Hawaiian Fire - Team Edward or Team Jacob?

Since the top of the headlines include holiday shopping AND New Moon, I thought I'd add a little bit of estrogen to the mix of HF blogs. Also, Ryan and Kevin will probably be stuck in Denver for a little bit so they won't get the opportunity to give you all a recap of the Chargers v. Denver game. That's what you get for flying standby! What I do know about the game is that a couple of the guys on the Broncos team took a lesson with us during the Pro Bowl and hooked the guys up with tickets. Thanks guys! Come see us in Hawaii where it's 85 degrees now. Burrrr ;)

So really? Edward or Jacob? And to go even further, how many more books do you have to read (or movies do we have to watch) for Bella to finally give into her temptation...of becoming a vampire, that is? The other night I attended an exclusive girls screening of New Moon and I am convinced that in Hawaii, most of the ladies are on Team Jacob. What I also estimate is that the boys are on Team Jacob as well because even if they know nothing about New Moon, they HAVE noticed that the wolf stacked on some muscle. Thirty pounds of muscle to be precise. Even Marc Hino noticed (sorry Marc, but it was nice to hear that your crew at the station watched Twilight as well).

Kevin and I returned from Seattle last week and were going to take a road trip up to Forks and La Push (my idea of course) but the weather was bad, so we ended up just doing the Oregon coast. The weather WAS good enough to see Qwest Field but the Seahawks were out of town so I tagged along to watch Kevin check out the stadium.

Also, a big Kudos out to those people we saw surfing in their wetsuits at Shorty's in Oregon. Now that is some die hard surfing!

I'd also like to give a shout out to Annie and Rollie and their two beautiful daughters, Julia and Jenny, for hooking us up with a place to stay in Portland. It was great to see you! Readers, you have to try their homemade bacon. It's amazing!

Ok, how does this relate to Hawaiian Fire? Well, it doesn't really, but I'll transition from talking about random stuff and New Moon to the more relevant competition and temptations: shopping and Thanksgiving of course!

We don't want anyone getting trampled on during our Black Friday weekend sale, so don't worry, you have this Friday, Saturday & Sunday to score great stuff for your holiday shopping. We're going to have select t-shirts for $5.99 and almost all of the regularly priced merchandise will be discounted as well. Don't forget that Hawaiian Fire Joe coffee makes a great gift AND part of the proceeds go to the Honolulu Firefighter Foundation. Exclusively found at our store at 3318 Campbell Ave.

Hawaiian Fire Surf School will be CLOSED on Thanksgiving Day. Us employees need to take a break to put in our own surfing time so we can make sure the students are getting the freshest lessons around. Thanksgiving Day has historically had great waves here in Hawaii as well, fyi.

Last, but not least, Happy Birthday Carson! He is the son of John and Dale Pregil and Carson just turned 5 years old!

Hawaiian Fire's Aloha Monday-One GiANT Leap for Millerkind

Hawaiian Fire's Aloha Monday- A GIANT Leap For Millerkind

By, Ryan Miller


After two amazing weekends in a row I am ecstatic to say ALOHA MONDAY GANG!! It wasn't a typical weekend for a few members of the Miller family and most of that has to do with the fortunes of the San Diego Super Chargers. As most of you have probably figured out by now the Chargers season is kind of a big deal to Kevin and I. Fortunately we are not the only two lunatics that scream at the television set on Sundays. Our fanaticism is shared with our sister Kim, our oldest brother Chris and his son Nick. The difference is that all of them reside in San Diego so they have the luxury of being surrounded by Charger fans and having the option of watching the gridiron action live at Qualcomm stadium while Kevin, I and yes you too Wisa are in the middle of the Pacific glued to whatever screen will show the game. I guess there have to be some sacrifices for living in paradise right? Well last week was a little different. As some of you may remember back in February we took a few of the New York Giants surfing while they were in town for the Pro Bowl. I made some great friends during those couple days and they kept their word by texting me last minute saying that I had a few tickets with my name on them at the "Will Call Window in Giants Stadium. With my sister giving me hell for backing out of the trip earlier and a roundtrip ticket only $500 round trip non-stop to Jersey, I clicked the "Purchase Ticket" button on Thursday and was boarding a flight bound for the East Coast at 8:30pm on Friday.

