Merry Christmas From Heaven

I still hear the songs
I still see the lights
I still feel your love
on cold wintery nights

I still share your hopes
and all of your cares
I'll even remind you
to please say your prayers

I just want to tell you
you still make me proud
You stand head and shoulders
above all the crowd

Keep trying each moment
to stay in His grace
I came here before you
to help set your place

You don't have to be
perfect all of the time
He forgives you the slip
If you continue the climb

To my family and friends
please be thankful today
I'm still close beside you
In a new special way

I love you all dearly
now don't shed a tear
Cause I'm spending my
Christmas with Jesus this year

Lynne, I missed you this Christmas so much. I missed going into your room and seeing you already awake waiting to open presents. I missed your smile and laughter as you opened your knew pajamas or dress or toys. I missed going in and watching your knew movie that you got for Christmas that you wouldn't ever watch after that. I missed your leg shaking with excitement as you saw your knew presents. I missed the hi and the smile Christmas morning as we got you ready in your wheelchair to look at your stocking. I missed it all this year...

I miss the way the house felt when you were around, more smiles and not so many tears. A part of me isn't there anymore now that you're gone...sometimes my heart just hurts because I feel empty without you in my life. It hurts to go into your room and you aren't there...Tanea misses having you there too. The house feels so empty and mom hardly smiles anymore...you were the one that could always bring a smile to her face.

I miss you more then words can express. My heart hurts when I think of the times that you'll miss...so watch over in Heaven so we can one day reminisce. I'm grateful for the memories that we've had that I will always remember you by. I know you are whole now and free to dance and sing and run like you couldn't do on earth. I can't wait until the day when I can dance with you. Save me a place next to you ok? I will always love you sis!

I Am Libra Here Me Roar!!!

You’re born under the sign of Libra, which represents the element of air, or the intellect. You’re most definitely a thinker — you like to use your mind to tackle problems. Libra is the seventh sign of the zodiac, which refers to relationships of all sorts and your connection to the world around you.

People know you as someone who loves to socialise. Your outgoing nature and love of communicating brilliant ideas to people around you is one of your strengths. You’re rarely at a loss for words … even on your worst day you have the gift of the gab!

You not only have the ability to share your ideas in a very natural way; you also have charm in the way you convey your feelings. This is another of your very positive traits. Even people who don’t agree with what you have to say can’t resist you and will usually behave well around you — you’re simply a nice person.

Your love of communication makes you an excellent mediator and negotiator. Coupled with the fact that you’re always reasonable in the way you deal with people, this means your friends and co-workers can always depend on your having a balanced viewpoint, even in the fiercest of arguments.

In fact, if there’s a problem with you, it comes out of the fact that you’re so good at seeing all the sides of a problem and staying impartial. This makes it hard for you to commit to one side of an argument — you don’t want to be seen as biased, and you want everyone to like you!

What ends up happening is that the way you get everyone’s approval is by agreeing with everyone. This is not a good idea, because you’re agreeing to things for the wrong reasons: to keep everyone on side, rather than because you’re firmly committed to something. Try not to do this, because it can mess up your dealings with people. You don’t need to bend over so far just to be accepted.

Making decisions is an area in which you excel, but again, don’t jump to conclusions simply to please others. You have the ability to look at all sides of an issue, so use it. Sometimes you get stressed if you feel you’re being obstructed somehow. The answer is to get all the relevant facts; running off and asking others to support you will just confuse things.

And anyway, if you look inside yourself you’ll realise that you can rely on your own experiences. You don’t need to use others as a crutch for your decisions.

When you get to know people, you are perfectly comfortable sharing your feelings with them, and you’ll go to some trouble to make them feel at ease. You create harmony in your environment to match the harmony in your character.

This relates to the fact that your ruling planet is Venus. This is a soft and gracious planet, and feminine by nature. Your softer side is expressed in pretty much everything you do — the way you entertain guests, the type of home furnishings you like to buy, the clothes you wear and even your personal grooming.

All these things express the natural flair and grace which is part of that Venus temperament. There’s no way others won’t notice your style. People see you as elegant and tasteful — and that’s people who know you well as well as people who’ve just met you.

You often make a great first impression because you are such a good communicator and connect so easily with people; this makes you an ace networker. Some people believe you must have an ulterior motive because you are dealing with so many people at once, but it’s really just that you absolutely love socialising and partying. You are a real ‘people person’.

Because Venus is the planet of love, you seek love this in everything you do, and particularly in relationships. Finding your soulmate is a big dream, perhaps even your most significant life mission — you will go to great lengths to meet lots and lots of people. Who knows where you’ll find the right one? You have a lot to give to the person you feel is your perfect match.

Very few Librans find the peace and satisfaction they’re looking for until they’ve connected with that special person. Once this happens, they can really get into their work, family and other domestic affairs with energy.

