something that upsets me

i like to consider myself a happy-go-lucky person. i don't really let all that much get to me. but if i were to choose ONE thing that upsets me...it would have to be...

stupidity

hahaha. seriously! i can't stand it. pure dumminess irritates the heck out of me. and i'm not talking lack of education stupid...i'm talking the "ignorant-i-can't-be-bothered" idiocracy. ESPECIALLY when it comes to my cultural background. this irritation has obviously become more apparent with the move to the mainland. i mean...i understand some people really don't know...so i don't hold it against them. they're not the ones i have problems with. its the ones that THINK they know, and try to correct me. seriously?! annoying. here's an example:

dummy (directed to a friend of mine): your daughter's gonna have to get a t.b. test for school.

friend: yeah...she did that already.

dummy: no...she's gonna have to get another one since she moved from another country.

friend: what do you mean...we just moved from hawai'i...

dummy: yeah...that's what i mean

friend: ummm...hawai'i IS part of this country. it's the 50th state.

dummy: no...it's not part of the REAL u.s. its a little island out there.

friend: no...hawai'i IS part of u.s.

dummy: no...you know the REAL u.s. hawai'i doesn't count.

IRRAZ!!!

dummy#2: do i need a passport to go to hawaii?

me: no.

dummy #2: are u sure?

me: positive.

dummy #2: sure? i just want to make sure i have the proper documents when i travel out there. don't i have to go through customs when i get there.

me: i'm 100% positive you don't need your passport. hawai'i is a part of the united states.

dummy #2: it is? are you sure?

me: yes ma'am. i'm sure. i'm from hawai'i. born and raised.

dummy #2: wow...you speak really well for someone from hawaii.

IRRAZ!!!

another moment

how about a lost moment. like the time i got knocked out today and lost a few teeth!! lol. yup...today was the glorious day the nagging pain that kept waking me up for the past week or so came to an end. all in all the procedure was quick and painless. went in. got some laughing gas. got poked like 5 times with needles because the nurses were unable to find a vein. (curse u shallow veins-happens every time i go to give blood). and then it was a little awkward when the last thing i remember was the oral surgeon reminiscing about how he was the lead in his high school play "guys and dolls" (?) and then something about P-90X. and then i was knocked out.

***sorry...no brittney spears hallucinations here*** all u gleeks know what i'm talking bout right?! lol***

next thing you know i'm being woken up by the nurses and they were done! then they hand me my purse to call my ride. i'm so out of it when i'm calling the BIL to pick me up. luckily he's just pulling in. next thing i know they start wrapping some kind of contraption around my head, but it gets caught in my hair. so i take my hair down and the nurses start going on and on about my hair. and for some reason i start asking them if they've seen the movie/documentary good hair with chris rock! buahahahahaha!!! omg. the BIL finally walks in the office and helps me out...still buzzing from the anaesthesia.

long story short i am sooooooooooo relieved its over. besides the bleeding and the vacant spot in the back right of my mouth...i'm good. i'm just keeping my fingers crossed the antibiotics fight off any potential infections...and hopefully i won't have to take any more painkillers. bye bye pain. hello sleep!

the challenge is coming to an end...

ok....to all you loyal followers...(yes all 5..lol), i just thought i'd update you on my status with the challenge.

i only have 10 more topics left!!!!

yup...and then i won't have anything else to write about. lol. for those new to the challenge..here's a little background. feel free to take the challenge yourself. would LOVE to hear what you have to share.

the challenge

this month....

it's that happy-go-lucky time of the year again!!!!! i love the holidays...but my waistline surely dreads it. oka...those damn grocery stores set you up by putting ALLLLLLLL the baking stuff in little stations...throughout the store. eeeeh!!!! i've already made butter rolls, banana cream pie, my version of haole brownies, regular brownies, and yellow cake with chocolate frosting. sadly...there was no special occasion. it was all just cause the stuff was staring me in the face at the store...so i bought it, brought it home, and MADE IT!!! all i know...it's back to insanity come january! ugh!

anyhoo...enough of the weight-whining. so it seems like its gonna be a pretty mellow holidays. especially since i have to work the evening of christmas day. that really isn't a problem since our family always does our big dinner on christmas eve. so with that...the SIL started decorating around the house. so far we just go the staples...

the tree

the garland for the banister

and the stockings (check out the itty-bitty ones i got for the twins...lol)

man...when the SIL brought the tree home i thought it was huge!!! but i was quickly informed that it was nothing compared to our sisters tree. so i drove down the road to check out her tree...and i was greeted by this MONSTROSITY!!!!

one and her 12 ft tree put our little 9 footer to shame. hahahahaha!!!!

last week, at work (the hawaiian cultural center) we had a fun little activity for all the little chillrenz. so SIL and i went and took no'a, since it was mostly for kids his age. i called a couple frenz and invited them to bring their kids as well. it was so cute. we had different activity stations set up including:

cookie decorating

making crafts (reindeer windsocks???)

coloring

and story time

it was the perfect activity to jump start the holiday season. i was planning on going home...but i'll be spending my week off getting oral surgery!!! fun right?! WRONG!!!!

after weeks of avoiding the dentist, i couldn't take the nagging pain in the bottom right corner of my mouth. come to find out my wisdom teeth have been growing the wrong way and i need to have them removed. IRRITZ! so i go in next wednesday...and hopefully it'll be a quick recovery. i'm kinda nervous, but at the same time relieved, because its time off from BOTH jobs!

then it's christmas!!! don't really know too much about our plans...only that its dinner at sisters for christmas eve, and then tubing the next day before work. it should be a lot of fun. only thing missing is the parentals and the two sibz back home and their chillrenz.

BIG SAD FACE :(

something i regret

omg...so many skeletons in my closet. from failed relationships to really stupid decisions. i definitely regretted making those decisions back then. but now that i look back at it...not to sound too cliche, but the ultimate life lessons were learned from those experiences. but i think this quote sums it all up for me:

"regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable."

shoulda coulda woulda. especially with opportunities past...that i'll never get back.

my favorite birthday...

birthdays birthdays birthdays...who DOESN'T love birthdays?! i know i do!!!! lol. i have to admit...i usually don't make all that big of a deal when it comes to my own. i usually like doing stuff for OTHER people. weird..i know...but there's nothing like seeing the expression of someone's face when you surprise them with a party...or just randomly stopping by the office with a dream cake from ted's. its all worth it. so when friends try to return the favor...i don't really know how to act.

like when they try to throw you a surprise party, but you think you're waiting for them to get ready to go to the movies. so you get all irritated when you have to go IN the house to get them to hurry up cuz you're going to miss the movie...and when you open the door and everyone yells "SURPRISE" you blurt out some "special" words, shut the door and try to run away. hahahaha!!!

