Just a little

The house is finally done!! We have finished all the grueling work of opening boxes and finding a special place for all of our things: some things we couldn't find homes for so they are either in the garage or donated. We have donated a box or two of clothes and nick-nacks to the thrift shop here on post, in hopes of finding good homes in the future. I have saved the majority of hotel soaps and shampoos that the cleaning ladies would leave for us, after cleaning our room, and my plan is to drop them off at one of the many homeless shelters here. Not to be rude and say "hey-- some of these people need to wash themselves or whatever", but in hopes that they go to good use and not waste. I probably have over 40 items but I still know that's not enough for all the homeless here. It's our "pay it forward" for these people I guess. I'm really saddened by just how many people are homeless here. When filling out the kids registration forms for them to attend schools here, there's even a box to check if they are homeless. Sad to think that a lot of the kids that attend these schools don't have a home to go to. 

Both kids are slowly adjusting to their schools. Madison seems to be moving along faster than mason. He is having a hard time with things, and is really missing his Oklahoma friends. He really met some great kids there and he's been holding them to a pedestal. The kids here just aren't meeting his "friend" requirements. I pray he meets some great kids here as well, and builds some friendships as well. It's hard having to meet and make friends all over again after finding people you truly enjoy spending time with. This is the first "during the school year" move for us all, so please just keep Mason in your prayers for an easy transition and people to call his friends. And while on the Mason topic, we had to register him for FRESHMAN year!! Where did that come from already? I'm so not ready to be a high school student mom! :( 

Here's a shot of him at Freshman orientation... Whaaaaaa. My little bear is growing up way too fast.

Tim still isn't really "working" yet. He's been going in for little things here and there, so we have been able to spend time together. One of our favorite things has become hiking! Right outside our front door, is a hiking trail and we still aren't 100% sure how far it goes yet. We did 2 miles up the other day, and from the gps, it eventually leads to a stream. However, we didn't push it that far. Again, let me remind you, it's ALL UPHILL on the way out. On the way back its down, but that hike uphill kicks some serious butt!! It's been so refreshing just taking in the beauty and peacefulness of it. Here are some pics from our latest hike:

It's so beautiful here!! I still have to pinch myself sometimes to actually believe we are in HAWAII!!! I'm never leaving seriously! Yah, I know... That's not what the Army will say in a few years.. We are pros at relocating! It's sad already.

Madison has made a friend, well several actually, but one in particular that is highly spoken of. She finally had her first sleepover this weekend and had a blast. Tim made delicious homemade grilled pizzas and the kids helped make their own. It was fun. And yes, I overate. Whenever Tim cooks, there's no boundaries to how much food I eat! He's such a phenomenal cook, how'd I get so lucky?!?

Mine is in the sorta-shape of Jersey❤️

Yummy right? Ya I'm still full from my home shaped pizza lol. It was delicious that's for sure.

Well, one last thing before I close. I have another appointment this week for my lovely ovary that keeps acting up. I had another positive CA125 test, and even though my recent MRI didn't show a concern, the doc wants to do laparoscopic surgery to see what the cause of this issue is. I'm a bit concerned and this week, I will meet with him to discuss things as far as if I really need this surgery, and when he's planning on doing it. Please keep me in your prayers and my family as well. (I've never had surgery, general surgery, and am super scared), and I just pray for my doc to make the best decisions for me and fix whatever is going on. I'll keep everyone posted once I know more. 

Hugs to all!

And to end this blog, with a pic of my cutie!

Ahh, a home at last!

It's been a few weeks but we have been extremely busy setting up our beautiful house!! We finally got out of the hotel on the 6th of January and have been busy bees with unpacking and settling in. The transportation people came on the 7th, unloaded all our boxes, and put some of things such as beds and stuff-together. They were suppose to take two days to get our goods to us but they were so awesome that they did it all in one day. Needless to say, we had tons of boxes and sooooo much clutter.  It was so overwhelming for me, that I seriously contemplated running back to the hotel lol. We focused on getting everything unpacked as soon as possible. It was nuts! But in the end, all those boxes are finally gone and the house is pretty much done! 

We were welcomed by the neighborhood watch crew!!  It was so funny! Here come these roosters and chickens, out of no where,  and they were so friendly and domestic. Seems they been here for a while, and previous neighbors would feed them and get fresh eggs from them.  So of course we all looked forward to getting our daily dose of chicken-interaction and welcomed them like they were part of the family! Tim has become a little too attached. 