My eyes shot open with the sun glaring through the window to my left and the wheels touched down at Newark International Airport on Saturday Morning. It was officially time to put "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z on continuous loop and live it up in the city that never sleeps that is New York...well technically New Jersey but you get the idea. Our good friend Eloina Gullicksen which some of you may recall are our yearly visiting Ohana was kind enough to give me a lift from the airport and it was off to the hotel to roust the other Miller's that were already sound asleep from their 5:30am arrival. You're rarely getting out of the door before 2:00pm with Nick and Chris horizontal (I can't talk I inherited the same sleeping habits) so at the crack of 3:30 we hopped in the rental car and made the quick trek to NYC to have a tourist's walk around town sporting our lightning bolts and catching glares from New Yorkers like you wouldn't believe. We stood at the base of the New Years Eve Ball and wandered around the heart of Times' Square with our jaws agape and our eyes focused up at the skyscrapers that the city is famous for. We must have walked a good 5 or 10 miles that night. Most of which was spent hunting for some good food fueled by our indecisiveness and mission to find the SD Chargers party being held at MJ Armstrong's on 1st Ave and 20th street. Finally we found some traditional NY style pizza had few adult beverages and also had a chance to check out the ice rink at Rockefeller Center and even take the elevator ride to the "Top of the Rock" for a birds eye view of the Empire State Building and the entire Big Apple. Words can hardly describe the energy that permeates through this entire city. With this being my first trip to the East Coast I was in perpetual shock and awe to actually be in the place that I have only seen in movies and T.V. my entire life.

From the Glamorous part of New York we took the famous subway system over to the Bronx to check out Yankee Stadium. Did they play in the new stadium this year Kim? (HAHA!) Rocking our Powder Blues on the train was an adventure in itself but with smile on our faces and in a tight huddle we made our way to the ball park and had a few drinks at the local sports bar/bowling alley directly across from the old stadium. With some sights seen and some beers drank we jumped back underground Manhattan Bound towards MJ Armstrong's for this Chargers party with 200+ SD fans sporting the bolts on their shoulders. We even managed to come across a powder blue lightning bolt painted mural style on a police station right at the end of our walk! Too see that at in NY and at a Police Station was a trip and I'm not sure what the story is behind it but all we saw was Blue and Gold so if somebody has an answer on that let me know! We arrived to what felt like a sardine can full of San Diegans doing what we do best....Staying Classy. Sd was "Kind of a Big Deal" that weekend and we let everyone on the streets know by busting out a bit of the "San Diego....Supppah Chargers!!" Ok....time for me to take a breath or I will start typing the entire song. After scouting out our spot it took some teamwork to make it to the bartender with hundreds of people stretching their arms out like they were reaching for the ball like Vincent Jackson caught in the GAME WINNING drive to take down the Giants. Despite the crowd everyone was in good spirits and we are all ready for the big game the following afternoon.

Kim, Kim (Chris's girlfriend) Nick, Chris and I made it to the parking lot for some good old fashioned tailgating action prior to the game. We got hooked up with Eloina's family who religiously attend Giant games every Sunday and they were nice enough to accommodate us even with all of us prominently displaying our Charger pride. We all relaxed ate some great food and fended off the various trash talkers who were not too fond of the powder blue colors on their home turf. It was amazing how many Charger fans there really were but you knew you were in Giants Stadium especially walking through the turn styles amongst a mob of New Yorkers. I can't blame them though because we would be doing the same thing if we were back in San Diego. Although these days despite the efforts of the team there always seems to be more visiting fans that home fans at the Q which is quite ridiculous! Come on San Diego your killing me! So after a stop at the Coors Light wagon we made our way to our seats. Thanks again Dave Diehl even if you aren't reading this we all appreciate the hook up! The game was one that none of us will ever forget. It was up and down the whole way through and came down to the very last second. After a late interception thrown by Rivers the game looked all but over until our Defense held "Big Blue" to a field goal. That gave Phillip Rivers his chance to take the field and lead the team 80 yards down the field via Antonio Gates, Darren Sproles and culminating in a near perfect route by Vincent Jackson that put the Chargers ahead by one point! With a few seconds left Shawne Merriman sealed the deal with a sack of Eli Manning and I don't think I remember ever screaming that loud in my life. To have flown all that way and to come out on top with a W was one of the greatest moments to share with my family amongst all the angry and disappointed Giant fans. The only word to describe it was Glorious!!

