fascinate me.

In about a week Joel and I will be jet setting off to the pacific ocean.  More specifically to Hawai'i, the phillipines, and thailand.  It feels almost surreal how close we are to our trip that we've been planning for a year now. I don't think it has hit me yet, but it's a huge deal because we'll be celebrating his grandma's 90th birthday on Easter, in the Phillipines! I don't know about you, but I think it's pretty darn rad.

First off, it's such a blessing to reach age 90 and still be sharp as an arrow mentally nowadays, and boy is she sharp! And secondly, celebrating Easter in a predominately catholic country is going to be outstanding in my book.  I'm eager to see the celebrations unfold during our stay there and to experience this special time in the Phillipines.  It's going to be a bit hectic, 4am wake up calls and traveling with tons of people in huge vans maneuvering through the Phillipines traffic, hot humid sweaty weather, and most likely being sleep deprived.  But-- I'm all in.

I'm all for the culture.  The food. The experience of celebrating a monumental birthday with Joel and his family and to be celebrating Easter in the Phillipines.  One of the many things I'm thankful for growing up in Hawai'i, is how diverse it is.  And though this may be my very first time stepping out of the U.S. I'm grateful that I've grown up in a place -- and raised by a family -- who encourages being open to other cultures, lifestyles, languages, and people.  It's just fascinating!

My family is so supportive and excited for me to experience this trip.  Mainly because I'll be with Joel and his family, but also because they've always believed in the importance of experiencing new things, because doing so will only make you a better person in the long run.  It opens your eyes and your heart to what's out there.  It allows you to step out of the "American bubble" and become an open cultured person.  And that my friends is a very important character trait everyone should strive for.

The quote above should be rephrased like so:

In order to lead a fascinating life--

one brimming with art, music,  intrigue, 

romance, and culture--

you must surround yourself

with precisely those things. 

So I say to you: Go out into the world and make your life fascinating! 

happy monday!

After a long week at work I was thrilled to finish my day on friday and begin my weekend, and the weekend started off wonderfully.

• Let's start with thursday: All of us went to see the first installment of The Hunger Games.  I thought it was great.  They stayed true to the book in the 2 and a half hour slot they had to work with and used their own interpretation on the gamemakers and President Snow.  I think we were probably the oldest group of people there.  The theater was filled with highschoolers. It somewhat alarmed me that they were able to see a midnight showing of a movie on a school night.  That would have never flied when I was young. And I'd probably be too tired in the first place! Boy have things changed! 
• friday: birthday celebration for Joel's sister.  This was great! We had lots of seafood (It was friday, no meat!)  My favorites of the night: Biaggi's spinach & lobster fettuccine --delish!!  check out their menu.  It was a wonderful celebration  with the whole family.  We closed out the night watching The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.  Intense thriller, pretty graphic, superbly done.  
• Saturday: it was definitely productive.  Got some errands done, watched the The descendants with the fam and got some much needed rest.  



Lia =)

• Sunday: spent the day with my niece Lia, my sister and brother in law at the orchid festival at the lauritzen gardens.  It was a beautiful sunny & warm day here and it was perfect to be walking around this huge botanical garden. 

I love looking back at my weekend knowing that i got a lot done and feeling a warm happy in my heart having spent time with those I love and care about.  I hate leaving my niece when she still wants to hangout with me...I hope to  spend more time with her when we come back from our trip.  She's so awesome to play and hangout with! Miss her already.

How was your weekend? Did you see any great movies or get some much needed spring cleaning done? 

something blue.

You know that giddy feeling you get when you receive a gift that's so you? That feeling that that particular piece matches you and your personality? And then, you know that feeling you get when you get something that exudes you and is from someone you love?  Whether it's your hubby, boyfriend, sister, bestie, or friend?

Well,  a couple of weeks ago I had that "eeeeeee!" feeling when opening up a huge package at the doorstep. My boyfriend gave me the gift of a bag by Kate Spade.  I was so excited when I opened the box I seriously, no joke, had tears of happiness leak out of the sides of my eyes.  It had a zipper, I have a thing about zippers, because they keep everything in, it's navy blue, its got gold plated accents, and there's polka dots inside! Personality, yes, sophistication, yes.  I gave Joel a huge bear hug and thanked him dearly... It's my very first leather "name brand" bag I've ever been given, and I adore it and have already retired my, H&M "I love organic," bag I was using on the weekends, as my everyday bag, and instead intend to use it for groceries and such.  Bunches of thanks to Joel, the awesome boyfriend I've been blessed with.  Truly special to me.

