Mele Kalikimaka....a few days late!

It's the end of 2010 and almost 2011 so I figured....why not post on my blog since I haven't done so in oh...3 months! Since September, a lot of new things have happened. Here's what's been going on with the Vuikadavu's since 2010 has been coming to a close.

In early October we went to Disneyland to celebrate Kyra's 1st birthday and my niece Johnna's 8th birthday. We stayed at the Disneyland Hotel and had an absolute blast! Then again, anything remotely dealing with Disney is fun for me! We met the princesses, did trick-or-treating in the park and had breakfast with minnie mouse. We also went to Mickey's Halloween Party where we took pictures, played games and saw some awesome fireworks!

In late October my parents threw a birthday party for Kyra at the chapel. It was huge! Over 250 people came and we had some ono (delicious) grinds (food), an amazing dessert bar, and live Fijian entertainment. It was definitely a night to remember! It was also a night I never want to do again since I was majorly stressed and needed many foot and back massages to recuperate.

In November we spent every available Saturday cleaning and getting ready to move into my parents house. It was a long and junk process to say the least. I was grateful for all of the holidays that month because it let me keep my sanity. Thanksgiving was spent partly in Laie with Rabici's family and partly in Kaneohe with my family. I think I gained 30 pounds that day. It was also the time that the Laie temple was dedicated. We were able to not only go through the open house but work as temple guides. It was an awesome experience! Also, my dad got to meet the prophet and there was even a picture on ldsnews.org of it!

In December I totally overloaded my schedule. I went to a wedding for my co-worker and good friend Nicky and had a great time! (It was a Disney theme that's why, plus we played games and had ono food!) We also had a birthday party for my cousin, a Winterball I chaperoned, a brunch for my friend Brianne's daughter who was getting baptized, a lunch for the Young Men to celebrate Christmas, a lunch for the Elders Quorum to celebrate Christmas, a Ward Christmas party to cook dessert for, and a funeral for my Aunty Nancy.

I'm tired just typing this.

And with all that going on we moved into my parents house last Wednesday, needing to still clean our old place by this Friday to get our deposit back.

Rabici has decided to go to Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) to get his Masters in Business Administration (MBA). We are so excited for him!!! He's still working at PCC and hopes to use some of his years of service there as part of his MBA program. Since there are no scholarships out there for Fijians, we decided to move in with my parents so we could save money and send him to school. He continues to play rugby and watch it as often as he can sneak onto the internet when Kelly is asleep. Rabici is still Elders Quorum President in our Ward and enjoys hanging out with the guys. (They just had a man-date to watch Tron)

Kelly is still hard at work at Hakipu'u Learning Center (a Public Charter School in Kaneohe). She received her Masters in May 2010 from the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM), in Curriculum Studies. She is going for her Doctorate next fall at UHM in either Educational Administration or Educational Foundations. Kelly is still the 1st counselor in the Relief Society and loves being with the sisters.

Kyra is doing well and loves her life! She eats, sleeps and plays whenever she wants. She is babbling more and loves to say hi and blows kisses to everyone. She's been walking since she turned 10 months and now she runs, hops, and sprints whenever she can. Right now her favorite stuffed animal is Stitch from "Lilo and Stitch" and her favorite TV show is a tie between "Mickey Mouse clubhouse" and "Phineas & Ferb". Her favorite food is chicken and rice when she's with her mommy but around grandma she sneaks chocolate.

Kyra's only 14 months, soon to be 15, but we were able to sneak her into Nursery on Sunday's since the President is a good friend and former Kahuku High School alumni! Kyra LOVES nursery and runs to go inside and play with her friends.

I think that's all that's happened to us this year. If I missed something, it's probably because I blocked it out! I'll end with some pictures we took this year and I hope this blog finds you all well and happy for 2010 and into 2011.

Mele Kalikimaka and Hauoli Makahiki Hou!

Me and Rabici going for a car ride to.....walmart probably

Me fooling around with the camera. I'm so pretty!

Kyra and her daddy posing for a pic

Dad shaking the hand of the prophet at the temple dedication!

Kyra screaming....as usual!

Kidney-itis

So, yes I haven't posted and I have a really good reason.....I work full time, I clean and cook, I'm 1st counselor in the Relief Society and oh yeah, I'm a mom! I have had things I should have posted like Kyra's walking all over the place and how she talks constantly (even though it makes no sense) I just neglect this blog so often because it's like journaling. You get really into it and then things happen and you forget.

Anyway, that's my way of telling my family and friends who read this that I'm sorry! I'm back on and hopefully better at this then I used to be.

To explain why I'm back into blogging its because I'm sick! I felt pains in my abdomen on my left side on Thursday. The pain was dull but by Saturday it was horrible. My family convinced me to go the hospital after I collapsed and blacked out while I was alone with Kyra. Yeah I know, scary. So I went to Kapiolani to see what was up.

