Holy Colee!

Ramiele – the backup singers were better, maybe just louder, than she was…. She did look good though. The judges’ comments leave me wondering – is everyone getting to claim a sick day this year?

Jason Castro – I have no idea what that song was, but I could listen to it for a long time. It was cool to see him little, with out the dreads

Syesha – the baby cry isn’t winning me over, but her vocals might be.

What the devil is Paula wearing?

Chikezie – I am not sure how I feel about this one yet… there are a couple of notes that seem a little off, but I still kind of liked it

Brooke White – I have to dislike her on principle… she can play by ear

Michael Johns – He has my same birth year :) Which just means he's old. I am really enjoying his performances.

Carly Smithson– One of my very favorite songs.. I know I am not normal…She did it a lot like the original (except for the lyrics that were wrong), which works for me. The end was strange.

David Archuleta – he sounded older than 17 tonight, I have never heard that song before, the lyrics were timely.

Kristy Lee Cook – Quite possibly the most overplayed song in America. I am as patriotic as the next guy, but really? But if you are going to sing it, at least sing the right notes

David Cook – oh my… I actually MUCH prefer this version to the original… If Creed is looking for a new lead singer, they don’t have to look far.

Happy Easter!
I had a lovely weekend, at home, with the fam. It's been a long time since I went home for only a weekend, and I remember why now - TOO much to do in not enough time.
For Easter this year, the Easter Bunny had my truck detailed. The timing couldn't have been more perfect. Since I had a teriyaki explosion in there the other day ;) I am worse than any amount of kids....

So, all joking aside, I love Easter. All of Christendom unites to honor the most sacred event in history. I want to join in this occasion and declare to you - that He lives. The tomb was empty. He lived for us, providing the perfect example of charity and love. He gave his life on the cross and just as assuredly, He took it up again and He lives again. By doing this, He made it possible for us to also live again and to return to our heavenly home. May we live worthy of this reward, is my prayer... and so, I repeat - HAPPY EASTER!

Rules:
1 - Identify 7 random or weird things about you.
2 - Tag 7 people.
3 - Let them know they've been tagged.

Thanks Brooke :P

1 - I was 28 years old before I got my first kiss.
2 - I have a sister who is 24 years younger than me - to the day.
3 - I own a home entertainment system. Which is still in the box 6 months after I purchased it.
4 - My current roommate was my next door neighbor (define next door, in Dingle) when I was growin up.
5 - My top ten sites includes USCSIS.gov... I am anxiously awaiting a status update on my I-129F, petition for alien fiance...right now they are 7 months out and I am pouting :(...
6 - I am only 29 years old, but I have been with the same company for over 10 years.
7 - I just got back from my first trip to Hawaii - and I REALLY want to go back!


I have yet to determine who I will tag

So, I spent the last week in Baton Rouge Louisianna. WHAT A WEEK! I think I was still asleep when I got to the airport on Tuesday morning, well, I know I was, but we'll get to that later... Lisa and I spent 16 hours a day for 4 days in the center meeting with EVERYONE who we could. It was such a pain in the ... bum. But it will all be worth it if we can make it do what we want it to. Cross your fingers.
When I got back to SLC, I realized that I really WAS asleep when I got to the airport. How can I prove it? I completely forgot to write down where I parked. I had the general area - because I always park in the same area, but I had no idea inside that area.... The parking attendant saved me after about 10 minutes of wandering - and she drove me up and down the lanes until we found Bailene.
The good part was that, at least I wasn't wandering up and down the aisles with my luggage, cuz, well, it was still in Denver. See how I put a positive spin on the fact that my luggage was lost? ;) Honestly, I travel enough - not a lot - but enough - that I should expect to have lost my luggage before now. And, at least I was home where my real toothbrush was already waiting for me :)

Today was a good day. I feel like I am actually making progress on the things that have been piling up on my to do list. Of course, I am only here for a week, but then it is just an easter weekend at home. I gotsta go home and show off the pictures.... which, by the way, there are about 150.... which means, I am NOT putting them all on the blog. Sorry... I haven't quite figured out how to pick which ones, so... until then, I guess you'll just have to come visit :-P

