December 31, 2010

Dear mama,

How are you today? Anything exciting for tonight? We're going to spend our evening in Tacoma with a few of our favorites. We're having pupu's & desserts & drinks. We thought about going to dinner, but i'm not sure if everyone else is going to dinner too, we don't want to be caught up in the crowds, we just want to hang out & enjoy eachothers company.

I can't believe how fast the year went by. I've been reading past blogs that i've written about this time last year. I remember just kind of going through the motions of everything. No real

Christmas spirit. No real excitement for the new year. All the days were just that...just another day.

Throughout the year, i've shed many tears thinking about what used to be. The things we did. The things you said. The way you said them & they made no sense & then we'd all laugh. I think often about the games that you came up with & how it involved everyone no matter what their ages were. I think about all the things that you did & how you did them so well & with ease. It just all came so easily to you & i wish they did the same for me.

In the last few weeks, I feel like the things that you used to do year after year are fading & are not....represented. So this coming new year, in 2011, i'd like to focus on 2 events that were so "you." The halau easter egg hunt & the Christmas party.

Also, i've been thinking back on life when i was younger, elementary school, junior high & high school. Trying to remember the way things were back then. The daily routines, the chores, the things we did....all of it. I'm not sure why i've been hung up on these things, maybe because i'm trying to remember & re-create things with Ry & Nunu. I'm not sure.

Another thing that i've caught myself doing A LOT of lately, is writing things in my spiral notebook. After you passed we found a massive amount (ok, so it wasn't a massive amount, but still it was between 6-9) of spiral notebooks around the house & halau. They all were not filled, but each notebook was filled with ideas that you had, reminders of things, etc. And as I look through mine...it is filled with the same things...

My To-Do List....

My Grocery List

What I Want to do with my Tax Return

Yep. I almost feel like i'm just giving myself a big old headache doing this, but I don't like when I think of something & then can't remember it. So i've resorted to writing pretty much anything down. You'd be proud. LOL

Anyway, I hope that your New Year celebration is wonderful & full of lots of games. I love you so much & miss you every single day.

Happy new year....

Photo taken December 31, 2007, bringing in 2008

December 25, 2010

Dear Mom,

Merry Christmas Mama!!  How was your day today?  Did you all have a good day?  I'm sure you did with tons of ono food.  As usual last night was spent with my inlaws.  We ate good & then opened presents & by the time that was done, I was exhausted!!  The kids got TONS of stuff:  clothes, sweaters, toys, video games, barbie jeep.  Yes, i said barbie jeep.  Ry is in love with it & paid no attention to anything else afterwards.  Here's a picture of her in it this morning while watching Yo Gabba Gabba....

Nunu got a new wii & her & my father inlaw played games all evening.

Today we went to Auntie Ami & Uncle Kamo's house.  We ate & enjoyed eachothers company & watched the kids play with their toys.  It was such a nice relaxing day today.

As time goes by, I think of what I was doing at this time last year....and I remember being very sad & almost in a daze last year.  Just going through the motions.  This year, I felt good.  I didn't want to be sad, because I know that you would want us to celebrate the holiday in full & I felt that I did my best.  Even though I can't see you everyday like I want to, I feel your presence with me all the time....I know that you are here.  Every night when I put my phone down on my nightstand, I make sure that I leave my screensaver is on the photo of you & I say 'goodnight' to you in my head.

I love you & miss you so very much.....Merry Christmas!! :)

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Dear Mama,

How are you today? Anything exciting? Today is our halau Christmas party. I'm excited to hang out with everybody & EAT! Uncle got all the kids covered this year with MASSIVE stockings. Remember when you guys did that a few years ago? Only back then, you guys did one stocking per family....this year Uncle did one per KID!! He's crazy!! HA!! In fact, I want to go pick up some stuff for everyone's stockings too. Something mean....that the parents will hate me for!! :)

I miss you. I've been thinking about you a lot lately. Maybe it's because I have your urn here with me on my dining room table. I got it back from Kapua last week & haven't taken you home yet to the house. In fact, i'm going to take you to the party today.

Remember last year, when we put you in with all the white elephant gifts? And when Nalani picked you we all laughed so hard. So mean...yet something you'd totally do. And i'm sure you were laughing just as hard.

I won't be doing a slideshow this year. I didn't take many photos at all & what is a slideshow with no photos? JUNK! I thought up an idea to do a lip-sync video but it was a late idea, therefore i didn't get a turnout. BOO! Maybe next year, i'll start in early November, giving everyone a month.

So how did you like the girls Santa pictures? Aren't they classic?

Well Ry's finally awake now, so I better run.  I'll post up pictures later of our party.  I love you so much & miss you more than ever.