Aotearoa August 2007

Just got back from an awesome awesome trip to New Zealand. I could very well have stayed there. for serious. Anyways one of the main reasons we went was to see family. And here folks .. are my family ! Me, my sister Cindy, I am holding my nephew Logan and Cindy is holding Hudson. Two brothers who are terrors ! but you can't help but love them to death. They belong to my younger sister Tia.

Mum and my brothers and sisters and me ! From the back L-R: Matthew, Clayde, Mum, Roni-marie, Cindy, Me, Tia

L-R Ryan and Cindy, Boyo and Tia

All the girls from back L-R : Me, Tia-Moana, Api-kara, Christine, Tiana, Jay-lee, Tia, Roni-marie, Mum holding Keriana, Cindy

L-R: Chrissy, Tiana, Me, baby Keriana, Api-Kara

Tia and Boyo, parents of 7 of the kids.

I love this random pic ! Tia-Moana

My brother Clayde and two of his nephews, Logan and Hudson

L-R: my sister Tia, my brother Matthew, Tia's husband Boyo

All the hippolites ! from the back L-R: Tiana and Api (sisters, Roni's kids), Christine, Beau, Tia-Moana, Jay-lee, Hudson, Logan (all brothers and sisters, Tia's kids, missing baby keriana)

Gorgeous Jay-lee

Strutting her stuff: Tia-Moana

Doing the Haka, Hudson - he is so loveable !

My brother Clayde trying to hold down our nephews: Logan and Hudson

Chrissy and Logan

Me soaking wet at the Japanese Gardens

Clayde and baby Keriana

My baby brother Matt, he's so white, he's a gangsta wannabe.

Tia-Moana, Me, Jaylee

Tia-Moana, Keriana, Matt, Api
Beau

Chrissy
Keriana and Clayde
Our Welcome Home Breakfast ! by my brother Claydes wife and kids. L-R Sherylann, Shandon, Shaniqua, Taneesha, Clayde, Pina, Greg (Pina's cousin)

Hmmm I could post more and more photos .. we have 20 films ! haha .. these will do.

I'm on vacation in New Zealand

So will leave you this until I get back !

What a rocking night!

And a great excuse to show some hot pics of myself - I kid I kid.

Last night myself and some family dolled ourselves up to go have a great night out on the town. We saw Scribe a local New Zealander Rapper - I know that the few of you who read this blog won't know who he is. But let me say - He was raw, He was sexy, He hip hopped the joint out ! and even the all in brawl that happened behind us wasn't a problem - because the pushing and shoving moved us to the front of the stage ! Actually that was because there were a few guys there that were actually looking out for the girls and moved in around us to protect us from the male testosterone going on around.

I had a really good time.

We then went clubbing - my arm this morning is a menagerie of stamps from the joints we crawled our way through. Although it is not my scene, I had a really good time.

If I were Elvis

30 years ago today Elvis passed away. It's a time to reflect. If Elvis and I had a son or daughter, they might look something like this.



Fun huh, saw it on a friends blog. Next time I'll use a picture without earrings.

Now if Keanu Reeves and I had a son. He might look like this.

I'm thinking Michelle Rodriguez

http://www.myheritage.com

Apparently these are the top celebrities I look most alike .. cough .. Michelle Rodriguez came in last. I'm thinking if ANY of them she'd be the one. They need some maori looking celebrities, to make up for my flat nose.

Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977),

Don't Cry Daddy - Elvis Presley featuring Lisa Marie Presley.

It's Elvis' 30th death year anniversary this coming Thursday.

30 years after his death and the popularity of the man has not twained. How does that happen ? It seems that Elvis Week, where they commemorate this event just keeps getting bigger and better. Will people ever stop remembering/reminiscing. Surely those who were there when he started are starting to go by the wayside.

I guess I should be able to answer those questions myself. I am a big fan of the King. Yet he died when I was relatively young. I can remember sitting on my dads knee watching the Elvis in Hawaii special. That was a great memory of our whole family together enjoying ourselves. I can remember waking up to my dad belting out elvis songs. I can just imagine what it would have been like if we had a playstation with singstar back in those days, my dad would 'own' it. I can remember falling asleep listening to Elvis records on the record player. I am a big fan because my dad taught me to love Elvis. He could do "If I Can Dream" - like nobody's business ! .. to this day that song gives me the goose bumps.

