More Celebration...

We had a lot of fun this evening... Just laughing... hanging with all the casins...

Even Manang Aurelyn who is (at the moment) battling breast cancer. We are all so truly blessed to be so close and we can still laugh with each other, even though we haven't seen each other in so long!

Thank you Auntie Pipay for having us over, enjoying all the Filipino food! For Manong Junior and his cooking, and gosh darn Manong Rey and his bartending! OMG - GREAT kamakazes and a great "O" he made for all of us. It's been awhile...  :)

Uncle Manning...

It's been 11 years since my Uncle Manning passed away. His legacy lives on in his children and grandchildren. Every year, we celebrate his legacy - not his death.

Now it's been a long time since my sister has come to this event because usually on a weekend, she has a wedding to shoot. This weekend, there was a reason why she was not working.

Sis, Lesbo, Bean - long awaited photo...

Sis and Mots - laughing at the "bul-bul" water

Me and Mots - miss her!!!

Not even all of the first cousins but from 

L-R: Warren, Ger, Lita, Me, Rey

Back Row: Divina, Josie

Us casins - LOVE YOU ALL!!!

MS Walk with Friends

Nowadays, in our day to day lives, we are all so caught up with work, running errands, kid's sports and school activities... whew! I'm tired already! Who has time to do anything else??? If you can sleep in on a weekend it's a done deal.

This morning, I thought about sleeping in to catch up on the week's long overdue slumber I desperately needed. And then I remembered, the MS Walk. God gave me two working legs, and a healthy heart for a reason! I got up, got ready, and left the house at 6:30 am to head towards Ala Moana Beach Park. 

I was privileged to hang with Team Papapa and the Riggers Club to support our good friend, Lisa Papapa. She was just recently diagnosed with MS and is in the early stages of this disabling disease. Click here for more information. In fact, she was featured in Wednesday's Honolulu Advertiser front page.

Throughout our walk, there were volunteers holding signs that stated facts like:

- 900 people are diagnosed with MS in Hawaii

- 78% of monies raised go towards research, funds, medicines

-75% of women are diagnosed with MS

The statistics alone were mindboggling.

If you are interested in donating to Team Papapa or Lisa Papapa, please go to this website - National MS Society - and you should be able to still donate to a specific family.

Here is Team Papapa aka Riggers Club 'Ohana, ready to start our walk!

Lisa and her daughter, Cori, the one featured in the Honolulu Advertiser. It really does take a lot of faith and hope and strength to do what her daughter does! I cannot even imagine what Cori feels each time she has to inject her Mom with her medicine!

Lisa, I totally admire your grace, your smiles, your patience and your strength despite all that you are going through! God had blessed me, to know a wonderful and loving person in you. I am in awe of your positive presence! God bless you and your family!

Seattle University Forum

Last night, we were invited to this Seattle University Forum at the New Otani Kaimana Hotel. The Dean of Admissions, Michael McKeon, fellow alumni - Derrick Kang ('87), Elliott Chamizo ('62), and Jon & I ('92) looked out in awe of a very filled room of parents and their graduating daughters & sons... 

Right before it got started, we sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful, calm beach scene...

And the hazy sunset...

The University has grown so much; not just in students and buildings, but in spirituality. Although Seattle U is a Jesuit college, their "religious" impact is the lowest among the 28 other Jesuit colleges around the country. You would need to check out their website - Seattle University - to view their mission statement, their Jesuit tradition, and other impacts this university has on the community.

From Left to Right: Michael McKeon (Dean of Admissions), Jon, Me, Elliot Chamizo, and Derrick Kang. Mahalo to Blake for taking this photo of us! He had to run off to catch the red eye flight back to Seattle to attend classes the next day. Yup, talk about dedication!

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Now on a more interesting note... My sister was so kind to babysit my kiddies while Jon and I went to this shin-dig. THANK YOU Auntie Rhino!!!!!  

PLEASE check out her blog - Hokuli'i Images - and see her adventures in Freitas-land!

Auntie Pipay...

