Catching Up!

Hey everyone - I know I still owe you guys another installment, but things have been so crazy here I haven't had a chance to sit down for very long and finish it. The last three days of Mom and Dad's visit, we had to move from our old house in the ghetto (if anyone from housing happens to come across this, sorry, but you know it's the truth, LOL) to our brand new one, and all I can say is this: Valió la pena! Yup, it was worth the wait, most definitely. I will try and post some pictures of the new place soon. On top of that, school has picked back up for me, Isaiah is preparing to go out of town again, and my youngest munchkin has decided to fully embrace the "terrible" portion of her terrible two's! Oh, my...but in the meantime, I leave you with some pictures that we all took together while my parents were still here. Much love to everyone, and just bear with me, I will update this blog again soon!

Installment #3: The Colon Family Takes Over Hawaii!

The North Shore of Oahu has a lot to offer. Miles and miles of sandy beach? Check. Miles and miles of ocean? Check. Countless tourists attempting to master the art of surfing next to countless locals who probably ride the waves during hurricanes for fun? Check. Gigantic maze in the shape of an over sized fruit?

CHECK!

Interestingly enough, it exists! An insanely large maze, in the shape of a pineapple, designed to torment anyone brave enough to venture into its eerie depths. Okay, maybe it's not that ominous, but I still didn't want to attempt to navigate it. My luck is, I would either pass out from heat stroke 5 feet from the exit or simply never come out - my sense (or lack of) direction is kind of infamous in these parts, LOL. Which is why Isaiah ended up trapped inside of it with Johnny, while the parents and I munched on pineapple themed goodies and shopped inside the Dole Plantation store. Here is a picture (of a picture, since my ability to fly over tall buildings wasn't functioning that day) of the maze:

The Dole Plantation's claim to fame, besides being the producers of Dole Pineapples, is the fact that this maze was listed as holding the world record for being the largest one in the world. On the other hand, that was back in 2001 so I am sure that somebody, somewhere, has taken it upon themself to commission a ridiculously larger maze just to beat a somewhat lame record in a book. I mean, really, when was the last time YOU looked in the Guinness Book of World Records for entertainment? : )

Eventually, Isaiah and Johnny emerged from the maze, so we celebrated by treating ourselves to some fantastic pineapple ice cream at the snack bar. After feeding the fishies in the pond, I entertained myself by stalking everyone with my camera:

Isa the barbarian...she likes to bench press me at home for fun : )

Dad flirting with one of the female workers....until Mom pointed out that she was made of cardboard, haha...

Once we tired of prancing throughout pineapple fields, we got back into the car and cruised down the road to check out the rest of the North Shore. There are pros and cons to rolling around this part of the island. One of the cons - at least for a Jersey girl like me who prefers to get wherever she is going as fast as possible - is that the road in this rural area is only 2 lanes (one coming, one going) with a max speed limit of 35 miles per hour. However, one of the pros FAR outweighs the cons. What, you wonder, could make a speeder like me slow down? See below:

No, your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. This is indeed a graffiti-covered, RV-style vehicle located on the side of the road. If I drove past it in the evening hours back home I would lock my doors and keep on truckin'. However, it is home to Giovanni's Shrimp Truck, a North Shore tradition and providers of the absolute BEST shrimp ever. And believe that everyone knows about it here, whether you are a local or a tourist. They have spicy shrimp, lemon butter shrimp, garlic shrimp...am I am starting to sound like Bubba from Forrest Gump?

Anyway, we got in line with a ton of other people and each ordered a garlic shrimp plate, which is served scampi-style with rice. Ohhhh, my.....all I can say is that we were in heaven. Garlic-breath and all.

Once we ate our food (I admit it, I licked the plate), the men appeared to be in need of a serious nap. Funny how this tends to happen after an especially good meal...and also when the word "shopping" is brought up! So, the ladies (Mom, Isa, and I) took the men (Dad, Isaiah, and Johnny) home and went right back out to scour the shops for some retail therapy. Oh, and if you are wondering where Amir was, he spent what he described as an "awesome" weekend out camping with his Sunday School class....coincidentally located at the North Shore!