Librans born between the 4th and 13th of October are a little wacky by nature but harmless. If that's you, life is a bundle of fun and you can expect the unexpected from time to time. You like the surprises that life throws at you.

Libra is a movable air sign, which means there’s creativity in you. You are quick to grasp ideas, and you have a need to produce works of art and unusual or original things. You bring a touch of art to anything you do. Remember to incorporate this part of you into all your life’s activities; you’ll be richly rewarded.

Birthday Bash Part 3

WARNING...Beep beep...WARNING...To get the full effect of Tamara's birthday bash please start at Part 1.

Now...for the moment you've all been waiting for! The end to my quarter of a century birthday. As I told you before I have some pretty amazing friends who went above and beyond their call of duty...and you will soon see why.

When we got home Hannah had the greatest birthday presents waiting for me EVER...

Contemplating what is in the bag...dun, dun, dun

I am coming out of the closet...I am a Edward GROUPIE!!! I LOVE EDWARD!!! I feel so relieved to get that off my chest.

Hannah is da best mom ever...she buys me slippahs when mine get holes...I wear these 24/7 12 months a year...see my happy face.

After I opened my presents i was then locked in my room for about an hour...I could hear strange smells and sounds coming from the kitchen where 3 lil Polys were brewing something up. An hour later I received a mysterious phone call telling me to meet at the pavilion. I wonder who that was...

SURPRISE!!! They had made a beautiful cake Poly style



After the cake Urshi and Matu decided to duel it out on their ukuleles...
While I was listening to the jam session, which by the way was a pretty sneaky decoy...I got the Samoan Birthday Surprise...and boy was I surprised...

Before After

Before After

But...Pay back was sweet!!! Buahaha!!!

The Perfect Ending to a Quarter of a Century

Birthday Bash Part 2

Now the fun REALLY begins...

You can't have a birthday on the town with the girls without getting all dolled up and maybe a little vain...Cheehoooo!!!!

There are so many wonderful places to eat here in Hawaii....but none beats my favorite restaurant...TODAI. For all of you who don't know what I am talking about let me just show you...After all, a picture speaks a thousand words.

Need I say more???

GREAT food...Check! Great friends...Check! HEAPS of fun...Check!!!

Mirror Mirror on the wall...who's the most prettifulz of them all??? Haha...notha vain moment!!!



What happens to a Fijian and a Samoan when they are full?




Again...Need I say more???

Birthday Bash Part 1

So I promised knew blog posts and I know I've been awful at doing it. It's midnight now and I am wide awake so I thought, what the hell why not update my blog.

The world was blessed with a very special person 25 years ago at 7:00am on October 5th. Can you guess who this special person is???? You guessed it...Your's TRULY!!!

This year I wasn't too excited to be turning a quarter of a century...can you blame me? Actually...it was pretty down right depressing...I realized that a quarter of a century more I would be half a century old!!! Sorry to all those of you reading that are close or passed...hehe! But I had some great friends who pulled me out of my misery and showed me a good time.

The day started out serving our fellow men here in Kahuku Hawaii. A couple of great friends went with me to a service project that I was assigned to do for my internship...I know, I know, all of you were thinking I was doing the service on my birthday because I am such a kind hearted person, sorry to disappoint you...;) But it was great anyway. The Kidney Foundation was doing free screenings and they needed volunteers to help the people fill out their paperwork.

While there we also got to meet Representative Magaoy along with some other amazing members of Kahuku who gave us all free pizza, Tshirts, bumperstickers and posters all about him...not too bad for a service project ya!

After the service project we came home for a little break and refreshment before getting ready to go out for the REAL birthday celebrations.

Knock Knock...who's there? Orange...Orange who?
Orange you glad to see me!!!

It's been so long...

Sorry everyone for taking so long to write...I've been crazy busy starting my new semester..and final semester of my bachelor life!!! Wahoo!!! I will be graduating on December 13th with my Bachelors in Social Work...YAY!!! So I am doing my internship at Kahuku Medical Center focusing on Psychosocial assessments and crisis intervention. So weird description for basically two simple words PAPER WORK!!! And so starts my life as a social worker...haha! I do a lot with the geriatric unit, that is my main focus, and if any emergencies that happen require a Social Worker then we are also called in. But my main focus has been with the elderly. It's been kind of rough just because I am not used to such a slow pace, and it's not very exciting in the geriatric unit...which is probably a good thing because if it gets exciting that means someone has died. But its given me a lot of great learning experience that I know I can use in the future.

More to come with the recent happenings...to be CONTINUED!!!



Picture of the new mural they painted on the hospital to make it more appealing...



The rest of the mural...it takes up the whole side of the hospital.

