I’m sitting on one of our cool orange armchairs, watching Dave play my new Mission Impossible game for the PS2, and blogging on my very own, brand new, slightly used laptop! That’s right folks, I got a laptop for Christmas! It’s a sweet black IBM ThinkPad that Mom and Dad got for me on eBay. I’ve been wanting my own computer for a while, but I never actually thought I’d get one! Everyone was leading me to believe I’d be getting an iPod. I didn’t really want one (I am fine with CDs anyway), but since I thought I was getting one, I started to get excited about it. Tara had brought my laptop, and she told me it was her new one. She let me install a few of my games and some programs and stuff onto it, and she let me use it while Mom was on hers. I had no idea it was actually mine!

So Christmas morning, we opened our presents with me expecting an iPod. Well, turns out they made me look under my matress for my final present, and I was like, “Ooh, iPod!” but then it was really heavy, and it turned out to be “Tara’s” computer. Yay! Now Mom’s all gung-ho about me uninstalling every single thing of mine from her computer, but I can’t find the Sims2 disc, so it’ll take me a while. But anyway…

I also got some other stuff for Christmas, including a really cool ferret stuffed animal (which happens to look quite a bit like Lady), Mission Impossible and Dragon Ball Z Budokai 2 for PS2, Sims2 University (which I actually bought for myself for $14 but Mom wouldn’t let me install on her computer for now obvious reasons), Because of Winn Dixie, fuzzy pajamas, The Wizard of Oz, a small lucky cat bank, Sharpie markers, and a very helpful Spanish chart.

We went to Barber’s Point yesterday after church and present opening, and Dave and I got in the water. There were a lot of waves, but they were terrible for boogie-boarding because there were too many and they didn’t have any power. There were also rocks all along the bottom that gave Dave and me quite a few knee scrapes and stubbed toes. We ended up just floating in the water until the waves pushed us to shore and getting out and reading. Well, actually Dave was doing Sudoku puzzles from a book I got him for Christmas. He was engrossed for the whole of yesterday, and he was up to seven completed last time I checked. I find that amazing, because I wouldn’t have the patience for something that tedious and math-related. What a whiz!

We’re going on a sunset dinner cruise tonight, so I’ll have to let you know about that. Looks like it’s going to be on a pretty big boat, so it’ll be fun, hopefully.

I’ve been eating Christmas food and cookies like crazy, and everyone has been telling me how fat I’m going to get, but I obviously don’t give a care. I’ll watch what I eat later, but right now I’m on vacation and I don’t care! I love cookies and turkey and fudge and cranberry sauce and all the other Christmas food. Yay Christmas food!

This is turning out to be a really, really long blog, but that’s okay! I’ve got a lot to say. But I have to get ready to go to the Dole Plantation, so I guess I’ll update later. Merry Christmas!

I found out I have G-hands. In otherwords, when I blow a certain way (with my hands cupped and thumbs slightly apart), it comes out in the note G. Whee!

We spent today just hanging out and playing cards and stuff. Tara, Mom, and Dave were going to go to the Arizona Memorial, but Dave got sick, so we decided to stay home. It was a really good day, actually. We did exactly what I love to do- stay home, play cards, get on the internet, and play PS2. Tomorrow we’re going to the Hale Koa to stay for two nights, and then we’re going to hike Diamond Head, so I won’t be on the internet during that time period. If I don’t get to say so before the 25th, Merry Christmas!

Ladies and gentlemen, one hour until touchdown!

(Not feeling my creative-est tonight.)

Homeschooling has helped me discover quite a few things about myself. First of all, I am generally not a motivated person when it comes to school. Second of all, there are rare times that I am very motivated, and want to do as much school as I possibly can. This afternoon was one of those times. I have no idea why, but I just wanted to spend the whole day on school. Which brings me to the third thing I learned; my motivation doesn’t last very long. It evaporated within a few hours, and left me wondering what in the world had posessed me.

Hey, I saw the pigs again today. I actually saw their whole bodies this time! They’re dark brown and about the size of a beagle. I’m going to find out what they are when I find the motivation.

Lately I’ve been stuck in this rut of blah-ness. Yesterday, I was in a terrible mood until last night, and I’m at a loss for what caused it. Today I was in a better mood, if only because I had a better attitude about school. Hehe, I actually got a 95% on my math test, something I haven’t done since the beginning of the school year.

Can’t wait until Dave, Melissa, and Tara come! It’s only about 49 and 1/2 hours away!

We have pigs in our backyard. Yup, a couple of brown pigs were nosing around in the bushes behind a fence beside the sidewalk in our backyard. I was doing school in my room when Mom ran in and was like, “Leah, come here, quick!” So I dumped my stuff from my lap onto the foot of the bed and hurried into Mom and Dad’s room to see whatever it was she wanted me to see. We listened, and there was some rustling and grunting from outside, and a few minutes later, a snout popped out of the bushes and then disappeared again. Pigs in Hawaii… who knew?

Yesterday was Pearl Harbor Rememberance Day. At around 7:00 A.M. these really loud jets flew all over the island in tribute to the peope who died that day. I was asleep then, of course, so I had no idea why the planes were flying so low. It really didn’t occur to me what day it was until Mom said something as she was watching the news. There were all these tributes and ceremonies going on. Pretty neat.

Yesterday I discovered that I don’t like pork chops. Or mustard sauce. Yep.