Race for the Cure, Portland 2011

Last month, I volunteered for the Race for the Cure event in Portland, OR.  And in honor of my loved ones who lost their battle with cancer, I decided to do a Giveaway to help promote awareness. Volunteering for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure event was so much fun:D

My sister (left) and I checked in at 6:30 am.  Boy was that early.  Wheeew:) They gave us our volunteer shirts and then we were off to get my sister checked in as a race participant.  She's so awesome!  She volunteered AND did the race.

I loved seeing all these pink grapefruit drinks and pink bottles of water!

I left the tent my sister and I were volunteering in so I can see her off for the race.  After a shirt change and meeting up with her little group, they were off!  

After the race started, I stuck around to take a couple more pictures and ended up running into cousin Dominique with her parens and friend Heather:)  So we chatted for a second and then they were off again!

My cousin Shaina (middle) sent me this pic above after I got back to the volunteer tent.  Her and her sister Jenee and my sister just so happen to bump into each other.  Crazy huh?!  Thousands upon thousands of people and they still find each other.  I love that!

It was AMAZING to see the people fill up the streets of more than 8 city blocks.  AMAZING I tell you!

 There were so many people there:)

Lots and lots of PINK!!!

I went back to the Survivor City Cafe tent after the race started so I could do some more volunteering.  I met so many survivors there.  Some came with family, some of which were surviving with them and some were there with friends.  One of the survivors I met had been a survivor for 20 years!!!  10 years from her first bout with breast cancer and 10 from her second.  Talking with a lot of them, you start to become more and more grateful and humble with life.  Their stories can be very sobering.  These women in the pink shirts were all survivors:)

This man was there walking in honor of his mother surviving!  His shirt was pretty funny:D

When the race ended my cousins Shaina and Jenee came back to the Survivor City Cafe tent to do some more volunteering:)  Yay!  We love people who donate of their time.

The whole experience was a joy.  I enjoyed meeting new people and giving of my time.  It was a real blessing:)  If you ever get the chance to attend a Komen Race for the Cure event, I suggest you do it, whether it's participating in the race or volunteering.  

Let's hope that soon there will be a cure and that we will only be racing for the finish line in celebration for a cure found.  

Please go to these links and order Breast Cancer Awareness products, make a donation or "like" and share them on your facebook page, google+, twitter, etc.  Let's promote awareness and find a cure!!!

http://ww5.komen.org/

http://www.ford.com/warriorsinpink/

http://www.yoplait.com/

http://www.yoplait.com/

Deep-Fried Oreos and Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream....yummm!!!

  Tonight we made deep-fried and homemade vanilla ice cream for the first time.  It was quite delicious.  I love when ice cream has that really coarse grainy texture.  The oreos were really simple to make but I have no idea what went into making the ice cream.  My aunty Rosie was in charge of that :)

We got the idea for making deep-fried oreos from a trip that our family took to the coast this summer.  Yes, we know deep-fried oreos have been around for years.  It was just the idea of making them at home that we got from our trip to the coast.

Our family had rented a house for the weekend at the beach and it was literally steps away from the sand and ocean.  It was so beautiful and the weather all weekend was AMAAAZING.  It was a wonderful time spent with aunts, uncles, cousins, sisters, brothers, etc.

On our last day there, we spent the day walking up and down the strip with all these cute little shops and restaurants.  We've been there many times before but never all together at one time:-)  Anyway, there was a little spot that had lots of deep-fried yumminess.

 I got the oreos.

My husband got the funnel cake.

One of my uncles got the snickers

And this silly uncle got the elephant ear.  

Apparently I didn't get a photo of the deep-fried twinkie:-(

                                                                 

It took us a couple of weeks to getting around to making these wonderfully deliciously bad for you treats at home but we finally did it!!!  Yay!!!  Here are some pictures from tonights experiment and I put the ridiculously easy recipe down below.  I'll try and get the ice cream recipe from my aunt and post it later. 

 

These ones were reduced fat.  Not that it would make a difference because they go into a pot of hot oil:-/

We used the chocolate creme oreos too.  OMG!!!  Yummy on a new stinkin' level, especially if you're a HUGE chocolate fan.  This homemade vanilla ice cream?!?!?!...........BA-NA-NAS!!!

