Sometimes it's awkward...

So it's been a really really long time since our last update. Coming back to update the blog after such a long absence is like running into a good friend in the grocery store. You know, that one friend who is so thoughtful in keeping in contact with you, and you keep meaning to call them back, but like the slackers we often are, we never do. And you see them in the store and for a split second your face radiates the joy you feel in seeing them.....until your guilt kicks in a nano second later and your face freezes as you try to either backtrack and make excuses or hope they didn't see you and you can escape....while you promise yourself you'll call them AS. SOON. AS. YOU. GET. HOME. (But you won't. Slacker. lol)

Anyways, needless to say between the last post and today, there have been numerous funny, wonderful, enjoyable, remarkable things that have happened, as well as our fair share of frustrating, disappointing, stressful things. That's how it goes. We just hope we handle ourselves gracefully in times of stress, and remain good examples for our kids. WE HOPE.

We're celebrating Kaleineneke's 4th birthday this weekend. She is, at this very moment, walking around the house with a plastic serving tray on her head, practicing walking like a 'princess' in her not so humble opinion. She's even practicing saying "Your highness", if only to teach her sister Lehuakona how to say it 'appropriately'. (Insert big sigh here)

4 years went by quickly. Her vocabulary is impressive, as are her cognitive skills, but what amazes us the most is her creativity. She is a 4 year old weaver of stories. She creates these intricate stories starring the clouds she sees in the sky as we're driving. Her emotions are just under the surface, ready to burst forth through song, dance, explanations and stories. We walk the line with enthusiastically encouraging her without her becoming vain (which we're seeing traces of.).

As for Pumehana, well, she's going to be 18 years old this year. Rather than feel old, her daddy and I feel accomplished. This baby was deemed 'unsave-able'. Doctors and nurses told us she would not make it past the few minutes it w

ould take me to go from my hospital room to the NICU. Our entire 'ohana has poured aloha and positivity into her little body, and encouraged and prayed for her and with her every step of the way. Her spirit is tremendous and we know she is filled with the aloha of her ancestors. She is an amazing big sister.

Lehuakona, our 2 year old is a bundle of energy, enthusiasm, and wit. She is by turns hilarious and stress inducing. SHE makes me feel old. Her creativity equals that of Kaleineneke, it just takes a different form. She is physically creative. By this I mean that she finds numerous strange and alarming ways to express herself. Such as....a half gallon of milk poured on the floor, followed by half a box of Fruity Pebbles with her stomping on them. Why? Because, "Hey Mommy! It's CRUNCHY!" with a huge smile on her adorable (well not so adorable at that moment) face. To provide some context, five minutes earlier, she had decorated her sister Pumehana's bedroom wall with dark brown crayon. Which is what I was cleaning while she decided to play "Snap! Crackle! and Pop!" in the kitchen. Today she decided she would paint me a picture. Using toothpaste. On the bathroom cabinet doors. And floors. I'm laughing now, but you can bet I wasn't finding it so humorous this morning. Even when she smiled and said "Do you like the picture I made for you Mommy?"

Mr. Carden and I are getting better and better at rolling with the punches. There's a lot of laughter at the kids' antics when we're laying in bed and the girls are sleeping. We've been doing great at our resolutions which were to spend more time with just the two of us each day. My resolution to read 100 books in 2012 is going superbly as well. I'm currently on 19 books and it's only March 1st. Yes, I'm feeling pretty smug about it. I do intend to post on our blog more often, and while that's not a resolution, it is a goal nonetheless. Hopefully these posts survive in some fashion over the years so the girls are able to read it when they're older. Because I'm NOT writing all of this twice.

FEBRUARY!

Everyone says it, "Where has the time gone?" and we'll chime in right along side them, because we're amazed that January has passed so quickly!!! Our recent club gathering this past Saturday was fun, with everyone visiting and for those of us who aren't so great at making lei (read: TINA) still enjoying everyone's company. We have a fun, and different activity planned for February, we're just waiting on some confirmations and we'll begin letting everyone know.

We do have our Mainland Council Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs quarterly gathering in February, and we're looking forward to sharing time, space and mana'o with club leaders from across the Continental United States. We hav

e a grant "boot camp" workshop scheduled, which will hopefully enable us to secure funding to better assist in our people's and our community's growth.

We do want to share some of the amazing initiatives occurring in our community, especially the amazing work of `Anapesi Ka`ili, take a look at

the flyer below. It just can't get any easier to stay abreast of issues that impact us as Pacific Islanders!! Please help spread the word!!

Rolling on through January

Received a new planner for the year at work. Started out empty and in about five minutes flat, filled right up. Amazing how it does that seemingly all by itself. Geez. Then I realized, if I'm not careful, 2011 will be about crossing out each event one by one....versus living my life. Whew. Good thing I noticed that trend (it happened a lot last year unfortunately) early this time around.

So here's to 2011 being about not just going OUTSIDE of my comfort zone as much as EXPANDING it. Lots of things in the works for 2011....some of which may come as a slight shock to some, don't worry, it's a GOOD thing, and some not so shocking. Like you know, FINALLY getting Kalei and Lehua to COMMIT to toilet training. Because oh my goodness diapers (not to mention wipes, although I think we'll need those until they're much older...hands, faces, handprints...) are flippin pricey and for THREE kids?! GET. OUTTA. TOWN. Crazy expensive. We'll just have to keep at it.

BUSY WEEK this week! Ho`oponopono class, genealogy chant review, awa chants/ceremony, KALEA board meeting, Native Hawaiian Naming practices presentation with Hui Hawai`i O Utah, and ho`opuka...whew! But we do all these things so it's the "norm" for our girls, that they're raised being engaged in cultural practices and in the community. Trying to grow strong Native Hawaiian females, here people! LOL

Giving Thanks...

STILL trying to come to grips with Thanksgiving being this week. Sad, I know. Normally I'm much more prepared, so NOT being prepared is fully throwing my OCD self for a loop. Auwe. Anyhow, had a GREAT time at Hui Hawai`i O Utah Hawaiian Civic Club's 25th Anniversary party! Lots of kupuna, lots of friends, and family and of course mea `ai! So rejuvenated, and ready to do big things in 2011!!! Especially with KALEA! Was so funny, David was like, "Wow hon, it was so good to see everybody!" only he said it like 20 times. Can you tell he misses being with everyone??! Yeah, little bit. Hahaha.

Back to Thanksgiving though, in this time of giving thanks, I am acutely aware that not everyone will have a table full of food to gather around, not everyone will have a home to enjoy the holiday in, and not all of us will be surrounded by family and friends. Those of us who are fortunate enough to have even a little of these blessings, be thankful. Be humble. Be giving. If when you're celebrating, you experience a moment when it is all driven home for you, just how blessed you are, take the time to realize that not everyone will enjoy the same blessings. Then do something, anything you can, to change that, even if for just one person.

On a different, but no less serious note, one thing I am heartily grateful for is the fact that THERE IS NO CAPTAIN COOK DAY. Mahalo Ke Akua for this small blessing. In light of our Native American cousins examples, we can be grateful for this small gift.

We are now gearing up for the civic club's Christmas party which should be fun!!!!!!!!!!!!! So many things to look forward to!!! This Thanksgiving, we hope you all are bountifully blessed with the gifts of family and friends and the blessings of warm homes and warm meals to sustain you. From our `ohana to yours, may EVERY DAY BE A DAY OF THANKS