Bye 2011!

5 min to end of 2011 and sitting at wk. Love wking integration desk with my co workers (aka extended family) Miss spending time w/my kids but hopefully they'll have a better future because we're paying our debt down slowly but surely. Grateful for all Heavenly Father's done for me in this year and for all I have. I am very blessed.

Shopping with my kidlets

I am reading "the millionaire next door" and relearning. I was so tired this morning from an 11hr shift that I slept til early afternoon when Lita's nurse (Suzie) called to let us know that she was coming over. Lita laughed at some comment Suzie made. It was good to see Lita laugh. She doesnt do that as often. When I said the words "it's good to see her laugh" I almost cried. Lita is one tough woman. she's been through a million dr. visits, and cant understand a lot but she does what the doctor's ask. Grandma's been a big help. She 's up with Lita at night, cooks for her, and makes sure Lita gets her needed meds.

Once the nurse left, my kids were wanting to go somewhere so I dragged them with me on our usual shopping bonding trips. To me they're bonding because I am exhausted most days.
Today re realized from my book that I am teaching them that material things bring happiness. Goal for the next 3 days is not to shop with them. I want to have financial freedom and every little bit counts for our future.

We had a great Christmas. They each received 2 gifts but were appreciative of each one. Zerin loves her ukulele. Kale's actually reading with her Kindle, and steven's was outside the day after Christmas flying his remote helicopter with his dad. Not a lot but we have something. Thankful for what we do have and that my kids have a safe and happy environment to grow up in.

Millionaire Next Door

Listened to this book about 3yrs ago. Finally got a written copy......gosh Aha moments all over the place. "He owns a lot of upscale things, yet he works so hard for so many hours during the day that he has no time to enjoy them. He has no time for his family, either. His life is appealing to many. If these people really understood his inner workings, they would see that he is possessed by his possessions. He works for things. He sacrifices to impress others" Last night I took off work 5hrs early so I could be up this morning with my kids. It was worth every minute.

bookstore

Took my Veni to bookstore. He loved it. I was so excited with all the new books that I thought my girls would love it too.....wrong. We go there with all 3 of them and none of them want to read. They're just busy with their money looking for something to buy.

Veni and I read "if you give a dog a doughnut, If you give a cat a cupcake and if you take a mouse to school." Glad he liked those. Next time I have to go by myself for some me time.

work work work

I can't get back into the swing of pickin up a million hrs like I used to. Christmas is right around the corner and here I sit still tryn to force myself to go in early. My sis gave me an early gift though. I usually take gma and go shopping and when we get home it's usually me and my son or me and myself lugging it all in. By the time I woke up my sis and her husband had already taken gma shopping and brought it all in. Hoorah!! what a relief. Less on my shoulders. Sometimes feel like there isnt enough time in the world to do all I need to do....cook, clean, more cleaning, homewk w/kids, shopping, not enough sleep, work, work, work. Hoi. I did get an hr of me time today and didnt know what to do with it.........oh yeah shooooping! then i walk into the store feeling guilty about spending money so I only bought 2 things and returned home. anything less than $80 for me is an accomplishment.

homework w/the kidlets

Did a book report w/ my 2nd oldest today. She amazes me how independent she is. she had a book report due. She did all of the 1st and 2nd draft on her own and then i just had to help her out with sentence structure and punctuation. It took me this long to do well in english from college and here she is well on her way.

I love my grandma. I am just waking up in the afternoon because of my nighttime shift and i hear her doin dishes in the kitchen. I remember waking up as a child when i used to sleep with her and hearing her in the kitchen. I dont know what I'll ever do without her. I've had to go to tons of appts w/my aunt for cancer and she's been with her every step of the way and when I have to leave she'll watch out for my kids.

My bestess friend

Cant believe how funny I think my husband still is after all these years. A lot of times I dont believe him when he compliments me but the other day he says "If I had your looks, I'd would have had 100's ". He lets me sleep when he's off and he knows I've wkd all night, he's cooks when he's off, and he calls my gma, gma too. what else could I ask for?

Tonight we took the kids to a trunk or treat at the ward. We were both feeling sick but it's for the kids so we forget our selves and go. what a fun time we all had. we had activities in the gym for about an hour. they played games like musical chairs and after we laughed at the kids they asked for the moms and dads to get up and join. i just sat there as i am used to when my 2 girls pull me up. they're gettin bigger and stronger than i realize sometimes. i find myself standing at a circle of chairs and no other parents come out. my sis in law paki is just laughing at me. i found myself walking off after the 1st round.

then took the kids outside. the weather was great. so many kids and so much candy. we took keai's little car cuz my car trunk will not stay open. i had bought some lights that make halloween sounds and blink and it was well worth the money. Veni was a vampire. Kale's a vampire (her favorite every yr now for 3 yrs) and Zerin's a nerd.

