back to school and back to work...