Guys (and ladies) HELP!

Allison. I stole it from her bloggy blog.

See down there on my links of freaking inspiring photographers?

See Allison C. Photography?

She is the bomb dot com.

I met her last year in March when I went to Hawaii baybee...to attend the
Jonathan Canlas Workshop.

Allison is super cute and WICKED
(I do mean WICKED)
talented.

She needs OUR help.

She is trying to win a scholarship to ITALY.

Go HERE NOW!

Vote for her video.
It is the first one in line, entitled

Me+Italy.

Pretty Please?

Dole Plantation

March 2008

Hawaii, Kahuku Grill and the PCC.

March 2008

WOW, here I am...almost four months pregnant and my hair...holy shortness. Holls and I ate at this grill a few times. It was right near our hotel. The food was pretty yummy...everything except:

Mine and Holly's disdain for the Kraft cheese slices on the burgers. They burgers were interesting. Kind of like meat loaf burgers. Not sure...but food was food at that point.

Holly donning a beautiful hat. I believe this was from the "Tongan Islands". It has been five months though, I might be wrong.

This beautiful lady taught us how to weave.

You can't really tell what it is, but it was a fish and pole.

The shows at the Luau were awesome.



And the pig? Really neat to learn about.

Although...it looked too much like a pig for my taste to want to eat it.





Beautiful costumes...and dancing.

And at the show later that night, the fire dancers. This was really amazing. I remember being SUPER cold the entire time, wishing I had brought a sweater.

So, um this one time...

...I travelled a TON...I went to Hawaii, I went to Chicago, I went to San Francisco, I went to Montana...and well. I never ever told you much about any of it. Remember that? Do you? Well, this next week, (since it will not be bringing a child into this world...either by adoption or by me going into labor and actually bringing a baby home from the hospital)...shall be dedicated to the exact purpose of sharing my adventures from the year. You won't want to miss it.

Lately...

I have been working on a lot of different things, but not accomplishing much. I am just starting to feel better, still watching the work load as I notice when I "do too much" my body starts betraying me. So, little by little I have been adding my Hawaii images to my photography blog.

I dive back into sessions next week. I am pumped, I am stoked, I CAN'T wait. I have shot a bit here and there this past week, just things around the house. I am anxious to HAVE to get out and work. I hunger for it.

Anyway, just wanted to share...have a FAB Conference Weekend!

Haleiwa, Hawaii

So, there is this town on Oa'hu, called Haleiwa. I am sure if you have ever been to Oa'hu you have been to this town. Holly and I went almost EVERY night for some reason or another. The day before the workshop (I know it was Sunday...I have to say I was paying my "tithing" just not to my church. ROFL...) we stopped through the little town. There is this little church there that does this "Huli, Huli Chicken" every Sunday. It is like a weekly fundraiser. There is just this huge BBQ with this amazing dood just standing out in the heat making the chicken. They baste the chix with a fertilizer spritzer from Ace Hardware. Ace definitely is the place, 'cause man, the chicken was goooooooooood!
It doesn't look like much. I got this and a bottled water for $5. This is what they call 1/2 a chicken. Holy cow, did I mention how good it was? Huli Huli sauce is like a mixture between a really sweet teriyaki and I dunno...heaven. (I love chicken so...).
Anyway, the thing about this place is...well it seems to be a kick'n place. I saw this huge set up of band equipment, this church must rawk out during services.

They send you out back to eat your chicken on some picnic tables and this is what you see roaming around your feet:
I don't think he was too excited that we were eating his friends. They sure tasted nice tho.


The day before our trip we heard that THE best place to get Shave'd' Ice was at Matsumoto's. I guess the place has been around FOREVER. This sign dates to 1976...so we're talking longer than that. I'm not one for 'snow cone like creations' but this, holy cow this was GOOD SCHTUFF!

So love the '70's feel of this sign. I really wanted a Matsumoto's hoodie but couldn't talk myself into it. It really was all it was cracked up to be and more...
You may or may not be aware that Adam Sandler is one of my FAVORITE actors. 50 First Dates which just happened to be filmed in Hawaii is probably one of my all time favorite movies. While standing in line Holls and I saw this photo. That is Adam Sandler professing his love for the all mighty Matsumoto.
Check out these people...lined up forever. This side enjoying the fruit of the wait...
And mine. Bubblegum. My favorite flavor of anything ever. Since I was a kid it was bubblegum Slurpee's and ice cream from Baskin Robbins. Anyway, what makes this so special? They put a scoop of the most delicious vanilla ice cream on the bottom, so when all of they syrup runs down it makes this yummylicious mixture of bubblegummy Shave Ice goodness.
I've been a little weepy this week. I am missing the Hawaiian warmth and sun. The sun here just isn't the same. I am missing the Shave Ice. I went to Baskin R's twice for some bubblegum ice cream. It just wasn't the same either. Oh well...just gives me a reason to go back!

