Life of Larisa or LOL

Since I barely have the energy to watch t.v., it's amazing that I am still able to socialize. Well, since it is online, maybe not as much effort is required. The all moms (and some cool dads), Hawaii specific social website ( Moms In Hawaii ) that I have been a behind the scenes participant for has finally gone public. It's super exciting to see something put together from the ground up. Myself and twelve other moms are discussion leaders for the site and have really been enjoying meeting new folks online. It's a whole new mommy world out there. Gone are the days of trying to mingle and make play dates with strangers who seem nice (and have kids) at the library. Now there is a whole new world of online opportunity. Baby "Peanut" is going to have a full social calendar. A problem I don't mind having.

Ohhhh (long, tired, exasperated sigh). My blogger friends, it has been over a week since I have posted anything! I have been remiss. Maybe it's from the lack of cake? Isn't the pink beauty above mouthwatering? Mai Ly created this masterpiece for our friend Malisa's daughter Lucy. I don't think I recall a time in recent history where there has been a cake in my presence that I did not get the opportunity to taste! It sure looked pretty though. The family ended up taking this home and enjoying for themselves (great idea). I guess our opportunity for cake hoarding will arise for "Peanut's" first birthday... Mai , will you be available for cake making?!

There hasn't been time, nor have I been feeling up for, my usual baking---and therefore treats. But, thanks to incredible friends and a recent birthday, I secured a Cold Stone Creamery gift card. Which is pretty much like gold. After a lunch date with hubby plus two tag a longs (Sarah and Gavin joined us), I decided it was time for something sweet. It was a hot day yesterday so Cold Stone was the perfect treat choice. I was even happier when I walked in and saw the above pictured treat calling my name. Remember the Chipwich from when you were a kid? If we were outside playing and the ice cream truck came around, that was what I would get...every single time. I mean, it's a combination of ICE CREAM and COOKIES. Tremendous. So yesterday's dessert was both refreshing and nostalgic.

Excitement abounds on Oahu's north shore. First, an attempted rescue by the Lifeguards on their fast, sleek jet ski. Then, coconut cracking by the natives (ahem, Isom and Gabe). Next, weapon making from sticks and coconut husk. Finally, the most delicious butter and garlic peel and eat shrimp... from a truck (well, sort of). Why can't every Sunday be like this? We really took advantage of our last day of Phung's visit, and a rare opportunity for me to be off on a weekend. We soaked up our fifth straight day of sun, watched seasoned and unseasoned body boarders make a go of the HUGE waves, and delighted in finding a parking space (Waimea is always brutal when it comes to parking). I hope the last day of Phung's island getaway was as fun for her as it was for me. I know Gabe and Isom had a blast...and how could you not with butter and garlic dripping from your finger tips?

This is the sort of place that is so tranquil (despite hoards of tourists) and so beautiful that even my iPhone managed to make me feel like a world renowned travel photographer. I have long wanted to check this hidden jewel out. Maybe the fact that you have to drive through a cemetery to get there was a previous deterrent. At any rate, it is a cheap place to stop with out of town guests (Phungtastic), take a picnic with your honey, or regroup and find your happy place. On our way back from our North Shore Sunday jaunt, we weren't quite ready to call it a day. We decided to check out Valley of The Temples Memorial Park . I'm so glad we did. There are bells to be rung, incense to be burned, Koi to be fed, pictures to be taken. It was a perfect day and this, the perfect pit stop and end to the day. I've already decided that it will be a regular getaway for me and peanut when he/she arrives. I enjoyed strolling through and imagine it will only be better with a crying

Do you think MTV is interested in marketing this t.v. show? 16 and Pregnant is working so well for them...how about a look at the flip side of the coin?! You know, when you are actually old enough to go out with friends but oh, guess what, you are too tired. Why? Because you are 35 and pregnant. For my birthday outing with the gals, it was all I could do not to fall asleep in my risotto! I survived though. Good friends, great presents (pictured above and below), and wonderful food. The night started at Tango (which I usually enjoy more, but the service was VERY slow on Saturday---I'm 35 and pregnant, feed me fast!). Tango risotto, fresh bread, and a Shirley Temple served in a martini glass...then off to Karaoke (after a weird detour, parking debacle, and realizing I should not follow those who had two glasses of wine at dinner). Bon Jovi, Abba, Vanilla Ice, Sir Mix-a-Lot, and Madonna just to name a few of the choice artists we sang so beautifully to (MTV would be proud). Tw

