I had a Premonition

that all of our friends and family came to the Langford Sound and Stage for a live recording/video session with our very own band, "Premonition"!

But you already knew that!

Robert and the guys, Bobby, John, Rick & Ryan, have been practicing every week and are ready to get out of the garage! Meet us at 4pm next Sunday, January 7th to get your New Year off to a great start! And to make this invitation even more enticing..... admission is FREE! This venue, Langford Sound and Stage, is conveniently located in Roswell and you can even find the directions on their site (link above).


Kids are welcome, but please remember the music will be pretty loud and also that this will be a live recording session. Refreshments are available in the lobby, as well as his and hers powder rooms. This place has it all - good friends, good music and good food!

BTW - I will have my camera ready to document this day in the chronicles of Premonition's humble beginnings....... Say cheese!

We'll see you there! Got questions? Email the band (link on site).

Brothers....

Nathan says, "Uh-oh, little brother Elijah is not happy."

"It'll be OK."

"Yeah Elijah! Now smile for the camera" says big brother Nathan.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas wishes to all of our friends and family! Our day will be quiet and cozy - spent calling our parents, children and grandchildren....





A fine finish to the day will include enjoying his and her movies, together that is!

For me - Dream Girls
For him - Casino Royale

Here's to the magical moments of Christmas!

Santa Claus is coming......

to a mail box near you! You have been good haven't you? Last time we saw him he was driving a FEDEX truck and headed straight your way. Go on - go wait for him - he promised an early delivery just for you!

Brayden has been really good, as well as Nathan & Elijah!

(will post their pix as soon as we get them)

Inspirational Quotes

You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf!

Every day I receive an email with an inspirational quote. This one really is relevant and it just so happens that this picture of our neice Kilihea is the perfect complement to it!

Sundays are for....

time with good friends, enjoying good food and good music! Check out Premonition & friends!

Premonition Debuts!

Well folks, the long awaited debut of Premonition is almost here! Ring in the New Year with us at The Langford Sound Stage in Roswell, Georgia on January 7, 2007 from 4pm until 8pm.

Check out the latest news and photos of the Premonition guys here!

Can't wait to see you there!

The first man in my life

is my wonderful Father....

Relaxing on a Sunday Morning....

Sleeping in late after a wonderful evening with friends, and waking to freshly ground Kona coffee is the start of a very relaxing Sunday. The coming week is filled with alot of activity such as band practice, work, Dad & Mary coming to visit and moving too - so today we will rest........

Pet Peeve

Here's a quick random rant. Unfortunately my pet peeve appears every day, but in a short two weeks I will not see it quite as frequently.


The apartment complex that we live in has handicap parking spaces sporadically placed throughout this sprawling set of parking lots. I am amazed and subsequently disgusted at the fact that seemingly able bodied persons with no handicap parking stickers consistently park in these spots, regardless of the availability of alternate spots.



The management staff is as poor about addressing this as some of the other on-going maintenance items. The on-site officer has, to the best of my knowledge, only issued one parking ticket to violators during the four and a half years we have been here.


Why will it end in two weeks? Not because people will change their ways, but that we are moving into a house! I'd love to make a set of signs to post during our last couple of weeks saying, "Your ignorance and inconsiderateness are handicaps - guess you should be parking here afterall!"

Laughter

"At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a
kaleidoscope of new possibilities."

                        --Jean Houston

When I read this quote, I immediately thought of Angela 
telling me how much she loves it when Nathan laughs so 
hard he can barely catch his breath.

Look at Brayden grow!

Hard to believe that Brayden is already five months old! He is making many strides.



Halloween at Buffalo Wild Wings where Mommy Noe works...












Swimming lessons!











Watch out! I'm going places!

Forward this to 10 of your friends immediately - or...

you'll turn into a frog! Every day I am part of the group of 10 people that one of the ominous emails are forwarded to, and every once in awhile I even perpetuate the madness. I can tell you from experience that none of the bad, or good for that matter, strokes of promised luck come true. (not that I don't make the wishes anyway)

So today, I get one this one that is really good and welcomed today. Soooo.... I am forwarding this to all of you! No threats of bad luck - just a wonderful message.

