{Aloha} from Heritage Home :)

Aloha friends and family!! For those of you that did not hear, I planned, stressed, organized, screamed, made a million phone calls, stressed some more, shopped, begged, cooked and almost died over planning the most amazing luau for my residents this past weekend. It was so amazing, that I wish you all could have been there. You would have been proud, really. 

{The set-up in the Heritage Home parking lot}


{Toni came over on her lunch break. :) }

 I was determined to have my luau outside. Everyone doubted it would work out, and my boss kept making bad weather jokes. Meany! For a back-up plan, I reserved the Fine Art's building across the street, but I knew with A LOT of faith and prayer, I would be able to have this party outside. I prayed and prayed for over 2-weeks that the weather would be good, and with more than luck, it was! It couldn't have been more beautiful and warm. {Especially because the following evening it was raining!!} Mother Nature really helped me out this past weekend, along with the Big Man upstairs. :)

{Even decorated the trash can!}

 There was over 60 people in attendance and with my great organization and decoration skills, it went off without a hit. I was able to borrow decorations from a previous activity in Hurricane and my sweet Bishop brought over all the tables and chairs just for the night. My girlfriend Sam and friend Cody came over a few hours early and helped me set up all the tables and decorations. The parking lot looked so great...!! After decorating, I had an hour to run home and shower and throw on some Hawaiian attire. I made it back by 5:30, and the luau began at 6...!! When I showed-up, my boss, Sam, had decided he better cut the lawn and do a little gardening before everyone showed-up. What a man... doing everything at the last minute. I walk-up to him and he says, "Kristina, this looks so awesome! I pulled up and was like... WOAH! What's going on?" We both laughed. He said that he had been loving watching people drive-by cause they'd just stare in awe. He also mentioned that the men from the car-shop next door asked if we were having a prom in the parking lot. I just started laughing. While I was standing there thinking of the last minute touches, Sam was planting some flowers in a planter; he then said, "I feel like we're on a deadline... like on the Home Makeover Show, when we have like 30 minutes before the family show's up." I said, "Try feeling like that ALL day..!!"

{the residents and their families}

{The girls helped me serve all the food}

The menu was made up of : Kalua Pork and {not teryaki chicken but...} Katsu Chicken [thanks to Honolulu Grill for getting my order wrong... ], tons of sticky rice [thanks to Sally Iremia], way too much yummy, Hawaiian style macaroni salad [thanks to a late night at Heritage Home with Thalia ;) ], a sweet green salad [compliments of Jenn], Hawaiian rolls and for dessert, pineapple sherbet with fresh, shredded coconut. It was all so yummy and we had so much extra food. It was ridiculous!!

{so, so fun!!}

{loved the entertainment!!}

 

 

 

For the evening entertainment, I was honored to have the Polynesian Club from the HHS come over and perform. It was incredible!! Sally was the MC for the show and her girls did an awesome job (along with Dani)! It was like a mini Polynesian Cultural Center performance. They would say the greeting for each island before they would do the dance(s) from that particular island put together. It was just flat out beautiful. I wanted to cry I was so happy {so were my residents, their guest and my boss..!!} However, I didn't cry because I didn't want to ruin my 3 minute make-up job..!! I'm not going to lie, before the show, the entertainment was the thing I was most nervous for, however, it turned out to be the best part of the whole night. I was more than thrilled..!!

{Thalia... we're awesome best friends. :)}

{Tierra just happened to be down for the weekend :) }

The night was amazing. I was so happy and my stress level considerably decreased after it was over [of course] and I saw how happy people were. It turned out better than I could have ever planned. A huge thanks to my girls at Heritage Home for all their help coming early, serving food, staying late, cleaning up, and being such a great support team! It wouldn't have been possible without any of you. Thalia, thank you for always being there at the drop of a text...{morning or night} when I need it the most, you were there, thanks! Cody, you are freaking amazing! Thank you for all your hard work working with the PCC and all your help and support planning and putting on this luau. It was fabulous, I wish you all could have been there. Until my next post, Aloha! :)