In the 'Twilight' of the Night

So on Friday night we returned from shopping about 6:30 or so. We had saw some lightning on our way home, but heard no thunder. But soon our power started to flicker and I knew that we better be ready for no electricity like as so many days before. Like clock work the power flickered a few more times and it was out. IPIC (our housing community) looses power alot more the other places on the island since we are not on the grid with everyone else, along with being billing more then them, by a ridiculous outrageous private company (SORRY I have strong feelings about this, and that is a whole 'nother story in and of itself). AnYwAy, since we lose power alot, we didn't think to rush to the radio to find out what was going on since most of the time our power outages never even make a blimp on the last page of the local paper. We just went on getting ready for the kids to go to bed. Reading books and scriptures by flashlight. Isaac actually was quite cute, kept trying to turn on the lights. Well with the kiddos in bed we set off to watch a movie on John's laptop. He had given me a bunch of movies for Christmas, all chick flicks, so to say. And he agreed to watch one with me. We picked the movie 'Twilight'. A movie based on a book that a friend had given me months ago, that I kept meaning to read, and never did. (Mainly cause I knew what would happen!) Well we were mostly through the movie, we were getting to the intense part. For those that have watched the movie, the part in the ballet studio, if that doesn't give away too much. Well anyway, the laptop suddenly flashed and the battery shut off. NO!! We were so into the movie that we had not noticed the flashing orange light coming from the side of the make-shift movie player. We were so anxious to see what happens, to see how things ended up. Well there was no hope for now, so we decided to listen to the radio, to see if by some chance they could tell us anything. Well come to find out the entire island, and maybe the whole state (it was briefly mentioned in passing that the Big Island was also in Flash Flood Warning, which lead me to ASSUME that they had no power either). Well with no hope of power to plug in the laptop anytime soon, we did what every person who is DIEING to see the end of an intense movie, we tried everything we could think of to some how divert power to the laptop. I got out the portable DVD play that had not played movies in MONTHS out, knowing that it had a full battery and a USB cord, hoping that we could some how make that GIVE power to the computer. With failed luck we were stumped. BY now it was late, and John was falling a sleep on the couch as I fiddled with the DVD player, if only it would work, if only that stupid DISC ERROR message would go away, and play that DVD!! I decided to try and much to my astonishment, the openings credits flashed before my eyes!! OMGoodness, it was a small miracle. Ok probably not, but I was sure happy. I woke up John and we watched the end! So the next morning as John prodded me to workout with him (I have been lacking self-motivation these last few weeks, know that in a just over a month we will be on "vacation" and probably NEVER exercise!) So I decided that I would read the entire story, since we know movies are cut due to time constraints. And exactly what I feared would happen if I started, happened. I couldn't put it down, I wanted to neglect all my duties, and when I was forced to fulfill those "normal" responsibilities, all I could think of was what would happen next (yes even though I knew the ending. John kept asking me.) It consumed my dreams even. I picture it all so clearly there. Well now its all done, and I want more. I am currently pacing myself to buy the next book, since I was a bit neglectful of my family the last two days. I'm thinking that "vacation" coming up would be perfect.

AND now I too am a

TWILIGHT ADDICT

Our Tree

So we set up our Christmas tree this year, right on schedule. The day after Thanksgiving, but we had a problem. When we set it up this year we only had enough decoration for about 1/3 of the tree. Two Christmas' ago we had a smaller tree like 5.5 foot tree. We bought our current one just after Christmas, so our first year to use it was last year. But we were in the middle of packing for John to leave for deployment, and so I was not allowed to buy anything for the tree, so last year I just made it work, our decorations we sad and measly, but it was ok. But this year that would not due. So we had to buy new ones. We went to the store with the idea to just buy more of what we had. BUT sneaky little product makers don't make those ornaments or ribbon anymore. So we got to buy all new ones. So this is what my tree looks like now.

**Just a bit of a side note I hope, pray and PLEAD that this will be our last move so close to the end of the holiday season. Last year, and this year. AND MILITARY I say that it is ENOUGH!! No more moving so soon after Christmas anymore!!!

