Song of Praise

Lesson – Microsoft Office

2011-04-28T15:13:00.001-08:00

I went to church with my Mom last night and the pastor had a really cool thing he used in his message. He was typing up his sermon in Microsoft Word and a little toggle line showed up below “Jesus Christ” when he typed it. The newer Microsoft products has been doing this for names that appear to be contacts.

When he clicked on the little line it showed the above screen. The pastor went on to talk about how sometimes we need to “Send Jesus Christ some mail”, “Schedule a meeting with Jesus Christ”, “Open contact up with Jesus Christ”, sometimes Jesus Christ isn’t even in our contacts list and we need to “Add Jesus Christ to contacts” or “Insert Jesus Christ address”.

When was the last time you had a meeting with God? Send Him mail – all of those worries and troubles, or praise mail Thanking Him.

Joyhellen and I thought those were some good thoughts. Have a great Friday friends, I’m taking tomorrow off to move! So today was the last work day of the week for me. =D

Missing my girls

2011-04-26T17:02:00.001-08:00

Corin made a post the other day on friends. I loved it! I wanted to do a picture post of my girls in Hawaii. So many pictures. And so many incredible memories. It gets harder and harder not being in Hawaii. I thought it might get easier. But I miss everyone so much it just hurts.

Thankful I’m going to get to see Sarah and Rachel this summer in California. :) Tickets are cheap right now between Alaska and Hawaii come visit people! :D As of Friday I will be living in my own place, so you to can try true Alaskan living. – roughing it! – hahah! :-) Or you can opt for the easier life and stay with my parents!

At our going away party…I’d like a “coming home party” there next. :( aka…I miss everyone.

Pool parties at Brooke’s. The sis is getting a loving family AND a pool right now! She should be nice and tan!

Christmas shopping with a group :D

Barbie and Brooke :) Congrats to Barbie and Andrew on their engagement!! So exciting!

Shannon and Rachel

Handing out cookies at the Barracks. It was always a really great experience, getting to talk to people and do something with a purpose of Salvation. I went this last Friday night with my Dad and we went to the base nearby and did the same thing. It was probably the most beneficial thing I’ve done since being here. I miss this being the norm. Its always so neat to see the fruits too! A guy came to church on Sunday that we met on Friday because of door knocking. How cool is that?! :D I’ve seen it a lot in hawaii, but never here in Alaska. Every door that opened was so receptive. I was shocked. I’ve been told that Alaska was a closed area, that people didn’t want to hear. Or be invited. But they did!! It was a blessing.

Girlfriends :)

Sarah is so cute

Sisters~

Car rides. Driving under the influence of laugher. :)

Jen – tied to my heart!

Girls nights out =)

Sound Room times. miss my brother and Jasmine. That girl is my Filipino twin. :)

My little sisters Ashley and Cassandra

The time the Japanese tourists thought we were someone famous.

Mopeding!

Lanae and Jeenou. Of whom is back in Hawaii from Afgan!

Cody and Jen playing their ukulele's. Cody just got married two weeks ago, so cool.

Andrea my girl and Virginia :)

Awe riding days with Jen.

(Thanks Adrienne for this picture!!) =)

Thinking about you all! Lots of good memories. :) Thanks Corin for the blog post idea!

New House

2011-04-21T12:17:00.001-08:00

Hello and welcome to “Tori is Alive!” I know you all have been wondering where my posts have went. As per the texts I’ve been getting asking for me to post. I’m sorry folks, Alaska just isn’t as hopping as Hawaii. So naturally there are less events to blog about. BUT I have been super busy at work and in life.

Whats been happening?

Well the biggest thing is:

I think I found a house to rent!! I am so excited! When we started the moving process in Hawaii I talked to my parents and discussed how in Alaska moving out would actually be a financial option for me. I started looking for places to rent before I even left Hawaii, there is something about getting to have your own place. That little nesting thing of having your own kitchen. Not that I’m not thankful for the years that I’ve been able to live at home and be with my family. But I think I’m at a age and place right now that I can move out and it be a good thing. The last time I rented was three years ago before I moved to Hawaii, and it actually made for a really great change in relationships with my family. I missed them and spent more time at home, it was great. I’m hoping this time things go as well.

I was going to go the roommate route, Emily wanted to move out. As did Mara. But Emily’s circumstances changed and Mara already has her own cabin just on her parents property. So I’ve been looking at 1 bedroom options. Let me tell ya, this town has some really dumpy places. I am like “wow, sure I’d love to live here and walk up the same stairs as a 12 plex worth of possibly creepy people walk up at the same time as I do” – not really. Moral of the story, this girl is too Alaskan to live in an Apartment building if there is other options available.

Thus opened up the Cabin or Small House division. With this, comes a rent that typically does not include utilities. As with the place that I’ve found and fallen in love with. But that’s what budgets are for. :)

This place is small, and just the right size for me. The living room is big enough to put two couches and be able to entertain all of the brothers and sister. :) The floor is real wood, and the staircase is awesome. Most cabins have lofts here but this isn’t a log cabin, so although it’s the size of a cabin it may classify as a small house. I don’t know. Its foundation is interesting. But the upstairs bedroom isn’t in a loft style, so it is not opened up to the downstairs. That is kind of a new design to me, it works pretty well in this house.

The kitchen has bright green cabinets. Everything smells like fresh paint and new wood. They have about 2 more weeks before it is finished, no one has lived in it yet since its been being built.

Staircase~Its kind of a mix of pretty and industrial. The outside of the house looks pretty industrial too. (not going to post a picture for internet safety reasons, but its deff got an alaskan look, lol)

Going up the stairs.

The bedroom

Looking down the stairs into the living room.

The living room.

(welcome to Alaska, what a different view than looking at houses)

Its in the woods and on 5+ acres of land. Which is super cool to me. There is a nearby cabin that you can see from the driveway, but not bad. And only 10 mins from town. So this country girl is still getting some of her country.

So that’s where I’ve been as far as a house goes. I haven’t signed anything yet, but it looks like around the 1st of the month I could be in. :))

Work is going. I’ve been back to doing full time accounting the last three weeks. I love it. The office environment has been pretty stressful in general. But the work itself is going well. I really heart accounting. Soon enough I will be back to doing more of the project side of things and accounting. Its leveled out a little bit. The first week was rough. There have been some lay offs, and I felt the pressure to be everything to everyone. One girl cannot do 120 hours worth of work in one week. But its working out, and the boss’s have been understanding and helpful lately.

I haven’t found a church yet. My parents joined a church on Sunday. But I haven’t gotten to look into other churches as much as I had planned. This last week was revival with my Grandparents church and the church that my parents are going to so I went to that. And this last Sunday my family joined, so I went then as well. My little brothers and sister are getting baptized this Sunday so I am going to go and spend Easter with my family. I’ve tried another church twice, I really like it and am meeting with the Pastor and his wife tonight to talk about doctrine. I still feel very much a part of my church in Hawaii, but I know that won’t last for forever. They will always be in my heart. But I know I need to find a church here to be a part of. That’s been a big part of my life lately. I started researching the different churches here when I was still in Hawaii, so it has been a long time coming and I’m actually back now. So we shall see where God leads me. Pray for me if you think about it please!

God has brought a lot of happiness into my life with new friends, but life still sometimes is hard here. Harder than it was in Hawaii. I wonder why there is less drama and difficulties on an island? I am thinking it must be the therapeutic benefits of sand. I know now after being here that this IS exactly where God wants me. I am so glad that I came. I miss my sister daily though. And friends in Hawaii. My singles group – I miss you all!! And Friday night bible studies and most of all church. But God doesn’t take something without giving you something else that is great. So I am dually blessed right now, just missing my other home. As it was when I was in Hawaii.

Love you all, I will try and post more in the upcoming days.

What do ya’ll thing??? Instead of “Sarah Palin’s Alaska” should I do a “Tori’s Alaska?!” little You tube videos each week on this life here in the big AK?

50th

2011-04-07T13:38:00.001-08:00

Happy Anniversary to my Grandparents today. They are celebrating their 50th anniversary.

They are so happy. :) I’m looking forward to getting to spend the evening with them tonight. My Mom flew into town just in time. Should be a good family night.

List

2011-04-06T17:06:00.001-08:00

Amber posted this on her blog, and I thought it was a really good approach. Life has been great, busy but great. These all seemed to apply :) My comments (did you all really think I wouldn’t put them in there, are in italics.

1. Pray (yes…need lots of that right now! praying about which church to go to, where to live, what to do…prayer to stay calm, and remember whats important in life)

2. Go to bed on time. (I’m not sure that this is possible. BUT I did get 8 hours of sleep last night, now THAT was amazing and felt great!)

3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed. (aka…don’t sleep for 8 hours and thus skip your gym)

4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health. (I need to learn how to do this,,I am doing 3 people’s jobs at work right now, saying NO is hard for me…but I’ll get it)

5. Delegate tasks to capable others. (little brothers?) :o)

6. Simplify and unclutter your life. (ahhh, yes my life, car, room, work, personal)

7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.) (I’ve been learning this lately, super interesting to me as it hasn’t been something I’ve lived by before, but it does make sense)

8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places. (I’ve only been late twice to church in the last 2 weeks. #impressive) ;)

9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together. (so far so good, new-again work, new-again state, new-again house, all went ok, waiting on the moving out on own part for a couple weeks)

10. Take one day at a time. (and loving every minute of it) =)

11. Separate worries from concerns. If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety. If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it. (LOVE THIS ONE)

12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases. (yeah, thanking Mr. Governor Parnell for his idea to cut gasoline taxes right now)

13.. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc. (got the extra stamp thing down! was nice on 3 occasions this week!)

14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble. (aka…when wanting to say “fine I quit, do payroll yourself” to boss when he yells) :o)

15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday. (totally went and got my nails done today, it feels AMAZING. wait – thats more the girlie girl in me. The kid in me comes out every day in my typical ways of being a goof) :~)

16. Carry a spiritually enlightening book with you to read while waiting in line. (My Grandma gave me one for my birthday last week, I sooo should carry it around with me! I love it!)

17. Get enough rest. (O’yeah, sure no problem. Right on that… no really, it does make sense. more sleep = more emotionally balanced lol)

18. Eat right. (as soon as I landed in this town that started to change for the better, I am so blessed) =) I will officially be healthy by Tuesday (stole my sisters line right there, btw) :D

19. Get organized so everything has its place. (Sounds like a relief!)

20... Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.. (great idea…considering what you read will be who you become in 5 years…but…music is what makes me K.M.S. (keep mouth shut) when I’m in the office, hahah. Well that and GOD!

21. Write down thoughts and inspirations. (i heart blogging)

22. Every day, find time to be alone. (drive to work…think)

23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray. (I like it!! So true)

24. Make friends with Godly people. (lunch with emily changed my entire view point in a matter of minutes….phone conversations with Rachel, encouraged me for days… the people that LIVE God, who are in my life, much such a huge difference its amazing)

25.. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand. (3x5 card folder idea from OBC)

26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good 'Thank you Jesus .' (wow, yes…)

27. Laugh. (been doing that a lot lately…) :)

28. Laugh some more! (I am pretty happy right now)

29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all. (totally!)

30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can). (love at all times…)

31.. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most). (Lord, remind me… the song, comes to mind)

32. Sit on your ego. (or try and throw it out the door #difficult sometimes, people like you more though if you can do it!)

33. Talk less; listen more. (I learn so much when I do. I need to do it more often)

34. Slow down. (yes…..Laurel does such a great job of reminding me of that one)

35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe. (Wait that’s in someone else’s hands!? O’thats right!! Thankfully!!)

36. Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. (I like it!)

GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU. (God is so good!)

'If God is for us, who can be against us?' (Romans 8:31)

~Thanks for sharing Amber, this was really good. And made me slow down~ :)

“Love at home”

2011-04-01T12:11:00.001-08:00

My friend, sister, and girl tied to my soul Jen, made this video for me yesterday. From the very first times we hung out in Hawaii she would sing and play her Ukulele. It doesn’t matter what happens, or what the world is doing, her singing has always calmed me, loved on me and overall just made me blessed by her.

I have always said that I love to fall asleep to hearing people play music, and have always told her if she made me a video I would sleep to it, and sleep very well at that! So thanks Jen, you are so sweet! I love this video. Hope its ok that I shared it with the world. :)

To friends that never fade….

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7tk5pFpzH8

Welcome to Alaska – Sorry Santa

2011-03-30T17:15:00.001-08:00

Ok, for those of you who have not seen me in the last couple of days: I am in Alaska. If you can’t tell from the picture above… :)

Its been a whirlwind these past few days, we got everything moved and packed up in the house with a TON of help from our church and precious friends in Hawaii. We couldn’t have done it without you guys. I got to fly back to Alaska with our neighbor because her brother lives in the same town that I was raised and she was coming for a visit. We talked quite a bit during the travels and have hung out here in Alaska ever sense. God really knew what I needed when leaving Hawaii, He knew that I needed someone on the plane, something to distract me. I would have been a basket full of tears the entire time if I had not had a friend. She was so excited to come to Alaska, she had never been here before and her excitement rubbed off on me. :)

This was outside of church on Sunday night, she was SOOO excited it was snowing. I’m pretty sure we were the only two people in this town who were happy that it was snowing. Apparently people here are over the winter. I can’t say that I blame them though. But the snow was super pretty. :)

Went snow machining on Saturday with Mara and the Degerlunds and Foster. That was fun!

Foster getting his machine un-stuck. :) This was before the 4 inches of new snow!

Mara, Joyka, and I. The gun is Micah’s, he did the handles, way cool. I am deff back in Alaska people. Land of guns and trucks :)

The degs cute niece. She is adorable! And look at that dog! The coolest yellow lab ever! I want a dog so bad, been looking for places to rent and can’t find anywhere that will let me have a big dog. I think I may build a house this summer… random I know. Sounds like a good investment in the future. Not sure if I’m going to do it or not though.

