Dad's mom is the oldest person in my family that I can remember as a child. I know that Mom's grandma was alive, but with Dad being in the Army, I've only seen pictures. Dad's mom was known by many names. Born Dora Kawahinepo'aimoku Kahilihiwa in Kalapana during 1925, and when I knew her? She was vivacious and had a strong thirst for life. Enough so that between her first two husbands, she had a total of 13 children. Most people would think that's alot, but she was one of TWENTY FIVE! That Duggar family on the TLC Channel have nothing on MY family! She was known to others as Dora, Auntie Po'ai, Gramma, Ma, Tutu Dora, but to me she was always just Tutu.

Her Hawaiian name, Kawahinepo'aimoku means "The woman who travels". Between her three husbands, and all her kids she travelled quite a bit. Unlike many native Hawaiians, she was all over the place! She'd braved the cold hills of Alaska, marched in Washington DC, and caught some rays in California. I remember once, she joined my parents and sisters and I on a coastal trip that took us from Va Beach all the way up to Boston and back. This same trip she taught my siblings and I how to play blackjack. How many people can say they learned blackjack at the age of 6? My baby sister, Ivory can. We played for pennies and in one hand she declared "I want to bet it all!". Now as adults, we'd laugh and titter over how cute that is, but she hit blackjack!

If you asked me what the strongest memory I had of her was, there isn't just one. It's a look though. She'd look up at you (or over) and her head would be all the way back with the barest hint of a smile on her face. It was most likely because she needed to see through her bifocal to see you, but I like to think it's because she never had anything to hide. She was straight forward, LOVED to joke around, but never had much of a memory. One of the biggest jokes in the family was that she'd call out to you.... But she'd name everyone else first! Secret, Ivory, Skippy, ahhh Donna, Joyce, Samuel, Nena! gahh fannit you! You wouldn't correct her, despite knowing who she was talking to because it was funny. You'd stand their laughing while she ran the gamut of names and she'd be laughing right there with you!

"Take da F" was one of her more popular phrases. Most people wouldn't understand what that meant. To this day, my husband Jack doesn't. But to family? Stay home! Don't go to work (or school as applicable) and stay home and enjoy life. Tutu Dora was definitely one who liked to enjoy life.

Parent Talk Today

I found this fascinating quote today:

When you're addressing your holiday cards this year, send one (or more!) to a recovering American soldier at Walter Reed Army Hospital.Parent Talk Today, Nov 2008

You should read the whole article.

My Nephew has too many brains....

pickchaz 035
Originally uploaded by shexcpoolgawdess

I'm beginning to think that my sister should look into private school scholarships. Makana comes home every quarter with one of these Academic Excellence awards. His rewards from Uncle Jack & Auntie Ana will start getting expensive soon....either that or his school is too lax.... I'm willing to bet that he's just to SMART for his own good. Last year we promised him that every quarter he gets one of these, to tell us and we'd get him a surprise. Last time we gave him a PS2 game. Now I gotta go figure out what we're going to do for this one because he's got report cards coming up as well as his birthday AND christmas. Talk about raking it in!

The other week when we took him to the pumpkin patch, Jack explained negative number math to him and he caught on REAL fast even though he wasn't learning it in school and we weren't showing him on paper.

Happy Halloween y'all!

Got any plans for the weekend? it's up in the air for us. tonight is planned out, but the end destination is unknown as of yet. We may end up on this cruise thingy that a radio station is putting on, but who knows. Tomorrow is homebody type day. I have some friends whose dryer has gone out, so they're coming over to do laundry.

I found this video and thought it hilarious enough to add. Enjoy!

The Perpetual Student

When I started college, I didn't have a focus. I went because I thought I should. I think many kids are like that. Like sheep, they apply for and go because they feel they have to. Everyone else is so why not? What do I want to be? *shrug* dk. I think back and wonder how life would be if things were different. How would life be if I had begun college with a clear plan in mind. If I hadn't gotten pregnant while losing my virginity. (yup...no lie!) If I didn't feel a constant need for acceptance growing up. Would my path be different in life?

Recently, I was reading a blog. Stacy Julian's All Together Too Happy. Let me preface this by saying that I *love* her. Her philosophy and speech makes everything sound so simple and clear. I first came across her when I started scrapbooking. I found this book on Amazon that I have since passed to my sister whom is a new scrapbooker herself. But I digress. Stacy was recently in Missoula at a benefit scrap event and her newest post did it again. Reminded me of what's important. What you do is important. Read it. it's inspirational.

As such I decided to take my first scrap class. Jessica Sprague is offering a free online class. You should join me.

Pumpkin Fun Day

Originally uploaded by shexcpoolgawdess

We took my nephew Makana to the Pumpkin Patch this weekend for the annual fun day. It's probably the ONLY yearly tradition DH and I have. Since we started, i've always taken a picture of the two of them with the wheelbarrow because nephew was small enough to carry in it at the time. I think though, at almost 9 years of age, he's getting a little big for it. Guess we'll REALLY see next year. Here's a hint though. Don't go to a plant nursery and expect the same thing.

We've traditionally taken him to Spooner Farms in Orting. Lots of fun. I was actually more worried that they'd still be there given the trend of farmers selling out the past few years. But I had emails from this nursery in Puyallup that was going to do a festival type thing so I thought we'd go there. BIG mistake. Nephew not only told me how lame the place was in terms of Kid Fun-ness, but he told me I sucked as he ran away laughing. We realized the folly of our ways, grabbed a hot dog from the rotary people and went back to tradition.