OR like when they attempt to break into your house to decorate your room while leaving their brother outside as the "lookout"and all he does is look at YOU while you pull up in the driveway staring at him wondering "why is 'iasi outside my house???" hahahaha...thanks line ;)

OR like when they throw you a surprise bonfire (one of my fav past times with good '01 frenz) but i fully knock out after having dinner with frenz...one of whom decides to invite a RANDOM chick who does nothing but drain me of my "birthday-glory-ness" by complaining alllllll night about her ex who also happens to be my cousin. hmmmm...the food was good though. lol

but don't get me wrong...i'm soooooo not complaining. i have the BEST friends and FAMILY anyone could ever ask for. these are just some of the few memories i have of my special annual celebrations. if i had to pick just ONE...it would have to be my 24th. i only pick this one because i think it lasted the looooooooongest. it wasn't just a birthday..but a birthWEEK!

friends flew in from texas to celebrate. totally unexpected. the brother-in-law rented a car for me and my friends to cruise all weekend long. from ice blocking in the middle of the night...to taking the visitor friends clubbing for the very first time...to witnessing a friend freak out when he realized his pina colada had a little extra kick (innocent mistake)...it was a whirlwind of events. ironically...this also happened to be the year of the ruined bonfire surprise. but my brother totally made up for that by taking me on a surprise retreat to the hilton waikaloa...one of the premier hotels on hawai'i island. i was spoiled rotten. now that i think of it...i don't even know how i was able to get that much time off work.

but whether it be my 24th or my 42nd...i am grateful for each new year of life. which just may be the greatest gift in itself. so here's to another year!

gone too soon...

its 4:11 in the morning...and i can't seem to fall asleep. too many thoughts racing through my mind. my heart yearns to be with my parents. my family. to be home. to be with my community...as it mourns the loss of yet another young spirit. i did not know him, but i recognize the pain his family must be going through. i can't help but think back to that tragic morning 14 years ago. its all too familiar. the michael jackson song keeps playing in my mind...and my heart aches for the tafuna/fotu families. rest in love dee dee.

32 years ago...

32 years ago......

* "We Are The World" was recorded

*The last Volkswagen Beetle was ever made in Germany

* The 1st Iron Man Triathalon was held in Kona, Hawaii

* The BeeGees "Saturday Night Fever" goes #1 for 24 weeks

* The TV show "Diff'rent Strokes" premiers on NBC

* Sweden is the first to ban aerosol sprays

these are just a few of the random events that i could find that occurred in 1978. but 32 years ago today, a beautiful soul was born.

when i came into work today, i performed my normal ritual. talk story with my coworkers to catch up on this weekend's events. the snow. parties. sleep. etc. afterwards...it was time to get to work. but facebook first. lol. first entry i see on my news feed was a status update from sister...

"hau'oli la hanau jason keaunui keo, miss & luv u my braddah"

i nearly broke down in tears. i had totally forgotten.

when jason passed, aside from the pain experienced from such a great loss, one of my biggest fears was forgetting him.

i made it a point every year to visit him every year on his anniversary and birthday. it was easy the first few years. since he was just down the road. but as the years went on and life became "busier", i found the visits less frequent. does that make me a bad person???

but then there are those random days where i see/hear something that reminds me of him and i just break down. what would he be like if he were still here? who would he have married? what would his kids look like? *sigh*

but then i remember...although our physical ties have been broken, we are bound eternally.

so with that. here's to another year. happy birthday brother.

luv and miss u,

ur little sister

my favorite memory

"memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, and the things you never want to lose" --some old t.v. show...can't remember the title

how appropriate for today's entry. obviously i can't think of just ONE favorite memory. so i thought i would share a few that, although random, are unforgettable:

- playing pictionary by candlelight with the WHOLE family after hurricane 'iniki turned into a tropical storm...and getting surprised by the neighbor who invited himself over and randomly jumped on our kitchen table.

- playing in the pouring rain outside the house, and slowly making our way to the bridge on homestead and not EEEEVEEEN caring about getting kaki'o's from the dirty water..hahaha

- driving around all of hauula/laie/kahuku with sister and looking for byuh students we could bark at. but then feeling bad after making said student fall off her bike. sbi

- playing secret santa for random people in the ward and delivering baked goods to their homes anonymously.

- late night drives to walmart cuz there was nothing else to do.

- late night drives to zippy's....for the same reason as the aforementioned memory. heffer status. lol

- seeing imaginary cats crossing the road while driving home after aforementioned late night trips.

- ward.camp.

- laughing sooooo hard i literally couldn't breathe.

- beach days

these are just the tip of the iceberg. if i mentioned every single memory i think i would lose readers. lol. but i look forward to making many...many more.

challenge interruption...

ok...so i know i've been on the verge of finishing up the blogger challenge, but i just had to interrupt to document the events from this past week. my days off from delta have been so sporatic lately, that its been hard to align them with days off from the center. so when the boss lady at the center said i was relinquished from my daily duties on wednesday, coincidentally my day off from delta as well, i took that as a sign that i was meant to go home to attend the temple open house. so immediately after work tuesday night/wednesday morning, after an EARLY morning breaky (breakfast) with the cuzzie, i hopped on the first flt to lax. luckily one of the diamond medallion members didn't show up, so i snagged the last seat. my hopes of getting first class on the la to honolulu flt were smashed when they announced the last minute purchased upgrade option.