On another note...

My mind can finally be at ease. A few weeks ago, I applied for a passport.  I did the smart thing and had it expedited.  Our trip is coming up so soon and as excited as I should have been, I was not quite there.  There was this missing leg that I needed in order for me to squeal and dance in excitement.  And it finally happened!!! My passport made it!!! I've got my very own blue book! For someone who has only started traveling at the age of 18, owning a passport is somewhat like having a key to see the world!

and...I can put my cute little blue book in my cute little retro pan am passport holder I got a year ago.  Being over prepared never hurt. 

Excitement unfolds

Checking the mail at 11pm at night comes out with the picture above.  Slightly tired, absolutely no makeup, and full on happiness. Finally putting the last piece to the puzzle before we embark on our three week airplane hop, it's a wonderful feeling...

Sweet Thursday thankfuls:

• the US state department for truly getting my passport to me with in 2-3 weeks as promised
• family & friend love
• reading and second hand shopping.  I'm really into the hunger games right now and am feeling quite anxious for the movie tonight!
• Talking to my grandpa a couple of times a week just to say, "Hello." 
• Catching up with friends via facebook, email, telephone. Knowing that distance makes no difference in the friendships we have.  

Have a great thursday beautifuls, be safe, and God bless you!

i hunger for more...

via Inside movies

Reading a good book has always been leisurely pleasure to me.  There's just something about burying yourself in a book that's more fulfilling than watching a movie sometimes.  *Gasp*  Yes, I said it, reading can sometimes be better than watching a movie.  And if anyone knows me quite well, I do watch my fair share of movies.  Now, don't get me wrong, a good film is also wonderful, you get to see a new world and experience someone else's world for an hour or two, and that's just exciting and entertaining at the same time.

But a good book? Hands down one of my favorite past times...since my high school years.  When it comes to reading series of books and trilogies, they have to encompass several things in order for me to invest my play time into it.  I'm always a little apprehensive in the beginning...when the hook is deep and I'm turning page after page, that's a winnah in my book!

Amazon

When my boyfriend's sisters and the gfs in the family decided on a family book club, the first book was: The Hunger Games, I was just as apprehensive as I always am.  First, I had to get through winter quarter of school before devoting my time to a book I knew little about.  When school was finished, I decided to begin chapter 1.  A week goes by, and I pace myself with a chapter or two a night before sleeping. Then I'm done.  Sitting here anxious and eager to read the second (Thank gosh there's a second and third! Imagine if she stopped right at book 1!).

We seemed to have timed the first book at a great moment.  For the movie comes out this friday.  What's great is that I think Jennifer Lawrence, who plays Katniss Everdeen in the movie, will do a great job.  I pictured her as the character as i read the book.  I'm excited to see how the whole film unfolds and will be fair and respectful to the screenwriters and actors as well. Here's the trailer if any of you are interested.

Until I get the second book, Catching Fire, I'll be anxiously waiting for the movie, which we'll all be going in part of celebrating my boyfriend's sister's birthday =)  Family field trip, yess!

Do any of you have a favorite book, trilogy, or series?  What have you thought of the film or tv show that brought that book to life?  

just close your eyes

Good day all of you.  Meet Catch the Mouse.  This is my sister's cat who's name tells us she has a job to do...but instead of finding the mice she likes to relax on top of papers and sunbathe near the window.  She is probably one of the sweetest kitties I've ever become friends with.  She loves to cuddle and sleep on your stomach when you're sleeping.  The first time she jumped on the top bunk and snuggled on my stomach I was a bit alarmed, but as time went on and homesickness kicked in last year, the comfort she gave me was nice.  Another great thing about her, she does not scratch at all! Save for the times she's trying to gain her balance, but she never scratches my niece or anyone. =)

Sometimes I wish I was like Catch.  You know, when life gets a little hectic and you just want close your eyes to it all and just sunbathe in the warmth of the sun?  or just snuggle up to your favorite person when everything else in the world seems a bit chaotic? 

Maybe we can all take a tip from Catch.  When life gets a little crazy just close your eyes, lounge, and relax.  Turn off the crazy and get back on track to the beautiful things life brings us.  Perhaps if we did a wee bit more of this, we'd get a wee bit more happy too!

