2012 - A year in review

2012 was a pretty big year for us.  Before I move on to '13, I just wanted to remember some of the best moments of last year.

January:  Such a great month.  We started the month with this... 

The 14th national title for Bama made for a pretty happy husband.  Hopefully we start 2013 the same way! 

Then Pinedo Family came out for a trip in January also.  We went to the pro-bowl with them - so fun!

Maxwell had fun meeting all the pro-bowl cheerleaders

February was another fun month.  My best friend Emilie came out here for a fun trip for two weeks.  We did all sorts of fun things - including swimming with sharks! 

Julie, Erik & Grace also came out to visit in February.  

Poly Cultural Center

March brought Mike home from a mission in Cambodia just in time to celebrate his 30th birthday! 

We were lucky to have Marianne and Jim in town here to welcome Mike home also!

April was the best month of the year for us.  On April 28th we were sealed for time and all eternity in the Bountiful, Utah temple.  It was such a wonderful day and we had support from so many friends and family members... I will never forget it! 

May was back to the island for us!  We moved from our apartment in Waikiki to a much nicer place in Salt Lake/Aiea area.  It has been a lot nicer for Mike to not have to commute through all the traffic to get to base!

Our old place in Waikiki

Our new place in Salt Lake!  

May was spent with friends and enjoying island life!

June was an adventure filled month!  Mike was a groomsman for his buddies wedding in Iowa.  So we got to take a two week trip around the U.S. filled with friends, family, and awesome sightseeing! 

We started with the Vegas temple and Hoover Dam! 

We headed to the midwest for Sam & Rachel's wedding. 

We shot guns and went kayaking in the days before the wedding. 

We also got to spend a day in Nauvoo, Illinois.  My favorite part was seeing the Nauvoo Temple and Carthage Jail.  

We headed up to Minnesota and spent a day with one of my best friends, Morgan.  It was so fun to see her and catch up for a while!

Then it was off to Utah to visit family some more.  

We went to Arizona to see Mike's parents who happened to be there at the time.  On our way we stopped by the Grand Canyon 

We spent a relaxing few days in Prescott with Marianne and Jim.

Then it was back to Vegas to catch out flight home.  But not before stopping at the Stratosphere and riding all the rides! 

July slowed down a little.  I did cross off one major hike from my bucket list - conquered the 'Stairway to Heaven' hike! 

August brought more family out here!  Jana, Greg & the boys were able to make it out here for a fun filled Hawaii trip!  Sadly, Mike was only here for part of it since he had to go to the big island for some training for work (He hiked the Moana Loa volcano)!  We had a blast visiting with family! 

September brought more with it yet another fun visit with the in-laws!  They were busy cruising the world, and we were lucky they got to stop for a day in HAWAII!  So my sweet mom-in-law and I had a wonderful adventure going zip lining in Maui! 

Another fun thing September brought was the discovery of our deep love for shaved ice on the North Shore!  Mike and I like to take trips up their to savor the goodness whenever we can! 

And last, but certainly not least was the Moanalua Ward roadshow.  It was so fun to get to know all the awesome people in our ward, and Mike's part of the skit was probably one of the funniest thing I've ever seen. 

October was back to work for me!  I started working in scheduling for Ho'okele Care at Home.       We also started hanging out with the Garrett's and the Aubrey's a lot this month!  We are so lucky to have great friends out here! 

November was an eventful month.  Mike spent the month in Tarowa for work.  My parents came out to visit and we had a wonderful week together!  I was so happy they were able to come out here! 

December brought with it some new callings for Mike and I!  We had been teaching in the primary... we both got called to be in the Young Women/Young Men's presidencies respectively.  I am so excited about working with the youth!

Mike's buddy Sam also flew out here for a few weeks in December and we had some fun adventures having him here as well! 

Mike's parents caught us one more time in December as they cruised back through...  They came in on a day that Mike was involved with an arrival ceremony of some of the remains they had found in Tarowa.  It was a really touching experience to be a part of! 