Our Rollie Pollie

As some of you might know Noah is, well there is no nice way to say this, fat! I know that babies can't technically be called fat. But the kids has fat rolls in his fat rolls, how else would you describe him. Well anyway on Wednesday I was upstairs tucking Isaac in for his nap, and suddenly I heard a blood curlding scream come from Noah downstairs. I had left him on the floor, on a blanket. When I got downstairs his was laying face down in a puddle of spit-up. I was sure that I left him on his back since ever time he is on his tummy he spit-ups all contents of his stomach through his nose no matter when his ate last. So I did an experiment. I put him on his back again, and went upstairs to finish with Isaac, and sure enough half through my time with Isaac, Noah screams again. I come down stairs and sure enough he was on him tummy again, in a puddle. I called John to tell him, and he was bummed he missed it. I told him "Don't fell bad cause I missed it too, and I am home!" He has gotten much faster at rolling over since then, but still can only roll back to front. He doesn't spit up as much now as he rolls over, so that is good. But either way the mobile stages have begun!!!

Rain Pummels Oahu

Starting about 2am here in Ewa Beach it started to rain. On any normal day this would not have bothered me. John would have woke me to tell me that he was taking the car and I would go back to sleep and not think twice about it. Well today was not a normal day.

Since we are moving in 7 WEEKS we decided that we need to get a move on things to make things smooth. Well the Navy has done this a few times and knows that a stress moving thousands of miles every 3-4 year, and what that can do to a family. So they have set up a class called "Smooth Move" to help people with all the question of hows, whens, wheres, and whats of a PCS (Permanent Change of Station) move. And today was that class. I knew that with any sorta rain the traffic would be worse then normal, if that was possible. (FYI, I think that Ewa Beach has the worse traffic ever and I have lived in CA and traveled to, from, and through the LA area many times.) But on a day that reported 10+ inches an hour on most of the island. WOW did it suck. And what sucked was we were already running late do to the fact that John had to go to work at 6am, then come back pick me up, so we could drive back and be there by 8am. This is no small task to do once, but three times in 2 hrs. Kudos to John.


View Larger Map

So as you can see it is quiet a trek. Not to mention an even rougher one when this is what you see...

People can some times be RETARDED!! WHO DRIVES THROUGH A PUDDLE WHEN IT COVERS YOUR HOOD!! IT CAN'T BE GOOD FOR YOUR CAR, AND NO JOB IS THAT IMPORTANT. There were reports on the news of peoples cars floating away!!! WHAT in the world when they were thinking??? We were hard hit, and SOAKING when we got in the building, and had no power for a few hours, but we made out ok. Just behing our yard is all blocked off, and most of Iroquois Point was flood, so that kinda sucks, but the flooding here in Iroquois was not as bad as the year that it rained like 45 days straight on our house almost flooded 3 times!!

The Rumor has been Confirmed

So we have been hear rumor since last week that we were going to be leaving for NMCB 4 in Port Hueneme, CA in the beginning of February. John has school in Port Hueneme, CA starting March 2 then after he is done with that he will leave for 3 weeks to go to Gulf Port, Mississippi for another school. Then he will come back to Port Hueneme and report to NMCB 4 in the end of May. So it offical

WE ARE MOVING!!!!

After just moving in here and half unpacking our house we get to get packed up again, and shipping everything off this island. We get to

BUY A HOUSE!!!

This is what I am most excited about. And when we talked to the realtor he said that house that were selling for over $500K 5 years ago are now selling in the LOW $200K. So it looks like we will be able to buy a bigger house and that is going to be awesome. I have wanted to buy a house since we got married. But the time in our lives, and the market were just not right. But with all that is going on we are finally going to be able to BUY!! I feel bad for everyone that is losing so much on those houses. But bad for them good for us!!

So look for pictures of house that we might be buying and the one that we actually DO buy coming this FEBRUARY 2009. YEAH!! PARTY at my place when we get it!!

Oh I have never been so excited. Ok maybe when we made it past 10wks with both our boys, but other then that NEVER so excited!!!

