13.1 Miles (submitted by Roy)

27Apr09 I ran my greatest achievement. 13.1 miles!!!!

It wasn't really planned. We new that Camp Buehring was hosting the half-marathon, but I was still debating whether or not to run it. Kevin, out of the blue said he wanted to run the event, so I figured I might as well do it also.

We met at the center stage for registration at 0300 in the morning. There were more people there than I expected. Everyone was anxious. The event didn't start till around 0430.

The first mile started faster than I expected, but as I warmed up I began to feel better. I was going strong until I hit around the 10 mile mark. Then I hit the "wall". My legs started to hurt and I had to put some effort in to my strides. As I approached about a quarter mile from the finish-line.. I could feel my calves start to cramp as I began to accelerate towards the finish.

I had to tell myself to slow down in fear that I would get full cramps and fall. I stretched my strides out as far as I could and finished in a couple of seconds after 2hours. When I came to a stop I was hurting. My toes were swore; my calves were cramping, and my feet were aching.

In fact my legs still hurt today. But all that aside, it was an experience. I can say I can run the distance from home in Kea'au to work in Hilo.

Memories and experiences...that's what it's all about.

Changing the chi

After the invasion.. I had to moved the chi.

I think I like it.

(A little paint would be good)

This is the car

So.. the black truck (broken light and all) is the one that stops traffic - we have people stop and ask if we'd like to sell it.

But the white Honda - is the one that keeps me up at night. This is the car that everyone wants. This is the car the theives tried to drive off with. This is the car that the popo said they'll come back for.

But this is the car that we brought Reece home in when she was born. This is the car that took the family to Lahaina on sundays to visit Lahaina Grandma and Papa. This is the car the carried Chloe home from the hospital after she was born. This is the last car my Mom drove. This is the car that gives Roy a backache cause he 'dropped-it' too low!!!! Bumpy yea the road to KMR? LOL!

This is the car...

Hope's Pono Award

Here is Hope and her best friend Lauren. They both were awarded the student of the month award. Here at Keaau ELementary they call it "Pono Awards."

I am so proud of her. She's a great student and is always "pono."

Congratulations to the winners!!

Leaving is the hardest thing to do

As we leave the house this morning, we wonder..
Will the house be safe, will Roy's car be there, will the window's be broken?
Will the house be trashed?
Will the glass door be intact?
This makes me ill.
The stress.

Fighting Back

The girls have "armed" themselves to protect our home, our cats and our stuff.
Chloe has a golf club, Reece a knife(not a real one), and Hope will fart and hold the intruders down while the sister's beat-up the theives!!! LOL!!!!
I'm glad the girls are not afraid. I'm glad they feel empowered.

But of course.. they don't have weapons. This is just positive talk we had.

Still have a life

It feels weird to leave the house.
But.. We still have a life to live.
Volleyball practice still goes on.. groceries still need to bought.
School is still in session. I gotta work.

I feel like we're abandoning the house...

Robbed!

My house was robbed yesterday-4.23.09! Burglarized!! Violated!!

Stolen from my bedroom was 2 laptops, and small digital camera and taken from the living room was video camera.

The kids, the cats and the rest of the house is fine.

They did try to steal Roy's immobile Honda. Cops think they will be back for his car.

I'm a mess.

Feel violated, anger and vengeful.

Reece Puakea Kiyomi

Reece.. My oldest daughter. She's 13 and in the last stretch of her 7th grade year. She's a funny, clever girl. Loves her cats, her fan-fic (ask her - not me), Maui, her friends, and grilled cheese sandwiches with pickles. Tries to be a good big sister, and a supportive daughter. We have many nicknames for her, but I won't go into them here. :)

This year, she joined a local YMCA volleyball team for girls 13 and older. This is a her try at organized sports. She loves it and want me to put up a net in the back yard. Below are the new uniforms (work-out suit, whatever they are called). She's soooo proud to wear them.. and I am proud of her. LOVE you Reece's peanut butter cup!!!

Run! Roy, run!

Here's Roy and the Aloha Run Team #3. For a second there.. I thought they we wearing grass skirts!! :)


And here he is during the Oklahoma Marathon in April 09 (Kuwait). Wow.. look how bowed his leg is? nah nah nah... Roy... just teasing.. no get all freaked-out... I was just teasing. Geezes.. :) Love you!

What's everyone reading?

Whats everyone reading these days?

I'm sick of reading labels, and the how-to's, possible side effects, precautions, and drug interactions leaflets that come with the stuff I get. I'm sick of reading and re-reading the by-laws for the ptsa. (I'm sick of reading anything ptsa related actually... Heehee)

We stopped to browse at Border's books. Saw a few interesting titles.. One that stuck out, Loosing it by Valerie Bertinelli.
How about that book by Tori Spelling?
I'm looking for a book that's light, ensightful, funny, and inspiring.
Anyone got suggestions?

