...and a Happy New Year!

Well, Happy New Years EVE!
Is it STILL raining? We're ready for the beach!!!
OH, FINE! We'll stay in and eat HOME COOKIN' pizzas.
Don't start counting how many, we have ALL night to eat!
Rain/Rain GO away!
Yeah! Outside finally for a lovely New Years Day... Cloudy, but not wet?
Michael, look over your shoulder, do you see the rain blowing your way?
RUN to the car! Got there just in time for the wet to start up AGAIN!
OK, the golf course is still beautiful and green,
oh yeah, it's been raining for a MONTH now! Send it to Atlanta!!!
Michael found an alligator to chew on his arm! 12th hole.
I thought it was "you're pulling my LEG, not my ARM!?!"
HAPPY NEW YEARS, beaching tomorrow! HOPEFULLY!!

Mele Kalikimaka DAY activities...

Bye-bye Jesse, leaving for Atlanta for 21 days of Christmas
Feasting at the Marriott at the buffet for "our" Christmas dinner.
50% off for Marriott employees and guests until Dec. 22 and YUMMY!
Christmas day, back up at the Princeville Hotel for the day at the beach. Marianne and Peter with us for the holiday!!
This jeep AND surf board were on Michael's wish list for Christmas. SO we just took a picture of it and called it good... he whined a little when it drove off with the REAL owner, dream on!!! Nice package!
Beach scene as the weather blew over, towels were warm enough and then the sun came out again. Very fun watching the surfing kids and the waves up at Hanalei Bay. Came home for our warm steak dinner instead of eating it "cool" at the beach. Mele Kalikimaka!

BEST Christmas Party!

A sit on the floor Chinese food party with Tropical Tantrum.
This picture is going on their web page of our outfits... SMILE!
The crew at the shop all eating sitting on the floor and then playing Christmas games that were actually fun! Had to tear a Christmas tree out of a piece of plain paper behind our back, I won!?
This was at our concert for Kauai Chorale up at Princeville Hotel.
Beautiful up there with all the decorations and holiday music!
One of two company parties for Michael's work. Friday and Saturday feasting at the Marriott. Friday was THE best party and Sat. Michael played golf with the guys and then they put us up at the Marriott for the night so Jesse and kids swam and we partied!
This is a sampling of the decor at the first party. VERY elegant!! Lots of Christmas trees with white lights and colored lights in palm trees. SO NICE!! Great season of parties!

Tuning UP for the Christmas pictures!

Gotta get the phone first! Hello, Aloha?!
Oh, notice the MATCHING Tropical Tantrum shirts!!
We were almost ready to take the Christmas pictures
AND THE PHONE RANG...
OH, push the pause button!
WHAT? We're supposed to be playing something?
OK, we'll all smile together, SAY "Santa"
A picture with the family and the tree, how Christmassssy!
I will TRY to add the song Mele Kalikimaka if Jax can help me figure it out. Just hum your favorite Christmas song and pretend we are playing it for you! Many happy concerts of Christmas are sent your way!
Luv, Mom J'net, Dad Michael and Happy Jesse

