Life of Larisa or LOL

See a mountain, try climb it.  Pretty much my hiking/life philosophy these days.  I've spent many a Sunday afternoons sitting at Makaha Beach both watching the kids play in the ocean and staring longingly at the mountains behind me, wondering when I would get the opportunity to hike them.  Last week Wednesday, the opportunity presented itself.  If it weren't for my hiking partner Mary, I'd probably never hike anything...thank goodness she is up for it all. I'm pretty sure I have noted before my disdain for eating big meals  before hiking...and yet somehow I did it to myself again this past Wednesday.  I enjoyed good conversation, coffee, and breakfast with three other moms and then met up with my hiking partner to squeeze in a hike before early school pick-up. Crazy.  First of all, I ate too much.  Second of all there have been zero trade winds.  Third of all, we were in Makaha where it was devil, desert, record breaking hot.  N...

When I was pregnant with Gabe, I ran our 2000 Honda Civic into the drive-thru wall of the local Burger King. Damage to car, one busted up drivers side mirror. Damage to me, none physically, but a whole lotta pride was sacrificed. Two years ago we owned what we now know was a lemon. Our 2004 Passat caused me immeasurable stress, money, and time lost from engine trouble to radiator (I think that's the right term) issues. A few months ago, well, I ran out of gas...on the side of H2 probably five miles from my house, and a minute after the Costco gas station exit. Quit your snickering. Today, was another CARtastrophe. I don't know who to blame for this one. All I have are the facts. I have been pumping gas for eighteen years. I have never had a mishap before. Today, I followed the standard pumping gas procedures. Today gas poured out of the tank of my car and splashed the concrete at my feet and doused the side of my car! The worst part was not the highly flammable liqui...

I still love my car. Despite the non-beeping gas light indicator (leading to a previous running out of gas mishap), it has been a great little vehicle for the past two years. It has seen me through many adventures with friends and family. My cute little fit has carried one dining room table and four dining room chairs. It has hauled two bedroom nightstands. It has carried a BMX bike. It has carried four kids and me. And this weekend it carried a chaise lounge from Mililani to town. Since that feat was so amusing and successful, I attempted to carry Gabe's "car" bed from Mililani to Kailua in my tiny little Fit. In my defense, up to this point, everything has fit in The Fit. But, everything has it's breaking point...it's limits. All the components of the bed did not actually fit in The Fit...but they fit in two Fits (yes, we are that couple...the one with matching cars). So, at 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, I drove off in perfect sunny skies, headed to K-to...

Just because you own the joint, doesn't mean you should be a waiter. When we arrived to this north shore eatery, we were happy to see that despite it being Father's Day, there was no line. No line means no wait, right? Uh, no. We sat ourselves. We received two menus for our party of three . Our waiter brought us our drinks---coffee, hot coco (forgot the key element of whip cream), and two cranberry juices---one that looked like a mixed drink...I know Gabe looks old but...21? Come on. We only ordered one anyway. We were off to a weird start. We placed our order and two phone calls to the mainland later, we still hadn't received our food. I was amused for awhile listening to their cranked up seventies disco music, but I was beginning to get hungry. Our waiter/lounge act emcee brought out my pictured above Huevos Rancheros . Isom received his local style breakfast and Gabe his waffle---but no syrup. I was about half way done with my breakfast (I know I probably sh...

Not Pink Floyd. Here's what happens at our house when you decide to rearrange the living room. I just wanted to move the t.v. to a different wall. Something about cable... I got a little more than I bargained for. I'm glad Isom is so accommodating , but... I miss my dining room dry-wall.

Here we have a case of looks can be deceiving. We have't had a laugh out loud moment on the blog in awhile. Are you ready? It's coming today. I had almost forgotten to bake a treat for Gabe's class for Easter. I hadn't added it into my iPhone calendar, so it wasn't happening. Then, at the drop off this morning, I saw all the organized moms bringing in their Easter goodies. For once I didn't have plans today, so I realized I could bake this morning and bring cupcakes for his class at the end of the school day. Music ready. Apron on. I was happy to get back in the kitchen after last week's chocolate cupcake catastrophe. Short lived. What liquid is in a dark round container about the size of a soda? Vanilla extract...and here in Hawaii, every one's favorite--- ALOHA BRAND SHOYU ! That's soy sauce for all the non-Hawaii folk. Here's the most important baking tip I can provide: Don't pour shoyu into your frosting ingredients. I...