About 30 minutes had passed as Kim Nick and I soaked up the moment and we finally made out way out of the stadium. I'm tempted to tell the story of how a certain article of clothing or lack thereof worn by me at the end of the game got me into a little bit of trouble but if you want to know the story you will have to ask me personally to get the full effect. Lets just say that the New York Giants security staff doesn't look to kindly upon beachwear that some might find more revealing than a normal pair of boardshorts...Use your imagination of give me a buzz, I'm more than happy to share! After that ordeal and still with a luminescent glow of victory we all had a meal at a local Jersey Bar met some interesting locals who were quite friendly and then it was back to Honolulu for me the next morning at 5:30am...well actually I bumped my flight one more day so I could take in a little more of New York city. I couldn't come all that way and not see the Statue of Liberty, Central Park and all the good stuff so for a couple extra bucks I had a nice extra day to wander the city with a local of Brooklyn and check out some really cool sites. I couldn't get over how diverse everything is and how surreal it felt to actually be in New York it was truly breathtaking. I think I can safely say that I fell in love a little bit with the city and will most definitely be back very soon.

For the Miller's it was a weekend that we will never forget. Sometimes you just have to grab yourself and go do something spontaneous and really live life. To me life is a bit too short to be conservative all the time and making the decision last minute to visit the Big Apple was worth it in every aspect possible. I'm stoked I got to spend time with some family, watch the Chargers win and experience my first taste of the East Coast. As much as did enjoy the defeat of the Giants I do owe all of this to the boys who hooked up with tickets. Without that last minute text the chances are pretty good I would have been watching the game on TV. So one more HUGE MAHALO to Eli Manning, Sean O'hara, and Dave Diehl for making last weekend possible for us Millers. All of us at Hawaiian Fire hope to see you guys back out in the water sometime very soon. I say the NFL players boycott the Pro Bowl being held in Miami this year and come out to Hawaii. Well bring some footballs to the beach and make our own game down there along with some surfing. Doesn't sound like too bad of an idea to me! Mahalo everyone and anyone who still takes the time to read these and I hope you all got a sample of what we all were fortunate to experience in NYC. I know we don't pump these out every single Monday like clockwork but we do our best to keep them interesting and get them out as much as possible. Aloha Monday...(.well ya its Tuesday but whatever) to all of our extended Hawaiian Fire Ohana and keep an eye out for dangerously High Boltage throughout the remainder of the season!! Aloha everybody and GO CHARGERS!!!

Hawaiian Fire Inc - Happy Hallowballo 2009

Happy Hallowballo 2009 : By Ryan Miller

Aloha and Happy Halloween! Hopefully everybody out there had a great Halloween in Hawaii and everywhere else around the country. Always one of the most fun Holidays for children, Halloween has become more and more celebrated by adults every year. This year was no exception and if you have never witnessed this Holiday in Hawaii then you are missing out! There are normally two huge celebrations that are well known on Oahu, one takes place on the streets of Waikiki and the other stretched out amongst several blocks of the Downtown Honolulu District. Waikiki is always a blast but following suit from last years great time, myself along with a group of friends made the trek to Nu'uanu Ave for the first annual Hallowbaloo for a great night. With Kevin at the firestation and Wisa still with a bun in the oven it was up my friends and I to celebrate the night and that we did!

Last year Jason and I took a page from Saturday Night Live and dressed as some pretty funny characters.