And that's all for now. In a few short days, Mom and Dad will be returning to NJ, and our time together will be drawing to an end. I am trying not to think about it too much - denial is my friend at the moment. And since there are still some more stories to share, we won't focus on that sad fact quite yet. So - stay tuned for the next installment, for I will regale you with tales of spear-throwing natives, fire dancers, and strolls through seven authentic Polynesian villages. Oh, and did I mention a spectacular luau and night show? All this and more, during our adventure to the Polynesian Cultural Center - same bat time, same bat channel! (Sorry, I couldn't resist....you know you watched the original Batman series on television back in the day!)

Installment #2 - The Colon Family Takes Over Hawaii!

Told ya' it was coming....it just took me a minute to actually get on the computer long enough to type something! Fresh of the heels of a card game, I am waiting for some laundry to finish drying (because we all know I cannot sleep if things aren't finished before I go to bed), and since everyone else is already knocked out, there is no better time than the present for some updates. So, beginning with the most recent excursion of the week, I would like to introduce you to a most entertaining new friend of mine:

Everyone, meet the Llama. He (or maybe it was a she - I didn't exactly check, so let's just call he/she "Llama") was one of the creatures hanging out at the children's section of the Honolulu Zoo. Don't ask me why I decided to share this picture when I probably should have posted the typical pics of the lions and tigers and bears (oh, my!) but I just find Llama amusing. Llama, in turn, seemed to find my tank top to be WAY more interesting than satisfying than my odd sense of humor, so Isabella and I moved on before I lost my shirt. On to the little goats!

I kind of wondered if Isa would attempt to climb on one of these little guys and try to ride them around, but she was content to pat him on the head and say "ni-i-i-i-i-ice" in a surprisingly soothing voice. I was just glad she didn't bonk him on the head and try to take him home!

I could probably bore you to tears and post a lot more pictures, but since you have all likely been to a zoo at some point in your lives, I won't sear your poor corneas with things you have already seen before. So I will leave you with one cute pic of Papa with his grandkids...

...and move on to excursion #2, our visit to Pali Lookout!

Alright, Pali Lookout is what we would usually call a "scenic overlook" off of 295 out in Jersey, but it's really much more than that - like most places here in Hawaii, it has been the location of some crazy historical events. Rather than give myself Carpal Tunnel syndrome by typing it all out, I cheated and took a picture so you can read for yourself what happened there:

The picture was really much bigger when I viewed it on my computer...but if you can't read it, the story takes place in the late 1700's and ends with a bunch of Hawaiian warriors being forced off the end of this cliff:

That drop looks like it would really, really hurt. But the view is spectacular, though!

Much nicer than thinking about a bunch of warriors going over the edge of a cliff, right? Oh, did I mention that according to historical information, a bunch of them jumped (on purpose) to avoid being captured? By the time you finish reading these posts, you won't need to come to Hawaii to get an education in historical events, haha.....

...and on we go to excursion #3, our visit to the USS Arizona:

The USS Arizona was one of seven battleships that were tied up along "Battleship Row" along Ford Island when the attack on Pearl Harbor occurred in 1941. The ship was struck, exploded, and sank, trapping around 1, 777 of her crew members within. The memorial, which is built out white marble and black granite, was actually constructed on top of the sunken hull of the battleship! A ferry operated by the Navy took us out to the memorial, the inside of which has a wall honoring the perished soldiers:

What's incredible is that because the memorial is built on top of the sunken battleship, you can look over the sides of the memorial and actually see the USS Arizona through the waves.