**sidenote: i'm officially spoiled cuz i HATE flying home in coach....especially when i fly alone...cuz i dislike sitting next to strangers. *sigh*

needless to say i still got a decent seat, and made it home safe and sound. so...since majority of my family had already gone to the open house, i went with my bestie maria. she had invited one of her nonmember friends, and i invited one of my other buddies who IS a member, but just hasn't had the opportunity to go yet. one word to describe the open house: MAJESTIC. going through each room, and feeling the spirit...amazing. definitely an eye opener for myself. haven't been the most active lately...but i'll leave that for another post.

after the open house...we hit up kahuku grill. i was feenin' some local grindz...but didn't want to travel too far. if you haven't gone there yet, i HIGHLY recommend it. they're known for their "twice as much" burger (crazy-ridiculous-good), but i opted for the teri chicken plate. fav part of the meal. the salad. it was huge. filled with tons of goodies, and oh-so-FRESH!!!!

this trip was short and sweet considering i flew out the next evening...had to work friday...boo!
but little did i know i would be back on a plane later that evening. my flight arrived early friday morning...so i drove home to catch a few z's before work. while driving to work, i got a text from greg..."you should fly in to long beach if you're off tonite." after reading the text, i thought to myself..."hey...why not?" i was able to get someone to work my shift at delta that night so after getting off work at the center, i stopped by target to by a toothbrush, and rushed off to the airport to catch the last flight out.

my bestie's brother had put together a mini film festival in the area, so it was a perfect venue to stop and meet up with friends that i haven't seen in a while. the films, the music, the people....all worth the two hours of sleep i got that night...because i was back on a plane headed back to salt lake city...for work :(

loooooong story short last week was a whirlwind of events. its definitely been a while. but it was all worth it considering i'll be working straight for the next 10 days. *sigh* the life of a nonrev...i love it.

my first kiss

first word that comes to mind when i think of my first kiss: awkward

hahaha. yes. very true. it was in a movie theater. as we were walking out after the movie ended. and as i turned around to say something to him, he kissed me. weird. what made it worse, there were people behind us trying to leave too. it was another couple...who gave us dirty looks as they walked by. i remember THAT. nailz. i also remember thinking..."this fool couldn't wait til these people left." but rest assured...that was my ONLY instance of PDA....even if the public population consisted of 2. lol. so there you have it...my first awkward kiss...lol.

my dreams

if someone were to approach me and ask me, what are your dreams??? my answer would be...

i.have.no.clue.

i have been in a total slump lately. not even kidding. just going through the motions, trying my best to survive in this "doggy-dog" (thank you gloria from modern family for that one...lol) world. i have been hesitant to write about this topic for this reason. seems a bit loser-ish of me to not have any dreams. but then i came across the following quote

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” - Greek Philosopher

total justification. lol. but on the real...it's sooooooo true. when i look back at my life a few years ago...there are so many things that i have accomplished up to this point that were all just a dream back then. both big and small. here's a few examples:

- i own my very own car. yup....kept talking about it in the past...just couldn't afford it. now, it's a dream come true

- backpacking through europe. NEVER thought i'd ever get to do that. but i totally did and it was totally awesome. dream come true

- graduating from college. in political science of all majors. it was a long time coming. but i did it. another dream come true.

- the freedom to travel. been bit by the travel bug a few years back, and scrimped and saved for every trip. now i have my own personal fleet of "private" jets. thank you delta. dream come true.

these are just a few examples, of the MANY "dreams" that have manifested themselves in the past few years. actually...this all happened in the past year. huh...go figure. so thank you mr. greek philosopher for helping me realize although i may not have a clue as to what my dreams for the future are yet, its comforting to know that i have already made some older dreams come true.

what i wore today...pt. 2

nothing special about what i'm wearing today. just that it's a more comfortable alternative to wearing jeans during this chilly-er fall season in utah. so i'm sporting my bright floral print baby doll dress with leggings and a cardigan.

and of course the boots to keep the dogs nice and toasty.

not too sure how i feel about the upcoming winter season. don't get me wrong...i don't mind the cold, and i love when it snows. one thing i DON'T like is driving in the snow. especially since approximately 2-3 hours of my day are spent on the road. just the thought of playing "slip and slide" with other cars on the road is soooo not the business. but i have to keep reminding myself that these are the small sacrifices i would have to make in order to maintain my flight benefits. so bring it on frosty...just please be gentle...lol.

this week...

what a coincidence...i get to talk about my week right when i'm smack dab in the middle of it. so in honor of this week's hump day...allow me to share what i did, am currently doing, and what i plan to do. haha.

sunday:

tsk tsk. missed another day of church. and this time i was actually in town for it...but got swept away in never never land. you know its bad when people think you're new every sunday you DO go. and you know its worse when the person asking you is NEW themselves!!! eeeeh! i think i should just switch to the ward down the street instead of driving 20 minutes to go to the singles ward. is it really worth it? *sigh* ok...ending confession now. lol. cruised with the madre til it was time for work. worked the night away.

monday:

got home from work around 5am. stayed up til about 6. slept til 12. woke up in a frantic hurry to get ready for work, only to find out it was my day off. from one job at least. drove to sissy's house to hang out with the chilrenz...and ended up cleaning their house and buying lunch for everyone. (am i the only one who sees something wrong with THAT scenario...damn kidz! lol). went home to get ready for the second job. worked the night away.

tuesday:

pretty much the same schedule as monday except this time i worked BOTH jobs. went in to the center by 2pm and caught up on some blogging. lol. but don't worry...i blog for the center as well, so technically its "work". edited some videos, downloaded some pix, and made a couple dvd's. i love my job there. was done there by 6 and headed another half hour north to the lovely reservations center. and yup...you guessed it....worked the night away.

wednesday (TODAY!!!!):

got home from work and was greeted by an insomniac...mi madre. found her resting in her beauty while the tv watched HER. woke her up and advised her to either get some rest or start packing for her flight which left in about 6 hours. she hesitatingly got up off the couch, walked past the stack of clothes piled ON her suitcase (and this is where i get my procrastination from), and went to sleep. hahahaha. don't ever. worried she wouldn't be able to get up in time to go to the airport, i decided to stay up and catch up on some atlanta housewives. is it just me or does this season seem lame??? if i hear kim sing "don't be tardy for the party" one more time, i'm gonna fly to atlanta and slap her myself!

two hours later...woke up the parental and helped her get ready. sissy came to pick her up so i could get my slumber on. or attempt to. did some laundry and finished just in time to go back to work. so that brings me here to the center. and i'm dying right about now. plans for later this evening??? work my night away.

thursday:

lucky for me, i only have to work ONE job tomorrow, and its only for four hours!!! so i plan to sleep for as long as i can...roll out of bed, somehow manage to get ready..and drive a half hour to work. i think we have a meeting tomorrow...so really its just me and my coworkers talking story about how nails our board is. hahaha. that'll have to be another post. after that i can GO HOME!!! not sure what to do then. maybe have movie night with the SIL, since the rest of the family ditched us to go to hawaii. boo to them! but luckily, i won't be working the night away.

