Year in review

2010 was the year of
change!

We ushered in the New Year by getting married!

6 days later we moved from Maryland to Hawaii.
In February, my good friend Meg came to visit and we had an absolute blast! We survived the Tsunami and a crazy hike and celebrated her birthday! I was sad to see her go!
In April, we adopted Milo and pretty much have not stopped laughing at his antics!

In August, we had the pleasure of hosting a wonderful house guest, Lynda. We celebrated my birthday with a trip to the beach, a piece of Ted's pie and dinner at the Dixie Grill!

In September, I traveled to San Francisco to meet up with some of my close friends, Meg and Alicia. It was a short trip but it was fun! We had a great time exploring a city that none of us had been to before. We loved riding the cable cars!
In October, we dressed up for Halloween and carved a pumpkin. We had a great time passing out candy to kids and then going around with our neighbors and their kids.

My parents came to visit in November and I was so excited to see them! We had a blast showing them the island and it really boosted my spirits to have them here!

In December, we attended in incredible marriage retreat. You can read more about it here - I recommend it for everyone!! If you want to attend at 1/2 off, click here. Although, we weren't able to be with our families on Christmas, we are so thankful for Skype - it's a way to be with the family even though we couldn't physically be there. We later celebrated Christmas with a party at the neighbor's house. We're a crazy random bunch but we're the family that none of us had this year.
This year has absolutely flown by, I can't believe it! It doesn't seem like I have been married for a year - the time sure does fly! I feel like each year goes by faster than the one before it. I'll admit, all the change that happened this year has been difficult. Most of this year, I struggled with being homesick and lonely. I praise God, for my wonderful husband who has been so patient and loving, I couldn't have gotten through this past year without him. I don't usually do New Year's resolutions but being the introspective person that I am, the New Year is always a time of reflection for me. 2010 was the year of change and I want 2011 to be the year filled with Joy and living a full and abundant life! May it be for you as well!

The Plague!

While my East Coast family and friends have had bitter cold weather and even snow, here in Hawaii we have had a lot of rain recently. Before November, I could count on one hand all the times it had rained at my house on the Western side of the island. All that rain really greened up the desert that we live in - so we actually have nice green grass for a change! I love the rain, so I haven't minded too much - at least up until now! All that rain brought a lot of mosquitoes.... :( . We have never had a problem before but now everyone I know is covered in mosquito bites! We are fine during the day but at night they come out in droves, it is not fun and we are taking drastic measures (everything except bathing in Bug Repellent) to try not to get bit. My granddady put dryer sheets in his hat in the summer to try to ward off the mosquitoes - so tonight we followed suit.

I'm wearing one in my ponytail...

and Joe taped one to his shirt!

We look awfully silly but we'll try anything! We've even shut all the doors and windows in the house and turned on the AC - that's a big deal for us frugal folks - this is only our 3rd time ever using the AC here and hopefully it is worth it!

A lot has been going on here, stay tuned for an end of the year recap post tomorrow!

Mele Kalikimaka!

Our first ever Christmas card!! I got my parent's card in the mail the other day and we both used the same verse without even knowing it! How funny!

Although it's great to be in Hawaii, my heart is in Maryland this Christmas. No matter where you are, I hope you have a blessed Christmas! Enjoy the holiday and remember the reason we celebrate this season.

"How many kings step down from their thrones?
How many lords have abandoned their homes?
How many greats have become the least for me?
And how many gods have poured out their hearts
To romance a world that is torn all apart,
How many fathers gave up their sons for me?"
- Downhere

Merry Christmas, friends!

The Proposal :)

I'm a sucker for a good proposal story, always have been! My husband did an amazing job planning our proposal, I think that's why I get so touched when I hear of other neat stories. I came across this sweet thoughtful proposal today & thought it was worth sharing! Of course I cried, you just might too, so have a box of tissues j,ust in case. You can read more about it here.

We're ready!

Bring it on Christmas, we're ready! I think this is the first Christmas in a long time that I have not waited until the last minute to buy gifts. I am usually that person who is buying Christmas presents with the other crazies on Christmas Eve but not this year! It's probably due in part to the fact that most of my Christmas presents had to be mailed, but hey that's beside the point. I somehow even managed to get the presents wrapped and in the mail before the deadline for them to arrive by Christmas, it's a miracle indeed!

