Honeymoon Suite

L-R, Maddux, my mom, Samuel (sorry love, your eyes are kinda closed in this one) me, my dad and Malakai, Grandma Ruth, Grandpa Don. Back row: Kimberlee, Eric, Wayne, Tara, Jonny. We were just missing Krystal's family.


Well, I put up this great family picture so you could see my grandparents, Don and Ruth Esplin. They are my only grandparents left living, and they are the greatest grandparents ever! They still live in St. George; they are cattle ranchers, and they still go out to their ranch on the Arizona strip several days a week and round up cattle and stuff. But my grandma is also very fashionable (moreso than my mom, sorry Mom!) and takes me shopping often. She has a great eye for fabulous outfits, and cost is never a problem for her! I love it. Well, at the last minute she called me and told me she'd booked the Honeymoon Suite at Holiday Inn, for the same day we got sealed. I hadn't really thought about it, but she wanted it to be special for us. I was so touched. We weren't expecting a 5-star hotel or anything, but we were really impressed, and we loved the room, especially the heart-shaped jacuzzi! We slept in the next morning, and ate an amazing breakfast in bed. Talk about a fun surprise. You should also know that she had to work some magic to get this room...it was Spring Break in St. George, and almost every room in EVERY hotel was SOLD OUT!! Also, there were 17 weddings in the St. Geo temple alone on March 10th. Thanks Grandma and Grandpa, you're the BEST!

March 10th- It was Magical

Finally home! It was a fabulous trip. March 10th was probably the best day of my life. I'll never forget it. It was so fun to see so many people and loved ones, that made it most memorable of all. So, it'll take me a week or two to tell all about it, but to start with, we got into Vegas the night before our sealing, and didn't get to St. George until 3:15 a.m.! I got about 4 hours of sleep, then went to my hair appointment. I kind of just left it up to my stylist, who is actually the younger sister of my close friend Genis. My hair turned out pretty similar to one of the pictures, I really loved it. I decided not to wear a veil, when I put on the tiara, it seemed like enough. The sealing itself was amazing, we both cried like babies. And it was a fun surprise, my little brother Eric got endowed the morning of my sealing, and so he was there at my sealing in the afternoon. My mom had told me he wouldn't be endowed in time. (He got his mission call 5 days later, more on that soon!) We took all these pictures, here's a few of my favorites:

(And...if you REALLY have a lot of time, you can check out all the pictures, tell me which ones are the best, in your opinion, before we print any out. Here's the link, password is march10.)

We had a wedding/sealing dinner after that, and we played a short slideshow, if you want to see it, click here, the username is HSB and the password is aloha. And it works better if you let it load before you push "play".

Okay, that's all for now, but I'll be back!!!!

Planning Planning

I haven't been updating lately, I've been busy making plans for our big weekend and vacation. This Friday we are flying to Las Vegas and driving to St. George. Then on Saturday, Samuel and I are getting sealed in the St. George temple (for some of you who didn't know, we eloped, here in Hawaii. Still a sore sport with the parents, they thought we must have done the deed, which we hadn't, but that probably would have happened if we waited much longer. If you want details, send me an email!) Samuel was married previously, and it requires a special clearance from the First Presidency, which we didn't have then, but obviously have now. So finally, after a year of waiting, we are going to be Together Forever, and it's going to be the best day ever. So many friends and family are going to be there, the sealing is in the afternoon, and we're having a dinner after that. I am going to wear a wedding dress, afterwards, for pictures around the temple. And that morning (thanks to my high school girlfriends and gift certificates) I am getting my hair weaved (in serious need) and done up fancy, and getting acrylic nails on of course. FUN! I just need to decide how to wear it. I'm thinking partial updo, I hope it turns out something close to these pictures.I'm really happy I get to do this planning...it's so much fun! My mom is having fun too, I think, she's had to do a lot since I'm not there to do it. And...she's needed at least this long to start to forgive me. Anyway, I hope it all goes well. I'll put some pictures up when we get back. Deb from Funny Face Photography is doing the photography, and I am just amazed by her talent, so I'm way excited about that. (Check out her blog and website, there's a link over there.)

After the sealing, my whole family is going to Florida to spend a week with Krystal, Jeff, Damon, and Allie in Jacksonville. Even the little twins are going, and it will be the first time our entire family has been together in a year and a half. Samuel hasn't even met Jeff, my brother-in-law yet. We are going to Orlando and Universal Studios too. So, I might be MIA for a week or two, but I'll be back!!! Can't wait!