Well, I have a kidney infection! I thought it was Kidney stones since I looked it up on web md, and now that I'm a doctor I self-diagnosed. And I was wrong. Who would've seen that coming? So a kidney infection has a really technical term that starts with a P but since I can't remember it or say it or spell it I'll just refer to it as kidney-itis. Anything with "itis" after it sounds disease like so its all good.

Anyway, I'm home with some medication and good 'ol vicodin. I get a smile just thinking about the stash I have now (sigh)

Ok, moving on. So as I lay in bed thinking how sucky this all is because I don't want to be in bed it hits me: Get back on your blog and stop being anti-social!

So here I am, doped up and dying. (just kidding about the last part) Hopefully I'll have some interesting stories to tell. I do know I've had a couple of run-in situations with students that are hilarious and when I remember them I will instantly blog them so you all can have a laugh too!

BYU invention = AWESOME

So I'm on my lunch break, checking out what's happening in the world, when I come across this article: "College Students Create Motorized Couch, Invention Banned Instantly." I click on the link to see what they invented and lo and behold it's students from Brigham Young University!

At first I thought, "oh no, what are my fellow brothers and sisters doing now?" But when I read the article it was hilarious! Basically these students put a couch on a wheelchair motor and are riding around campus on it. AWESOME!!!! I'm so proud of them!

Watch the clip of these BYU students by clicking the link below.....

College Students Create Motorized Couch, Invention Banned Instantly

To Helmet...OR Not To Helmet

Okay, so Kyra's been crawling and standing on her own for a couple months now. Of course she thinks she can walk because hey...everyone else is! One day Kyra stood up and because she doesn't have balance....or gravity for that matter....really managed yet she fell down and hit her head really hard on the leg of our computer desk.

It left a huge welt on her forehead that was black and blue and convinced me she had brain damage. (I went to the doctor and she doesn't by the way)

Anyway, my mom joked around that she needed a helmet because she keeps falling over and knocking her head on everything and anything. I told her no way because only severely mentally handicapped people wear them. My mom disagreed but didn't say anything else.

Now, I tell you that story to tell you this one....

Kyra hit her head again the other day on one of her attempts to walk so I began to think seriously about the helmet idea.I went in to the store(I'm not going to say which one because I don't want people to laugh every time they go there) and put a helmet on her head to see which one would fit her and what she'd look like.

As I put one on her, some other kid walked by, saw her, and then went screaming down the aisle towards his mom saying "MOM! look at the retard!"

If that wasn't bad enough Kyra looked up at me from under the helmet with an expression of "Way to go Mom. Now everyone's gonna see me like this!"

I ripped that helmet right off her head and raced out of there. My poor baby girl. I'm going to emotionally stunt her for life and she's only 9 months!

Harry Potter!!!!! AHHHH!!!!

Ok, so now that my Twilight obsession is over (at least until next year) it is now time for me to concentrate on my first love. The Love that got me reading for entertainment again, that had me say, "oh yeah, that's what's cool about magic".

Harry Potter!

Though these movies don't do the book justice (just like Twilight's movies), I am happy to say that I have few complaints. The fact that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will be in 2 parts is absolutely correct. The final book is so full of action, information, and let's face it....awesomeness....that it NEEDS to be in 2 parts.

A friend of mine who is as Potter obsessed as I am sent me some links for you truly die hard fans. There are 2 trailers she sent me; one is the official one from WB and the other is the MTV World premier. They're different so you won't see the same thing twice.

I can't wait for November.In fact, to honor this film and its actors I will speak in an English accent all day. Cherrio!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6NgUhl96CQ&feature=player_embedded

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php

ECLIPSE!!!!

So we went to see Eclipse as a big group on Saturday, July 3rd. We made t-shirts (well me and Jaymie did) and we ate at Zia's before we went to the movie. We took stupid pictures and nice ones but I have my own pet peeves about the movie. First some pictures, then I'll complain...

Jaymie and I in our Awesome shirts.


me & Aubrey


all of us afterwards


a better look of my shirt


Now for the juicy part

Pros: The acting is much better this time around and so is the action. Though I would've liked more time with the training of the Cullens and the werewolves I thought it was done well. The werewolves were great and as usual my favorite part of the movie.

Cons:
1) Bella's hair. Is that the same wig they used for Jacob in Twilight just curls added to the bottom? Her hair looks completely fake in some parts and then really good in others.

2) Where did Jasper's accent come from? He never had a southern accent in the first two movies and now all of a sudden in Eclipse he finally got one.

3) Speaking of Jasper, is it just me or is his costume the same as General Custer in "Night at the Museum 2"?

4) What is up with Bella's monologue at the end of the movie?! When did she EVER talk like this? hmmmm....NEVER. Stick to the book director, it would make a better ending

5) What is up with the ring Edward gave her? It's hideous! That is not what I imagined it to be. Supposedly Stephanie designed it....stick to writing girl, don't design anything

6) The scene with Bella hopping on Jacob's bike in front of Edward....did not happen! And Jacob being mad at her and wishing she was dead instead of being a vampire and her only being hurt did not happen either. She left! She was mad at him. Hellooooooo.

