Aloha Friday



NFL

For this week's Aloha Friday I thought I would highlight Tonga native Stephen Paea (not quite Hawaii but its all polynesian).  Let's hope #54 goes in the first round




I remember this game well - after all we won 36- 7 in Corvallis.  Third time in a row we have beat them in Corn Valley!

Pomaika`i Stephen!

Karma

Great link.....great reminders....

19 ways to create good karma

Elephant Journal

Panda's

Okay I need to start saving my pennies because I want to go and volunteer at the Bifengxia Panda Breeding Centre.



Panda Consevation Adventure

Of course I suppose this means I will need to get a passport.   Ummmmm.......

Here's the schedule

Day 1 Shanghai

Arrive at any time.

Day 2 Shanghai

Take an orientation walk through this amazing and exotic city. Option to peruse the enormous collection in the Shanghai Museum. Overnight train to Luoyang (Shaolin).

Day 3 Shaolin and Luoyang

Visit to the mighty Shaolin Temple with its fighting monks—the home of Kung Fu and participate in a Kung Fu class.

Day 4-5 Xi'an

Visit one of China’s greatest archaeological treasures—the Terracotta Warriors. Option to cycle the ancient city walls.

Day 6 Chengdu

Fly to Chengdu. Optional visit to Sichuan Opera.

Day 7-11 Bifengxia Panda Centre

Volunteer at the Bifengxia Panda Breeding Centre.

Day 12-13 Beijing

Fly to Beijing. Included visit to the Great Wall, and tour of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.

Day 14 Beijing

Depart at any time.



Easter Sunday

Another great weekend with multiple Easter get togethers. 

On Saturday we met Carol for breakfast....

And I got some new chairs

I went to go sit in one of them and read and this is what happened...

Sunburned!   Really?   Apparently it had been so long since I'd seen the sun I forgot the damage it could do.

Had our first BBQ of the season.   Chicken sausages, broccoli, texas toast, and...

Deviled Eggs!  G's favorite

Moving on to Sunday.....

The boys were supposed to golf on Sunday morning.   But that sun that had fried my chest had turned into rain clouds so they cancelled their tee time and we just did brunch.

I meant to take more pictures but here is the family at the table.....

The brunch was great!  Everything you could imagine and the presentation was nice as well - kicking myself I didn't take more pictures.  It was nice to have someone else cook for a change.

G in the pro shop by the tractor

T&R gave me a great Easter basket - full of fresh herbs.  Will definetly be planting them out in the herb garden soon.

And what would Easter be without Peeps - purple peeps of course!   Mom always gets them for me.

Spent some time over in WL as well.  More pictures when everything is all done.  But the good news is we have a renter!   Yea!  

Fresh tulips for the family room....wonder what color they will be?

Alll in all another busy but great weekend blessed to have family close enough that we are able to be together during the holdiays.

Here's hoping the week ahead is a good one!

Wishing

Wishing I was ......

......there with my toes in the sand and the sun on my face 

Spring has sprung

These are some of the wonderfully pretty trees around my office at work.  As you can see they are in full bloom and I have the stuffy sinuses and itchy eyes to prove it.   It's all worth it for the beauty of it all.

After all it's better than this.....

December 18, 2008

Sunday

On Sunday's I always love to put something in the crock pot.  That way if the day gets out of hand and busy - dinner is there and ready.   I had some short ribs so did a search on my new crock pot app and found a yummy new recipe.

The fixins.  Always seems to be a good go to - carrots, celery and onion. 

The short ribs

It has fresh tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and red wine poured over.   Should be yummy and ready in about 8 hours.

Next step of the day to go to the WL rental to help out.

This is just one corner of the living room right now.   I think every tool from our garage is over there right now.   Good thing G is handy - there is plenty to do for sure.

Can you guess what I did today?   Thankfully it is a pretty easy job.   We are painting the celing and walls all the same color.   Apparaently according to the paint nazi (otherwise known as my loving husband) you must paint the ceiling first.   Sigh.   Who knew there were all these rules with painting.   I didn't get as much done as I would of liked as there is some "wall repair" that is needed before most of the house can be painted.  I did make a small dent however and will probably go back next weekend to help finish the job.

