Wednesday, May 27, 2009
p.s.
WARNING- There are a lot of pics below. If i were you, I would open up this page and let the pictures run through first, and then come back to look at them. Otherwise they'll run extremely slow, AND i would push the little plus sign at the bottom to speed up the slide show. Just a little tip for our family and friends interested (for all others, dismiss the slideshow, because it's way too long for the average viewer)!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Catch Up
Well, we've kind of slacked on picture taking lately, BUT we finally bought a super nice Canon camera this weekend, so hopefully you'll be seeing a lot more pics soon!
Tim's first day of work started today. It's still hard to believe we've been here almost a month and Tim is just now starting! For the past month we've been "house hunting" or at least that's what our permissive TDY says =). We actually found a house, or more like they offered us a house, the first week here. It's on base in the new housing area they just built two years ago. It's two story, three bedrooms, and tons of storage space, and will hold all of our stuff, which is pretty amazing!
We did look at a few houses/condos off base, but they are extremely small, very run down, and the only perk would be if we could find a place right on the beach. Unfortunately, only a few people luck out with finding those places, and normally they pay a lot more than our BAH would offer. So living on base just seemed like the smartest move.
And besides, we had a semi-sign, as I like to call it. Tim's Clinic Chief, who has been here in Hawaii for like 6 years now, is living in the house right now (they are moving to OK in June). His family lived off base the first four years and moved on base two years ago when they built these new homes. He says it's the absolute best place to live, Tim can walk to work, AND there is a Starbucks on his way into work! How perfect is that =)! We'll be in walking distance to the PX and Commissary, and did I mention Starbucks!! And we are only 15 mins away from the beach (our favorite one!). And of course since the island is pretty small we can pretty much get anywhere we want in one hour top.
So for the past month we've been living at the Inn on Schofield Barracks. It's a decent hotel, nothing fancy for sure, but very roomy. Unfortunately, our 30 day stay is up, so we are being kicked out at the end of this week. So we'll be moving to the Hale Kola, which is located ON the beach in Waikiki, the most famous beach here! I can't wait!! I'm going to lay out on the beach and by the pool and on their little roof top layout place every single day. The international market is only steps away from where we are staying, which offers free Hula Lessons, yoga classes, and lots of shopping every day. And I'll be able to wake-up each morning and go for a nice long run on the beach! So, I think i'm set. Hopefully I'll get a little more surfing practice in while Tim's at work, and maybe a little snorkeling.
Ok, basically this is our catch-up blog, hopefully we've caught y'all up on our lives here in paradise! Tim's birthday is this weekend, we're going to go all out and stay at the most expensive hotel in Waikiki (only because the military will be paying for it...not sure if i'm suppose to say that =), and then we'll be going skydiving on Saturday! Yes, you heard me right, skydiving! SO lots of prayers for me on Saturday. Hopefully, we'll be able to take pictures... we'll see.
We can't wait for you to come visit us, we'll be in our new house by June 15th, so come anytime after that!
Tim's first day of work started today. It's still hard to believe we've been here almost a month and Tim is just now starting! For the past month we've been "house hunting" or at least that's what our permissive TDY says =). We actually found a house, or more like they offered us a house, the first week here. It's on base in the new housing area they just built two years ago. It's two story, three bedrooms, and tons of storage space, and will hold all of our stuff, which is pretty amazing!
We did look at a few houses/condos off base, but they are extremely small, very run down, and the only perk would be if we could find a place right on the beach. Unfortunately, only a few people luck out with finding those places, and normally they pay a lot more than our BAH would offer. So living on base just seemed like the smartest move.
And besides, we had a semi-sign, as I like to call it. Tim's Clinic Chief, who has been here in Hawaii for like 6 years now, is living in the house right now (they are moving to OK in June). His family lived off base the first four years and moved on base two years ago when they built these new homes. He says it's the absolute best place to live, Tim can walk to work, AND there is a Starbucks on his way into work! How perfect is that =)! We'll be in walking distance to the PX and Commissary, and did I mention Starbucks!! And we are only 15 mins away from the beach (our favorite one!). And of course since the island is pretty small we can pretty much get anywhere we want in one hour top.
So for the past month we've been living at the Inn on Schofield Barracks. It's a decent hotel, nothing fancy for sure, but very roomy. Unfortunately, our 30 day stay is up, so we are being kicked out at the end of this week. So we'll be moving to the Hale Kola, which is located ON the beach in Waikiki, the most famous beach here! I can't wait!! I'm going to lay out on the beach and by the pool and on their little roof top layout place every single day. The international market is only steps away from where we are staying, which offers free Hula Lessons, yoga classes, and lots of shopping every day. And I'll be able to wake-up each morning and go for a nice long run on the beach! So, I think i'm set. Hopefully I'll get a little more surfing practice in while Tim's at work, and maybe a little snorkeling.
Ok, basically this is our catch-up blog, hopefully we've caught y'all up on our lives here in paradise! Tim's birthday is this weekend, we're going to go all out and stay at the most expensive hotel in Waikiki (only because the military will be paying for it...not sure if i'm suppose to say that =), and then we'll be going skydiving on Saturday! Yes, you heard me right, skydiving! SO lots of prayers for me on Saturday. Hopefully, we'll be able to take pictures... we'll see.
We can't wait for you to come visit us, we'll be in our new house by June 15th, so come anytime after that!