1. Try everything twice! Madam (of Whelan's & Madam) wanted this epitaph on her tombstone. "Tried everything twice - liked it both times"
2. Keep only cheerful friends, as the grouches pull you down (keep this in mind if you are one of the grouches)
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain go idle. An idle mind is the devil's workshop.
4. Enjoy the simple things
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath. If you have a friend who makes you laugh, spend lots and lots of time with them.
6. Tears happen; endure, grieve and move on. The only person who is with us our entire life is ourself. Live while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, pictures, music, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health; if it is good - preserve it, poor - improve it, beyond what you can control - get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, to the country or even the next country. but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell people that you love them at every opportunity.
11. Forgive those who made you cry, you may not get a second chance.

Lost time can never be found - make the most of it!

Random Musings

It's been awhile since we have updated y'all - not necessarily because we are so busy, but more so that we have been distracted.....

So as you may already know, both Robert and I have begun new jobs in the past couple of weeks. Robert got a promotion to Executive Sous Chef at the Grand Hyatt in Buckhead. Two weeks in and he likes it alot, but is working many extended hours. (Hmmm... guess that goes along with the territory) And guess what?! He has his very own 'assigned' parking spot!

And me, back at The Home Depot in the Learning Department. This position is very cool because of the direct contact I have with the field (aka stores). An important lesson learned through out this experience for me is to always be ready for the unexpected. The only thing constant is change.

"Uno-dos-tres-quatro-cinco!" is the latest word from Nathan, one of our three wonderful grandsons. Elijah is cooing and smiling more - and I have received promises of pix really soon! (I just may have to go to Florida to take them;-0)

Brayden, who is now five months old is taking swimming lessons! Is he a fish or just a Hawaiin baby?

Robert's family in Hawaii is fine after the earthquake, but it sure was a scary experience.

We'll be moving in a couple of weeks, and still have LOTS of packing to do...... Any and all offers to help are graciously being accepted! (just joking!)

I am hooked on HGTV and TLC! Yikes!

We had the opportunity to go out with our friends this weekend, and guess what?! That Indian seems to be following us around!



















Did you know that you can get unlimited car (truck) washes for only $29.99 a month?! What a deal! I think we have the cleanest truck in town!

Trader Joe's opened in Atlanta.

There is a family of otters living in the 'lake' in back of the house we are moving into!

We're married and he STILL brings me beautiful flowers!

Anne Taylor Loft has the most fabulous fitting slacks ever! (for the ladies, that is!)

I have stuffed pink flamingos and purple hippos in the trunk of my car. (don't ask!)

The Larry Griffith band is playing at Doc's on November 11th! I promise you will really like these guys!

Oh and BTW - even Chefs like home cookin'!

The Saints are 5 and 2, that's something to cheer about since it hasn't happened in like, forever! (And yes, Robert wears his Reggie Bush jersey every Sunday!)

Did you know that a music stand also doubles as a TV tray?

We're Moving!!!!

Robert and I have really exciting news to share with y'all! We're moving! Not really too far from where we're at, but to a house....... with a LAKE! Now, some may call it an oversized pond - but it is stocked for fishing and one could even swim in it! We'll have two, yes two guest rooms - so come on down!




Front














Back
















Lake

Deck















Family Room - downstairs















Dining Room















Kitchen

A Fabulous Find!

I am so excited I can hardly contain myself. In fact, a man stopped me today in the antique mall and said, you're smiling (mind you I was alone). I replied, "Yup, I just found a phenomenal place to get my camera repaired!"

For those of you who know me, you understand when I say that I am obsessed with 'capturing the moment.' I often stop to offer to take pictures for other people when I see one not able to 'be in the picture' because someone has to take it. They are usually quite appreciative once they realize that I am not trying to 'take' their camera. A couple of our friends have been telling me that I should get into the business of photography and they have a lead or two for me.