friday:

back to two jobs again. ugh. i offered to work for a coworker at delta. how nice of me right? lol. this time i'll get off early, and just work til 1am instead of 4am. trust...3 hours makes a HUUUUUGE difference. but other than that...nothing all too exciting.

saturday:

*sigh* if alllll goes as planned, and i get someone to cover my shift at delta...i'll be on a plane heading up to boise to watch the uh v. boise state game. is it bad that i'll be sporting boise gear, but cheering for uh??? lol. well...that's the plan at least. if things don't pan out...and my shift doesn't get covered, i'll probably be changing the oil on my car, and quite possibly get the alignment fixed. or maybe i'll just bypass all of that to go shopping. the latter sounds better. and then...yup...you guessed it, i'll have to work the night away.

and that's my week. so exciting right?! hope yours has been/is/will be better than mine. ;)

what's in your bag?

there's no mistaking it that a woman's handbag is her life. how else would we carry our wallet, makeup, cell phone, pen, paper, phone charger, camera, snack, planner, laptop, laptop charger, *lady items*, power surge bar (lol), etc. see...ones whole life can fit in there. or maybe just mine.

lately this has been the bag of choice for yours truly.

i know what you're thinking..."that's not a purse!" but hey...it carries EVERYTHING i need and then some. these are some of the goodies in my bag today:

-laptop
-laptop charger
-wallet
-makeup bag
-surge power bar
-phone charger
-earphones
-gum
-chapstick
-lotion
-dental floss

random...i know. but i promise i use EVERYTHING in here almost everyday. i need my laptop when i go into work....both at the hawaiian cultural center AND delta. the surge power bar is to plug in my laptop while at delta. there aren't enough outlets for the work computer and my computer...so it comes in handy when its slow at work...and it allows me to do this...

hahahaha. yup...that would be me watching movies at work. the earphones are necessary for this to happen as well. lol. and as you can see in the picture above...you'll notice the phone charger plugged into the computer. can't be disconnected from the outside world while working right?
work at delta always seems to fly by with these little toys.

need i explain the rest of the items??? lol.

challenge continued....my siblings

ok...i got home from work an hour ago, and instead of doing the usual...(reuniting with la-la land), the wonderful world of blogging has prevented me from enjoying my slumber. so here i am...6:37 in the morning...determined to complete the challenge. so i'll start where i left off...my siblings

because there's so many of us, i figure i'd do my best to describe each one with a single word. so here it goes....in order from oldest to youngest. lol. hopefully they don't hurt me if they happen to come across this post.

leone.malia.saaga

the loud one

aaron.kawika.keo
the quiet one

jared.maluae.keo
the OCD one
(yes...i realize OCD is more than one word but the abbrev. can be one word right? lol)


jason.keaunui.keo
the kolohe one

mahealani.angeline.keo
the punchy one

me.
the favorite one
(lol)

back to blogging...

alrighty...i've been through a major blunk (blogging funk). a lot of it has to do with my crazy work schedule. as soon as i get home from work i go straight to bed, and as soon as i wake up, i get ready and go straight to work. i'm not complaining though...because every chance i get with time off from BOTH jobs, i'm on a plane. but i do plan on completing the challenge with an update here and there on a new topic. so stay tuned all you loyal followers. lol...

challenge FAIL!!!

ok...u guessed it...i totally FAILED at the blogger challenge. but give me a break...it got super busy towards the end of the month...and that sibling blog was just taking TOOOOOOOOOOO long. i guess that's what happens when you have to write about 5 different people...especially when there is sooooooo much to write about each of them. oh well..i tried.

what i wore today

*so i just realized that its backwards...lol

because the weather is still somewhat warm...it's a t-shirt and jeans kinda day. so...as you can see above (no i'm not getting a shot of my boobs) i'm sportin' my $1 kavaroots tee (made by ammon and his Yu-Do lol), some jean capris and my platform slippers from walmart.

i wanted to highlight the shirt cuz it is one of my favs. as previously mentioned, it was made by my old boss ammon watene, the current owner of kavaroots....which at one time was my second home. for those who follow my blog, i'm sure you remember how much i LOVED working at this place. it was by far the EASIEST and most chill job EVER!!! not only that, but i actually cared about that place. i sacrificed so much for that place as mentioned in a previous post.

kavaroots is a little shack on the north shore known for their acai bowls. for those of you who don't know what an acai bowl is...allow me to explain. acai is a berry from the amazon...packed with antioxidants. it is mixed with strawberries, bananas and apple juice in the form of a smoothie, which is then poured in a bowl, and topped with the BEST granola, sliced bananas and drizzled with honey.

it really is the BEST. and not to brag or anything...but i think i make 'em the best. lol. sadly...we don't have a kavaroots here in utah...and even though i can buy the ingredients up here to make my own, i don't have the right blender. so when i try to use the normal household blenders out here...it really isn't the same.

its funny how these posts work themselves out. i was planning on writing about clothes and how they can sometimes "make or break" a person...but i just got carried away with my memories of kavaroots. *sigh* i miss that place.

my beliefs

upon reviewing today's topic, i figured i'd be really simple. since my beliefs are just that...simple.

* i BELIEVE in a loving and caring Heavenly Father whose love is everywhere

* i BELIEVE in eternal families

* i BELIEVE that you get what you give

* i BELIEVE the people in your lives are there for a reason

* i BELIEVE in my Savior...and HIS atonement

* i BELIEVE in forgiveness

this may not seem like a lot...but these are the most important ones...to me at least.

a moment

when i first moved to utah...i stayed with my sister and her family of 8. it wasn't that big of a change considering i lived with them back in hawaii before they relocated. and besides...i'll have to admit that she and her husband have been like my second parents for some time now. i remember when i was in high school, i went to a birthday bash with them, and some of my friends thought they were my parents. i never let one live that down. hahahaha!!!

anyhoo...since my brother and his wife moved up and get a house for themselves, i moved in with them. no more missing clothes, or messy room from kids going through my stuff. no more waking up to kids fighting or babies crying. its been nothing but peace and quiet. its been nice considering i've been working so much lately. but i do miss those monkeys.

so last night, bestie and i stopped by the saaga's. and this is what we walked into:




as much as i enjoy the peace and quiet and the cleanliness of my new "home," its moments like these that remind me why i moved up here in the first place. i don't know what my life would be like without these kids. they make living in utah bearable....and its moments like these that bring truth to the saying "home is where the heart is," cuz these little heartbeats make life worth living.

my best friend

i was looking forward to this post because there are so many stories to go along with this topic. lol. you know you're best friends when you go through a lot together...and i mean a LOT!!! this girl has had my back as far back as i can remember. we had so much in common from our first crush to our first loss. she truly is my SAS! here are a few things we have in common:

*born and raised in hau'ula

*lifetime H4 members

*both our fathers served as bishops for the ward.

