Doggie haircut

Simon, my dog, has human type hair instead of fuzzy normal dog hair. He needed a haircut bad! I took him into the groomer one morning before work. The groomer lady asked if I wanted him to have the "Cairn Terrier" cut. Thinking I knew what that would look like I happily said "sure why not". I left and came back hours later. She went and got him and I seriously did not recognize him at all. I kindly said thank you and paid and left. I got in the car and uncontrollably started laughing. He looked soooo dumb (in my opinion). I called Rillz and told him he had to see this cut cuz it is too funny! I seriously just laughed and laughed. Since then, I have adjusted to it and don't laugh everytime I see him (just most of the time). You be the judge of this fantastically laughable haircut.


He looks like he has a little skirt of hair from the middle down. Very odd I must say.

Orange anyone?!?

I have been wanting to paint a living room wall real bad! In november I decided to paint the wall orange. I just haven't had the time to get around to it. On Monday I came home from work at 6 and decided tonight was the night! Rillz and I went to the store and bought the paint and paintbrushs. By the time we started doing anything it was 9. I taped the wall while Rillz made dinner. It only took about an hour to tape and paint the first coat. We ate and then decided to paint coat 2. I love how it came out! Exactly the color I wanted.

Here is the wall and living room before it was painted and re-arranged

We are so ready to rock-and-roll!

Rillz pouring the paint. Oh lala look at that sexy orange color

Of course we just had to write on the wall with paint.

Us in the middle of painting.

Having so much fun painting. I was pathetically sore the next day from this.

Oh so pretty. I just love it!

This is how my living room is set up now. Looks cleaner and refreshing.

I found those awesome black boxes at ross for $20. I was very happy! I just don't know what to put in them yet.

Love, love, love it! So relaxing to have this project done.

Arizona Aloha Festival

Since everything that has happened in my life the last 4 months, I felt I needed to get away bad!! Some of my hula "family" were going to a festival in Arizona for a couple days. They left late friday and came back late sunday. I decided to go because I wouldn't need to take time off work for it! Let me tell you.... so worth it and what I needed! We arrived in Arizona at midnight and me, Tasha, and Michelle (we were the only younger ones that went) stayed up talking girl talk in the outside swimming pool of the hotel until past 3 in the morning. We went to bed only to wake up at 8 to eat breakfast and start our day. We went to the festival that ran from 10-5. Stayed all day. We ate GREAT hawaiian food, shopped a lot and watched many talented performers. There were like 5,000 people who attended. Crowded! It was right by Arizona State University. That college town is so neat! If I had a choice of where to go to school, that would be a top one! Everyone that helped us in stores/restaurants were so nice too! It was just a really chill town. The vacation was short but I learned a lot about my heritage and just really enjoyed all the aunties/the two uncles/the girls! Oh yeah and the weather was high 70's. So nice!!!! My arms got sunburned on the first day. So lame!

This is a video of an amazing child dancer that was just too irresistable to post for everyone to enjoy.

Us three girls. Michelle, Tasha, and me ready for the festival. We were waiting for our shuttle to come pick us up at the hotel and take us to the festival.
Tasha went up and danced on one of the stages.

Here we are again... this was at the end of the first day. We were headed off to dinner. We ate at a really yummy mexican restaurant with the nicest workers! First we went shopping and saw some cute clothes that I wanted but have zero money to buy... oh well.

This bicycle was neat. I am pretty sure it is an art piece but we couldn't resist sitting on it and taking a picture.

Michelle and me just chillin

Here are some of the aunties we went with. They sat and watched performances more than I did. There were three different stages going all day!

Yes, people, I am eating my first piece of chicken in 3 1/2 years. I guess its time to start venturing out of my old ways.

Food, food, food. So great!

Here is Tasha and Michelle in the Boise airport before we even left for Arizona

Dad leaving

My dad was leaving Sunday March 8th. Me and Rillz were taking my dad, Brent and Noelle to the airport. Brent and Noelle were flying out a 1/2 hour before my dad was. We got together as a family that morning to say our goodbyes. The men gave my mom a blessing and then we had a family prayer. So Rillz and I took all three of them to the airport. We drop them off and head back to Caldwell to be with my mom so everyone else can go to church. Half way back we get a call saying to go back to the airport to pick up my dad. What?!? My dads plane got stuck in Chicago in a storm and would make it to Boise hours later. My dad wouldn't have been able to catch his connecting flight. We picked him up and took him home for one more day. My mom was thrilled that they got another day together and my dad was already packed and ready so they just enjoyed each others company all night.

Me and my dad. I am definitely a daddys girl!

