It's been a while

So I have been bad about updating. But I haven't been doing too much since Christmas.

I have started taking golf lessons. It's actually not as boring as I once thought. So now, NASCAR and baseball have claimed the top 2 spots for most boring sport to watch on tv. I have maybe had 10 lessons and I have played only once. I got excited because there were wild pigs and goats on the course. Not much soccer going on, but I will start coaching again in the spring after the break.



This weekend I decided to go up on Mauna Kea. The church is going on ski trip this week, so I wanted to see some snow too. Driving up was an adventure: first 5 miles - extremely bumpy road, rest of the way to the summit - not so bad. On the way up, I drove in the middle of the road and about 20 mph and chose not to look over the edge. It's a long way down.

The weather was nice on Saturday. It was 65 at the base and 25 at the top with a wind chill of 5 degrees. A little bit chilly and extremely windy. Only 60-70 mph. When I got out of the car, it swayed back and forth.







The view from 13,000 feet is nothing like I've experienced before. All I could see is white on the left, right, and ahead. I got out and took pictures along the way up and on the way down. People go skiing on this volcano but only experts, which is definitely not me as I learned last year on spring break. It was cool to see where people had skied on. I have one very similar to this one from last year in Colorado.



More pictures later.

Leavin' on a jet plane

In 4 hours, I will be on a plane to Phoenix then to DFW. I don't really enjoy plane rides too much but the first flight to Phoenix is pretty much empty, which means I can sleep on a row by myself.

Also, On the Border, be waiting for my family. I'll be there for lunch.

See everyone in 18 hours.

Coffee Picking and Black Friday

So I hope that everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I know I did here. And for those of you thing "what kind of stuff do Hawaiians eat?" - they have the same food as in Texas. We had turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, corn, salad, bread, cranberry sauce, jello fruit dessert, apple & pumpkin pie. Lots of food for only 4 people, but we always eat leftovers anyways. I didn't take any pictures, but I should have.

I did take a picture of the school's lunch on Wednesday. The other teachers told us that we should try turkey lunch, b/c it's pretty good. One of the best lunches. Well I decided to try, first time to eat in the cafeteria all year long. Let me say, it's what cafeteria food looks like. Mashed potatoes were good, fruit was OK, and bread was fantastic. Turkey and pumpkin pie - I gave away.



So last week I went to Grandma's house. I finally learned how to pick coffee. I have been wanting to do this for a while, but I was sick, then Sandra was sick, then I was busy. Now that soccer season is over, I have lots of free time. So after school, I've been going to Grandma's to pick coffee. It's not bad, like everyone was telling me, 'once you do it, you won't want to do it again' is what I heard from at least 10 people. It's kinda like pickin' grapes of the stem, except it's never-ending. To pick coffee, I needed to bring a few things: old jeans, t-shirt, and bug spray . So I came with just that. Then I had to get my own picking supplies: basket (fitted to my waist), hook, gloves (to keep away the ants), and a hat - which I don't have any hats in Hawaii, b/c I don't wear them often. Below is what the coffee looks like, also the basket, hook, gloves, and a pic of me in the front yard.



This was the first day of picking and learning. Can only pick red (ripe), yellow, leave the green (not ready). I almost filled a basket my first time, took more than an hour. I also received mosquito bites on my arms. Guess I didn't slather enough on, more for tomorrow. Next day came back and picked an entire basket in an hour. I am improving on picking speed. Since I know how to pick now, I come over grab my basket, hook, hat and gloves and set out into the coffee to find where Clayton and Sandra are picking. The backyard is a HUGE place and there are tons of different plants, trees, flowers, fruits, bugs, and spiders.

Saturday, I went at 9am to pick. It was hot outside, sun beaming down on me, probably got a tan, a farmer's tan. So I filled up 3 baskets and dumped in the knapsack #478. Then Clayton takes the sacks filled with cherry (coffee) down to sell. 1 pound = $1.10, each sack holds approximately 100 lbs, give or take a few. Sometimes I will go to the treehouse to sell the coffee with Clayton. The ride we go in is ancient. Lots of fun though, it's 4-wheel drive and has to be to get up the side of the mountain. It's a 84 Suzuki something or other. He also has a Ford Bronco in the back.