My Favorite Websites

Thanks to Emily for the link to a fabulous website with darling fonts. (Check her page out here: )

I just wanted to share my favorite websites, some of them you'll obviously be familiar with, others, who knows? Let me know what other great sites I'm missing out on, kay?

http://www.google.com
Obviously this isn't a new one, I just have to say that I use it at least 5 times a day. My brain keeps coming up with so many random questions, and without fail, I can find the answers on google.

http://www.craigslist.com
If you guys have never heard of it, it's okay. I didn't hear about it til I moved to a big city (Honolulu). It's a free site where you can post ads, buy, sell, look for jobs, housing, etc. I am in LOVE with this site, here in Hawaii people are constantly buying and selling things, because they move and it's too expensive to ship things. I have bought and sold cars, baby clothes for my sister, desks, entertainment centers, chairs, beds, (pretty much our whole apartment was furnished through craigslist.) And lately, I'm going crazy looking for baby deals...I got an electric breast pump for $10! Yeah! So check out craigslist, especially if you live in a big city. If you don't, click on the city closest to you, see what's out there.

http://www.makeupalley.com
For you cosmetic junkies out there, you'll love this site. The first thing that drew me to it was there are thousands if not millions of reviews on every product on the market, from make-up to hair products to beauty tools to perfumes and lotions. Then, they have a "swap" option where people post everything they want to get rid of, and you make deals with other people to trade for stuff they don't want. You can get a lot of brand new stuff too, and save money! LOVE IT! (Watch out, don't get swaplifted! That's when someone asks you to send first, then never sends their item...it's happened to me once. Just check their feedback!)

http://www.pregnancyweekly.com
There's hundreds of pregnancy websites out there, I just love knowing how big my baby is each week, and learning about what's going ON in there! This week it told me I'm 37.5% there, my baby is about 4 inches long and has all it's little organs. And fingernails and toenails. Cute!

http://www.kraftfoods.com
Not only does it have recipes, it gives you ideas of dinner for a week and lets you print out a shopping list showing you what you need, and to help so food doesn't go bad before you use it. Thanks, Mel, for this one.

http://www.mypyramidtracker.gov
Lately I've been more concerned about what I eat- this website lets you enter in everything you eat in a day, then analyzes it: It'll tell you how you did on eating your servings from the "pyramid" and also if you got too much sodium, fat, calories, etc, for your body type. I'm having fun with it, and it's motivating me to eat more fruit and veggies. But it's hard to use if you eat out. For obvious reasons.

http://www.bigpepetravel.com
Actually, this is a new one for me, but a convert of mine gets commission when people book through this website, so I'm spreading the word! I've found that it has some even better deals than travelocity/expedia/orbitz, etc. So check it out!

My favorite websites, though, are YOUR BLOGS!!! I love love love reading them. Keep up the good work.

Tagged- 5 Random Things

So, there's a tag going around-- someone tags you, you write 5 random things about yourself, then tag 3 more people. My friend Mel tagged me (melodyriches.blogspot.com) so I'm going to try to think of 5 more things about me...my life...that you didn't know.
(Side note: I'm also throwing in random pictures, because I get tired of only seeing words on my blog.)

1. I do like to take scissors and cut off my split ends one by one by one.

2. I do believe the alcohol "cooks out". I hope I'm not wrong.

3. I don't put on my make-up til I get to work, sometimes I don't get to it at all.

4. I gained 15 pounds on my mission in the deep south, and lost it all in the 9 months before I got home. Here's the secret: Take your current weight, divide by 2, add 8. Drink that many ounces of water every day, and you'll slowly lose the pounds...faster if you exercise (which I didn't.) It's not that hard, especially if you spread it out during the day. WORKS LIKE MAGIC!

5. I didn't lose the baby fat in my face until I was 23 and home from my mission (and drank all that water.) You PVHS girls, get out your yearbooks and look at my pictures. My sister Krystal's too. Sorry, Krystal, but we both know it's true. She lost hers around age 19, right K?
I wish I had a before and after picture to scan in. Most my old pictures are in St. George.

Hope you've all been englightened by all this. :) I'm now tagging
amyjens.blogspot.com
tattonfamily.blogspot.com
kreitzers.blogspot.com
Your turn!

Young Couple Date Night

So, this last weekend was pretty fun, we live in a big family ward, but it seems like a partial young couple ward. I guess because we live so close to the University of Hawaii, which brings in tons of young married couples. Anyway, everyone is good friends, which is so nice.

So, our Bishop put me and Samuel in charge of planning a date night every three months, with dinner and babysitting provided of course. This was the second time we've done it, the first time we had about 20 people there, this last Friday we had about 40! We had ordered a bunch of Thai food (Y-U-M) and then played the Newlywed game, which was hilarious. (It took forever to get through 40 people's answers to 10 questions each, but no one was in a hurry to leave.) I am happy to report that all 20 guys got the "when is your anniversary" question right, and oddly not a single girl got the "what is your husband's favortite vegetable" right. (So go ask your husband what his favorite vegetable is, he'll probably surprise you.) Anyway, it was great fun, and it wasn't too much work, which was the best part.