Saturday was awesome. (I am running out of words.) We rented a car and drove up the east side of the island to the temple. I did not realize how small it is inside. The outside is all done on such a grand scale, but the inside it is beautiful and simple. And COLD- for real, it was the first time this week I wished I'd had a jacket. ;-) After the temple Mom and I continued our journey up to the north shore. It was all things we've seen before this week, but this time we got to do it all on our own time. The surfers were out in full force, too, so we watched them for a while before deciding to complete our loop. We stopped at DOLE again, this time just for lunch.
Upon returning to Waikiki we dropped off the car and stopped to fill our pineapples. OH yes - the pineapples- so there is a place just a block down from our hotel that if you buy the souvenir pineapple cup, they will refill it for you - for free - forever. Needless to say, we've been carrying these silly pineapple cups around all week ;) The good part is that once they get home, they are also banks. I am always looking for something to put change in ;) We got the last of our shopping done, including a new bag. The real pineapples we picked up at dole are just too big - so we needed something to put them in that we could put other things in, too. I think we're finally good to go on getting everything to the plane... maybe.
Today we are taking the day completely chilled. We have to be out of the hotel at 11, but we don't leave until 7, so we're going to hang out on the beach and see if I can't find a little bit of sun. Last night was the first night I had actually put my feet in the ocean. Maybe today I'll find an excuse for the new swimsuit I bought.

Thursday was freaking awesome. We woke up with an easy breezy morning. We went down to the beach for a little bit, and then met up with our group as we all headed up to the Polynesian Cultural Center. For those of you not familiar with the concept of the PCC, you can totally check it out online. But the basic idea is that 6 of the main islands in Polynesia are represented by individual villages. You can walk from village to village and learn about the culture and traditions of the island. We leaned about how to make coconut milk in Samao, we learned about drums and dancing and hula and maori greetings and way too much else to keep going. Apparently though, Samoan's pride themselves on their humor - because that guy just kept milking it.
After visiting the villages we went to a luau, which was - wow. We got to see them take the pig out of the imu (the underground fire pit that they cook in). The show with the luau was great. The host was a student from BYU-Hawaii. We were told that 70% of the employees of the center are students. You'd never guess by the level of professionalism that they show. Mom and I decided our experience wouldn't be complete with out a drink in a pineapple, so we indulged. It was totally worth it.
The night show - now THAT was a sight. I giggled a little, because it has a definite twinge of pageant. We mormons, we love our pageants. BUT, it was only pageanty for a little while and then it was just phenomenal. The fire dancers stole the show, but the whole thing was just great.

Today Mom and I took a tour up to the Dole Plantation and around the North Shore. The tour was great. We got to learn all about how pineapples grow - which is still a completely manual process - they are planted and harvested by hand. UGH. Did you know pineapples grow in plants - NOT trees, and that each plant only has 2 seasons before it has to be replanted?
Cousin Aaron (everyone is family here)was our tour guide. He taught us how to pronounce Hawaiian words and about where everything is on the island and he gave us a history lesson about why the Hawaiian flag contains the Union Jack.
He took us to eat at shrimp truck on the side of the road. Seriously. Apparently there is a huge amount of freshwater shrimp and prawns that are grown and exported from the area. It was rather tasty, even for a girl who doesn't really like shrimp.
When we got back to the hotel, we went and made arrangements for our rental car tomorrow.
Tonight was our Award dinner. We went to a place called Tiki's grill and bar. The food was tasty and the bar was open ;) Ok, most of you know that last part doesn't really mean anything to me, except that I have discovered the Lava Flow. Basically it is a pina colada with strawberries. So, take out the alcohol and you now have my second favorite drink. Mmmmmm
Ok, I still have 2 days of this paradise left, but I am already at a loss of how I am going to get everything home..... wish me luck!