New snow outside of work.

This WAS the yard. Now it is a snow machine race track, via my brothers and their constant riding. :) They are enjoying it. :)

Had a bon-fire with my Dad and brothers, burrr, it was a little different setting then the camp fire we had going in Hawaii a couple weeks ago on the camping trip at the beach. :)

I started a fire with the help of my Dad, my idea was Gasoline and a match over wood. But he said to do it the right way starting with bark from the tree. I think our hot dogs appreciated the lack of gas being cooked into them! :~)

Leah (from hawaii), Caleb (her brother), Emily (my girl!), myself and Ryo and Marty (Caleb’s roomates and friends) all went shooting last night at the range. Which was AMAZING. Seriously, I shoot when I come back to town each time, but I always forget what I am missing when I am in Hawaii. Caleb brought a really fun AK-47, and Leah got to shoot a gun for the first time! I think by the end of the night she was liking it. :) She looked super cool with a pistol, she’d make a good Alaskan. :D

Someone had taken a stuffed Santa out there so we sat him there. Yes, a little hillbilly…but it was so fun. :)

Em and Leah.

Caleb and Ryo

yeah, she’s wearing heels ;)

I never was a fan of Santa…

Miss AK-47 =)

I went from Sand to Snow. From pavement in city yards to….shooting Santa’s with gigantic guns. Whew, I’m pretty sure that's quite the extremes. Loving life, God is good All the time. Glad we made it thru the move, come visit me in Alaska friends, we’ll take you shooting. :)

Tired

2011-03-28T08:59:00.001-08:00

Is anyone surprised? I don’t know if many other people put as much into one weekend as I have been.

Crazy, crazy. :) Its been good though.

I’m not in a blogging mood, I can’t think of just one thing to blog about. But I’ll tell you this. I am blessed. Just without a whole lot of sleep! =)

Happy Monday friends. :)

(thanks google images)

Today is Wednesday

2011-03-23T14:37:00.001-08:00

And that is all that I know.

I’m to tired to have emotions at this point, or to even write about them if I did have them.

Life is #crazy :) This week shall be interesting. super thankful for God’s peace.

And AMAZING friends!!! :D You guys are awesome!!!

Mrs. Heppen brought us over dinner last night. She is German and makes amazing food!

Cucumber Salad and rice with goolash. I may be posting the more original names here in the future. But the needed factor is this “It was YUM” :) She’s so sweet to have made it.

My Hawaii Mom and Jen. The whole Rayes family came over last night. My heart smiled so big it almost burst! :)

Sarah, Shannon, Jen and I.

Rachel and Lanae` :)

Doesn’t every one have parties on their staircase? :) This was on Monday night.

Rachel, Foster, Lanae, Mason, Ben, Tyler, Ashley Lance, Caleb, Jayleen and Shannon.

I escaped on lunch :) (and almost never came back!! look at those eyes they are #tired. But Rachel on the other hand is looking mighty purty!!) :~)

She got a manicure and I got my toes done :)

I went to the jobsite today and did a roof inspection. They needed a roofing inspector and that girl was me. New for me, but I liked it, I went a few weeks ago too. And I wasn’t the only girl on the jobsite. :)

My Dad on the lift.

Look right past the eave of the roof, pretty awesome that we got to see that from the lift.

Incredible!

Awesome jobsite view, palm trees and green water. ahhhh

This is what I’ve been up to lately.

How is life my people?!

This is Memory Monday?

2011-03-21T18:19:00.001-08:00

Not sure how I remembered I was going to post today. I wrote “posts” in my head all weekend. It was crazyness, needless to say. Actually blessings all around that crazyness, so that is great!

I have a lot to blog about, remind me of that some time. Okay friends?

In the meantime….

Memory Monday

Fishing with Grandpa. :) Ashley & Grandpa Clark with their halibut in 2006.

Grandpa, Ashley and Dad on the river next to Grandpa & Grandma’s house.

Proud fisher people :)

Dad cleaning off the fish. Looking forward to this summer. I sure miss Grandpa….

The week

2011-03-17T18:01:00.001-08:00

Has been great :)

Here’s a few pictures. Hope everyone is having a great week!

The countdown is on.

My friend Cassie just had her sweet darling baby Rebekah! Here’s the happy family with Mrs. Becky, only the sweetest lady in the world. :) We were at Ohana 2. aka…the food court we eat at every Sunday night.

I tried 10 times to take a picture of Rachel and Shannon and they all turned out bad! And these girls are photogenic! But as soon as Caleb jumped in the picture it worked, random. ahahha

A family that is missionaries to Pohnpei where my Hawaii parents are from came to church on Sunday, that was super terrific. They sang a song in the Pohnpei language and spoke the native tongue with Auntie & Uncle Rayes it was really neat to see.

Went to the ranch to pick up my saddle. I took Foster with me. I’ve missed being there, its sad almost that other things trumped the horses for me, but those things weren’t bad. For everything there is a season. Would really love to ride this summer though.

My baby sis got a new hair cut. Layers & bangs, she’s growing up! Noooo… :)

On Saturday I went to a woman’s conference, the church was across the street from beach, that was neat. Talk about in the middle of God’s creation. :) The conference was amazing! Exactly what I needed. There was a singles activity that day on the other side of the island, everyone went kayaking, but I felt like I really needed this conference. I’m super glad I went. And Shannon came with me too, so that was fun. We went to the beach on the lunch break. SUNSHINE IN MY SOUL. Literally, the entire day.

Bible Study + Christian fellowship + Beach + Sunshine = Sunshine in my soul.

Shannon soaking up the sunshine. :)

I’m a goof :)

Thankfully so is she :)

On the rocks, I love this picture of her, its so pretty!

We had the beach to ourselves.

Ms. Cynthia walked down to the beach with us after the conference :) Mom’s buddy and our sweet friend.

The fresh flowers on the table @ the conference.

Singles meal at our house on Sunday. Wahoo :) I love having everyone over, its always really good.

Me and Rach

Sarah and Corin, and…a new guy to the church named Matt?

A guy at work is out of state and needed me to get all of the licensing done for his truck while he was gone. I seriously spent a TON of hours on the thing between that and shipping it out to Seattle for him so he said I could drive it for a week. Yahoo :) I love big trucks! It was a F-250, I think I could fit my Subaru in the back of the truck. Us girls had fun with it. :)

At a stop light :)

You can’t really see these pictures too well but everyone was sitting on the tool box and the top of the truck. Good times :)

Myself, Rachel, Sarah, Shannon, Jen, Jayleen and Corin :)

There was more to the week, but I will have to load those pictures another day.

Slow Down

2011-03-15T18:05:00.001-08:00

As things get busier and busier, I laugh and joy in today. I remember that today will become my yesterday. I need to take extra time today in the busy activities of life to look around me. To take time to sit and read Gods love letter to me. To watch for a soul to minister to. To soak up my family, and not think so much about where the future is going, but to be thankful for Today. And to really make the most of each and every day I’m given.

“Teach me to number my days
And count every moment before it slips away
Taking all the colors before they fade to gray
I don't want to miss even just a second more of this

It happens in a blink
It happens in a flash
It happens in the time it took to look back
I try to hold on tight, but there's no stopping time
What is it I've done with my life
It happens in a blink

Slow down, slow down
Before today becomes our yesterday
Slow down, slow down
Before you turn around and it's too late”

Blink - Revived

Memory Monday ~ Sis & Emily

2011-03-14T18:27:00.001-08:00

Memory Monday

Lanae’ and Emily at Mike & Amanda’s wedding last summer. It wasn’t too long ago. But its still a memory. :) These are two of my favorite people in the world. I have a lot of favorite people but these two are tied to my heart. :)

Emily came to Hawaii last spring after graduation to spend a few weeks with us. She loved Hawaii, and plans on moving back here with me in the future. :) :)

Date Taken June 14, 2010

Thinking - Thursday

2011-03-10T17:16:00.001-09:00

“The first thing God ever said was not good was loneliness… Lets encourage someone today.”

On twitter last week the director from West Coast Baptist College Dr. R. tweeted the above tweet. It made me stop and think “its true” God really did say that it was not good when Adam was alone, so he sent Eve". Kind of neat to realize that, it puts a different perspective on my personality and not wanting to be without friends.

In this time of transition I am thankful for friends, really thankful. I left Alaska 2 1/2 years ago and thru that time the friends that I’ve known in Alaska have stayed in contact with me. I go back from time to time and we visit but there isn’t ever a ton to catch up on because everyone makes a point to be friends over distance.

As I start to close up things here in Hawaii I am thankful that the friendships that I have here won’t just wither away with the distance and that between the amazing invention of the cell phone and texting we can all stay in contact.

I’ve gotten sad over the last few weeks imagining life without the incredible group of friends I have here in the single’s group and in my church. But I know that I have friends in Alaska, maybe not as many in numbers but terrific godly people that will help me not to be lonely.

Because being lonely stinks.

I’m about to step out of my comfort zone, working to be ok with being lonely at times. If it m eans I made a stand on something and that changes friendships.

Who are the friends that you are thankful for? Who are you trying to encourage today?

I am excited to go back to Alaska and see my pregnant friends. Well all of my friends, but there are some really cute pregnant ones to! :) Looking forward to helping with their masses of cute children, and getting some quality time with everyone. Maybe I can be a blessing there.

Speaking of cute children! Laura’s baby Kaylia, and Vicki’s baby. Levi was not a happy camper but we had fun trying to cheer him up. :)

~ Camping!!! Bellows ~ Trip Tuesday

2011-03-09T01:01:00.001-09:00

Prepare for PICTURE OVERLOAD. It is Trip Tuesday and I am in Hawaii so I wanted to post some pictures of this weekend. I couldn’t pick just a few pictures, I liked them all!

The star of the show! Laura and Jon came camping with us and were the groups “married couple” such awesome people. They were cool before they came with us, now they are even more sweet :) This is the baby girl that Laura was having this last fall when I got to watch their little boy Chace for a couple days. Which was a lot of fun. 4 year olds crack me up!

Here Lance is playing cards and holding the baby, talent I say.

PEOPLE PICTURES – Camping was so relaxing. We chilled a lot, and in general really didn’t do anything besides cook, eat, talk, hide from the rain, and chill. It was fun. : )

m’girl Jen – it was a late night, we all needed our beauty rest

Because TYLER decided he wanted to wake everyone at 7am by yelling breakfast was ready! hahah. The girls were not to impressed at least those of us still sleeping (Sarah, Lanae’, Rachel, Shannon and I) I was super surprised breakfast was made, I deff planned on making it. But it was great they all did it. At least Corin and Jayleen were up to help. :) Apparently they are not the sleepy heads of the group. Although…I wouldn’t say that 4 hours of sleep was being a sleepy head but Whatever!

Remember the blonde from last week I was talking about? Everyone meet Shannon. Praise brought her to church last week, and we are all officially buds now. She is really sweet and gets along really well with everyone. Yay for new friends. I am leaving but at least the girls have another bud. :)

Kendal – from South Africa. Yep,, most people don’t believe that. But if you heard him talk you would know that he really was from there. :-P What is with Africa these days? Cody is getting married to a girl who lives in Africa! And then we get a guy in the group from South Africa. Pretty cool.

Jayleen!! She was the master mind of this whole trip, she seriously thought of everything. Hanging lights, lanterns, protection from the rain. Girl you should be Alaskan the way you know how to camp! ; )

Ron – sorry bright flash of light from the camera! Actually I don’t know who took all of these pictures I am using. I think a lot of different people. They are from lance’s camera, but I think the photographer was many people.

My beautiful sister ~

Camping is so much fun : ) We got out to camp at about 9 after bible study, it worked out really well and went smoothly.

Matt, Ernie, me, Mikey and Tyler (Matt is from Alaska..the guy that moved here that I met from Emily when we went snowboarding.) He is a terrific photographer, and going to UH for engineering. He hung out with everyone for the weekend it was great he seemed to get a long really well with everyone. Thankful for friends in both states : )

Not sure if this fire was legal or not…. They said “No open fires” but we brought our own fire pit and it had a bottom and a wire rack for the top. That’s pretty contained if you ask me : D The process it took to LITE said fire was crazy-ness! But it finally worked. Camping in Hawaii is different in some cases…. such as a singular log that you buy at the store that has all sorts of chemicals in it. Those marshmallows may have indeed taken years off of our lives!!

Awe my girls, Sarah and Jen. See it does get cold in Hawaii ; ) *notice Sarah’s coat*

Sarah (cold still!), Shannon, me, Jen and Ernie

Mikey, Matt and Jayleen – yep I think he fits in just great! My friends are goofy : )

Lanae’, Lance and Tyler goofing off. We all went back and forth between singing and listening to Jen and Jayleen play the Ukelele, super relaxing…its like camping with someone who knows how to play the guitar. amazing.

The ‘hoodlum's’ ;P

Shannon, Lanae’, Lance and Tyler. And Keith in the background.

Pretty girls, friends by the fire. Hey blue cooler! I am about to see a lot more of you in these coming days… :D

Matt, Jayleen and said amazing Uke…. This one is Jen’s it is her baby. She takes it everywhere : ) The benefits of a really big purse!!

Goodmorning world, yes everyone looks like they are sleeping in this picture.

Breakfast was terrific though, there was fruit, sausage, juice and eggs. Lance made the eggs on the grill, and Jayleen made sure every thing was put together. I’m sure other people helped with breakfast but I was still asleep. So if you helped, THANK YOU. Breakfast was amazing. I get to make it next time. Except breakfast will be at 9, not 7!

Laura and the sweet baby girl. Laura is so neat, I love hanging out with her and that I can call her a friend. It was awesome that her and Jon came out. They are looking at coming to Alaska to visit this fall. Yay!!