In Loving Memory of Monalisa Soli

March 21, 1987 - June 16, 2008

This is in honor of a great friend, sister, daughter, and one of the most wonderful person the world has been blessed with. On June 16, 2008 Monalisa was killed in a car accident on her way to visit her sister in Las Vegas. The world lost an amazing person that day. I don't really have the words to describe Lisa except AMAZING. She could make any bad day seem bright. She was the friendliest person you have ever met. Her sense of humor is indescribable. Man, if you know Lisa you know what I'm talking about. Every minute was an adventure with Lisa, for the good and the bad...haha!!! Brings a smile to my face just thinking about it. There was never a dull moment. I'm gonna miss Monalisa really bad, but I figure God must have needed her up in Heaven to make him laugh. I wish all of you could have gotten to know this amazing girl, but her memories will live on and shared so she will never be forgotten. May you rest in peace Lisa until we meet again. Alofa Atu sis!

Lisa will try anything...a few weeks ago there was a fire knife competition at PCC and she competed even though she hadn't ever done it and she placed 3rd. She's one tough cookie...

Lisa in her ROTC uniform...work it girl!

Hannah, Lisa and Lily during culture night

Cliff Jumping at the POINT!!!

One of the heart pumping...or maybe heart stopping depending on how the jump goes...haha...is cliff jumping at the Point. A bunch of us girls decided to go jump the Point. If any of u's have been here the cliff at the Point is hella high. Compare it to Waimea's Rock and add about 20 more feet plus crashing waves that can hurl you into the jagged rocks...sounds exhilirating ya...WAHOO!!!

The girls before we took the plundge and some random chinese guy that wanted to be in our picture... but only his back side...Ha ha ha!!!

Hannah and miss thang...

BOMBS Away!!!

Some random Haoli guys were there jumping too and when this one jumped it was a perfect picture...for more then one reason...CHOOHOOO!!!

ONO!!!!

Ono means "good" in Hawaiian. And there is no betta food then an ono plate lunch. This is one of the delicious examples of why I gain so much weight here in Hawaii, but no matter, life would be so sad without good Hawaiian food. My favorite is "Sea" food. I see food and I eat it!!!!



Hawaii is known for it's rich foods such as Teriyaki Chicken, Kalua Pig, Taro, Purple sweet potatoes, Poke (raw fish) and last but not least chicken long rice...mmmmmmm!!! I know I have your mouth watering right now...Hawaii isn't just the pineapples and mangos, there is so much more. Those of you that have been here know exactly what I'm talking about....ONO!!!

Happiness...

I was thinking today about happiness and what it is. I mean we all are looking for happiness, but what exactly is happiness? And when do we finally achieve it? We all have our momentary stages of happiness, say when we get an A on a paper, or get that job we really wanted, our first baby, our first husband (haha) oh wait, I mean eternal marriage to our only husband. But what is eternal happiness? When are we just happy forever, and not just for the moment.

There are as many nights as days, and the one is just as long as the other in the year's course. Even a happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness, and the word 'happy' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness. --Carl Jung

I've realized in my own life that I am in desperate need for that eternal happiness. I am tired of settling for that momentary happiness. I've moved here and there, all over the place searching for that kind of eternal happiness. But everytime I get to where I think I will acheive it, it just isn't there. We've all heard the old saying,"The grass is always greener on the other side."

"We all live with the objective of being happy; our lives are all different and yet the same." Anne Frank

Is that eternal happiness a choice? Is it when we finally decide that's what we want, we make our lives fit such? Or is it just something that we try to attain our entire lives? We always hear the gospel is God's Plan for our Happiness. But along that plan there are those many trials and bumps on the road that bring very much sorrow and pain into our lives. So is the happiness I desire just something that is just not attainable in this lifetime and is something that I will try to reach my whole life just to fall short? I hope not...

To get up each morning with the resolve to be happy…is to set our own conditions to the events of each day. To do this is to condition circumstances instead of being conditioned by them.--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ricks Clan

Sadly I don't get to see these kids that often. Ilene lives in Idaho with her 3, 2 boys and a girl. So I only get to see them on holidays if I am in Utah. I sure miss them all too!!!



Rylan and Nathan posing for the camera.

The Little Princess in her Easter dress.

Horton Clan

One of the things I miss the most about living in Hawaii is I don't get to spend time with my nieces and nephews. Before I left to Hawaii I got to spend time with Michele's half dozen. That's right, she has 4 beautiful daughters and two very handsome sons. They are so freakin CUTE!!! I am one lucky auntie! So here are some pictures so you can all see what an adorable family they are. I am so blessed!!!

Here are a picture of the 4 Diva's: Madison, Mckenzie, Mallory and Mikayla

We like to get a little bit crazy sometimes!


MooMoo is so funny, she has the greatest personality!

Just me and Mckenzie posing for the camera...

I don't have any pictures of the boys yet, so those are to come on a later day. They are quite handsome though. :)