The reaction was so good that I knew we had to top it. The costume hunt started early but

as usual came down to the wire but nonetheless both of us came up with some great ideas. Jason went as Sasha Baron Cohen's Ali G and I came up with Ace Ventura Pet Detective. I have for years always had a knack for memorizing funny movie lines and Halloween was

a chance to finally put some of them to use. I managed to score an appointment with a friend that works close to my other hotel job and she managed to get my mop into a perfect replica of Ace Venturas doo. The thing was rock solid and was pretty much the best part of the costume. So with the Doo done, and Jason Ali G'd up along side with Jimi Hendrix, Pocahontas, Fred Flinstone, a Misfit, and Awesome Man our crew made our way downtown for the Block Party.

After an interesting ride in the back of a friends truck we took to the streets of Downtown Honolulu. This block party was unreal! There were numerous stages with live music, people milling about everywhere in Hilarious costumes, drinks on the streets and clubs bumping great tunes. From 7:00 until 10:30 the block party went off and there was such a positive vibe in the

air it was amazing. Everyone was there to have a good time and there wasn't a touch of hostility in the air. We started out as one crew and throughout the night wandering the streets. The second we got there the character set in and Ryan was no more. My eyebrow was perpetually raised and Ace Ventura was

there to p

arty! We took pictures with all sorts of costumes from the Smurfs, to Towlie from Southpark and even an encounter with Dog the Bounty Hunter that night. I had to bust out a few "Bumble Bee Tuna" lines and of course I had to talk out of my ass a few times right? If you ha

ven't seen Ace Ventura then sorry you won't understand that one! You should do yourself a favor and check it out and get a few laughs. Slowly the streets started to thin out and the crowds made their way into the various clubs that were open until 2am. Our entire crew made it to 39 Hotel for the rest of the evening for perfect end to a fantastic night.

39 Hotel sits directly in between the very well known Bar 35 and Next Door. The more low key and mellow of the trio, this place boasts a modest dance floor and indoor bar as well as an outside lanai that can hold about the same number of people that it holds inside.

Everybody we showed up with made to the club and we all danced the night away until the lights flicked on and they said, "You don't have to go home but you gotta get the hell outta here!." We all slowly started to file out of the club and back onto the streets where from there it was brief stop and an underground after hours spot and then to the long cab ride home. Finally the end of the night had come and everybody had some unforgettable times and smiles on their faces. We all couldn't have been more stoked with how the night turned out and there are already thoughts about costumes for next years Halloween. Happy Halloween again to everyone out there and from everyone here at Hawaiian Fire we wish you Happy Holidays ahead and yes it is coming soon....Mele Kalikimaka!! Aloha for now!

Hawaiian Fire Inc. - Hello Mada, Hello Fada, Everyone Welcome the New Yamada

Aloha Monday Gang!

We are back after a wonderful Chargers win yesterday and marching right towards Halloween this weekend. I swear that we were just writing the Halloween Blog just the other day. Time just seems to keep accelerating as each year goes by so I guess we just need to keep making the most out of every day. Many things have changed since last October and most of those changes have been for the best. The most obvious change has been with the Hawaiian Fire Retail shop and online store fueled by the dynamic duo of who are now Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Mill

er who are still hard at work to keep pumping out new styles everyday. The mos

t recent change took place two weeks ago in the form a of new member of the Hawaiian Fire Ohana. Everyone say aloha to Chiyoka! This beautiful baby girl was born to Asako and Kazu Yamada here in Hawaii with no complications and is now all settled into her new home her new Mom and Dad.

For those of you that don't know Kazu, he is the core of our Japanese operatio

ns here at Hawaiian Fire. Being that half of our surf school is taught in Japanese we have always had a need for fluent speaker and Kazu had been there to fill that need for the past few years. Kazu Yamada is originally from Fuji City in Shizuoka Japan and made his way to Hawaii via an English instruction program. For some people, Hawaii gets into the soul immediately and Kazu was undoubtedly one of those people. He fell in love with the island and with surfing in the first few months while he was here and quickly made his way into the Hawaiian Fire office speaking almost no English. Before we knew it his infectious smile was a staple not only down at Barber's Point but also at my past bachelor pad as he became my new roommate and over time became a great friend. Kazu and I had some great times in that house and helped each other in many ways. I helped him with English (More than just the swear words he knew alread

y), he helped me with my Japanese and I e

ven had the chance to visit him while he was back home in Japan. My first trip to Bali included a few days in Japan and it just so happened that Kazu was home visiting family and I was lucky enough to have him as a tour guide through Tokyo, Chiba, Shizuoka, and Yokohama. (I wish I had some pictures to share with you but unfortunately I lost them when my old computer broke down...I just cried a little right there) It was an amazing experience that I will never forget and I even had a chance to meet his High School Sweetheart and futu

re Wife Asako.

