It's Kind of a WIP (Work in Progress)

Well, I moved again.

By MYSELF :)

With a full size bed that finally makes me feel like a grown up.

I've been working on the place a lot in order 

to make it "Holliesque".

Here's a few of the "before" pictures.

Hopefully soon I'll have more "after" pictures.

Time just doesn't seem to permit yet...

My favorite part of the house thus far...

 The Red Wall.

to be continued...

Flipped.

I think I just found one of my 

new favorite movies.

I loved the story

and the music was awesome.

PLEASE get this movie 

next time you have an empty 

slot in your Netflix queue. Enjoy!

Miniola.

This past weekend was bittersweet.

My sweet grandmother,

Minnie Ophelia Jones Gordon,

passed away.

We had found out only three weeks 

prior that she had cancer. 

I was talking to my brother about all of the wonderful things

that were said about Grandma at her Memorial Service.

She was truly the most charitable, wonderful, loving woman

I have ever known. And that is what EVERYBODY said. 

She loved everybody with her whole heart and NEVER judged another person.

She met my grandpa when she was working at the Bureau of Yards and Docks in Washington D.C.

They were married on March 11, 1954.

My birthday (32 years earlier:)

They lived all over including Charleston NC, Naples Italy, Norfolk VA, 

London England, San Antonio Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Tennessee, Arizona,

and finally Oak Harbor Washington. 

My favorite memory of Grandma was the way she would greet you.

She would have this HUGE smile on her face and squeeze you so tight.

Then she would pull back, keep holding you, and look you straight

in the eye and tell you how much she loved you. 

(She did this with everybody)

She was never shy to tell you how much she loved 

me and how proud of me she was. No matter what I was doing in life.

The sweet part of the weekend was seeing ALL of the family

in one place for the first time in about 15 years.

Ten of her eleven grandchildren were there and I KNOW

she was smiling down on us that day.

I also was able to visit where my Grandfather on my Dad's side is laid to rest.

 They are in the same Cemetery in Kent, Washington.

It's times like these when I am truly grateful to have

the knowledge of the gospel and to KNOW that I will

see them again. No doubt in my mind.

Rest in Peace 

Sweet Minnie.

Quarter Century Club.

This is a little late...

But, I had a great birthday.

Here is a recap of some of

the great things that happened

for my 25th.

*Breakfast with Kari at Ted's Bakery.

*Giant birthday balloons from Tevita, Malia, & Shalye.

*Nice long nap for the day. (Still working the occasional overnight...)

*Chicken fajitas/delicious birthday cake with a million candles

from Doug, Becky, Jake, & baby Tucker.

* And, oh yea, a TSUNAMI. What a treat. Luckily 

our island wasn't hit too hard, but there

was definitely a scare. I was working overnight and 

got to hang out in the Penthouse all night due to our

being evacuated at 1AM. Thanks for all the texts/phone calls
from those of you concerned for my well-being.
* A fun-filled weekend at Ko Olina for some sand, sun, and waterslide...and food. Way, way too much food.

We were having so much fun, I wasn't
able to snap any pictures of us actually
DOING anything.
But the view was AMAZING!
They actually gave us a top floor room.
Penthouse. Even with my measly associate rate.
Only catch, it was an ADA room. So there
were bars everywhere and the kitchen
counter was unreasonably short.
Which in turn,
had short lamps that we kept banging
our heads on.
I'll take it!

Then there were a couple of other birthday
treats that came later in the week.
Stephen took me to this adorable
little cafe called the Cream Pot
and I LOVED IT.
I felt like I was in a little dollhouse
the whole time.
Every thing was so dainty & cute.
Thanks Stephen! You are the best.

Mint Lemonade. Yum.

Overall, I feel extremely loved &
 blessed to have so many great
people in my life. Thanks
to everybody for making my
25th year so superb!

Happy Trails.

One and a half miles of glorious pavement. 

Why, oh WHY did it take so long for

this to be constructed?

The first time I ran on this I was 

SO, SO happy.

I no longer have to feel like I am going to

be hit by the cars going 50+ mph...

2 feet away from me. 

Plus, it ends right next to Malaekahana,

which is one of my favorite beaches to swim at. 

Go for a nice run, then jump in at one of my 

favorite spots.

THANK YOU HRI FOR FINALLY

 DOING SOMETHING RIGHT!

Koko Head.

I don't know why I keep exposing

 myself to hikes that exceed my physical capability. 

Koko Head...kicked my butt. 

However, the view was fantastic.

Thank you Chloe for making me do it.

Also, for yelling at me from the top

 that I'm almost there, I'm almost there...

Really, very helpful.

Regardless of my thinking I was incapable,

I guess I was a little better off than the guy who 

had to get airlifted off the trail because he passed out.

Sad, sad day for him.

On the other hand, it was very interesting to watch the 

whirlybird hover over the trail and

pick the guy up in a little basket. 

Again, it could have been worse.

I, made it up...and down.

Without the need of a helicopter.

Yay me!

Whirlwind.

My life has been a whirlwind lately.

In case you weren't aware, I have been working nights for the past month or so.

Wow.

I am delirious.

I am anti-social.

I can't remember the last time I ate

 a meal at it's appropriate, designated time.

I sleep all day.

I go to bed,

it's light outside.

I wake up,

it's dark outside.

Everything is topsy turvy and I

THINK I MIGHT BE GOING CRAZY.

I was driving home from an 11PM-7AM shift the other day and was listening to

Arcade Fire...

(Which has kept me sane lately...new album, The Suburbs).

and heard the line,

"I used to sleep at night,

Before the flashing lights

settled deep into my brain"

I started LAUGHING HYSTERICALLY out of exhaustion.

It must have gone on for about 3 minutes... or so.

I am certain I looked like a lunatic.

Then I kept replaying that line over, and over, and over...and over.

It totally made my day.

Then, I got home and went to bed.

Hope you enjoy it as much as

I did.