*we both had the HUGEST crush on the same guy...until we both outgrew him. literally.

*lost our siblings (my brother and her sister) in car accidents. first jason. then sarah. both of whom are the same age and grew up together as well.

*both of us got lickings from the same person....who just so happened to be my mother. lol.

*fully dependable.

wen i look back through the years, mine and maria's relationship grew through the young women's program. we would complain about almost every activity, and as soon as we got our license we would ditch the last hour of church to discuss the past weeks activities while stuffing our faces with mcdonalds up at the point. because we went to different schools, these were one of the few times we could catch up on the latest gossip.

one of the BEST stories i have of us is the summer after her senior year and my junior year. we were both single and she was sooooooo ready to mingle. especially after just ending a two year relationship with her h.s. boyfriend. drama dat one. anyhoo...it was ward camp. and she being the outwardly open rebel...and me not being so open decided it would be a good idea to sneak away and attend a grad party that was going on that night. surprisingly...this was the first time she ever snuck out anywhere. lol. so i laid out the plan:

*tell the parentals we were gonna hang out in the main tent.

*wait til they fell asleep...or were about to fall asleep.

*take the van (my parents van of course since i was always the driver)...and get ready for the party at my house since everyone in my family would be at camp.

*PARTY TIME!!!!

so the excuse was going to be...we went home to grab a sweater...and just crashed at the house. after leaving the party at almost 430 in the morning...we headed back to the camp. with our change of clothes in the car. when we pulled up we quickly changed into our pj's. the plan was to circle around the camp and make it look like we were coming from the beach. we were about 50 yards away from a clean break until the dreaded flashlight (a trademark of my mother's at EVERY camp) shone brightly on our faces. busted.

maria started freaking out asking "oh crap! oh crap! what are we gonna do?" me...being the sneaky one...who's obviously had experience sneaking out before (*smh* oka...what a punk i was) told her to just be quiet and that i would explain everything. so as we approached my mother...i could FEEL her eyes penetrating through the both of us. she abruptly asked where we were, and i stuck to the whole going-home-to-get-a-sweater-and-falling-asleep story. she could see right through me. so in an effort to get the truth...she turned to maria, who was standing right next to her (wrong move)....and WHACKED her with the flashlight!!! hahahahahaha!!!! and this was no ordinary flashlight. this was the 10 lb. black security flashlight! and maria is as skinny as a twig...so it obviously hurt. omg...i'm cracking up just thinking about it. that's a true friend right there. after getting the first "beating", my mom asked maria the same question she asked me. and like a trooper maria stuck to the story.

so there we sat...the two biggest liars in the world sitting in front of my mom. when i think back on it now...we were both really stupid. what i thought was frustration and anger was actually genuine worry and concern. mom expressed how during that time of the year she worries about us on the road late at night. especially after what had happened to jason. this made me feel like crap. so we both apologized for being...well...teenage girls.

but this story will forever be etched in my memory. if you can get lickings from MY mom...you know you're family. lol. sadly...later that summer maria and i developed an even stronger bond over the loss of sarah...her eldest sister. unfortunately i was out of state when it happened and could not physically be there when it happened....but i was the first person she called when it happened. and she was the first person i went to when i returned from my trip. we know that we can depend on each other no matter what.

now that she's married and has a family of her own...our relationship remains the same. she has a new best friend...and i know i still have yet to find mine...but she will forever be my sis.

my day

today was pretty uneventful...much like any other day of my life. i would say that majority of my day has been spent working...but not today. like i've mentioned in a previous post, one of my besties is in town, so i was able to take some time off from my full time job. but poor her. i still have to work at the hawaiian cultural center.

so today...we decided to sleep in since both of us have been overworked the past few weeks. we decided to take it easy. if i had my way...i would have called in to the second job and made a spa day of it. but because i went home last week and spent waaaaaaaaay too much money, i figured i should put a few hours in.

so off we went to midvale. bestie dropped me off so she could spend some time with her brother who lives not too far away from the center. can i just say that aside from having my family here, working at the hawaiian cultural center has made the move up here so much easier. i love that even though i'm surrounded by a sea of "white" here in utah, i can walk through those doors and feel at "home." i don't have to explain myself when i buss out da pidgin. i can mention people and places from back home and not get a funny look. my coworkers truly are like family there. i don't even think i can call it work since all we do is cruise and enjoy each other's company.

so after putting in my four hours...bestie and i headed to the grocery store. i felt the need to cook. so we picked up a few things and headed home. baked bbq chicken, mashed potatoes and corn was on the menu, and bestie cooked up some devilish cupcakes. they truly were sinful. i forget how much i love to cook. i've been deprived of that privilege after working nights at delta. but its all good. the flight benefits make up for it. but how good food tastes when you make it yourself. i really should cook more of my meals myself.

then it was quality time with the brother and SIL. its been nice having bestie in town because it gives me the time i need to relax. i rarely see my "caretakers" nowadays because i work so much. i'll wake up just in time to get ready for work at the center. and then when i'm done there...i immediately report for duty at delta. by the time i come home...their asleep. or...when i have time off from both jobs i'm on a plane. so it was good to just kick back and enjoy a meal with them. that's usually when we have the best conversations. see...again with the food/convo combination.

so as you can see...not so exciting...but worthwhile for me. just quality time with good people.

my definition of love

my definition used to be:

when you're ready and willing to do anything and everything for a person.

but now when i think about it, it seems to subservient for me. so after much thought and contemplation i think i've come up with something better:

love is when a person helps you realize your worth and loves you for it...unconditionally

what i ate today

ok...since i only ate on thing TODAY...i'm gonna share what i ate yesterday cuz it was mmmm....mmmmm...mmmmm good. lol.