Heidi and Gunnar doing flashcards with mom. This helps my recognize and say common words. But Gunnar always says the word aloud before my mom.
Rillz and Jeff talking about who knows what. I must say Jeff comes up with random things to talk about all the time! It is fantastic.

More flashcards

Everyone hanging around doing our own things.

I am very blessed for my family and everyones willingness to step in when needed. I am grateful for my dad and everything he does for the family. I am glad to see he has faith in us girls to get things taken care of with mom while he is gone. My dad has always been a hard worker and it will be good for him to get back into the work routine. We love you dad and we will see you before we know it.

p.s. is it just me or does 2009 seem to be skipping months because it feels like it should be the middle of January not March!! Holy cow! Anyways random, I know.

Happy Birthday mom!

So tonight we celebrated my moms birthday early because my dad was leaving for Iraq on Sunday and Brent and Noelle were also in town. The whole family was together! It felt great to have everyone there. And Uncle Stan and Margene were also over at the house too. We had a great time, like always, enjoying each others company. We had pizza and salad for dinner and cake that Heidi made for dessert! My mom is now 47. She was worried all week because she didn't know how old she was. She thought she was in her mid 50's. After dinner and dessert and lots of loud talking we took family pictures. They are on my moms camera so I don't know how they turned out. Happy Birthday mom!

The family singing happy birthday and my mom blowing out the candles.

Gunnar playing "Heavy Heavy Hangover your poor head..." He gives the answer away

My dad was embarrassing my mom in front of everyone.

Lighting the candles. Good job Noelle, I am glad you figured the lighter out.

Brent and mom. Brent was in a lot of pain that night from moving my parents old t.v. up a flight of stairs.

The birthday cake. Thanks Heidi it was really delicious!

Check out those boots. Auntie Mindys boots fit just right.

Hula Performance

Friday February 27th we had a hula performance for a wedding. It was such a casual wedding! The bride wasn't even wearing a wedding dress. She was just wearing a cute white spring looking dress. Between her and her new husband they had 11 kids! I love performing! Some are better experiences than others but the company of our hula group is always great!

The Keiki's (kids) performing. So cute. They are always a crowd pleaser!
Waiting so nicely at the stairs before going on.



Us girls just hanging out waiting to dance.

Heidi, Kristi, and me

Kristi and Kristin

Katie and Heidi. Nice face! We are all crazy when we are just waiting around.

The Aunties. We don't get to watch them perform often so it is fun when we are able to.

Hula is so much fun and I am grateful for the opportunity to learn my culture and be a part of it!

Sibling time at Olive Garden

My mom came home Friday February 20th. My dad and mom agreed that there were to be no visitors or kids at the house. Well... what are three sisters supposed to do all weekend without going to moms and dads? It's something we have not experienced in months and will not be experiencing again for a long time! Kristi decided it would be a great time for all of us to get together and just have dinner as siblings. Oh goodness! What fun. Luckily none of us had plans or work. We met at Olive Garden in Nampa at 5:30. It was already pretty packed! We had to wait a while. I enlisted Gunnars help to tie my shoe. He was concentrating so hard and was so proud of himself to be able to help me. (Of course he could not tie my shoe but he sure thought he did!) Gunnar, like always, had the ladies next to us just cracking up. What a cute little nut.

While we were waiting, Gunnar, Kristi, and Heidi were sitting on a bench. There was no room for me and Gunnar was so worried that I couldn't sit down with them. When some people left the bench Gunnar grabbed me and made me immediately sit down. What a considerate gentleman.

Here is Kristi, Jeff, and Gunnar. Gunnar tried to get in everyones pictures.


Here is lonely me. In my pictures I always have a crooked smile. Heidi and I practiced making my smile even. They say I look like a pirate. Thanks everyone for the confidence booster! :)

Kristi and Jeff... Finally got a picture of just the two of them. Gunnar is typically always in the pictures with them. I insisted that it just be them! How cute!

Heidi and Ren... I don't think they have had a picture of just the two of them being casual for a while either.

The three of us girls... and Gunnar of course. I love my sisters so much and they are always a blast to hang out with! I feel so lucky to be so emotionaly close to them and have them live only 1/2 hour away!

You know how I said my dad and mom said no kids allowed all weekend... well I get a call at 6:30 on Sunday night from my dad saying...what are you doing tonight? Want to come to the house and hang out for a while. So funny! So off Rillz and I go to my parents to hang out with them. They were both so happy to be home together!

I am blessed with a wonderful family that I know loves me very much and that are very supportive of my decisions in life! We are a very strong family and wouldn't want it any other way! Thanks everyone for a really great weekend!