OH MY GOODNESS! I have never been to a more beautiful place in all my days. I am sorry there are no pictures yet, but as soon as I find the cord, I'll move them over.

We got to Hawaii yesterday. Our flights were mostly boring, which if you ask me, is the way flights SHOULD be. We only got lost once in LAX. There really should be more signs in a place that big. We landed in Honolulu and, of course we couldn't find our shuttle representative. Luckily, I am getting better at asking for help - AND I remembered to bring the super handy travel info that was provided by the agency.
Our driver was actually really cool. He filled us in on where stuff was on our way to the hotel and apparently he is freakishly athletic, as he can do the Diamond Head trail from the park and back in just over an hour. The hotel is lovely. The lobbies are very open. The weather has been perfect. It is humid (compared to SLC, everything is humid), but it's only been about 83-85 degrees. Our rooms were not quite ready, as we got here right around noon, so we wandered over to the first ABC store we found and got a bite for lunch. It's true what they say, "Milk is like,$5 a gallon." Fortunately, we were not there for milk.
After we were able to check in, we left everything in the room and went across the street to the beach. Holy people, Batman. I can only imagine what it looks like during the busy season. It was great people-watching, though. Between then and the ocean, I could be content for a very long time. The beach near the hotel is lovely white sand, which of course, they bring in from somewhere else. There is no real sand in Waikiki. The waves are ever present, but not very big. That night we wandered with some of the Truro group and went to Chili's for dinner and then came back to our first "mandatory meeting," the cocktail party. It was fun to put a few more names and voices with a face.
This morning was our second meeting. It really was a business meeting, and, thanks to Leah, it lasted exactly one hour. She actually got Jeremy to stop talking ;) After that, we had arranged to go to the swap meet, but we decided it was just a lot of sunny hot shopping, and the deals were just as good, if not better at The International Market, which is just a few blocks from the hotel. Soooo, instead we went to Punchbowl Memorial Park. It is a military cemetary, very much like Arlington - except with out all the white crosses. It is the burial site of military service men and women from 3 wars (WW2, Korea, and Veitnam). It was very humbling.
From there we continued on a drive up to Pali Point, from which you can see some of the most amazing scenery I have ever witnessed. Then we (not we so much as Leah - we just kind of rode along) up to the east side of the island. We followed the highway up to Lai'e. We stopped at the LDS temple for a few minutes and then continued up to the north shore. We stopped at Turtle Bay and Sunset Beach. The surfers at Sunset Beach were fun to watch. Crazy people, but fun to watch. There are big signs all over the beach warning of unsafe swimming conditions - completely ignored. Also, I know I am a bit of a geek, but it was cool to see the different sand on each beach. They are probably not more than a mile apart, but the sand on each spot is completely different - different texture, different color, different whatever else sand can be. I saved a bit from each, so come over, I'll show you what I mean.
After Sunset Beach we continued the circle and came back down the western side of the island. Again, completely different. This is where the agricultural part of the island is. Friday, Mom and I will go back up. We've booked a tour that will include the DOLE plantation as well as some more sightseeing along the north shore.
Tonight, after dinner, we went shopping at The International Market.... I am not sure what international means, except it felt like we were in Cancun again, with every vendor trying to get you into their shop and give you "good price" on what they are selling - which is exactly what the store next door is selling, too. It was fun though. We got all kinds of goodies :)
We got home a couple of hours ago, and I broke down and finally checked my work email. I made it 2 days. I am feeling pretty good about it ;-)

I know you are going to be disappointed, but I won't be sharing my insight;) about American Idol this week. I am NOT disappointed, because instead of watching the snow fall outside my window, this week I will be listening to the waves crash on Waikiki beach. I promise to take lots of pictures.... maybe if I say it out loud it might actually happen. We leave very early Tuesday morning and will be back on Monday.

After this last week at work, I am hoping this will be a much needed respite... I have my doubts, since work is coming with me, but hey - Here's hoping ;)