We also have a yard cat. Maddie has given it the name PJ. I'm assuming it's a boy. ? Anyhow, we tried to get close to it and feed it, but it's definitely a stray cat but very shy. So we only get to talk to him from our lanai out back. We also noticed one day that the chickens and cat all were chilling together in the yard together. There was also a mongoose too but he wasn't very camera happy! 

It's just funny seeing this sort of thing on a daily basis. Chickens, roosters, cat, mongoose, and even lizards everyday. Tim and madison has named al the foul yet I can't keep track of them. They just are fun to see.

Across the street from our front porch is a mountain that is for hiking and whatever. Tim and I have hiked it twice already, the first time we only made it a mile because it's ALL UPHILL!  The second time, we made it up a mile and a half. This hill is NO joke. It's a constant uphill walk and as soon as you start the hike, you have to seriously find your breath because it'll be gone in an instant. We heard there are pigs living in there song with parrots and whatever else. We heard pigs, but didn't see them. I think I would've freaked to see a wild pig on the hike! Tim brings a stick when we go, just incase! Here's Tim at one of the top points. You can see the city in the background. 

And some other big news.... Tessie finally arrived! Oh it's been a long two months or so since I had last seen my precious!! When her quarantine was finally over, we had to wait for it to be warm enough for her to fly. It was apparently freezing in Oklahoma!! Well, not here!! Lol. So waiting for her to be able to fly seemed like forever, but she finally arrived on Friday, the 16th. Because she didn't get in till the clinic at the airport closed, she had to stay overnight there, which just made the wait even more longer it seemed. For me anyways! But on Saturday morning, we were at the airport holding facility by 0800 and she was released!

            The wait was torture lol

It's been great having her home!! And soon lulu will be home too! Then all will be complete. 

Love this puppy.......

Here's to an awesome 2015!!!

Well, it's 10 pm here, and Tim is asleep already and I'm on my way to dream land too. For the last couple years, I can't remember being awake to celebrate the new year. Once I turned 30, things have just gone downhill, literally ha! So, while there are tons of people out there on the beach, drinking bubbly stuff, just waiting for the fireworks and all the bustle about ringing in 2015, I'm already in jammies and am ok with this! I know what's most important to me, what I have to be thankful for, and what my goals are for 2015. 2014 was filled with many different things:  like suffering injuries, lack of running due to these injuries, switch in jobs for Tim, kids switching schools for the first time during the year, me having to say goodbye to my awesome job and co-workers, packing our home, leaving oklahoma, leaving our puppies behind till their quarantine is up, and moving to another timezone-- this time in paradise! Can't complain about these big changes because God has a bigger plan for us, and not to mention, 

It's so beautiful here that all the other little nuisances go away. My goals for 2015, (I will share them public) are to try my hardest to get healthy, inside and out. This will go for my family too, even though I know how hard that alone will be, lol. I plan on also training to run my first half marathon, again, since Oklahoma City was a bust for me--due to my bulging and ruptured disks. I still am struggling with these injuries, but I'm learning to just deal with them and with the lovely military 800 mg Motrin, it helps ease the pain at times. I also decided that we (meaning my family) are going to learn to eat better, "cleaner" and after all this hotel living and eating out, ugh, I can't wait to cook my own foods! I've been pinning all sorts of foods I'm gonna try cooking. ;). I have big positive plans for 2015!! Along with this, I am going to try to finally complete my Bachelors and get that over with. I only have like four more classes left!! It's taking forever!  I think these are reasonable goals. I'm not going to call them "resolutions", because for the last several years, I have broke my resolutions within the first few weeks. These goals I am setting are for a better me! Inside and out!! Here's to 2015, bring it on! 

It's the season I guess

So.. Once again I am a little behind, probably due to the beach time and going out-n-about checking this place out. They say that people who live her temporarily get "island fever", where they get bored with the things that are here fast. I just don't see how that could be possible, unless your a homebody and do nothing besides sit on the couch.  Who doesn't want to walk along the beach and smell the fresh salty air? Swim in the crystal clear waters of the Pacific Ocean? Hike glorious mountains that overlook the many different sides of the island? Stay tan all year long? And most of all, eat pancakes with coconut syrup all day long! Ha! This last one has become somewhat of an addiction for me. I use to ONLY love IHOP pancakes, with their seasonal specials like pumpkin pancakes. But since moving here, we have tried the IHoP here and it's mediocre compared to the local Eggs-N- Things, or Wailana Cafe. I don't know how or what they do to these fluffy buttermilk hot cakes but mixed with the creamy coconut syrup, I was hooked on the first bite. I can't wait to move into the house, just so I don't have to eat there anymore!!! Hotel living is taking a toll on the waistline... 

Yummy goodness...

