I miss ...

How I miss Super Target! This was taken during my trip home in November, good ol' Rowlett TX.  I miss RHS too! I hope DH doesn't look at our bank statement to see how much I spent at Super Target and well during my trip back home for that  matter....LOL! I took this photo for my HMW peeps....you know the side effects of no TARGET! 

Thanksgiving Feast !

We had a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving!! (This is a photo of only some of our Thanksgiving Feast, our little table was packed with Jai goodness!)

Many continued blessings to all of you! 

No, we did not shop Black Friday, but we did hit up the stores Saturday night to find some deals and came home with our new beloved Dyson vac. We are in love! <3>

Love you all. 

Question of the Day: What is the state bird of Hawaii?

The Nene, Seashell asked me this as she received the shipment of goodies I mailed her and the little squirt read the books and was quizzing me!! LOL

Ta Da! Our Very FIRST MARRIED Christmas Tree!

Our very FIRST MARRIED Christmas tree!! (yes, we have had other Christmas trees) I must admit that photos do not do this tree justice! It was a labor of love and we really enjoyed putting up the tree together.  DH and I (ok, well me) drank some wine (ok, it was more than some) and we were singing Christmas carols as we put up the tree.  There are 3 other trees in the house and I will try to get photos of those up.  They are more decorative and I put one up in our guest bedroom for the MIL as she will be joining us for Christmas this year.

I have modified the tree a bit but I do hope that our first married Christmas tree doesn't disappoint! This is for you KatieD! :)

Thanksgiving Feast Preparations Are Underway!

I wanted to tell everyone Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy your time with those around  you! I am thankful to have my family, friends, and my husband.  We are truly blessed.

I am busy preparing for tomorrow and will probably be standing in the same spot of my kitchen for a few hours today and tomorrow! 

Take care everyone and enjoy!!

Domestic Jai

Who knew that Jai could be so domestic?

That is one secret I have kept to myself!

I am really enjoying married life and decorating and cooking for the hubster!

It is so good to be appreciated and at the end of the day I look around our house and I am really proud!

I think I am growing up.

Time to go get some things prepped for turkey day!

A shout out to B-ridge for the Thanksgiving calendar/recipes to follow! She gave me this the year my mom died.  This valuable document has taught me how to prepare things like cornbread for the dressing ahead of time and such! Thanks B-ridge!

I can't wait to put up our tree, there will not be any fancy Pottery Barn decorations but let's just say Pottery Barn inspired.  Remember I teach and DH is a Sailor!

My lesson to you: teacher+sailor = not rich

Oh speaking of B-ridge her house is fantastic during Christmas time, maybe one day my house will look like hers! :)

HAHA!

One day closer until battleship is over!!

Hope everyone is doing great!

Miss you all!

Peace out.

-Jai

Question of the day: Do you think that Texas will play for the Big 12 conference?

I do! HOOK'EM!!!!

Darts and Jai...

Don't mix. Ugh, this is what you get if Jai gets too happy playing darts, guess we will be paying for that wall in our garage, poor DH had tried to cover the wall with the cardboard but I of course just miss it ALL!

O' Christmas Tree, O' Christmas Tree

Stay tuned, it's coming! DH bought me the tree I was nagging about for 2 weeks this weekend and he got me a chest freezer to fill with my bulk purchases from Sam's.  I buy edamame in bulk and other frozen veggies, sorry I have to have veggies with my meal.

YAY! I love my hubby! :)

BTW Thanks ShannonK for the inspiration! Your Christmas tree is sensational, you motivated me to get with the early bird Christmas decoration team! 

Our FIRST MARRIED Christmas! 

This is our third Christmas, but the FIRST married and we look forward to quality time together this holiday season as DH will be leaving to play battleship very soon. :( 

Watch out world, Jai is training to jog the 8 mile Great Aloha Run, that may not be a long jog for you avid joggers but this is Jai we are talking about, I am only doing 2 miles now, I will get there! *Cue the Rocky music NOW*

Deuces.

-Jai

Back Home in TEXAS!

Recently, I went home to the great state of TEXAS! I went home to face my personal demons of dealing with my mom's estate.  For those of you close to me you know how torn I was about going home. I felt that going home to deal with her estate was closing the door on my mom and everything about her. I can now testify that it didn't.  I am very thankful for my husband, my family, and my friends (both in TX and Hawaii) for the support and love I needed to get through this. 

It was so good to be back in my mom's house, to see everything about her and most importantly to feel her presence. I have taken the long road to finally grieve for her as I tried to be the pillar for my family and had to deal with some very troubling times this time last year during DH's deployment and I am finally dealing with the depression I had built up from all of those events. 