When I went to the Post office today to mail Christmas presents, I only had duct tape to close my packages. The gentleman in the car next to me, gave me his brand new (and barely used) roll of packaging tape - he wished me a "Merry Christmas" and a "God Bless" and he was gone. It was so thoughtful, his kind gesture made my day.

The tree is trimmed, lights are hung, presents are all bought (and after a marathon wrapping session they are now all wrapped), packages have been shipped and Christmas cards have been mailed. This is one for the record books!

The aftermath of the wrapping extravaganza!

These are all for Joe! I went a little shopping crazy but still managed to stay (mostly) within budget. ;)

Even Milo is ready for Christmas- he loves hanging out with his new Penguin buddy. And no, that was not purchased with Milo in mind, he just happened to take a liking to it.
Our first Christmas ornament. Penguins and palm tress - always a perfect combination.

Happy Birthday!

I hope my dear friend, Alicia, has a most Happy Birthday, today! So wish I could be there to help celebrate! Enjoy your day, friend!

Love and other drugs

I heard this story the other day & thought it was worth sharing.

Drug Problem

The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farmhouse in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, “Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?”

I replied, I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.

I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.

I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered a profanity. I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad's fields. I was drug to the homes of family, friends and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline, or chop some firewood, and, if my mother had even known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.

Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say or think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.

God bless the parents who drug us.

A Weekend to Remember

A year ago this weekend, Joe and I got engaged! It's almost hard to believe, the time has flown by so very fast. It hasn't always been easy but it has definitely been rewarding. We celebrated this weekend by attending "A Weekend to Remember", a marriage conference/retreat put on by Family Life. When we signed up for the event, I didn't realize that the date corresponded with our engagement anniversary but it was pretty cool to be celebrating it during the event. There were about 400 people at the conference from every walk of life- some people were engaged, the was a couple that had only been married for 7 days and there was even a couple that had been married for 58 years! It was all around an incredible weekend! I laughed so hard, our speakers were so funny but I learned a lot too. With me being the emotional sap that I am, I even shed a few tears (no laughing, Meg!) - I knew I was in trouble when they were passing out tissues at the door at one of the sessions! :) It was a great time to reconnect with Joe and the topics that were discussed opened up doors for some interesting conversations. We were able to reflect on this past year and figure out what has been working and what areas still need work. I can't say enough good things about the weekend - the conference was really well done - we learned a lot and had fun too! We didn't sit around and sing Kum-by-ya or hold hands or break into small groups - it was just Joe and I (with a whole bunch of other people) listening to some hilariously wise speakers.
I highly recommend this conference to anyone who is engaged or married - no matter if you have been married for a short time (like me) or a long time, it will change your marriage! If you (or someone you know) is contemplating divorce, I recommend you attend this conference before making a final decision, it is really eye-opening. It is worth every penny, and more. If they have an event here in far-away Hawaii, they will certainly have one in your state (or not too far away - you can see a list here). I'm afraid this is starting to sound like an infomercial, sorry friends, I just want everyone to know that (a) I had a great time and (b) I believe in the value of marriage and I really respect what Family Life is trying to do with these conferences. When I think of my family and friends, I can't think of a single couple that would not benefit from attending one of these weekends (and yes, that includes my parents). I feel so strongly about this, that I signed up to be a group leader. If you want to go to a conference, you can sign up with my group and get 1/2 off the registration fee (and no, I don't get paid for this, I don't get anything for being a group leader). You can attend any conference, in any state, with the discount rate. You could even come visit me in Hawaii and attend if you want :)! I might even let you stay with me! :)

If you want more info, you can e-mail me & I'd be happy to share more about our experience. If you are interested in attending a conference and want to sign up with my group, the group name is: TheCrispins and the link can be found here. Feel free to pass this onto anyone you think would like to attend a conference.

All Tuckered Out

The past few days have been very busy and we are all tuckered out! Especially Milo for some reason, I think he's still getting used to all the holiday hustle and bustle.


Thanksgiving was great! I had the menu all planned out (Turkey Breast, Green Bean Casserole, Corn Casserole, Cheddar Biscuits, Pumpkin Cookies) and everything was appropriately timed, so it came out of the oven at the right time. I couldn't believe how well it worked out! The neighbors and their kids came over and we ate until we were stuffed. By the time we got it all put away and the dishes cleaned up, it was time to eat dinner! I couldn't believe how fast the day went!

Milo checking out the remnants of our Thanksgiving dinner

Black Friday, we went to Target at a reasonable hour and picked up a Christmas Tree and all the fixin's. It's our first Christmas together, so we only had a handful of decorations, and now we have a few more. We had a great time setting up the tree and icicle lights while talking with Joe's brother on Skype!

