Local delight

Aloha all,

I just wanted to share some pictures from my dinner the other night. We took out dinner from a local place up the street called Sumo Ramen.

This pork katsu (pork strips battered in panko) and fried to perfection. The meal also came with soy beans and spicy kim chee (cabbage like veggies) and a bowl of Miso soup (a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a stock called dashi). We also ordered a side of steamed rice and a side of california-type rolls (sushi). These are in the black bento box. They can come with an assortment of veggies and meat (raw or cooked) and wrapped in seaweed and rice. They come with a side of wasabi (very spicy hot sauce).

My meal consisted of the ramen (noodles with veggies and fish cake (pink and white)) with a side of fried rice and a side of chicken katsu (made the same way as pork katsu). The ramen sometimes smells a little strong but is delicious and their fried rice is the best I've ever had. I don't eat the red ginger though. I also had a side of gyoza (dumplings filled with shrimp, pork or chicken). They didn't make it in my picture so I downloaded a picture from a restaurant Web site. The sauce they come with is like a soy/terriyaki sauce. It's very good.

I know this is a little different from "normal" Oklahoma dishes but it's delicious. While eating this meal I came across many different smells, tastes and textures and it made me thankful to have all of my senses. I would hope that all of my friends take a step away from their comfort zone and travel to a places that serve Japanese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indian, and other ethnic cuisine just to try it once and remind yourself why you love to eat.

Take a chance and see what the world has to offer.

All my love from far away,
Priya

Ope'ape'a

Last night at Journee’s school’s family fun fair the keiki (children) made craft projects. The theme was bats. A children’s book author was supposed to visit to talk about her new book about the Hawaiian bat (ope’ape’a) and how it is endangered. The Hawaiian bat lives on the Big Island, Lanai’i and Maui.

In support of the book and reading, the children made bat mobiles, bat clips, bat cookies and pom pom spiders last night. Journee had a great time and said the bat cookie was her favorite activity. You can see in the pics why she would think that.

Look out this Halloween, a bat clip or pom pom spider may be creeping your way…BOOooOOoo.

Smoking: It's a choice

New Web sites of interest

Aloha all,

I added a couple of new Web sites to my favorites. One is labeled 'raw music' and I found it on Twister's (101.9 OKC) radio station. On this site you are able to see videos and listen to songs from artists before all the glitz and glam is added. Just their vocals with some instruments. The other Web site is labeled 'pandora music'. On this site you can register and set up your own radio station with different artists and those within the same genre and just listen all day. My new editor told me about this site and I like it so far. Check these out and let me know what you think...

Aloha,
Priya

Go Vote...

Howdy friends and family,

Just found something interesting to share. Go vote for the photos that show the best of Oklahoma's unique character. Winners will be announced Aug. 26 I believe. I haven't looked at the places yet I just immediately thought that Oklahoma cannot help but be pretty but the people are what make the state beautiful.

For my photographer friends, please send in your photos --

Here's the url for the centennial page: http://www.newsok.com/centennial

Bible verses to share

From me to you...

You say: "It's impossible"
God says: All things are possible
Luke 18:27

You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: I will give you rest
Matthew 11:28-30

You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you
John 3:1 6 & John 3:34

You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient
II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15

You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps
Proverbs 3:5- 6

You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things
Philippians 4:13

You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able
II Corinthians 9:8

You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it
Roman 8:28

You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I Forgive you
I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1

You say: "I can't manage"
God says: I will supply all your needs
Philippians 4:19

You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear
II Timothy 1:7

You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME
I Peter 5:7

You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: I give you wisdom
I Corinthians 1:30

You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you
Hebrews 13:5

God determines who walks into your life....it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go.

Daily prayer…
Father, God bless all my friends in whatever it is that you know they may need this day! And may their life be full of your peace, prosperity and power as they seek to have a closer relationship with you. Amen.

Make everyday a beautiful day.

God Bless,
Priya

Hurricane watch

Aloha all,

Well, today at work all the talk was about the hurricane and if it would hit us. It's kind of odd how different it is from tornados. With tornados there are storm chasers out there telling people where the tornado is at all times but people don't chase hurricanes. All the information comes from satellites and buoys I guess.

Actually I haven't been keeping track of it much. I worry about Journee's friend Katherine who moved to the Big Island last month with her parents. We'll have to check on them.

Yesterday at school, Journee's teacher talked with her class about hurricanes and being prepared, so this morning Journee informed me that we need a big flashlight, some bottled water, some canned foods and of course milk in case the electricity goes out. You know how much she loves milk -- I didn't have the heart to tell her you can't keep milk if the electricity goes out. Oh, and yes, she still drinks a lot of milk -- about one gallon every 2 days.

Journee is doing great in school so far. She made a 100% on her first spelling test and she is looking forward to her upcoming birthday party. We have booked a bouncy waterslide for the party so she will be able to invite more friends this year. She has also requested a Hannah Montana birthday cake so I am making a rock star style cake (too bad I don't know how to make a guitar cake) and will decorate it will sprinkles and pink frosting of course.

Well, I guess that's enough for my daily update. Take care all and we love you.