Since I'm in love with going to the movies, it was highly appropriate that on Valentine's Day, the day of love, I went to the movies. Even better that Gabe was my Valentine date. I fully expected this movie to be junk. It wasn't. I even teared up and cried. That's right, at the Justin Bieber movie. First, I'd like to point out that I think more musical stars/celebrities/artists should make documentary style movies. This Is It, Truth or Dare...both great films documenting "a day in the life" of Michael Jackson and Madonna respectively. Granted, they were/are mega stars, icons. But, the power of movies is greater than people give them credit for. Back to Bieber . He is definitely a cute kid. There is no doubt he is talented...and charismatic, this is why the movie worked, I was transfixed. Although his style of music, clothes, and HAIR are better suited for someone half my age, I still found the message in his songs and in his journey. It's

What's a Phung? Who's a Phung is more like it. Phung is my friend from Washington. We worked together a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...at The Gap. We stayed in touch. And now, she has come to visit me for my second pregnancy and my thirty fifth birthday. Since she arrived on Tuesday it has been one beach day after another. Why do I always forget how much fun the beach can be until someone comes to visit?! Not much to recap since we were just a couple of boring "old ladies" sitting on the beach (getting sunburned I might add), but it has been a very relaxing past couple of days. A mini vacation is always fun...and Hello Kitty brownies.

The bad thing about living in Hawaii is that friends frequently move away. It's expensive here. I get it. There are fewer opportunities for certain professions here. And you can't hop in your car and drive somewhere completely different (driving from town to Waianae does not count as "different"). The good thing about friends moving away from Hawaii...they always come back...at least for a visit. Today, I started my birthday week (that's right, it's that time again) off right...with a day off and a great lunch at Kalapawai in Kailua with a friend I hadn't seen for a couple of years. I had the exciting privilege of telling her about "Peanut". I also had the exciting privilege of eating the best (and only) risotto cake I've ever had. A cake in the crab cake sense. It wasn't risotto with icing (my cravings haven't turned gross...yet). It was a very filling dish, but of course I ordered a veggie sandwich to go with it anyway

Here's what happens while I'm away at work. They have all the fun. I'm super jealous.

The thing about movies is you have to know what you are getting yourself into. If you are prepared to see a drama and it ends up being a comedy, you will walk away feeling robbed, defeated even. It's like with food. You can't go to Taco Bell expecting fine dining...it's just not going to happen. Movies for me are all about setting the right level of expectation. Today's movie for example---I knew it was going to be bad. My expectations were met. Besides expectations, I also think you can rank how much merit a movie will have based on the viewing audience (yeah, yeah, what does that say about me). For instance, yesterday's movie was wonderful. The audience was serious. They were older. They had an air of respectability. Today I was surrounded by high schoolers cutting class. Enough said. I like the show Gossip Girl (also bad...but oh so good). The star of the movie I saw today is from Gossip Girl. That was enough of a draw for me to sit in the theate

Peanut is going to be the year of the Rabbit. I am year of the Dragon . Isom is year of the Horse . Gabe is year of the Ram . A rabbit, a dragon, a horse, and a ram...interesting combo. Here are the qualities I look forward to seeing in Peanut later down the line: "People born in the Year of the Rabbit are articulate, talented, and ambitious. They are virtuous, reserved, and have excellent taste. Rabbit people (LOL) are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky." Looking forward to a jabbering, good natured, well dressed, rich genius!

I'm still not sure I want to post about this movie. It was depressing to say the least. It was good, however, to see the under utilized Dianne Wiest in a movie again. The premise of this movie is death and sorrow beyond comprehension. You'd think in my "condition" I'd want to see something uplifting...every now and again you need/deserve a good cry though. I was not the only one either...the whole theater was sniffling. As for the performances, I'm not sure. I was confused as to whether they did good or if the subject matter was so upsetting, that the actors lucked into being believable. I'm not the biggest fan of either Nicole Kidman or Aaron Eckhart but as the troubled husband and wife who have just tragically lost their four year old child, I liked them. This was simple cinema. There was no big soundtrack, no larger than life action sequences, just every day life after the horror of unexpected death. It's a movie made to make people think

Peanut Majors Since I am well known in the blog world (ahem) for my ridiculously bad photos, I thought these two were definite hall of famers. The only thing worse than my iPhone pictures? Pictures of pictures...on my iPhone. Not only are they pictures from a phone, but they are the oh so unclear ultrasound pictures. We are expecting the latest, soon to be addition of our little family at the end of August. I'm not too far along, but already I am eating us out of house and home...shocking. Now I finally have something other than myself to blog about...my new baby.