Poor Milo had no clue what was going on and wanted to check out everything! (And yes, we have a fake tree, I'm not paying crazy amounts of money for a Christmas tree in Hawaii, no thank you!)

Joe (and Milo, I swear he sneaks into every shot!) setting up the icicle lights. Thank goodness, I have a tall husband!

Our tree and stockings.

It feels a little weird to already have decorated for Christmas. Since I live in Hawaii and don't have four seasons, I have a hard time realizing that it is the end of November and Christmas will soon be upon us. Joe wanted to make sure we had decorated appropriately, so we would have a good long time to remember to celebrate! Christmas, we are ready, bring it on (well except for the gifts part, haven't really quite gotten that part taken care of yet!!)

I woke up to cloudy skies! :) I ♥ overcast skies and rainy days! Not only is it raining and cool outside but as an extra bonus Joe unexpectedly has the day off. Lounging and movies with my love, the perfect day! Love it!

Happy Wednesday Friends!!

52 days until Christmas!

There are about 4,857 miles between me and the ones that I love. It's the little things like phone calls and Skype shopping sessions with my mom and e-mails that make the distance seem so much smaller. I am always on the lookout for new ways to help stay connected with my family and friends. While plane tickets may be my favorite :), with the holidays coming up, I have been scouring the net for fun and creative Christmas cards to document the year we've spent in Hawaii and to send a little Aloha to those who may not be able to visit anytime soon. I've found a ton at Shutterfly which is great since all of their holiday cards are 20% off right now! I originally thought the hard part would be finding a picture, now I'm thinking it might be more difficult to pick which card I want! Friends, you just may see one of the following show up in your mailbox this Christmas! I can't decide - I'm leaning towards this one, but I also like this and this one too! I love being able to personalize the cards and share fun & meaningful events that are specific to our family and I'm not stuck with just using one photo, I can include a whole bunch!

Fellow bloggers, if you're interested in helping promote Shutterfly's holiday card program on your blog, you can submit your info here.

Weekend Festivities

Holy cow, I can't believe it's November already! Time sure does fly when you're having fun! And boy did have fun this weekend! Saturday, Joe surprised me by taking me to Sports Authority where we bought gear to play tennis!! I was so excited, I'm not good at tennis but I sure do have fun trying! We had such a great time, we've played three times in the past two days!
Sunday, was church followed by lunch and watching Mercy. We played some tennis, then got dressed up for the Halloween festivities.
This was the first year that I've had kids come trick-or-treating and boy did we have a ton! We were not prepared and ran out of candy fast. I sent Joe out for more candy and he came back with Hershey Kisses - it was the only candy the store had. I felt bad, we were the lamest house on the block. It was so cute to see all the kids dressed up! We then went out with our neighbor's kids and had such a great time meeting other neighbors and seeing their kids enjoy the festivities.


This weekend was one of the best weekends I have had in such a long time and there are so many things happening in the next few months that I am looking forward to as well!

Tommy -toes

I was so excited to see this when I went outside this morning:
Our tomato plants have been producing tomatoes for awhile now, but this is the first red tomato we have had! I am so excited!! For as much weeding as I did as a kid, I am unbelievably fond of gardening. Note, I did not say I was good at it, just fond of it! :) It reminds me of summers spent at my grandparents and canning with my mom and Granny. When it was time to harvest corn, it was a family affair - everyone was involved and had a job to do. Those summer memories are so precious to me - spending all that time with people that I love. It may seem silly but this little red tomato makes me feel a little closer to those I am so far away from.

Country Fair

A few weeks ago, the local country station was advertising for the Ohana Country Fair. I searched high and low online for more information but the only thing I could find referencing the fair was a sidebar advertisement on 97.5's website. That should have been my first clue that the event I pictured in my head would be nothing like what we would find when we got there. Joe and I hopped in the car for the 36 mile trip and arrived at the "fair." There were about ten antique cars there, they were so cool! I love antique cars - guess I get that from my dad!
A few tents with some kettlecorn and kalua pig (odd combination, I know) were set up. Several women competed in what looked like steer daubing except they were grabbing for flags pinned to the steers - it reminded me of flag football!

We saw all there was to see and weren't there long as Joe was hankering for a piece of pie from Ted's bakery. Although it wasn't what we expected, it was still a fun time and I'm glad we went!

