Mele Kalikimaka!

We've been in Minnesota for eight days.  And the days have been jam-packed!

Annika and I left the island on 16 December 2009.  After all the travel preparations, nothing prepared me for the news that my father had possibly suffered another heart attack.  This news came just hours before we were to leave the island.  I made a few phone calls, had a bit of a panic, then came to the realization that there was nothing good to come from worrying.  And I left it at that. 

The flight was long and arduous.  Both travelers fared well, though.  Annika was of course very excited to be heading into the winter wonderland!

We had a safe arrival.  And were given the news that my dad had indeed suffered a heart attack and had blockage in one of his previously bypassed arteries.  A blockage that clearing out would do more harm than good.

It's been a whirlwind of a week with my family, and we're coming down to the final week.  I had dreamed of a white Christmas, and it snowed!  The weather was horrid and reminded of some of the things that I do not like about Minnesota.  How wonderful to be experiencing it! 

Santa was good to us this year.  He gave us a trip to visit my family.  The only thing that would have made it better would be my husband joining us.  But, that will come at another time.

Happy holidays!

Much love!

::aloha::

Winter weather advisory?!

It's no shock that rainy season is here.  But, it's also brought some cooler temperatures, which is awesome.  Yesterday felt like a fall day!  Sunny, windy and cool.  Granted, the "cool" was a balmy 73 degrees.  I was joking with Travis that it seems sad that we find 73 to be cool.

A winter weather watch is in effect for Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa on the Big Island for those summits because of the chance of heavy snow, strong winds, lightning and bitterly cold winds.  There is a flash flood advisory for the entire state.  Whew!

Yesterday we celebrated Veteran's day.  I very thankful for all of the Veterans: past, present and future.  I am honored that my husband has chosen to serve.

I'm finalizing the Christmas shopping.  I have a few things to get for my nieces and nephew, but I have the kidlets done and gifts wrapped! Last Christmas, we didn't have the money for any gifts and I'm thankful that we are in a place where we aren't struggling for the everyday things anymore.  It seems so silly and trite, but you often take those things for granted.  The price of goods is slightly higher here.  For example, a gallon of milk is approximately $9.00.  Yikes!

I'm counting the days until I get to see my family!  And I'm hoping that there is some snow while I'm there.

Thanksgiving is coming and we will spending it with our "military" family.  It's wonderful to have great friends and good times when I feel so homesick!

A big mahalo to those who read my blog!

::aloha::

Return of the Trade Winds, carnivals and Halloween. Oh my!

The vog has lifted and the trade winds are back.  We had a high of 85 yesterday and the mountains were still covered with some clouds, but it was a beautiful day!

Yesterday was another furlough Friday, so Annika worked on her handwriting booklet and a few pages in her grade 1 workbook.  On Thursday, I had a parent/teacher conference for the closure of quarter one.  She is doing very well in math and science, but is having some troubles with writing/reading/phonics.  With help, she is getting better.

For Halloween we will be heading down to Hickam AFB to go trick-or-treating with friends.  Annika will be Tinkerbell.  This will be her first t-or-t experience.  Tomorrow we will be going to a carnival, also on Hickam.

For now, we are laying low.  I've got a migraine and Annika's tired from running around playing with the girls.  They had a slumber party last night.  It was a fun time.  Pizza, popcorn and The Wizard of Oz.  What a perfect way to spend the evening.

Have a safe Halloween!

::aloha::

Vog, steam and the missing Trade Winds.

It's been awhile since I have updated.  Craziness here!

Good news on the ear.  The infection is gone, but I do have two holes in the ear drum that need to heal yet.

The weather has been hot and steamy.  The vog is heavy this week and the haze is covering the mountains.  It was strange not to see the mountains this morning when walking back from the school.  Last night we were down at Pearl Harbor to run errands and when we came home, the mist was so heavy in the canyon that you could cut through it.

I will be glad when the Trade Winds return.  It will cut the heat a bit.

Aside from that, there isn't anything new to report.

I am excited for a trip back to MN for the holidays.  I will be in MN from 17 December to 01 January.  I am sad that I will be away from my husband during the holidays, but I haven't seen my family for a long time.  So, if I can spend time with my family it will make up for not being able to spend the holidays with my dear hubby.  We've started shopping for the warm clothes. :)  It's hard to find winter jackets here!  I've started to pack my suitcase with souvenirs and Christmas gifts.