Depression can be a sneaky rascal and don't ever be ashamed to reach out to someone, Lord knows I finally did and thank goodness MY GREAT husband told me to go home and see my family and be where my mom once was. I love him so much for knowing what to do and his sacrifice for me.  He has done so much for my family and myself, we are so blessed to have him.

This trip was so special as I do not know when I will be back in Texas. I got to see my BELOVED SEASHELL! Oh that little girl is now a big girl! She is nearing her preteen years and I just can't believe how tall and smart she is. She makes me so proud.  She was surprised to see me as no one told her I was in town.  I was her belated birthday surprise, I hid in a box and she opened it up to find me in it and she was in shock.  She didn't know whether to cry or smile and she just reached out to touch me to make sure that I was real. I love my Seashell.

It was like old times with my brothers and sisters and we just hung out and I made dinner a few times and like I said, it was just like I had never left.  Shopping with Lulu was a blast we would laugh and sometimes cry because we were laughing so hard!

I miss Texas! I got to drive my old Honda Civic, gas was $1.89 back in first weeks of November, they have Mrs. Baird's bread, Best Maid pickles, Whataburger, Tex-Mex food, doughnut shops, Chick-fila. The list goes on! 

I am really proud of my siblings and how things how progressed since my departure. Lulu is nearly the completion of her junior year in college, Mark is doing well and keeping up with the sports, Jason is doing great at work and keeping the house up, Pancho is doing great at work and just moved into a new home. Seashell is doing great in school and will be competing in a spelling bee. WOW!  I am a proud sister!

I am learning that life is so complex at times but even in the simplest of times love is all that you need.

It is so good to be loved. It is even better to share love with others.

Until next time, I love you all.

-Jai

Today Will Be A Historic Day!

VOTE VOTE VOTE!!

I'm home sick, ear infection and severe congestion. Dr. ordered bed rest! Please get out there and vote.  

I voted via absentee ballot.

Please please go away icky germs and sickness!! 

Muchas Gracias Amigas

Para mis amigas,

*Thank you for the HUGE MASSIVE "Cold Buster" Jamba Juice

*Thank you for driving me to Tripler and waiting for ME

*Thank you for calling to check on me

*Thank you for the speedy recovery texts, messages, and im's

Although, I may not have been in HI long, my new friends are making the transition a little easier!

I miss my buds back in the Lone Star State so much, but now I have more to add to my list. I know my TX friends would happily come to HI if airfare was not so HIGH!

Life wouldn't be the same without good friends and family!

So where ever and whoever you are know that Jai thinks of you and appreciates you so much! 

I LOVE MY FRIENDS!

Here's to friends and family! :) I'm raising my Nyquil measuring cup to you! 

LOL

Sunday blues...

Howdy everyone!

How did everyone fall back? Here in Island-land we don't do such a thing, we are on Hawaii Standard Time! 

I am fighting the Sunday blues.

I spent 3 hours of my life in the ER of the Army hospital "Tripler" and after witnessing a young child with what looked like measles I decided to leave. What I assume was his father stated they had been waiting since 11am.  No thanks, it will just be another round of Nyquil for me.

I had fever today which limited me to what I could do and I am just bummed.

DH had duty today upon the ship's return so I can't see him :(

We were going to try to have dinner, actually I had hoped for brunch, I made his favorite jambalya and green beans and cinnamon muffins .

But no can!

No seeing DH today AT ALL!

Texas lost. Still bummed about that!

I had started reading the instructions for Seashell's dress I had hoped to make and well it seems a little hard for me right now. 

I just don't feel well.

I really hope that I don't have strep from the teacher I subbed for, or pneumonia from my DH, or the flu.

I guess the lesser of all of those evils would be the flu.

It seems to have started as an ear infection which is normal for me and always causes a hoarse throat but this time I got fever and I can feel the congestion in my lungs.

Sigh!!! 

I am going home soon and I am just anxious about that!

I am praying to see all of my siblings and I am nervous about closing some chapters about my mom's passing.

I feel that I never really mourned her and for some reason here lately I just start crying for her. 

I miss MY mom so much!

That's just it, I want MY mom, not anyone elses MINE!

Mama, I miss you.

Ok, enough about the Sunday blues, time for happiness and I will see my wonderful husband tomorrow and he will take the best care of me, I know it!

Peace out!

Question: What is your favorite holiday dish?

Mine: Stuffing! (of course mom's recipe!!)

It's November Already!

Time is going by so fast! 

I hope everyone had a safe and fun Halloween!

I was Dora the Explorer and the students loved it!

I can't believe that November is upon us and before you know it, Christmas and New Year.

I look forward to the holidays with the hubby as it will be our first married holiday season.  