Saturday was weird. Samuel pretty much never gets sick, but he got slammed by the flu. I'd never seen anyone so sick, fever, chills, aches, throwing up and the other trips to the bathroom, I'll kindly not mention that, and I was a little freaked out! My mothering instinct kicked right in, though, and I was like, Here, let me feed you soup! Here, drink this medicine. Here, put this cold towel on your forehead. I was enjoying myself, to be honest, as I worried, of course. His fever broke later that night, and he even got up and spoke in church the next day (I hope he wasn't contagious.) Anyway, I've been feeling great this last week, and I hope I don't get it, because there will be no Nyquil for me! But to make up for it, I've never felt better, pregnancy-wise. I actually made dinner last night. Well, I don't have anything else to talk about. Goodbye.

Lately...

Well, I was just sitting here wondering what I could put on my blog next. I couldn't think of anything. So I decided just to write about my latest mini-drama at work.

*My boss owns my apartment building...he bought it when I started working for him, so he told me to go take a look at the units and if I saw one, he'd let us rent it for a "good deal." With some insider information from the next door neighbor, we were able to move into a recently renovated unit, for only $600 a month, which is pretty much unheard of in Hawaii. A month later, a parking spot opened up, which we happily paid $50 a month for (at first I thought that was crazy, but after a month of driving up and down streets for a half an hour every night, I realized I'd pay a lot more than $50 for a parking spot!)

Okay, then my boss hired a property management co. to manage the buildings, which I thought was great, because otherwise all the grunt work fell on me. Three months ago we got a letter from the property mgmt co, telling us our rent was going up $50. I was upset, what happened to my "employee discount"? So I mentioned it to my boss, and he said it was time to raise the rent. I was about ready to quit over it (but let's be honest, I'm ready to quit over anything.) but Samuel reminded me that even with a $50 increase we're still getting a great deal for Hawaii. I swallowed my pride and accepted it. Well, last Saturday, another letter came. They wanted to raise rent another $100. By now I am officially hormonal, moody, slightly insane, and prone to fly off the handle, which I did. I ranted and raved to Samuel about how I am just not appreciated at my job, and how the whole company would be disabled if I wasn't there to make their checks, pay their bills, and bill their customers (which is true, nobody else in the office knows how to use the accounting program but me, which is NOT smart on their part.) ANYWAY, without much thought, I decided to take matters into my own hands, and I wrote me bosses a letter telling them either they keep my rent at $650 (+ parking) or I was turning in my 2 weeks notice. Oh yeah, and I gave them about 5 good reasons why that was a reasonable request. I left their letters on their desks, and waited, and waited, (okay, it was only three days, but it felt like months)...I was pretty sure they wouldn't insist on higher rent if it meant losing a VERY valuable employee (haha) over $100 bucks a month. My one and only co-worker who is very opinionated and not always the smartest guy told me he'd overheard them saying they were going to raise the rent anyway (maybe to see if I'd really quit?) I was so mad! I started looking for other jobs, applied to a few, and then today I got the news...they were keeping my rent the same. Whew. I was kind of stressing out about getting a new job, then quitting it 5 months later when the baby comes. They said they still eventually want to raise the rent to $900/month, which is what my neighbors pay, but for now they'll keep it the same. I'm going to go get a 6-month contract from the property mgmt place and lock in my "deal". By the end of 6 months, I won't be working there anymore, and they'll surely raise it anyway.

Anyway, I'm glad my spur of the moment emotional decision worked to our favor. It could have easily gone the other way. Maybe they do notice and appreciate me, it's hard to say though, they are such negative people. I guess I'm just not one of those people who needs "work" to be fulfilled...I really hope motherhood, as exhausting as it sounds, will be fulfilling and rewarding. I don't think I really know what to expect though. I wish all my fellow bloggers could tell me. :)
Thanks for listening. Did anybody watch American Idol? The last girl, Lakisha Jones, was UN-BE-LIEVEABLE! I got chills three times. Everybody, have a great night. The weekend is almost here.