That's all that's happening at the moment.

:)  Mahalo nui loa for reading my blog!

::Aloha::

Who does this hurt in the long run?

Normally I would chronicle my week here on the island.  Well, this week has been rough, at best.  I went last week to get my ear checked out.  Yes, I'm ashamed to admit that I've been having problems with it since January.  In any case, the drainage is back to green, indicating an infection.  So, I was prescribed Augmentin, the SUPER antibiotic.  And when I was say SUPER, I don't mean fantastic!  It is designed to kill, kill, kill the bacteria.  It kills my energy in the process.

In addition to antibiotics, I've been referred to the Ears, Nose and Throat specialist at Tripler Hospital (or the "pink" hospital as Annika calls it... since... it's painted pink.  Seriously).  I have an audiogram scheduled as well to determine the amount of hearing loss.  It's all scary to me at the moment, but I'm no stranger to ear troubles.  I grew up having tubes in/out and many ear infections.

That update is out of the way. :)  

Why the title for the blog?  On 23 September 2009, we received a letter for the State of Hawai'i Department of Education.  Apparently, Hawaii's public schools are facing unprecedented budget cuts totaling $468 million over two years (sy 09-10 and 10-11).  WHAT??  What happened to the money that was given to the state?  Oh... that's right, it was used to pay off debts.  Who suffers from this?  Certainly not the parents!  Not directly anyway, in my humble opinion.  This hurts the children immensely.  It saddens me. 

What does this mean?  Furlough Fridays.  Seventeen furlough Fridays to be exact.  During the furlough Fridays:
 *Athletic events and practices will continue as scheduled after 3:00 PM.

*After school tutoring and enrichment programs run by the school are cancelled.

*A+ will not be offered by the DOE.  Private providers may offer their own programs at parent expense on furlough days.

*No meal service.  No student transportation (SPED included) will be provided.

*Superintendent's leadership team (superintendent, deputy superintendent, assistant superintendents, and complex area superintendents) will also be on furlough.

I am outraged at the bold statements above.  We can continue athletic events but not tutoring and enrichment programs, meal service or transportation?  Who determines why?  And what exactly are we teaching our children?  That being athletic is more important that furthering and bettering your education/knowledge?  And this is part of the reason why I am not happy with the state of Hawaii's school system and why we thought long and hard about homeschooling.

My child's future is everything.  And I believe that she should have the best education possible.  I'm just sickened with this news.  Not just that, but disappointed.

A large price to pay for living in paradise.

A big mahalo for the continued reading support!

::Aloha!::

The Zero Sisters

I'm five hours behind CST.  So, I always feel like I'm behind the times when it comes to news sharing.

My bffs live in two different time zones.  One in MST and the other in CST.  My Lulu, for the longest time thought that I was was six hours behind and affectionately gave me the nickname -6 and I gave her the nickname +6.  Together, we make up the Zero sisters!

Lulu entered my life during a time of change.  At that point in time, my ex-H had joined the Army and I was looking for support.  I found that support on a forum called Army Wives.  We "met" in 2004.  She made many journeys with me, in spirit.  From my solo trip from NC to MN with a toddler... to the pain and heartache of a dying marriage, through the death of my partner, through the new beginning in another state so far away from home, to the fateful decision in November 2008 and through the moving and combining of homes/lives here in Hawaii.  My Lulu has been with me every step of the way.  For that I am eternally grateful.  The blessing of her love and friendship unconditionally has been, amazing.

We met in person in 2006.  It was a long time in the making, but so worth the wait.  And our friendship will stand the test of time.

To my Zero sister.  I love you.  And a big MAHALO for being there.

...tap tap tap...

:aloha:

The Rainbow State

Hawaii's nickname is the "rainbow state."  With rainbows nearly everyday, it's easy to see why it has that nickname.  No matter how often I see them, they amaze me. 

The walk to school is about twenty minutes.  Sometimes I drive because it's generally sprinkling in the morning.  But, almost everyday, at the same time, there is a rainbow!  The rainbow in the picture below is beautifully backed by the Wai'anae mountain range.  The field is Mililani district park.  The park is near the townhomes that we live in.  And we can see those mountains from our bedroom window.  It's a beautiful sight to see!

Seeing rainbows give me hope.  Hope for the futures.  Strength in the knowledge of the past.