That’s all folks : )

Memory Monday – Great Grandma, Friends

2011-03-07T17:04:00.001-09:00

Memory Monday

This was 6 years ago. :) Great- Grandma and Lanae’ riding the Ferris wheel at the fair. Great-Grandma loves the Ferris wheel!

At the nursing home. Great Grandma and her brother and his wife who came and visited from California. :)

I put this one up because I thought it was Rueben on the left! But it is very much Davey and Jonny and their Auntie Bek. What cuties! Davey gets so excited when I go to visit “Tori is here all the little boys come running up to my door” seriously what sweeties. Can’t wait to see them and their Momma! :) Jenn

Spencer and Foster. Foster is so excited to go back to Alaska. He wants to play Football and visit his friends he says. He just called me at work and played dramatic when I said I wouldn’t be home until 7 tonight. How many brothers like their big sisters when they are 13? I am seriously blessed.

Happy Monday people! Its been a good one :) Hope you all had a great weekend of family and church! Camping was amazing!! Pictures to come tomorrow.

Date Taken: August 5th, 2005

Finally Friday :)

2011-03-04T17:25:00.001-09:00

The days are long around here! This week has seemed in a sense, like it has flown. In other ways it is a delight that Friday is here!

I shall not see the office for TWO whole days! This last monday/tuesday was pretty stinking rough. But it has gotten better. THANKFULLY. I think embracing the change has helped, but mostly my devotions and time with God has really been key.

Some pictures from the week.

In the midst of the worst Chrones/Inside attack that I’ve had (stress), I left the office for a late lunch. I didn’t eat anything. But I did lay on the sand doing my devotion and falling asleep. I woke up to it raining. It was really peaceful and probably one of my most helpful lunch breaks in a while.

Tuesday’s lunch break :) I was out at the jobsite and it was it was nearby. :)

Dinner with the family. My Aunt & Uncle visiting. That was perfect timing. Right before we left, and just in time to have some really good talks with my Auntie. I love her.

What I woke up to on Wednesday. How pretty is that? Hawaii I will miss your beauty. I am reminded though that Alaska is pretty too :) You just can’t see the sun in the winter time. You all can start calling me Wrinkle! I am going to live in a tanning bed this coming winter. :D

Shakes with my sister at work :) Dad, Lanae` and I have this thing for ice cream. We get it all the time for each other. Pretty sure we cried as we sat there and reminisced about how its possible that these next few weeks will be the last weeks that we ever all get to work together.

O’I haven’t talked about that on here yet. My sis is staying here in Hawaii. She’s finding an apartment, growing up, being a big girl and going to stay here instead of going back to Alaska. That was my intentions as well…but as I’ve talked about before I just couldn’t get a peace about it. But Lanae` feels like she needs to be here and so she is going to stay. I am glad that it is going well as far as family goes, with the transition. But it is still awfully emotional. She’s courting a guy, (and you all know that leads to marriage…eventually anyways) and he’s navy, which means someday she will move. But we never pictured the family would be separated this soon.

It IS going to be ok. Doesn’t make it easier today though, or even next week or in the coming months. I’ve worked with my sister for 5 years, we have never lived in separate cities much the less states. I really don’t know what I am going to do without her. She may be younger but she has always been there for me.

She makes sure I am matching ;) she reminds me to put my make up on, she has my back every time. She’s called people yelling at them if she heard they hurt my feelings. (even in college) she’s just always had my back. And we used to fight when we were younger, but now we are closer than ever. Just like they said we would be. I can’t quite picture living somewhere other than right next to her.

I know she will be ok here. She is so strong, and takes really good care of herself. She’s my role model. Love this girl.

~Lanae’, Corin & Ashley at Starbucks ~

Me and my buddies Ron & Jayleen sunday night. Ron gets out of the Army this fall, hoping he stays in Hawaii so he’ll always be here when I come back. Jayleen girl is doing so awesome she’s been growing in God and been a huge blessing to me these past few months.

Tyler and Will chumming it up.

Beautiful Sarah my girl :) and Ernie. Sorry Ernie you’re not beautiful, but we are glad you moved here. :)

Me & three of the Patch girls. Charity, Charity & Audrey. Pretty sure these kids have my heart.

They are some of the girls when I started coming to this church that made me make the right decisions. Knowing that these darling girls were watching my every move made me think about what I did and how I lived. Really that may sound easy to say or corny, but on the things in life that may be acceptable it helped me to realize that I didn’t want them doing something that was just acceptable but I wanted them doing things that were exemplary. So if I was going to spend time with them and teach I knew I needed to live how I would want them grow up and live.

Each child that I checked in on Wednesday night about made me cry, I could barely see their devotions well enough to talk to them. I can’t believe I am leaving these kids.

My buddies Ashley, Foster & Mason :) We went bowling last night after packing. It was late but it was great to get out and spend some fun time with them. :)) Glad at least that I will be around them this year. :)

That aside…it is finally Friday!! And although it is POURING down rain outside, I am going camping! And couldn’t be more excited! Have a great weekend friends!

Thankful Thursday

2011-03-03T17:16:00.001-09:00

I’m not just using the post name “Thankful” because its Thursday. After yesterday’s post I felt like I needed to let everyone know that I am not dying (currently) or wallowing in sadness (ok I am a little…Just kidding) :-) but that all thru this I can see where God is working and that I can see some things. Things that I am thankful for. Its not all sadness. Moving back to Alaska has many advantages. I made myself a diagram of only happy thoughts about going back to Alaska.

Hanging next to my computer at work.

Notice “my own place” aka…my own kitchen, house etc. that is not right away, but at least in Alaska I can afford somewhere larger than a cardboard box here! =)

I have friends that are pregnant right now (a lot of them, I have NO idea what is in the water there!) but I missed many of there last pregnancies, so I am super excited to get to be there this time. I love pregnant friends their emotions are more in line with how I am every day lol, and I learn a ton from them for someday when I’m drinking that crazy water! ;D

My favorite Subaru car is there! Believe me I am thankful alright for the convertible here, but I miss and heart my suby a lot! :)

Family, family, family. My Great-Grandma, older brother, sis-in law, Grandma, niece, nephew, aunts/uncles. I do miss them. It’ll be nice to at least be in the same state as them.

I am not allowing myself to dwell on the negative. Instead I’m soaking up the last moments here. Such as Dole Pineapple Ice Cream this week with my friends and family. Yum!! I would fly back just for this stuff!

Changes

2011-03-02T17:26:00.001-09:00

You know that Michael Bubble song that goes “I just wanna go home?”

Yeah well I’m not singing that song.

But I’m going Home. Wait- What is Home?

I am thinking somewhere along the way it became Hawaii. And Alaska was where my family lived, the friends that I’ve held dear to me since childhood.

And Hawaii has been my Ohana, my church family these past two years that God placed me in to grow in. I had no idea why God was sending me to Hawaii two and a half years ago. Infact next month, two years ago was the month that we were going to go back to Alaska after being in Hawaii for 6 months. I was so excited to go back. And when I did I realized that I had been fighting God with wanting to be in Alaska when he wanted me in Hawaii. In the church that I was in, doing the work that I was doing. He showed me all of that.

And now…

Now God is leading me away from here. My beloved Hawaii, my church. Love. Growth. Warmth. And landing me in a spiritual desert.

I’m not being dramatic here. God is my life, and thus Church is my life. I adore my church here. I less than adore my options in Alaska. 3 years ago things were different. But everything changes when you are gone. I can’t go back to my old church. The place that God guided my family to when I was 15. I can’t go back. I wouldn’t be welcomed back. Nothing there is the same. So that brings to mind change. I will need to go to church somewhere.

That is my biggest heartache right now. I’ve prayed, pleaded with God for the last few years to make everything in Alaska go back to how it was. The better parts of it. For there to be no strife. But just Service for God, on all parts. Service, love, righteousness, all of it.

But if God is sending me back, guiding my family, leading us back. Then HE has a plan. I KNOW He does. I just have not seen it yet. Then again that's why Faith exists. If I saw everything God was doing or understood it all there would be no need for faith.

So that is where I am at. I have Faith that GOD is going to take care of my family. He doesn’t send you somewhere without equipping you to be able to handle it.

I am not super thrilled to go back to Alaska full time, but I do desire to serve the Lord, wherever He places me and so I will do it with a smile on my face and God in my heart.

Thankfully I have this complete peace about it. Reassurance from God that I am doing the right thing.

For today that is where I am at. I would tell you all a time frame, but then it would just change. Its been a lot of meetings at work, family talks and changes taking place. I was scheduled to be back in the Alaska office in a short time, but right now that is not for sure any more.

The next trip I take to Alaska could very well be to live there. Not just for a work trip. Interesting. Interesting indeed.

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

Proverbs 3: 5-6

Thoughts – Don’t Worry

2011-03-01T12:20:00.001-09:00

Matthew 6:25-34 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. (In Ohana Daily Devotion)

What is this saying to me?

CHILL OUT TORI.

Don’t fret, don’t worry. Be Strong in the Lord and the Power of His might! (Ephesians 6:10)

Remembering some songs:

FAITH is the Victory – Faith is the Victory that overcomes the world!

Joy – I’ve got the Joy, Joy, Joy, down in my heart.

There is a lot on my mind these days, but I am so thankful that I do have a quiet place with Jesus. No matter where I am, or what life is doing. He is there. All I have to do is abide in Him.

A few weeks ago I admitted to myself & to God that my faith was weak. I didn’t realize that so soon I would get the chance to grow my faith. On a minute by minute basis. Today I am glad for this chance. Tomorrow I will remind myself that today, I was glad :)

Special People – Memory Monday

2011-02-28T15:19:00.001-09:00

Memory Monday

This Memory Monday is brought to you by: little brothers & birthdays!

Talk about a cutie!! Foster at his birthday in 2005. He has always been my little buddy, from rocking him to sleep when he was a baby to taking him with me wherever I go. He always wants to hang out with me no matter what I’m doing. Last week my parents were out of town and my sister and I went into parenting mode. He went from “Sis can I please ride in your car with you?!” to “Ugh do I have to ride with you?” We are glad that my parents are back in town, and as always I have a renewed appreciation for mothers. You ladies are super women!

I don’t think I want to parent teenagers any time soon. Maybe a little kid or a baby. But a house of teenagers? No way… I feel bad for my parents. They are good kids I love them to death, but I was exhausted!

Mason with his lego set after the fair. I miss that yard, remind me of that when I go back to Alaska and have to mow it, please. Our yard here is 20’ by 10’ feet and it is huge for a yard in Hawaii. The rental agreement for the house here covers yard work, so we haven’t had to do anything with it. But after having a huge yard I often wonder how hard a 20 foot yard would even be?!

Mom and her cool cake skills! I remember her buying maybe one cake in my life time. She always makes them, and will create whatever the kids want. When I was little I would request those star cakes made out of hundreds of little stars in the shape of a character. The boys always want something action figured (lego’s etc). Lanae` Ice cream cakes and randomly I now pick pumpkin pies. How many people would spend that many hours making something that special for there kids? My Mom is so sweet!

Awe its Sydney! Her and Mom taught the kids together for a while every fall before they would go back to Arizona. I’ve been closer to Sydney than I have most anyone. She was way more than my riding instructor, she is my mentor. She gave me hours of her time every day from when I was 10 till I was about 20. Without payment or request for anything, she always gives, gives, gives. I hope I turn out even half as wonderful as my Mom & Sydney.

Date Pictures Taken: August 2005

Who are the special people in your life? Feel free to leave comments! :)

I sing a new song!

2011-02-27T23:49:00.001-09:00

Can’t really believe that I haven’t been in choir since moving here to Hawaii. But that changed this weekend! There was a choir workshop yesterday at church with a guest song leader Bro. Brubaker. This guy was terrific. His complete emphasis was ministering to others and for us to sing from our hearts. I loved it.

We learned three new songs in around 2 hours and sang them today at church. The songs made me cry when I let the words touch my heart. I was listening to a message this afternoon preached by my Pastor last week on music. He said music is to teach and preach to us. I don’t think I’ve thought of it that way before. He preached that the songs that we sing need to be doctrinally correct. That made so much sense to me. Anyways its been a really great weekend of song. :)

My Aunt and Uncle are in town this week, that has been neat. We have had family since the beginning of the year, I feel blessed that our family comes and visits. :)

Praise came to church this morning and brought a friend, I met her in my Dad’s Sunday School class, that was pretty neat. She’s blond, I know this sounds shallow…but I am so thankful! I really am quite alone here when it comes to being a white girl and having blond hair. Its funny because as soon as I go to Alaska 9 out of 12 of my gal pals are blond, but here…. I am very alone in my hair color. Ok enough about hair, she seemed sweet and I’m glad she came today.

My friend Galya leaves this week to go back to the mainland for the year while her husband is deployed. I am not thrilled at all. She’s a bud, and she refers to her daughter as “ours” that’s how much I love this girl.

I have a large project due this week that I need to get done tomorrow at work. Already planning for this next weekend. A beach day is in order.

The singles went bowling last night, Sarah and I were talking about it. It was ok, but we want something different. We all hang out because we have time and want to enjoy fellowship and company, but we play a lot. And we’ve been wanting something deeper, not just at bible studies (which have been super in-depth) but wanting something more like it used to be. Going out to coffee or sitting on the beach and discussing a verse, or what we got from our devotions that day. I think that is the plan for this week, finding something to do as a group that we can get some really good fellowship in. If you have ideas let me know!

Hope everyone had a great weekend and wonderful Sunday!

Family Friday – Week 2!

2011-02-25T16:11:00.001-09:00

First and foremost just want to say how Awesome God is, as a family we’ve been praying about some stuff. And God has allowed things to workout and I feel so blessed. I felt blessed yesterday, with or without the answered prayers. But it is terrific seeing prayers answered. :)

Family Friday!