Q & A

1. What time did you get up this morning? 7:55 a.m.
2. Diamonds or Pearls? Diamonds
3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? The Pursuit of Happyness
4. Favorite TV show? Can we say shows plural? Lost, Prison Break, American Idol
5. What did you have for breakfast? A piece of bread, and I didn't keep it down. :)
6. What is your middle name? Ann
7. What is your favorite cuisine? Italian
8. What food do you dislike? Olives, Seafood
9. Your favorite chip? Maui Style Salt and Vinegar
10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? Chris Daughtry's new one
11. What kind of car do you drive? Nissan Pathfinder
12. Favorite Sandwich? Subway's Italian BMT
14. What are your favorite clothes? Stretchy Gaucho pants
15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be? I'm definitely in the mood for Australia and New Zealand
16. What color are your eyes? A mix of brown and green
17. Favorite brand of clothing? None...All...I just like a killer deal.
18. Where would you want to retire? San Diego
19. Favorite time of day? 7-9 p.m.
20. Where were you born? Beaver, UT
21. What is your favorite sport to watch? NCAA Basketball (March Madness!!)
24. Pepsi or Coke? I never really liked the cola taste, I must say Sprite.
25. Cats or Dogs? Dogs for sure.
26. Are you a morning person or a night owl? NIGHT owl
27. Pedicure or manicure? Pedicure
28. Do you prefer funny or mushy cards? Mushy, lately
29. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with everyone? I'm pregnant? In case you hadn't heard, haha.
30. What did you want to be when you were little? A ballerina
31. What do you have in your trunk right now? Camping wood/logs and beach mats
32. What is your best childhood memory? Hmm, so many...watching home movies every Sunday with the family and laughing at ourselves.
33. What are all the different jobs you have had in your life? Pizza Factory Hostess, Waitress, Manager, Substitute Teacher, Spanish Teacher at MTC, Recreation Therapist, Office Manager.
34. What is your favorite Holiday? Christmas
35. What is your favorite dessert? The Pizza Factory hot cookie with ice cream and whipped cream on top. YUM I miss that.
36. Favorite Get away? Any Getaway! I guess to the other islands.
37. Ever been to Africa? No, but my Aunt and Uncle are on a mission there, and want us to come visit.
38. Glasses or Contacts? Both, but mostly contacts.
39. Ever been toilet papering? Of course!
40. Been in a car accident? Small ones
41. What is your favorite day of the week? Sunday
42. Favorite restaurant? Olive Garden
43. Favorite flower? Gardenia
44. Favorite movies? Dumb and Dumber, Remember the Titans
45. Favorite Past time? Reading by the pool. Sleeping, sleeping, sleeping (I'm saving up for later when I never get to sleep.
46. Favorite ice cream? Hot fudge/peanut butter cup/marshmallow shake from Charlie's in St. Geo.
47. Favorite fast food restaurant? Taco Bell
48. How many times did you fail your drivers test? None
49. From whom did you get your last email? Jaesi (Sandburg) Melessa (she sent me this)
50. Sandals or tennis shoes? Sandals
51. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Motherhood
52. If the speed limit is 60 what is the fastest you will drive? 69
53. What is your bedtime? Midnight
55. Last person you went to dinner with? Samuel
56. What are you listening to right now? Silence in my office, I love the peace and quiet.
57. What is your favorite color? Pink
58. How many tattoos do you have? Three
(You guys! I'm kidding!)

Yay for Twins

Thanks, Tara, for the latest pictures of Maddux and Malakai! These are my twin nephews, 7 months old, just starting to crawl. Tara says they keep her busy, but the boys will play with each other and keep each other entertained. (I just can't imagine two at a time, much less one!) These boys were born at 37 weeks, and weighed over 8 pounds each! Wow! Must be some of the Samoan blood in them.

I haven't seen the little (big) guys since they were three weeks old. I can't wait to see them in March! Man, look at those eyelashes!
He has a cute little Samoan nose.

Keep up the good work Tara!

Happy Valentines Day!

*So, this is a later addition, it's just a picture of our romantic dinner at a little Thai restaurant, and you can see my homemade valentine in the background (I made that in like, 10 minutes! It wasn't very cute, but he loved it, whew!) This picture makes me smile, because the first time the waitress took it, Samuel's eyes were closed, so he tried to open them real wide, and he got that funny wide-eyed smile. And I'm being cheesy and wearing red, but it was a new maternity shirt, and I wanted to try it out!*

Happy Valentines Day to everyone! I LOVE you guys! So, I'll just ramble a little today, remember when we made "mailboxes" in elementary school? I remember second grade, I carefully selected a special valentine for the boy I liked at the time, T.J. something or other, and I chose it because it was a little more flirty than the other "I'm glad we're friends Valentine!" cards that I gave to the others. Of course, I loved the people who gave me candy. I don't think my mailbox ever looked this cute, I think it was more of a shoebox with hearts stuck on it.

Well, for our last Valentines Day as a couple without children, we plan to go out to dinner. I'll definitely order dessert! I didn't think far enough ahead, I should have surprised Samuel with a card and a gift this morning, but he ended up surprising me.

I had such an intense headache yesterday, that I layed down after I got home from work. At around 11:00 p.m. Samuel announced he was going to Wal-Mart, which made sense, since I was no fun to hang out with, and I hadn't gotten around to replacing the hair stuff he just ran out of. I was asleep when he got home, but when I woke up this morning, there was a single white rose in a vase, a pink and black card that he just "knew I would love" (it was SOOO cute, I'll have to scan it in) and a few gifts, including rechargable batteries! (That's kind of a funny present, I know, but this is the third time he's had to buy them for me, how sad that I lose the RECHARGEABLE ones! We can't use our camera without batteries, so I'm so glad he was listening when I kept complaining about lost batteries.
I was so happy, it was such a fun surprise. I told him a few days ago that I never wanted roses on Valentines Day, because it makes me so mad that vendors charge double or triple what they usually would, and I HATE feeling ripped off, so I told him roses/flowers are great for every other occasion, but Valentines could be a "chocolates" holiday. I didn't mean literally, I meant figuartively, you know? This morning he said, "oh no, I forgot chocolates!" but I told him I didn't mean it literally, besides, those chocolates aren't THAT good, not compared to Reeses Hearts! (or Reeses Eggs at Easter, don'tcha just love those?)