Leo and Sam

Here's the latest picture of the cats. Leo is the tabby and Samson is the black and white one.

April Puffy

As some of you may know.. I love to crochet.

For almost 2 years, I have been part of an online crochet group - Crochetlist.
Within that group, I am a member of the monthly dischloth exchange. Each month we create a dishcloth and mail it to our assigned partner. Usually, we add little extras in the envelope - teas, recipes, patterns, small things. This sometimes makes the envelope - puffy.

It's always exciting when I get a "puffy" in the mail. The kids and even the cats (as you an see in the picture) can't wait to tear into the puffy.
My April partner is Sue Peterson from Michigan.

Doesn't look like Leo is saying... Hands off lady! This is mine.


The round crocheted scrubbie matched the crocheted dishcloth. It's been called a tawashi. I've made several of these to give away - this is the first time one has been sent to me. I loved it! Mahalo Sue!

Cost of travel

What a difference a few months make! Back in Nov 08 when we went to Maui for Mom's 1 year service it would have cost me an up-ward of $1k to fly to Maui and come back!

Now - just about $600.

I'd like to go to Maui to wrap up some banking issues with my Mom's account, and possibly visit with a sick family member. I hope to spend time with my cousin-Tina, and all my gal pals!!!!

Um... Sam Sato's, Koho's, Zippy's, guri-guri.... Yummy! Can't wait!

Details to follow!

So... Now that i can send messages from my phone directly to my blog... I wonder how much will i end up posting? Humm?

Merrie Monarch

So, this weeks is Merrie Monarch here in Hilo.
Since I'm not much into Hula - this event doesn't affect me much. But... today while I was in KTA - Puainako, you could easily spot the MM people.

How..?
Way to over-dressed for grocery shopping.
All blinged out.. designer handbags (um, don't know if I would call Baby Phat designer?)...
looks like they going to a nightclub or party...
way to much make-up for 8am..
acreages of flora and fauna surrounding their heads and shoulders...
It was funny!!

Here's a link if you wanna check it out: Merrie Monarch

But the reason, why I took note to this was - while standing in the check out line.. the shoppers in front of me.. were loudly announcing how 'old fashion' this store was and 'deh no moe dat at home' (what ever "dat" was I have no clue).

Sad.. how these beautiful citizens.. look so cheap and ugly the minute they open their mouth and all this pidgin comes out. Sad.

Its one thing to degrade or belittle the place your visiting... if you dont like the limited resources we have here - dont come!

But if your gonna spend a lot of $$$ on material things - spend some of that on EDUCATION and learn to speak ENGLISH!

E aRth QuA k E! !!

Whoa... did you guy's feel that?

It was a 5.0 mag quake that jiggled us at Keaau Elementary around 12:45 pm today. It took us all by surprise but thankfully - no injuries or damages reported.

Click this for specifics.

And, oddly.. for about an hour after.. I felt light-headed and seemed to be almost spinning sometimes. There was another person who said the same thing to me later.

Maybe it's Madame Pele welcoming the Merrie Monarch Festival visitors to the Big Island? Maybe?

Easter Marathon in Kuwait

Here's a snip of the email Roy sent about the Easter Run they participated in there in Kuwait. "I ran a longer leg of the marathon today. 6 miles (10K). I started
running around 0700, and it got super hot. I ran it in around 55
minutes. Slower than I hoped for, but I couldn't expect much after
running a 23min 3 miler the day before. We came in 5th place, but awards
were only given to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places. We all got a medal and a
t-shirt. It was a fun day. After the tiredness kicked in. We had to
register by 0345, so I had to wake up at 0300. Yesterday's Easter run
we also got a t-shirt."

I'm proud of ROY!!! Yea! He looks good yeah? He's the one without the shades.

Miss my Friends

I miss my friends from Maui. Pictured here are 2 of my very closest friends - Anuhea (sitting next to me) and Traci. We were having dinner at Marco's in Kahului, Maui on the first night I got there. I miss the laughing, sharing, talking, listening, shopping, eating.. I miss it all.

All my friends have touched my life in the most amazing ways. Celebrating my joys, comforting my broken heart, supporting me through fearful times and encouraging me all along the way.

I love you all.

Found it!

For the longest time - I could not find my blog page. IT was lost in space and now that I've found it I hope to start again.

So.. to anyone who reads this... Happy New Year 2009!

This year started with many new changes. The most significant being Roy's deployment to Kuwait. He left Hawaii in July of '08 as ordered to OIF(Operation Iraqi Freedom) 8. He is stationed in Kuwait. Roy was promoted to Sargent First Class before being deployed, I am so proud of him. This tour should last about 12 months - so we hope for him to be home on or about August '09.
The picture below was taken in March '09 on his last day home for RnR.



It might be sad to say.. but the girls aren't too affected by Roy's absence. I hope that when he retuns he'll take the time to re-aquaint himself with them. Since the girls are getting older.