Asako made her way to Hawaii about a year ago and since then has become Mrs. Yamada and after settling into their new nest adjacent to Hawaiian Fire is now Mother to Chiyoka Yamada. This beautiful baby girl was born to the new Mom and Dad with no complications and is happy, healthy, and crying often. As if Kazu's smile was not radiant enough it now seems to be non stop for both of them. Being parent for the first time has to be a nerveracking experience but the rewards last a lifetime. It now seems the nerves have subsided a

nd Kazu and Asako have rapidly made the transition to parenthood and are very excited to Chiyoka which means "Eternal Flower" in their life. All of us feel fortunate to know Kazu and Asako and have an unending amount of Love for both of them and their new little girl. I'm sure that we will be seeing her on a surfboard very very soon and those of you taking lessons in the future will see her ripping the waves up shortly at Barber's Point.

So I hope all of you can give a big Aloha to Chiyoka and welcome her to our Ohana. For now another week has started in paradise and we are looking forward to a great Halloween once again. Now I just need to think of a hilarious costume that can hold a candle to brilliant one from last year! Aloha Monday for now from the entire HF Crew and make sure to watch the Bolts take on the Raiders next Monday night!!

Aloha Monday - Not After That Loss....

Aloha Gang....After another devastating Chargers loss the creative juices have been halted. Besides, Kevin and Wisa's Wedding deserves to be front and center for a bit longer right? Aloha to everyone and we will be back very soon. Aloha for now from everyone at Hawaiian Fire.

Hawaiian Fire's Aloha Monday - Kevin and Wisa's Wedding in Wine Country

Kevin and Wisa's Wedding in Wine Country

Aloha gang! It took some time but all good things do and Kevin and Wisa's wedding was much more than just a good thing to say the least! We finally got together all of the images from that wonderful weekend and here we are after a short hiatus to share it with everyone. I will do my best not to ramble and get everything together in this short blog but it will be hard to do justice to the magic that went down in Northern California during the weekend of September 26th. It has been some time since all six of us Miller kids have been together and there couldn't have been a better occasion than this one to bring not just our immediate family but our now extended Arquette relatives, some of our Hawaiian Ohana as well as some close friends from the past together for a storybook celebration that will never be forgotten by anyone in attendance. The weather was perfect, the location was elegant yet far from ostentatious, the Champagne, wine and yes Coors Light was flowing and most importantly there was an unending amount of LOVE surrounding the Cline Winery thanks to the unbelievable people that were witness to the union between Mr. and Mrs. Kevin and Wisa Miller.