the bestie flew into town yesterday...so after picking her up from the airport we went straight to the house to refuel. i figured its cheaper to eat at home then eat out. so we got home to find my sister-in-law prepping some lunch. perfect timing. lol. BLT's were on the menu...and i was a little hesitant because i've never had one before. sorry...not that big of a bacon fan. but man...i don't know what she put in THIS sandwich but it was yuuuuuuuuummy!!! so that was my breakfast. lol.

after work that day...my "food storage" started running low...so with ana in town...we decided to treat ourselves to some olive garden. it has definitely been a while since i've eaten there...so i forget how scrumpdiddleyicous their food is. i usually order the basics...lasagna or spaghetti. but this time i was filling something stuffed. so cheese ravioli for me with salad and breadsticks along with a strawberry mango lemonade. ugh...i'm getting full just thinking about it. dessert was the last thing on my mind after cleaning off my plate. lol. but we weren't done.

after leaving olive garden we were off to cold stone down the road to meet up with some more good company. since i've moved up here to utah..i've made it a goal to spend some time with my friends from college who are now married with kids. we usually meet up at chili's or cafe rio and make a meal of it...but this time we thought we'd just catch up over dessert. so we met at cold stone. man...i swear i became diabetic just walking into that place. everything smelled soooo sweet. but it too was yuuuuuummmy! *sigh* that just put me over the top.

one thing that i've realized however is that food is always the staple that brings people together. its the key ingredient in celebrating every occasion....weddings, birthday parties, anniversaries...etc. the list goes on and on. my friends and i have had many a good conversation over some good food. although i should really limit my eating out, you just can't limit quality time with good people.

the parentals

david and angie
my parents

they met not too long after my dad returned from serving in the northern indian mission...covering north and south dakota and wyoming. he was giving a talk at a young adult fireside that my mom just so happened to be attending. she just flew in from new zealand and was on a mini vacation in the islands. her first impression of him (in her words), "i thought he was so ugly!" *sidenote: i take offense to her comment every time she tells the story because i mean c'mon...my daddy was and still is VERY handsome. so she's crazy. lol.

anyhoo...after the fireside was over, the very one who thought he was ugly, approached him because she realized he served with one of her friends from new zealand. he says he was immediately smitten...and they began hanging out immediately after. one thing that is ironic is that the whole time my mom was here on vacation, she was staying with her cousin who was actually engaged to my dad before he went on his mission!!! hahahahaha! i tease him about how he liked to keep things in the family.

but i'm grateful for that day. had that not happened, i would not be here...obviously. it still amazes me how these two were able to come together. i know that the lord had a huge part in helping them find one another. especially in preparing my dad.

you see...he is a convert to the church. i've mentioned this in a previous post. he saved up enough money to support himself throughout his mission. he always talks about how he had to sell his fire engine red mustang to pay for his mission. he has always been a hardworker. from his years of service in the national guard after they were married, to his years of driving either tourists or high school students, my dad has always been the provider for our family. now that he's retired...he continues to work hard around the house and with his various church callings.

but he wouldn't be the strong, hard working man that he is without my mom. growing up...i've always known my mom to be a stern woman. i could never really connect with her as much as i did with my dad. isn't that true with most daughters??? well...growing up i tease her that my older sister and i were latchkey kids because she returned to the workforce when i was in the 3rd grade. so, when coming home from school, instead of being greeted by an afternoon snack made by our mother...like most kids...we were greeted with a list of chores and things NOT to do when we were done with said chores. hahahaha! but i love my mom. she is just as hardworking as my dad. so much in that she would rather stay at work sometimes, then come home. lol.

i just got back from visiting with my parents last week because mom's health isn't exactly the best at the moment. but one thing that i did observe while i was there was the undying love these two continue to have after 38 years. they are the ultimate example of unconditional love for me. i am forever grateful for them and their living example of what i look forward to achieve when i find my eternal companion. don't get me wrong. they're not perfect. they've endured more than their share of trials, but they continue to come out stronger than before. i could go on and on...but its getting a little difficult trying to see through the tears. lol. i love you mom and dad.

first love

when i think of my first love...i think of my first date. to this day i wouldn't quite say i was in LOVE with him...more of a deep like. LOL.

it was fall of '98...the start of my sophmore year, and his junior year. although we didn't go to the same school, we had mutual friends who all seemed to hang out together on the weekends after football games or at dances. and i guess that's where we seemed to connect. back when it was normal for the guy to ask the girl to dance, he was always the FIRST to approach me whenever i showed up. we would dance all night, and chat it up for a lil bit afterwards outside the gym. whenever the curfew was an issue (for me of course) our conversations continued over the phone. it was the beginning of a great friendship. or so i thought.

then it changed thanksgiving weekend. i distinctly remember because it was the weekend of the coveted prep bowl. in preparation for the "big event" i remember making leis for all my "boys" playing that weekend. then i got the call. it was him. he sounded different than before. nervous almost. after covering the basics...hey...what's goin' on....how was ur thanksgiving...blah blah blah...there was silence. he asked if i would be going to the dance later that night. me, knowing i still had a ton of leis to make, i told him i was unsure. silence again. then came the confession. he liked me. i mean...i would be lying if i said i didn't know by then...but to hear it straight from the horse's mouth was something different.

it. was. nice.

our relationship grew from that point on. i admitted my mutual interest...but wasn't ready for anything serious quite yet. which, now that i think about it...doesn't really make sense because from that point on...we were practically in a relationship...i just didn't want to admit it. our weekend conversations turned into daily phone calls...with occasional rendezvous at a friends house. our first real date was at laie theaters. hahahahaha!!! i remember my parents picking me up after the movie, and because i was too young to "date" i had him wait in the theater til i left. hahahahaha!!! i know...ghetto. but *sigh* those were the days. had to sneak around.

the prime event...my sophmore banquet. since we had become so close throughout the past few months, it was only natural for me to have him be my date. because i went to a different school where he wouldn't know ANYONE, three of my close friends took three of his friends as their date as well. so after taking group pictures at the temple (aiya...we thought we was goin prom..lol), we hopped into our limo (see! lol)...and made our way to town. all in all we all had a good time.

sadly...all good things must come to an end, and so it did with us. phone calls became less frequent. both our lives became preoccupied with sports and school work, and we just didn't seem to be on the right page. as i became more and more aware of my feelings for him, his seemed to fizzle. we tried to reignite the flame a few years later after i graduated from high school, but we both realized we were better off as friends.

so there you have it...my first "love"....or the way i like to put it....my first "deep like" :)

the challenge is challenging!!!!

ok....i am already getting off to a bad start. but things have been CRAZY this week...but i'll have to save that for a later post. on to the first topic: INTRODUCE MYSELF.

now...i'm pretty sure that everyone who follows my blog already know all there is to know about me, so here are a few random facts that may not be common knowledge...

