there's no place like HOME

Yesterday was such a beautiful day and I wanted to take advantage of it. So after work, I changed into "workout" gear to take a walk around the block! lol I put Baby Tate in the stroller and she and I went for a stroll.

Everyone loves where they're from just as much as I love where I'm from! Walk 3 houses down to the corner at my Auntie Mele's house and Matangi & Toni are playing basketball in the front. Stopped and said Hi to them. Strolled along and a few houses down, I saw my cousin Kofe getting something from the car, who I havent seen since she gave birth, who now has a family with a childhood Miko buddy. Stopped and talked to her. Made my way to the corner and it was the Va'enuku residence. Peeked through my girl Kasandra's open window and she was in there playing with her son. They came out and we chatted as Baby Tate & Baby Misi starred at each other. Continued on with my stroll... waved hi to familiar passing cars, got smiles and greets from neighbors in their front lawn. Stopped to talked to my high school friend's dad who was mowing his lawn.

Taking my last stretch before I reach the house, I was all smiles. I LOVE MY NEIGHBORHOOD! I was born & raised in Shoreview so my heart is here! My Asian neighbors work at the local donut shop Wild Bills and she opens our side door every other day and drops off a batch for the kids. Mr Brown has been living on that same corner just as long as we lived here and is still driving the same 2 Cadillacs. We're not ghetto, we're not upscale! Kids still play on the street and you still see folks takin back a cold one on their front porch. Humans rule the streets in the day and racoons take over at night. But I still love that street.

Police pulled me over for 'running the stop sign on the corner'. I replied "Sir, I lived here my whole life! There is NO stop sign on that corner". He walked to check it out, came back, returned my DL and I was on my merry way (YEAH B*TCH! haha)

I <3 my City!

P.S. ♫Out here in ShoreView, Let Them See♫ listen here:)

Dear Journal.....

Last night I attended a musical fireside called DEAR JOURNAL. It was a really good fireside filled with some of my fav church songs (I've Got To Find Out Who I Am and COURAGE) In between musical numbers, they had people get up and read actual journal entries as a teen, before mission, during mission and so on as a young LDS member. It was really deep and moving

Kasandra sitting next to me said "i dont talk about church stuff in my journal" and I nodded and agreed with her jokingly...but it was true! I even joked with another person saying if I went up with my journal, I would spend too much time flipping through the pages tryin to find something that was appropriate to read during a fireside! SMH!

Anyways, amongst other entries, I really enjoyed this one...

It was a poem written by Mz. Liumeitupou Pulotu

TESTIMONY
Every day i ask myself, Why did i wake up today?
My testimony Burns through me
but no one can ever hear it.
He see's me but i Can't see him, Yet i still believe in him.
When things go wrong i never Kneel & question WHY.
I simply walk away hoping i'll find the answer along my way.
You gave me a keystone, I walk past it everyday.
You gave me a book, I never opened it.
Yet my testimony still burns through me
I hate that I can't change the Bad, But i know i can do better.
Members so afraid of whats ahead, Forgetting that there is a Plan.
Living by a book? Na Living for what i believe in.
You left me at an early age so its hard for me to remember you;
You test me here on Earth Im hoping that I'm acing this test everyday.
Testimony your more than words, Your more than a Sunday Afternoon.
Everyday my faith grows & other days my faith leaves me.
Im growing So Please don't Judge me.
Testimony Im relying on you

P.S. Courage is my way of saying I WILL FOLLOW THEE

Getting 2 know ME:)

Got a couple hours to kill before I make up my mind on what to do 2nite so here I go with a good ole survey I used to love to do during da 'MySpace' days!!

1. What time did you get up this morning? - BARELY got out at 6:45am

2. How do you like your steak? Surprisingly, I'm not a big steak person AT ALL! If I had to choose, It would just be a skirt steak. Give me chicken and I'd tear dat mug up!

3. What was the last film you saw at the theater?- As my last blog said.. it was "THE HELP"

4. What is your favorite TV show? – Oh gosh, where do I start! Real Housewives series, Swamp People, everything on Food Network, True Life, E! shows, I <3 TV period!!

5. If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be? – an island life! Tahiti, Maui, V.I., St. Lucia etc

6. What did you have for breakfast? -Damn nearly half a box of Cheez-Its and a glass of berry juice. 

7. What is your favorite cuisine? -all of the above! Italian, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc

8. What foods do you dislike?- Cucumbers, never cared for em! Jalapenos, do not like spicy foods! Sourdough bread- yuck! 

9. Favorite Place to Eat? - I LOVE Cheesecake Factory! You can never go wrong with that place...so many options. Off The Grid- Food Truck paradise! Fisherman's Wharf- love fresh seafood. Cant get any easier than getting it right there on the street cart. 

10. Favorite dressing?- I dont get creative with my salads at all. I just stick to Caesar.

11.What kind of vehicle do you drive? – black Mercedes C230 Kompressor

12. What are your favorite clothes? – a nice summer dress with sandals or flip flops:)

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? – Maldives. Tahiti, Capri, Italy

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? – always 1/2 full... gotta be grateful for everything you have!

15. Where do you want to retire? – Lake Tahoe in da Summer and an island (Maui) in da Winter

16. Favorite time of day?- Midnight

17. Where were you born? – San Mateo, Ca

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? – Rugby

19. Are you a morning person or a night person? - Night

20. Do you have any pets? – I did have a fishy Sydney but it disappeared when I came home from Vacation. Now we have a black Pit named "Ellie". She's a feisty lil sucker. 

21. Any new and exciting news you’d like to share? – I still have a week of vacation left for this year and dont know what to do or where to go!

22. What did you want to be when you were little? – LoL! I wanted to be a news reporter! 

23. What is your best childhood memory? – Anything surrounding my Grandparent's house on Washington St! My Fav, Fondest, BEST memories ever!

24. Are you a cat or dog person? - More of a fish/turtle person

25. Are you married?- Nope

26. Always wear your seat belt? – Most DEF

27. Been in a car accident? – Yes but nothing serious!

28. Any pet peeves? – an empty room with the lights & tv on, kitchen cabinet doors open, folks who dont use their blinker to switch lanes, cars who dont know the right of way, House music, dog walkers who dont pick up their dog shit in my front lawn, drunk people who take forever to order at Denny's

29. Favorite Pizza Toppings? – Mushrooms, Garlic & Bacon

30. Favorite ice cream? – Mocha Almond Fudge

31. Favorite fast food restaurant? – Taco Bell & Jack in da Box

32. How many times did you fail your driver’s test? – written test once but passed da behind da wheel with flying colors.

33. From whom did you get your last email?- probably a FB notification

34. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? – I did Max out my Macy's card! I'm waiting for the collection agency to send me a settlement in the mail lol

35. Do anything spontaneous lately? – Going to Hawaii in May was spontaneous enough

36. Like your job? – it pays da bills

37.Like Broccoli? – Love broccoli

38. What was your favorite vacation?–when I went to visit my grandparents in Vava'u

39. Last person you went out to dinner with? –probably my sister at the local taqueria

40. What are you listening to right now? – The TV is on. Watching True Hollywood Story of Snooki

41. What is your favorite color? – Purple, Blue, Black, Coral & Teal

42. How many tattoos do you have? – None. 

43. Coffee Drinker? – light weight. I drink coffee cause I like the taste & flavor. NOT because I need the caffeine.