The "Great Kahana Cookout"...

Every year (for the past 2 years) my family gets together and we have a "Great Kahana Cookout." It's in honor of my great grandfather (Kahana Papa), who was such an amazing cook. He cooked all kinds of chinese foods that were to die for. So now my whole family on my mothers side gets together every February (which was his birthday) and we all share stories about Kahana Papa and cook his food. It's never as good as his, but it brings back fond memories for those who remember him. I love this get together. It brings all my family together and we have so much fun catching up, eating, talking, and getting to know our forever expanding family. It's also fun just to see our kids playing together and laughing and having fun as we did growing up! Never take your families for granted. Cherish the time you have with them and always let them know you love them.

Setting up

hanging out on the porch

acting silly

some of the cousins

toot's

Belinha's Birthday Party...

Happy birthday to Belinha! My niece just turned two and we had a party for her at the pool at my sisters place. She had a blast swimming with all her cousins and blowing bubbles! We sang happy birthday to her, bar-b-qued hamburgers and hotdogs and ate cupcakes and mini cinnibon rolls for dessert. We put Dezi in the pool and he didn't like it at first but got used to it after I started holding him in the water. I think the water was to cold for him. My whole family had a blast! We hadn't gotten together and just had fun, even with the kids in a little while so it was nice to swim with little ones and just enjoy everyone's company. Fun, fun, fun!!!

Birthday girl!

Cousins, "What you lookin' at."

Bar-B-queing

Belinha & Mommy

Dezi didn't really like the pool.

(It was his first time)

All tuckered out

The Kai girls and Kai Kai

My very first blog...

I'm so excited to finally have a blog page!! So i'll start my very first blog talking about my family. I have 5 brothers and sisters who I am very close with and I am the 5th child. We grew up in Indiana, Texas and Hawaii was our retiring destination (My father was in the army). I now have a family all my own. Gil and I met when we both worked at Longs Kahala (2000). We dated for 4 years before he proposed. It was the most romantic proposal ever! He came to my work at Hahaione Elementary and got the kids involved. I thought I was watching a play on the stage. The kids held up letters one by one that said "Keli will you marry me?". He then popped out from the behind the curtains, walked to where I was sitting, got down on one knee and asked if I would be his wife!! Of course I said "YES!!" He has been the love of my life for almost three years now (well actually 8) but now shares the spotlight with our 5 month old son Dezi. We got married in August of 2005 and it was the most beautiful wedding ever! Lots of friends, family and Love. Who could ask for more? We spent a little over a year just enjoying the married life and getting to know each other even better. I became pregnant with our son in February 2007 and he blessed our family in October 2007. He is such a good baby. I really lucked out. He has such a good demeanor and laughs and smiles all the time when he's not hungry or tired. We have been truely blessed with nothing but the best!!

October 28, 2007

Look at those sideburns!

Look at that hair!

Dezi's first Thanksgiving.

Dezi's first time at the beach (Ko Olina)