17 Furlough days

The Hawaii State Teachers Association just approved a contract and accepted 17 furlough days for the next 2 years (and 21 days for those teachers who are on a 12 month contract). I really think its sad when the economy is so bad that we have to start making budget cuts with education. Not ouly does this hurt the teachers of Hawaii, who are of course over worked and under paid, but it hurts the students and the parents. Where are the kids suppose to go on these furlough days and what are working parents suppose to do with the kids for 17 days out of the school year? I really wish that there was an alternative to the budget deficiets that every state is facing but is education really the first place that should be getting cut?

Slapped by Captain Obvious

The last 4 months have been a real struggle. I've struggled with pretty much everything and everyone including myself. I can't stay on our budget, a job I thought I had for the year was given to someone else, I can't find a job, I can't keep the house clean, I struggle with Terina, I stuggle with Kasala, I've said and done things that I wish I had never done. The last 4 months have just really sucked and has been a strain not only on me but on my family.

Yesterday Terina and I started getting ready for Church 2 hours before it started. I was determined to make it and make it on time. We made it... but not on time. Who knew that being a couple minutes late would land you in the 3rd row at church. It was our ward confrence. I got released from playing the piano in primary and called to be a teacher. Terina did a great job sitting the whole time in Sacrament and I was able to listen to most of the talks and stuff. The ward choir sang and I had to do everything I could to not cry. I burried my face in the back of Terina's head while I listened to the beautiful song.

Ere you left your room this morning. Did you think to pray? In the name of Christ, our Savior, Did you sure for loving favor As a sheild today.
When your heart was filled with anger, Did you think to pray? Did you plead for grace, my brother, That yo might forgive another. Who has crossed your way?
When sore trials came upon you, Did you think to pray? When your sould was full of sorrow, ABalm of Gilead did you borrow. At the gates of day?
Oh how praying rest the weary. Prayer will change your night to day. So when life gets dark and dreary. Don't forget to pray."

I felt as if the obvious was in front of me the whole time but because I was so consumed with myself that it never crossed my mind to pray. I don't say my personal prayers or read my scriptures. I guess I figured that Terina was doing all the work for me. I pray with her every night, she just got her own Book of Mormon (with her name on it) and we read a couple versus together so I figured it was good enough. But as I sat in sacrament meeting with my face in the back of Terina head I did all I could to not break down into one of those really kind of ugly cries. My heart felt something that it hasn't in a long time.. a sense of reliefe, a sense of comfort and assurance. It was as if Heavenly Father was telling me if I pray for help He will be there to help me.

Things go worse when I went to primary. The kids were practicing their songs for the primary program in a couple of months. The theme for the year is something to do with families, I'm not really sure on the exact theme. As they were singing Families Can Be Together Forever, I felt my eyes welling up again. I started to cry. The song made me feel so happy that I'll be with my family forever. Even though our family is not perfect and we have a flaws, we can be an eternal family if we just keep working on it.

At our primary training last night Sister Hemmingway said something that I need to always remember. The more we put Heavenly Father first in our lives the more we'll be able to feel wrapped in the arms of His love.

Gone Fishin'

Tonight, around the time to get Terina dinner and ready for bed, Kasala tells me that he's going fishing. Now, I'm sure he told me sometime earlier in the week that he was going fishing but I've been so busy doing nothing that I probably just forgot. So he walks out the door at 7pm and reappears around 11ish or midnight. He stinks like no other. Honestly I can smell him before even opening the door. When I open the door all I see is a huge knife and his little bag of fish. He took his fish over to another building to clean them but now my house smells like stinky fish. Who cooks fish at 1 in the morning?!

 I guess there was about 12 guys that went fishing and they caught about 40 of these things using a net. I guess Kasala has dinner for tomorrow and Teina and I will be eating Happy Meals.

Our One and Only

Monday we went on what is probably our one and only hike on the island. It was so much fun. A few others from our building went with us and we had a blast. 7 adults, 3 strollers and a huge hill to climb. I'm not gonna lie... I was hanging! Which was kind of sad seems Siki is 6 months pregnent and she did better than me but oh well. We all made it to the top and had an amazing view of the ocean, Sea Life Park and some more water.

We left around 8am and tried to beat the heat. It took about an hour to drive there and then some time to walk up this hill. I should have taken a picture of it from the parking lot but I was so stunned..... that mess was steep! I also didn't take any pictures of us walking up the hill for a couple different reasons. 1 I forgot to get the camera out of the stroller. 2 I probably couldn't have held up my arms and 3 I was completely out of oxygen..

But here was the view from the top. It was so beautiful. You could look out and see forever. If you were to look the other way you would be able to see Molikai.

Here we all are at the top looking out to the ocean. Kasala, Terina, Nela, Vaea, Siki, Maren, Berkely, Sake and Kasey... who is somewhere else....