Well, to quote a great song from Moulin Rouge, "Love is a many splendored thing, love lifts us up where we belong; All you need is love!" I'm so grateful for all the love I've felt from so many people in my life.
Happy Valentines Day!!

Heather Trivia

I feel like all I talk about is me, me, me, maybe it's because I don't have a kid to talk about yet...anyway, see how many of these things you knew about me:

1. I was born in Beaver, Utah, and for some reason I'm always kind of embarassed about it.

2. I took ballet in kindergarten, then did some cheer camps and stuff, but eventually I converted to sports like my sisters. I got a late start, and never was quite as good at basketball as Krystal and Tara, but I did play 3 sports all 4 years of high school, (Volleyball, basketball, softball for one year, then I switched to track my last three years.)

3. I still remember missing the game winning shot in an intense come-back game at the state basketball tournament.

4. I never got an allowance when I was little. If I wanted money, I did (extra) chores. In a way it made me really independent, and when I was older and wanted a car, or to go to Europe, I was able to, right after I earned the money.

5. Speaking of Europe, right before my mission I went to 10 countries in Europe with two friends from college. We were gone 5 weeks, and stayed in hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts...we traveled by train, and carried all our stuff in huge backpacks. Countries visited: France, Spain, England, Belgium, Monaco, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland.

6. I served a Spanish speaking mission in Georgia and Alabama. I know, it seems weird, but I was surprised to find the thousands of Hispanics living in the Southern states. I love those people. Oh yeah, and learning Spanish was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.

7. I am 13 months and 2 days younger than my sister, Krystal. No, that wasn't planned. Now that we're older, my mom thinks it's the best thing that ever happened to us. I agree.

8. According to the "Color Code" I am a BLUE-RED personality, most of you probably know about the Color Code...what color are YOU?

9. My favorite smells are firework smoke, gasoline, fresh cut grass, and leather in a new car.

10. I've always had the weirdest urge to run a marathon, but I TOTALLY don't like running THAT much, so it doesn't make sense...

11. I love massages, but every professional masseuse I've ever had tells me that I'm difficult to massage. They say it's because I like them to use so much pressure, it wears them out. Sorry, but that's what I'm paying them for, right?

12. I'm a hopeless romantic, and I never get tired of watching 'The Notebook.'

13. I've loved to read ever since I learned how. My sister and I used to come home from school with a library book, fill up the bathroom sink with hot water, and soak our feet while we read. We'd just keep adding hot water. We'd get a new library book the next day and repeat the process. (Remember the Babysitters Club and Sweet Valley High books?)

14. I'm the only girl in my family with a big booty. Nobody knows where it came from, as both grandmas, parents, and all siblings have small bums.

15. The tip of my left index finger was cut off when I was about a year old, an accident that happened in a car with a bucket seat that was flipped forward. When my mom flipped it back, my finger got caught in the metal. Yeah, she felt awful. The doctor was able to sew it back on, and even though one corner of it is missing, I have perfect feeling in it.

16. I started piano lessons in 2nd grade, took lessons for 9 years, and just last year started teaching lessons.

17. People tell me I look young and sound young. Some tell me I look 18 (I'm 26) and talk like I'm 12. Sometimes people ask me how old I am when they talk to me on the phone.

18. If I had a few more lifetimes, here's a list of things I would have loved to have done (and maybe will still do): Star in a musical (right after I get voice lessons); Become a registered nurse, or better yet, a surgeon; Go to hair school and learn how to cut, color, and style hair; Run a travel agency ; get my pilots license; Take gymnastics for so many years that I can do most of the tricks you see on TV; join a diving team (PVHS didn't have one!) **Well, I guess you can see why I didn't get it all done...

19. I think I fell in love for the first time when I was only 16...then, when he moved, I thought I'd die and never recover. I dated as many guys as I could but couldn't found a guy to I liked as much as him, anyway, the point is, I didn't have a serious boyfriend until my first year of college.

20. Me, my sister, and my friend Kayli (Lyman) absolutely LOVED the group Wilson Phillips when we were about 12, and since there were three of us, and we knew every word to every song, we made music videos to each song, pretending we were singing. We did every video with a different setting, and made them as professional as possible. Haha, now, they are the funniest thing we have on tape.

A few things about Hawaii...That maybe you didn't know!

I didn't know some of this stuff l 'til I moved here!

1. They have a couple of interstates, even though it obviously only goes through ONE state.

2. Honolulu has over a million people in a very small area. People who commute often spend 2-3 hours in the car (EACH WAY) to go only 12 MILES! (that's during rush hour).

3. New terminology we've learned from the locals: Instead of calling them flip flops, they call them slippers. Instead of calling it garbage, they call it rubbish. Instead of saying darn, dang, etc. they say shucks. Instead of saying something is a pain or is hard to do, they say it's humbug.

