Beautiful Day!

This is the kind of day you wish for if you've moved away from Hawaii. The sky is blue, the breezes are slight yet cooling, and you just want to be OUTSIDE! Devin and I enjoyed some planting time outside in front and then played a variation of croquet/chase tag out back. Fun! OF course I had to blow some bubbles, so spring has officially sprung here. I hope Papa and I can spend some time outside watching Trevor practice baseball tonight in this glorious paradise.

Finals are completed and I turn in grades tomorrow. Now I can make my home dust-free, tidier, and ready for those who will be here with Megan, minding the homestead, while we are on the mainland soon attending Jenny and Aaron's graduation. The kitchen is my first frontier...usually tough for rookies, but I'm ready for that now.

Preparedness seems to be a strong undercurrent here with the costs of gas and groceries/transportation for goods rising almost daily. Gas is now $3.75 at Chevron. A few weeks ago I bought our preparedness 10 by 10--that is, ten weeks of ten different canned food items to use, so 3 months. We've been trying to increase the savings account also to include a liquid stash of 3 months billings and expenses. That's taking longer to do. Even stamps will rise in cost next month. I bought some of the "forever" stamps at the current price so they can still be used when the new ones take place.--an idea for you all. Meg needs to send her grad invitations before the price jumps. She now has one Sunday to do that before I leave and since her orchestra concert is over and no more town trips will be needed. She's creating a label for those as she isn't happy with her handwriting.

Concert was wonderful! I'm not sure if I'll ever have the chance to watch Megan play again--it will depend on the participation and availability of an instrument for Mr. Taniguchi's Friday night ensemble adn if she ever picks this back up later in life. You can guess I was teary about that. 16 wonderful years of supporting my girls in band--I'll never forget "Crazy Clock" and some other very special moments in cafeterias, the gym, BYUH, and away from Laie. I'll be ever thankful to people like Mike Payton, Daryl Agena, Ernest Taniguchi, Gavin Min. They helped along the way. Those are moments you all made us so parent-proud.
Music-- a lifetime love, and passion for some. I'm grateful for it and what it brings to our lives and home.

Earth Day: Erin and Lindsey discussed going green--or greener. I finally bought the green fabric bags at Foodland and they give a nickel for each one used. In addition, they have a coupon stamp--get some freebie after the tenth use. Last week I took 5 stuffed plastic bags of bags to Safeway's recycle bin. Now we'll have fewer to deal with--just need to get into the habit of taking it in with me to the store. Planting these veggies, using them, and expanding our little container garden is a goal in mind. Once the lanai upstairs is ready for some plants, I think it will be the food fillers that will round out the space. I hope the Bush stimulus money can go to our needy lanai!!

And thus it is this Wednesday, April 23, 2008. I love you all.

Quote: Don't allow yourself to sell yourself short or to hold yourself back. You have amazing qualities that are yet to be developed. Be the one who says "I will" when someone asks for a volunteer. It's usually a risk worth taking.