7) The quilt that Bella's mom gave her...what? That was a stupid and unnecessary addition. 5 minutes they could have used for some actual scenes in the book

8) All the inaccurate scenes that would take too long to mention

Lines I liked or thought were funny...

Jacob to Edward: "Well, I am hotter than you."

Emmett: "Trying to walk and chew gum again Bella?"
Bella: "I punched a wolf"
Emmett: "Bad ass"

Jacob to Bella: "I am done. I am so done."

Edward to Bella: "Doesn't he own a shirt?"

Jacob to Charlie: "I kissed bella...then she hurt her hand...punching me in the face...it was a misunderstanding"

Charlie to Bella: "So Edward is going with you? Super."

Jessica: "I know, right?"

Edward: "If you'd been here sooner maybe you could've helped."
Jane: "Pity."

Edward: "Bella, will you please stop trying to take off your clothes."
Bella: "Why, do you want to do that part?"

Kyra vs. the Pool

So we've been trying to get Kyra used to water since she is 75% Polynesian. BUT, she won't go on sand (her feet are too sensitive) and she's terrified of the ocean. So, we started her off at our swimming pool instead. I bought this $7.00 inflatable that looks like a volkswagon beetle so she can sit inside and "ride" in the pool. It has a shade to keep the sun off her.

As you can see, even though I was excited for the pool....she wasn't. It took me 10 full minutes to get that little grin from her and even then I think she was just humoring me so I'd leave her alone.

5th year Anniversary

Okay so I'm behind again! Rabici and I had our 5th year anniversary on June 18th. We decided to do a stay-cation. (Playing tourist in Waikiki.) My brother got us a cheap hotel room at Embassy Suites with 2 bedrooms and a living room!!! I love having connections. Anyway, we pretended to be tourists and even went to the Paradise Cove luau in Ko Olina since we've done PCC too many times to count.

We had an awesome time, but don't worry PCC. You're luau and villages are WAY better!

On the bus getting ready to go to Paradise Cove...



Me weaving a headband from ti leaf...



Our tasty dinner...


Beautiful Sunset on the beach...



Me and Rabici....Happy 5th to us!

7 month pics of Kyra

These pictures have been on my camera forever and I just have to post them because I love them and I've been HORRIBLE at updating this blog. Kyra will be 8 months on Sunday so I'm slowly catching up!

Kyra after a meal...she has a hard time eating the food instead of wearing it


Kyra and Rabici after a wedding we went to. I LOVE this dress on her!


Kyra with her Grandma. I was making faces so she'd smile and instead she laughed.


Kyra now crawls and pulls herself up. This is right after she fell down and decided it was better just to lay on her side then try again. The face she's making is priceless!

Graduation!

So I finally graduated on May 14th, 2010, with my Masters degree in Curriculum Studies in Education. Whew! That was a mouthful. Anyway, here are some pictures that Rabici took to remember the day. It was fun for me just to see my family's faces as I got my diploma. Kyra was a cute addition too since she didn't know what the heck was going on!

Rabici & Kyra waiting for it to start



Me & my nephew Mana, Lee with Kyra



Aunty Faaki, Me & Mom



Hauoli, Me, Rabici & Kyra

My how she's grown!

I added some pictures of Kyra to my facebook and then realized I didn't do anything for my blog! Kyra is now 6 months and growing so fast!!! She's using a walker now...though she can't walk....and is laughing all the time. I can't believe she's already eating peas, and saying "bah bah" and "da da". She's grown so fast and it seems like it's passing me in a blur!

Her "I love standing" look



Her curious look



Her innocent look


Yep, she's my kid all right!

Quick Update

So, I have not been posting for MONTHS! I know, I'm junk. But between taking care of Kyra and going back to work full time and church I barely have enough time to think.

Okay so here's the updates on our family. Kyra is 3 and a half months and so big! She's now 24 inches (That's 2 rulers people!) long and about 15 pounds. But she doesn't look like she's 15 pounds because she's so tall. Thank goodness! She gets it from Rabici's side of the family because you can see all of my fat.

I'm back at work with the loud teenagers full time. I love doing what I do, but I miss Kyra. She goes to a sitter every day from 7:00am to 4:00pm. I was a little apprehensive about leaving her with a stranger but this lady goes to Disneyland every year so I knew she was perfect!

Rabici's still at PCC but he has a small beat-up car now so he can race back and forth from Laie to spend time with our little one. He's thinking about going back to school but he's not so sure since we now have to pay for another mouth, diapers, clothes, etc.

I think that's all that is happening down here in our cold weather (just kidding my manland peeps). It did drop to 64 degrees here but I know up there it's like negative 64 so I do NOT envy you.

Hopefully I'll have time to post some pictures of Kyra and all of us. She's almost 4 months so I'll need to take another one anyway. I hope everyone is doing well and had an awesome Christmas and New Years.

If you didn't.....there's nothing much I can do about it.....but I hope 2010 will be a better year for all of us!