*5 scars from a random biking accident back when i was in second grade
(one on each elbow and one on each knee along with one on the chin)

*lived in 4 different homes in a period of 3 years

*got lost at the swap meet when i was 5 years old. i don't remember it, yet it seems to be a vivid memory for the rest of my family...

*spoiled yet humble (are you humble if YOU claim to be??? lol)

*went to 3 different schools post hs graduation..only to officially graduate 8 years later

*teachers pet...in elementary at least. lol. most people think they are. but do their teachers take them to disneyland after graduating from 6th grade??? yup...that's what i thought.

*got a sprained ankle in 10th grade while playing volleyball, forcing me to use crutches for a few weeks. not a good combo when your school is on a hill

*fell off down stairs on school bus while using aforementioned crutches

*used fake hair at sr. prom...which saved me HOURS of prep time.

*love rainy days..only if it means i can stay home

*lived with 9 other girls in a 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house. i don't know how we did it.

*my first car was a whopping $300!!!

*love my family.

i thought this would be a better way to introduce myself. you know aside from the whole mundane introduction...you know, name, family members, education and occupation history. these are just a few of the random experiences that have made my life that much more exciting. granted there are waaaaaaaaay more..but these are the ones that seem to stick out in my mind. so there you have it. uilani.lina.keo

the challenge

i realize that this past year has not been the best for blogging. but the life of a work-a-holic makes daily entries a thing of the past. so...the other day while perusing through some of my favorite blogs, i came across the latest entry from my dear cousin neena. she had posted a BLOG CHALLENGE (you can check it out here). she basically discusses how over the next month of september, she will be doing a blog a day...discussing various topics about herself. so i decided to take that challenge and do the same. i'm excited to see what stories will come out of these topic starters!

something WICKED this way comes....

yup....finally did it. saw WICKED!!!! and all i have to say is that it was FREAKIN' AWESOME!!!! not even kidding. i've heard soooo many things from friends and family about this play, so if i had a bucket list...this would definitely be on it. so now i can cross that one off. i was fortunate to go with two very dear friends....jan lesuma...
and the birthday girl...ane mapu...

it was a quick trip...but we were on a mission! my flight arrived slightly delayed at around 10am saturday morning. after pick up we immediately made our way to the orpheum theater to check out the prices and see what our chances would be for winning the raffle. two hours before every show, they raffle off orchestra seats that winners are able to purchase for a whopping $25!!! and guess what....we won!!! it was AMAZING!!!!

we were lucky we won because after they called all the names for the raffle, they announced that it was sold out!!! way to visualize!!! it was meant to be. but man...we must be getting old...because after the show we went straight to our hotel room and knocked out!!! which in a way was a good thing because my flight left at 6am the next morning. talk about the BEST day trip ever!!!

the musicboxer episode

after being all nostalgic with my life at the musicbox, i realized it was necessary to document some KEY moments in the brief time i spent living there. the one that sticks out in my mind the most, was the night we got dubbed the "musicboxers." *sigh* let me just say...that i am a fun loving person, who loves everyone. never do i go out looking for trouble. the same goes for my roommates. we enjoy having a good time, and look for the best way to do so. i just need to disclose this bit of information about us before continuing with this story.

so...back in february of 2007, ms. lauryn hill herself came to hawaii. i am a HUGE...and i mean....HUGE lauryn hill fan. so as soon as they announced she was coming to hawaii, there was not a doubt in my mind that i would be there. NONE! so of course....many of my roommates....avid fans as well....decided to make it a house activity. so half of the house, tiana, ida, crystal and myself went along with our musicbox honorees, kara, and ofo. sadly...ana, raija and kat couldn't make it...but i'm kinda glad they didnt. it would've been TOO much if our WHOLE house got involved.

so anyhoo....we got there early enough to secure a spot front and center of ms. hill's stage. there were like 3 or 4 stages with different groups performing, but we knew we had to get to her stage early, cuz the crowd would be crazy. and boy were we luck we did...cuz it was a MAD house by the time she came out to perform. needless to say...she is FLAWLESS!!! the BEST concert i've been too so far. and now that i think about it...it may have been my last. hahahaha. here's a few pix from that night. and for some reason...i can't seem to find the pix we got of ms. hill herself...but trust...we were RIGHT THERE!!!




now....let's get to the "beef" of the story. so like i mentioned before...we were right at the front, and the crowd was mad packed. there was hardly ANY room for us to move. let alone have people walk through. but for some reason...these two highly intelligent girls decided they could stroll on up to the front. now...as i mentioned before..me and my girls were all G. we didn't care wut these two monkeys were doing...we just thought...they were just tryna find a way out of the crowd. wrong. they started squeezing themselves up to the front of the stage right next to us. which was really fine with us...but the group next to us was NOT feeling it. it really didn't help that these two girls were caucasian, tryna squeeze their way in front of a mess of poly women. wrong move. lol.

one of the girls in the group next to us started yelling at them to get out. but...again...brilliant as they are, these two DRUNK (might i add) haole girls decided to argue back. not a good idea. seeing this...i knew something bad was about to happen, so i tried to intervene and help these girls find their way out. and that's when it started. as i was tryna separate the two haole girls from the group next to us, and lead them out the side....somehow they got separated, one in the very front of the stage, and the other was standing behind me. the one behind me was taller than me (surprise surprise right? lol) and in an effort to get to her friend...she had the bright idea to put her arm around my neck in an effort to choke me!!! are you serious?! are you freakin serious?!

because she was taller than me...all i remember is reaching up and grabbing that chick by the hair. but apparently some girls behind me saw what she was doing to me, and started pulling her hair from behind. hahahaha!! next thing i know, i pulled down, twisting out of HER grasp and just started throwing blows at her face. i got a couple blows in when next thing i know, security or someone pulls her away, and all i hear is lauryn hill stop the concert!!! omg...shame. yes...she stopped in the middle of her beautiful singing because we were fighting.