'tis the season--Mele Kalikimaka

Michael practicing his bass clarinet for his concert last week
Thurs. night, during our 2 week storm, yes it rained that night too!
Michael had a few solos so he wanted to be ready for them. He did extremely well at the concert and those of us who attended TOTALLY enjoyed the evening... even tho I babysat that night and took 5 of the six kids with us.
Jesse helped out and we made it thru the concert with concert manners and listening to MOST all of the music!!!
Michael says he is ready for next season... at the KCC Band Symphony!!!
Christmas came a couple of weeks early for this HAPPY boy!!
Jesse has been walking by the Costco "package" of Halo XBOX for a few months now and saving his $$$$$. Last Tues. after school, we walked TO the display and saw that ONLY ONE package was left. Needless to say the purchasing machine jumped into gear due to the FACT that Christmas was NOT going to happen w/o this item!!! AND we are on an island AND the barge ONLY comes sometimes AND this may NEVER show up again!!! Are you following this picture? Really, this is a TOP priority for a teen and since Aaron comes up and plays it too and Colby can play it with Jesse over the internet and ---need I go on?
Merry Christmas, Jesse! He actually saved up his own $500 for it... Santa paid the tax!
My weekend job all decorated for the season...
Been raining, so not too many people have been overly excited for sundresses, but I worked here for three days this weekend and blanked on Fri, did better on Sat. and finished with a good night on Sunday. Some fellow came in and purchased a $150 gift card for his wife, NICE fellow for thinking of her!! He said she hinted about it tho, so he caught on... Just wanted to show you all where I am when I call in on the weekend to chat. AT TROPICAL TANTRUM!!!
OK...ON our way to the ward Christmas party and oops!!!
I flipped a "U-y" after picking up Kates Stennett and the dessert flipped in the car. Jesse was supposed to be holding it, but with a cute girl in the car... the berries were an after thought! WELL, we went back home to clean this one and Michael was still bugging over the bogus driving move I had just pulled SO he got the camera for evidence!!! I think I had said something about me being the "better driver" as I had taken the keys on our way out to the party...
Yeah, stupid on my part, should have gone down to the Marriott to turn around!
The party was fun, the violins played and the seat is cleaned up.
TIme for catered parties this coming weekend!!!
This is one of our best Christmas pictures!
She is wearing Santa's Sox! Talk about enjoying the creativity of little ones!
Grace at 3... and figuring this whole season out!!!
MELE Kalikimaka and peace to your lives! at this busy time of the year!
That's Merry Christmas in Hawaiian and we sing the cutest song entitled that.
In fact, Jax/Brx sent me a Christmas card last year that plays that tune and it still works this season!
I opened and closed it about 20 times while I was putting up our little tree and string of lights...
We have been in several musical activities so far and a few more to go,
so the season is really happening over here on the island!

I just had ONE little 2nd thought... ???
Why didn't we schedule FAMILY in Hawaii for THIS year's Christmas?
Since YOUR mother is turning the big 50 on Jan. 2nd and you would have all been over here to celebrate!?!?
Oh well, a birthday during the holidays has NEVER been a happening...
Remeber, I DID have the chicken pox on my 16th bday...
and it's been about the same ever since?!?!
Jan. 2 seems to be the "put your tree away" day...
I can relate to you guys, Brit and Camey! Happy Dec. 21st & 23rd birthdays!!
Even Nannie was born on Christmas DAY 1900!!
Let's do this different NEXT time around!
Actually, Michael turns 60 this year, Nov.
SO we are going to call it the year of the cruise and follow thru on this!
...AND a Happy New YEAR!!... cruising in 2008!

"Speciality" person--UNITED style

I GET to go work for UNITED!! Had to shop first... What
do you mean business attire? I wear tshirts from Old Navy, does that count?
Working at the airport has been one of those"back burner" dreams of mine.
Michael got 1 1/2 years with Island Air and we LOVED the flight bene's, even tho he didn't much like the job. I was excited... Full benefits and 1/2 time work, that's 18 hrs. a week, right???
Even went over to LA last Tues. 9:30pm flight to make TWO
1 hour appts. and then back to the airport for the 5 hr. flight to be back to Kauai for our Christmas Relief Society dinner
that night at 6:30pm... I was on the program, violining. Made it!
$62 of Super Shuttle taxi-ing and 10 hrs. on two FULL planes, sitting by the window both times with 2 other "full sized" adults in the row, BUT remember, I LOVE to fly! AND still DO!!!
Passed ALL the "stuff" and got my email to report to work THIS MONDAY at 8am...
WHAT?? 8AM Monday morning?? I don't go to school until
8:25ish!!! It's been raining, over 15 inches for the past week... Red dirt every where. I get picked up at 2pm, 1:20 on Wed.
You are going for a 2 week training to SF or LA? WHEEEEN? Some week soon? You are working for the next two weeks FULL time? What does that mean? OK, ROCKED my world when reality hit. Jesse would have been fine... He just wondered when we were flying to Japan and could he get that XBOX 360 since he would be stuck at the condo until Jenna moves here?
What's MISSING from this picture? A BOOK! right! Michael was saying "I told you the airport thinks they OWN you!" He has said all along that I really am a SPECIAL-ity person... One who runs my own time clock and business. He loves that I do, but he KNOWS I can't live a time clock and I JUST wanted to show him differently... He had already arranged a ticket to SF for Jan. 17 on mileage plus to visit his folks SO the loss of benes weren't a big deal to him!
I emailed my decline of the job Friday night after working at Tropical Tantrum and having a fit of my own... Thank you to Teri for talking me down! Started breathing again after the email and have dealt with reality much better since clicking send. I did receive a nice email back that I could contact them anytime and they would process me and get me that job... I realize that 26 yrs. ago I choose "motherhood" with the commitment to be there for the kids when this LITTLE guy was born. SO I have about one more year of "being there" before I can go and punch in "ON TIME" to a job/job. I know, there is no question that I have "WORKED" all these years, but is was around the lives of my kids and that is my lifestyle. Not right or wrong, just is. Now, I need to follow thru on setting up the REST of December with the concerts and Christmas music that is so in demand right now. How could I have thought that I could have double timed this season. I have 20 extra obligations this month with music alone. Michael laughs when I go to the plate closet and start spinning...

