March Sadness

This time of year, a lot of people are talking about March Madness & filling in their brackets, etc. and that can be a lot of fun. But, I have a little different perspective right now. As March came last year my kids had 3 living Grandparents, as March comes to an end this year they are down to only 1. My heart breaks for them. They have always been close to their Grandparents. I never really knew my Grandparents & have always been so thankful that my kids had theirs!

It's been such a hard year after loosing my Mom, and now My Father In Law of over 25 years, Bob Forbis, has joined both my Parents in Heaven. I'm so glad he is no longer in pain. He had been for much too long. And he is up out of that wheel chair, that had been a part of him for probably as long as my kids can remember. (They did love to play in it though when they were little.) :) He was always a lot of fun & always good for a laugh. He will truly be missed by all who knew him.

Then & Now:

A Boy & his Dad!

Us! 

Kyle!

Zach!

Erica & Lexi!

Thanks for so many great memories filled with Laughter. You will be missed. We Love you. 

 

Arizona Aloha Festival 2013

One of my absolute Favorite things about Spring is the Arizona Aloha Festival! It is the Largest Hula Festival outside of Hawaii, and it's right here in the middle of the Arizona desert!

My girls & I used to Dance Hula & we have actually danced in the Aloha Festival! (Great Memories!) And we have gone every year since then to see our friends & Hula Sista's dance.

And every year we always say how much we miss Hula! It is so Beautiful! And it is on my Bucket List to someday get to actually Hula in Hawaii! :) (The above picture is of two of my favorite Hula dancers; Denese & Debbie!)

The Festival is always a Saturday & Sunday in March, at Tempe Beach Park & this year it was cold & storming on Saturday, so no one hardly came out, but on Sunday it was warm & sunny and more crowded than I have ever seen it!

Erica, Lexi & Kyle Hanging Loose in front of a canoe! There are Hawaiian food booths & of course Hawaiian Shaved Ice, (which we have to have EVERY year!) There is all kinds of Vendors & Activities. You can take a Ukulele lesson, (someday I will buy my Husband a Ukulele!) make a lei, hear stories of the Hawaiian culture, & much more.

The girls & I tried our hand at something called Hot Hula Fitness! It was fun! And Erica was directly in eye shot of the instructor & she kept saying "Good Job, girl in the white shirt, you got it!" (which of course embarrassed Erica & made us laugh!) :)

And there is a lot of shopping! Over the years we've bought everything from T-shirts to luggage, from accessories like shark teeth necklaces & flowers for our hair, to pareo's (which is a Hawaiian sarong to use as swimsuit cover-ups!) This year the girls wanted rings. Lexi chose Dolphins & Erica a Treble Clef! Sterling Silver.

And I bought Steering Wheel Covers, Grey for John's car, Green for Kyles & Pink for my car for $5.00 a piece! Score! You can spend a LOT, or a little. But there is always a lot to see!

Smile! Instead of fighting the traffic we like to ride the Light Rail! It's convenient & you meet all kinds of interesting people! And you can usually tell by the way people are dressed who's going to the Aloha Festival! :)

The Festival is always a highlight of our year. Next year will be the 20th Anniversary of the Arizona Aloha Festival! And of course we will be there! Hope you will be too! Until then we will continue to Live Aloha!

My First Time Guest Blogging!

A good Friend of mine, Chet DeRouen asked me to
Guest Blog on his site, Why Am I Gay? 

He has been very Brave & Courageous, yet Vulnerable,

as he Honestly shares his life & struggles.

He asked me, as a Mom, as a Christian, as a Pastor's Wife,

to share how I raise my Children to be Loving &
Accepting of others who are different than they are. 

Weather that be being Gay, or of other races, Handicapped, etc. 

I was very Honored that first of all that he thought
I had raised my kids this way! :) 

And secondly that He would Trust me enough to give me Voice on his site. 

Again, let me say how Brave he is! :) 

I've been overwhelmed by the response I've gotten on Facebook.

To be honest with you I was prepared for all the Haters
to sink their teeth into me, 

but thankfully that didn't happen! (not yet anyway!) :) 

So read it if you dare! 

Just click on the Title of the Post here:
Raising Kids Towards Love & Acceptance

And leave some Love & Laughter from our site to his. 

One Year Without A Mom

One year ago my Mother went away.

My world is not the same without her in it.

I miss her every day.

I want to talk and I want her to hear.

I want my kids to have her in their lives.

Their future spouses and kids will never know her.

How can that be?

It's just not right.

One year. 

Is a year too long.

One year without a Mom.