4. The LDS Laie temple was built in 1919, 40 years before Hawaii became the 50th state (1959).

5. A gallon of milk here, if it's not on sale, costs, on average, $7.50-8.00 a gallon. And it usually goes bad before the expiration date.

6. There is a volcano on the "Big Island" (also named Hawaii) that still oozes lava on a regular basis. We went and saw it last year, it was a pretty cool sight.

7. The state fish is called the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a. That's not a joke. All the "u"s sound like the oo in "moose", and the "a's" all sound like "ah". Let's break that down: humu humu**nuku nuku** a*pu*a*a. Now say it fast...isn't that FUN? Here's a picture.

8. There are only 12 letters in the Hawaiian alphabet, and 5 of them are vowels. The other letters are: H, K, L, M, N, P, and W. So, you can see why they come up with long words that are mostly vowels.

9. The local people call us white people "hauole's" (sounds like How-lies) and in general, they aren't very fond of us, my theory is because a lot of tourists come here and act like they are better than the locals. So they don't exactly love us hauole's. (*Note, the wards and stakes here don't have that problem at all, the locals are very loving and kind.)

10. Hula dancing is actually story telling through dance, using mostly your arms and hands. Okay, maybe some of you knew that, but I sure didn't.

11. Aloha means more than just hello. It also means good-bye, love, affection, compassion, and mercy.

12. The Hawaiians took what we might call a "snow cone" or "shaved ice" and they serve it with ice cream in the bottom, and it is soooooooooo good. They call it "shave ice"-- without the 'd' on the end.

13. Apparently, Hawaii is moving 4 inches toward Japan every year.

14. Spam is so popular here that McDonald's sells it as an option for breakfast. Residents of Hawaii consume more Spam than populations anywhere else in the world: More than four million cans every year, or an average twelve cans of Spam per person per year

15. Only 10% of the population is considered a "pacific islander". 41% of the population is Asian (Japanese, Filipino, and Chinese are the most prominent.) 26% are white, and the rest are mixed from all over. I've met several Russians, Hispanics, and Europeans here...Several from Poland in fact, don't ask me why.

And that's all I can think of for now. ALOHA!

A Few Things About Samuel

*another good idea from Abby*
Things you might not know about Samuel:

1. He LOVES to sing and is planning on recording a CD in the next few weeks.
2. He loves wakeboarding and surfing, and will get up at any hour to squeeze it in before work.
3. He did some modeling in high school.
4. He's owned three different motorcycles, and can't wait for the next one.
5. When we go out to eat, 90% of the time I like his food better than mine, so now I let him order for me.
6. When he shops, he will stand in the aisles, comparing ingredients and products until I have to sit in the aisle, or get in the cart for that matter and wait. I no longer go with him to Costco. :)
7. He was already good at helping with dishes, but he's done 100% of the dishes since I've been pregnant. NICE!
8. He likes conspiracy theories, and I'll tell you some of them if you ask. I have to admit, he's got me thinking...
9. He has one sister, two brothers, and probably around 40 aunts and uncles (10 on each side, plus spouses.) Don't ask how many cousins that makes, cause I don't know!
10. He served his mission in Argentina, has been home for 8 years, and still speaks Spanish like a native. It must be a gift. (Oh yeah, and he makes me speak it to him a lot so I can try to keep up.)
11. He's very well groomed, and takes immaculate care of his hands, fingernails, toenails, etc.
12. He played soccer in High School
13. When he's falling asleep his body jerks like CRAZY (you know, that muscle relaxing thing). It's entertaining.
14. He can't wait to quit his job at University of Phoenix and own his own corporation, doing Real Estate Investing.
15. He doesn't like seafood, which works out great, because I don't like it either.
16. He's LOVES people, and I usually have to drag him out of church after it's over because he wants to stop and talk to everyone, and in the meantime, I'm starving!
17. He'll bend over backwards to help people, even ones he doesn't know.
18. He loves sauces so much- I have to ask him if he'd like some pasta to go with that sauce.
19. He's got an amazing memory, and can tell me stories of "what happened" with amazing detail. (Every now and then I have to hurry him along, because it takes so long to get to the point.)
20. He is the most sweet and adoring husband there ever was, the perfect match for me, and he completes me in every way. I can't wait to see him as a daddy.

I Love Going to the Dentist

I really do. I just got back from a dentist appointment, so it was on my mind. The main reason I love going to the dentist is probably because it's always a good experience, at least so far. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I never wore braces and I've never had a cavity. I'm just an average brusher and an occasional flosser, I have to admit it. All my siblings have had cavities AND braces, so who knows what happened to me. I'm not complaining. I love going to the dentist because I get praised for having healthy teeth (I can't take credit though!) and then I get cleaned, polished, and sent on my way. You have to admit, that "just out of the dentist's office" feeling is wonderful.