Tim and I signed up for our first 5k here on the island, the Jingle Rock Run. The proceeds went to Hawaii's Make A Wish, and how can one pass up this awesomeness of a gift giving run?!? Here's a few pics from our run ;)

Tim called me his own "elf on a shelf"

There are no after pics because I was literally dying of humidity!! However, we finished the run in 30:36, which is pretty darn awesome for me. Tim even had to stop and tie his shoes during the end and we both successfully completed the run without a single walk! For not training, in a long time, we did awesome! I know he can run faster, but we stayed together the whole run. ;)

It's hard to believe that tomorrow is Christmas Eve already. Being here, it sure doesn't feel like a "normal" December. There's no snow, no frosty windows, or chilly frigid air. There are Christmas decorations up all over town, however none in our own personal space. The tree and all our decorations are still in storage and won't be put up till next Christmas. (Tim says we will pull a Lampoon's Christmas then, lighting up our whole street, and making up for missing this year, ha). And most importantly, there will be no presents under the tree.  This year, we will be doing things our own way, where the few gifts that we picked          up for them, are in suitcases, for them to open. They aren't even wrapped this year. But hey, we saved some trees in this process. ;) I did make a sloppy tree shape thingy out of all our cards we got. Close enough huh? 

There will be a follow up blog after Christmas! Merry Christmas and happy New Year to all! Xoxo

Dates and things..

Since my last post, we have been busy checking some more things out. Both kids have also started their schools here. The middle school here goes from 7-8th grade (at least in our neighborhood), so Maddie has to go back to "elementary" school technically.. Our drive from the hotel to Fort Shafter is about 5 miles so you would think that we would get there pretty quickly, however, the traffic is the WORST part about being here. It takes us like 30-40 minutes, give or take. Maddie's school starts first at 0750, and Mason's, at 0830. Both children have made friends already and things are beginning to look up in their social world.  

While both kids were in school, Tim and I had a few dates, to ourselves. We did some exploring and have had some fun doing things without listening to the whining or complaining that we have been constantly hearing since October. We hit the beach, did some paddle boarding, hiked, and took some great pictures of God's beauty on the island. 

Here are some of the pics I took:

Here we are about to hike to see the Makapu lighthouse.

This is on the way up...

I think it's so neat to see the different levels of the water here. Such clear waters.

Of course a date selfie❤️

Then this Saturday was Tim's birthday. He wanted to go to the North Shore and do some swimming along with finding and eating his birthday dinner at this famous shrimp truck. It was a wonderful and memorable time. We found this park and decided to ride some waves "literally". The kids had a blast, aside from the few wipeouts they each had, to include Tim and me too. Those waves were no joke. I haven't been taken out by a wave in I don't know how long! Needless to say, I was done ha! 

(This was nothing... The big ones are on the big camera!!)

Here's some of dinner!

This is the shrimp truck, Giovanni's. You get to sign their truck after eating there.

We all signed a little something that will forever be on their truck!!

And there's the birthday boy, with the funnel cake of all funnel cakes!!! It was delicious!! (How does one go on a Diet with all these goodies?!?) Here's until next blog... Love to all!

Now this is Paradise

It's been a few days since my last post, and that's because I've been enjoying some good ole family time with my loves! When we first arrived at the airport, we were greeted by some of the people that Tim will be working with. We totally weren't expecting to even see anyone so it was a completely nice surprise. They even brought us fresh lei's. 

After getting to our hotel room we were so hungry and tired that we just wanted to eat and sleep. There is a 5 hour time difference from Oklahoma to here so it was already way past our bedtime by Oklahoma time. 

The next day, we woke up super early, ate breakfast and headed out to do some sightseeing. Took a few pics from our balcony too. 

We took a drive to the NEX, which is basically like a mall-but it's the Navy Exchange located on Pearl Harbor/Hickam AFB.  Found some Christmas gifts for our family and friends ;)

Then we ran by the commissary for a few groceries to live off of in the room so we aren't constantly spending. Saw this and nearly died!!! Yikes.

After we checked out the beach and just strolled along. Took some more pics with the phone and even got a family shot from a nice woman who offered to take it.

It's so amazing here. I'm never leaving!!!

Tomorrow we will be registering the kids for their new schools. Hope that we get everything done so they can go and meet some kids their ages already. This way when we move into our home in January, they'll already have friends. That'd be nice! Oh, I did get an update on my Tessie❤️ too. Here's her pic too :) Can't wait to get her here!! I miss her sweet face...

Tonight we found a popular ice cream sho called Bubbies. It's famous around here. This was their menu:

Crazy names, great ice cream!!

Have a good night!!