Spooner farms was rather crowded this year. But regardless, the weather was nice (enough that people were there in SHORTS!). We all had fun and at the end, Jack helped Makana carve the first pumpkin. In the end, he was sad to see us go.

It's not worth running from anymore

I get bored at work and tend to read all my blogs there and then catch up on the rest when I get home, but I found this meme on one before I left and thought it was PERFECT for filling in dead time at my desk...


1. What time did you get up this morning? The alarm on my cell phone is set for 515am PST, but I went right back to bed until 540ish.

2. Diamonds or pearls? Pearls. Diamonds send me into a panic because I want to dress up...

3. Last movie you saw at a cinema?Tropic Thunder with DH and his BFF.

4. What is your favorite TV show? Right now is Heroes. I love the twists and turns they've put in the story. Oh! and Supernatural.

5. What do you usually have for breakfast? err breakfast? I've forced myself to remember to always have mini croissants on hand. I tried doing the yogurt thing but kept forgetting to take it with me and if I remembered, I'd forget to eat it!

6. What is your middle name? Are you ready? Tounge loose? Waimakaokalani It's hawaiian for Water from the eyes of heaven. prononuced Why-mahkuh-oak-uh-lani

7. What food do you dislike? not much. that I can think of. But I'm sure if you put it in front of me, I'll tell you straight out!

8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? a hawaiian artist named Raiatea Helm and her newest CD. Very Bluesy.

9. What kind of car do you drive? just got my brand spanking new first driver's license. I'm looking to own a CR-V though.

10. Favorite sandwich? BLT with shredded lettuce. Or a toasted Chicken Salad Sandwich

11. What characteristic do you despise? People who flaunt their money/possessions/fabulously-expensive-new-boots etc. Amy I'd agree with you, but there's so much of it where I live, I just started letting it go. What I despise the most are two faced people.

12. Favorite item of clothing? DH's sweatpants and a hoodie. He doesn't realize that I snagged them from the wash again.

13. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? a cruise. warm places with lots of history, but not necesarrily the carribean or mexico. Just places steeped in history.

14. Are you an organized person? I try but don't always succeed. There is definitely a method to my madness though.

15. Where would you retire to? I like where I'm at.

16. What was your most recent memorable birthday? hmmmm don't know that I have any...

17. What are you going to do when you finish this? twiddle my thumbs some more as I wait for the phone to ring here at work. Browse some more crafty message boards and get my customer list ready to call tonight for my Partylite Open House.

18. Farthest place you are sending this? The internet has far reaching tendrils. ;) I have a friend in Iraq right now just itching for something to do though....

19. Person you expect to send it back first? aime definitely...

20. When is your birthday? Sept 16th

21 . Morning person or a night person? Both.

22. What is your shoe size? 8

23. Pets? I used to have fishies, but DH killed them when we moved into my new place a year ago. now we only have bungie the blue betta. Aptly named bc he jumped out of his tank one day and it was a full half hour before I noticed and found him.

24. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share? I have customers! I'm a partylite consultant selling high quality candles (no joke) and I recently took a hiatus. I wasn't sure I was able to get back into the swing of things once I got back in but there you go!

plus? I bought an Expedit bookcase/desk and *heart* it very much!

25. What did you want to be when you were little? an astronaut, a gymnast, a teacher and rich.


26. How are you today? tired and bored. I suspect I'm tired BECAUSE I'm bored.

27. What is your favorite flower? Stargazer Lily's

28. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? Every single Thursday. I am always grateful for Thursdays. I like thursdays too, but I look forward to Wednesdays now bc it's my new scrapbooking get together with a new friend.

29. What are you listening to right now? Boys to men - "It's so hard"

30. What was the last thing you ate? yogurt I forgot to eat this Am when I got to work...not the best thing to eat with Mtn Dew.

32. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Orange. it's so bright and shiny!

33. How is the weather right now? cold, but sunny

34. Last person you spoke to on the phone? customer.

35. Favorite soft drink? Fresca.

36. Favorite restaurant? It really depends on my mood. usually Sushiland though

37. Hair color? black-brown like my desk.

38. What was your favorite toy as a child? barbie!

39. Summer or Winter? Summer hands down.

41. Chocolate or Vanilla? both.

42. Coffee or tea? tea.

43. Do you want your friends to email you back? Absolutely, even though I sometimes flake on emailing them back.

44. When was the last time you cried? lst night. parts of a book I read were real tear jerkers.

45. What is under your bed? dust, 3 pairs of house slippers, 4 pairs of shoes (at end of bed), a surge protector, foot massager and probably 9 pairs of DH's socks.

46. What did you do last night? finished a good book, cooked dinner, surfed the web, moderated a message board, made a card box for cards I have yet to make, moved some junk around in office, browsed some mag's and slept.

47. What are you afraid of? lots. What my credit report says about me, marital things, money issues....suxors to be a grown up sometimes!

48. Salty or sweet? depends on mood.

49. How many keys on your key ring? I had to look at the key ring. Three...

50. How many years at your current job? Technically just over two years, however I only became an employee at end of Jan. I was a contractor until then.

51. Favorite day of the week? Running out of questions? Wed and Thursday.

52. Do you make friends easily? No. I wish I did, though.

53. How many people will you send this to? Whomever reads my blog.

54. How many people will reply? Not sure.

55. Do you like finding out all this stuff about your friends? I love finding out things about ppl. even stangers.