I decided I needed to go because it had been a year since my last appointment, and several people have warned me that pregnancy can wreak havoc on your teeth. A friend of ours who is in dental school reminded me it's partly because women will eat every few hours, so their teeth never quite get a chance to clean themselves. Not to mention that sometimes I eat anything that sounds good, even if it's skittles. Add to that the fact that I can only brush for about 10.4 seconds before I start gagging, so I immediately stop and take deep breaths (it's worked so far.)And then I can't tell you how many times I've fallen asleep with my make-up on (and teeth unbrushed) because I'm so exhausted, I just pass out! I even did that in a movie theater, at like, 9:30 p.m., that's when I really knew something was up! All these things made me panic and run to the dentist, only to find out everything is fine, and to get a little self-esteem boost.

Anyway, I'm just rambling today. Just wondering if there's anybody else out there who loves going to the dentist.

It's a Small World After All

We had such a fun suprise our last day in Kauai. We were on our way to the airport, and we had some extra time, so we decided to make one last stop at a waterfall, since it was on the way. You can drive right up to it, get out of your car, take pictures, etc. Samuel was driving a little slow because some of the people in our car get a little car sick. At one point he pulled over and let two cars pass. When we got to the top of the hill and we were getting out of the car, I looked at who was getting out of the two cars who had gone ahead, and lo and behold, I saw a face I recognized...and then another, and another. It was a group of 8, and my parents are friends with all of them, in fact my dad went to high school with most of them, and they all live in St. George now!! I jumped out of the car and ran over to them and I had to hug them all, it was SUCH a treat to see them, they are such a cool group of people, and I just love them all. It was such a shock though, because we happened to be at the same waterfall on the same little island at exactly the same time. They had spent a week in Kauai, and were ALSO on the way to the airport!! To top it all off, they had a bet as to who would see someone they knew first, but because they all knew me, they gave US the money!! (Could this day get ANY better? Haha)
I introduced them to Samuel, since none of them had met him, and my Aunt Sue actually already knew most of them (she grew up in St. George and went to the same high school.) Well, Samuel had the camera, and he snapped this shot of me walking with Laurie and Lisa:

And here we are by the waterfall, that's my cousin Nicole and her husband Patrick, and the sun was RIGHT in our eyes.

Isn't that nice, I got the rainbow in there too.

Kalalau Trail

We spent the afternoon hiking the Kalalau Trail on the north shore. It's an 11 mile hike, and we did...maybe two of them. Still, it was fabulous- amazing views, green jungle around us, and a really cool tree.

*Thanks to Abby who introduced me to picasa.com and picture collages!*

Kauai by Helicopter

One of the coolest things to do in Kauai is to take a helicopter ride. If there was ever a place you want to see from the air, it's Kauai. It has an amazing coastline that you can only see by boat or air, and it has a grand canyon going right through the middle of it (see map from last post.)

Last January the weather wasn't cooperating, and the helicopters wouldn't fly, for safety reasons. But we were blessed this time with a beautiful day. I have so many pictures, I'm not sure which ones to post.
This waterfall was filmed in Jurassic Park, in the beginning, when the helicopter lands and the scientists meet each other. Our pilot played the Jurassic Park music and flew us up right next to it, it was REALLY cool.

We must have seen 20 different waterfalls, ones you could only see if you're in a helicopter, going in and out of canyons.Sorry about the glare, we took these pictures through the helicopter windows.

Anyway, it was probably the highlight of our trip, and I highly recommend that you save up some money (it costs an arm and a leg) and take a helicopter ride when you go to Kauai.

A Weekend in Kauai

Ahh, here I am, Monday morning, wishing I wasn't at work. Samuel and I got in at 9:30 last night, after spending three days in Kauai with my cousin, her husband, and my aunt and uncle (pictures of them to come!) in Kauai. Here's a map of the island:They went on to Maui, and we came back to work. It was a wonderful three days, with the sunniest weather that rainy island (a.k.a. the 'Garden Island') has ever seen! That was a relief! (FYI- We went to Kauai for 5 days last January on our honeymoon, and only saw the sun once, for a few hours.)

Our first day there we went to Kipu Falls, a freshwater river and waterfall, with a pool and a rope swing. Here's a few pictures.

The rope swing is in the background, you swing off the little cliff behind the tree. The shorter rope is used to grab the longer rope, if you can imagine what I mean.My uncle Brett is in the white shirt, taking a picture of us by the tree, and those are Kipu falls.Samuel the Fearless took a big swing and did a gainer (back flip) before dropping in the water. You can see he's about to kick his feet up over his head in this picture. I didn't even know you could do that with a rope. I just held on for dear life and then let go, yes I had my shoes on. The water was refreshingly cold. My triceps were sore the next day. That's a little embarassing. :) We did that a couple times before we left for more adventures.