So....... that means that I really need to take action to get my camera fixed because it has a pesky couple of marks in every pix that has a light background, such as the sky or a white wall. I let my ESP (Extended Service Plan) lapse (that was $200 for one year), so I took my camera into Wolfe to see if they could fix it. The lady was so very nice and helpful. I showed her prints so that she could see exactly what I was talking about. She immediately said that the camera just needed to be cleaned and gave me the name of the shop to take it to. (the same one that provides the ESP service)

So..... I proceed to Peachtree Camera Repair shop, which btw is right near our place. The guy was so nice and indicated that they could have my camera and both lenses cleaned by 4pm the SAME DAY and that it will only cost $60. Yeah! I am so happy now!

I also mentioned that I have a Nikon N60, but that it probably isn't worth much right now. He told me about a camera show that will be taking place next weekend that I may be able to trade it in for another lense or accessory (I'm also thinking speed light)

He also told me about a group named Women in Focus who is comprised of both professional and amateur photographers. They meet once a month on the second Wednesday at the Emory Conference Center. I plan on attending the meeting this coming week to see what this is all about. If you check out their site, you will find some phenomenal photography. I can clearly see that I have so much to learn from them.

So..... if you have a camera that needs to be cleaned or repaired, check out Peachtree Camera Repair as you can also ship your camera to them. I am going to keep a permanent link on our site just in case you need to stop back.

Now..... off for an exciting weekend with a group of girl friends. I am sure we will have lots of opportunities to 'capture the moment'!

Introducing Mr. & Mrs. Pope......

It's official - we did it! This past Saturday, September 30th turned out to be a fabulous day. Robert (Kenui) and I (Makalani) arrived at the courthouse by 11:30am and by 11:40am Judge Jennifer Frey officially prounounced us husband and wife. It was such a beautiful moment as I looked into Kenui's eyes and professed my love for the man I will spend the rest of my life with.

Our weekend started on Friday with the arrival of our beautiful leis direct from Hawaii, a gift from Kenui's sister Kawehi and her family. The evening continued with dinner at one of our favorite local restaurants, Willie Rae's, then on to Crystal's on the Marietta Square to see Larry Griffith perform with Sal, Jack and Charlie Wooten.

After our ceremony we went to our favorite studio, Portrait Innovations, to capture our memories. You can see here what a fabulous job they do. (And as I mentioned in a previous post - they are very reasonable!)

Our friends Bobby and Cheryl hosted a wonderful dinner for us and some of our close friends in their home. A champagne toast, served in engraved flutes from Bobby and Cheryl started the evening off, followed by fabulous appetizers and dinner. Julie painted an beautiful original for our new home.

Anytime the guys, aka Premonition, are together, they can't resist playing a few tunes and this day was no exception.

Next on the agenda, we went with Bobby & Cheryl and Ryan to Crystal's on the Square to see another of our favorite bands, Totally Savage. And of course, the evening ended with the obligatory Indian picture!



Our suite at the Hyatt was gorgeous. Champagne and chocolate covered strawberries courtesy of the GM Peter made it even more special.



To top the weekend off, we went to the Jazz Brunch at the Renaissance Waverly. Great music, wonderful food and the man of my dreams - who could ask for more?



Thank you to all who helped to make our day special.

The Big Day is right around the corner......

and Robert and I couldn't be happier! The past month has been very interesting to say the least....... Continuing our previous 'Lemons' entry, we took a trip to the Cobb County Courthouse to obtain our marriage license. The very same window that you obtain a marriage license is also the one where 'firearms license' applications are submitted. Shotgun wedding anyone?

Completing the form in and of itself was an entertaining experience. It had two separate columns one for the groom and one for the bride, beginning with the expected full name, date of birth, city & state of birth, mother and father's full name. Here's where it gets interesting..... 'relationship', hmmmm...... what state are we in? You know we couldn't resist the Alabama jokes about marrying. But wait! What is the planned date of the marriage? Hmmmm.... we were very tempted to fill in two separate dates to see if the lady at the counter was on her toes - but she didn't seem very happy to even be there, so we decided to get married on the same day.

Now even you can get a bargain price for a marriage licenses in Georgia! Instead of paying the full price of $51, you can take a Qualified Premarital Education Program with at least six hours of instruction involving marital issues and pay a low, low $16!!! Now, Robert and I decided that if we have made it this far in life, and through three & a half years together with no fights - we can 'afford' to pay the full price.