          

 I think Siki was going to have a heart attack! She is so scared of heights and when the guys put the kids on the railing she was freaking out. Everything turned out fine and I got a really cute picture of the kids with their dads. Plus... If it wasn't for Kasala and Nela the kids would have never made it up the mountain! Over to the right of the look out point you could go a little further and look out over the other side and see more water and Molikai.

And here we are... me with my huge uniboob. That's what I get for wearing a billion sports bras for a hike!

After the hike we went to the nicest beach that I have been to since coming here. The sand was so soft and the water was so clear and blue. There weren't a lot of people there either. We made sandwiches and just kicked back. Terina and Kasey went into the watner and eventually everyone else made their way there too. It was an amazing day and we all had a lot of fun. Now we just have to think of something else to do that's free.....

So What?!

So what?! The President of the United States wants to talk to the school kids? What's the big problem? Parent's are pulling their children out of school because they think the government is trying to brainwash their child. Are you kidding me? Have you read what his speech was about? Instead of having your child at school for the 20 or so minutes it's going to take you decided to pull your child out and have them sit in front Avatar or Sponge Bob? Really?? What's Sponge Bob going to do for your childs future? Is it so bad that the President wants to encourage the youth of today to do better in school? To stay focused and give your teachers respect? I know that a lot of the parents aren't doing that! I have to put up with your loud mouth kid who thinks it's perfectly fine to cuss out a fellow class mate or teacher. I have to put up with your child who doesn't do their work and makes up every excuse under the sun to try and get out of it. I HAVE TO PUT UP WITH YOU.. the parent who defends their child's rude and inexcusable behavior. And it's the teachers' fault. It's ALWAYS the teachers fault. You child doesn't do work in class, at home, disrupts the learning of everyone else in class by acting out, taking class time and being a complete ass.... but it's my fault. It's my fault your child doesn't know how to act in public. It's my fault I'm going to be paying for your child's welfare because they decided that skipping class and doing drugs is more important than learning how to read and when they get older they can't get a job to support themselves. Really... it's my fault? When are parents going to step the ..... up and let their child take responsibility for their own actions? And what is so wrong with SOMEONE... ANYONE... telling a child to do good in school? To take educations seriously, to take responsibility. What is so wrong with that?! http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/president-obamas-back-school-message-students/Story?id=8509426&page=4 Here's the text to the speech. When you see something that is brainwashing, trying to control and munipulate the youth... let me know. Cause all I see is someone FINALLY telling those kids who don't get it from home to step up and start doing something in school.

Labor Day

Since today was a holiday we spent it as a family.... for once. Usually when there isn't any school Kasala is off with his friends playing basketball or he's sleeping... two of the things he's best at. But day he decided to break out the little BBQ that he got as a birthday present from Mom and cook some food for us. It was a really nice day outside despite the morning rain. We went to the store and got a few things to cook, Kasala called a friend of his to come over and Terina and I cleaned the house. We spent most of the day outside playing. Adison, the little girl next door, came over and played with Terina. We took out the little Hello Kitty tent in hopes that they would fall asleep... that never happened. But for the first time we actually did something with our neighbors! I love our neighbors too. They are just great! Siki and Nela live upstairs, Adam and Kasey next door and Jared and Crystal live right above us and Maren and Scott live down the way. All of our neighbors are great. It's fun to be able to just kick back and hang out with them. Today was a great day to just relax and spend time with good friends... and watch the kids wrestle.

Hawaiian Waters... TVA Style

It's been pretty hot outside. We don't have a swimming pool or a slip and slide. I know the ocean is just a walk away but it's a lot of work to go to the beach! We have to load up the car, put on a swim suit (or a bright colored tank top so that people can tell I'm a person and not a beached whale) find a simi empty beach (so a lot of people won't see me), watch Terina so she doesn't go under, pack up our stuff, rise off, go home, shower and then clean the sand out of the car so Kasala won't get mad. It's quite the process. One day when Terina and I came home from school we found Jared and Nela making a water park outside for the kids. I'm not sure who was having more fun... the dad's or the kids. Anyways, Terina had a blast! She ran inside, got her swim suit, which I think is getting to small, and headed out to the park. Super Man Vaea! He's a brave kid. He does whatever Nela and Jared tell him to do :) The landing wasn't as bad as she's making it look. With the water going down the slide the kids were going pretty fast. This was the only time I think she went down. She may have gone 1 more time... but Terina was pretty freaked out. Vaea getting brave. He's always up for anything fun... except bugs. And there's Terina at the top. It was "last call" so she had to go down 1 more time before they turned off the water.

And here's how so many of our afternoons at the park end... with Terina sitting on Vaea's head. The kids had so much fun that day. Thanks TVA Dads!!