Nothing like a plate full of regular and chocolate creme oreos.  Uber delightful :-)

Deep-Fried Oreo Recipe

1 pkg of your favorite Oreo flavored cookies

(you can choose from original, reduced fat, chocolate creme, peanut butter, mint, and a couple of others.  Lots of choices!)

Pancake Mix or Waffle Mix

(Either one will do)

Cooking Oil

(Canola seems to work best.  I think vegetable oil burns easier but it's really whatever you prefer to use.)

Confectioners Sugar

(Feel free to use your favorite brand.  I personally think powdered sugar is powdered sugar)

Now that you've got all your ingredients, it's time to get started on this tasty journey.  You ready?  There's nothin' to it:-)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a pan/pot or deep fryer.

2. Mix pancake or waffle mix according to the package instructions.

3. Dip the oreos in the pancake/waffle batter.  Make sure it's totally covered.

4. Drop the batter covered oreos into the hot oil using a fork and deep fry until it's golden brown.

5. Take them out and set them on a plate lined with a paper towel to soak up any excess oil.

6. Let them cool for about 2-3 minutes and then dust them with some confectioner's sugar.

Last:

Pop 'em in your mouth and enjooooy:-)  Bon Apetit!!!

                     

Fading Memories:(

LIOLIO FA'AI'U

I can't believe my grandmother Liolio Fa'ai'u has been gone now for 11 years.  I just saw this picture and thought to myself, gosh, I haven't thought about you in so long:(

The truth is, I feel like I'm starting to not be able to remember things about her.  The memories that I have of my grandmother feel like they are just slipping away.  I can remember playing with her really loose skin on her hands or on her chin, but I can't remember the way it felt between my fingers.  I remember when she'd get upset with me and say "sheeshee" but I can hardly remember what her voice sounded like.  The more I think about some of those fading memories, the more I feel like I'm just a bad granddaughter and the more I feel like I never truly loved her because if I did, I would NEVER forget ANYTHING about her.

Am I the only one that goes through this?  Is there anyone else that has or is experiencing this?  How do you deal with the sad emotions that are attached to the thought of fading memories of someone that you've loved so much in life?

I so miss her.  Family life has not been the same since she passed.  All of us have our own lives to take care of and since she's been gone, there is no one to bring us back together again.  Bills, work, and life just snuck right in and sat in her chair.  It's literally been years since we've all been together under one roof reunited and catching up, laughing, crackin' jokes and having morning and evening worship.

This I know for sure, all the memories that I have of my grandmother could fade away.  What I will never forget is that she loved me and I loved her.  I might forget how she loved, but I will never forget how MUCH.

I love this song:)  I <3 Coldplay!

The Beautiful Woman

So, I've been thinking a lot about what makes a woman beautiful.  The one reoccurring thought in my mind is this...

I love women who are strong enough to stand on their own and men who are humble enough to let her show the world her strength.  Just sayin'.  I think BEAUTIFUL women are STRONG women and GREAT men are HUMBLE men.  You think??? I do.  I'm just sharing my thoughts:)

The words above were my thoughts that I decided to share on facebook as my status.  There is just something so beautiful and amazing when I see women, especially single women rock their INDEPENDENCE!  

I was single throughout my 20's and didn't get married until I was one month shy of turning 30.  Let me tell you, I had a blast during those years.  I believe during those years, it's an amazing time to really grow in yourself and you really discover who you are.  The things you truly believe in, the truth about your life and your ideas that your willing to fight and stand your ground for.   

Look, I'm not saying that being single is the way to go or that it's much more enjoyable than dating.  NO!  I'm married now and it is a BEAUTIFUL thing.  I wouldn't have my life any other way right now.  I'm just saying, enjoy being single WHILE you're single.  If you're not single, enjoy and love yourself anyway.  Either way, know your worth and don't offer financing.  You don't want to run the risk of having to be the repo-man and go looking to re-posses and recover your happiness.  Depend on no one to bring you your life's happiness.  I don't mean men, I mean NO ONE!!!   

Use this time to grow and feed your strengths.  Exercise your mind and make it STRONG!  There's BEAUTY in your OWN strength!!! And remember, when you find that strength, all the glory goes back to God.

Who am I?

I am a strong woman.  I rocked it on my OWN until I got married.  Loving codependency.  It's a beautiful thing when it's right!!!