Just 2 Things

So my sister specifially said that I would fill this out. When I read that I turned to John and said "She doesn't know me too well, I never fill these things out." Then John said "Maybe I will fill it out for you and post it on your blog" So I decided to do it first before he writes bad stuff about me. So here is to you SarahAnn



1. Two names you go by:
1. Momma
2. Shari


2. Two things you're wearing now:
1. capris
2. shirt


3.Two things you would want [or have] in a relationship:
1. love
2. laughter


4. Two of your favorite things to do:
1. hang out with John
2. hang out with friends


5. Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1. A nice house in a nice neighborhood
2. more sleep


6. Two people who will fill this out
1. Aliva
2. Whitney


7. Two things you did yesterday.
1. clean, clean, clean
2. wrapped all the Christmas presents


8. Two things you ate yesterday:
1. cereal
2. homemade burritos



9. Two people who you last talked to:
1. John
2. Isaac (well sorta) if that doesn't count, then the Lender, who sounds exactly like Mitt Romney

10. Two things you're doing tomorrow
1. Babysitting Audrey
2. Normal everyday stuff

11. Two favorite holidays:
1. Valentine Day
2. Christmas


12. Two favorite beverages:
1. Fruit Punch Cyrstal Light
2. Water

13. Two people no longer alive that you'd like to talk to:
1. Joseph Smith
2. John's Great Great Grandpa, so I can find out who his parents are so I can do John's genelogy

Ok now its your turn. Considers yourself tagged!!!

The Funny Things They Say

So today was a normal crazy day. Isaac was a complete terror. He broke 3 ornaments today, his new favorite pass time, along with pulling the garland off the tree spinning it. But he did say some hilarious things today...

While watching Prince of Egypt

movie "I am the I am" John- "I always expect him to say I am Sam I am"
movie "I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" Isaac "I Isaac too"

while we were sitting at the table for dinner-

John "tell her that you like what she did with her hair" Isaac "hair"
John "tell her that she looks like she lost weight" Isaac turns to John sorta waves his hand downward at John and says unbelievingly "JOHN!"

We laughed so hard that I cried, and John could baerly breathe. Lots of other funny things were said, but I only remember those right now

Thanksgiving Wekennd

We had a fun weekend. It started with a nice late Thanksgiving brunch at the Oceanarium. It was really nice and very cool. The restaurant has a huge fish tank on one side of it. And we got FRONT ROW!! Seats to it. It was very cool. The kids kept saying "look there is Dorie, Nemo, Mr Ray" It was funny to hear them compare all the fish to the Finding Nemo cast. It was also really cool cause a "mermaid" came and fed the fish (a girl dressed as a mermaid). And it was all you can eat. Now as most of you probably know I am not a big fan of buffets mainly cause I can't special order the dish without this and that. So eating for me was a bit of a challenge. So when we got up to the buffet line there was this alfredo pasta thing, and I thought "OH YUMMY!" So I put some on my plate and got some other things and went back to my chair. I took a few bites of the pasta, and then noticed some shrimp. Now many of you might be thinking "score!!" Me I am thinking crap that has iodine in it. See when I was 16 I gave blood at a blood drive and found out I was allergic to iodine. Now I have never ingested iodine before, not a big fan of seafood, so I was really nervous. But a few second after I had my pasta noodles that had soaked in iodine sauce I started to cough, and my throat started to tickle and itch. Now we were with Whitney and Leland and Whitney is a nurse, but I begun to panic. I just drank alot of water, and some juice. Then sat there not really sure what do to. I just waited. Well nothing else happened my throat just tickled and itched the rest of the day. John nicely pointed out to read the cards that said what the dishes were. Those cards I had never even seen when I went up the first time. After that we went and looked at The Niu new house. WOW!! is it nice! I am so jealous. I told John that if we were not moving in May we would be moving next to Whitney. I am sad they are leaving Iroquois Point, not for them of course cause they got a killer house out of it. But sad for me, she will be by Tripler now, that is about 20 away with no traffic. After that John and I came home and prepared for a Black Friday shopping.'

Black Friday:

Oh it was so fun and exhilarating! But complete exhausting. See last year Whitney and I went and we got to walmart at 4:30 doors opened at 5am. We were thinking we will be fine. Well the line to get in was through the parking lot, wrapped around the next parking lot, out to the street, through the supermarket parking. And that is where we ended up. So this year I was going to get in early and get what I needed. We talked to others that were there earlier and they said they got there at 3:30 and they were still in the walmart parking lot, so I thought 2am would be fine. Well with all that is going on in the Niu's life right now Whitney could not go with me, so I asked John if he wanted to get a sitter and go with me. And that is exactly what we did. We got to walmart about 2:15 and we were in the next parking lot over. WHAT!! Yup that is the way it works I guess. By the time they started to let people in the line was through the supermarket parking lot, back to the street, curving around and back out to the main drag. It was crazy! But I did get my Cricut Expressions machine. FINALLY!! I have wanted one for a long time. But they are $435 normally. I got mine for $200 YEAH!! We hit 9 stores in 7 hrs and got all of our shopping done. Well except a few stocking stuffers for the boys, and our new tradition of PJs. But all the main big stuff is out of the way. After our naps and dinner we put up the Christmas Tree. So now we are all ready for Christmas.

