Lika’s Log

My oldest sister lives in Maryland and works in the Washington DC area. She came to Phoenix for her annual “cast people” convention. She’s a cast lady, da lady dat puts cast on peoples broken bones la dat.

So we are taking her around being tourist right. Wrong. We just stay going shopping, shopping and moe shopping. Our family (4 sistas, my 1 bruh maki) get da same disease I tell you, shopaholics anonymos.

Yesterday we INTENDED to go to Sedona, AZ. Act highmakamuck tourist. But first we had to go put gas in Anthem, AZ. Anthem once upon a time was just an Outlet Mall but in the past years its become a full blown suburb of Phoenix (I-17 North). Anthem has a new Supercenter WalMart. So guess where we went?

We went do super WalMarting anden we went to da outlet mall anden we went back to WalMart before going home. So much for the tourist business in Sedona. We never did reach Sedona.

Today the idea was we go to the Heard Museum. But we didn’t go there first we went to the bookstore first. So we went to Bookman’s anden Cost Plus World Market. I don’t know if Hawaii has Cost Plus but its like Pier 1 Imports but its cheaper and has more stuff; it has some food, wine and furniture, and a whole lot more dishes & cooking utensils and stuff. Cost Plus World Market is like a WalMartish Pier 1 Imports.

By the time we pau dose two stores its pass lunch time so gotta go eat. Anden gotta go WalMart get wrapping paper and tape to MAIL all da “treasures” that was bought. Afta WalMart we go into da Mall and surprisingly go to only 2 stores. Da one wit da Arizona stuff and the pet store go look at all da puppies. They had 2 cute fat English bulldog puppies wit da wrinkly smash face, was sooooo cute. But I digress…….hehehehe

Sista even bought dog biscuits! I was like you no moe one dog and dey no moe dog biscuits in MD? She’s like its for my friends dog and I haven’t seen this kine doggie snacks.

Needless to say we never made it to the Heard Museum. My sister is so proud that she’s been to 4 different Super WalMarts. Like they don’t all look da same. *L* Tomorrow is her last day here and she flys out early Sunday morning.

We haven’t planned anything for tomorrow but I’m thinking it starts with “W”!*L*

I love da 3 Stooges. They always make me laugh. I call me kids, MY 3 Stooges. They always make me laugh. Especially when they are all together. Now they live in 3 different states and its rare for all three to be together. Christmas is the one time we all make the effort to meet at Grandma’s House in Oklahoma.

When da kids was little I use to force them to watch 3 Stooges. They use to say, “Mom thats so lame.” Then they would be laughing and accuse each other of acting la dat. How can you not appreciate that humor.

Watching 3 Stooges when you are sick in bed is the best medicine. 3 Stooges thereapy. No prescription needed and its free on TV. Or you can buy it on video or DVD and always have it ready.

I use to make my kids listen to the classic rock station too. Like they had a choice, I’m da Mom. The rule is whoever is driving has control of da Tunes (radio). LOL They were taters. It use to make them nuts and I would remind them ~ you lucky your Dad ain’t driving. You rather have classic rock oldies or country western? I rest my case. *L*

Now that da kids are grown I think they appreciate the little & big things WE made them do. They crack me up when they start talking about “rememba da time…..” Alot of times the kids can just say one word and they all start laughing. Nobody has to tell the story cause that one word just says it all. Alot of it I get cause I was there. Then there are somethings that its just between them.

Like somebody would say “2 Dollars!” And we would all crack up. Two dollars, is a line from the movie BETTER OFF DEAD (I think), the paperboy trying to collect his $2. Anden when da kids use to ask me for money all I would have in my wallet is $2, and I would givem’ to dem. They would yell $2. So when they went off to college or wherever, I use to send them stuff in da mail (and I still didn’t have $) but I would always include $2 and stamps. Now that they make more money then me, if they send me something in the mail they include $5 with a note keep the change.