Wow....what a sobering thought to know that this ship is essentially the final resting place for all those crewmembers who lost their lives during the attack. I mean, can you imagine what must have run through their minds that day? The day started just like any other - then out of nowhere, with little or no warning, those brave servicemembers faced their end so unexpectedly. It really serves as a reminder that we need to have a ready heart, mind, and spirit for God, because we never know when He is going to call us home.

Now, I know that I was supposed to tell you all about our trip to the North Shore and Dole Plantation as well, but I think this post is already long enough. No need for me to strain your eyesight any further today (wink, wink). So as we say in the military, stand-by to stand-by! Installment #3 will be arriving soon! I leave you with a pair of happy viejos:

Awww....aren't they cute? : )

Installment #1 - The Colon Family Takes Over Hawaii!

Yippee-ki-yay, I proclaim! My parents arrived safely (although somewhat jet-lagged) to our lovely little island here in the Pacific, and we have been moving full speed ahead ever since. Strengthened by multiple pots of Bustelo coffee, we have been hauling our sizeable brood all over the island by day, and engaging in spades championships by night. Dad has reverted to his jibaro roots and spends his days eating mangoes and lemons off the trees in my yard, riding bikes with the boys, and lounging at the pool and on the beach. Not surprisingly, he seems to become increasingly busy on the days when Mom and I plan on spending our time trolling around the malls and shops down in Waikiki...hmmmmm...could this be on purpose? ; )

This past Monday, we went to explore the USS Battleship Missouri, also fondly called the "Mighty Mo'" by us residents. Not only is this battleship the last of its kind, but it was also where the peace treaty was signed that ended World War II. Don't believe me? Check it out below:

Believe me when I say that this battleship is absolutely huge! I'm talking about 3 football fields, at least, with multiple floors decks above and below. I don't know how the Navy men handled being on one of these ships for extended periods of time without getting a serious case of cabin fever or claustrophobia. More power to them, I can only say. We also lucked out because the Army "Strolling Strings" band, who have played throughout the world and are favorites of the White House, just happened to be performing on the Mighty Mo' that day. These soldiers have been trained at the most prestigious musical conservatories, and boy, can you tell. For most of their performance, I just stood there with goosebumps and will even admit to becoming just a teensy bit emotional. Have you ever listened to music that is just so precise, so perfect, and just so beautiful that you can only marvel at the talent of the people creating such a sound? Ooh-wee, what an incredible experience!

Monday was a special day for another great reason - Mom and Dad celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary! These days, it is getting harder and harder to find people who remain steadfast, and keep alive the love that brought them together in the first place. I think it is pretty darn cool that after all these years, they are still so enamored with each other - and still would rather be with each other than anywhere else in the world! As an anniversary gift, we gifted them with tickets to see Cirque Hawaii. If you aren't sure what that is, just think (or google) Cirque de Soleil and you will know what it's all about. One of my best friends, Denise, came with us and all I can say is, I would see this show over and over again. The acts are mind-boggling! Contortionists, trapeze artists, performers flying through the air while spinning and twisting and flipping.....whew, I was the classic audience member, screaming and whooping it up. The pina coladas I was drinking might have helped me out a little, actually...LOL....anyway, we couldn't take pictures during the actual show because it was a safety hazard to the performers (bad news if someone got blinded by a camera flash, I think) but we did stalk the performers afterwards and got some nice shots in. Dad was especially pleased to gain the attention of some of the very pretty ladies, ha ha...see below:



I am sure we will end up passing out from sheer exhaustion, sooner or later, but until that actually happens, I will continue to document our shenanigans across the island. So, stay tuned for Installment #2, where we will attempt to explore the North Shore, Pali Lookout, and the Dole Plantation (oh, yeah, pineapples galore and a maze to match! Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!)

I'm So Excited!

Ever see that little dance football players do in the end zone when they've scored a touchdown? They get all hyped and then, in the moment of victory, throw down the football like, "Bam! In your face!"