Last Day

I know that it has been a long and exciting trip for everyone, but unfortunately it is coming to an end.

Since the first full day of our trip, when we ate breakfast at Jackie Rae's, and they told us all the things to see and do on the island, and they told us about this beach and that beach. I had wanted to go to the green sand beach. YES I said green sand beach. Now when you Google Green Sand Beach Hawaii, many people will in their blogs and posting will say it is the only one in the world. That is not true! There is only 2 in the whole world the other one is in Guam. Not really know if I will ever get to Guam I was determined to see that Green Sand. So we decided that we would get up at 6am to leave by 7 so we could drive back out to South Point take the 2.5 mile hike in and 2.5 mile hike back out, to then drive back the 1.5 hrs so we could get ready to leave and be at the airport at 2pm. So that was the plan...

We woke up on time, left within a fews mins of our scheduled departure, drive the 1.5 hr drive that took us 2 hrs due to traffic. It poured, I mean poured only could see a few feet in front of you poured right as we were getting to South Point. But I will still going to do this. We got there parked and got out of the car and the sun came out... See I am going to get to do this. We started the hike, once we found the trail head. It wasn't really a hike, it was a lava rock road, that many many people had drove on. Well we get not but 10 maybe 15 feet into the road and a lava rock moved as I was walking on it, and I fell. Twisting my right ankle and skinning my left knee up pretty good (Not tearing one hole in my pants though)



But I moved my ankle around a bit, making sure it still worked. It hurt but not bad, so I plugged onward. The "hike" was a fun one after rained so hard. Finding a place that we could step and not step in calf deep water was interesting. But we pressed onward, we were going to go and see that beach. Now about 30 mins into it. It was really muddy and my foot slipped and my ankle twisted again. This time instantly swelling...as seen here in a picture of my ankle at the airport


Ok my swollen ankle is on the left, and the one on the right is permanently scared from falling on the treadmill a few months ago...I know I am accident prone

At this point it hurts pretty bad. As we all stand around and I try to figure out what I am going to do, John makes the decision that we were going to head back and Whit and Leland could just take pictures for us. So we head back to the car, it takes us about 45 mins. Then we drive back to the resort, I sit on the couch with my feet up as John gets us ready to go to the airport. Come to find out we were only 15 mins from the Green Sand Beach. BUMMER!!!





But on the way back to Kona we did see this in the sky



I thought it was worth taking a picture of since it looks like a train to me.

I did wanted to make sure that I did comment on the Kona Airport. Now think back to what you thought Hawaii would be like. You had watched the Brady Bunch, they came to Hawaii, got leis, nice open breezey. Well the HNL airport not like that at all. Well the Kona Airport is all out doors. Its really cool and adds to the affect of landing on island. Once we landed I said now I feel like I am on island.



Taking Off Back to Reality



It was fun. We had a blast. And can't wait to do it again.

I Interrupt the Regularly Scheduled Blog...

Ok so maybe I am not as funny as I think I am. But either way this is out of the "vacay" context. This weekend was Stake Conference in our Stake. I am just rejuvenated after listening to our stake president. I truly love him and always enjoy him when he speaks he motivates me. Well our stake has this 7 F's.

1. Frequent Temple Attendance
2. Family Home Evenings
3. Family Scripture Study
4. Family Prayer
5. Family Council
6. Family Fun
7. Family Service

And President Walker talked about them again. But this time it really hit me! I already know that those things were important, and yah we try to do those things sometimes, but we just outright suck at some of them (FHE).

