Friday, March 28, 2008

a few areas of expertise

Li asked me the other day what I like to do for fun. Seems like he should have known the answer to that question BEFORE we got married, right? But I didn't even know how to answer it. Since then I have been trying to figure it out. I've tried painting....
Yes, I know it is just a white pot. But I have spent at least an hour putting at least 6 coats of white on this pot and one day real soon inspiration is going to hit me and then you'll see.

But today my friend's boss asked our husbands to help her move to a new house. It was only supposed to be for a few hours and she was going to pay them. I didn't want to be home alone so I tagged along. As the day wore on into the afternoon and early evening we realized it wasn't a quick project, and that they weren't going to be making very good money. But I realized that I didn't care! I just like to be with people that I like doing anything.

When we got home Li fell asleep and I surfed the internet for awhile. But I don't like to sit still, so I grabbed my ipod and my longboard and decided to go for a skate with Yael Naim.

This picture probably just looks like a road to you. It is. But I have tried many times to skate down this road and always failed. I'm a sissy-pants.

Today I made it and I actually threw my fist up in celebration when I got down. Only to turn around and see some lady in a car who was all annoyed that she had to go slow behind me. So much for my fans cheering me on in my moment of glory. Sorry lady.

Hawaiian mornings and Indian nights

Li and I camped on the beach the other day and this is what we saw when we woke up.It was a pretty long and cold night ( I know, I know we are in Hawaii, but it really was cold. And plus in the middle of the night a big group of people ran down the beach jumping up and down and yelling in Hindi - I don't have a clue how Li knows they were speaking Hindi, but he swears that's what it was.) Anyway after a long night I think we deserved a good sunrise.

Li would like me to add that he knows how to say the following things in Hindi: you're crazy (for men and women), you're a monkey, you're beautiful, and hello. I'm glad he's got the basics covered in case we ever find ourselves lost in India.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

I'm not gonna lie

Li and I spend a lot of time together watching videos on YouTube. If you haven't seen this one yet you need to.

Transportation on the island

Li and I have one bike, (My favorite bike that I have ever owned.)
one skateboard,


and one bus pass.


This is the way we go almost everywhere.




Even to church.


I'm going to miss this place when we have to leave.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

A new way to look at money


Li had an idea the other day that I thought was so brilliant and so funny I just had to share. He decided that instead of discussing our finances and budgeting our money at home we should get dressed up in business clothes and reserve a study room at the library so that we could have a business meeting. He walked around campus in his suit all day and no one believed that was all we were doing. Everyone thought we were up to something (this is Hawaii after all, most people don't even change out of their beach clothes to go to class.)

We recommend the business meeting to everyone, it makes finances a lot of more fun. Contact Jen or Li if you'd like more information on how to turn your money discussions into a experience you won't forget.

We are silly. And I think I had too many hi-chews today.

Leprechauns in Laie

There were rumors of leprechauns running around Laie on St. Patrick's Day and we were lucky enough to get some rare footage.





We managed to get a movie too, but I've yet to figure out how to make it post. Maybe Li can figure it out. Check back soon! Oh and has anyone seen Darby O'Gill and the Little People?

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Catch a wave and yur sittin on top of the world.



There are a couple of longboards living at my house right now and I am really stoked about it. I haven't really been surfing in about 3 or 4 years and I was really scared to go out. Li and I planned to go early the other morning and I purposely didn't wake him up because I was too afraid. Yesterday we took the boards out just to play. As soon as I jumped in the water with my board a huge grin of sheer joy appeared on my face. I love surfing!


We just paddled around at the beach across the street from our house. There was very little chance of actually catching a wave. But what a blast we had pretending!! I love the feel of the water and the board underneath me. I love to sit on it in the middle of the ocean. I love to lay on it and feel the sun on my back. I love paddling and splashing in the water. I love trying to catch waves. And if you get one.....WOW!! But if you don't. I still love surfing. And I love Li who got me out and cleaned off our boards when we were done. Not to mention the fact that he carried most of the weight on the way to the beach. Longboards are heavy!!

Saturday, March 15, 2008

I want to share some things I love.