Well, toss me a pair of played out leg warmers because that's me right now. Doing the victory dance with my legs running in place like a desperate extra out of Flashdance. Except I don't really have a football to throw (unless I take my son's, and that would require me actually sneaking it out of his room) so I will have to settle for throwing down a Bustelo coffee can. Bam!

I'm such a dork sometimes. But I really am excited, though. My parents are coming to see us for three (count 'em, three!) whole weeks! While we have had alot of visits from good friends and our military buddies since we came to Hawaii, none of my family has made it out here yet. Okay, technically my Mom did come out when I had Isabella, but that doesn't count since we had literally just moved here and I didn't know anybody or how to get anywhere except for a shopping mall....or two....and of course a Starbucks, LOL...

I have no problem admitting that I never quite managed to "cut the cord" all the way when it comes to my parents. While I like to think of myself as an independent person, I still cannot get through a day or two without calling my Mom at least once to engage in mindless chatter about the day's events or to have a good talk with my Dad. My mother is still one of my favorite shopping partners, my father is still the first person I go running to when I need some good advice, and Isaiah and I love nothing better than to spend an evening with them playing spades and sipping on some coffee. I could wax poetic for pages about why I am so geeked that they are coming out, but that would make your eyes hurt, so I will just do another victory dance and yell, "Woo-hoo!" (c'mon, you can even pretend you are in the living room with me this time) : )

Also, not to toot my own horn - well, maybe I am but give me a break - but I have, to this date, managed to maintain a quite lovely 4.0 GPA in my classes. I have one last final next week to knock out, and then I can chill out and rest my poor brain (which is on the verge of exploding) until classes pick back up in July. Then it's back to the grind...and my poor husband having to scrape me off the desk when my head meets the wood!

2 Weeks of Hustle and Bustle!

Wow, talk about a whirlwind couple of weeks. Ever had one of those moments where you stop and wonder when was the last time you looked on your calendar and didn't have something to do? That's pretty much me right now. To cope I like to envision securing just one day for myself when I can be a complete and total bum who stays in her PJ's (okay, sweats and a t-shirt for me), eating a pint of Haagen Daz while entertaining myself with endless rounds of mind-numbing television, intermixed with occasional bouts of napping throughout the day. Yup, sounds good - no appointments to go to, no practices or lessons to cart the kids to, no dinner to cook, no tantrums to ride out - essentially, no one to cater to but me, myself, and I! Mmm-hmm, fantasies are a good thing....

...but who am I kidding? I "ping" far too much to actually be able to sit down for long without getting up and doing something completely ridiculous, like straightening kitchen towels that aren't hanging exactly parallel to the floor. How my husband puts up with my odd tendencies, I will never know, LOL. Anyway! In between all the typical mish-mash of life with 3 rugrats and an often traveling husband, we have somehow managed to squeeze in some fun things.

First, Isaiah and I had what we like to call "an evening off" where we attended the NCO Academy graduation of one of our friends. Amir provided outstanding baby-sitting services while we trekked up the road in our dress blues. It almost reminded me of when we were dating! We used to attend alot of military functions together back then - and really, there is something so sweet about getting all dolled up with your man and spending a nice evening together, sans children. It helps me remember why I fell in love with him in the first place! Yup, lots of coy flirting going on that night...


Over the weekend, we enjoyed a nice pre-Memorial Day BBQ at the beach with a group of our friends out in Ewa Beach. Isabella spent her time dumping shovels of sand into buckets with Keith & Reshon's daughter, Kai (and on their hair, clothes, and the rest of us) while the boys played some football with the other kids.

(Isa also spent some time in the gazebo singing and dancing...I will try to figure out how to post a video clip later!)

The 50th State Fair also came into town and parked itself at the Aloha Stadium. On Memorial Day, they gifted all military members with free admission, so you know where we ended up on Monday! The carnival rocked - the kids definitely enjoyed the unlimited rides and games, as well as the naughty things we adults aren't supposed to eat, like cotton candy (okay, I snuck a few handfuls, I can admit that...it was blue, though! You can hardly expect me to avoid it!)

