X-mas, New Years and Hawaii

Time flies when you are having fun. We are already a week into the new year, 2006. I loved the post on Britt's blog about the 90's!!! It was awesome cuz i could totally relate. In the 90's I never thought I would make it to 2000, let alone 2006! The rest of my time at home was great. My sister bought me Catch Phrase for x-mas so it was the center of attention for some unique family game time. It was hilarious! My mom and I always beat my dad and sis. Rach can always make me laugh. One time she looked at the screen enthusiastically and yelled, "I think it was a president...". While she was stumbling for clues the buzzer sounded and I looked to see what the name was. It was Nick Carter!!! HA!! I was like, "Boo, thats a backstreet boy!" Good times :) A couple days after x-mas it was off to hawaii with lacey and laura! We arrived to warm weather and sun! I certainly am not missing the rain. We met most of Mar's family (including dead relatives at the graveyard) over new years. It was fun to celebrate with traditions like visitng the graveyard, burning insense, making mochi and placing it around the house for good luck. Who knew rice cakes and tangerines brought good luck? I was also impressed with the fireworks. In hawaii they play fireworks like crazy people. They just light them in their hands and throw them out in the street like no big thing. I grew up with a little more conservative approach to fireworks, but i did light a fountain. My dad always told us it was too dangerous to light fireworks in your hand. Well, at midnight we went outside to play more fireworks. I got this bout of courage and I decided I was old enough to decide what was safe so I was going to light one firework in my hand and throw it in the street. The little neighbor kids were doing it, so it can't be that bad right? So lacey went first and came away with no harm, so now it was my turn. I light it and threw it into the street, it glowed, banged and then shot threw the air right into my thigh! Unreal!!! I didn't even look down, I just reacted with my hand thinking I was on fire. I was in shock for the rest of the evening laughing in unbelief that defying my father would lead to this. I'm glad this incident did not require remembering to "Stop, Drop and Roll."
While I'm here, my parents and sister decided on a whim to go to San Diego. It was totally random unplanned and unlike my parents. However I talked to them and they are having a blast. They went to the zoo and today they went to Sea World. Cool! Hawaii is better though, ocean kayaking, snorkeling, an ATV tour, new reef slipahs, new boardshorts, walking on lava fields from the volcano, getting stalked by a pufferfish, eating at bubba gumps and getting brown like an indian (as britt would say). Being sentimental and all, this type of vacation probably will not happen again for a REALLY long time. Its been worth it all.
Next up...my last semester, one credit, paid work, unpaid work, and graduation. Stay tuned.