Puka Dog for the b'day boy!

Another beautiful day at the beach...
Still in Michael's b'day week SO we continue the celebrating!
Grpa Jack sent the $ for a Puka dog for the b'day boy
SO Puka dog anyone? OK!! Should we get you a tshirt too?
You get a FREE lemonade IF you wear your shirt to order!
Michael wanted a tank top, not available yet...
I got MY free lemonade! Yum, I get the first bite?!
Yeah, we are SHARING, Michael keeps saying he wants
the "Jenny Craig" size of serving...
Happy b'day Michael, enjoy your Puka Dog!
Puka Dog is NOW in Waikiki, we'll go check it out and report
back! Lovin' the job!

What did Jesse do for Thanksgiving?

He ate ALL that food! Kates was gettin' started on her feast too!
He sat at the KIDS table and had his friends with him!
Notice the empty plates at the table!
He wrestled with Andy after dinner to see who was TOO full?
He rested, waiting for dessert... That's Jordan behind the pillow. Kates was playing violin, cello style.
He played after dinner music to celebrate Thanksgiving!

The Birthday BOY! Happy Turkey Bday!!

Birthday EVE! Doing his ham radio "stuff" and resting in
our room to get ready to be the birthday day boy all day Thanksgiving!
We played volleyball early at the beach per Michael's
request for his bday on Thurs. morning! Beautiful day at the beach!
Opening his bday presents, new hat, shirt, shorts and
scripture bag. He would prefer a new truck, ham radio "gear" a new gun and ??
Getting ready to eat turkey dinner... We are smiling because
we are NOT SO FULL yet!!
Empty plates around the adult table of turkey dinner. NOW
we are full!!! Time for some music and digesting over good conversation.
The birthday boy blowing out his candles with our dessert
of pumpkin pie, apple pie and pumpkin crunch-Hawaiian type pie, delicious!!! NOW we are TOO full! Time for Apples2Apples and relaxing...
Happy Birthday to Michael!

Bonfire Night for Michael's Bday!

This is ONE of Michael's favorite activities...even tho he
ACTS like it's NO big deal... He LOVES to start a neat bonfire by the ocean and burn drift wood for cooking hot dogs and roasting marshmallows. There are NO burn restrictions here on the beach and the river delivers the wood downstream
to the beach SO it is a perfect Hawaii activity on a fall night, or just about any night during the year on the island!
All the kids joined together around a RUNNING game of
soccer while Michael got the bonfire ready. LITTLE RED HEN story coming to mind? NO! Just keeping kids entertained...
Brandon LOVES soccer and he got everyone else playing enthusiastically! They played on the beach with boogie boards as
goal markers too. Any place was good to get soccer going and everyone played...
A "kid" group shot. Full of Hot Dogs and chips, they were
ready to bury someone in the sand before the marshmallows broke out of the bag and after the fire burned down to coals.
See, time for roasting marshmallows! SMILE!
Another great bonfire for the birthday boys' week of celebrations. Puka dogs and pumpkin pie are the next things on the list. Enjoying the beach scene with lots of stars in
the sky, Dad Michael was looking for the new comet that had just shown up?!?