Oil + Vinegar

Two simple ingredients can make or break a meal. We miss them. We still haven't purchased any because we don't have a kitchen to cook in. Call me a masochist because all I do in my spare time is watch the Food Network and long for the simple treasures that every chef gets to taste! Olive oil, vinegar, basil, sea salt, cracked pepper, asparagus, lemons, etc. Culinary Arts school may be my next stop...unless my coveting stops once we have a real kitchen {then I won't want to cook}. Grass is always greener...

They say...

{home is where the heart is}

whether it be 3056 E. Jerome, 2442 E. Drake St., 3004 S. Market St. #3043 or 55-220 #2026 Kulanui Street -- "home" is relative.

all the while, i feel bits of my identity have been lost as i now refer to some of these places as my "old" house. 


i talk of these feelings with my mom, as she is now going on her 5th year in her 5th wheel trailer aka her home. i took for granted the stability that comes with having the same address for 12 consecutive months. 


tommy holds my heart. in all reality, i am home. but i have to pay homage to where i have been so i can appreciate where i am now, only to look forward to what lies ahead...

Remember, Remember...a year ago, September

                                                                                       










we celebrated our one year anniversary in Hawaii. 

we celebrated our one year anniversary on a Sunday.

we celebrated our one year anniversary eating quesadillas. 

we celebrated our one year anniversary drinking cokes.

we celebrated our one year anniversary at Sunset Beach. 

we celebrated our one year anniversary with each other.

...forever in love.

Life is a roller coaster...

{note to self}

You can either scream every time you hit a bump or you can throw your hands up in the air and enjoy it.


As of late I've been riding the BYU-Hawaii Admission Roller Coaster!! On Sunday I visited with my stake president {who happens to be the head of admissions at BYU-H} to get my ecclesiastical endorsement for my application for Winter semester. 


During our meeting he asked "Why don't you attend school during the Fall?" Of course I reply with positive sentiments--if it would truly be possible. He signs my endorsement and sends my on my way with a gleaming hope that I could start school in THREE days! 


He instructed me to visit his assistant on Monday to make sure we could get everything in order so we could get the ball rolling. 
The first bump. His assistant immediately developed a distaste for me. Why? To her, I was a lazy, irresponsible student who was trying to claw, scratch and bite her way into Fall semester -- LATE! She put up with me and said she would work on getting my transcripts reviewed ASAP. 


In the meantime, I was checking the status of my application on besmart.com every 5-10 minutes. No change. Still no change by Tuesday afternoon. I decided I needed to double-check so I paid my friend a visit. She greeted me with "I remember the face, but not the concern." {like I was a waste of her time}. Then she reassured me with a "Don't count on it for Fall, we're bulging this semester." GREAT, THANKS!!! 


All of this seemed so opposite from what the President was telling me on Sunday. ALAS, Thursday morning I received a voicemail from the President himself asking me if I was still interested in attending school in the Fall?!!! WHY YES, YES OF COURSE! I WAS ADMITTED! Later that day I visited the registrars office to try and register for classes. No luck and they sent me BACK to my nemesis at admissions. 


As soon I as I walked up to her desk she said, "You're Back! Hahaha just kidding." {like I was her worst nightmare}. She told me to wait until the next morning because "when we do things last minute, they still take time." The system should update in the morning and you can register for classes then. 


FINALLY, the assistant took great pleasure in calling me this morning to deliver the unwanted news. "You were actually admitted for Winter, not Fall and you've already been downloaded in the system for Winter and there is nothing we can do to change that. I don't have the authority to make those changes and today is the last day to register for classes. I'm sorry." 

What goes up, must come down.

Since Sunday I have gone from having the hopes of being admitted for Fall, to "Don't count on it," to "Are you still interested?!," to "I'm sorry I don't have the authority." {to sum it up}.

It was hard to be let down the first time, but now I'm just mad. I was banking on that phone call from the President. You know? Who wouldn't have? I mean you think you're in like flint when he personally calls your cell phone on a Thursday morning, right? 

Everything happens for a reason. Prayers are answered in one way or another. Call it a roller coaster a teeter-totter or just plain life. I'm experiencing motion sickness from the emotional whiplash!

I'm thankful for Tommy and the Jude who heard the choice words I wish I could've shared with my "high-horse assistant" friend. I never lost my cool in public and I'm annoyed that I  can't be more patient with this whole situation! 