Lion Chasers

I saw this on another blog and just had to share, especially after all I learned at the E&I conference this past weekend.

Lion Chasers Manifesto - Mark Batterson

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Grab life by the mane. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze a new trail. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Chase the lion.

Bruddah

My brother is one of the coolest people I know. He's the type of person that can walk into a bank and make friends with someone in line- like get their phone number type of friend. He's outgoing and fun to be around, he's big on helping other people and he's a super-passionate person. He loves life and lives every moment to the fullest. He is one of my favorite people, I love being around him, he cracks me up!
AND
today is his
Birthday!!
I love you so much, I hope you have a wonderful birthday, John!! I'm so proud of you and who you have become!

The best is yet to come

This weekend, was the Equip and Inspire conference at our church - the theme was "No Limits" and what it would look like to live it out. It was an amazing time of worship and we were able to participate in breakout sessions and amazing sermons. I learned so much and took so many notes, I felt like I was back in college again! I may post more about the other sermons later this week but yesterday, we heard an amazing sermon by Sebastian Buffa. Here are a few of my notes and if you want to check it out, you can find it on HCWO's archive, here. I strongly encourage you to listen to it, if you can.

The best is yet to come - Sebastian Buffa - Hope Chapel West Oahu 10/10/10

1) Hebrews 10:1-9

a) Explains why the law can’t accomplish/perfect us

b) Jesus Christ dying on the cross makes us acceptable to be in the presence of God

c) Vs 9: He removes the first to establish the second

i) With God the best is yet to come, it is saved for last

ii) The first is just a shadow of what God does in the second

2) Ephesians 3:20

a) God’s immeasurably more doesn’t begin until we reach our limit

i) It begins where we end

3) John 2:9

a) Jesus’ first miracle turned water into wine. The best was saved for last because Jesus was involved.

4) Philippians 1:6

a) The awesome things God started, He will perfect it until Jesus comes

5) God wants to encounter you in such a way that it can’t be reversed

a) The best is ahead of you NOT behind you

i) You have not yet reached the capacity of what God can do:

(1) In you : He is more concerned with who you are becoming then what you are doing

(2) With you: With God, you are limitless

(3) For you: Good fathers love to bless kids for no other reason then to bless – God is the best father

ii) The season you are in now is a shadow of what God has in store for you

6) How do we live as if the best is yet to come?

a) Live as if only God is watching

i) When you perform to impress others, there is pressure, not the case with God, with Him you will not fail

b) Live in the moment, not for it

c) Live as if you’ve never been disappointed

i) Pain, mistakes and failures all teach us valuable lessons but disappointment teaches us nothing, it only tells us not to get our hopes up

ii) The person who has never been disappointed will try anything

iii) Disappointment can’t coexist with God and His promise

iv) What would you try if you’ve never been disappointed?

♥ Fall

I love Fall! There is just something about the leaves changing, chi tea, pumpkin anything, cooler days that warms my soul! This past weekend was girls weekend in San Francisco which helped slightly with my craving for Fall but I think it actually ended up intensifying it! This week is also the Great Frederick Fair, which I have always loved going to! There's nothing like cool nights, fair food and Ferris wheels and tractors! Love it!

Fall is practically non-existent here in Hawaii so I'm doing my darnedest to make it feel like fall regardless of the 85 degree temps. In a desperate attempt for Faux Fall, I have:

• Been lighting my Apple Custard candle almost every day
  
• Made butterscotch cookies which tasted good despite pulling apart and getting holes in the middle - I followed the Betty Crocker recipe to a "t", so I don't know what happened! My mom makes the best butterscotch cookies, I'll get her recipe next time....
• Can't wait to try these Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins provided I can find pumpkin on the island, it may be a little challenging.... I have a friend who was searching for pumpkin and was only able to find 6 cans on the whole island, due to a shortage! That was a few weeks ago, so I'm hoping they were able to fix this situation as I really want to try the muffins!
• I just saw these on someone else's blog - how did I not know these existed?!? Here's to hoping I can find these Pumpkin Spice kisses too!

Pic

And finally, the verse of the day! I love this verse, it is so encouraging and it also makes me think of one of my dear college friends who always quoted it:
"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.
Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think."
Ephesians 3:16-20

Happy Fall everyone! Enjoy the cooler temps/fall leaves/pumpkin patches for those of us who can't.

Games Galore!

We've added another game to our repertoire!

Rummikub!!

