$37.99

Michelle and I were at the mall.  She wanted a Sonic the Hedgehog Deluxe Set (little cartoon figures) from Toys R Us.  The cost was $37.99 - she had the $ but not with her.

I told her she could borrow from me but she had to pay me back when she got home.

We bought the set.

When we got home I told her I wanted my $37.99

She went to her piggy bank and I could hear her counting out her change.  I could hear her sighing, indicating she was getting tired of counting out the change,

After a few minutes she brought some change into me and said "Here's your 99 cents".

I said "But where's my 37?"

She came over to the 99 cents that she had laid out on the table for me, counted 37 cents from that, and said "Right here is your 37."

I told her I wanted 37 dollars.

She sighed again - went in and dumped her bank and started counting.

Twenty minutes later she handed me $37 in coins and looked sadly in the bank saying "You took all my money except a little bit."

Gene came in and said "I tell you what - I'll give you the $37.99 back and you give me the Sonic Deluxe Set!"

She rolled her eyes (like any 15 year old would) and said "Dad mind your own business."

Post Party

'Twas great!

I'm tired!

Lesson Two

E malama kekahi i kekahi

Show/allow/give others dignity.

Grad Party

Susan's was at the Ilikai Hotel in a gorgeous concierge suite overlooking the harbor.  Elegant (but plentiful) pupu buffet. 100 people.  There were fireworks.

Jacob's was at the conclusion of a week long camp out.  It was a catered barbecue. 100 people. There was live Polynesian entertainment.

Gabe's is today at a pavilion at Bellows.  It will be a "homemade" barbecue. 100 people.  There's going to be a waterside (big enough for adults)!

Menu:
Teri Hamburgers
Boca Burgers
Hot Dogs,
Baked Beans
Spiral Ham
BBQ/Teri Chicken
Ribs
Pasta Salad
Potato Salad
Chips
Rice
Watermelon and Pineapple
Mini Cupcakes

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Gonna have some games too.
Coming?

Lesson One

E olelo Hawai'i wale no.

Speak only in Hawaiian.

(I definitely have to download the Hawaiian fonts.)

8th Grade Banquet Photo Booth

With her friend Renny.

When she was 10 she said she was going to marry him when she turned 12.

I told her she had to wait until she was older.

She says when she's 42.

8th Grade Banquet

She begged me for weeks to get her a new dress.

She loved it.  

Growing up this girl.

Another Interview

Her name is really Rochelle.

Our interview was cut short 'cause someone needed my assistance.

Someday I will finish the interview.

It will be serious.

Michelle at 15

She likes white rice, vienna sausage, babies, crispy bacon, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, babies, cheese pizza (thin crust), root beer, sprinkles, pearler beads, babies, chocolate cake, ice cream, Nerds candy, wearing slippers to school, babies, rolling and unrolling skeins of yarn, staying up late on Friday nights, her sister Susan, swimming, dogs, cats, babies, her iPad, rolling adding machine paper, Sonic the hedgehog, Amy Rose the hedgehog, Hilton pens, drawing Paninis (cartoon character), Aunty Sherry and Aunty Mina, sitting in the front seat of the car, taking a bath, going to Koa House on Saturdays, walking Elvis, babies, Katy Perry, Rachel on Glee, Disneyland, flashlights and lasers, fireworks!, and...babies!

She does not like fruit, vegetables, meat, wearing clothes (pants) with the waistband hitting her waist, loud sounds, scary movies, massaging her father's feet, running more than 1 lap around the house, getting bossed around.

She is good at spelling, reading, being bossy, sleeping, entertaining herself, using the computer, trying to figure out my iTunes password so she can order stuff, helping younger children, swimming and SMILING!

She recently earned $20 from her Dad for being able to swim across the pool - he thought she couldn't do it - haha!

What she wants to do in the future - call Susan on the cell phone, go to Disneyland, go to the beach, eat vienna sausage and rice TONIGHT!

15 Years Old

My wish is that every family in the world be blessed with a
child as wonderful as
this one.

Happy Birthday to our Michelle!

Graduation

Preparing Dinner Tonight

Risotto

 Salmon (on fresh Spinach bed) with Strawberry Salsa

 Rainbow Mini Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

ParTAY

So a little trip to a meeting in San Diego in June is turning out to be a celebratory event!