Baby Bigler

Well, yes, as you may have deducted, we are going to have a baby. We are SOOO excited!! I am officially 9 weeks along, and I have been trying all kinds of things to keep the nausea away-- it lasts all day for me. Thanks to all my great friends who have offered sympathy and advice. This is not the fun part, but today it was all worth it. My doctor did an ultrasound, and we got to see the little thing, hear it's heartbeat even, going strong, and yes, I did cry. Up until now, I've only been sick, and it's hard to relate that to a little baby growing inside. But today it became a reality. Samuel was with me, and it was probably one of the best moments we could have shared, to hear that heartbeat and see the little tiny body of our baby. The baby is only an inch long, but I scanned and cropped the picture to make it a little bigger.
So, the little pointer at the top is the top of the head, you see two little tiny arms, (I could swear it's sucking it's thumb, but it might be a little early to have a thumb! Anybody know?) And what looks like quite the belly going on, and two little feet. It's truly incredible. I know all you moms out there are remembering the excitement, and really I guess the joy, to know that you created a life, and that you're lucky enough to take good care of it for 9 months. Anyway, I wanted to call everyone I knew when I got out of the appointment, but I'll have to settle for a blog post. Yay for motherhood!

2006 Recap

1. What did you do in 2006 that you'd never done before? I got married :0) 2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I think I forgot to make them last year. But I did make some this year, and so far so good.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes, my younger sister Tara had big, healthy twin boys.
4. Did anyone close to you die? No, and for that I'm grateful.
5. What countries did you visit? Mexico, right after Christmas.
6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006? More square footage to live in.
7. What dates from 2006 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? January 30th, the day I got married.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Making a hard decision on my own.
9. What was your biggest failure? Failure to control my emotions during some turbulent times.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? No, I've been surprisingly healthy since I got married.
11. What was the best thing you bought? Two memory foam pads for our bed, and satin sheets.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Lots of people...Samuel has been an amazing husband, my sisters have been awesome, and all my great friends have faithfully stood by me.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? My cranky bosses and a few other people that I won't mention.
14. Where did most of your money go? Paying bills, rent, and traveling back and forth to the mainland.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Tara having twins, going to Florida to see Krystal's family, going to Kauai, Maui, and the Big Island with Samuel.
16. What song will always remind you of 2006? Panic at the Disco-I Write Sins Not Tragedies- the radio stations here played it like 100 times a day, it was awful.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? Happier b) thinner or fatter? maybe a pound or two fatter c) richer or poorer? Richer- I got a raise
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Exploring the islands; oh, and working out.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? Watching TV- I totally got sucked in
20. How did you spend Christmas? With Samuel's family in Arizona
21. Did you fall in love in 2006? I was already in love, but I fall deeper in love every day.
22. How many one-night stands? None
23. What was your favorite TV program? Lost or Prison Break
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? No, hate isn't a good thing.
25. What was the best book you read? Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Michael Buble
27. What did you want and get? I got a sexy husband!
28. What did you want and not get? I wanted a house, haha, too bad they cost $600,000 here.
29. What was your favorite film of 2006? The Pursuit of Happyness was excellent
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 25, oops, I mean 26! Arghh! I got breakfast in bed, went to church, and sang in a Christmas concert that night. We went to dinner the following night.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? To have had more contact with my family. Or if they would have come out here to visit.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2006? Extremely casual and comfortable. Dress up for work on a good day.
33. What kept you sane? The beaches. 34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I like Evangeline Lilly, Wentworth Miller, and I was impressed with Joey Lawrence on Dancing with the Stars.
35. What political issue stirred you the most? Gay Marriage
36. Who did you miss? My siblings, grandparents, parents.
37. What was your favourite album this year? a Kenneth Cope album called Face to Face
38. Who was the best new person you met? All the fun couples that moved into our ward.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006. The oldy, but goody, our happiness depends upon our dispostions, and not our circumstances.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "annie's song" by john denver

You fill up me senses like a night in a forest Like the mountains in springtime, like a walk in the rain Like a storm in the desert, like a sleepy blue ocean You fill up my senses come fill me again. Come let me love you, let me give my life to you Let me drown in your laughter, let me die in your arms Let me lay down beside you, let me always be with you Come let me love you, come love me again.

2007

Wow, I can't believe it's been so long since I posted anything!! My first excuse is that my camera has been missing since we got back from Christmas in Arizona, and my second excuse is that....we spent Christmas in Arizona. It was a great week, and it was packed full of fun and food. I'll try to get pictures from some of Samuel's family. As for New Years, we spent it with some friends playing games, watching the first Rocky movie, and drinking Sparkling Cider. Oh, and watching fireworks. I didn't know til now, but people here LOVE new years, and there are more fireworks and firecrackers than on the fourth of July!! We were at our friends' apartment, which is about on the 20th floor, and from their balcony we could see fireworks in several different parts of town, and also in every street. The firecrackers were so consistent that it sounded like heavy rain. Any way, thanks Marty, for emailing some pictures over.

Here we are watching the first Rocky from the 70's (my first time seeing it.)
I wasn't feeling good enough to dress up this year, it was all about comfort, as you can see! Ha ha. And I promise that really is sparkling cider!

Can you see the fireworks in the background? Wow, I didn't realize how huge I look in those baggy clothes! I'm embarassed! Good thing people love me for me! Hahahaha.
Well, Happy New Year everyone!! Hope all your resolutions really HAPPEN!!!