I read this book four years ago. I never imagined it would be a movie. I liked it. It was different than other books I had read. It was disturbing. Well written, but very disturbing. And now, I have the same thoughts on the movie. I enjoyed the storytelling in pictures. It was a cinematographers dream project. The story is a parent's worst nightmare. It is sad, frightening, spirit crushing. Why read or watch this? It's a good story, a journey and an interesting take on life, death, and the in between. I also read "Lucky", the author's true life story of another horrific experience---rape. I think the author worked her way through trauma by writing both of these novels. So, if by reading her thoughts and take on the darkest parts of people, I somehow contributed to her healing, then I'm glad. After both putting down the book and walking out of the theater, I had to wonder what parts of "The Lovely Bones" were based in truth. I know that t...

Me and substitutions don't mix. Today was a long day of being both beachside and poolside. In the morning we enjoyed Kaimana's with the Pommerenks , "Mandy Sue" (not to be confused with Aunt Sue), and the brightest patch of sun this Mililani resident has seen in awhile. While at the beach we received a quite unexpected phone call from Isom's aunt who was here visiting, but who was also scheduled to be on a flight to Fiji...today. I know she is quite taken with both myself and Gabe but calling from Fiji ? No, wait, her plane was delayed...by more than twelve hours. So, after the beach, we paid Aunt Sue a visit at the airport Best Western. A place feet from the freeway that has the nerve to have "The Plaza Hotel" on its sign. Give me a break. We had already consumed multiple beach snacks, so instead of going to eat some more, we sat poolside...which was freewayside . How convenient---we were already in our swim wear and we could pop on the fr...

First, a thank you. A HUGE thank you to Danielle and her husband Derek who rescued me and Gabe off the side of the highway this evening. Derek is in the Army and has served his country well, but I was more fearful for him being on the side of H2 with me filling my tank with gas than being overseas playing war. Those cars drive fast! All is well now, and Gabe and I are safe and have a FULL tank of gas. Try not to be too upset with me Isom ---it's so me to drive on fumes. On the bright side---I know that Danielle and Derek are good in an emergency and how many miles I can drive before actually running out of gas. On the not so bright side---no one (other than the rescuers I called) stopped to help. A pathetic woman and child on the side of the road---really, where was that freeway helper guy that drives the tow truck with flashing lights when you need him? And I kid you not, I was sitting right in the spot that the motorcycle cop ALWAYS parks to catch speeders...where was he?...

This is the last post for the day. I promise---unless I get my finger caught in the fan or some other asinine debacle befalls me. In an effort to clean out my downstairs hall closet...here is the story of how the broom became stuck in the closet under the stairs. Maybe only Isom can truly appreciate this foolishness. Apparently there is a fake shelf in this closet. I had just begun to take a few things out and down off of the real shelf, when, being the height challenged person I am, did not realize that what I thought was a convenient second shelf above the first shelf, is really a big, fat, gaping hole. A hole that has sucked my Starbucks Christmas ornaments into it! I didn't hear anything crack or break so at least they are looking nice down in that hole. Meanwhile, I thought I could just grab a stool and reach my hand in to retrieve my box of jewels...ornaments. In the words of Dwight Schrute ---FALSE. After grabbing a stool, and now a flashlight, I see that the hole ...

...it can be extremely dangerous---to 33 year olds . My ear is extremely sore. It is swollen. I've been forced to take out my diamond earrings. Thankfully there was no blood...or tears. But I felt like crying. Since Isom experienced several different time zones in one day, he was understandably tired when I picked him up from the airport this morning. We enjoyed a leisurely Starbucks breakfast, ran a few errands, and came home so he could have a nap. I received clear instructions to wake him up in time to get Gabe from school. At 1:30 p.m. I headed up the stairs. At 1:33 p.m. he was still NOT waking up. At 1:38 p.m. I decided to use a more drastic technique to wake him. I proceeded to stand up on the bed. Jumping commenced. One jump, two jumps, three jumps...WHACK! The ceiling fan knocked me in the side of the head. Luckily I was on the bed---it made for a soft landing. Doubled over in pain and holding my ear (I was sure I had pulled a Van Gogh and my ear would be d...

And I thought labor and delivery of an 11.2 pound child was hard. I can now easily say that I have put my body through three major traumas. The first was giving birth to who was affectionately called "The Monster Baby" at the hospital. The second was completing my half marathon in which not one, but two...then three of my toe nails fell off---completely. The third was hiking Koko Head last weekend. It was one long, pitocin induced contraction---there just wasn't any recovery time...one step, two step, dying of exhaustion, can't beathe, when will it be over? It was horrendous---and that is putting it mildly. I am only now recovering (6 days later). I figured I better jot a few thoughts down before the memory gets pushed deep in the crevices of my mind...next to the other excruciating pain moments of my life that have gotten buried; only to resurface when I am experiencing something equally as bad. The part that was even harder than climbing large, dusty, broke...