I can't speak for the bride or her friends but prior to the wedding us Miller's along with some of my good High School buddies and one of Kev's first friends in Hawaii took part in a bachelor party that was far from the conventional debauchery and strip bars. Kev decided that he would rather have his Mother at his bachelor party as well as his other immediate family members. Being from San Diego we of course root for the Padres and have seen AT&T park on TV numerous times. This weekend the Padres were not in town but the San Francisco Giants were taking on the Chicago Cubs so we all got together and checked out the ball park first hand. It's a unreal park and was quite reminiscent of Petco Park in San Diego. Taking a page from Chris Miller's book I landed 12 tickets for $10.00 a piece and we all got in with no problem and enjoyed the game from the right field bleachers overlooking the famous McCovey Bay where many of Hall of Famer Barry Bonds Home Runs and splashed down. To actually be there instead of watching on T.V. was pretty surreal but was much better than looking up on stage throwing dollar bills at a dancer that's for sure. Plus I don't think Sunny Miller would have appreciated the Strip Bars.
Following the game we stopped for a bit at an adjacent Bar/Restaurant and wound the night down at the Fisherman's Wharf Sheraton where most of the Wedding Party resided prior to the ceremony. After all the Rocky Mountain refreshment, the stomach pangs were setting in so naturally being in California we took advantage of the available In 'n Out Burger available just blocks from our hotel and spent the next couple hours catching up with family and enjoying the bliss that is the never frozen Double Double...My mouth is watering just typing that. If you have never experienced a Double Double then I suggest you make a trip to California very very soon.
Friday was soon upon us and the entire party had arrived in San Francisco. Our time in the city was over and it was then off to Petaluma just across the Golden Gate bridge and about a 40 minute drive into Wine Country. The wedding was to be held on Saturday afternoon but before that, Kevin and Wisa decided to have a pre-ceremony mixer at "La Dolce Vida". Keeping with the casual lifestyle in Hawaii, this was to be a very mellow and relaxing atmosphere as opposed to the strict formal layout of many unions. Instead of a rehearsal (since there wasn't much to rehearse) everyone invited to the wedding was asked to attend the precursor even at this quaint yet classy restaurant for some light Pupu's and of course fine wine. Getting to this mixer was an adventure to say the least. The majority of the party had arrived with no problem but the Griswold Mobile (Cheryl's SUV) seemed as if we were trying to find Wally World. Numerous missed turns and stressed Miller's later we all arrived and enjoyed some great music, good food and refreshing drinks. It was a perfect prelude to what was to be a magnificent day ahead.
Finally the day was upon us. September 26th, 2009 had arrived after much anticipation spanning from the 1st day in January when Kevin proposed to Wisa after the stroke of Midnight. The ceremony was to be started at 3:45pm in the afternoon but due to some navigation issues most of the party arrived shortly after that time. Again in true Griswold form, most of us drove about 10 miles in the complete wrong direction before being pointed in the right direction towards Cline Cellars. I blame the Sheraton for faulty directions as I don't think all of us could possibly be that inept at navigation. Nevertheless, we all arrived before Wisa walked down the aisle and before the Jazz band begun "Here Comes the Bride", so all was in place for the ceremony to go off without a hitch.
The entire wedding party had finally come together and it seemed that everyone was in awe of the location. Nestled right in the middle of wine country the Cline Winery boasted a very modest sized yet extremely tasteful decor. As you walked in through the entrance you were immediately on what would be the dance floor with the dinner tables set up to the left and the only indoor portion of the ceremony straight ahead. What looked like a small chapel was constructed of adobe and inside held the wedding cake with the miniature plastic Kevin and Wisa on top as well as the guest book along with a digital photo frame scrolling through various pictures of Kevin and Wisa's life prior to meeting. With everyone signed in and a slight glaze of perspiration from the warm country sun, we all took our seats as Kevin took the altar and watched his beautiful bride walk down the aisle towards their life together on a new branch of the Miller Family Tree. There weren't too many dry eyes that afternoon as one could see the LOVE in both Kevin and Wisa as they said their vows to one another. With a very brief and to the point exchange the two were pronounced Husband and Wife as they walked arm and arm back down the aisle towards what was about to be an amazingly fun and unforgettable celebration. Slowly everyone said their congratulations to the couple and made their way to the assigned tables to begin the feasting and toasting prior to hitting the dancefloor for the remainder of the night. I personally had planned to say something but had never intended on starting off the dinner with a full fledged toast and more or less assuming the role of Emcee that evening. About 20 minutes prior to dinner the wedding planner who would later bust out the sprinkler on the dancefloor came to me with the news that I was to be the one to start things off. She reminded me that I was going get things rolling and there was no pressure but "You have to be funny, a little serious, and good!" The good news was that everyone in attendance were friends or family so if I crashed and burned they would still love me right? So with a pen and a notebook I feverishly scratched down as many thoughts as I could conjure up in hopes that I would be able to piece everything together and pull out some laughs and maybe a few tears along the way. As the Mic came my way I could feel my pulse rising but luckily everything settled down and worked out for the best. I was able to say much of what I wanted to get out of my heart and even got each of the Miller's to say something. If you don't know the Miller family then just know that to get each of them to speak into a mic in front of 50 people is no easy task. The Mic was passed around the floor and everyone that wanted to speak spoke and things continued rolling along as smooth as silk.