I think it is my job to instill in my nieces and nephews the greatness of Elvis. The way my father did for me.

Skuna Quay

I knew this fella once. He used to board with my sister, in the house that I live at now, I took over his room when he left. He went and got married and this band is a production from that marriage. It is him and his wife doing vocals and instruments. I'm kinda supposing they also did the video, pretty good for a home production dontcha think. I like it.

I just found them on myspace. Here is their page. Go and check out some more of their stuff.

Amazing Grace

What a beatiful soulful song. I always thought this song was about religion. Today my own eyes were opened. This song goes past religion. It's spiritual beyond comprehension. I learned today the history of the song and the man who wrote it. And how this man and this song inspired another man to change the way that slavery was viewed in the entire British Empire. Go see the movie "Amazing Grace" - William Wilburforce one man can change the world.

John Newton (1725-1807)
Stanza 6 anon.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

Uninspired, Unmotivated, un un

I'm feeling very un-everything right now. But for some reason found this old old email in my in-box .. and so because I am so imaginative .. am gonna paste it . . as it was answered back then .. see if i've changed my opinions much ... I first got this email 7/03/2001 (btw that's 7th March)

okay like i was really really bored so i had to do this.. SORRY!!!! erm i am sorry..
1) name & nicknames: trudy, middy, twiggy, truds, midster, midds, miss kina, dork, idiot.. blah blah
2) birthday: too young to remember at the time.. too old to tell you now..
3) where do u live: brisbane, australia
4) School: highschool , KINGSTON!! and rochedale, primary schools, FAVONA!!, eagleby, mabel park and BERRINBA!!
5) Hobbies: ermm.. aahh.. internet?
6) eye color: Green/hazel
7) height: 5'7 ish
8) shoe size: 7 - 7.5
9) fave color: purple!! i love you prince and donny osmond
10) fave song: anything by britney spears.. shes my idol !!! :) go britney go britney (dont even think i'm telling the truth or ill slap ya upside the head)
11) fave book: the one i havent read yet
12) fave vacation spot: anywhere out of Australia, heck hamilton NZ even looks good
13) Absolute one best friend: hmm dont have one... dang i dont have any friends.. DANG.. lemme go and cry
14) best friend of the opposite sex: well now u are really rubbing it in...
15) Boyfriend or girlfriend: dont understand the question.
16) Person you would love to go out with: hrmm.. if i thought i had a ghost of a chance... keanu reeves.. if i dont have a ghost of a chance ANYONE!!!
17) Things you like in the opposite sex: green eyes.. white teeth.. lotsa money. flash car. big house.. not married. no kids. lotsa time. and shares in microsoft.. wake up..
18) Are you an inny or an outty? none of ya dang business
19) Most romantic thing a person has ever said or done to you: okay when i was bout 9 at primary school.. i wanted this guys gum.. and he took it outta his mouth and gave it to me.
20) Funniest or most desperate thing you've ever done to get the attention
of the opposite sex: i smiled at someone once
21) Close friends: here we go with the friends!! thing.. tell ya what.. if i sent ya this .. Can you be my friend!??
22) best quality in a friend: like me for me.. not because i hang with leonardo..
23) Fondest memory of you & friends: ahh i enjoyed the days when my friends and i used to take off for the weekend.. to some beach.. ONCE we even went to a drive-in drove straight down to byron bay, and slept on the side of this cliff to go fishing in the morning.
24) Scariest thing that's ever happened: almost drowned.. in a river.. in rotorua.. while boogie boarding down some rapids.. OH rolled my dads car.. that was scary.. then there was this time out boogie boarding.. and a huge wave came and i couldnt duck dive. and it was curling.. so i went straight over it.. and somehow made it.. cause it was HUGE!!
25) fave animal: tattoo.. my dog.. we sold him with the house to a bunch of vegetarians.. blah..
26) fave food: cheeeeese cake
27) fave place to eat: anywhere thats not dirty
28) food you hate: oh ive never tried it.. but it looks nasty... that butak or whatever it is from phillipines.. boiled baby ducks.. ewwww so grose