My cousin Amber came to Hawaii with her daughter and bringing Grandma with her. Really I owe my cousin big time! So glad she came and that she brought Grandma! :D

Beach time with the family. :)

Amber, Rylee and I running into the water. Rylee wanted to do this over and over! It was pretty cute. :)

Grandma and Mom relaxing on the beach :)

Umm, no I don’t like my face in the water. Why do you ask?! :o)

My Dad always makes Sand Castles, Grandma says its obvious he’s an engineer. Most people would enjoy just relaxing on the beach rather than building!

Lance, Dad and Foster all worked on the Sand Castle.

And I guess since he’s in the family picture I should introduce Lance to the blog! Folks, this is Lance. (the only guy in the picture who isn’t a brother) :D He is courting Lanae’ (insert awe! here) :) He’s terrific and they are super great together.

Glad they did it right, he worked hard enough for it! hahah, any of you who know my Dad knew he had to talk to Dad for months. :) But it was to his benefit. I’d say anyways! She’s my sis, I adore her. :)

This girl is off to a Music Festival tonight. Friends, Family and Finally Friday!!! Praises! Have a great weekend friends!

From Sand to Snow - Thursday Trips!

2011-02-24T18:03:00.001-09:00

Follow me from the sand to the snow! Just don’t ask me which state I live in. I still don’t know. And it seems its always changing. :)

Emily~

Emily and I went snowboarding when I was in Alaska in December, I met her friend Matt who was moving here to Hawaii for this semester of school.

Snowboarding again a couple days later :) This time with Angela!

Yeah I couldn’t see, it was snowing. I’m sure with all of the snow Alaska has gotten now, that this hill is a blast, and there are no longer branches showing!

I think I layer to much!

Moose Mountain you are one of my favorite places in the world. :)

Angela surfing the snow :)

Doesn’t everyone take pictures of there friends and snowboard at the same time? :D

I’m so glad that Angela and I were able to go snowboarding that day. It was a fun day spent together.

Me and my buddy Sam :) Mara and Joyhellen went to get a unlocking kit from the fire department. This was while we were waiting. It was so cold. This AK girl turned Hawaii girl was freezing, but then again I froze even when I lived there full time. Sam and Elmer were awesome and spent an hour in the cold unlocking Angela’s van for us.

Sunshine in my soul! Love this picture! Ang’s smile makes me grin. :D

Encouraging Words Wednesday

2011-02-23T14:02:00.001-09:00

Thanks again to Arnell for some of these pictures.

Adrienne Chronicles of a Curvy Housewife tweeted today these verses:

Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalms 37:4

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. Psalms 40:2

I really needed them, and at the exact time that she sent them. I texted her and we talked for a bit, really thankful for godly women in my life. I do not know what tomorrow holds, but I do know who holds the future. :)

Total Disagree – Thoughts Tuesday

2011-02-22T17:05:00.001-09:00

I’m pretty much not happy with the latest news here in Hawaii. That is putting it nicely.

I can love others, without loving sin. And total garbage politics and actions.

Feel free NOT to read this post if your anti-political discussion. Because this is going to be not only a political post, but a moral post. One about the Hawaii Legislature approving a bill that allows civil unions between same sex couples.

It was declared last week in a vote in the Senate that Same Sex Unions be allowed in the state of Hawaii. The vote was 18-5. To me that is one of the saddest parts. This isn’t just one or two people’s opinions or lack of moral righteousness (knowing that marriage should be between one man and one woman) this is 18 people voting yes, and five voting no. Talk about a wake up call America. This is becoming a bigger issue.

In 1998 Hawaii voters brought to pass a constitutional amendment that was for the “defense of marriage”. It was a act that helps the state reserve marriages to opposite sex couples. It was the first state to do so and since then 29 states have adopted amendments that are similar. So since 1998 and now, a lot has changed. Politically and morally. America is losing her ground to immorality. Of course that's been visible for a while though.

The constitutional amendment made here in 1998 is critical to stopping same sex marriages within the state. But yesterdays ruling sure didn’t help things. Giving same sex ‘couples’ the same privileges within the state (besides marriage itself) should be reserved for opposite sex couples only.

Last year then Governor Linda Lingle, vetoed a bill for civil unions that was close to the one passed yesterday. Its obviously been a long fight for the supporters of same sex to get this bill passed.

Here are my thoughts on how it could have possibly been not passed:

- The media (I’m not referring to the news, although that is junk too…) but what movies are in your house hold? What is the general population of America watching on TV? Everything seems to add in a homosexual agenda or lack of rules in society undertone. Its not just in adult television shows or movies, its in cartoons and in young adult television shows. The media is influencing the children of America. They have been for some time. Eventually that vote could be 23-0 not 18-5. Kids believe what they see, and in America I feel, they are seeing grownups who are afraid to say no to the media because it is popular. They are seeing people who are accepting a un-moral change based on the fact that they don’t want to step on other people’s toes.

- Voters who disagree with this bill should have been out voting stronger to get different people in the legislator in the first place. Those 18 votes for the same sex bill came from somewhere.

- If you are in support of a politician do you vocalize it? Or do you feel afraid to talk about it because it steps on other people’s toes? Step on peoples toes for crying out loud! Its our country, if you want it to be different make it different. I live in Hawaii, over half the state adores Obama’s principles. Believe me, I am not quiet about it. We have the freedom in America to express our opinions. I do it respectfully, and think that every one should. But we all can voice our opinion. So do it. Half of my friends and I do not agree on music, do you think the world is going to be ok with your opinion in politics? Probably not! But do you want to live in a America that is completely and utterly washed down the drain? I don’t want to.

- Signing petitions (yes that means giving the person who walks up to you at the grocery store, the time of day) It won’t hurt you, hear them out. If you disagree with them, nicely say so and don’t sign it. If you do agree sign it and know that petitions help a lot! 100,000 signatures on a politicians desk says a little bit about what the majority thinks.

- Becoming educated, with your world, with politics. Some do not vote for lack of knowledge. Who do they vote for? What does that politician stand on?

- And finally and most importantly, it would not have been passed if our country had turned our hearts to God. Rather than away from God.

Barely touching the entirety of this topic.

What are your thoughts?

Family Farm – Memory Monday

2011-02-21T09:59:00.001-09:00

There’s a lot on my heart today. It should be a thoughtful Tuesday or Thursday! But I will write today about something near and dear to my heart.

Memory Monday

The Family Farm in Iowa that has been passed down to my Dad and Aunts & Uncles.

Some would say its just wood, hay and stubble, like we are learning about in 1 Corinthians at bible study. But for me, it isn’t so much the buildings. Although they are beyond incredible. Its thinking about your ancestors living there. The mother who wrote her recipe's on the wall in the canning room upstairs. Imagining the children running and playing in the yard around the chickens. The horses in the barn. The family working together in the corn fields. I don’t know very much about this place. But I’ve been there a couple times and each time, I imagine living there. Restoring the house, having horses, becoming a farmer. :) Only I would think up such craziness I am sure some of my friends are thinking. But no really, I love this place.

Mason age 10, me at 18.

Wouldn’t this be a neat tree to have in your front yard?

The floor is falling out of the house, and raccoons have moved in. My Aunt & Uncle took the bathtub from the house though and put it in their house, I thought that was kind of cool. My favorite part of the house is upstairs in one of the rooms there are recipe's all over the walls. It looked like it was a canning room.

Corn for miles.

Inside the barn. I think it would be great with 4 horses, 2 cows, a baby calf, 2 goats, 5 sheep…what else do you think this barn needs? A lab puppy and a Lassy… Kids playing…

In the loft of the barn, that rope goes to the swing. There is still hay up there. So much fun to swing and land in. :)

Its not all rainbows and roses though. Vandalism has covered most of the barn walls and I am so scared that one day that it will burn down from the parties. One cigarette is all it takes in a loft of hay. If I was a kid I would love to find a barn like this, just makes me sad though the destruction of property. Not really of the property itself, but of the ruining of how you can imagine the original place. That is why I want to restore it. Maybe some day. ~ dreams ~

Pictures from 2005.

Can you bake a cookie? I can’t…

2011-02-19T16:49:00.001-09:00

I’ve been staying at a friends house off and on this last week while she’s out of State. Its been concrete city living for me. Totally interesting by the way. I can see half the island as I type this from her balcony. I brought the younger siblings along today. They love the pool and I’m having fun cooking for them.

Apparently I can bake a pie better than I can make cookies though! Or well…set a timer!

My brothers were excited that I was making cookies last night, random thing to do at midnight while we were watching a movie. Well I officially am blond, and the 8 minute cooking time all of a sudden was 30 minutes and I finally remembered that I hadn’t set a timer! Needless to say, the cookies were a tad bit burnt!

The pizza for lunch today went better. Thankfully. I needed to redeem myself, the boys were none to impressed that their cookies were so well cooked.

I don’t know if I was made for city living, it makes me feel really blessed that the house we live in borders a hill and even with neighbors we have wilderness behind the house. I’m not used to it taking 20 minutes to get from your door to your car. Parking in a parking garage is so new to me. The tallest building as a child that I remember in my home town was 3 stories and that was the doctors office! I think the college library was 4 stories or so. But the 32nd floor? Don’t look down! Its nice to get out though and try something new.

It’s the first Saturday in a while that I haven’t been going like crazy. We had been hiking every weekend and some friends went today. But the pool and chill de’villing sounded good.

What I’m listening to… JJ Heller – Invisible Love. In this song she talks about love with God, she sings about how it is invisible. Yet…she can feel His hands picking her up before she hits the ground. I really like her songs, this one is my latest favorite.

Family Friday’s :)

2011-02-18T13:00:00.001-09:00

I had most of yesterday’s post written. But I’ve thought of more to add to it and didn’t have time to write it, so yesterday’s Thursday thoughts will become next week’s Tuesday thoughts. Be prepared for a political post… In the mean time welcome to Family Friday.

Beach picnics with the family… My Uncle Daniel, Aunt and cousin came and visited us in January for a week. We spent a lot of time watching sunsets at this beach.

Uncle Daniel and Mason

Aunt Jo and Uncle celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary here in Hawaii. Awesome! :)

Waikiki has quite the street entertainers!

Kendra and Foster, holding parrots.

Mason Man, I’m sure my Dad wasn’t fond of the punk style backwards hat that the bird guy did…And yes he does look good, Go Away 16 year old girls! (Really… walking into a mall with this kid is no fun, some where along the way girls started getting really bold and looking at him like he was super hot or something, this is my BROTHER people! Shooo! Go away, he is a kid!)

~brothers~

What do you like to do with family when they come to town to visit?

We try and take them to the beach to watch the sunset, and hiking..among other things. The list really is long. If you want to know what to do in Hawaii we can send you a list!

Happy Weekend from the sand….

Wacky Wednesday!

2011-02-16T16:35:00.001-09:00

Wacky Wednesday, random things i heart :)

the movie tangled

This is my all time favorite cartoon! Ever. Its adorable.

steep and cheap the website

Check it out, amazing deals! I love this site! www.steepandcheap.com

Thus…it helps my other love…shoes, i heart shoes so so much!

Pedicures (with Grandma)

This was from the pool last night when we took the kids, my phone did delete our cute toe pictures. :( Sad. But we got more!

running blogs like the (hungry runner girl, you’ll adore her as soon as you read her site!) www.hungryrunnergirl.com

mandarin orange’s ( I sooo love these) and we have a mandarin tree now!

But alas,,its against my current blood type diet thing apparently one of my favorite food’s and HEALTHY foods at that is a no-no. Yes I am sad!

my church’s daily devotions http://www.obchurch.org/index.php/daily_devotional/

These are terrific, so good for me every single day!

The Family Farm in Iowa

Swinging from the loft,,,its just amazing.

What are some of your favorite things? They can be random… :) The more the better friends!

Thankful Tuesday :) Valentines Banquet

2011-02-15T17:12:00.001-09:00

I think alternating between thankful tuesdays and trip tuesdays will work for me. I really do travel quite a bit, but I’m not sure if it is enough to blog about every week.

uhum…also my excuse for not having a clue where my snowboarding pictures are from Alaska. Lets hope they aren’t on my phone, because somehow…I lost 1,000 pictures that were saved on my phone since November. Apparently the storage was full so it deleted them all. Glad I emailed most of them to myself.

This weekend though I was really thinking about how Thankful I am. Friday God answered some huge prayers that I had been praying about for a while. There really is nothing like having God answer your prayers and being able to see that He did. It was awesome, I am still waking up in the morning glorying in that fact. It wasn’t all things that directly affect or pertain to me, rather they were prayers for other people that He heard. I think I am starting to feel how uplifting it is to really pray that hard for something and see God work. Reminds me of Cody, he is a friend that I can ask to pray about something and so often see the fruits of those prayers. That verse… “a fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Always reminds me of him. So glad your getting your prayer answered Cody, in the form of your engagement to wonderful Pricilla. We are all so happy for you! I also asked Emily to help me pray this last week. I am thankful for friends that pray along side you.

On Saturday we had the Valentines Day Banquet at church for the married couples. Married couples who so often host the Singles lunches and who are so supportive of all of us. Last year as a singles group we put on the valentines day banquet for them. This year we decorated and served for it. It was quite the ordeal! It seemed to go great.

I’m thankful for fellow friends who are willing to serve all weekend long and put others before them. 3 or 4 of us could not have put this on alone. Really made me think that serving is really rejuvenating and most times you reap more from serving than you do of being ministered to. Although we all at times need ministered to. This weekend was our turn to treat the couples and it was a joy.

Thanks to Arnell for the awesome pictures!

My Hawaii Parents, this family loves me so much it never ceases to amaze me. Brings tears to my eyes. :) This is my Auntie and Uncle, they call me their Alaskan Daughter. One day I want to bring them to Alaska with us.

