So very grateful…

With everything that has been going on in my life recently I need to focus on what truly great things I have to be grateful for.

I know my last post was a bit grouchy. I am having a hard time feeling the pressure of the season and Christmas quickly creeping up on us, but other than that I really truly am grateful for many things.

I thank God that my grandmother is still with us. On November 30th we were told she would not make it through the night and today she is still with us. It has been rough working 9 hour days, picking up my 3 year old and bringing him with me to the hospital every afternoon to visit and check on her. Then go home and get dinner ready and my son bathed. But the fact that she is still with us and getting stronger everyday is a miracle. Do I get worn out running around you bet, but I am just thankful for her.

I thank God for my amazing friend Miki who always unselfishly jumps in and helps us out in a bind when it come to my son. She had come to our rescue so many times in the past and this past weekend was no exception. We had our company Christmas party which includes dinner at an amazing restaurant (I’ll have to tell you about that in another post!!) and a room at the Grand Hyatt. It’s like our mini getaway once a year. At the last minute we lost our sitter and Miki was wonderful and took my son for the night. My hubs and I got to enjoy a wonderful dinner and night all to ourselves that never happens.

I’m grateful for my friends who are always there to listen when I’m having a hard time and just need someone to talk to. I’m very lucky to have a few friends that listen without judgment and to have friends who are there for me without keeping score and don’t require something in return. That’s true friends.

I am grateful for a job and although the end of the year is always stressful and being 31 weeks pregnant I struggle to be normal, I still have a job for a lot of people don’t.

I also write this because today 2 days before Christmas my husband decides to go ride trails with his friends rather than helping with crunch time and I need to focus on good or I’ll probably loose my mind and leave his things in the garage.

Well, with that being said, I’m off to clean the breakfast dishes so that I can do my baking. I hope it’s a productive day!

Thankful....

We had a super busy week and weekend.

As you know my lil man has been sick, but is doing 100 times better.

Last Friday I had a wedding on the very popular 11-11-11

They were the sweetest couple, so cute and sweet. They and their families have been though a lot and it was so touching to be a part of their wedding and seeing this family all together.

They are blessed to have each other.

Saturday was my friend's, nephew's daughter's birthday and welcome home party.

Wow say that 5 times fast!

This lil girl was born with an underdeveloped intestine and had numerous surgeries in her first year of life. She spend the last year and a half in Kapiolani Women's and Children's Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House. She's finally home with her family and they celebrated with a party. We spent 2 evenings after work making 150 cake pops for the guests favors. Whew... I dont want to see another cake pop for a long time! LOL

Sunday we had a small baby shower for a dear friend of mine. She is pregnant with her 4th boy. It was so nice to see the kids playing and nice to visit and talk story with all our friends and family.

I will be sharing some of the gifts that I made for her later this week!

I'll give you a hint... it has something to do with this post.

So I guess you could say I've been keeping busy.

I have some projects that I want to share with all of you, but I just havent been able to find the time to blog about it.

Last night I was lying in bed and I was running all the things I have to do in my head.

It was quiet and I could hear the waves crashing on the beach below our subdivision.

I listened to it for a while and thought, wow, I never noticed that before.

Then, I stopped to think.

How lucky am I to by lying in my bed and listening to the ocean waves break on the shore?

Thank you Lord.

Then I thought, it's so quiet that I can hear it, mean's my son isnt waking up sick during the night anymore. (or that my hubby isnt snoring!)

Thank you Lord.

No matter how much work the cake pops were, thank the Lord their little girl is here and healthy.

All those projects that was going through my mind. I'm thankful for the opportunity to work on them, and finish a lot of them as well.

I dont know if listening to the waves that gave me this Ah ha moment or the fact that Thanksgiving is right around the corner and its time to think of all the things you're thankful for.

Either way, no matter how busy we get we must not forget all that we should be thankful for.

Ok, and as my DECA teacher would say, thats my sermon for today.

See ya'll soon with my projects!

Our day trip to the North Shore *Linky Party*

I'm ashamed to admit that its been almost 3 years since we went down to the North Shore of our island. It feels like a long drive and you have to make a day out of it. Those of you who commute are probably laughing at me right now, but it's about 50 miles.

Since it was a long weekend, we decided to pack a lunch and make the drive.

It was so beautiful, despite the rainy weather.