So, you think this story is almost done? Not quite - the folks at the courthouse manage to make this a memorable experience before we ever get to the 'Big Day'. We ask where we can make an appointment to get married on September 30th, and the nice lady sends us across the way to the third floor judicial courtroom. We ask the lady at the window if we can make an appointment to get married, to which she replies, "Oh honey, you don't need no appointment! We do weddings twice a day at noon and at 6pm, seven days a week. Just get here 30 minutes early and you will be good to go!" Yikes - All I can picture is mass weddings done by the Reverend Moon!

Now.... on to Macy's to 'register'. The sales lady was very sweet, but really didn't acknowledge Robert until the very end of the process. It's almost as if he wasn't there. She would ask me a question, at which point I would turn to Robert to confer and she still didn't 'get it'. Finally - during choosing the pieces to complete our New Wave collection, Robert brings up the topic of presentation. Out of the blue she asks if he is a Chef, to which the obvious reply is yes. Whoaa there! Now this man is credible and worthy of her time. Funny how that works, huh?

• OK, so now we have the license, are registered, hmmmm.... oh yes, we need flowers. For those of you who don't know - Robert is Hawaiin, so we decided to get traditional leis. Robert's sister Kawehi and her family are shipping the leis direct from Flowers For Mama in Hawaii.
• Our pictures will be by Portrait Innovations (see previous post for samples of their work)
  
• We decided to go ultra modern with titanium for our wedding rings. Check out this site for more designs.
  

During a trip to NY shortly after we met, I had a street vendor make this picture for Robert. It says "I always knew I would find you."


So, think of us tomorrow as we join in holy matrimony and live happily ever after......

When life hands you lemons.....

make lemonade!

Last Wednesday started off as any normal work day, but it became evident very quickly that this was no ordinary day. My position was eliminated as The Home Depot continues its' efforts to remain profitable in today's highly competitive market. My initial reaction was that I had just been handed a bushel full of

I called Robert at work, and he decided to come home to help me figure out what the heck we should do with this bunch of lemons. What would happen if we squeezed the lemons?

Of course! You get lemonade! And that's what we did, we decided to take a day that started on a sour note, add sugar and there you go - lemonade. We are getting married!

Cheers! After three and a half years together - we decided to go for it.

And contemplating the future? Well, you never know.... I may just open up a lemonade stand! Seriously folks, this is the beginning of another chapter in my career and I am excited about the possibilities.

We ended the day at Turner Field - it was a good day afterall!

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Today, August 12th is your birthday as well as the Drum Corp International Finals! I love you!

Edit: This just in Mommy! The Cavaliers won!!! (why am I telling you? I'll bet you're there with them!)

Portrait Innovations....

is perhaps one of the greatest finds we have made lately. When I told one of my co-workers about the need to have more portraits taken of the kids and grandsons, she suggested this studio to me. OMG!!! Quality, value and speed all wrapped up in one tidy package.

The portraits came out fabulous, the photographer was very patient with everyone from Brayden who needed a little break, to the adults (potentially me) who want to influence the outcome of the session. Even though the studio recommends bringing several changes of clothing to provide variety, we chose to do the very basic-blue jeans, white tees and bare feet to allow the focus to be on us rather than what we were wearing. (not that there is anything at all wrong with that - it just wasn't our intent with this session) They take on average 65 shots, then explain the process at a station with a huge monitor (which Robert and undoubtedly most guys go crazy over). The pricing is explained in detail and the running total is always visible on the screen (for those who are too shy or embarassed to ask). Once we decided on the package we wanted (8 poses) and a total of 4-10x13, 10-8x10, 32-5x7,4-3.5x5, and 32 wallet PLUS the actual CD - the pictures were printed within 30 minutes. Total price with tax? ~ $140!!!!

Check out this link to get a good idea of 'the flow' of the experience. Portrait Innovations

Here are a couple of examples of their work:



Becca and Noe, me(Sheri) with Noe's son Brayden on lap and Robert (Kenui) and Kawika









Bottom line? I highly recommend this studio for all of your portrait needs!