My family and I used to play this game growing up - I have such fond memories playing this around our table! I think this is my favorite game for that very reason! Joe and I have been having a great time playing this game! We may sound like such fuddy-duddies but we like being unplugged from the computer and TV shows and have been enjoying this quality time together! A little healthy competition never hurts either...

The jokes on me

I have several things that need to be accomplished today & when I asked Joe what time he thought I should leave in order to get everything done, he said 5:30. I did not want to get up that early but I asked Joe to get me up when he left for work anyway. For some unknown reason, I tossed and turned from 1-4, no joke! Talk about frustrating! When Joe woke me up, I jokingly thought the only way I'm getting up is if I get a sign from God. Not even ten minutes later, I was woken up by the cat playing with my pillow and accidentally scratching my face while the dog was running up and down the stairs! Now, as I am getting ready to walk out the door, they are both sleeping peacefully, which is exactly what I wish I was doing! It figures! Guess, the joke is on me this time!

Yum-O!

This past weekend was my birthday (more on that later) and I was beyond excited to find a large (and quite heavy) package from my parents,waiting for me in my mailbox! Unfortunately, it arrived two days before my big day, so it sat there taunting me until I could open it over Skype (oh, the joys of living so far away - I like birthdays but I like them more if I could actually celebrate them with the ones I love). Amongst other gifts, was nestled my trusty waffle maker, which I think I got as a birthday present a few years ago:I was so excited to see this among my presents! It has been sitting proudly on my counter ever since and last night it was put to good use! Breakfast for dinner was so good, that I actually ate breakfast for breakfast, today! I was even able to use my pancake/waffle/biscuit mix that I won from Sorry, I can't eat that and it was oh-so-amazing!
Maybe it's because I haven't had waffles in such a long time, but these waffles are so good that I didn't even use butter or syrup - just ate 'em plain! Delicious!
And yes, even though it is no longer my birthday, I drank Apple Juice out of my super-cool birthday girl glass that I got from Meg! I love this glass!!

So true

True friends won't be jealous of your gifts, question who you are, or try to talk you out of your dreams. True friends will give you ideas, connect you with people, and help push you further along. Your inner circle should be people who celebrate who you are; people who are happy when you succeed; people who believe the very best in you. Remember, it's not the quantity of friends that's important; it's the quality.

Operation Backyard Beautification!

We're desperately trying to spruce up our yard! After my weed-pulling extravaganza, we hit up Home Depot (seriously love that place!!) for some much needed lawn care stuff. They hooked us up and we are well on our way to have a better looking yard - yay!
These tomato planters are awesome! We liked our first one so much, we went back and bought two more! No tomatoes yet but the plants are doing well so hopefully soon!

Joe watering the lawn - he'd been working on it all day, so I guess it's ok that he's taking the lazy route and sitting down!

This is me favorite planter ever! My dad and I have a thing for smiley faces and he and my mom got me this planter for my birthday last year. I love it, it makes me happy and every time I see it, I think of my parents! I'm excited to have some pretty flowers to put in it!

寿司

Yesterday, I went to a friends and we made homemade sushi!! I thought it was going to be really difficult but it was super easy and it tasted amazing! The *perfect* summer meal! It was so good, we made an impromptu trip to the grocery and stocked up on more ingredients to make it for dinner that night! We had a blast! So fun!

I'm lovin' it!

Things I am loving right now (in no particular order)....

1

Pic

Peanut-butter Moo'd from Jamba Juice! I tried my friend's the other day and have been craving one ever since! So good!

2
This song
Your love never fails! (Lyrics)


3
Learning to make sushi today with a friend! Yum!

4
My flowers look amazing! Maybe I can grow things after-all!

5

My friend got some awesome pictures of the dolphins the other day! Stole these from her facebook page! It was so awesome!

6
This guy!

Lions and Tigers

.... and dolphins and turtles?!? That's right, dolphins and turtles were both apart of my day today! Early this morning, I headed to Shark's Cove with some friends.We spent the entire day soaking up the sun, reading magazines, and playing in the water! I had never been before and had a blast! We saw a pod of about fifteen dolphins playing and leaping and jumping in the water! It was unbelievable, I have never seen anything like it before! It was such an amazing day!! Pictures do it way more justice than any words I could use to describe... so here ya' go!




Stumbled upon a Bonsai garden
Came across 5 big sea turtles at Turtle Bay!



I am super sunburned but it was well worth it!! All in all it was a great day - the only thing that could have made today better was if I could have spent it with Joe.