"Year's end is neither an ending nor a beginning, but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us." -Hal Borland

Mele Kalikimaka!

This year we had a pretty quiet Christmas.  With Mike's friend Sam visiting us for a few weeks, me starting a new job, completing finals week for school, and our new church callings I think we both just wanted a few days to take a breather and appreciate each other. 

Christmas Eve I was working during the day (barf) but that night we got together with Rachel and played some fun games and had sparkling cider.  

Christmas day I was SO excited to open presents in the morning!  I had no idea what Mike had up his sleeve, but he got me this AWESOME chair to put on our lanai that I had been eyeballing at Pier One Imports.  I LOVE IT!  It will be great to hang out in this thing and watch the sunsets, or just read a book and RELAX.  Best present ever.

I got him a scuba certification which he is pretty excited to go do as well.  

Later that afternoon we went and watched Les Mis with Brett & Heidi, Caesar & Isabel, and Rachel.  It was the perfect Christmas movie.  I think Mike thought it was a snoozer (he's not that into musicals) but he admitted that the storyline was good and it was a well made movie.  Hugh Jackman was my favorite I thought he did awesome. 

We had Christmas dinner at Dave & Busters with everyone.  We are blessed to have such great friends out here on this rock!  Our friends are pretty much family out here so it's nice to have good ones.  As they say in "It's A Wonderful Life"... No man is a failure who has friends.  Truer words could not be spoken. 

Merry Christmas!

'Twas the night of the Championship

'Twas the night of the Championship, And all through South Beach

Notre Dame fans were saying, "Another title's in reach!"

The luck of the Irish had carried them through, with wins over Pittsburgh and even Purdue.

The Domers were nestled all snug in their seats, with visions of crystal... just one team to beat!

And I in my houndstooth and Crimson and White, knew for the Irish, it would be a long night.

When out of the tunnel there arose such a thunder, fans stood to their feet with amazement and wonder. 

The ground shook like an earthquake had just hit the field, and I felt Irish fear beginning to build.

They scattered and looked for some place to hide, as the announcer proclaimed, "And here comes the Tide!"

I sang "Yea Alabama," yes I sang every word, as Notre Dame marveled at the elephant herd. 

Led by a man both lively and quick, everyone knew that he was St. Nick. 

More rapid than eagles, his coursers they came.  He whistled and shouted, and called them by name. 

"Now Lacy! Now Millner, McCarron, and Fluker!  On Barrett!  On Mosley!  On Warmack and Cooper!

Miami is where Notre Dame's luck shall end.  The BCS trophy is ours to defend!"

Then after the kickoff, a beating began.  The Irish now knew that they were outmanned. 

They tried to get going, but never could start.  They were simply no match for the defense of Smart.

Brian Kelly cried out, "This just isn't fair!  Saban was given a month to prepare!"

But his cries were not heard, they fell on deaf ears. "We have to adjust!  We have to switch gears!"

Then Notre Dame ran what nobody expected.  The faked the reverse, but the pass was deflected. 

The ball was picked off!  The crowd let out a roar.  As the Bama defender walking in for the score.  

Saban spoke not a word to his crimson machine.  As the seconds ticked off, to number 15. 

If one thing was learned in Miami that night, it's that you don't bring a leprechaun to an elephant fight. And I heard the crowd yell to the losers in blue, "We just beat the hell out of you!"

-Sam Woodward

I phone win.

So my smokin' hot man recently got a new Samsung Galaxy 3, and he pretty much thinks he's the cool kid on the block.

He was giving his phone voice commands in front of me nonchalantly, but I know his underlying motive was to show up my iphone (PS, Siri is awesome).

Anyway this is what just went down...

Mike: (talking to his phone) Tell my wife 'I love you.'

Automated phone voice: "Sorry, I can't find contact 'your wife.'

Me: (in my best shocked and outraged voice) REALLY?  I am not even in your phone?

Mike: (talking to phone) Tell Marissa 'I love you.'