Ron and Mike. Doesn’t Ron look great in a bow tie? All of us were highly impressed with the guys for dressing up and working with the Lanae’ given “black and white dress code for servers”. They’re awesome!

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. James 1:12

This cheesecake was what we served for dessert. It was a blast to create and Rachel and Lanae` did a great job planning it. Arnell added the verse which I think is highly appropriate! Considering a slice of cheesecake is around 900 calories and like unto sin for me!

Jino and Sarah. Sarah got excepted into Medical school and leaves this summer. Or…. we can pray hard enough and the Univ. of Hawaii’s medical school will accept her here and we can keep her forever! She has such a heart. She wants to go help missionaries as a doctor. She is so self-less already. Jino just got back from Ranger school in the Army, another bow tie bud who was the personality of the night. I am so thankful for friends who are willing to serve God and others.

Pretty Jello cups

Mrs. Holly made this board a few weeks ago. If you can love a board, I love this board! Seriously how cute is that. AND I love my church!!

My awesome parents :)

Lanae’ and Daniel serving part of dessert.

Tyler and Auntie & Uncle.

Laura & Michael, the parents of two amazingly darling children. Michael runs marathons, Laura makes sure and keeps up with me on my training schedule or knee issues. Great friends.

The Lopez’s

This photography with verses is really good, all from Arnell’s Facebook

It looks catered but it really wasn’t, we just used those pans. Broiled Garlic & Herb Chicken, Rice Pilaf, mixed vegtables, rolls, green salad,

(btw…knives are instrumental! the carrots and I did not get along…1 hour of chopping and I finally gave up, with only 2 cups of carrots to show for it…) Rachel pulled off some terrific Spinach Dip though. She probably stressed most about this banquet, she did a great job!

The Colson’s are moving to Alaska this summer! They will be stationed at the Army base 10 mins from our house there. I am so excited to have them moving to my other place! They have 5 of the cutest children. There oldest girl is around 8 and she loves her flip flops! I told her when I get to Alaska this summer I’d take them to Chena Lakes and show her the beaches of Alaska. She looked at me and wondered wouldn’t it be cold? I told her we can swim in Alaska too, it gets warm in the summer. The poor Mom is not super enthused about the cold, I guess I wouldn’t be either if I had grown up in the south. But her husband is so stoked, Alaska is a guys dream. hahah tell me about it. I hear it everyday from my Dad and brothers. “I Miss Alaska…”

Jen & Jayleen – thankful for you girls and your decorating skills and friendship!

Group Picture

Mike made us laugh!

We were only a little tired…:)

Guys (Mike, Chris, Ron, Daniel, Jino, Tyler and Keith)

Us girls (Rachel, Corin, Jen, Lanae`, Jayleen, Corin and me)

O’ and here are two pictures from Sunday. So thankful my Grandma is here! Its been a wonderful month having her here. Love her so!

Lanae’, Rachel and Jen singing.

Hope you all had a wonderful Valentines!

Leave a comment with what you are Thankful for. :)

I am thankful for friends that helped put the banquet together. For my Sister Lanae’ who is amazing. She did a terrific job planning all the meals. Sisters are so incredible! And I am thankful for answered prayers.

Memory Monday! Week 2

2011-02-14T16:43:00.001-09:00

Memory Monday

Me, Kaycee and Amber

(All around age 17?)

The date on this picture is June 11, 2004. It feels like yesterday…thankful though that I don’t still look like that!! (I don’t right?!)

Jordan, Kaycee and Amber

Beautiful Kaycee!

This girl still makes me smile! Amberburger

Soo long ago! Jenni and Kassandra

Pauline and Ashley. (Ashley was almost 7 in this picture)

Date Taken: June 11, 2004

I love these memories.

Life of a busy bee

2011-02-14T11:44:00.001-09:00

Friday’s blog post was already written, and saved in my drafts. But I forgot that when I was:

- rushing home from work to get stuff for the valentines day banquet at church the next day

- Scrambling to my friend Praise’s apartment to get the low-down on how to live in an apt. check the mail, park in which parking stall in the garage etc… She went to Colorado to visit her hubby, so happy for her :)

- Treated myself to some extremely happy but spicy Thai food. I ordered hot instead of medium, I was asking for it! It swelled my lips and tongue it was hilarious. I heart Pad Thai.

- Showed up to Bible Study early! Had a 3 hour long lesson out of I Corinthians chapters 5 and 6. It was really good.

- Singles Group Celebrated Tyler’s birthday. Happy 20th brother. :)

- Began moving chairs out of the auditorium to get ready for the valentines banquet the next day. This was at 11:30pm

- Midnight – helping Corin, Sarah, Jayleen and Jen decorate the church for the banquet. They are all so creative and beautiful I love these girls.

- 1:30 am still decorating, remembered text from Caleb at 9pm asking me to drop off some tracts for the teen group since they were going to be passing them out and getting up at 4:30 the next day. Figured I’d better drop them off before it was actually 4:30!

- 1:45 am nothing like being in your Pastor’s garage at almost 2 in the morning. Left the tracts on a cooler. Very Alaskan like :D

- 2:13 am home, bed, happy, need sleep.

- The sister woke me at 6:47am having a cow “We’re late!!! We’re late!!!” I fly out of bed and then wonder what exactly are we late for?! She says For Work. Umm sis, its Saturday.

- 8am the alarm goes off, I do not acknowledge that life or anyone for that matter, exists.

- 8:47am I wake up get ready run downstairs so I can take Grandma to the Farmers Market and the Sugar Plantation. Comes to find out they changed the plans last night, somehow they made quite a few decisions while I was buried in pink, red and white bows last night decorating for this shin dig coming up tonight.

- We visit the kids at the flea market, show Grandma all of the local produce. I run to Longs to get some last minute groceries and then to Jamba Juice for lunch.

- At the church by noon to start cooking for the 6 o’clock dinner. It went great. And I was home by midnight on Saturday night. That is impressive. I am no longer 21. 2am is not nearly as awesome to me anymore. Sleep is my friend :)

Sunday woke up feeling sick sick, I hate missing church, it bothers me to no end, but I couldn’t sit up my stomach hurt so bad so I slept till 10am then listened to the sermon online. Then slept for another couple hours. Somehow that helped and I was feeling better. Had lunch with the family, Grandma and Lance. And then…had a water fight that covered the neighborhood and the inside of the house. Only my family is this crazy. Our neighbors joined in (because they’re fun too) and the nursing home across the street laughed and the little old man smiled as he walked seeing all of us playing.

Went to the evening service at church, still didn’t feel too awesome but was in the sound room with my awesome other brother Caleb and heard an amazing message on Our Heart’s Desire. Printed 10 copies of the lesson, it touched hearts. Met a couple new friends, played a game of ninja after the NEX. Home at last by 10.

Thankful its Monday. Maybe today I can be in bed by 8!! :D

Thrifty Thursday

2011-02-10T13:53:00.001-09:00

1st off, I am not a fan of the word thrifty. Not that I’m against saving money, or affordable items. But affordable as a word appeals to me much more than the word thrifty. But for today! Thrifty will work because it goes with Thursday. And I am a dork like that. :o)

I’ve been dying to tell you all of my greatest sale find!

When my cousin was in town last week I took her to the Premium Outlets here.

Walking into Bass (no not the awesome Bass Pro Shops…but rather a almost elderly people store Bass) I saw some business clothes on sale. The sign said 75% off but mostly everything was 50% off, I browsed the store before walking to the back where I saw a 80% off sale. And there it was! A jean skirt (those are hard to find!) Normally priced at $56, then 80% off. It was going to be around 11 bucks. I was stoked! I can rarely find a jean skirt even if I wanted to pay full price!

When I had walked into the store a sign said “text this code to get $5 off your purchase today”. I really didn’t think it would work, but I asked the clerk if I could use the $5 off coupon that had been texted to my phone. Sure enough!!! For a $56 skirt I paid $6.49. Amazing!! That is my deal of the year probably. Well…other than those new shoes I got. :~) But we shall leave that topic alone!

And just to prove it. That is not the register for lunch either!!

What is the latest sale/deal that you’ve found? For those of you who didn’t post what you were Thankful for on Tuesday, feel free to comment what you are thankful for today! I’d love to hear it!

I am thankful for pretty skirts :) And well other things not quite so shallow. Such as shoes ;D and my family, and God.

Wondering Wednesday – Fake Smile

2011-02-09T15:18:00.001-09:00

Someone told me that they thought blogs were fake… That you only show what you want to show. That you can show a life you don’t really live. That drives me crazy, that statement. I am real. I am so real it is often not funny. I will tell you how it is (hopefully out of love), I post pictures of myself that make me want to cringe, but that might show another part of the story that I want you to see.

I smile when I’m nervous. I also smile when I am beyond happy. I smile because I am loved by God. I smile at people that make me hurt. At people who scare me. I am a smiling person, even when I want to curl up in a ball. Some call that fake. And that is fine, if my smiling is a version of fake to them. Then so be it. I will smile when I don’t like something, because eventually I will smile because I do like it. Or because smiling bandages my heart from hurt. I have joy, peace, love from God that no one can take, that comes across in a smile for me. And if someone does take that from me, it is not there fault. It is mine – because I allowed them to take it from me.

Jelly beans make me smile too!! (they make me smile a lot!!) :D

When you see a picture of me that you think “whoa what happened to that girl?!” remember – I am probably thinking the same thing. But look at the surroundings, the incredible creation I am hiking in. The friends and loved ones around me. Or look at the fact that I do look awful! Maybe I am just trying to prove that I do not always look put together. Actually most of the time I am not put together! :D

Why hello drowned rat!! I love this picture though…Brooke is such an Awesome friend! And those two darling girls? They’re in the Wednesday night class I help in. Love them.

A friend told me last week that she loved my brave face. The face I put on for the other girls at bible study. The smile that I used even though she knows something was bothering me. That religious persecution from someone I looked up to was eating away at my heart. I was so shocked, someone understood why I had smiled rather than showing all of the girls that would have asked what was wrong and it would have become gossip. I had a reason for my smile. I was so thankful that she realized that. Sometimes I am not understood, and I’ve come to realize that I am ok with that. My walk with God will show you more than my smile will or won’t.

I am so blessed, so happy, so in love with God that of course the devil is going to send persecution after me. Or God will try my faith. But He is prevailing. And I am loving the life that He has given me!

So if you were wondering why I smile…or why I post a hideous picture of myself in a post, now you know. :)

“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” Deuteronomy 6:5

West Side Hike – Trip Tuesdays

2011-02-08T21:29:00.001-09:00

Today’s Trip Tuesday is from this weekend. Some of us from Singles went on a hiking trip. Although it was not a long hike, and relatively easy, part of the hiking was thru the sand and all of it was in the mid day heat. Whoa momma! This white girl got some sun, or well burn you might want to call it!

We saw some Seal’s that was pretty incredible. I love hiking because it enables us to be outdoors and to see Gods creation. Amazing-ness,,, that turns this Trip Tuesdays into my Thankful Tuesday! Thankful for God’s creation! What a beautiful land we live in!

Why “Yes” we take a lot of pictures! And please do feel bad for us girls, there are double the guys here. What is this world coming to?? Jayleen, Lanae`, Leah and I would all love if the rest of the girls had Saturday’s off of work! Want to come to Hawaii for a visit? Be a girl who loves to hike and we would love it!! We are outnumbered… :\

Pretty Huge Bird!

Sand – you’d better be providing a good workout because you are a pain to hike in!

The old lighthouse… I think it was blown off.

Jayleen walked out on the rocks (where there had been no water) when a huge wave washed in. She was a little scared! If you look at the bottom of the picture you’ll see two seals that also washed in! She had not signed up to swim with the seals! The seals were swimming around having a grand time playing in the water while Jayleen jumped across the rocks and out of the water!

Saying Hello :)

Playing :)

They kind of remind me of the mystical creature from the movie the Water Horse. Do you think so? I only watched it once so I don’t really remember… but they do have a interesting look to them.

Me and Sis :)

Apparently some folks wanted to run thru this mud. No thanks! Give me a four-wheeler and I’d go mudding all day, but not preferably on foot!

This is how we roll in Hawaii…Mom’s truck. 6 people inside, 7 in the backend. And yeah believe it or not its perfectly legal to ride in the back of trucks here. It would be cool to tell you all we did this to be green and save the earth and all, but really…. where we went hiking the notes online said “prepare for criminals” as in the cars are often vandalized since its so far from town. So instead we were dropped off, so there were minimal cars parked.

Happy Hiking friends, post some pictures of your recent hikes so I can see your pictures to. :)

Or BETTER YET! Post what you are Thankful for today!!

Memory Monday!

2011-02-07T15:09:00.001-09:00

I found a ton of pictures on my computer from what seems like yesterday but really has been about 8 years ago. I’ve been wanting to start blogging on a more consistent basis so I think I’m going to make up my own schedule. :D Some folks have Tuesday Tangents, I am going to have Monday Memory and Tuesday Trips…because I am always taking trips, be it hiking trips, or snowboarding, or to another state etc. If you think of fabulous ideas for Wednesdays and the rest of the week let me know, I’d love suggestions!

So to start it all out…. Memory Monday’s (a spin off of Rebekah’s series on“Remember When”)

Memory Monday!

Saying Goodbye to Amber when her family moved to North Carolina. Joanna, Angela, Rebekah, and Amber. These girls were so close to me. This picture makes me laugh, poor Amber and her tears! I’m sure I was crying right along with her.

Look at these cuties!!! And to think most of them are in High School right now.. Aimee, Ashley, Joyhellen and Deanna. All these kids growing up. ;( Love there smiles!

^Early morning jogs^ :)

Me and Angela. Buddies from the start. Well other than when I was 2, apparently I was a brat!

