high surf conditions 12/31

New years eve the north shore saw swells of 20-25 feet. Most breaks were unsurfable and wild. About five seconds after a wave hits the rocks, the breeze mists you with the water still suspended in the air.

Surfing

This is the day Justin and Joey learned to surf.
We were lucky enough to have well known local surf photographer Domi Doliente with us, and these are some of his shots. In case you were wondering if I had taken them in the water with a timer, that my friend, is impossible.

the weary world rejoices

it's christmas. my first christmas in retail. I'll be the first to tell you the world is weary. Maybe we all have this general discomfort, like an itch that haunts us on earth, maybe it shows up more at christmas. People are tired, under pressure and worn out. It's sad, and awkward to be around.
So all month we have been listening to the same christmas songs over and over as we go crazy trying to help ungrateful people buy their meaningless gifts. One song has been sticking in my head more than the others. For some reason it is one of the few "CHRISTian" CHRISTmas songs that we are allowed to play. It's an oldie, O Holy Night.
I guess I like the feeling of freedom that I think it talks about. A weary world gets a break, holiness enters the world and frees us all.
I know I get weariness. This year has been a hard one. Remember I broke 3 of my limbs this year. I have been weary. Now looking at a 9 hour christmas eve shift, I feel a little discouraged.
But there is something about that " new and glorious morn" that I can't get out of my head. It's like here when the sun rises and the sky is clear and the surf is perfect. Who cares what the night before was like, it's a new start.
Call it what you want, clean slate, fresh ping pong paddle, or a break before the third period. Beginnings are freedom, a chance to create, an opportunity for change, and all of a sudden the rules have changed. Before we had this weariness, we had messiness in our head, questions, doubts, insecurities, and shame.
Nope, no more. Beginnings are freedom. Christmas is the beginning, peace was offered to the world. It was so freaking exciting and world changing that the angels had to sing about it.
No longer do we have to have sleepless nights wondering how to save ourselves. Peace on Earth.

We've been here, stuck in this messiness long enough, "long lay the world in sin an error pining"
I'm not sure if your error's are pining...but I think you can agree that the world has sucked for a long time. Our flawedness gets to me sometimes,
"till he appeared and the soul felt it's worth" I think I've got a long way to go in figuring out my souls worth, but even that it's worth something and that God cares about it, changes everything.



"A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new a glorious morn"
"fall on your knees and hear the angels voices"

merry christmas

family time

We have had a really fun week playing as a family here are some of the pictures.

My Family is coming!

I could not be more thrilled that in two days my family will be here! I know this is news to most, and it is to us too. In typical spontanious Haugo fashion a cheap last minute flight has been purchased and Mom, Dad, Justin, and Joey are kissing behind the snow and are headed for the beach. They will all be sleeping in my room and exploring the island for a week. I am so excited to take the boys out surfing and introduce them to my world out here. We will get to celebrate Joey's 10th birthday this week! For his birthday I'm giving him a tan!
So be excited cyber friends for updates from the family vacation!

warm happy times

Here are the thanksgiving pictures
We sat outside of my cousin Eliot's house, tiki torches burning, enjoying the food that we had surprisingly made. I had to take pictures because it really was a rare occasion.