Magic Monday

I'm always excited for a new week ahead! The energy on Monday morning is so powerful, and exciting, I almost can't wait for the weekend to be over.

I only really question that thought, when its still dark, I'm warm and cozy under my blankets, and having the best dream, only to be awakened by my alarm clock at the most critical moment, and wishing I could just push snooze! Then the argument starts while the dream actors tap their feet impatiently waiting for my decision.

I never get to push snooze, but the dream girl always has a good argument. I open my eyes and start to move, and once the blood starts circulating, I'm so wide awake, the warmth of the bed I left feels to hot to return to.

The sun is rising and with it my energy! Here we go! Opportunity for greatness is a moment away! Happy Monday Blessing Everyone!
Aloha,
Maile

Life with boys...continued #2

I love my boys, I really do. Now they are at an age of such independence and wanting to be on their own, the "I already know how to do everything age."

But a few times, usually on weekends, maybe because they have more free time, or I do, somehow we find ourselves caught up in conversation and I absolutely appreciate that I get to be the one with the expert mom advice. It's almost rare these days, joking, but it really makes me so proud at the amazing kind and beautiful spirits that they have become.

The oldest, with his dreams of being a pilot in the armed forces and the youngest so intuitive and somehow wise beyond his years but he knows how to hide that a little to well sometimes when he's got his headphones on and playing a video game.

They are so different and although they fight and argue like brothers do, at the end of the day, all is forgiven. I hear them sometimes, laughing until they are exhausted and fall asleep. I'm usually annoyed that they are still up, and keeping me up, but I know I will miss the sound of them together more than anything.

Time is flying so fast, we are already talking about college and driving and the military! The younger one, I worry about him. I know he likes his independence to, but without his older brother's energy driving him in some positive and constructive direction, will he do it on his own?

My boys get a little embarrassed when I write about them, but I'm so proud of them. I love them forever and always! And I can't wait to see the amazing journey they create for their own lives.

My greatest gift in this life was becoming a mom, their mom.

Aloha nui loa,
Maile

Life with boys...

Life with boys...
I have to be brief because I'm so tired, but I was just having the best conversation with my boys and they are so interesting to chat with at their age with their newly forming opinions and ideas, that we could have stayed up all night.

But then one farts and they laugh, which causes the other one to fart and now they are both busting out laughing and farting again.

I'm burying my head in a pillow and begging them to open windows, crank the fan to full speed and evict them from my room.

Annoyed they gassed me out, sad the conversation ended but I think after that, it was done. Grateful the air has finally cleared and I'm truly exhausted, so its sleep time for me. That makes me so happy that I'm going to send my rambling thoughts out to the world where they are always accepted, on facebook ;) lol.

I admit, I have a crazy addiction...

I'm guilty of collecting snippets of quotes, pretty pictures, and endless touching and inspiring stories and messages from all over the internet. I have to thank my Facebook friends who created this obsession for me. I had no idea it would keep me up late at night or so distracted throughout the day.

I love them all! Every time I come across a new one I think, this will inspire my kids, my team, my clients, someday I will need it.

It's rather funny tho, as every one of them is also online and they are getting bombarded with these beautiful thoughts and inspiring messages already. Yet, I don't see the dramatic changes at how these messages inspire us into action.

I'm starting with myself and have made a serious decision that if I keep a quote, I need to do something with it right away, and if I can't then its not something I can work with to serve my highest purpose.

My life is to serve my highest purpose. Actually, you may or may not have realized it yet, but that is what your life is all about also.

We come into these lifetimes to learn, to grow, to do something that ultimately will leave a positive impact for the future generations when we are gone.

It's not really about making all the money in the world, its the journey, and enjoying the moments. Hoping you fill your life with amazing wonderful people that inspire you everyday to live your highest purpose and keep you smiling. Friends are what make the journey worth while.

Mahalo palena 'ole,
Maile

Busy Weekend in October 2012!

Blogger Link...come see this post and others on Blogger

Its been a busy weekend! Thursday night was Kalaheo's Homecoming Dinner to celebrate the Football team. Parents were amazing and pulled out all the stops when it comes to our kids. I made a lot of pasta (four trays of pasta, 1 for homecoming dinner, 1 to leave home for family dinner-Darin, Malu, my parents, 1 for my brother and sister-in-law and their family, and then 1 more for Saturday or Sunday's events).

I actually had to leave early to get to hula by 7:15pm. And it was still a school night.

On Friday, I got up early to bake a giant batch of shortbread macadamia nut cookies hand dipped in dark chocolate and topped again with more chopped macadamia nuts. It was just practice for the cookie crust that I needed for my fancy green lime jello cheesecake dessert for Saturday's University of Hawaii Football Game.

Friday evening, Kalaheo smashed Roosevelt in our Homecoming game 50 to 14. Go Mustangs...all the way to the playoffs! Woo hoo!!!

The JV football team's season is over and it was definitely a learning curve for the new football players, I'm sure they will play even better next year!

In the meantime, Kai needs a break from contact sports as he is still recovering from his injuries, but he's already looking forward to playing another sport soon.

Saturday morning, Darin made spam musubi's while I squeezed in a quick 4.5 mile run. A few hours later, I was cheering on my Warriors but that was after a really awesome tail gate party! OMG everyone went all out, the food was so ono! Seriously yummy! I'm wishing I had leftovers in my fridge. The Warriors had a tough game, but my nephews had me smiling as we wandered about in search of ice cream :) yum!