So...end result? I may be tired, but I DID manage to get the following accomplished:

1. A nice little tan
2. The sand out of Isa's hair (thanks, Reshon, for the hair tips!)
3. Three worn-out children who have slept quite nicely
4. Some one-on-one time with my man

and....most important

5. A supremely cool set of memories! (am I a cornball or what? Ha ha....)

Amir Can Fly!

Okay, not literally - but I have to admit, he is pretty darn close. He came home a couple of weeks ago, excited because he had tried out for the school track team and made it. His team practiced just about every single day, and then he informs me that he was chosen to compete in a track meet against seven other schools. So, on the day of the meet, my girlfriend Denise and I packed up our little ones and drove out to Mililani to check it out. Now, mind you, I had never seen him run competitively before - I was all ready to hand out pats on the back and words of consolation in case he didn't do well. After all, isn't that what parents are supposed to do? LOL....anyway, the time comes for the 400-meter relay, which is the race everyone had been waiting for. I started to get my camera ready as Amir got into position to grab the baton and go. The starting gun goes off - "bang!" - and the next thing I know, that boy was flying around the track like he had fire on his heels! Oh, my - I know it sounds corny, but I got chills in the ninety- degree heat. I honestly didn't know he could run like that. I couldn't even take a decent picture; I just stood there, flabbergasted. Denise looked at me and says, "Carmen, he looks like a flying ostrich! Hurry up, take a picture!" By the time I was able to get myself together, I only could take one far-away, semi-hazy picture (see below). Sorry for the horrible quality, but it was the best I could get!

I know we are all kind of biased when it comes to our own kids, but as a runner, I tend to be a bit more critical than most when I watch these things. Yeah, mean Mommy, don't remind me. But wow, I cannot express how awesome that was to see. Looks like I may have a new running buddy on my hands...

Mine, Mine, Mine!

Isabella has discovered a word that she likes a bit too much at the moment - MINE! Talk about frustrating! I thought it was the cute at first, because it showed me that she understood the concept of ownership, but now she has taken it a whole other level. Now EVERYTHING is hers - and that extends to all things from her brother's food (see the picture above) to my shoes! So, I tried some corrective approaches:

Example #1: Isa decided that my sunglasses (she has her own) belonged to her. So, I took her hand gently in mid-grab for the desired object and said, "No, this belongs to Mami," thinking foolishly, perhaps, that we would have this magical moment of shared understanding (yeah, I read too much) and that she would hand it back. Result: the word "no" has now become another overused part of her vocabulary.

Example #2: Isa is fascinated with Amir's guitar, so he will often let her sit in the room with him when he practices. She decided that meant she could slip into his room when he wasn't home and drag it away along with his guitar case. I intervene - cue tirade of "mine, mine, mine!" followed by a Riverdance-esque tantrum in his room. This time, I try stating "this is Amir's guitar" and remove her from his room. Result: an encore of Riverdance in the hallway.

Example #3: Isa sees Johnny with a lollipop. No problem there at first - she has one too. But for some reason, she decides that his is more desirable than her own. Nevermind that the lollipops in question are exactly the same. I'll let you figure out what happened from there. Result: an early bath, and liberal use of hair detangler to remove the lollipop.

I admit, part of this post is so I can vent in peace without flipping out. Now, keep in mind that I am far from a wuss (did I even spell that correctly?) I am a fairly strict disciplinarian type by nature - when it comes to the roles of good cop, bad cop, I tend to fall in the latter category. But for some reason, I find myself at a loss with my munchkin...she is usually such a good girl and my natural instinct when I see misbehavior is to nip it in the bud. Plus, because the boys are older, it usually just takes a look or reprimand to put them in check if necessary. So, this has been an interesting couple of weeks, to say the least!

Anyone want to referee? LOL...I love your inputs so feel free to leave this frazzled Mami some advice, if you've got it!