 After I stopped by Whole Paycheck to get groceries and flowers for the week I figured I should stop by the car wash.  Cannot remember the last time I washed my car but I also can't remember the last time we had more than 2 days with out rain.   It supposed to stay rain free until Friday so I took the plunge.

The plunge in progress

Came home and the house smelled great!  

Here is the finished product!  The recipe says to puree the veggies once you take the ribs out so that will be the final step.   Just waiting for G to come home. 

All in all a pretty good weekend.   Got some craft projects done as well so there is a sense of accomplishment.

Here's hoping the weatherman is right and we see some sun this week!

Aloha Friday

Yea it's Friday!

picture taken by me!   wailea golf course - maui

Here's hoping the sun makes an appearance this weekend

A hui ho!

The phrase that pays

I think this says it all........

westwillow designs

This was a little treat that arrived in the mail for me today.   The timing was perfect.   Might order a couple more things from her today.  

Hauoli la hanau Gerry!

Today is all about my wonderful husband Gerry!  As he puts it - it's his birthday month so we are having multiple celebrations. 

• Celebration #1: Golf with Sean at Langdon Farms - it's been a while since he has played so I was glad the weather premitted them playing the 9 holes.  The boys came over to the house when they were done (and immediately went out to the street to toss the football around) and Britt joined us for cocktails and pupus.   Later we headed over to dinner at Sinju at Bridgeport.  
• Celebration #2:  Last night we met my parents in Woodburn at Vitality for dinner.  Interesting place - its located in a Wellness center I'm not sure how people know its there but they were full for Monday night.   Good to see them even though Roberta still can't see very well since the surgery but that is all temporary.  It's nice to meet "in the middle".
• Celebration #3:  Tonight I will make dinner for "just us".   Steak and Lobster w/ a steamed artichoke.  Not sure about dessert yet - thinking an ice cream cake might be fun.  Still haven't gotten his presents all put together but I still have time.
• Celebration #4:   Not sure when or where.   Maybe we can take a break from the West Linn rental remodel this weekend and catch a movie or something. 

Below are some of my favorite pics of the birthday boy:

 

Truly a favorite of mine - how cute are those two

On the ferry to Whidbey Island

Tailgating at the OSU game

In Lahaina

At a Beaver baseball game at PGE park

Another fun tidbit about his birthday is that this is the day he asked me to marry him 8 years ago.   He wanted to ask me at the exact time he was born.   Probably ranks as one of the highlights of my life.   Hard to believe its been 8 years - I guess time does really fly when you are having fun.

I am happy to have him to share the journey with.

Hauoli la hanau to my kuipo!

Insight

I loved the quote on my Dalai Lama calendar today.......

"The fact that the population of the rest of the world has an equal right to improve their standard of living is in some ways more important thatn the affluent being able to contine their lifestyle"  -- Dalai Lama

Aloha Friday

How pretty is this?   This is the view that is part of my daily morning walk when we are in Maui.   I actually have a picture of it on my treadmill as well.   There is nothing like walking along and being able to see, smell, and hear the ocean.   It truly is a place of peace. 

These are the stairs that are great at the beginning of the walk but not so fun at the end.   You see the walk is downhill for the first part until you turn around to come back.  Then its all uphill.  

The park that is along the walk.  This past January this park was flooded - keep in mind this is in Kihei (the dry part of the island).   We didn't see it but my parents did.  The water came all the way over to road.  All that was left by the time we arrived was lots of mud and red clay that resulted in the park being closed.   Amazing the damage a little bit of water can do.

G and the flowers - they almost don't look real

And if you've ever wondered what a bus stop looks like on Maui - wonder no more!   To me this is a complete crack up.   Can you see the little bench?   I have seen people sitting on these as well - wating for the bus to come by and pick them up.   What you have to love is that they are not bolted down but seem to stay next to the sign for the most part.   Some of them are painted - a project by a local school.  Truly I don't think this is something you would see on the mainland.

Here's to Friday and pau hana time!

A hui ho!

Thankful

When I came back from lunch today there were two things left for me at my desk.  One was a Libya pin and the other a Libya bracelet.   You see I work with someone who is from there and has family still there.   His brother was very high in the government and as a result is currently under house arrest.  It made me realize once again how thankful I am to live in a country where I am free.   So many in this world live their lives in constant fear. 


"Freedom is the right to live as we wish" - Epictetus