I love this song. It speaks to me. I am living in paradise (really I think we all are) but I haven't figured out how to live yet; how to be still. I always think happiness will come with whatever I do next. I believe him when he says, "someday you will, learn to be still."


On that note, I am loving my yoga class. Some days it makes me a little emotional (most things do these days) but it helps me to figure out where all of the things in my life go. This morning I discovered a podcast that I love. I can't figure out how to link it, but here is a link to the apple store where you can download itunes if you don't already have it and the podcast is called Yoga to the People. I only did part of one class, but it was fabulous! I pretty much love podcasts in general, they are teaching me spanish, helping me stay in shape, keeping me up to date on things in the world and... they are free!!!

And of course, I love my husband. Except I think he is going to eat me. We always joke that he is fattening me up so that I can be his next meal, but I'm starting to think it might not be a joke. The other day he met me at the door when I came home from work. He asked me how I was and I said tired. So he picked me up and carried me to bed and told me to take a nap for 20 minutes. I asked why only 20 minutes and he said dinner would be ready then.

He makes the best chicken I have ever eaten, added some potatoes cooked to perfection in butter (he is from Idaho, he does potatoes well) and handed me the biggest strawberry milkshake I have ever had in my life to wash it down.


Don't worry, I shared with him. I can't be eaten right now, I haven't learned to be still yet.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Fight Homelessness

Hi from Jen and Li…we're building and you can help!

From Jen…


When I moved to Hawaii I did not have a place to stay for two or three nights. It was a terrible feeling to spend all day long trying to figure out where to sleep at night. One night I nearly had to sleep in a car!

I was fortunate to have good friends who always helped me find a place to stay. Still, it was terrible. It was unnerving to shower at a different place every day and not have a place to keep my clothes and other belongings. Lucky for me, this was not an issue of not having money. I simply needed to find an available place. And even luckier, I only experienced this "homelessness" for a couple of days. Many people in the world are not so fortunate.

Homelessness is an important and compelling issue to me and this summer my husband and I have decided to do something about it. Starting in May, Li and I will take a term off of school and join a team of volunteers from Habitat for Humanity. We are going to the Dominican Republic to build houses. I am excited to start our work!

From Li…

Like Jen said, many people in the world do not have a place to call home. We are very grateful for the blessings that the Lord has given us, and we can't wait to go down to the Dominican Republic and help build houses for families in need. I personally can't wait to return to the people and the place that I made home when I served there as a missionary. I am truly grateful to be able to go back. I am excited to introduce Jen to the wonderful people in the DR, and even more excited to work with her to build houses and help the families there build a foundation for their future.

Many people in the Dominican Republic live in houses made of wood, palm trees or discarded materials, which are roofed with rusty corrugated tin sheets. In many cases, there are two families living in one small house, and it is not uncommon to find grandparents, parents and children living in the same room and sharing beds.

From Jen and Li…

Habitat for Humanity is funded by the volunteer builders and other donors, and they have asked us to raise $3,000 (which includes our airfare) by March 19 to join this build season. We are working hard to put aside money for this trip, but we need your help. If you would like to "build with us" by contributing to our goal, please mail a check today to: Jennifer & Li Kane, 55-672 Naniloa Loop, Laie, HI 96762.

Your donation will help end homelessness by allowing us this opportunity to build a home for a very deserving family. Let's build!

Jennifer and Li Kane

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For more information about Habitat for Humanity you can visit their website at http://www.habitat.org/gv/default.aspx

Saturday, March 8, 2008

These things come in 3's, right?!

I pulled out one of my favorite pair of heels to wear to the temple this morning and the buckle broke. I was sad. Then I remembered that my favorite earring broke last month. And the biggest trauma of all, our hard drive broke.

Actually, I don't know if broken is the proper terminology to use for a hard drive. All I know is that we had to get a new one and that we no longer have any of the pictures, movies, papers or other things that we had stored on our computer. This includes all the pictures from our honeymoon, and tons of movies we made during family home evenings. The moral of this story is.......BACK UP EVERYTHING. I'm serious. And don't say I didn't warn you if you don't.

The good part about this story is that Li said he'd help me pick out some new earrings, we are going to try to recreate some of the pictures we lost, and maybe we will even get another honeymoon out of the deal!!