Under Pressure

Never fear, I haven't lost my marbles yet. I put that poster up all in good humor. Humor is what gets me through my days sometimes, as I have a tendency to take myself too seriously at times when I am stressed out! Anyway, things have been a bit more hectic than usual over here, which is why I haven't been on the computer as much. I have been dealing with some health issues as of late (no worries, I am feeling better) and as some of you may know, have been squeezing in classes on nights and weekends for my business degree. Those two things combined with the mish-mash of daily life with 3 kids and a husband who is constantly on the move, has had me a bit more frazzled than usual. I know, I know, breathe. Wooooo-sah...

Anyway, as for the latest on the Murray-Colon familia: we are still counting down until we can finally move out of our soon to be demolished home and into our new one. I try to keep reminding myself that patience is a virtue....although in my case, a bit harder to come by more often than not (wink, wink). Amir has been taking guitar lessons every week, and has made such awesome progress already. Listening to guitar music always brings me back to when my father used to play for us when we were little. Johnny wants me to inform you all that he is eagerly waiting for football training to start up again, and is keeping busy in the meantime climbing trees and doing cool tricks on his skateboard. And as for Isabella, I recently enrolled her in Gymboree classes not far from the base. I thought she might be a bit shy or perhaps hesitant on her first day, but actually dived right into the action and only cried when it was time to leave! Thank goodness for the open play program; on the days she doesn't have class, I can still bring her in and she has fun swinging and jumping all over the place. That's a wild one right there...she keeps me laughing every day because it seems she is always either doing something new or saying something completely unexpected. That's the kids.....

And that's about it for now. I will try to get back on here more often once I get through these mid-term papers!

Feeling Nostalgic

I know some might read this and think I am completely nuts, but it's the truth: I am missing New Jersey. Don't get me wrong, I have come to love Hawaii and all the perks that come with living in a year-round tropical paradise, but as a born and bred Jersey girl, there are just some things that you can't find out here that I have a hard time living without! See, I woke up this morning to a dark sky and rain (which I find pretty cozy, to be honest) and for some reason, got all nostalgic. So, to make myself feel better, I decided to share my favorites with you:

#1. The Philly Cheesesteak

I love these things. I spent a lot of great evenings out in Philly grubbing on these - you know something is good if you will jump on 295 and cross the bridge just to get one! Other states try to duplicate, but it's just not the same anywhere else.

#2. Puerto Rican Food

This is a gray area for me - I was raised cooking all kinds of PR food and it is a large staple of my family's daily cuisine. HOWEVER, many of the things I love to cook or eat require ingredients that I am simply unable to find here. Whenever I take a trip home, I stock up and look like a bag lady lugging anything back to Hawaii that they will let me on the plane with! But it inevitably runs out...so this is a shout-out to pasteles, bacalao, yucca, malanga, empanadillas...man, the list goes on! I miss going to the Supermercado out in Trenton on early Saturday mornings for fresh lechon asado...

#3. Boardwalk Snacks

Yes, we have beaches galore in Hawaii, and they are gorgeous. But they are missing a certain something...like a boardwalk! If you are from the East Coast, then you know the beach isn't only about the sand and ocean. I miss the cheesy games you can play, the rides, and definitely the food. Funnel cakes, fried oreos, fresh lemonade....all those naughty things that you aren't supposed to eat but you do anyway, because you're out with friends and family and having fun!

#4. Jersey Diners

Vincentown, Holly Brook, Mastoris...you name it, I miss them all and each for a special reason. I have such great memories of hanging out and bonding with my brothers at Holly Brook when I was in high school. Mastoris was the place to go for this incredible cheese pastry and cinnamon bread. And Vincentown...wow, I had a lot of early breakfasts at that joint after a night out on the town. You can't beat that...

Whew! Okay, I feel better now. No worries, I still embrace Hawaii. But, needless to say, my mom and dad will be toting an extra bag or two of goodies when they come visit this summer!