June 11 - flying to San Diego for FASD meeting (Stephanie joining me from Las Vegas)
June 12 - 13 - Meeting
June 13 - My brother Bill picks us up to go and stay with his fam in Dana Point
June 14 - Sis-in-law Debbie and I go to Les Mis in Costa Mesa :)
June 15 - Hang with Debbie
June 16 - Ferry to Catalina for the day to visit Susan and George.  Joining Stephanie and I are Bill & Debbie and their girls Marie & Rachelle, sister Susie and husband Bill and daughter Emma, sister Alice and daughter Laura, cousin Steve and Michelle (Tachera) and kids Juliet and Mason!!!!  I am hoping sweet Ruth Ann will join us and bring David.  It will also be George's parents' anniversary so we will be going to an anniversary BBQ on the island.
June 17 - Fly home

Can't wait!

Neighbors

I always wanted to host a t.v. show that I would call Neighbors.  I would interview a neighbor each episode.  Well here is the pilot episode in 2 parts (mainly cause we got interrupted while filming)

Part 1 - The Opening

Part 2 - The Conclusion

Dance Force Award

$250!

Yea Gabe!

Awards

So Gabe's getting an award tonight at Senior Awards Banquet.  I am not sure for what.  But we'll see.
He just told us this morning - so Gene probably won't be able to attend as he works in the temple on Wednesday nights.

Home Again

Got back from D.C. yesterday.  And came back to

• Gene camping with the Boy Scouts
• Hannah sick with a very bad cold
• Gabe wanting money (of course)
• Tons of laundry
• Grocery shopping to be done
• Three inch stack of mail to go through
• A Nursery lesson to prepare
• Finding a sitter for Gabe's Hoike concert tonight

And so I am watching Grey's Anatomy on my iPad :)

I Think This Will Be My First Time In 10 Years

Sitting in coach.
DFW-LAX.

Gabe Eyes

Gabe does this thing with his eyes whenever someone takes a picture of him.  

We all call it "Gabe eyes". 

He says he learned it in acting.

 Here is my attempt at it.

Did It

Got the photos taken - here are a few.

Jacob, Gene, Gabe

Michelle, Hannah

Michelle, Mom, Susan, Hannah

Jacob and his girlfriend Samantha

Susan and her boyfriend George.

Me and my boyfriend Gene

Thanks Stephanie

So my cousin Stephanie scolded me saying that I need a new picture on this blog banner.  I agree.

And with the family going off to diverse places, who knows when we'll have the opportunity to have a family picture taken?

So tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. we're getting together for our photo shoot

...if I can find a photographer!

Check back Monday to see if I was successful.

Some Mornings...

Only one thing helps.

.

Talented

Is the word to describe my daughter Susan.
She cut my hair when she came to visit last night.

Before

After

I like it.

Gorgeous is what I am now.

:)

Good Night and Goodbye

Susan came by tonight to say goodbye and to set up Skype on my laptop (and cut my hair).  I leave Sunday for D.C. and she leaves Wednesday for Catalina so tonight was her last chance to stop by.

She will be gone for 2 1/2 months or so and I will miss her.

When she first said she was leaving I was like "What about your job?"  "What about your apartment?" "How can you just take a leave of absence from work like that?" "What about $$$?"

All those mother kinds of worries.

I really couldn't figure out why anyone would do such a thing.

Then Gene told me why. 

Because she is 24 and 

She can.

Aloha my baby girl!

Reading

We were challenged to read the Book of Mormon in its entirety by May 19.

That is what I am doing today.

Reading. (Which also means I'll be resting my shoulder today too).

What??????

Hannah's IQ dropped 11 points in 4 years.

She was Borderline Mild Mental Retardation.

She's now Moderate Mental Retardation.

46 IQ.

How does that happen?

Either she's topped out already at age 11 :(

Or it is the effect of the seizures :(

Wish we could get them under control - still around 2 dozen a day (many falling on the ground kind).

They control us - what we do, where we go, how long we stay, how we sleep.

The medicines she is on aren't worth crap.

She just had a really big one - thank goodness she was already sitting on the floor.

She's a trooper.

You Tube Reaction

Three

 Sr. Prom with Tori.

Broke up that night.

Iolani Carnival with girl (I forget her name)

Le Jardin Prom with Dana Kim

Two Mysteries

Mystery #1

When I was about 17, I got a card in the mail that said "You think you've got problems - last night I dreamed I was a rail road."  It was unsigned and contained $20.

Mystery #2

When I was in college in Utah I got a card in the mail that said "Thank You for standing up for what you believe in."  It was unsigned and contained $20.

I am sure they were not from the same person.

Can't wait to get to the other side and find out who sent these.

3 IN 1

Three dates in 1 week with 3 different girls.

Guess who?

Stop by tomorrow for picture proof.