Some of the House

Time for the bi-monthly post!!! I realized that I haven't taken any 'after' pictures with any decor up, but for now, here are some pictures to show how much improved the house is!!

This is the front door view - BEFORE

AFTER

Kitchen -- BEFORE

AFTER

The family room -- BEFORE

AFTER

After looking at these pictures, I'm going to do a little photo shoot with the house to get more pictures. I forgot that we put new ceiling fans in and it looks so much better with the decor up too!! This is just a sneak peek though for Kamon's mom. I'm amazed though at how just paint, tile and carpet can turn a place around. Hopefully I'll take more pictures soon!!

It's Official

We closed on our house yesterday and have joined the elite club of being a home owner!!!  YAY!!! The house has some work to be done to it, so once that's done I'll post pictures, so excited!

Saturday in Hawaii

SO...our Saturday just was the swap meet and another 2 tank dive. 

This was the swap meet. All those souvenirs for 1/2 the price as regular stores.  And actually we left around 10 or so to go meet the dive instructor.  Before we went to the swap meet Kamon got like $120 for the swap meet and to tip the instructor, etc.  So as Kamon pulls out of the parking space, this guy flags Kamon down with $80 that somehow flew out of Kamon's pockets!!!  Kamon didn't even realize that the money flew out.  Kamon was short $20 but we were so grateful that this guy flagged him down instead of pocketing it himself!!

This is me on the dive...yes somewhere between 45-60 feet deep.  I faced my fears and did it. (I'm practically scared of my own shadow so I'm pretty proud that I didn't dive just once, but four times).

This is what the ocean floor looked like in some spots.

Kamon and I together.  This was day was an adventurous dive day.  On the first tank dive, the instructor, my dad, and my little brother (Scott) and I started swimming in one direction and Kamon was taking a picture of an eel and didn't realize that we had swam off.  I didn't realize that he was missing (I was more focused on myself not getting lost).  Then the instructor stopped and had the three of us stay where we were at and he swam to go find Kamon.  Luckily the instructor found him and then once we got back up there, I was surprised at how shaken up Kamon was.  He usually doesn't get nervous or scared under any situation.  It took him awhile to get the nerves to go back under, but he did.  

Then on the 2nd tank, I'm swimming with my little bro and we were swimming right behind the instructor and then all of sudden Scott gets the attention of the instructor and they start swimming to the top and sharing the instructor's tank.  I look around and don't know where the rope is to go back up to the boat, so I just start following the instructor, but then I see the rope and my dad and Kamon so I just go up with them.  Then I talk to Scott and he said that he had run out of air!!  I'm SO glad that neither one of these, 2 of my worst fears while scuba diving, happened to me otherwise I probably would've been scarred for life, but I'm not and can't wait to dive again!!

Hawaii--some more

Wow...this is not going to be very organized, because I realized that I don't have very many pictures of the 3rd day (Thursday), because we scuba dived and my sister took all the pictures that day.  Anyway, this was our Friday.

We were running late to meet up with the rest of my fam (only my brother, sister, Kamon and I hiked Diamond Head) so we like sprinted up the crater and their faces say it all...

Evidence that I made it to the top. 

After the hike, we met my family at the Waikiki Aquarium.  Again, it wasn't really worth it, but at least I got to see some sea horses, they were my favorite! 

Hawaiian Monk Seal, endangered, I learned that at the aquarium. 

Kamon and I waiting for everyone else, at this point Kamon is still a good sport with the picture taking.  

My little bro and I in the back of the convertible loving the nice weather and excited for lunch...well I'm excited, I think he's just placating to my picture taking!! (And yes, I wore the same shirt from on the hike to the aquarium and then to lunch.  I really didn't think about a change in shirt after the hike...I was rushed that morning and I normally do wear clean clothes after exercise)

Kind of a long story...so the whole time my nephew wanted nothing more than to swim in some big waves.  Come to find out, all the bigger waves are on the south side of the island, and we're staying more on the north end of the island.  So after lunch we (my sister-Julie, my nephew Brad, me and Kamon) decide to go to Waikiki beach well, there's tons of coral so the boys really couldn't body surf like they wanted to.  So this is a picture of Kamon and Brad looking to see if there's a sandy beach further down.  I thought it was a cute picture, too bad my camera couldn't zoom any further. 

So the hunt for big waves continued, which led us here, the only picture I got of Sandy Beach, aka breakneck beach.  Kamon was even scared, my sister has a video of a wave totally knocking Kamon down and it's freaking hilarious!  Brad almost drown which was scary and led to him not being able to swim in the waves anymore. 

Hawaii--Rest of Day 2

After snorkeling and lunch we decided to hit up the Dole Pineapple Plantation.

Aren't they cute how little they are??

We did the train ride (not really worth it, but live and learn), but this was a shot while on the train.

This deliciousness is Dole Whip. Basically softserve pineapple ice cream, but it was so stinkin good!!

Then, for the drive home, we took a freeway that Kamon said was featured on some show he watched about the 10 best freeway drives in the U.S. (who other than Kamon watches shows like that?).

Hawaii

To my faithful 5 readers, I have not abandoned my blog. On June 9th, we got to go to Hawaii with my entire family. Seriously, it was an awesome vacation. I can't wait to go back!!

Here's the first day. The house we stayed at was across the street from the beach. I love that my brother is doing all the work tugging the kayak and my sweetheart doing what he does best, supervising.

The second day we were there we went to Hanauma Bay for snorkeling. It was unbelievable!!

In fact, while we were there we saw 2, yes 2 or them while we snorkeled:

Kamon and I were snorkeling together and by late morning the visibility wasn't the best and he pointed something out to me and I look and out of nowhere this 4-5 foot hammerhead swims in front of us. I was so awe struck that I didn't have a chance to be scared!!! Then as we were walking to the beach, in about a foot of water, there was a really pretty colorful baby hammerhead. By far, the coolest thing I've seen!

This is the whole family at Hanauma Bay.

At my next semi annual post, I will post the remainder of the second day and possibly the third.

Happy Birthday Kamon

Kamon's birthday was the 10th...so here's a little tribute to him with just some random pictures and facts about him:

He's very competitive, look at that face of determination to beat my nephew. 

He's so athletic! Show him once and within 3 tries it'll be like he's been doing it his whole life. 

Funniest person I know...I mean look at this picture. 

Loves to travel and experience new things. 

He's a college grad, the first among his siblings. 

Again, funniest person I know. 

LOVES learning and expanding his mind. Even with TV, it's all about the History channel or National Geographic or something to do with the universe. 

Thanks to his mission days in Philly, he knows how to tie a do-rag from a shirt. 

Grows a mean mustache. 

Looks great on a scooter. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KAMON!