We're moving! (Yes, again.)

It is with the greatest pleasure that I announce that we are moving TO COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS!!! (Can I get a whoop?) 

We found out yesterday morning, via an e-mail from Z's detailer, that he has been selected for the open Navy ROTC job at A&M! He will be teaching Naval Science, as well as other duties, I am sure. 

We will most likely be moving some time in November of this year, and we *think* that Zac's job will begin sometime in December.

We are sooo thrilled to be moving back to the Great State, and close to many of those that we hold dear!

Me ke aloha,

RAWE

Doris Duke's Shangri La

This morning I was able to tag along with some friends to tour the Hawaii home of Doris Duke. I had never heard of Doris Duke before, so let me share a little history with you!Doris was a multi million dollar heiress at age 13, when she inherited her wealth from her father's tobacco and hydroelectric energy empires upon his death. She married James Cromwell in 1935, who took her on an around-the-world honeymoon trip. The honeymoon sparked her interest in art, especially Islamic art, and she began purchasing pieces along their journey. The last stop on their honeymoon was Oahu, Hawaii. What was supposed to be a couple of weeks' stay here ended up being four months! She fell in love with the islands, culture and laid-back attitude. Here in HI she wasn't treated as a celebrity like she was on the mainland. She quickly purchased five acres of land on the south east coast of Oahu (Kahala area) and began planning her Shangri La. By 1937 construction had begun, and while the building itself was completed a few years later, she continued collecting art for her Shangri La until her death in 1993. 

We took the Honolulu Academy of Arts' tour - the only way to see the property. They bus you out to the home, and you are guided through by a docent. Our tour guide was Marilyn, who was so cute and informative! Pictures aren't allowed inside the home, but I did take some of the exterior. 

This is a shot from the backyard - and you can see the kids/public who are there jumping off of the wall into the water. All beaches in Hawaii are public, so anyone can walk/hike over to the area. Some highlights of the tour: the glass wall in the living room descends into the floor to open the room up to the outside, tons of beautiful patterns, thousands of intricate tiles and textiles, sliding jalis (screens in front of windows) that were carved out of different materials that also opened up to outside, fountains, gardens and the smiling camels that greet you at the front door. The camels were once in front of a store in Waikiki. When Doris drove by and saw them one day, she decided to buy them and have them at the entrance to the home, even though they weren't really Islamic! Oh, and when Doris was not allowed to return to the island after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, she allowed military access to the property, so officers were allowed R & R there. :)

CLICK HERE for my (outside) pictures from today.

CLICK HERE for the website of the property - where you can see interior shots and do a virtual tour (but it doesn't do it justice!)

So yes, this tour was amazing (if you love art and pattern), and I highly recommend it for anyone who visits Honolulu! I learned a lot today, and once again remember why I love living here so much!:)

Me ke aloha,

RAWE

tagged! AND Infomercial war with MAW...

First things first, I was tagged by Jamie Owens in this blog/survey thingy, and I have never done one of these before, so I thought I would play! 

8 Things I'm Looking Forward To:

1. knowing where we will be moving to next (and all that comes with that)
2. Teal, Mai and Beth coming to visit!
3. Mom and Dad coming to visit!
4. Lauren, Brittany and Drake coming to visit!
5. Andrea and Justin coming to visit!
6. Melissa and Mason finally coming back to HI
7. going to Kauai
8. a great upcoming year of FRG stuff

8 Things I Did Yesterday:

1. got a new Navy id
2. bought some USS Louisville caps
3. went to Bible study
4. procrastinated going to the commissary
5. led my first FRG meeting (as president)
6. ate dinner cooked by Z :)
7. watched the Bachelorette (Wes is such a JERK - I'm sad to be from the same Great State)

8. started reading Breaking Dawn (4th Twilight series book)

8 Things I Wish I Could Do:

1. surf
2. have more discipline to work out twice a day
3. fly to the mainland whenever I wanted
4. lose 20 pounds
5. be a better cook
6. start my own company/store
7. know a lot more about fabric and sewing
8. take more photography classes

8 Shows I enjoy:

1. Grey's 
2. How I Met Your Mother
3. So You Think You Can Dance
4. The Bachelorette/Bachelor 
5. Army Wives
6. Gossip Girl
7. American Idol
8. Mad Men

8 Friends I'm Tagging:

1. MAW

2. Beth

3. Kate

4. Jessica

5. Ellen

6. Melanie

7. Brett

8. I need more friends to blog!

And now, Mary Alice recently posted a funny infomercial on her blog, so I would like to also post one that makes me laugh EVERY TIME I SEE IT! 

BUMPITS

Rock a pony!

Enjoy! 

Me ke aloha,

RAWE

Happy 4th of July!!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Independence Day! 

Zac was finally feeling back to normal on Saturday (after a bout with an unknown illness that kept him out of commission for 5 days!), so we ventured out of the house to Target and then to celebrate the holiday - my favorite! After picking up some last minute ingredients for a side dish and cupcakes, Zac and I cooked and went over to Steve and Marisol's house for dinner. We had spinach dip, dogs, burgers, party potatoes (because a party isn't a party with out party potatoes!), watermelon, potato salad, flag cake and red/white/blue cupcakes!

Zac, Steve, Marisol and I later walked down to Ala Moana park for the City of Honolulu fireworks show. It was fabulous! They had some new shapes I had never seen before - planet looking orbs, happy faces and peace signs. This particular show has been rated one of the top 10 in the nation for several years. It definitely did impress. I managed to capture the finale on my camera, so CLICK HERE to see it! On the walk back to the house, we walked along the pier and saw the biggest fish I have ever seen! A guy had caught a 10 foot, 585 lb marlin earlier that day. CLICK HERE to see! And for the rest of the pics from the night, CLICK HERE.

Happy birthday, America! Don't forget to thank all of our service men and women. :)

Me ke aloha, 

RAWE