Automated phone voice: "Sorry, I can't find contact, "Marissa."

Really???

I phone win.

That is all.

My thoughts on Sandy Hook.

So often, hymns preach sermons more powerful than speeches by the most eloquent orator, or words spoken by any man.  Music can  penetrate the heart, and fill the soul with the spirit of Christ.  Such was the case for me as I heard these lyrics.

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day, 

Their old familiar carols play, 

And wild and sweet the words repeat 

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come, 

The belfries of all Christendom

Had rolled along the unbroken song

Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head;

"There is no peace on earth," I said, 

"For hate is strong and mocks the song

Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, 

With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till ringing singing, on its way, 

THe world revolved from night to day, 

A voice, a chime, a chant sublime, 

Of peace on earth, good will to men!

  I was thinking about the recent tragedy in Connecticut... and as my heart filled with sorrow for the families mourning the loss of their precious children, I too pondered if there was peace on earth. As I sang the lyrics of this song I remembered that there is peace on earth; that insofar as we allow Christ into our lives we can feel of the solace and peace that the gospel brings.   

JPAC Arrival Ceremony

So this is something that I have been wanting to blog about for awhile, but as per usual procrastination has gotten the best of me and I have not yet had the chance!

Marianne and Jim, my awesome in-laws, came into town off a cruise for a few days.  We LOVED getting to spend extra time with them and having them in our home.

While they were here, we were lucky enough to get to see a JPAC arrival ceremony.  These were remains that were recovered from Vietnam, Kiribati, and Germany from WWII and the Vietnam War.  Mike was on one of the missions in Tarawa where they found some of the remains.

Here are some of the artifacts that have been found at different sites.  

My in-laws 

The plane that had the bodies in it prior to the ceremony

Transporting the body back onto the plane

The bodies were put on the busses and then transported to the burial site... Mike was on the bus.

It was a really cool ceremony to see and it helped me appreciate the work that my husband is doing!  

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today was a great thanksgiving holiday... I love the spirit of gratitude that thanksgiving brings, and wish we could be more thankful all year round! 

I love this quote and have been feeling especially blessed this holiday season.  

It was hard not to be at home on this day with the family... but I was blessed to spend a week with my parents this month!  

Our Hawaii friends (the Aubrey's) had an awesome dinner at their place with some friends.  It was great... I made stuffing, which turned out a little soggier than I would've liked, but the whole pan was eaten so I think it was okay!  And I also made some bomb sweet potatoes.  I found a weight watchers recipe, and as I was cooking it taste tested it and decided it wasn't all that great so I modified it with more butter and brown sugar... needless to say, no longer had the nutritional factor going for it but they were delish. 

Also feeling grateful to be with the hubby and spend some good quality time since his return from his latest mission in Tarawa!  I had a blast hearing his tales of adventure from his latest TDY... it was a very eventful mission and he loved learning the history about the battle that happened there in WWII.  

There were 1700 American marines killed on this island in '43.  

Here is Mike standing next to one of the huge guns the Japanese used to fire at the Americans when they were invading the island... they had ripped them out of navy ships and put them in strategic points around the island to defend themselves. 

As the American ships were sailing in they got stuck in the reef about 600 yards from beach and the marines had to get off the ship and wade through the water (under heavy machine gunfire) to get into the beach to even start the battle with the Japanese.  

What a crazy (and overlooked) piece of WWII history! 

So that's the latest, just enjoying our time together!  

PS... one other quick funny that happened yesterday.. so Mike has been talking about how he wants to get the new Halo 4 game... well I decided I would surprise him yesterday and while he was out running errands I went to Gamestop and picked it up for him.  When I returned home (and my heart was beating out of my chest, every time I try and surprise someone with anything I nearly give myself a heart attack) HE WAS SITTING ON THE COUCH PLAYING HIS NEW HALO GAME!  Yes, that's right, we were simultaneously buying the same game.  Talk about being on the same wavelength!  Oh I just love him. <3