Ketchup!

Its been awhile...its time to play catch-up from the last 2 weeks!
The night I made my last blog post, we received a surprise ding-dong ditch with these lovely beauties:

We are suspicious of Miss Erika Dick and her....er...creative abilities. But her boyfriend, Travis, had a much nicer result. I ESPECIALLY LOVE the "HP Vs. Voldy" scene that he successfully pulled off (please note the pixie-stick wands!).

This definitely cheered me up after being sick in bed with a cold all day and missing out on gingerbread/graham cracker houses!

The following weekend was the Nutcracker Ballet, one of Adam's Christmas gifts to me. It was sooooo good. There was so much talent. The dancing was amazing and the symphony was flawless. We also enjoyed a nice dinner at Chili's and dessert at Red Mango, a new favorite frozen yogurt shop.

The 22nd was Keola and Phil's reception, which was lots of fun! I took some photos of the couple before the reception, and here is a sneak preview:

A snapshot of cutting the cake:

 The next day was the beautiful wedding day at the Kona Temple on the Big Island.

That day we drove back to Adam's Dad's house and spent the night with Dad Harrison, Teresa, her son Isami, Adam's sister Noelani and her husband Sam, and their kids Gabe and Lydia. We opened Christmas presents with them the next morning, Christmas Eve day. We had to catch our flight back home at 1 pm. However, Adam and Sam ended up catching the stomach flu or something, and were sick all morning. Poor Adam, having to fly in the plane one hour after...welll....yeah, not good. Thank goodness he was feeling well enough to open Christmas presents on Christmas Day!

 

 

We moved our mattress out to the living room so we could sleep under the tree Christmas Eve. Please note all the leftover wrapping paper and boxes....yeah, we got spoiled this year...

It was so perfect because Adam got me a tripod for my camera, and my dad got me a remote control for my camera, so that's how we were able to take this shot with no one else around!

On our way up to Adam's mom's house for a Christmas with the fam, the North Shore waves were GINORMOUS (like this post). The roads were packed with cars and surfers and tourists and innocent bystanders galore. Of course they look tiny captured on a camera, but if anyone knows Shark's Cove, they know this is a wee bit abnormal.

Waimea, too:

 

and, favorite accidental shot of the day

Photography Blog

Stayed home from church today. Feeling very sick. Runny nose, sore throat, slight fever. So, I updated my photography blog with some quick shots I took over the weekend around our apartment buildings.
Here's a preview:

Portrait of a Chair

and Building G

UPE

Last week Adam got inducted into Upsilon Pi Epsilon- the one and only honor society for the computing and information disciplines! He had to be in the top 35% of his class and have at least a 3.0 GPA. His Dad, Teresa, Grandma and Boyfriend (cute!), and mom came to watch the ceremony. He got a nice certificate and even a little medallion. I'm so proud of him! He is such a hard worker: in school, in work, at home, at church, in his family. I'm very blessed to have him as my husband. Here are some pictures:

  

MARSH Day

So...for those of you who don't know what MARSH day is (previously known as MARSSH day), its a special day that falls on the 2nd of every month. My first MARSH day was April 2nd, the first 2nd of the month after Adam and I started dating. We spent the whole day together - we both skipped all our classes and traveled around the island taking pictures, sharing secrets, playing models, and falling in love. Adam provided the name - Meghan Adam Rose Sione Seely Harrison (our full names alternated, but now that I'm married we eliminate the first S).

Lately our MARSH days have been a bit limited, as school is very busy. However, this last Marsh day, I came home to little post it notes for me to find around the house.

Also, Adam surprised me with an early Christmas present- tickets to see the Nutcracker Ballet! I am so excited; we are going December 18th. It will be a nice treat after  the stress of finals.

Speaking of treats, I found a fun recipe that I made for Adam for Marsh day. To explain, the other day Adam and I opened our refrigerator to discover one of those huge, Costco sized tubs of cream cheese that we did NOT purchase. We both asked each other, "where did THAT come from?" For a minute there it was really weird (did someone stumble into the wrong apartment with a tub of Cream Cheese?) but then we realized it was probably left here from the bridal shower. So I went searching for recipes with cream cheese in them so we could somehow make a dent in the thing. And this is what I found! As if chocolate chip cookies weren't bad (good) enough, let's add some cream cheese filling to them.

This is how Adam and I continue our courtship throughout our (3 month long) marriage! Much love and aloha!

Visiting Teaching

Since I am new in the ward, and since I just got my visiting teaching assignment, and since Thanksgiving was this last weekend, and since I had tons of cake mix and colorful frosting left-over from the bridal show and since it was the second to last day of the month......Yesterday was FILLED with Visiting Teaching. It was so much fun! I got to meet my companion for the first time - she is from New Zealand and is just a doll. I am going to enjoy teaching with her. One of the sisters we teach is my neighbor, and she is from China. I loved being in her home yesterday and hearing her tell these FUNNY, funny stories about her Chinese/American Thanksgiving adventures this weekend. The other sister we teach is just "chill" - epitome of Hawaii. She is so relaxed and kind. I am so excited to get to know all of these girls better.

So, I let my dearest husband help me decorate the cake I gave to my visiting teachees. Here's how it turned out:

I never really gained a testimony of Visiting teaching until I was out of the house and on my own. I know that Visiting Teaching is a divine calling, and that it is a blessing to all who are involved with it. To me, it truly is living by a celestial law- if performed faithfully. If I know I can count on another sister to help me when I am in need, to be a true friend to me, to check up on me monthly, to serve me and love me....And If I know I can be that to someone else, if they will allow me to help them, allow me to be blessed by blessing them...then we are at a higher level of living, one that is above the "natural man" tendencies, and in line with the way I know we will live in Heaven. Visiting Teaching can be a power and a strength in your life - or in someone else's life. I pray the sisters in our church will never deprive another of that power because their own lives were "too busy."

Anyway, the first time I went out to do my visiting teaching, I came back and found out Adam had folded and put away ALL the laundry. The second time, I came back and found out Adam had washed ALL the dirty dishes in the sink. He kissed me and said, "Thanks for fulfilling your calling." I'm grateful for his service to me so I could serve others! After all that hard work, he was tired!

Recent-est Art Projects

Experimenting with sunrays:

The joys of my screen door and the sun shining in:

Our new "Christmas Corner"