~ Rebekah and Joanna, sisters ~

Angela, Rebekah, Joanna, Jade, Amber and Lanae’

Memories, sweet memories!

Date pictures taken: April 2003

Obedience, Surrender,

2011-02-06T23:24:00.001-09:00

There is this song. It has been following me around for years. Several times I have wanted to set the song book down and NOT sing it, it follows me around THAT much. But every time, every time…I either really need the song, or I can sing it with joy. I love those times, they are the best : )

Obedience

Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe, doing exactly what the Lord commands, doing it happily, action is the key do it immediately, joy you will receive, Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.

We want to live pure we want to live clean we want to do our best, sweetly submitting to authority leaving to God the rest, walking in the light keeping our attitude right, on the narrow way, for if we believe the Word we receive, we always will obey.

Mike and Ruth Green

In high school I was in our church’s youth choir, and we would sing this song. I loved it. There were times that I loved it a little less, because it was so convicting. Songs make me think. I always am hit with the words. And this song makes me think: Am I living right? Am I obeying GOD? Or is my life a mess?

After I was in the youth choir the song would come back from time to time, but it wasn’t usually sang in church unless someone led songs before church. At times it was good, other times it drove me crazy – well because it was convicting.

We came to Hawaii for a little bit (the initial 6 months) and the very FIRST singles bible study that my sister and I went to, they sang this song. I about died. I felt like looking up to God and saying “How is this song here too?!” I laughed. That first bible study was really neat by the way, it was Bro & Sister Hayes and Cody there. We had met the Hayes when we were here in Hawaii when I was 15. So 7 years before I even moved here God knew he wanted us to meet these people. And here we were with Mr. Hayes leading the song in which I have deemed must be my life song! I remember telling Cody the story of this song. He said that was good stuff!

About a half a year later our Pastor here in Hawaii started doing chorus's like this one on Sunday nights, the first time we sang it I just knew. I just knew, God is using this song Tori, He has used it from day 1. He knows when I need it.

And this morning it was mentioned in the sermon. Just a little hint, a tap on my shoulder. To surrender. All. Just once more a reminder to me, that God is in control that He has my life planned for me and to take my hands off of it, give my control up. To really surrender all.

It was refreshing.

Tonight when I got to church I went to the sound room getting everything ready for the service when I was told I could go sit down that someone was going to cover for the two of us that are usually doing it. So I never saw the list of songs that were going to be sung. Sitting down, I look up to see them announcing that we were going to sing the chorus “Obedience”. I grinned ear to ear. Thank you Lord for giving me this song when I can sing it out of joy too.

“Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe…. doing exactly what the LORD commands, doing it HAPPILY. Action is the Key do it Immediately…JOY you Will receive. Obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.”

Apparently God has chosen my life song. I am so thankful.

Today’s messages were incredible. If you want to listen to them go to OBC. This morning’s was “The Lord is my Shepherd” (the surrender message) and tonight was on “The Unsung Hero’s”.

Pictures of Grandpa

2011-02-04T00:29:00.001-09:00

Instead of turning the pictures into a video I have attached each of them separately here.

Grandpa with Diesel 2010

At workGrandpa with CourtneyBaby Mason and Grandpa. Look at that hair!!

Grandpa joined the service (airforce) and Grandma and he wrote. Sending pictures in the meantime.They were married January 25th, 1959

15 year anniversary.

My cousin Devon looks alike like how Grandpa looked in this picture. Pretty neat.

Clyde the favorite dog : )

Grandpa, Uncle Sam and Uncle Charlie

Grandpa and me. (age 2?)

Grandpa and Lanae` (9 months old ?)

Dad, Mom, family, family (?), Grandpa, Uncle Sam, me, and Lanae`. 1991

Grandpa and Devon.

Grandpa LOVED fruit. He tried all sorts of fruits and could help you pick out the “perfect” one : ) Hugging on Grandpa for Candy. Lanae`s face is priceless.

Grandpa, his Mom and Uncle Daniel

Uncle Sam, Aunt Dawn, Dad and Aunt Julie with Grandpa and Grandma.

Grandpa and Kendra

Aunt Dawn, Amber, and Mandy with Grandpa.

Giving the kids rides on the lawn mower : ) Foster and Mason.

With the smoke house and Mabel

With all of the kids. Julie, Dawn, Sam, Jason and Daniel.

1989, Grandpa with Lanae` and I. Lanae` was about a year old and I was almost three.

Aunt Jo, Uncle Daniel, and Grandpa.

The builder! This is Mason, at 2 years old playing with his baseball mitt and hard hat with Grandpa.

At Grandpa and Grandma’s house for Mason and Ashley’s birthdays. Summer 2006

After Halibut fishing, Grandpa, Lanae` and Dad.

The family with Uncle Daniel and Kendra.

1996 – Grandpa, Curtis (16), Grandma, Me (9), Mason (2), Lanae` ( 8 ), and Ashley (6 months)

Grandpa loved to travel and drive from Alaska to the lower 48.

Back row: Zach, Kendra, Edik, Foster, Leah, Mason. Front row: Ashley, Lanae’, Grandpa, Grandma, me and Ella.

Grandpa with the John Deer Tractor Dad bought at a auction for him. Grandpa and Zack

Grandpa with Kendra

Baby Kendra

Ella, Grandpa, Grandma, Mason, Kendra and Foster.

Ella with Grandpa and Leah and Floyd (the second boston terrier)

Grandpa and Leah

One of my favorite pictures.

Grandpa at Grandma’s house. During the “courtship” days I’m assuming : ) This was at Grandma’s parents house.

At their wedding shower

2 years before they got married.

My Grandma went hunting with him even! Talk about impressive! I think its so neat that she did.

Grandpa with one of his Great-Grandson’s Keith. Umm..the motley crew.

Grandpa and Grandma in Montana with Courtney, Zack, Aunt Cheryll and Uncle Sam.

I still have some more pictures, I’d really like these all to be put into a scrapbook someday and since I only have scanned copies I may just post the other ones so they can print with everything else. So thankful for pictures and the memories that they capture.

Missing Grandpa. So glad that Grandma is here with us in Hawaii though. It is so wonderful.

Grandpa

2011-01-31T16:59:00.001-09:00

Today was Grandpa’s birthday. I haven’t written about him over the last couple of months because I haven’t had the strength to. I miss him so much. Later today I am going to try to post a pictures or a video of pictures. But for now I just want to record some of the memories I have of the man I called Grandpa.

Grandpa worked with heavy equipment in our town for a while. (12 hours away from where he and Grandma lived) He would get up early to go to work and worked really hard, he always came home, listened to his country music and would visit with us kids or the family. When he was in town he’d stay in the trailer next to our house and would pay my sister and I five dollars a day to make his bed and lunch. He liked a half a inch of peanut butter on his sandwiches. He loved meat and cheese sandwiches and would show Lanae` and I how thick the slices should be, he’d say “put it on there like you mean it!” I really appreciate those days when I was young that I was able to spend with him because he spent so much time with us.

Grandpa would always bring Clyde down to visit with him too. Clyde was the Boston Terrier dog that my Dad when he was in college got for him. Grandpa loved Clyde, and us kids loved Clyde just about as much. Clyde would sleep on my bed every night. He was the perfect family dog. After Clyde died, Grandpa tried several other dogs but never really had a dog quite like Clyde.

One of my all time favorite memories is when Grandpa taught me how to drive. I was 13 years old and I was so excited to turn 14 and get my drivers permit. One time when we were down visiting them Grandpa told me to get into the car and handed me the keys. I said “But I’m only 13!” he didn’t mind one bit. That small town without even a light in town could handle a 13 year old driver, and he would be the best one to teach me. He never got frustrated with me when he taught me how to drive. I remember telling him after that first day “Thanks for teaching me how to drive Grandpa!” to which he said “You haven’t learned YET! You gotta just keep practicing” :)'

When I was in college Grandma and Grandpa would come up to visit us, I was working full time and going to school full time at night. Every night Grandpa would stay up until I got home from classes. We’d talk for hours and solve the worlds problems. Some people don’t like talking about politics or beliefs because of conflict, but Grandpa and I both respected each others views, we didn’t agree on some stuff but we could talk about it and love each other just the same.

I will always remember Grandpa for the time that he took for his grandkids. He liked to spend time with his family and would make a point of visiting everyone when he could. The memories that I have of Grandpa are so special to me. Grandpa made me want to work and to try harder.

Be thankful for your family. “We’re all one phone call from our knees” – Mat Kearney

Spicy things

2011-01-28T11:21:00.001-09:00

I am not a fine print person. And attention to detail is not my biggest quality although I do try!

So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that my dinner last night turned out quite interesting. The way I think about recipes is that they are guidelines, kind of like how I thought of rules growing up. (And no that didn’t work too well, I should have applied my rules lesson and stuck to the recipe when I was cooking!)

Last night I decided to make some sort of spice rub for the steak that I was cooking. I had a perfectly good recipe in front of me, but somehow the words “Chili Powder” read “Chili Pepper of any kind” to me. I threw in various types of chili peppers, three kinds in fact, to make up a tablespoon of pepper. Then mixed and matched a couple of the other ingredients and changed the amount of water that was required to add to it to and spread it all over the steak.

I thought it seemed like a lot of seasoning to put on one steak. And my Mother and Grandma were surprised to, so they recommended I wash the steak off. I was like “Wash all of my hard work down the drain?!” But I did what they said and I threw it in the oven.

Somehow, even rinsing the steak off it still came out sizzling spicy. It tasted good so I ate it, but my lips are still burning 12 hours later!

It reminded me of this summer when Emily said she could drink a bottle of Tabasco sauce. No one believed her so my brothers and dad said they’d give her $50 if she was able to drink the whole thing. Watch the video. I think if someone ever said they could do it again I’d say not to use a cup. But she did it, and later used milk on her burning lips!

Family Christmas

2011-01-28T00:12:00.000-09:00

My awesome friend Jasmine took our family picture this year. Pretty sure it was the most fun our family has had taking pictures. Normally it can be quite the feat to get all 7 of us coordinated. But it was great. Thank you Jasmine!

Merry Christmas to All, from the Clark Family! (Ok, so this post was mostly written a month ago! finally getting to publishing it!)

~Beach

~In the yard

~Just us kids

~Windy windy on the porch of my parents room.

~The guys of the family

~Mason, the little brother that keeps growing up. He’s turning into quite the man.

~Being goofy :~)

~My beautiful sister

The youngest sister : ) My parents Foster – of course climbing a tree. That’s what boys do. : )

Lets get it started

2011-01-27T15:52:00.001-09:00

It has begun! I started the new plan!

According to Mr. Joseph Christiano author of:

Blood Types, Body Types and You! and Blood Type Diet O.

I’ve spent the last two days pouring over books and list upon grocery list, to start this plan today. So far so good!

If you don’t mind being a spinach eating, almond milk drinking chic!

Which apparently I don’t anymore! Because that's what I’ve eaten today! THE MOST AMAZING PART OF ALL OF IT THOUGH!!! IS THAT I AM NOT STARVING!!!

WHICH MEANS THE REST OF THE WORLD SHALL LIVE IN PEACE AND WITHOUT A GRUMPY TORI! :D

The plan is based off of a whole foods idea. No Corn Syrup. Hardly anything processed. Which is terrific. Because I usually feel great when I’m eating an apple, so just add the almond butter to that apple and call it a good idea!

There are things of course that I cannot eat on this though that make me sad. I’ve never been a huge cheese lover. But I do like string cheese! (And that is strictly forbidden, as is cheddar cheese and well almost every kind of cheese that I’ve ever known of except for mozzarella cheese)

I can eat 6 times a day, which is amazing, I don’t have to starve. The point is what I’m eating not that I had a half serving of a grapefruit. I can have the whole thing! Which makes saying “No” to ice cream a little easier.

Lunch of spinach, roast beef, and a hard boiled egg!

This kicks taco bell’s volcano taco any day!

Hello Wake up Call/Chrones Story

2011-01-25T16:54:00.001-09:00

I have Chrones Disease.

There I said it. Its obviously something that I have refused to admit in the past.

And it hit me full on this weekend, that even though I may want to ignore the fact that I have it. It still exists.

This last weekend I went to a Urgent care clinic of sorts that was near the hike that I did with the family. When I was cliff jumping with my uncle I jumped off a 12 foot water fall. Nothing big, I do it all the time. There are after all 30 and 40 foot jumps that I don’t do. So I don’t generally think of the 12 foot waterfall as being dangerous. But for some reason something was different about this jump. As soon as I surfaced the water after jumping in I knew I had done something. My ear was in screaming pain. (Except I didn’t scream)

After about 7 hours it still hurt. So I googled it and everything online said it was probably a perforated ear drum. (Umm oww!) And that it would heal on its own within 2 months. But that the real danger was getting an infection. And it just so happened that the place we were jumping could very possibly have bacteria and all sorts of infection growing things in the water. So between the pain and the idea that I would want to stop an infection before it even started I went to the little medical center near by.

Comes to find out the ear drum wasn’t perforated. But it needed popped. So she said to take Sudafed (I didn’t) and that it would go away in a couple of days if I chewed enough gum or moved my jaw enough. And thankfully the pain has mostly went away.

What I DID come away from that doctors appointment though was invaluable.

You see, the lady doctor herself had Chrones Disease. She wanted to know how I was able to run at all. She used to be a runner but because of her Chrones she hurts so bad she hasn’t been able to. All those aches and pains I’ve felt apparently are related to Chrones. (NOT that I am going to let that decide if I continue to run or not) She was shocked that I could run at all.

She had just had her first surgery.

You see, when I was diagnosed with Chrones at age 20 my first medical doctor told me that I would have so many surgeries that by the time I was 30 I would be on a bag.

He also said that I would be taking meds three times a day for the rest of my life.

Until they stopped working, which would happen every couple years or so. And then he would put me on steroids.