Priya

Animal Farm

Well, it seems that my last blogs have been about animals so keeping the pattern but not for long. I just wanted to share some pictures of our visitors. more you ask? yes, i'm afraid so. those who don't like slimy animals (amphibians) please look away. last night i noticed a baby gecko above my closet. we often see geckos but i wanted to take a picture and tell you a little story. one day, shortly after moving here, journee came running in to me enthusiastically stating she had caught a gecko. she was so happy. i just said to be careful with it and be nice. a few minutes later i heard journee screaming for me so i ran to her only to find her crying and pointing at the gecko attached to her lip. she had been talking to her baby and she gave it a kiss and it gave her a bite. she doesn't kiss them anymore but she still likes to catch them. yes, she is my daughter but i don't know where she got that side of her. i really wish i had a picture of her face and that gecko but i couldn't very well ask her to hang on while i get the camera (how maternal would that have been -- but good scrapbooking though). heehee...
next we have a big gecko i found on the back lanai (deck). it was just hanging out on the wall and i thought i would try and get a good picture of a big one. kind of creepy how it's eyes look, yeah?
lastly, we have my niece's frog that journee is frogsitting. the frog's name is martini because it is green and i guess alyssa (my niece) thinks martini's are green. my sister and her family are going to maui tomorrow and journee will frogsit until sunday. she isn't sure if she wants to feed the frog it's daily cricket but thinks she'll attempt it. i hope she can because i would hate for the frog to miss out on it's cricket diet because aunty priya can't catch a cricket. totally gross -- so journee will probably love it.
we didn't see the chickens today -- they must have moved down the street. oh, but we are sending animals to oklahoma. journee's cat, princess, just flew to oklahoma. so now her hawaiin kitty is a world traveller and a sooner fan.
well, enough of priya's animal habitat for now. we'll see what's new here tomorrow.

Aloha all,

Just in case you're wondering about Hurricane Flossie here's what she is looking like right now. For new updates check out www.noaa.gov

Below are maps of the Hawaiian islands and one of Oahu. I marked where we live with a red arrow. You should be able to see on the hurricane map that we should be okay except for some high winds and rain storms (not much different than Oklahoma during tornado season).

Take care all and know someone in Hawaii loves you...

Priya

Feeding Tweety

Journee loves holding Tweety and feeding her from her hand. I think Tweety enjoys it just as much.

Our new pets

Well, this weekend was the grand reopening celebration of Windward Mall (the mall by our house). Yesterday the pet store was giving out free goldfish to the first 1000 children wanting one so I took Journee. I thought the goldfish might be the little 12 cent ones you can easily buy but the store gave out some really pretty ones. Our new fish is the one on the right. The other one is Oscar. Journee won him at the Benji Fair at her school last year. When we got him he was only about one inch long and now he's about 4 inches long and he has lost most of his gold color and turned white.

While we were at the pet store I saw the parakeets were on sale so I decided to get one. I love birds and have wanted one for a long time and this seemed like a perfect time. Journee and I picked Tweety Bird because she had the yellow on her head and we liked that. She is a sweet bird and Journee loves her.

We love our new animals but have decided that maybe we need to stay out of the pet store for a while or we won't have to visit the zoo because we'll be living in one.

Our visitors

These are the visitors Journee and I found in our front yard when we came home this evening. You see chickens here a lot of places but this is the first time for our yard.

From me to my friends...

Hope you all know how much you mean to me. Though I am far away you are always in my heart and in my cell phone...heehee. I love you all.

Happy Friendship Day,
Priya

Vacation 2007

These are pictures from our vacation last week. I decided to take vacation because Journee had a week before school started without childcare and I thought we could have some bonding time. We had a great time.
Monday we went to the Honolulu Zoo. Journee loves the zoo and she showed me all around. We saw the flamingos first and right before leaving I remembered to ask someone to take a picture of us together. At the zoo we had a picnic lunch and a peacock came right up to our table. And I thought they were scared of humans.
Tuesday we took Journee's friend Jayce and we went to the Hilton Hawaiian where Journee loves to visit the penguins and she actually got to pet one. Jayce wouldn't pet the penguin but I did and they are really slick and soft. Then we went to the Waikiki Aquarium. There are so many fish and corals there. We had a great time and they have little radios you can push display numbers and listen to a recording of what you are seeing in the display. I think we listened to each number. Journee loved that too.
Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday we went to the swimming pool. Journee had a great time and she is really wanting to learn to swim now.
Thursday we just stayed home and spent time with my mom. She brought toys from Oklahoma that I had to put back together and we had a tea party that Journee served us.
All in all we had a great vacation week and it was music to my ears hearing Journee tell me "This is the funnest day ever" everyday.

Before and After

Here are two pics of Journee I love. She wanted those spongy rollers in her hair so badly. One night after her bath and washing her hair I rolled it up and took a picture of course. She slept in those rollers all night and didn't even complain. Girls are amazing and insane about what they will put up with -- I can't stand sleeping in rollers.
Well, the other picture is of course the next morning. She loved her curls. It's too bad that her hair is so super fine that it doesn't hold curls long so they fell out by the end of school. But, she loved them and that's what matters.