Aloha!

Aloha everyone. I am FOB from Hawaii. My sincerest apologies for the lack of blogging. Our lovely hotel (and I say that with all the sarcasm I can muster) who claimed they had wifi, never once did they indeed have internet access for us. So, it is kind of hard to blog when you have no way of bloggin. ;)

Needless to say it was everything Hawaii is cracked up to be. The workshop was amazing, fantastic, and life changing...needless to say, a lot of things will be changing in my vision, my photography, my offerings, and my company. I am really excited to share with you about the workshop as soon as my film is back. I figure it will be more enjoyable to share that experience with you when I have photos to go along.

For now, I am JET-LAGGED and didn't sleep a wink last night and I have two kiddies waiting to be LOVED on!

Missed you ALL!

A lot on my mind.

I have had some of those "days" lately. Not bad, just a lot on my mind. Do you ever have those days? Just been thinking about how much I appreciate this man, and all that he does for me. Sometimes I feel like "we" get lost in the shuffle, and that all "I" can think about are the things he isn't doing, or the things I wish he would do. I forget ALL that he DOES do, and it isn't fair of me sometimes. Our life is so full right now, I like to use the term "CRAZY"! (Oh my heck I am using a TON of "quotation marks";) Really though, life is crazy. I know I have said it before, but with school, owning two businesses (which if they ever start paying off will be SO worth it (and they are, in a way...), our beautiful children, and Hubbs working, and then callings, it doesn't leave us much time for "US"! I realized a few weeks ago, that it was up to ME to get things on the right track, that indeed amidst this craziness and constant time of life, we can have what we need, and it has helped ten fold. I have found I am not as impatient with the kids or Hubbs, and that we are happier and have those little disagreements less often, (note I said less often...because I admit we are far from perfect and we DO disagree.) Anyway, just wanted to make a list of things I am doing that have helped US along the way...

Started having regular FHE. Can't tell you how wonderful this has been, words cannot describe, it has also opened us up to having a more organized home, and the kids love it.

Daily Scripture study and little family prayers. Sometimes, because of our schedules it is just me doing it, or just Hubbs with the kids, but for almost two years, almost every day I have been reading out of that little "picture" Book of Mormon to the kids. They never listen, I like to think that something is getting through...who knows. But they prayer thing they get, and when I do it, I feel like if I haven't accomplished something that day, then at least I have done that.

A toy rotation! Oh my word. We just started, but seriously it works. It takes a lot of effort, but we rotate on Monday nights after FHE, and seriously never have I seen the kids play with their toys so much. And FYI if any of my parents read this, PLEASE! NO MORE TOYS for my kids. Savings bonds, money, a book...one book, but NO TOYS! I am SUPER done with toys. LOL!

Chores. I started a reward system for chores. This post is getting too long, so perhaps I will talk about this one later...but the kids do them, and are doing them, and they are EXCITED about it. Ya...will post that later, I recommend.

And finally, almost no TV. Seriously, I accomplish so much, my kids use their imagination, and I just feel better since we don't watch TV (not that we have time to anyway, but turning it off instead of even resorting to it for "babysitting" purposes has made a world of difference!) (Wha? You say you have NEVER turned on the TV to entertain your kids. Call me...I need to know your secret. I swore I would NEVER do it, and I admit I have done it more times than I should have...but I have stopped...I am so happy to say that I have stopped.)

And that is it. Tiny changes that have made a world of difference. Our home is cleaner, we are more patient parents, everyone knows what is expected of them, and if something isn't done, we know who needs to do it, and we help them through it. It has been a wonderful few months since this went into action. Loving it...now if only I can keep my gym schedule among all of this craziness, and kick the food cravings!

And about this man:

He gets up in the middle of the night with the kids. If the kids cry, he does it. He sleeps on the floor in their rooms if they need it, just so I can sleep. (BTW, he LOVES sleeping on the floor...he is a bit odd in this regard, but I love him.)

He doesn't complain often when I just want to "go out" for dinner. I know he hates spending the money, but he goes along with it, this I am grateful for.

He is a constant support of my desires. I know he wants me to be happy, he supports me in school, pushes me to move forward. Is happy when I accomplish my goals in photography, and even though he wanted nothing to do with me going to Hawaii, he doesn't complain! Thank you honey! I'll bring you back a nice shirt. ;)

He always knows what I am thinking. I am amazed at how often we say the same thing at the same time, or are thinking the same thing. We truly are kindred spirits.

He looks totally hott in that sweater. I finally talked him into it, only four trips to the store and he took the bait. I love you honey! Forever.