When we were young

Dear friends, when the Curran kids were young we lived in a paradise called Hawaii. On Moana St. in Laie, we roamed the streets barefoot, messy haired (until mom caught us and we had to have braids), we played in the dirt, caught tadpoles from the storm drain, played in the rain when it down-poured in the middle of the day, chased after the myna birds, and oh, so many other things. Needless to say, at the end of the day, we were a bit dirty. One sibling comes to mind when I think of all of these things. She was a defiant one as a child. Defiant, but happy-go-lucky. You'd hardly recognize her now. She was often being chased after by one of her older siblings while saying she was going to the beach (only a block away, oh, and she was 3). Bless her heart. We came across a picture that may well have been this child's look and demeanor at that time.

Please have a moment of silence. Please give thanks that she no longer looks like this.



(picture found on the internet. not a real photo of my li'l sis)


And now...

My Turn

Instructions: Take the following list and bold the items you have completed or experienced.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland /world8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise (a non-luxury cruise in Russia. I even had to bring my own food!)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp (I got so close!)
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades (not all of it)
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House (does the outside count?)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit.
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

Hi, I'm here.

So, what is it with January?!

Does anyone else feel the total 'blah's'?

I need to find something to do with my time to feed my soul, to expand my mind, and to heighten my senses...

I feel like taking off in one of these...

And heading off to here...

And here...

And meeting people like these...


And these...


So many dreams, so little time.

Family Memories of Hawaii

Oh dear, I love this picture. Shannon posted it on Facebook yesterday and I had to steal it to share with all of you. I think I was three in this picture, and what I remember most is my parents bribing me, yes much bribing. They bribed me with every candy in creation to wear an outfit similar to what Shannon (the baby) is wearing. I simply wouldn't. I don't remember why I was so determined not to wear it, but alas, you see my very unhappy face to even be in the picture. I seemed to do this a lot through that age. I was quite the stubborn child. It's fun to look back and laugh at it.
This picture was taken in the back yard of our home in Laie, Hawaii. Sometimes I still can't believe I lived 10 years of my childhood there. It was a dream.
Of course we are missing three members of our family that weren't born yet; Caitilin, Sean, and Conn.

Car woes... and how!

Any member of my family will tell you that Curran's + Cars = plain bad luck. Some of my most poignant memories of family outings to "town" (meaning Honolulu) were of our 15 passenger van over-heating on the way, with all 8 kids inside. You realize this is only one of the many incidences I remember. Siblings, please add your comments to this and all of the dear, sweet reflections that come to your mind. One of the reasons we've struggled with lemons is the fact that my parents continually bought very old and very used cars. Bless their hearts, we were never a wealthy family. But tell me, who is that chooses to have 8 children?!
Anyhow, my recent auto situation caused me to reflect on all of those years of old, run-down cars. Right around x-mas and all of the crazy snow, my car began having problems starting - especially on those oh-so-cold mornings. I had it jumped on more than one occasion, but always worried about the worse-case scenario (hundred of dollars plunked down on my car). Having a 2005 automobile, I thought those days were over. Well, for the last month I have been worried that I would have to shell out mucho dinero for this very beloved car. Today I was sweetly surprised. I went to consult with the folks at Auto Zone, where they tested my battery, alternator and starter and deduced that it was indeed the battery. My first question, "How much will that cost?" I hadn't replaced one since the last car and thought maybe it would change with a newer car. Not so. The dear thing only cost me $69.99. Oh friends, I am loved. This I Know. I would not have been able to afford anything else, and I was indeed so thankful.
Thanks to the folks at Auto Zone for installing it for me too (not a usual thing, I'm told). They made a stressed young lady awfully happy. Hooray!

Where is Erincita?

This picture was taken when we were (obviously) very young and living in Hawaii. I need to scan it to my computer for a better picture, but taking a picture of a picture is just oh-so-fun. My parents gave us each an 8x10 of this one, which just happens to be my favorite.
Sorry about the flash!

Happy Birthday Dad!

Love you mucho!

You know you love them. I know you do!

My personal fashion trend

Sure, my sisters make fun of me. Maybe others make fun of me... I don't know. Maybe no one notices, and that's fine too. I am a fan of cardigans. Yes, I am. You might say I'm even addicted to them.
True story... last year around this time I was about to go on a somewhat "blind" date, and the first thing my sister Caiti says is, "don't wear a cardigan, please!"
What?! What?! What the heck is that supposed to mean?? Turns out other little sister Shannon told her that I wear cardigans all the time. So, sue me! I like cardigans, ok! I admit I felt a little self-conscious for a few days wondering if people around me noticed like my sisters did, that I wore cardigans frequently. That self-consciousness soon passed, and I soon decided to embrace my love of the cardigan.
Friends, we all have issues with what we feel comfortable wearing, don't we? I work in a business/casual work environment, and I feel that a cardigan pulls an outfit together so nicely. Even outside of work, I just appreciate that they can "hide" certain parts of my figure that I don't want to show until I'm many pounds thinner, and plus, they are just plain comfy. Am I wrong to feel this way about a staple in my wardrobe? I think not.
So what if I look like Mr. Rogers. I dunna care! I like 'em, and I will continue wearing them until my dying day!

Take that Caiti & Shan!

Tell me about your wardrobe. Is there a particular item you have plenty of, and choose to wear day in and day out?

8 days and NO caffeine! Hooray!

Happy Birthday Kalin!

The oldest nephew is 14 today! Where did the time go?! This 6'2" handsome boy is goin' places.

Love you K!

Mis botas

My, how I love a good snowfall! But you know what I love even more? A good pair of boots to keep me warm whilst I tromp through the snow during said snowfall.
My roomie Melanee and I ordered some great boots online, and after a long wait the UPS man gifted them at our door at 7pm last night. Friends, I enjoy a season so much more when I am prepared for it. We strapped on those boots and other snow gear and headed out into the elements. Oh, the joy! At the end of the 30 minute trudge through the snow, I wanted to say, "look Ma, still warm!"

These are my boots.

I'm happy.

Vertigo

Vertigo (from the Latin vertigin-, vertigo, "dizziness," originally "a whirling or spinning movement," from vertere "to turn"[1]) is a specific type of dizziness, a major symptom of a balance disorder. It is the sensation of spinning or swaying while the body is actually stationary with respect to the surroundings.

So, I get this dizziness every so often, but lately I have it frequently. As I was sitting at my desk here at work I felt it again, and I'm wondering why I get it so often. Sometimes it happens when I'm driving my car, when I'm lying down in my bed, or just sitting here at the computadora. Anyone else out there feel it too?

The wint'ry day

Seven degrees. And no, not seven degrees to Kevin Bacon. It's seven degrees outside! Weather.com says it feels like -4, and yeah, I feel it! Not only do I feel it, but my poor mode of transportation does too. This seven degree weather has brought my Altima to its knees today. Altima is too cold to start. Bless her. Pray for her. I need her to start! Thanks.

a new year

I've been internalizing a lot lately. A new year has caused me to reflect on 2008 and all of its many learning experiences, as it does for most of you too. I look forward to this new year. There is so much to do, and so many experiences to be had this. I give a hearty welcome to 2009!

Goals... (just a few to share)

*Lose some poundage
*Exercise, exercise, exercise
*Travel just as much - or more
*Sing more often

The rest I'll keep to myself for now :)

Happy New Year to y'all!