On Black Friday, I woke up 4am and headed out to Sports Authority. They opened at 5 and first 100 people got minimum of $10 off. They had the running shoes I've been wanting on sale. Plus 10 bucks off and I had a $100 gift card. I also needed something at Walmart, but wasn't about to go there anytime soon. So I wasted time in Macy's. The sun was still not up yet. Bought me some clothes, plus found Haley a Christmas present. I bought a pair of winter pants SIZE 8 moving on down in the world and a couple of long-sleeve shirts for when I get back home and all I have are size 12 pants or shorts. I've lost almost 20 lbs since I have been here. I've got to start running because I don't want to gain it back when I am home for 3 weeks. Then I headed to Walmart to get the HP photo printer so we can still do pictures in Mexico, since Polaroids are out. Sunrise from the Macy's parking lot on Black Friday. While I was driving home, the sun behind the clouds looked awesome, so I pulled over and took some pictures.

End of Soccer

So it's the end of the soccer season here in Hawaii. I have been coaching 10, 11, 12 year old boys since the middle of August. Let's just say we were definitely not the best team, but we definitely could have been worse (but not by much). We finished with a record of 1-2-7 that being only 1 win. Here in Hawaii there is a league AYSO. It's all about sportsmanship and stuff and coaches and parents being positive.



So the very 1st game and the last 2 games of the season were the only games where the full team was at the games. Most of the time we had only 7 or 8 players. They only play with 9. So that was fun. But the kids are cool. AND the team ended up getting a gold medal for the sportsmanship award. So I guess we lost all the games but the boys really liked their first place medals.



On Saturday, we had a double header then the closing ceremony at night. It rained the entire day on and off. So I spent the whole day (from 9:30a to 8:00p) down at Old Airport Fields. The ceremony was cool. They had a banner contest, potluck (tons and tons of food), games, and trophies. I also bought the kids bags with their names on them. B/c they were always asking me where I got my cool Nike soccer backpack. So they got red backpacks, a trophy, a 1st place medal, team pics, and lots of food.



Two kids gave me and Jerome (other coach) leis to say Mahalo. Common in the culture. Also a gift card and soccer ball signed by all the boys. I will probably have a few of them next season, but the others move up.



Since the last update, I don't think that I have done a whole lot. Lots of school and stuff. I did go out and was planning on snorkeling at Kealakekua Bay but the water was a little too choppy and no one was out so I just took some pics.




Then I drove around random streets and ended up going on some one lane partly paved road. It went from the Bay to Puuhonua O Honaunau National Park. Some roads I turned down were a little too bumpy so I went back to the one lane road.




This is the sunset after I got home. Then a storm started to blow in.

I went last Saturday to help out with Operation Christmas Child. The church I go to here participates, so that was fun. We did about 800 boxes.

Hope you enjoy. Happy Thanksgiving! I'll be home in less than a month.

Get Out and Vote

Since tomorrow is Election Day 2008, there is no school due to the schools being polling sites. This is good for me. I voted via absentee ballot in Texas. I am thankful this election is almost done, because I am tired of seeing the same speeches on tv and the canceling of shows due to nominee speeches.

Tomorrow I am waking up and going to my grandma's to pick coffee. It will be my first time. A lot of people told me once I do it once, it'll probably be the only time that I ever do it. Jeans and long-sleeves...I should lose a few pounds. Lots and lots of mosquitoes and they only bite me. I will have to take a bath in OFF before I go into the backyard. It is in the higher 70s here. It has been hotter in Oct/Now then it was in August. After I pick coffee for a few hours, I will get my snorkel and fins and head to the beach.

I need to start going more often, because I am starting to get my soccer tan lines back. No bueno.

My throat is killing me, probably starting to get sick. Gotta go eat a popsicle and watch Prison Break.

Happy Halloween

So Friday was a ton of fun at school. We played geometry bingo. I had to keep it educational and at the same time it was a review for their test (the kids didn't know this).

So some kids dressed up. Here's the kids on my team that dressed up.

Tourist was a best costume

3rd period kids



1st period

2nd period

6B costume - Standard Board & EXPO markers

You may be wondering why I would want to be an EXPO marker. Well everyday we have to fill in the "standards board" for every subject so the kids know what they are learning for the day.
standards board I get the joy of filling out daily

At the end of the day was an assembly, fun, and games. I was chosen by the students to play pin the nose on the pumpkin. So we chose the students to participate in the game. Donut on a string, bubble gum in a plate of whipped cream, and tug-of-war. This last game was exhausting. 7 minutes of 4-way tugging. 6th v. 7th v. 8th v. staff TUG-OF-WAR for school bragging rights

pin the nose on the pumpkin

donut on a string

whipped cream plate

staff team

6B team

4-way tug of war

Let's just say. I had to go out Saturday morning for some IcyHot because I was extremely sore. Finally, I have recovered though still a bit sore. Last week was a good week.

See you all in 49 days.