now...mind you...i wasn't the only one involved in this lovely brawl. and this is why i LOVE these girls. i know they got my back. what i forgot to mention was while i was pulling that girl off of me and bringing her down to my level...tiana...who was like 10 ft away after seeing what was going on came running through the crowd and jumped in to a get a shot at homegirl. and then...crystal and ofo who were at the front next to the other haole chick...were trying to throw her over the barricade to get her out!!!! buahahahahaha!!!! omg. omg. omg. now that i think about it...it was pretty crazy. but it all happened so quickly...and nothing would've happened had that girl kept her hands to herself.

it wasn't long til EVERYONE heard about it. kalofae. and thats when we went from the ladies of the musicbox to the musicBOXERS!!!! aiya. but i must say...this experience brought us soooooo much closer. fo' real. gladly, that was our first and LAST rumble. and this is why i LOOOOOOOOOVE these girls. through thick and thin...they got my back and they know i got theirs.

musicbox memories

every have one of those days where all you seem to do is reflect on life over the past few years??? well today is definitely one of those days for me. i mean, i can't help but think about stuff when there's NOTHING to do at work....lol. well...i SHOULD be planning for our college fair in november...but come now...i've been overworked the past few months, i think i need some "reflection" time. lol.

anyhoo...while here at work...besides cruisin' the book (facebook for you newbies)...i started going through some old photos on my bebo (another social network) page and couldn't help but reminisce about my life at the musicbox.

i don't recall ever writing about my "life inside the musicbox." (which is an awesome song btw by regina spektor). lol. anyways...back to my nostalgic moment....while browsing thru these flix i couldn't help but smile with every click. isn't it amazing how a single picture can tell a story?! and these were GREAT ones!!! to save me some time from uploading pix...feel free to check out the album here.


for those of who aren't too familiar with the musicbox...this was the home to 10....yes...10 amazing ladies. now before u start trippin...no we didn't ALL live here at the same time...but at times it felt like we lived with waaaaaaay more. this blog definitely would not be complete without sharing the story of how the musicbox was founded...so be prepared to exercise those eyes. lol

in the summer of 2006, i was living in hauula with two girl friends...kat tua'one (now pahulu) and tiana henderson. we lived in a small 2 bedroom house in the country...and it was obvious that we needed more room. with all our late night and sometimes OVERNIGHT visitors, it was time to move on. with the up and coming school year, a few more friends were moving to hawaii to finish their degrees, crystal moleni (now tua'one), and juanita afamasaga. ida aspinall, another friend, who had been living with family was also looking to branch out. then came ana aiono and morgan casey (now gilmore)...two fun-loving gals from arizona who i befriended at work (turtle bay at the time). they were looking for a cheaper place to live that wasn't so far from work.

so there you have it...8 girls...all looking for a bigger place. i took it upon myself to find accommodations for ALL of us. since i had already started looking for a new place for just the 3 of us (me, tee and kat), i thought...hey...why not find a bigger house. after about a month...i found this beauty...

hahahaha! ok...it wasn't this bright blue when we were living there. as a matter of fact it wasn't blue at all. the landlord JUST painted it this year. it was more of an off white color. but anyways...this was our home...or...the second floor at least. the deal breaker was that it was literally down the street from my parents home. so if ever we needed anything...we could just walk to their house. lol. and trust...we took advantage of that many a starving night. we moved in on august 1, 2006.

i will probably have to create another blog to begin to discuss the memories we had at this house. there was never...and i mean NEVER dull moment. from birthday parties, to full on bbqs across the street. from serenades to intense board games. much fun was to be had at the musicbox. ahhhh...which brings me to the name...when we had our first "house meeting" we all brainstormed, and miss nita came up with "the musicbox", because the house was overflowing with musical talent. which just so happened to be showcased almost every other night. be it in the house, or in our front yard...the beach. it was awesome. it got to the point where everyone in our ward referred to us as the "musicboxers" which is a whole other blog in and of itself.

now i know i mentioned 10...and only listed 8. well...in november of that same year, ms. raija joined our lovely group...just before morgan moved back to arizona. and then after crystal graduated from byuh in april of the next year, ms. ofo filimoeatu took her place. it wasn't until january of 2008 when everyone bid farewell and went their seperate ways. some got married. some graduated. and some just moved home.

as i reflect on my time there...i can't help but be grateful for having these women in my life. the time we shared here will be forever cherished. but i know that no matter how far apart we are...since we are an international group ranging from the u.s., sweden, australia, and korea....i know that nothing can come between us. these women are truly my sisters. i will do anything...and i mean ANYTHING for them...and i know the feeling is mutual. so here's to the musicbox. stay posted for a few stories...cuz trust...there are many.

this is the ONE pic i could find with ALL of us and our honorary members...lol

in loving memory

can't help but be filled with emotion today. its been 14 years today since the passing of my brother JASON KEAUNUI KEO. thats a little under half of my lifetime. its crazy to think that so much time has passed...but the day itself is still so clear. so vivid. the emotions always seem to come rushing back on his anniversary. but this year it is just a little more fresh...being away from home and not being able to go and visit with him.



and a little over a week ago we lost another beloved member of our family. dick. my sister's dog. it may not seem like a big deal to most, but that dog (the brown one) and his brother pitch (the black one) have been in our family for almost 10 years. their keen senses and positive attitudes towards everyone always seemed to brighten our day. he was diagnosed with bone cancer in his foot, and after amputating that leg, the cancer still seemed to spread throughout his body. so he was put down on Tuesday June 15th and his ashes were scattered later that saturday at waimea bay. so it has definitely been an emotional month.

however, through it all i am even more grateful for eternal families. i know dick is just cruising with jason and all the other loved ones who have gone before us. luv and miss u bro and dicky boy.... :(

the new one...

life.is.crazy

i distinctly remember three months ago i told myself, "i can't wait to start working so i can be busy again." well, if only i could travel back in time and slap myself for saying that, because BUSY is a total understatement. between the two jobs, i have no time for...life. all i've been doing lately is eat.work.sleep.work.poop.work. lol! well...you get the idea by now. but i keep telling myself to be grateful. here's a few of the haps in the past month:

me and ms. raiya at sunset

me and pops chillin' at home

everyone cruisin' at rocky point

the saaga and keo kiddies reunited.

yup...got to finally go home after 4 loooooooooong months. it was soooooo good to be home and more importantly be back with family. now that we (the saaga clan and i) are officially a delta family, we made the trip home for a short visit. it was also nice to just relax and enjoy the warmth considering it snowed the day we left. always good to go home.