January 2013

At the end of January..and I can't believe how fast the month has went by!!

This month has mostly consisted of:
1) Renting a new house
2) Moving into the new house
3) Getting a puppy!!!!

So we moved in second week of January. It was such a pain in the ass. Me and Mike bought forearm forklifts...and basically, it just sucked! Next time Im paying however much it costs to hire movers...and I also plan on just staying in this place for a while!  It's not bad..feels a lot cozier, plenty of storage, cheeaper, and less dustier. Our other house was so dusty bc all the wind would just blow dirt off the freeway into our house, so it was soo time consuming cleaning that house.  Our previous landlords gave us hassles about the yard maintenance in the old house too, so we also had to put in a lot of time and effort before moving in fixing the yard, growing the grass, trimming the hedges--and that yard was bigger than the whooole house!! OMG, soo over it and glad we moved out. That occupied me literally the first half of January :/

Since our new lease allowed dogs, I was so very anxious to get a puppy. Part of me wanted to wait til I got back from PI, but part of me was too excited and couldnt wait!  Mike said he kind of wanted one to have around when I went to PI, so everyday I was practically obsessing..looking online (I think I knew every dog for sale on this island) Lol.  I saw Koko listed for a while in a litter of 4 puppies, but Mike said she looked to furry....and then one Sunday she was listed as the "last puppy left!" Ahh!! & it was practically love at first sight. She was super mellow, sweet, and cuuute!

So this past week has been a lot of time spent with her.  First day was rough, a lot of crying and adjusting. I was a little nervous about what I got us into because of all the attention she needed!!  But after that, everything has been great. She is super smart--she has already learned to sit, fetch, to use potty pads, and to sleep in her crate without crying for hours at a time. So we are stoked:) Cant wait til her immunizations are done so we can take her for walks and force her to like the beach, LOL.

So with all that, havent had much time for anything else.  Went out maybe twice this month?? Lol!  Mainly because I've been trying to save cash for my trip to the Philippines which is like NEXT week!!!   Ahh! Honestly havent much time to get excited about it because Ive been so busy.  But we booked 1 week in Palawan, touring all the different islands and Im so excited to see it. & after that, we'll still have 2 more weeks of fun! & I get to see Inang! Yay!

Anyways, computers dying.  Probowl is tonight...I'll be working. But only 3 more days of work, and Im off for a month!!

Kaimuki

Ka imu kī.  meaning "The ti root oven" in hawaiian...meaning i live in an oven!

But I love it. It's been so much cooler though, as in 70 degrees, this winter so no more blasting the AC all day.   Well, I love my little bungalow but Mike and I have officially signed a new lease somewhere else...for many reasons, but the most important being to save money. We currently pay almost 2500 (a mortgage right?) for this place we live in now, but by downgrading to the "cottage" I shall phrase it, we could probably save 500-600/month.  The best part is that we can get small dog!!!!!! Super exclamation marks for that...but maybe not until I get back from PI.

So I'm excited! Its a little 2 bedroom/1 office/1 bath place up on a hillside in Kaimuki.  Overlooks diamond head, not at the base of it like my place now.  One year lease was signed, so I guess I'll be in Hawaii til 2014. Took a look at some of the real estate on this island, and gooood lawd--gotta be a millionaire to own something decent around here! No, thanks:)

So work has been unusually slow this winter, and because they hired so many travelers, the regular staff have been getting their hours cut. I've been getting cancelled at least one or two shifts a check..and when you only work six shifts--it's kind of a lot! Thank goooodness, I have like 200hrs of PTO to pull from or I would be struggling.  Saved so much PTO last year for this up and coming Philippines trip this February. Going with my family for about three weeks--planning on actually sightseeing this time and not just staying in the provinces. Excited for that..and excited to see Inang! Yay, I think I'll cuddle with her every night that I can because I miss her so much.

So I was supposed to work tonight..but here I am wide awake. Just finished doing laundry and packing a little suitcase for home this Weds.  Ahh, home for the holidays =) Planning on just borrowing all my sisters' winter clothes to stay warm..heheeeee! 

Tis' the Season

Oh joy! Oh joy! My favorite time of the year!

I love Christmas. I love, love, looove everything about it--how friends and family get together, shopping, the smell of christmas trees, holiday latte's at coffee shops, christmas songs, and most of all a time to be thankful and celebrate our blessings!

I'm actually feeling super-spirited lately. Maybe because of a bunch of reasons, but if I could rock christmas gear everyday, that would be the best! Mike and I got a little 4ft christmas tree (sooo expensive in Hawaii!) and I admire it everyday. Sit on my couch and think to myself--wow, never thought this would be me at 28. Renting a house built in the 1960s, with a little 4ft Christmas tree, no family except a few good friends with me on this island in the Pacific.  I find myself content though--happy with my simple life and big dreams. :)

Mike is not the biggest Christmas person like me, but he doesn't bash it either.  He agreed to buy a tree even if we're both going home for Christmas, and even strung some lights on our window.  Aside from that,  he's been working hard on his thesis paper, and I am suuper proud of him because he's done!!! Presentation of his thesis in front of a panel of professors coming up next week, and he'll be graduated. Woo-hoo! Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering. Now, go get a job :P

Going to my christmas party for work tonight. Buffet style. Oink, oink.