Aloha my friends!

Ready for a new season.

Summer is almost over.  With that, the heat and humidity go down.  But, the season change also brings rain.  Yes, we're going into Rainy season.  So, instead of the snow I'm used to, it'll rain for months and months.  Last year it wasn't so bad (of course, I was new to this and was happy to have anything other than snow).  As it is, we get rain daily, or almost daily.

Right now, we're in a Fire Weather watch.  Ironic?  I suppose not.  The Trade Winds have been a blowin'!  Everything is just a bit drier and with the winds it brings the threat of fire.  

I'm ready for the new season.  The heat and humidity are tough.  It reminds me of the Minnesota summers that I've endured over the years.  That sticky, hot feeling all day long.  Feeling like your t-shirt is always damp.  My hair going out of control!

Fall is my favorite season.  The sights, the smells and the memories it brings.  We won't get the changing of leaves here.  And we don't have apple orchards.  Fall is a season for preparing for winter.  Around October, I get a case of the sads.  I'm not sure why it is.  Change is good.  Change is needed for growth and rebirth.  So often, I want to reject the change.  To hide from the world.

I am ready for this change.  I've got my loves with me, so all is right in my world.  The loneliness and sorrow have been replaced by joy and togetherness.

Mahalo* my family and friends!  For being my strength in times of weakness.  For never giving up on me.  I can never express enough gratitude.

Until I blog again...love, hugs and prayers!

*thank you in Hawaiian (ma-hollow)

Life on an island.

I love Hawaii.  Really.  It's beautiful.  It's warm.  Rainbows everyday.

While I love Hawaii, I have to admit that I wouldn't have had this on my "places to live" list.  I know how ungrateful that sounds.  Who wouldn't enjoy this opporunity?  And it's why I have decided that it's MY attitude that makes the difference in how my time here is.  I can't make myself enjoy it completely.  With everything, there will always be a love/hate aspect. 

I'm thankful to be able to experience life in a culture that is unlike that which I grew up in.  It's not just a state.  It's a culture.  With many Asian influences.  Since my arrival on the island, I have tried many different foods.  As a girl from the Land of Bland, I was skeptical about food.  (hey, I didn't even try Thai food until I moved to Minneapolis and discovered Chiang Mai's!)  My first sushi experience was on the day that I arrived. (why did I wait so long??)   Despite my exhaustion (as 7 hours on a plane will cause), I found it absolutely delightful.  A month later, I went to a luau.  That's where I fell in love with Kalua pork.  SO YUMMY.

So, here I am.  Living on a island. (the girl who is TERRIFIED of water).  Miserable moments.  Ecstatic moments.  All the moments create my experience here.  One day at a time. 

What I miss the most?  Family.  Friends.  Not being able to get in the car and take random road trips.  But, I wouldn't change the experience for anything.

Married life!

Yes! The rumors are true! We tied the knot on Sunday, August 16, 2009 at Kawela Bay on the island of O'ahu. It was a lovely day. While we could not be joined by our friends and family on the mainland, it was wonderful to have our new found friends there. I believe that they have become my extended family.

The wedding preparations were very low key. A simple silk dress from Tori Richard (the macaroni and cheese dress!) complemented with an orchid lei. It was absolutely stunning. Our "reception" was at Pizza Bob's. Good food, good fun, less than stellar service. But the overall experience? Amazing! Kat's angel food wedding cake? DELISH!

I will post the links to our pictures in another post, but I've put together a little movie of our love story... enjoy! :-)

Bad blogger!

Ok. I am ashamed to say that I have not posted a blog in a month! But, we have been busy with summer things. Getting Annika ready for school, BBQ's, swimming and birthday parties!

Life on the island is good. Enjoying it as much as we possibly can! Other than that, nothing much to report.

Until I blog again...love, hugs and prayers!

The joy of blending.

The recent weeks have been spent adjusting to life together in Hawaii. Life as a blended family. This brings some ups, some downs, but together we've grown.

We've implemented forced family fun(FFF or F3). It normally starts out just heading out to run errands and then spontaneously finding something fun to do. The first weekend it was a trip to Pearlridge Mall to get my ring sized (which should be ready tomorrow!) that turned into lunch at Panda Express and the movie Up! If you haven't seen the movie yet, this is my plug: YOU SHOULD! It is such a cute movie.