I went on my first round of steroids that day. During the middle of college mid terms I became a wreck. My family didn’t know what to do with me. My teachers saw a student that never slept in class start sleeping in every class. I’d be up doing pushups and situps at 3 in the morning not able to sleep. (And I had never done a push up in my life, before that!)

Gone went the days of normalcy I was a raging woman. I gained the prednisone 10lbs. And thankfully was surrounded by friends and family that loved me and wouldn’t throw me out the door when my ranging moods came.

But then my friend Kassandra recommended that I go to a naturopathic doctor who had 100% success with every Chrones patient that he had seen.

So I went. Doubting all the way albeit. I believed in Medical doctors, not green earth supplements.

Boy was I wrong. After a couple tries of figuring out what was throwing my body into its fits. My new amazing doctor had me fixed, all based on a diet of no wheat and supplements.

After a week I felt like a new woman. After 6 months I forgot that I even had Chrones.

But Chrones has not forgot me. I still can’t eat what I want when I want to. My body rejects wheat and if I eat it, an insurmountable amount of pain comes to my stomach. But sometimes, I don’t care. And I still eat bread products.

Trashing my body in the meantime.

But I figured it was ok. Not always getting enough sleep and eating an occasional wheat product won’t kill me has been my thoughts.

This Doctor who herself had Chrones, was my wake up call.

She said she wasn’t willing to eat a limited diet because it was to hard. That she just took her pills instead. And that her weight dropped below 100 pounds!

Here was a Medical Doctor right before my very eyes who could no longer run very far because of the effects of Chrones, and who had just had her first surgery taking out part of her intestines.

And it hit me. I may not verbally deny that I have Chrones. But I have been so afraid to let it affect my life and what I do in life that I have avoided all remembrance of the disease at all. I’ve refused to call it a disease and instead just avoided the topic for fear that I would let it control my life.

But the fact is, I do have Chrones. And if I don’t want it to affect how I live my life, I need to get myself in gear and treat my body better.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not out partying on the weekends and staying up late every night eating whatever I want to. I’ve had some self control.

Seeing that sweet lady Doctor though who took the time to open up to me about our disease and share with me about her life, made me really wake up though.

This body isn’t my own. I have a creator. And I need to live like I do, even with what I put into my mouth.

So to come! The blood type diet. My doctor has recommended it for years. I wouldn’t ever fully commit. But that's about to change! Picking up the book tonight at Barnes and Noble.

(Note to all of my readers, for the most part I know the majority of you, and would tell any of you this in person, but I do know there are others out there that this may be too much information, if that is the case, I apologize! You probably could have lived your life well without knowing my health history!)

Joy Comes in the Morning

2011-01-24T12:27:00.001-09:00

I woke several times in the night last night. Each time praying that my dreams would stop. That the bad dreams would flee because of my prayers. But they didn’t. Every time I went back to sleep another bad dream started. A whole new set of scary real life dreams would start up in my head.

I was asleep. Every time I woke up I’d do what I knew to do and pray. But it was like I had no control of what my mind did when I was sleeping.

Have you ever had that happen to you?

Its a scary feeling.

Pastor talked about controlling your mind last night, and not letting it go some places. Putting boundaries on your thoughts. It was a terrific message. One I needed. I’m a girl. I worry. And I over think stuff, way to much. So it was awesome to hear the message on that.

But what can you do to change what you dream about?

I was dreaming dreams about people I know but they were the scariest dreams you’d ever imagine. Not something I’d repeat.

But I woke with peace and joy in my heart like I had all day yesterday. So where are these dreams coming from? They aren’t dreams having to do with anything in my life right now. And I feel closer to God than I have in a long time.

So is it the devil? Can he even have access to your mind when you are sleeping?

Is that even possible? I just wonder where dreams come from. Its confusing to me. Like all dreams, these didn’t make sense. But they did seem real.

So glad that the morning came though!

For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life:

weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalms 30:5

A lot happened this weekend. Hiking with the family. Diving with my Uncle. I made some personal choices. Choices that change your life. Choices to serve Christ over self.

Because isn’t that why we’re here on earth anyways?

And as soon as I choose to do that immediate joy overtook my life. Happiness, and a closeness to God came flooding back to me. His Spirit is what does it all.

“Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” Jeremiah 15:16

I’m so thankful that joy comes in the mornings. And sends the nights away!

What are you?

2011-01-21T09:19:00.001-09:00

I Am...white!

I Want...to be married :) *Did you think I’d put anything else there?!* LOL

I Have...awesome Aunts & Uncles

I Wish...there was enough time in the world to save every soul, spend all the time you ever wanted with family and friends, horseback ride every day and run and train to run.

I Hate...the feeling of rejection.

I Fear…failure.

I Hear...the birds chirping outside my window :)

I Search...for good Mexican food on this island on a weekly basis!

I Wonder...if I will be able to have an impact on my niece and nephews lives.

I Regret...choices I made when I was young. And would love to be able to do it over. Right.

I Love...my church. Its my favorite place in the world to be.

I Ache...for the girls that are involved in human trafficking.

I Always...hate saying goodbye!

I Usually...stay up late. too late. And am tired in the morning. I truly am a morning person though.

I Am Not...shy :D

I Dance...rarely. I am the whitest girl you know. I have no moves. hahah.

I Sing...awesome hymns when I eat incredible foods! Like if I have an amazing gluten free grilled cheese sandwich the song or songs like “Glory to God” will go thru my head. That is how happy food makes me!

I Never...drink enough water! (My sister is the water enforcement at work, she forces us to drink more water!)

I Rarely...shop for clothes. I’m not your average girl when it comes to shopping. Its bor-ing!

I Cry...when someone hurts me.

I Am Not Always...talkative. I love quietness more and more.

I Lose...whenever I play with my brothers on the Wii. They say I’m “gaming challenged” No kidding!

I'm Confused...by people who hate.

I Need...a icing machine for my knee! Production over frozen pees!

I Should...go to the gym tonight. Instead I’ll be spending the evening on the beach with my Uncle and family. :)

Who are you?

(Feel free to leave me some comments answering these for yourself! Or post it on your blog) :)

For a reason or a season

2011-01-20T10:12:00.001-09:00

3 of my friends are leaving this week.

2 back to bible college

1 back to Samoa

And I don’t want any of them to go. Seriously we’ve had a going away party almost every night this week. But for real its a huge bummer.

Jerome is going back to bible college for his senior year. (woot-woot!) And we are all excited for him. He lifts the group up so much when he is here, but he doesn’t have long before he finishes.

Our gal pal Brooke is going back to school too, seriously I see this girl on her breaks from school and I’m not exactly sure how we all live without her! God sure has created some awesome people and I’m so glad that I get to know some of them.

Richard came to Hawaii from Samoa to get his bachelors degree and masters. And he graduated last month with his masters. So its only natural that he would go back to America Samoa. But no one wants him to go. He’s been leading our singles group over the last several months and we don’t want to give him up. But the fact is he can help an entire church when he goes back and his pastor we know will be glad.

I know some people come into your lives for just a season, or a reason. But I like my friends and I want to keep them all!

Living in Alaska & Hawaii has shown me that you can still be friends with people over email or texting. Which is awesome. I am doubly blessed by two sets of friends. But its hard sometimes. I want to combine states and have it all.

It was like this in college, I wanted my church friends to know my college friends so bad. It was like I had two totally different schedules. When I did introduce my best friend in college to my church friends, she ended up marrying the pastors son. Hey that worked out! I wouldn’t have ever imagined that it would have happened that way. And God has this incredibly awesome plan to bless you with friends that maybe only come into your life for a reason or a season. But be thankful for those times.

Sometimes they turn into forever friends.

There are days that I don’t want to open up to new friendships, times when I am tired of saying goodbye to friends. Be it for a semester, or forever.

I probably will never see Richard again. (Unless for some reason I end up taking a trip to Samoa) And Brooke will be here in Hawaii during the time this summer that I am in Alaska. But I just have to remember God has a plan. And that I can be thankful for the times I had with these people and the things that I learned from them.

I don’t know what I would have done without Lisa during my college years. She was truly my best friend. I told her everything. We did everything together, she was at my house always. Our parents barely knew each other, but we had a bond that was something that I hadn’t had with other friends. We moved in together after college and rented a place. I don’t know what happened that summer, living together wasn’t the best. I moved to Hawaii, she started courting, and the distance between us just hurt. When I went back to Alaska after the first 6 months here in Hawaii we reconciled and I thought it would be great again.

But some things never go back to how they were. And I’m not really even sure why. I’m sure she would be polite if I saw her in the store now, but it still breaks my heart that we aren’t friends. Sure marriage came for her, and a new baby. And I do live 3,000 miles away. But I never imagined it would turn out to where there was a day that we didn’t talk, a day where we aren’t friends.

It hurts every time I think about it, I still cry when someone mentions her name or how she is. Because I feel like its a friendship lost.

But I have to remind myself, that sometimes…people come into your life for a reason or just for a season. And that she was the most incredible person for that season of my life. God used her mightily to show me some things, and to give me a friend that I really needed.

So as much as I want to stomp my foot and say NO! That I want her for a forever friend and not just for a little while, I have to remember that God has a plan.

Today I’m thankful for friendships. The friendships that last for forever, and for the friendships that were only for a while. Because they are people that GOD brought into my life. And my only hope is to continually learn to be a better friend.

~Tea with the ladies~

2011-01-17T12:08:00.001-09:00

This is operation catch up on Christmas pictures! =) One day I am going to turn my blog into bound books so I can have this to save my pictures rather than scrapbooking. I am the least creative person probably ever, scrapbooking is hard for me! But anyway..back to Christmas!

Ashley and two of her friends, Bridget and Victoria.

My Mother and our neighbor and friend Alisha.

All of the ladies who came. :)

From the front left: Mrs. Orlano, Mrs. Claudia, Mom, Mrs. Winters, myself, Mrs. Simon, Jacque, Jasmine, Mrs. Rodrigues, Mrs. Bennett, Mrs. Barr, Rachel, Mrs. Morton, Mrs. Santos, Lanae’, Cynthia, Ashley, Bridget and Victoria.

The Mom and I.

Ashley: the amazingly sweet and pretty girl. Love my baby sis, she’s turning into quite the young lady. She adores kids. And cooking. And would read her way to the Moon and back. =)

Me and sissy :)

The White Elephant gift exchange. So much fun. :)

Jasmine, all smiles :))

The tea..and one of my favorite things about Christmas decorations: the lighted houses! My mom started me young on those. I love them!

Ms. Cynthia you’d make a wonderful sales person for Kona Coffee :D

Jacque :) The Super Mom! Her husband is deployed for a year and she has three little kids, one with autism and two other small children. And she still manages to work out and talk to her husband on skype every day. AND feeds her family whole foods, seriously, I went to her house to watch the kids for a few hours and there was NO junk in the house, incredible woman!

Of course I had to have a picture of the food ;D And no…not much of it was that good. Apparently I don’t have exotic tastes. That is if you consider salmon eggs exotic!

My beautiful Mother. All that sunshine in her hair makes me feel like I look like her :)

That’s it. Budget here we come.

2011-01-14T11:26:00.001-09:00

Last night some of us girls were visiting at Galya’s house and we all started talking about this Spiritual Leadership Conference coming up in California.

Comes to find out sisters Corin & Sarah have been praying about going to it. That has to be God, because Lanae` and I have been praying about it. And Rachel and some of the girls had all separately been thinking about it too.

So we’re in the praying stage too, but I really think that I need to go. I talked to Bro. King (The guy that came to preach for the Singles Conference) and he and his wife are from the church that the conference is at. Actually he’s originally from here at Ohana, but he moved to California and joined that church. They are offering to help us girls get set up to stay somewhere and take care of all of the logistics. How phenomenal is that? He really thought it would be good for us girls to come down there.

The plan for California is to go to the conference for 4 days, and then…. Road Trip Cali. :) Spending 4-5 days exploring Northern California (I’ve never been north of LA), LA (hollywood), San Diego and wherever else in between.

All of the girls are praying about it and going to write down what there expectations/wants for the trip are and then we are going to get together and plan this out!

A God honoring Conference for four days, and traveling California with gal pals. It doesn’t get much better than that.

That's trip 1.

GERMANY

The couple that is leading the singles group is from Germany and they have been praying with us all about going to Germany. Now this trip will make California look like a small island hop in cost comparison, and logistics…. Getting 10-20 of us into another country, whew, it already sounds like a planning zoo! But we’d be going and working with a church over there.

Right now this one is a little less set than Cali. If we went it would be the last weekend of May. And that is really soon. Not soon if you were flying to Alaska or something. But last I checked,,,I don’t even have my passport yet!

Lots of prayer still over this one, should we do it, does God want us to go… etc.

But its exciting!!!

And also very expensive….

That’s where the budget comes in. Rachel and I were talking this morning, and girls it is TIME for a budget!! There is no way that I’m going to be able to go to California and Germany on top of the trip to the Big Island for my Grandparents 50th anniversary and then my usual trips (2-3) to Alaska this year without getting on a budget.

BUDGET. BUDGET. BUDGET.

Forget single and free. I’m thinking SAVING. SAVING. and SAVING.

And how great is this, I won’t be the only one packing peanut butter and jelly to work every day for the next 9 months! My Gal Pals will be doing it too. And some of the guys if they come to Germany.

But as for us girls…

Its BUDGET time!

Random Picture Post

2011-01-13T17:00:00.001-09:00

Its time to post all of the pictures that are filling up my picture file to blog about some day, but rather than blog about each event I’m just going to put the picture. It would take me a year to catch up on this blogging!

My beautiful friend Natasha, I don’t ever get enough time with her. She is a huge encouragement to me, a fabulous friend. :) Love her kiddo’s too, such the darlings. :)

This was from Jenn’s birthday this summer, these ladies are fabulous. Some of my closest friends. We had a birthday tea at Angela’s house, it was awesome!