The Hanalei Taro fields right off the side of the road.

Hanalei Pier is where we stopped for lunch and some play time in the sand.

We walked to the pier and my son tried to find fish. No such luck, you couldnt even see the bottom from all the rain we have been having.

Do you recognize this picture??

Need a hint?

{here}

It was pretty rainy and we couldnt stay on the beach for very long with out a huge down pour coming down on us, but it did make pretty waterfalls.

I had to climb under the pier and get this shot.

I was so bummed that I had forgotten my good camera that day.

After the rain we decided to drive further to the end of the road and check out the sights.

This is one of two wet caves off the side of the road. I've actually been swimming in one of them. Ice cold mountain water! 

This is a pretty little swimming hole just off the side of the road.

Even with the rain it was a gorgeous day!

We had a great time with our little family.

I'm so thankful to have the chance to do this.

What did you guys get to do this holiday weekend?

Link up and tell us what you guys did!

Dinner at the Homeless Shelter and Thankful Tuesday Linky Party

I have been MIA this past week but I'm back and trying to catch up.

Lets see... what have I been up to...

wrapping napkins and spoons for the soup
(btw, do you see my little friend, I finally got a crock yay)

Last week Friday my dad and I went to the transitional housing project and brought dinner to the homeless. It was such a wonderful, humbling and fufulling experience I've had in a long time.

We brought a huge pot of Portuguese Bean Soup, warm dinner rolls with butter, lemonaid and even cookies for dessert. The people in the shelter were all so nice and appreciative.

There was a woman and her child, very smart boy and very polite and it just broke my heart as a mother. Sometime you really have to slow down from your busy life and do something for someone who is less fortunate.

Life can be tough and we're all struggling in our on way and fighting our own battle. When you take the time to think about what you have and what others don't life doesnt seem that bad anymore.

I went home and even if it was messy I was glad to have my home. I took a hot shower and thanked God that I had the chance to do so. I went to work the next day, happy and greatful that I had a job to go to that helps me to pay my mortgage.

So, as every  most Tuesdays, I ask you all, what are you thankful for?

It doesn't have to be a story like mine, it can be as easy and simple as Im thankful I finally finished my project, I'm thankful I didnt get a ticket whatever it is share it with us.

And one more thing... I'm thankful for all 'yall who take the time to stop by and check out my ramblings.

Ice Cold Iced Tea and Thankful Linky Party!

When I think about my childhood I often think of my grandma.

She was everything to me.

She basically raised me and I lived with her majority of my life till I was a senior in highschool.

She passed away my second semister in college.

I was devastated. It took me a long time to get over the loss of such a huge part of my life.

She was my grandmother, the diciplinary figure, my inspiration, my rock, my friend.

One very vivid memory of her was coming home from school and she would be sitting at the kitchen table with her friend from across the street.

They would sit and talk to each other in Japanese because they didnt want me to know what they were talking about. They would watch their soap operas, eat oreo cookies and drink her homemade iced tea. Her tea was delish!

She would have glass jars in the yard with tea bags hanging out the top and we knew we were in for a treat.

This past Saturday my mom and neice came over and we hung out in the backyard, it was a beautiful day. My mom and I started talking about my grandma's iced tea.

I had to have some!

Fresh mint from my garden

Well it's not her recipe, its actually just crystal light, but I put some of my fresh mint and a shot of lemon juice and I could almost imagine it was my grandma's.

And it was such a beautiful day.

I am thankful for having such a strong amazing woman in my life.

I am also thankful that I was able to share such a sweet moment with my family this past saturday.

Come on guys, what are you thankful for?

It can be anything!! Thrifty finds, a completed project, family time... anything! Just link up!

Thankful Tuesday linky party is back!

It's been a while but Thankful Tuesday is back!

I've been going through a lot recently and I just couldnt get motivated to be thankful, but each day is a blessing and God never gives us what we cant handle.

Just like Kai's Rules says, 'each obstacle is an opportunity to learn a lesson' I must keep going on.

So this week I must give a shout out to...

The hubs, I'm thankful that he is a mechanic  automotive technician (he says because he went to school and is certified) by trade and he could change my headlamp for me so that I could get my safety check. Saved me approx $90.00 YAY!

(I probably could have done it myself but I'll let him feel like he saved the day)

I'm thankful for friends, who knew I needed some cheering up and had us come over for some fun family time. My son probably enjoyed it the most!