So yesterday after conference I came home rip, roaring and ready to turn a new page. To start a new tradition. To jump back on the "F" bandwagon. I was so pumped that I printed of hundreds and hundreds of FHE ideas for us, filed them according to topic and even told John that he is in charge of next weeks lesson. (I am doing today's). See we used to have FHE all the time when it was just John and I. And occasionally when Isaac was little, but once he became mobile FHE died, and fast. Then once he got to an age that he might understand what we are talking about, I never knew where to start, and how to make it interesting for a 2 yr old. Well ladies and gentleman I am here to tell you that the church has thought about us with little ones. And have made it really really easy to do.

Step 1. Make the commitment to change TODAY!!
Step 2. Go to Friends in PDF
Step 3. Pick any year between 2001-2008
Step 4. Select the November Issue
Step 5. Scroll through until you find something that will work for your family and kids. Pick something simple, and something that you can plan in a few mins.
Step 6. Assign someone next week

See it is simple.

Some other things that I took away from conference this weekend. Be prepare: food storage, debit, and family gardens. Anyone can be a missionary. A 15 yr old in our stake talked about a life changing sentence that his YM leader told him: Don't ask Heavenly Father to "help you find people that are ready to hear the gospel" but ask him instead "to help those that are looking for the gospel find you". So this teenage boy did just that. And when the new school year started he was in one of his classes, and was sitting next to this kid, which he describe as "someone that looked like they didn't like to talk alot" but boy was he wrong, he stated. He told how the boy and him became good friends. And one day the boy asked if he was LDS? Yes he responded. His new friend told him about how much he loved the church and how he always wanted that in his life. The teenager of course flabbergasted, listened intently as his new friend told of how he had taken the discussion awhile ago, and now he wanted to be baptized. WOW!! Hows that for your prayers being answered. See anyone can do it.

Just so you know THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!

Day 5

We got up early cause we had to go listen to a timeshare presentation for Wyndham. We both went in with the idea that we already have a timeshare and we don't need another. But Wyndham is RCI's (which is what we have now) parent company and way better and has more options. It is kinda like Toyota versus Lexus. Made by the same people, but one is just fancier by nature. Well we currently have a "Toyota" timeshare. And if I hadn't just spent 8 months away from John to become debt free, then I might have opted for the "Lexus" of timeshares. I really wanted to do it, it is such a better deal. But every "Lexus" as pimped out as they come has a hefty price tag that comes with them.

After our timeshare presentation we had our massages, this was greatly needed since I was still hurting from Billy. I did inform them that I had recently been thrown from a horse. They did what I can only imagine was some sorta spine alignment test, and they told me that I was good to get a massage. YES!! OH it was wonderful and relaxing and OMGoodness!!



After our 80 min massages we were feeling much much better. I was still sore, but 100% better. We meet with Leland and Whitney for lunch at Bubba Gumps, which is RIGHT on the water. As we waited for our lunches to arrive we watched the waves come in and go out, and every time a bigger wave came in you could see fish in the wave. It was pretty cool.





After lunch we went back to the resort to drop the car off, cause we wanted to walk through Kona. We really hadn't had the time to do "touristy" things. Since we had time before the Luau that night we decided to take that time to get out and see some sights

First we stopped and took some pictures of the resort we stayed in which was very very nice, thanks Whit and Leland



This hot tub was very cool. It has a sand bottom. And a nice shallow end that you could lounge in along with lava rock walls







We found out what The Niu's last name meant



Since I didn't have kids to be impatient I wanted to stop and take artsy pictures, but I did have one kid... Are you done yet?!







Another black crab for John





I also wanted to take pictures of weird signs and statues that were in Kona and other places on the island











OK Yes John is talking to a statue and yes he has a goatee, thanks for growing it out hun, for me



As I post these pictures for all to see, i think to myself "One might think that John didn't enjoy this vacation at all!!" He swears up and down that he did, and that he just DOESN'T smile!





Well he had a bat in the cave





As you walking down the street in Kona, suddenly in the middle of everything there was this sign



and behind the gate this is all there was



The Luau













They showed us the different was you could wear a lava-lava









The beautiful moon that night















John hates when people call him out in public, we talked about that at Bubba Gumps, when someone else was sung to for their birthday. So Whit decided that it would be funny to turn John's name in saying it was his birthday. He played it off cool. But to get back at Whit, when they needed volunteers for dancing on stage John helped point the way to Whit, which everyone in our group was calling out anyway. So he asked me to post this picture to continue to get his revenge. LOL