You know you live in Hawaii if...

-you are wearing a sweater & it's 75 degrees outside
-you have a "tiny" bug problem & your house is still immaculate (yes people...we live in a beautiful place but there are roaches, ants and centipedes like you wouldn't believe...more on that later)
-you think you see squirrels but remember "Oh yeah, there are no squirrels here...that was a mongoose!"
-your mood depends on the frequency of the trades (trade winds that is...for you folks that don't live here)
-you have to wash your car frequently to avoid rust
-you hammer a nail in the wall to hang a picture and it comes out the other side of the wall
-you take your shoes off in everyone's home
-driving "all the way across the island" (25 miles) is an exhausting trip
-shave ice is a treat
-you look forward to rainy cloudy days b/c the weather is just too perfect sometimes
-palm trees might fall through your roof in a wind storm
-there is a "Tidal Wave Safety Area" sign...just about 20 feet up from your house....(hope there's not a tidal wave...I'm not in the safety area!)
-You may see "LOST" stars in town
-there are NO TARGET stores *sniff, sniff*
-any person with central air (there are very few homes like this) seems like a person who has an amazing home. we are lucky with 3 window units
-lofts rent for $1000/ month...and a 3 bedroom house...$2000-$3000...with no AC!
-and I have saved my latest saga for last....you walk out to your truck one night after you've been away for 7 weeks...and when you open the door...you see 5 little roaches on the car seat...upon further investigation...there is a whole roach community in your truck....not the huge roaches...just little ones, but still...this story makes me get the heevie jeevies! Anyway - there are generations of roaches...that would have never been found during the day! So...you set off a bomb that is clearly not for such a small space...but sometimes situations call for drastic measures...The next day you find about....30-40 little roach bodies...there was never evidence of ONE of them during the day. Isn't that gross. There is not a cheerio, raisin...or speck of food in that truck for fear of bugs...even in a foodless environment...they moved right on in...but now they are dead. yea.

**I'm sorry for the lack of blogging...lately it seems like my life is the movie Groundhog Day. Everyday is the same & not too much to take photos of...although I do live with the funniest 16 month old in the world...if you think your kid is funnier...he's probably not...although he probably has a much nicer personality and does not throw fits like my funny boy. So, unless he becomes a world famous comedian...I think I'd like to lessen the comedy & create a sweeter boy...but, this is who is...for now. So, in just a few short weeks, probably next month...I will live with my husband again and there will be more to take pictures of. I was adding it up the other day...we will have been married for 39 months when Clif gets home...and together for about 9 or 10 of them. no joke. So...this will be the end of our deployment time for awhile at least & I'm just feeling tired maybe? Whatever the case...I'm ready to get excited about blogging & pictures again, as I'm sure you are as well if you are reading this. Maybe I'll get inspired this weekend...