I'm thankful for the little time we took last week to clean and prune our garden, look at how amazing my mint looks... can we say Mojitos?

So what are you thankful for this week?

Tsunami Update

I know this update is late, I kept meaning to post this on Friday, but time just kind of flew by.

These are pictures that were shared amongst friends on facebook from the aftermath of the tsunami.

This is a two story vacation rental on the Big Island of Hawaii.

It got swept off the foundation with all the surges.

This is the harbor on the south side of our island when the surge was in.

And when the surge went out.

The harbor just below our house where we go fishing made the newspaper.

We are so very thankful that nothing serious happened to anyone here in Hawaii.

We continue to pray for the families in Japan.

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Thankful Tuesday Linky Party

It's time again to tell us all what you're thankful for.

Sometimes life throws a curve ball at us all, but we can always find something to be thankful for, something the next person might not have, something we've been blessed with for a specific reason even if we dont realize it at the time.

This week I was thankful for my stove.

A girl's gotta craft where she's gotta craft.

Whatever works right?

Atleast I had the chance to practice with my cricut and make a little poster for my brother in law and his girlfriend's baby shower.

(which in turn they were thankful for)

(kindness and love returns itself 10 fold)

I'm thankful that Pringles invented those single serving take-a-long packs of chips. It makes long car rides much easier (and quieter) to handle

I'm thankful that someone is confident in my ability to pay off debt, but seriouslly Chase? Seriouslly?!

How many credit card offers do you really need to send me in 3 days?

I already have one of your cards do I need 5 more?

I'm also thankful for the opportunity that blogspark gave me to test out family taco night. Stay tunned for more on that.

Alright gang give it your best shot. What are you thankful for?

You know how it goes...

Link up and put my button somewhere in your post or on your blog so others can come and join in.

Thankful Tuesday...

Hey everyone!

Thankful Tuesday will be up later tonight so please come back and play!

Remember to enjoy the little things in life and be thankful!

Thankful Tuesday {Linky Party}

It's Tuesday and I want to know what you're thankful for.

I am thankful for the time I got to take my son on his first fishing trip.
We packed a small cooler and put him in his stroller.

I am thankful for the short walk down the road to the harbor that we live above.

I am thankful for the beautiful day it was and the time we shared.

I am thankful for my friend Chris who was at our house and convinced us to just get up and go.

I am thankful for my son's total happiness. He spent almost the first half hour saying fishy fishy fishy.

I am thankful for the opportunity to live in such a beautiful place.

 

I am thankful for the wonderful husband that I have and for him being such a devoted father.

I am thankful for the boys in my life. I love them.

What are you thankful for?

 Dont forget to link up and put my button either on your blog or in your blog post so that others can come and join in.

Thankful Tuesday Linky Party

My life is busy. We all have lives that are busy and crazy and hectic.

Sometimes we forget to really be thankful for the little things in our life.

My son who now says thank you for EVERYTHING reminds me this.

I'd like to devote atleast one day a week to give tribute to the little things in life that I am thankful for and I challenge you to do the same.

Each Tuesday I will have a Thankful Tuesday were you take just a few minutes to share something you are thankful for. Here are mine for the week:

I am thankful for my husband who ironed my freshly washed curtains.

(and I didnt even have to ask him)

I am thankful for the long nap that my son took on Sunday

Which gave me the chance to spend a little time sewing.

I am thankful for my friend Marisa who really knows me and didnt stop looking for my bday gift when she was told it was sold out.

(yippe finally my OWN copy)

I am very thankful for the time I got to spend with my dearest friend Becky. We not only got to spend MUCH needed time together but she spend the time teaching me how to use my Cricut.

I am thankful that when my son woke from his nap we got to spend some time playing in the backyard. I'm so thankful to be blessed with a heathly happy son.

(even if he drives me nuts)

No matter how much I complain about watering the grass or pulling weeds, I am thankful for a yard that I can call my own and for the gorgeous view to look at everyday.

It's the little things if life that we often forget about.

So what are you thankful for?

So here are the rules...

Link up from now untill Friday.

Tell us what you are thankful for.

Please place my button in your blog post or somewhere in your blog so other people can link back and enjoy in the fun. Plus I gotta show off my swanky new button!

Ready set go....