29) wierdest food that you like: hrmm okay this is embarassing but i just LOVE peanut butter and banana.. lOvE it.. on bread of course
30) dumbest thing you've ever done: quit university
31) the 1 person that knows the most about you: he knows who he is
32) fave movies: matrix
33) last movie you saw at the theater: chocolat
34) if you could kill anyone in the world and get away with it, who would it be?: hitler
35) Nicest thing someones ever done for you: i got roses out of the blue. that was nice
36) what color is your tooth brush?: whitey, greeney, bluey
37) fave quote: I do
39) One thing you wish you could tell the whole world: its OKAY!
41) Thing you want to be remembered for: being alive
42) personality type: O negative..
43) fave music group: powderfinger
44) pets: 4 goldfish. i gave to my sister to look after. named, carmen, david, maiki and matthew
45) fave holiday: all
45b) least fave: the one i cant afford
46) fave season: dunno, we have summer summer summer and summer
47) fave activity in the summer: getting so sunburnt i look like a lobster
48) fave winter activity: sucking MILO with marshmallows, up through a Tim Tam biscuit
49) what do you wanna be when you grow up: 25
50) funniest person you know: Heavenly Father for giving me this face and body
51) favorite conversation topic: now that would be gossiping
52) fave sport: loveee watching tennis
53) fave magazines: MAD
54) fave toothpaste: is this question really necessary..
55) fave gum: hubba bubba
56) fave candy: cherry ripe
57) fave stores: Jacqueline E
58) fave thing to wear to school: used to be my Leg Warmers haha even in summer..
59) fave thing to sleep in: classified
60) biggest fear: bank balance
61) fave inside joke: hahahahahhahahh.. oh man you really had to be there.. sorry
62) fave girl's names: sheryl-ann, shaniqua, shandon, taneisha, tiana, api-kara, chrissy, tia-moana, jay-lee (ps all my nieces)
63) fave boys names: clayde, matthew, beau (ps my younger bro, baby bro and nephew)
67) things you're picked on most about: my driving
68) best thing about the person you got this from: man she ROCKS
69) fave words: I DO
70) thing you say waaay too much: DANG
71) fave ice cream flavor: OH i had hokey pokey, cherry ripe and oreo the other day that was fattening and yummy!
72) fave drink: water, coke, coke and coke
74) one place you want to go (youve never been there): heaven
75) time&date: 07/03/2001 - thats 7th of march for the backward americans
76) what did you do today: went to work. came home. and wrote this
77) have you ever kissed someone while chewing gum: noooo.. uh uh.. nope
78) what college do you want to go to: none, done enough school for a life time
79) person you admire most: hard question
80) thing you most regret: not picking the right numbers in the last $14mill . powerball lotto
81) number of pairs of shoes you own: 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12.......... okay this is embarassing
82) favorite piece of jewlery you own: my mum and dads wedding ring
83) your theme song: fat bottom girls they make the rocking world go round ..
84) if you were a nail polish color what would you be and why: purple and i cannot divulge why.. its just a thing between me and purple
85) if a movie was made about your life, what would it be called: Dang, girl
86) what color is your room: well u see im moving this weekend back to my sisters.. AND!!! maybe i can paint it PURPLE!!
87) size of your bed: Queen
88) last time you showered: this morning
89) what's the weather like: beautiful one day , perfect the next.. oh its overcast right now though
90) last show you watched: 90210 at like midnight!! haha.. couldnt believe it was on!
91) where is your computer: in between the kitchen bench and the dinner table
92) color socks you're wearing: none
93) silliest thing you've ever said: no i wont marry you.... (thats the silliest!! but not the dumbest, cause i still wouldnt marry him)
94) fave smily face: :=)
95) last thing you said: nooooo i dont know where cindy is
96) last thing you had to drink: water .. NO JOKE. im for reals!
97) thing you actually want to be doing now: anything but this
98) are you democrat or republican: not a citizen so dont have to vote.
99) do you ever go out without wearing undergarments: excuse me???? oh my hanna!!! (in the words of jewels)
100) who do you have a crush on??: i plead the 5th!