I love my Auntie Pipay. She is such a love, a blessing, a generous soul. Every time we come over to her house, she makes sure we eat until we bust a button, and we even take home "balon" - doggie bag in Ilocano. :) She even calls us to come over and pick up our favorite dishes she makes especially for us - Chicken Sayote or Chicken Papaya or Chicken Marungay, Adobo... mmmm... so yummy even mentioning them!!!

So, as a gift to Auntie, my Sister, Geralyn, took this grand family photo, framed & matted it for her. This is going up in the living room where everyone can see her beautiful family!

~ Auntie Pipay was married to our Uncle Manning, our Mother's brother. He walked me down the aisle when I was getting married 15 years ago... He was the youngest of 13, with my Mom right before him. Although he has passed on (over 14 years now), his legacy still lives on...

"Working" with My Sis!

It's always, ALWAYS a pleasure to work with my big sis, Geralyn of Hokuli'i Images! Somehow, we have time to snap a quick photo of us, even if we do it in the Ihilani Hotel bathroom! 

Doing test shots for Ger is fun, too. She cracks me up and makes me laugh every time!

I don't even know what the hairy heck she was saying, but I think it had to do with the palm trees in the background. Doesn't it look like it's coming out of the top of my head???

And thank you for allowing me to help you, Sis! We had the awesome pleasure of meeting Mr. Jake Shimabukuro, the well known Ukulele Master of this time! He was so real. So honest. So soulful (if there's such a word!). His music was just unbelievable!!!

I'm glad he allowed us to take pictures with him! Mahalo Jake!!! 

More soccer...

I love soccer so much, that I got up early, grabbed my son, and went to the '94 Maile team's game in Kane'ohe. NOT even any of both my daughters teams; just a Leahi Team that I know! I sat and watched these awesome girls play. No competition against them.

Even their goalie was lonely... I had to crop this photo in. If not, she would be this tiny speck in the middle of the field of green...

Even my son was a bit bored. He went looking for sticks and bugs after awhile...

Sooo, I ended up dropping him home before I headed out to my game at Kapiolani Park. Although we lost (2-0), it was one of my better games - especially since starting Cross Fit Training! I'll have to update my blog on that, too!

The next morning...

The girls stayed up late (thanks to Coach Adolph and his ghost stories!) and well, it's already 8:30 am and here they are...

One last group photo before everyone had to clean up, get ready, and get out! Mahalo to all that came and hopefully had fun! Thank you to Coach Adolph, Coach Deana, and Coach Ted for all your help! 

Of course, still the same day, had my son's last soccer game. He is officially named "Nick" because he wasn't paying attention when there was a breakaway. Everyone (including me) was calling his name to look up. Well, right in the "nick" of time, he looked up, and blasted the ball in the other direction. You go, son. In time I know he'll get better. At this age, it's so much fun watching and laughing my head off!

So needless to say, I'm so proud of him! He got a medal and a cool goodie bag of stuffs! 

Sleepovers...I must be crazy

So, I had my daughter's team - and two others - sleep over at our hale from March 28th to 29th. I'd like to say that the girls had a good time and enjoyed themselves. There was playing of ping pong, basketball, volleyball, and yes, even pool (sorry, can't show those!)

Here we were (can you see my son???), getting stuffs ready for dinner that evening - pasta, to carbo load for tomorrow's game!
That evening, we showed Miracle, to inspire the girls... but I think it inspired Coach D to run a few drills on her girls instead!

Sunsets again...

Yet another sunset photo taken on March 26th. This is also on the Kamehameha Schools campus. The sun is setting over the Leeward area. It was a clear evening... 

Updates!!!

I can't believe how long I haven't updated my blog! It's been sooooo dang busy!

So I hope I can do it justice by starting with this photo... Had to run errands in Aina Haina, so I decided to continue the beautiful drive into Hawaii Kai, then to Makapu'u, going into Waimanalo, etc. This is me, on the hairpin turn by Makapu'u, taking a quickie photo... The day was just gorgeous! You can clearly see the bottom of the ocean below...