I think all families have their own family humor. Stories and things that always make them laugh regardless of how many times its mentioned.

My #2 is my clone. Accept she’s smarter, prettier & makes moe money. *L* People mistake us for one another sometimes.

In high school when I use to go to the football or basketball games; I would hear people yelling at me “Star, Star!” I wouldn’t answer, I knew I just left her at home still yet getting ready waiting for her friends. My son would be like ‘mom they’re calling you Star.’ I’m like I know, I have tell her I think she got fat. *L* Then when I’d see her at the game I would tell her that. She would tell me, “Mom thats my shirt you have on!” Oh.

#2 is a PhD Candidate at Oklahoma University in Norman, OK. Go Sooners. She’s going to be Dr. O! As of December ‘05 she is PhD, ABD. All But Dissertation. She has a year to defend her thesis. Whatever it is. *L*

Last year a man walked up to Star and said I know you. She said no you don’t. He insisted yes he does. Finally she told him, I bet you’re thinking of my mom & dad and she told him who her parents were. He was like that who I thought you were, you’re that little girl?

I have one baby picture of me. Everybody especially the kids insist thats Star. Its kind of a carbon copy, but if you look at the stroller I’m sitting in. Hello, its very dated. LOL I have my Ewa School class pictures from 1st grade-7th grade. When Star looked at it she said she just has to look for somebody who looks like her.

When I look at Star I don’t see her as looking like me. I see her as looking like her. She wears makeup, she fixes her hair real nice nice, Miss very put together. Me I’m da Tita version yeah, my hair style is wash & go. My idea of putting on makeup is lip gloss. LOL And what I wear is what I wear, TitaSheek. LOL

I am really proud of #2, she’s has worked hard to get where she is and I believe its due to that good work ethic. Our family calls Star’s PhD. the family PhD because she always calls to brainstorm ideas. She calls all of us and asks opinions and ideas about different topics she has to write or research on. Use to be in HS the kids would ask for ideas and everybody in da house would be making up stuff and giving ideas, making jokes and bringing up questions. Those use to be our brainstorming sessions and da fam still does it now; only its via da phone or email.

She is the first Doctorate candidate in all our families. You know I think if I had direction when I was growing up, I coulda woulda shoulda. Not. Would I do all that writing. Maybe. *L*

A few weeks ago my oldest daughter and I were playing phone tag. She called me first, I called her, she couldn’t talk, will call back. I called when I didn’t get a call back. She’ll call me back in a hour. So she did and we talked about everything and anything. Then I finally asked so why did you call in the first place. She said “oh yeah I meant to tell you I think I’m going to get married.” I said and when do you think that will happen. She said ‘oh when I get a ring, then maybe next Spring.’

I told her shouldn’t this prospective groom talk to her Dad/family first. She says, oh yeah Interogation/Breakfast meeting Saturday 9am.

My kids are funny. I forget sometimes its cause I raised them. Duh? *L* My daughter will be 32 next month. It amazes me that I have kids that old. I always tell them - God you guys got old, I’m still the same. LOL I mean I seen then from the second they were born….where has time gone yeah? When dey babies you can’t wait till they go school, when the go school you can’t wait till they are outta da house. I raised very independent children. They lived to get outta da house and now that they are grown they always say; God I’m glad we don’t live with you guys. I know da feeling. LOL

My oldest daughter was/is the good baby. Didn’t cry for nothing, she was really easy going. Very calm and logic and smart. She has like a photographic memory, scary sometimes. I think she got dat from my Fahdah, dey remember everything and no fo’get notting kine. Oh yeah.

Anyway my daughter is ready to get married and make babies. She’s always wanted to do it in order. I didn’t even do it in order. When she was little she use to ask how come she didn’t come to our wedding. I said trust me you were there. It wasn’t till she was older that she figured it out. Her birthday is July 73 our anniversary is March 73. Wow - talk about decades. Thats how I remember how long I’ve been married, I just remember how old my daughter is.