The second weekend we were heading out to the Honolulu Zoo, but stopped in downtown Waikiki for lunch at Duke's, on the beach. While we were there, Annika tried some new foods: calamari, mahi mahi, kalua pork, teriyaki chicken and mac salad. She loved most of it. The mahi mahi was a bit too spicy for her liking. After lunch we walked through International Market Place. Great fun!

This weekend's event was a walk and lunch at a local Chinese place. Again, Annika tried new foods: sweet/sour pork, fried spring rolls, fried gyoza, orange chicken and another pork dish that I cannot remember the name of at the moment. She loved almost all of it except the spring rolls. And we've discovered that she loves the green tea they serve. We are teaching her how to use chopsticks (see the picture below) and she did well with the chopsticks. Better with her left though.



After lunch, we watched Empire Strikes Back and dozed. Then it was off to the airport to pick up Cassi. The girls have been having fun!

Today we're chilling and hopefully heading to the library to get the girls library cards.

Until I blog again...love, hugs and prayers.

Time change + energizer bunny = exhaustion

It's day three on the island, and I still feel like I'm trying to get caught up on the time difference. Colorado is four hours ahead, so my brain seems to think that instead of being 12:40 that it is actually 4:40. Add the six-year-old energizer bunny and you've got exhaustion to the extreme!

The weather is a bit dreary today. The sun shines for a bit, then hides behind the clouds. I think it is the perfect day to take a nap. At the very least, a rest time. Once the time change adjustment is complete, life can get back to normal. :)

Life is good. So, I won't complain! We're coming up on a weekend. This will be good. The only plans so far are for Monday. Until then... relaxation! Perhaps I can get out this weekend and take some pictures of Annika! That will be fun.

Until I blog again...love, hugs and prayers!

Life renewed.

We've finally made it back to Hawaii. Well, I'm back. Annika is here for the first time.

The last days in Colorado were... a whirlwind of emotion. Splitting the household goods of two besties. It's never easy to split the goods, even when the split is amicable. We knew that this time would come eventually. It doesn't take away from the fact that it is going to emotional.

With that taken care of, we were able to spend the last two days having "us" time. Which we so badly needed. This year (well, mostly the last 10 months) haven't been the easiest. Tears of joy, tears of sorrow, words spoken in anger... but the love remains. Whatever we went through, it could never break us.

Tuesday was the day that Annika and I flew to HI. Our first flight left Denver at 0830. Not a bad time to leave, really. However, I couldn't stomach the flight. I'd have to say that is the first time that I have EVER been physically ill on a flight. I was worried that the next (and much longer) flight would be the same. I was lucky. It went away. My next concern was how Annika would handle the 6.5 hour long flight. To date, that is the longest flight she has ever taken. And she did amazingly well. A bit antsy at times. But that was to be expected.

So, here we are. Adjusting to life on the island. Life together. As a ... family. This year has been rough, but full of blessings. I wouldn't change the experience for anything in the world. Colorado was my stepping ground. My break-free. Life as I knew it, could not continue on the course that it was going. Thank you to my friends and family for the love and support that you have given me throughout my lifetime. I may not say it enough, but it is greatly appreciated.

Until I blog again...love, hugs and prayers.

We've moved!

Okay, for the most part, you all know that we've moved. And for those that I missed, I apologize.

It's been a whirlwind eight months, to say the least. A move to Colorado, meeting a wonderful man, visiting Hawaii and moving to Hawaii. Whew! Can you believe it?

This is where you will find the comings and goings of Darcee. Annika, Travis, Cassi and Mikey. A blended family of epic proportions! Happy and loved. What a great feeling!

I'll start with: I'm engaged! The wedding plans have commenced! With the engagement, we've moved in with Travis, who is currently living in Hawaii as that is where the Air Force has decided to send him until 2012. Life in Hawaii is different. Slower and lazier. But, the weather is beautiful!

I'm currently in Colorado on an extended vacation. It's been nice to visit with family and friends! I'm flying to NC on Wednesday to pick up Annika and then it's off to Hawaii on May 19th.

As I mentioned previously, it has been a whirlwind of a year. And eventually, I'll probably share that story. But, I wanted to start with this. To get acquainted with family and friends all over the globe.

Feel free to bookmark the link! I'll try to keep it updated as much as possible. That includes pictures! :)

Until I blog again...

Love, hugs, and prayers!