Sunday, after a morning work out to sweat off all the naughty things I ate since Thursday, we packed up the family to join my lovely friend Diane on location in Diamond Head. She was filming for a fascinating story about the disappearing art of Amezaiku, Japanese candy making. It was fun and although, my children felt they were to old to participate, thinking it was just for the little kids (they were such diva's that day, grrrr), they begged for their own fancy Amezaiku candy lollipops and were as thrilled when they got them as the 4 year olds (some kids may have been older or younger than 4 but all were adorable).

Please Check out my friend Diane Ako's blog this is a link about her Halloween event and she writes on so many interesting topics. I can't wait to see her story on the Amezaiku with Nathan and Chika Tanaka of Candy Art Hawaii. 

It's now almost midnight as I type this, and way past my bedtime on a school night. So uploading all this text plus my photos to share with all my friends on facebook and elsewhere will just have to wait til morning.

Happy week ahead everyone :) smiles for you!
Love always,
Maile

Hawaii's Best Halloween Event of the Year

The most amazing Halloween event that I look forward to every year is a wonderful costume-optional party held at the beautiful Moanalua Mortuary. Diane Ako and Paul Drewes are so gracious with their time and effort to host this favorite annual event. Originally thought of as a get together among media friends, the spooky location in industrial Mapunapuna, sets the mood for a very macabre evening.

By day, Moanalua Mortuary is a very beautiful and respectable Mortuary offering compassionate and affordable end of life services. Providing cremations, caskets and funeral services in its beautiful air conditioned chapel.

The gorgeous double door entry and grand wood floor, vaulted ceilings and stone counters make this an amazing reception area for guests to truly have a beautiful party to celebrate the life of their deceased. In fact, that description really doesn't do it justice. Check out these photos...

But at night, there is no question that the atmosphere changes and when appropriately decorated with added spooky decor, it transforms into the best haunted party location you could dream of.

This year might have been my favorite with the popular psychic and the best haunted tour. Scary shadows wandered about the halls and peered out from dark corners. The screams and shouts from some of the guests made it so much fun, I'm not sure how Diane and Paul can top it for next year, but I look forward to being there.

Death is such a difficult subject. And the first few parties were a little strange. Hard to explain, but I like to think that all our friends have become more accepting of our fates. Parties like this, are certainly unusual, but have given each of us a renewed sense on the value of living the precious moments of our life.

Death is a curious topic, big mahalo always to Claus Hansen (Owner, Moanalua Mortuary), who is so patient with everyones questions and offering us a safe opportunity to explore such a difficult subject with a sense of humor and erases all those worries of passing on into the next life.

It was so wonderful to see my dear friend Cindy, who is just a month away from welcoming her own bundle of joy, and Malika who's baby is due to arrive at anytime. Life is a cycle, birth and death are just natural parts of our life. If we just make our time on Earth count, and live every moment being the best we can be, then when its our time to depart this life, we can look back and say everyday I truly lived and it was all worth it.

This amazing event gets bigger and better every year. Looking forward to the years ahead, and grateful for each day. Mahalo to all my wonderful friends, you make every day worth it and I want you to know how grateful I am to know each of you.

Much blessings and love to everyone.

Love and Aloha,
Maile

I lost 50lbs!!!

I've made it! I lost 50lbs. I have never been so happy to visit my bathroom scale and so often. Now it's a friendly hello and no longer nervous, hold my breath, and oh no what is it going to be today, fingers crossed that one piece of sweet potato pie didn't ruin all my hard work.

How did I do it? What's the easy simple answer that everyone wants to know?

The truth is it started with truly forgiving myself for treating my body so badly all these years. And only then was I able to start my journey to healing my body and my relationship with my self  image. I really never did like my picture being taken. I will always happily hide in the back, out of site and maybe you can catch a glimpse of just my smile. But more recently I have had to take more more photos and I'm not afraid any more. I actually can appreciate all my old pictures now and send love to the poor shell of a woman I was. She had problems, she was depressed, she was going thru a lot. And now, I'm so proud to be me. And love all that I've accomplished and look forward to every new day I get to accomplish something else. 

I won't say, that your miracle of overnight weight loss happens at the moment you finally accept your life and yourself, with all your glorious unique flaws, and the perfect parts that aren't so bad and make everything else disappear. But something wonderful does start to happen. You want to treat yourself better. If you are like me, always trying to put everyone else first and attend to their needs and wanting the best for them. At the end of the day, the week, the month, the year, you look back and you realize you did nothing for yourself. And who really was taking care of you? And if anyone tried did you even let them? 

This may have been my toughest struggle. Asking for help. Accepting that I really couldn't do it alone. It is still one of my life lessons and its finally sinking in that my life can be of even more value if it share it, and I ask for help. Then I have the support to reach my personal goals and have the ability to help others reach theirs. My life is so much more fulfilling now, with wonderful individuals that I care so very much about and they care about me. I may still struggle when help is given, but I'm grateful for the loving friends and family that will insist on me accepting their support, no matter how much I try not to take anything. I try to just accept their generosity and always say Mahalo, Thank you, I'm so very grateful. 

My life is changed in so many ways. Mahalo for all your love and support that make me better every day. I look forward to being here for you. Don't be afraid to ever contact me. My life is one of service, if I can help, I will. Sending love and gratitude to everyone. 

Mahalo,

Maile