So if things go accordingly there should be a wedding in May or June 06. I told her no April because I’m suppose to go home for my class reunion. First she was thinking she wanted “chocalate” as one of the colors. A dark brown/maroonish satin? Now she’s thinking “celery” light green. Whatever. She wants a simple, elegant, fun wedding. The wedding will be in Oklahoma.

She’s still debating if she will take his name. The trend she says is to keep your maiden name. Long time ago I never knew you could, I thought it was the law; its just tradition.

Should she decide to take his name; she will be Mrs. Spotted Horsechief. Serious Indian name huh! He’s a Pawnee.

I only have one son. My BabyBoy is my #1 son. He has two older sistas who call him BoBoy. Every local family has a “Boboy” yeah.

My kids are mainland raised. So my daugtas use to tink ‘BoBoy’ was a cute original name. I explained to them not in Hawaii. But they really didn’t believe me. Until one time we went vacation Las Vegas and was hanging out in da California Hotel. The kids were all in the arcade and we were ready to leave. Of course my son was like hypnotized watching other boys playing the games. We were walking away from the arcade and my son wasn’t with us. I told da girls to get their bruhdah, so of course dey yelled “Boboy!” About six boys turned around. We juss cracked up laughing as my son was running towards us.

BoBoy is now a struggling college student, working at WalMart. He came to visit for a few days. His classmate, who use to live next door to us was also in town so he was over too. I’m amazed at these little boys who are now men. Every now and then my son reminds me in his Barry White voice, “MOM I’m a man’s man.” Woteva, son. My baby boy, small baby time was considered a “failure to thrive”. He was not growing at the ‘normal’ rate according to the growth chart. But today he is 6 feet, 210 lbs.

There’s some stupid things we have always done since he was little. One of those things is sparring. It started with wrestling small time and it progress into KungFu. LOL We use to always watch KungFu movies and he was always fasinated with martial arts. When he was five or six he would be constantly doing karate stances and what look like katas. People would always ask, “oh does he take karate?” I would say ‘no he watches KungFu movies.’ *L*

Another stupid thing we do is wen we pass each other in the hallway is we kinda elbow each other or try to nudge one another outta the way. Since we’ve had an “empty nest” for a couple of years now I’ve kinda of forgotten about these things. So when my son passed me in the hall yesterday and nudged me it reminded me of the stupid things we do. I threw my shoulder into him and then stepped back in ‘fighting stance’.

We were acting all like “I’m gonna kick your ass”. He knows I always go for the crotch and he’s got it down where he will not let Mom get him. So he blocks my kicks, but he drops his hands so I slappem’ in da head. Then I was telling him you betta watch out, ‘I do TaeBo.’ He says, right Mom and at the same time we both started to do the same TaeBo moves. We were cracking up. He use to do my AdvTaeBo tape too, for warmup before he go to weekend football practice. It was hilarious.

One time when he was in high school I was so pissed off and venting. He was egging me on too because he knew I was so steaming mad, but not at him. So he walks really close next to me and is telling me crap right in me ear. I’m telling him he betta shuddup but he didn’t. I snapped my arm straight down and my punch got him square in da groin/testicles area, I pulled my punch and he didn’t get hurt, but you could here da slap. He jumped back so fast shock and he started yelling “you hit me, you won’t have any grandchildren.” I was like, “fine and I ain’t babysitting either.”

Its a Mom & son bonding thing, our sparring. We always end of cracking up. Small keed time use to be wrestling and we would tag the girls. The girls would be “I don’t wanna play” but their Dad would do the headlock on them and they would scream “Boboy” and they would tag him. The girls would be scolding us, “we’re trying to do homework here” we would all stop and look at each other for a minute then next thing you know they would be pounding on their Dad.

Its rare for all five of us to be together. I think now more then ever we appreciate our “bonding”. *L*