Some of the boys from the Wednesday night Patch the Pirate Class. These boys give me a run for my money. Girls sit quietly SOOO much better! But they are fun, and I’m learning that they are going to move more than I want them to. But they are still listening. They can answer some of the hardest bible story questions. I’m so glad their parents make God and learning, a priority for there families.

Pretty sure I sing the songs that Rachel teaches them, throughout the week. They stick with ya!

Mrs. Allen showing the kids a game.

At the house with Jen and Jayleen. Christmas tree trimming party I think.

Lanae’s bday celebration at the NEX after church. The guys organized this one, we were all pretty impressed. Normally its us girls getting the cake etc. Way to go guys, thanks!

The Wednesday before Christmas a group of us went to the mall after church. Somehow we ended up in the arcade (why I’m not sure…) And yes…us girls raced each other on the motorcycle bikes. hahhaa. Good times, good times. Not a gaming fan, but it was cool. :)

The Denny’s picture… We waited for an hour for our water, than another hour for our food. It was craziness. Hungry girls doesn’t make for too great a dinner conversation. We took pictures while we waited.

All the awesome ladies at church made dozens and dozens of cookies for the singles to pass out to the military base barracks and ships. We give them out with a flyer for bible studies and a track. This picture shows the only problem of the process… :o) We were the one’s bagging them.

Its like picking blueberries. One to eat… One to put in the bucket. A handful to eat,,, a small handful in the bucket. :~) Worked almost that way with the cookies… We tried to just eat the broken ones. Not sure how well that worked. :o)

Christina and I on one of our runs. This lady is great and sooo motivating!

From the tea that a bunch of us went to at a tea room on the other side of the island. It was a good night, trying to find the pictures of my Mom and I from the real camera.

Here’s the picture where my Dad looked like he was holding the sun. :)

Part 2 coming tomorrow…

Jewel

2011-01-12T11:07:00.001-09:00

My puppy girl passed away Sunday night. The sweet Boston Terrier dog we called Jewel and who ate scrambled eggs every morning as such a part of our family has left us.

It was her time to go, she was 13 and she was in pain. She had trouble walking, had lost her hearing and had internal issues. It was so hard watching her not be able to do what she once could do. But she still loved us just the same.

We’ve had Jewel since Foster was a baby. Foster, Ashley and I would have done anything for this dog. Even those in the family that didn’t claim to love her, really did. (Why else would my mother give her part of the scrambled eggs every day for years?) Yes, she was very loved and a part of our family.

There are something's you can talk about, other things, harder things like my Grandfather passing away this fall, I still cannot talk about. And its been months. I still cry every time that I think about him. And without fail I think about him every day. I’ve wanted to write about him for so long, but I just can’t yet. His being gone still hurts way to bad.

But for now this is a baby step. It was her time to go, Saturday night as I walked her I prayed about if I should take her to the vet here to be put down, if we were being selfish by wanting her alive and with us, but although she was having a hard time physically she still had her happy go-lucky puppy attitude and rubbed her head up against my hand loving on me. She loved us so much. As I prayed I knew if she passed I would be ok, I’m glad God gave me that peace. I’m God cares about the little things.

I’m thankful for all of the years of happiness God gave us because of Jewel. It means a lot to me how hard my Grandparents worked to make sure last year that we got here here to Hawaii with us.

I wish I could find the pictures from the day we brought her home, or the time when we picked her out of the litter and she fit into the palm of my head. We’ve sure loved this dog.

Jewel 12/23/1997 - 1/9/2011

Beachy Afternoon

2011-01-11T09:30:00.001-09:00

You’d think living on a island we’d go to the beach all the time, but we don’t. Life gets busy, family, church, kids all get more important. But sometimes we sneak away to catch a little sun and family time.

Lanae’ wanted to go for her birthday in December, so these pictures are from then.

The water is cold!

Picture 1 not available, of course I didn’t splash my little brother first! But I did splash him after he got me!

Ahh, its not always fun when your little brothers get strong and can pick you up.

And obviously I didn’t win that water fight. :\ lol.

Water, water everywhere!

Ashleys foot ;-)

The wedding chapel, we first came here 8 years ago. My Moms favorite beach. :)

Dad trying to hold the sun in his hand. :)

Sunset

I love ya sis, Happy 22nd birthday!

Weekend Conference & Funny Email

2011-01-07T15:54:00.001-09:00

Below is a email sent out to all of the teachers at one of the local Christian schools here, about the conference that my church is having this weekend.

Thought it was too funny.

FWD:

(my church name here) Church is hosting a Singles Conference THIS WEEKEND.

The conference starts at 6:30 on Friday, and Saturday starts at 8:30 am and finishes with a cookout and game time at 4:30 on Saturday. Cost is $15/person, plus $5 for cookout. For more info, contact (----).

This conference does not count for CEU’s, but it might count for HEA’s (happily ever afters!) :)

I got a kick out of the last sentence. The lady who wrote this for the school must have one funny personality. :o)

ANYWAYS…if anyone is here on Oahu and wants to come to the singles conference this weekend, leave me a comment with your info and I’ll send you the address.

Have a great Friday! I’m headed to practice a skit for tonight… :)

6 Miles ~ Accomplished Today. Not tomorrow...

2011-01-05T12:08:00.001-09:00

Well it happened, I bumped my run from 3 miles to 6 miles.

And as odd as it sounds running mile 4, 5 and 6 were the same amount of difficulty as miles 1-3. I was pretty surprised. I figured they’d be 10 times harder. I think I could have ran further but at mile 5 my knee started to hurt.

Fast forward two days, I walk like a pirate with a wooden leg! I ran the 6 miles, then 3 miles yesterday. Pretty sure my knee was screaming the entire 3 miles. I could barely walk the cool down of .87 mile after running the 3. It was killer.

So here I sit, icing my knee and overdosing on a natural herb anti-inflammatory from my doctor in AK.

I’m supposed to run 3 miles this afternoon before church, 3 miles tomorrow. Rest on Friday. And then run a 7 miler on Saturday.

My knee had better get with it.

I have places to be, things to see!

Wondering if I need to go spend some time lifting weights and getting my leg stronger. They say from all of my knee surgeries when I was younger (torn ligaments playing soccer at age 10) that this is normal and its going to hurt. But to stop if the pain gets worse.

The pain has gotten worse. A lot worse. But I don’t want to stop. At all. That is so highly lame.

I doubt anyone ever got anywhere worth going without having to work really hard for it. So I’m willing to work really hard for this. Just not sure what to do next.

Going to try taping my knee tonight, see if that offers any support. Maybe a new pair of tennis shoes. These only have about 65 miles on them and are fairly new but its worth trying a new shoe I’m thinking.

Do they sell shoes that offer clouds as cushioning?? :~) Lets hope so!

The week of weddings

2011-01-05T11:33:00.001-09:00

My girl pal Praise came over to the house last night. And brought her new husband.

I randomly texted her this week to see how life was. She goes “Great! I got married” - you what?! “girl I haven’t talked to you in a couple weeks and your married now? To who?!

So yeah…long story short. She’s been talking to the guy she liked when she was in high school, and they decided to get married. Craziness! She is sooo incredibly happy & in love, and Rhett seems nice.

- Then last week I found out that another friend fell madly in love.

- And on 1/1/11 my friend Sophie got married.

- Yesterday we got the news that Keith proposed to his beloved Katie. (Really we are all SOOO happy for them!!) :)

Yeah folks, that is 4 people in ONE week. Apparently there is something about getting things done before year end. And it obviously is more than contributing to a charity to help decrease your tax expense for the year!!

Too cool :) Well to all my married, or about to be married friends. Congratulations!

Us singles have a conference this week, awesome thing, I’ve got two guests coming to the conference with me. Super stoked. We need to make up for the sudden surge of people leaving singleland! :~)

*Congratulations Praise & Rhett!*

Nothing to say

2010-12-28T10:24:00.001-09:00

It seems I’ve been on a blogging hiatus. But I don’t know why! I like to blog. I just don’t have anything to say. (Yes I know, how odd is that) : )

But I am alive and hope you are all well.

What did Mom always say? If you don’t have anything nice to say don’t say nothing at all.

Well I have a lot of nice things I could say!! Because GOD has been so good to me!

I feel so blessed, like why do I deserve all this extra attention and watch care over me from God? He’s so merciful and loving yet just. I truly am blessed.

I’ve got peace like a river…I’ve got joy like a fountain..I’ve got love like an ocean in my soul.

Angela ~

2010-12-22T12:13:00.001-09:00

Angela came and visited this fall. (Ok so she came here with her hubby to spend time with him, but I was blessed and got to see her while they were here!) Angela is one of those, goes way back, has always been there kind of friends. She knew me when I was 2. Apparently I was rotten back then. So being friends now is impressive ;)

This summer her, Josh, and Lanae` and I all did the Jillian Michaels 30 day challenge meals together and went to the gym every day for those couple weeks. It was good after the last two years of being in Hawaii to get some time with her. More than just a lunch date here or there. But I’m thankful for the time that I get with her, be it a few hours or a month. :)

I think the first time I really remember us being good friends was when she was in beauty school and I would sit in her chair as a talkative teenager and she would listen and smile. Sometimes telling me I was crazy or telling me that my view point was totally off. Always with a smile but serious tone to her voice. Fast forward 10 years and we are still friends, over all of those years. Hockey was a favorite time, or those years that we ran together on spring mornings.

I’m thankful so much for her. And I keep wanting to post pictures from this summer, so I will now!

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17

Walking in the ocean after a night downtown looking at all of the shops together.

Dinner at Cheese cake factory. :) Josh, Ang, Tyler, Rachel, Richard, Jason, Lance, Brad, Lanae’ and I all went.

The happy family at the airport :) Pretty girl Mac liked the flowers :)

After getting about 3 or 4 hours of sleep we woke up at 6 in the morning to go to the Farmers Market. Angela makes her own bread, eats organic (but isn’t crazy) and in general has always been a healthy friend. Her good habits rub off on me :) (I don’t think I would have ever tried organic –natural – peanut butter without her. heheh! But now that’s what i eat!) She’s the best :) I love this picture because her personality shines right through this photo :)

Sleepy girls :~) Bright flowers. :)

She picked out these flowers for my Mom and we gave them to her later that day.

My beautiful artistic friend :)

Smiles!

Ang and her girl. :)

This was fun, while I was driving Ang put the flowers in vases. Its harder than it sounds! We used bottled water from my backseat and the car is so small there wasn’t hardly enough room to arrange a pretty design of flowers. But she pulled it off :)

This was NOT taken while driving :) We hadn’t gotten enough sleep to take pictures and drive. :o)

Mac and me :) my new bud! She can say Tori now!! Really, it melts my heart :)

Cheese :D

Cutie pie McKinley!

Love you Ang.

Not by Might

2010-12-12T20:19:00.004-09:00

Not by Might

When in the battle of this life you need the victory,

You have to take a stand against the enemy.

Remember what the Lord of Host says unto you and me:

It't not by might you gain the victory.

Not by might, nor by pow'r, but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts.

Not by might, nor by pow'r, but by my Spirit saith the Lord.

Victory comes with a price, it isn't given free.

Christ shed His blood for you, on the cross of Calvary.

Will you accept His sacrifice? He longs for you to see...

It's not by might you gain the victory.

Not by might, nor by pow'r, but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts.

Not by might, nor by pow'r, but by my Spirit saith the Lord.

-Pastor Wayne & Diane Surface - Composed by Hollie Cooper.

Quite Late!

2010-12-10T11:16:00.001-09:00

A while back Adrienne tagged me to write 10 things you all don’t know about me. I am finally getting to it! I’m not going to tag anyone but if you would like to do this please do! Have fun!

10 things you may have not know about me…

I paid more for my horse than I did my car.

I would like to adopt kids

I begged my parents to let me learn French in school, they didn’t let me but I paved the way for my younger brothers and sister. =) They’re now learning how to speak it.

I’m utterly and completely afraid of scary movies (hahah ok some of you already know that!)

I get sick on simple Carnival rides but I love rollercoaster’s

My sister & I had pet geese when we were little (age 5 or so?) I walked mine on a leash, but I don’t remember liking them. LOL.

My family had a pet Moose when I was 10, after a few months we took it to the Anchorage Zoo. (Mo is now living on a reserve in Minnesota)

I can consume an entire box of macaroni and cheese by myself. =)

I have never walked out of the office and into the shop at work without carrying my cell phone. (Some of the work neighbors are quite interesting and I’m not sure my level of trust..)

If I had careers to do over again, I’d probably do this one again because I know its where God wants me. But I’d dream about becoming a police officer. I think I would like the adrenaline rush of it and I already spend my days doing paperwork, so I’ve got that part down. I’d have to learn to be tough though. And not such a softie! (But really…I do have a mean side, just ask the Foreman at work that I get to fix problems with everyday) :o)

Pearl Harbor – 69th Anniversary

2010-12-07T10:35:00.001-09:00

Coming to Hawaii when I was younger gave me an appreciation for parts of History I really hadn’t ever thought too much of. Fast forward 10 years, living so close to Pearl Harbor it is a constant reminder of what happened at the start of World War II.

The memorial site for the USS Arizona is something that you cannot see without thinking of the lives that died serving our country that day. Standing above the sunken ship thinking of souls perishing, reminds me that life is of value and worth, that it is worth fighting for, and that we should share the joy inside of us because at some point or another death will come. And sometimes like this, so un-expectantly.

I liked the above video because it showed some of the survivors from that day, people who remember and respect the lives that were lost of their friends and fellow sailors.

As a side note, this video showed the new Arizona memorial visitors center and I thought that was kind of neat because our company just finished that project.

Today, I am remembering that life doesn’t always last as long as you want it to.