BUT all in all, I am admitted for Winter--FOR NOW! I have always wanted to get my degree {thanks to Jena for never giving up on pushing me in that direction}. One day...

"is that my husband?"

*tommy always has conversations with himself because he always knows what i'm going to say in response. ANNOYING! {but he's usually right 95% of the time} Am i that predictable?? I guess so...


*i almost cried today while trying to make it back home after going swimming outback. the whole ocean was against us: waves, currents, reef {not to mention our boogie boards}. 


*i completed PCC training today and tommy starting training with the production dept. 


*we also visited Laie Point today and started making this sweet video. 

Hawaii I from Jozie Curtis on Vimeo.

enjoy.

{she + him}

Hawaiian Radio

I forgot about one of the best things I love about Hawaii--the radio stations! EVERY SINGLE ONE! They really do know how to set up a jam session. They mix the oldies {but goodies} in with the new releases. By oldies I mean 80's & 90's, but GOOD 80's & 90's. It's like you're listening to a permanent mix tape.

Posie {aka Palolo} has suffered some speaker damage, so we can't pump up the jams very loud. If we do, it sounds like there's a frog in the car--yikes!

For example:
Bread, "Baby I'm-A Want You"
The Beatles, "Michelle"
Christopher Cross, "Sailing"

This was the selection we heard while setting up our bank account in the Bank of Hawaii-Laie Branch. Not too shabby...took me back to the back seat of Judy's Suburban, listening to her "running errands" music--classic.

Aloha Navy May...

Hau'oli lā hānau

{Happy Birthday}

September 2, 2010

3:06 pm 

6 lb. 13 oz. - 19.75 in.

Congrats to Dallan & Ashley! 

Dearest Navy,

You have amazing parents, parents who have waited a long time for you to get here. You will be very loved by them and everyone in your family {including Jack}. You're an angel. May you always be happy and healthy.

We love you all the way from Hawaii...and we can't wait to meet you.

{she & him}

It's Labor Day...

...so what if we didn't wake up until 11 am.

*I have another job interview at the PCC so I can pick up more hours/make more dollars.

*I used to work with the guy that's conducting the interviews {back in 2005}.

*There is one con -- it's a group interview.

*There is one pro -- I know how to work a room.

Then we plan to visit...

 

*I have adjusted to island life a lot faster than I thought. I really do love it here. {What's not to love, right?!} I get to be outside everyday and I get to take it easy. I love the people, I love the culture, I love the pineapple, I love the ocean...most of all I love that I'm here with Tommy. 

mahalo - she & him

Meet Palolo

Palolo took us to Sunset Beach today. After we set out our towels and stepped up to the water a snorkeler told us that there was a sea turtle swimming nearby. I insisted on leaving our snorkeling gear at home so we couldn't really get to see the turtle up close. Bummer!

More about Palolo...

She is a rockin' '87 Toyota Camry--with automatic seat belts! She is rough around the edges, but a gem nonetheless. Her previous owner cut a corner too sharp while backing out and dented her front left panel. The interior is in MINT condition and she's fully loaded. The best part is...we got her for $500! Here's why...

The owner listed some "cons" in his ad:

1. The dent in the front left panel.

2. Small leak in the wiper fluid container

3. NO AC

4. One of the back doors doesn't open--AT ALL!

5. It has failed to start about 4 times since they've owned it. "But it should start--if you're patient."

Tommy and I had spent our whole day trying to get to Palolo, riding bus after bus and foregoing meals and rest, etc. Once we made a deal with the seller and signed all of the appropriate paperwork--we were on our way in our new set of wheels!

SO we stop to get Lunch/Dinner at a Jack in The Box in Kaneohe. After we enjoyed our fast food we walk outside to go home...or so we thought.

I turn the key...and nothing! NOTHING! NOTHING! We wait. We pray. Try again...and NOTHING! Panic sets in. "WE DON'T EVEN KNOW ONE PERSON IN HAWAII TO HELP US!" Tommy and I popped the hood {who knows why, we don't one thing about cars} of course I start to cry, feeling so stupid that we bought this sketchy car.

All of the sudden this greasy old man in a beat up Nissan pulls up, seeing that we were in distress. Turns out he's been a mechanic for 30+ years and he saved our lives and our car. He pulls out a hammer from his truck, lightly taps on the starter--TA-DA--worked like a charm!

We love you mechanic from heaven!