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Rock Diving or Jumping
I never imagined myself to be a particularly brave person, but the more years i'm married to Tim, the more this crazy side of me comes out! Today we went to this beach that's famous for it's 30 foot rock that insane people climb to the top and jump off into the ocean. We went to this same beach last week, and i made up some lame excuse for not jumping. So today Tim decided it was time to face our fears. The key to jumping off a thirty foot rock and plummeting into the depths of a turbulent ocean, is not thinking. That's right, you have to climb to the top, go out on the ledge, and just don't think. Glance down at the ocean, just to make sure it's still there, then look straight ahead, find something to focus on, and pretend to jump right towards it. And then whatever you do, don't forget to hold your nose really tight and make your body become as straight as a toothpick, otherwise you'll drink in way too much salt water or you'll be known as the person that did the belly-flop heard around the world! Trust me, we heard plenty today. SO Tim jumped before me, and caught my first jump on film... (and yes, i did jump a second time!) here is my amazing jump!
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Surfing Lessons
Before the lessons:
Today was our first day to try out the waves here in Hawaii! We signed up with the Air Force base rec. center for lessons. This was our first mistake... Air Force, what can you expect (=)!! j/k dad!). After all of 5 mins of "lessons" they loaded us up in a boat and we headed out to sea to try out what we had "learned". At this point, I had learned to make sure my right foot was on the back of the board and my left foot forward. That was pretty much it.
They parked the boat about 10 miles off shore, near this beautiful rock arch that was randomly in the ocean, and we jumped ship from there. The waves were intimidating at first as we paddled along with our bodies slowly moving up and over giant waves, but for the most part, even though they were large, they weren't breaking and so we were safe. Or so we thought.
Then came the point where they told us to paddle... "paddle, paddle, paddle, paddle"... they would scream and we would lay on our board and act as if we were swimming an Olympic race without moving our legs until the wave reached us and pulled us forward with all of its furry.
My first wave was a nightmare, a ginormous wave, that looked to be about 5 foot tall. In all actuality, it was probably only 2-3 feet, but to me, it seemed life threatening. When that first wave hits you, it's almost as if you go from 0-80mph, in two seconds flat. Your board is no longer viewed as your safety net, but your death trap, and it viciously spins out of control as the waves slowly devour it. This is exactly what happened to me. I attempted to stand, and made it to a crouched position before the board was enveloped, and then... the fall.
Falling face first into a crashing wave is one of those life revealing experiences. It reveals if you are mice or men, if you are bigger than the wave or the wave bigger than you. As i fell backward, staring straight into a monster wave, salt water pouring into my mouth and nose, the torrent of the water pulling me down deeper and deeper, I realized i am smaller than a mouse and terrified of drowning in a deep ocean.
After my second wave, and actually standing for all of 30 seconds until the wave behind me engulfed my board once again and i took in another gallon of sea water, I called it quits. I paddled my way to the boat and took my place next to the eleven year old who had quit a few minutes before me. I spent the next half hour sun bathing and watching sea turtles swim around our boat, and of course watching Tim excel at everything he does.
Some days I wish i was fearless, but most days i'm very content in the safety of my own little boat sun bathing and playing with sea turtles. Unfortunately, Tim is normally not content with this way of life, so we'll probably try our surfing skills out once again... tomorrow.
Today was our first day to try out the waves here in Hawaii! We signed up with the Air Force base rec. center for lessons. This was our first mistake... Air Force, what can you expect (=)!! j/k dad!). After all of 5 mins of "lessons" they loaded us up in a boat and we headed out to sea to try out what we had "learned". At this point, I had learned to make sure my right foot was on the back of the board and my left foot forward. That was pretty much it.
They parked the boat about 10 miles off shore, near this beautiful rock arch that was randomly in the ocean, and we jumped ship from there. The waves were intimidating at first as we paddled along with our bodies slowly moving up and over giant waves, but for the most part, even though they were large, they weren't breaking and so we were safe. Or so we thought.
Then came the point where they told us to paddle... "paddle, paddle, paddle, paddle"... they would scream and we would lay on our board and act as if we were swimming an Olympic race without moving our legs until the wave reached us and pulled us forward with all of its furry.
My first wave was a nightmare, a ginormous wave, that looked to be about 5 foot tall. In all actuality, it was probably only 2-3 feet, but to me, it seemed life threatening. When that first wave hits you, it's almost as if you go from 0-80mph, in two seconds flat. Your board is no longer viewed as your safety net, but your death trap, and it viciously spins out of control as the waves slowly devour it. This is exactly what happened to me. I attempted to stand, and made it to a crouched position before the board was enveloped, and then... the fall.
Falling face first into a crashing wave is one of those life revealing experiences. It reveals if you are mice or men, if you are bigger than the wave or the wave bigger than you. As i fell backward, staring straight into a monster wave, salt water pouring into my mouth and nose, the torrent of the water pulling me down deeper and deeper, I realized i am smaller than a mouse and terrified of drowning in a deep ocean.
After my second wave, and actually standing for all of 30 seconds until the wave behind me engulfed my board once again and i took in another gallon of sea water, I called it quits. I paddled my way to the boat and took my place next to the eleven year old who had quit a few minutes before me. I spent the next half hour sun bathing and watching sea turtles swim around our boat, and of course watching Tim excel at everything he does.
Some days I wish i was fearless, but most days i'm very content in the safety of my own little boat sun bathing and playing with sea turtles. Unfortunately, Tim is normally not content with this way of life, so we'll probably try our surfing skills out once again... tomorrow.
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