What do you do to calm yourself when your life seems a bit crazy?  What works for you? 

you're like gold.

yes that's a starbucks gold card =)

The above picture are my favorite gold things.  As you can see all the items are gold.  My compact and even my starbucks card. Yess! and now that I'm starbucks gold, I don't need to frequent the place as much.  We'll see how that goes. Gold is precious to me and at a figurative standpoint all those I love and care about are like gold to me.  I keep them near and dear to me.  Just like the gold I was gifted from my grandmother when I was young.  My bracelet is about seventeen years old now and I barely ever take it off.  So all those I love, my BF, his family, my family, and my besties, are like gold pieces of beauty to me.  I keep them, forever, and always have them close, because they are the jewels of my life.

After reading about Joseph Kony and all of the crimes he has committed it got me thinking quite a bit. This guy has been creating an army of children for over two decades, so much so that children in Africa find that it is better to die and see their siblings or parents in heaven, than to live and be abducted by him or his army.  

The video pulled and tugged at my heart and gave me goosebumps, and moved me.  When  Jason Russel began explaining who Joseph Kony was to his son Gavin, who is four, it broke my heart that there are children his age being recruited into Kony's army.  My niece and my bf's nieces are all young too, 6 and 8, and they too are of age of the girls that Kony takes with him into his Army.  Though Africa is thousands of miles away from where we are, we can all do something about saving these children.  Because, everyone deserves to live a full and happy life.  

A couple of years ago I met a teacher where I was working who taught in Uganda for a summer, and she told me about the Invisible children project.  I wasn't aware of the details of this project and wasn't in the right place financially to help monetarily, but I knew she was a strong supporter of this organization.  Now that this movement has gained much more momentum than it had a couple of years ago and that I know much more about their movement I am doing what I can to help those who are suffering in Africa...so these children can return to their families and Joseph Kony can be arrested. 

Life is fleeting. Life is precious. Life is wonderful.  Life is as precious as gold has always been to mankind.  Perhaps even more so depending on who you speak to.  I have always had an affinity for gold and for giving to others who are less fortunate than I am.  I may not be rich with money, but I do my best to give back to others when possible. 

This Sweet Thursday I would just like to politely remind all of you and myself for the lives we are fortunate to have here in the U.S., a place we don't have to be afraid to fall asleep at night for fear of being abducted and mutilated. If you would like to help in any way click here.

make him famous

I've been seeing a bunch of these facebook statuses and blogs about this Joseph Kony.

First thoughts: Why are we making him famous?

What did he do? 

Well, here goes.  He's an incredibly bad man.  It's much more than that.  He has raped women, abused them, exploited young girls and boys into the sex industry and made these boys into murderers.  Sex trafficking and abuse are two things I truly hate. You can find more information here.  

Please show your support to stop these heinous crimes.  I already made my pledge to stop these violent acts, I hope you can too.  My prayers and thoughts are with all of these innocent people who have been victimized. 

the month of green

Good day everyone! I hope you had a fantastic weekend of relaxation and fun.  

My weekend sure was productive. The weekend started out with a delicious dinner with Joel at Wasabi Sushi.  A place we (the bf, me, and his whole family) enjoy very much. It's a made to order all you can eat buffet. mmmm.  My favorite time to go is dinner time, cuz that's when they have sashimi and I can eat that salmon sashimi like it's going out of style! yess! Finished it off with some yummy green tea ice cream then came home to watch some movies with the family.  

We also had a surprise birthday brunch for Joel's sister and boy was it a surprise! I love surprises for others and for myself.  I've learned, that when planning a surprise anything, you must think on your feet and definitely roll with the punches.  

Here's a delicious picture of my wonderful Caramel Hazelnut Latte from Wheatfields. It was oh so grand! If you're a latte lover you'd love it! 

 Yesterday I finally applied for my passport.  You have no idea what a relief that was to get it out of the way.  It's a good feeling to get all your errands done, don't you agree?  Then coming back to relax and watch some, Bachelor - The women tell all!  That was great, those women, Emily, Nicki, and Kacie, are really great catches and so are all of those women.  I truly wish the best for them and I'm sure they are going to find love soon.  What do you think? 

Another show that we've been addicted to is Revenge.  We've been watching it on Hulu plus, episode after episode.  It's a pretty darn good show. My next guilty pleasure.  If you haven't yet, do give an episode a watch, I advise you to start from episode 1 because it could get a bit confusing. 

Now that we're in the month of green, this is how I like to think of March, it's all about green to me.  Saint Patrick's day, corned beef and cabbage, and gold coins.  And most people have spring break in March. It already feels like spring is approaching, what with the warm weather today and sunny skies! Yess!!

Anything fun and exciting happen during your weekend?  Any travel plans this march for spring break?