Drove home, the kids are sugared up, i get to hold my Keai's hand and we're all happy :)


Veni sits by my side and watches tv as I try to catch up on lost sleep from working overnight. when i finally wake he's promising me again that he'll buy me a house. then he says "a gingerbread house". then I ask "can you buy it today?" he replies "no i dont have a job". while i was asleep he keeps waking me to scare me with his fake vampire teeth. what a joy lol.

My favorite gem

So I dont have a wedding ring.....but I found my new stone that I would have instead of a diamond if I did own a wedding ring.........drum roll........Blue Topaz!! soooo purrty. bright blue! I now have a goal of buyin me one for all the hours I put in work lol.

Yesterday was so depressed and low cuz I worked 70hrs and was missing my family. The big checks are great but nothing compared to spending time with my husband and lil ones.

Football and my husband

My husband let me sleep in ...yay!! then i kept waking to him watching his games when he returned from church. every once in a while i feel his palms sweat as he gets nervous over his games. then when he gets excited he'll be drumming on his leg.

Yesterday was gma's bday. We spent time at the park with Lusi, Tina, Crystal and the rest of my cousins and their kids. Very fun. My girls even went and participated in leapfrog and the rest of the games as i strolled around with my Lana. :) Today they went back to the park to continue the party but i was knocked out like a light for my night shift. grandma was able to spend time with her sisters Kaati and Nola.

I looked at my scores for fantasy football only to be depressed that the other guy was beating me by over 100 pts. booooo! why do I even care when I'm not that into football?

For the first time over the weekend my husband told me that I work too much! wow. i kind of felt like it but for him to actually say it was amazing. i am usually the slacker but seeing the big checks has me hooked. i love that i can spend time with my son and do lunch. a couple of times he wasnt home cuz he went with mom or wanted to play with his cousin so he wouldnt go out w/me and I was actually sad. That tells you I have no life when I am depending on my 4 yr old to keep me company. My girls come home but by then we have the usual rush to do homewk and cook dinner so that i can leave. That's ok though cuz they always seem to have me going over my budget.

Trying to continue paying down debt excites me (sometimes too extreme where i loose sleep thinking of how fun being outta debt will be). Minus will take the hrs at wk while i can get the overtime.

One of my friends going through the fight with cancer and I think of her everyday. My son and I will go visit her tomorrow before I run out of funds. then i read of a mom and her toddler both fighting cancer. makes me re-realize how blessed I am and how grateful I am as well as need to be.

I also wanna go try a Thai place for lunch with my son. by the end of the year he'll know how to use chopsticks cuz we usually end up at a Vietnamese restrant with Keai.

my nephew Papa ...Aliki Walter

Last week my nephew Liki "Alipapa" was baptized with my cousin Robert's daughter (Ana). Moana was doing a talk and asking them about different objects. she pulls out a sock and says what would you use this for? he answers "when u need help to walk". then she continues ...pulls out a Q tip and asks again "what is this?" he answers "I dont know". his dad baptized him and then confirms him. Luv that kid. he always acts comfortable and at home with us when he visits.

We also had my gma Tilini's putu. What a great lady! So many people from all over the diff states she visited. Gonna miss her laugh. I thought gma would be a nervous wreck but she looked strong. She has so much faith that they'll meet again that she isnt in sorrow. I'm sure she looks at the point that gma Tilini is now not in any pain.

On top of everything else we had our Wolfgramm reunion in the same week. We went the 1st night and took some cups and napkins. the 2nd night we spent at the funeral then the last day we went to Lily lahi's grave and heard stories of her from unko Misi, gpa Makanesi and the rest of the family. wished there were more people there. they talked of how smart, talented and business oriented she was. One of her sayings "Plan your work and work your plan." I dont remember a lot about her but I know is loved and missed. I got to see unko Misi. first time in a long time. he always was looking out for Lily and i when my parents split up. He sent me $$ while I was on my mission. I walked with him to his car. I pulled out some $$ and put it in his pocket. told him it was for gas. He didnt push back (like the normal from a poly). I knew he was thankful. I think he was in shock. lol never have given him $$ but he's done so much more for me and my sister.

