A boogie boarder checks out the surf at Sandy's Beach on O'ahu.
Tanya with Charlie and Lucy Wedemeyer (and one of their granddaughters) at a neighborhood church in Kaimuki where they did one of their inspirational speeches.
Kale helps suction his dad Charlie as mom Lucy prepares to speak.
Waiola Shave Ice...The best place to get shaved ice in town!
Friends Junji and Miya enjoying eating their shaved ice outside Waiola's.
Lindsey at the candle lighting ceremony as she finishes her 8th grade year at Kamehameha.
Dad waters the special grass he planted outside his house.
Diamond Head
A body boarder does a flip in the waves.
Misty, shadowy mountains in view as we drive home on the freeway.
Billowy clouds and the sun beginning to rise as I fly from Japan to Hawai'i.
Come here, will ya!
Max says he's happy when he's with his "nanny", I mean, Aunty Tanya.
Yup, I've just discovered that I can eat my toes!
A cool doorway to the tea room in Takeba-san's home.
Traditional tea set in Takeba-san's home.
Christina models her dad's homebrew moonshine he brought to the party.
I am so lucky to have such a wonderful grandma!
Oh, my, that is a bright flash!
About to devour a delicious spread of Japanese food at a friend's house with Christina's family.
Busy streets at night in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Look how many people cross the busy intersection at 10:30 at night!
Drug support group in Tokyo
A funny club name, "GasPanic"...I just had to have Christina strike a pose in front of this one.
Looking for a place to eat..Hmm, this one says "Happy Hour"...
I am a 33 year old elementary school teacher, born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai'i. After living in Seattle and overseas in Thailand for a total of 12 years, I returned to Hawai'i to help take care of my father, who was diagnosed with ALS, a.k.a. Lou Gherig's Disease, in October 2004. After 2 1/2 years of watching his body slowly decline, my father earned his wings April 2007 and is no longer suffering. The past couple of years was spent sharing valuable time together and making more memories, as my father got to "walk" me down the aisle, though he was a couple months shy of seeing the birth of his first grandchild. And now, with new life, the journey continues with baby Chase, as I learn how to balance teaching, marriage, and being a mom.
This online journal is a way for me to express myself, through my love of traveling, photography, and writing, while keeping in touch with family and friends.