Day 1’s family photo: heading out to dinner at the Beach House Restaurant in the Moana Surfrider.

Monday it was my turn to check out Pearl Harbor with Dan.  Mike had enjoyed the entire day there the day before, untethered by any potentially bored family members. He watched Casey so that Dan and I could explore the memorial, because no one wants to spend the time learning about an important historical event with the constant background noise of whines and moans and cries about being too hot and too thirsty and too… whatever. (I dealt with enough of that yesterday!)

Anyway, even though Dan and I were outside and on our tour bus by 5:45 am, neither of us were quite awake yet.  That is, until we started talking to Pualani. Continue reading →

Day 0 Family Photo. Mike plans on taking a family picture every night of our trip.

This morning, Day 1, Mike was up and out of the condo by 5 am. He has been waiting to explore all that Pearl Harbor has to offer since I don’t know when. Meanwhile, knowing that Casey would never be in any possible shape or mood to get to the entrance of Pearl Harbor two hours prior to opening, wait in line for the ferry to see the memorial, then explore the museum and other parts of the exhibit ad nauseum, (actually none of us were up for that!) I had hoped to see Diamond Head National Park and hike up to its observation point. I knew it would take some coaxing Continue reading →

(Please note.  In my excitement and tiredness upon arrival, I completely forgot to post this entry.  Sorry this is a few days over due. This was written last Saturday, the first day of our adventure. I'm still getting used to this blogging thing. Forgive me.) 

I really cannot believe I'm here. In Hawaii. With my family. We were up early of course to catch our flight and Mike sweetly rose before me to start piping Hawaiian music throughout the house so that it's the first thing we would all hear. I think I was smiling before I even opened my eyes. Continue reading →

Today (6-14) is my husband’s birthday.  My sweet and amazing man is a mere 48 years young. Which is weird to say/write, because he doesn’t look a day over 25.  Ok, 30.  Well, maybe 35. (A few distinguished gray hairs are starting to peek out and make their presence around his temples, which I find make him look quite handsome:)  But really; he has always had a young looking face.  A serious, young looking face.   Continue reading →

We had a lovely Memorial Day weekend, punctuated with all kinds of wonderful moments. Dinner with good friends and family, graduation parties, news of an engagement, sunny weather, a good rainstorm, remembering loved ones, and of course, music. Continue reading →

So, while I have been wanting to start a blog for a few years, it seems quite daunting now that I am actually doing it.  Where do I even begin?  How do I start?  And what is my goal for even having a blog?  Is it a journal for my own thoughts; a digital diary?  Is it an easy way to share personal events with extended family and friends?  Should it be a place to share advice to other individuals out there that are seeking to live a simpler, calmer, more loving and honest life?  (That is actually assuming that I have advice to give.  Not so sure on that one.)

Speaking honestly, I don’t know yet.  Maybe those answers will come over time. Meanwhile, I am going to take a recommendation from some of the more experienced bloggers out there and just start writing.  I can’t promise that my chicken scratch will turn into beautiful prose like Ann Voskamp’s or send people into fits of laughter like Jen Hatmaker’s, (In fact, I can pretty much promise that it WON’T do those things) but my writing here will be true and from the heart.  It will be real and probably messy.  I will post a lot of pictures because I am a very visual person.  At some point I might add music so it may even get cheesy.  (I’ll just go ahead and apologize for that right here and now, but in my defense, my blog name does have a musical instrument in it.) It might even get personal.  Actually, it will definitely be personal.  That is really the only kind of writing I can or want to do right now.