sharing the reunion pictures

Wow, I tried to email all the reunion pictures but... that was pretty awful... the file was way too big... now I know.. use the costco.com site to upload and share the love.

works great!

I must say, that I truly feel blessed. Trying to work hard, create harmony and trust with the projects I manage and I think, inch by inch...it's happening...Let's hope tomorrow's meeting is just as smooth.

now the real adventure begins

ok... we are off to 7th grade, visits to california and much much more...
hope you are hanging on!

graduation hawaiian style!

6th grade graduation

a wild ride and choices made (a recap of the last 6 months)

I'm finally back in the swing of this space... it has been a wild 6 months... new job, interviews for new schools (http://midpac.edu/) quick, fun adventures all around... including a visit from someone famous and the very crazy 30th class reunion.

the newest snorkeler in Kauai...Nick had a blast a Lumahai Beach where we saw a turtle on the beach, a monk seal sunning him/herself and scores of fabulous fish, sea cucumbers and many other creatures.

honeycomb your hair...

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Glad that 2007 has stepped into view... 2006 just shot right by us. Every week or so I would think there would be time to update this page, but alas, no such luck, time and space updated! So, with a few free minutes, here is a picture (the requisite 1,000 words) to share.
happy day!

diving for sand!

Look at this sand diver! Now I call that being immersed in your environment! Leave it to my child to try to wear all of the sand on this beach! Don't you wish you were able to abandon your inhibitions and live fully in the sand? I'll settle for just a little of that, thanks. We have been enjoying our little beach area again ~ even telling a select few friends about it! It's nice because this spot helps bring the balance back into the picture. The sound of the waves alone are enought to keep you going for weeks. I have to settle some days for the cd I keep in the player near my bed... very soothing to hear the crash of the ocean as you sleep.

honeycomb your hair...

honeycomb your hair...
and it sure seems like I have just fell off the face of the earth... not so. Life seems to speed up at times. So, when the busy get busier, they only handle the big chunks and leave the little piles of sand for later. Speaking of sand, more pictures to follow in the next day or so... of our favorite beach of course. And yes, I got a little burned again...

In all of this, my brain has been working feverishly to determine what I am really about... Wow! that sounds so ... prophetic.. NOT... it's just that we are at the time to determine where to send N. for 7th grade... I know.. he has not started 6th yet... details, details....Ha! The real dilemna is will he get what he needs at a smaller school or will I have to sell out to the name brand school just to stay with the pack or do we need to be with the pack??? all of his friends are there... not on purpose...yet, this kid seems to adapt to any environment easily. so... what is the hangup??? Well, I haven't found that answer yet... because everytime I try to look in other directions, I get steered back to this name brand choice or choices... and it bugs me that I am so vain to consider that as a viable answer when it goes against my ethics for him to be the middle income --low income kid in that pressure cooker of gotta haves. I haven't quite got a solid handle on what would be the 'best' for him.... other than what we can afford...
see, brain overload... it will get better. In the meantime, gotta learn to pick up after myself since I feel like a walking mess ball...kinda like a ping pong ball with stuff on it..

reconnaissance into Waimanalo

Waimanalo has such a beautiful beach...
we were on a mission to determine if this beach was accessible~

and this is the view from the pathway







as you approach the sand..

the view from the path from the street.
some one was getting married
the ocean to the left
and to the right
and smack dab ahead!

hawaii charity walk-the slipper tour

After a late night, I still get up at 4 AM for the Hawaii Hotel Association Charity Walk. I know, don't work for a hotel any longer but thought this would be a great way to stay on my exercise program. Ok, this was before I realized the walk was 7 miles!!! Well, the good news is -- they feed us all along the way... so much for the health strategy.
So, I tried to make this a walking tour... much to my son's chagrin! He kept trying to tell me that he was embarrassed by my nasty picture snapping habit.. I made sure to point out that he could pretend he didn't know me...

this is Ala Moana Beach Park at 5:15 AM as we arrive to begin our journey. It was interesting to see that the tide was so low. On normal days, the group of rocks in the distance are not visible.

We start off with a group shot to get in the mood, then a little gnosh to start us off: we chose bananas and yogurt in the tube... a healthy way to start the walk!

The first station we stopped at sponsored by the Ala Moana Hotel was very GERMAN... and pretty funny! They played the chicken dance music.

There were crowds of participants enjoying the music...

well, maybe not everyone was so enthusiastic

The City has been renovating the park recently and left a few things behind... I guess they were not finished with all of the projects since this big bin was left behind.

and this big pile too:

As we crossed the Ala Wai Canal into Waikiki, this was the morning sky with calm waters towards the ocean.

At the very entrance to Waikiki, we were greeted

by a hula dancer with her musicians.

Thought this sign was appropriate for island life...

if only that were true all of the time.

look at all of the surfboards, ready for wave riding.

a quick glance at the ocean as we truck on past...

duke kahanamoku's statue...

he's the famous swimmer/surfer that won an olympic medal

and was a famous beach boy.

weekend activities to attract locals to the tourist areas.

oops, this surfer ran out of water... end of all the hotels... beginning of Kapiolani Park/Aquarium area.

looking back into Waikiki from the end of the park.

are we done yet??? Hurry Mom, I want to eat this ice cream.

The view from Ala Moana Beach again...

about 10 am... what a nice day...

next time, I will show the Ala Wai Canal and the interesting finds...

gotta rest my toes in the sand... Aloha!