Veni's promises

Everytime I talk with my 4 yr old he seems to promise me all these things he will buy for me when he grows up. :) Mostly he says it'll be candy. Hope he knows I am recording all this.

kids

I heard my 4yr old son watchin some disney girls' show for a few minutes. Some girl is singing. i ask "bubba, is that a girls' show?" he replies "yeah, I was gonna chng it cuz it's a girls' show. it's not a cartoon." he's ready to be a husband. his responses make no sense, but he expects i will believe him.

Luv getting out of debt!!

Been listening with my husband to Dave Ramsey for about 3 yrs and kept saying it'd be great to follow. but this year started off with a bang being able to pay off our car (our stupid mistake in desperation). Then that finally gave us some traction to pay off credit cards. We've now paid off 3 credit cards and a medical bill!! It's true. Once you feel like you have more than enough it seems as if money keeps pouring in. First my husband's been doin great with his job, passed a driving and written exam! then I get a check in the mail and extra money on my real paychk!! I am sooo happy! for the first time in my life I dont feel like I have to spend to be happy. we watch our money more carefully and think twice before we spend. My husband's been volunteering to do sprinklers for a buddhist church. He's spent a lot of time there and it's hard on me and the kids not to see him so much but I know he's doing it out of service.

I love watching our debt go down! I look at my totals at least once a day.

Kung Fu Panda II

Frankie's graduation from high school was today Jun 3 2011. We got there just as it was finishing but that was a good thing non having t sit thru the whole graduation ceremony. Frankie's gorgeous and smart.....alot like myself lol. So happy for her.
Afterwards Keai, me, and our 3 kids hit a late movie Kung fu pandaII at Jordan Landing. I think we were the loudest family laughing through it. Veni kept standin up and doing his kung fu moves against me. Funniest part was the panda tryin to threatin a bird from on top of a roof and as he's threatening, the bird keeps saying "What? what? I cant hear u."

Happy to be a mom

My cousin Lusi asked me to share my experience as a mom w/her young women. I thought for sure I wouldn't cry. I did ok til 2 min into it talking bout how much I love my kids. We go to the library every week. We read together and do homework together. Veni's learned most all his alphabet from his grandma Tea nd shows about reading on the t.v. I wk nights so I sleep in and Veni watches t.v. Once in a long while he'll leave my side to go watch t.v. w/Walt or my mom but usually he sits right beside his sleeping mommy. Poor kid. I decided to wk nights so Keai and I could take turns watchin our kids, but I didnt expect for my body to be this outta wack. Tired all the time. Weight gain....what else? but the positive things are that we dont have to depend on anyone else to help us out. My Veni and I get to drive around and take walks before the girls get home. I wouldn't trade the time I get to spend w/my kids for any wk anywhere.

Zerin's baptism

Zerin had a great baptism on March 5th. Good turnout w/all my bros and sis there except Richard. Talks were given by Sepa leka, Eli, and Vamona. She had $$ as gifts from her uncles, aunts, gpa and gma's and she wouldn't share anything with me. My dad came w/Pou and even made it to the falekai. So happy for Zerin. Her dad baptized her and then confirmed her a member of the church.

funny things kids say/do

Woke up to Veni karate-ing the air. He keeps saying "Watch this mom." He loves watching a movie called "3 Ninjas" then he ninas everything in sight. Zerin always jumps to hug her dad b4 she goes to bed. nd she has a fieldtrip planned to landfill w/her class. asks her dad to join them and i said "why dont u take ur landfill truck?" then he laughs and replies "I'll take it while it's full and have the kids help me clean it out. What a fieldtrip....my kids already go their on a monthly basis. Zerin can take them on the tour of the place. Kale is always trying to sneak out w/her Heely shoes. She's really good about makin sure her sister and lil brother eat when I am knocked out. Crystal had her baby girl today. so happy for them. she's sooo chubby and looks like a "mini me" of Vincent. Learned bout $$ teaching techniques for kids so starting that tomorrow giving them chores for commission.

lunch from home

My girls are at a great age where simple things make them happy. Last night I made lunch for Hakeai and Walt and decided why not do it for my 2 girls who are in elementary. I grabbed Capri Suns, fruit candy, sandwiches, and chips for their lunch bags and left them a note by their t.v. "I made you each a lunch on top of the tabel. Put them in your backpack." I wake up to find a note from Kale "thanks mom. it looks yummy to Zerin and I. I put it in my princess lunchbag" and on the back she puts a heart that says "Kale and Zerin plus Mom" inside of the heart. That had me happy about something as simple and thoughtful as that. :) luv my girls. Veni been sick so we stayed home all day. That's ok because tomorrow is day of appt after appt to help Lita and for my hand injury.