I am sick and not enjoying the weekend without DH, he's off playing battleship somewhere. I guess that's just the way the cookie crumbles as a Navy Wife. 

You learn to adjust and adapt.  I am bummed as my team lost, Tech deserves the win, they played well. I just can't believe the sillies that stormed the field, it was even mentioned here on Hawaiian news as ridiculous and crazy. It was Tech's 500th win and their first win against a #1 team. I have faith TEXAS is always #1 to me!!!

Wishing everyone a wishful weekend and here's a special line to my departed parents as tomorrow is All Souls' Day. 

I miss you Mom and Dad! 

For some reason here recently, I have thought of you both a lot! More than usual.  I know that you are both with me and made me into the person I am today and I thank you for all that you did for me, your unexpected and unwanted departing from the living world still impacts me but I want you both to know how I much you are loved. 

I am happy that you are both together! 

I love MY mommy and daddy! RIP

Joint Spouses Conference

Earlier this month I attended a conference for all military spouses and I really enjoyed myself.  It was good to meet new faces and be around other spouses who know what daily life as a military spouse is all about.  I enjoyed workshops from Hawaiian gardening, decorating, photography, makeup consultation, to ummmmmmmm............

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WINE TASTING! 

This wine tasting was unlike another other I have been to, and I have made my rounds!! This one was not skimpy!

We even had entertainment from Daniel Martinez ( see below) he gave an interesting presentation on Pearl Harbor to Polynesian dancing.  What a fun weekend!! I met fellow, HMW's as well.  Long live HMW!!!!!!! (Hawaii Military Wives)

Are you a History Channel Nerd?

IF so, quick name the person I am standing with?????

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It's the one and only Pearl Harbor Memorial Historian Daniel Martinez.

If you watch the History or Discovery channel like we do, then you know this....

When in Rome....

Do as the Romans do....

Or when in Hawaii, eat Shave Ice....yummmmmmm

We went down to  Waiola Shave Ice in Honolulu, oh my goodness that was sooo good!!

What is the strangest combination you have eaten in a shave ice?

Do you eat the shave ice with beans? Or do you prefer ice cream or condensed milk in your shave ice?

I am not so brave, I go with ice cream! 

I did something I never thought I would...

Being a Navy Wife has challenged me to do things that I never would have imagined possible.  I have had to learn to reinvent myself in our new hometown and modify my career.  I happily teach at the Navy elementary and this week I was the sub for the music and art teacher. Ugh, did someone say music? IF you know me, then you know I can NOT carry a tune and I was a band nerd and I can't even draw a circle.

So, today I amazed myself and I really sang for the kids! Today the students learned about pitch, steps, leaps, and octave.  We saw Do-Re-Mi from The Sound of Music and they thought I was the best singer ever!!!! I honestly think it's because I knew the words and the motions.  I surprised myself by teaching two things that honestly scare me.  It has been an amazing week! I love teaching!!!!!

Happy Halloween Everyone! Be Safe!

Hearing my married name come out of the mouth's of little ones makes me smile.  Not so much if the student is tattling.  But another change for me is Mrs. not Senora or Senorita. 

Big Island FUN!

Rearranging is time consuming, so narration will have to be suffice.

Walking to the "NEW" lava with D. It was quite the journey.

Waves crashed at the southernmost tip of the United States.

Silly photo I just wanted to take with my hand!

Ready to GO!

If you know Hawaii, then you know how popular mac nuts are!

M* (my new BFF-LOL) and her son

Lava that has formed into blocks but as Bear Grylls would say "shelter".

Jagged lava, yes this was quite an adventure to hike through.

We stopped at this candy factory to see what the hype was about.

More hiking adventure on day #1. At this point D* and I thought we had lost his mommy and brother, thankfully we didn't.

Tired little one at the zoo.

Interesting lava rock formations.  

mooooo....cows on the big island

whew, we are almost done with the hike!!

This reminded me of Don Quixote. 

Taking in the views with a NICE camera, this is new lava. M* I loved your camera!

Interesting plaque, I liked the colors.

Ahhhhh, I love wine!!

Fresh steam being released....wow! 

Our cabin for the weekend.

Taking a stroll on the new lava.

Holy smokes Batman!! That's a lot of lava.

I wonder why the road is closed?!?

Cool shot by D*

Hiking is FUN!!

It smelled like fresh ironing! Steam!!!

Native plants!!! 

I really liked the rock formations from the lava.

We felt like we were being banished from civilization.

Somewhere over the rainbow and LAVA!

Posing with the NEW lava.

I wonder why the road is closed?

Activity at different points ...cool pic !

What patience and skill!!

View from the museum window...

WHOA!

Pretty falls!!

You have to take photos of the signs!!

What landscape!! That's lava!!