With some delicious organic fruits, vegetables and an array of other delicious foods we all ate, drank (Not just wine but yes Coors Light...long story short us Millers are not huge wine connoisseurs so after about 6 verification emails the winery finally ordered our requested 10 cases of Coors Light at a winery. You stay classy San Diego!!), smiled and laughed until it was time for the Bride and Groom's first dance to the very appropriate song by the infamous artist formerly known as Prince's "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World". Kevin had a dance with Mom, Wisa had a dance with her Pops and then DJ Dave let it loose on the turntables for a night of great music and ass shaking. The bouquet was tossed, the garter was thrown (And caught by me...yikes) and one by one and drink by drink the ties loosened and the heels came of as each of us hit the floor at some point in the night. I can't speak for everyone but the most classic part of the night was Sunny Miller (A.K.A. Mom, A.K.A. the most amazing woman on the planet) was pulled onto the floor by yours truly and broke it down like you wouldn't believe. We all knew Mom loved dancing but until that night we thought she just kept it at home with the Big Bird Shuffle. Maybe it was the wine but between her dance with Kevin and I, that girl kept up and showed some serious rhythm for a Midwest girl! I don't remember the last time I smiled that far from ear to ear for so long. As I watch the video (Oh yes there was video) I have that same smile. I'll post the video somewhere but it takes about eight years to upload to this blog. This truly was a night to remember with all Miller siblings in attendance as well as all of our closest friends and family sharing dances, congratulations, drinks and most importantly Love with one another.
Finally the last dance was upon us and it couldn't have materialized in any better way. Each and every person came to the center of the winery and formed a circle around the entire dance floor. With each of us interlocked like a closed circuit you could feel the emotion and love coursing through the veins of everyone there. There have been many weddings in many parts of the world and call me bias but I can't imagine one more perfect than the Miller/Arquette wedding that went down on September 26th, 2009. I think that all in attendance felt very fortunate to be a part of something so special and to be in the presence of so many great individuals. I'm sure by now all of you may have noticed my repetitive use of the word LOVE throughout this blog. The reason for that is because it is THE most important part of this world and this life we all share together. During the course of that weekend the kind of Love that fuels us humans was in abundance. Some of us....strike that all of us lose sight of what life is about at times. With countless distractions, responsibilities, and pressures that follow us through each and every day it is very very easy to forget what is important. Each family has issues and all friends have issues at some point in life. What we all need to remember is that life is unbelievably short and whatever issues are at hand can be dealt with in some way or another. I know that I am guilty as anyone for avoiding real issues at hand because it is much easier to run from pain than to face it head on. Without going on a long diatribe of what everyone should do...I just want to get the point across that Love does conquer all and we need to express that Love with the ones that we care about before it is too late...OK Phew sorry had to get that out.
I hope I haven't bored all of you with the extensive wording but I really did try to make this as concise yet descriptive as possible so each of your whether in attendance or not could get a small glimpse of that weekend. Kevin and Wisa want to thank each and every person that was able to make the trip across the ocean, state or country to witness their union. Planning a wedding like this is no easy task especially while trying to run a business simultaneously. A lot of hard work, effort along with a fair amount of stress went into this ceremony and every bit of it paid off that weekend. So with the wedding in the books, Mr. and Mrs. Kevin and Wisa Miller an official married couple we now move in life as we always do. Next in line will be the newest addition to the family in the form of Kev and Wisa's baby girl. Any of you that weren't able to make it to the wedding are more than welcomed to volunteer for baby sitting and diaper duty when that time comes! So with apologies for the delay in the Wedding edition of Aloha Monday (Blame it on me) we say aloha to everyone from Kevin and Wisa and as always the entire HF Crew! If the pictures included aren't enough for you then give us a shout and there will surely be a online album elsewhere to view the entire stock of photographic evidence. Until next week....Aloha Monday!!!

Hawaiian Fire's Aloha Monday - Wedding to Remember

Aloha Monday everybody! I'm sure you were all anticipating the Kevin & Wisa Wedding edition of Aloha Monday but unfortunately you will all have to wait just one more week. We all had an amazing time that nobody will forget especially the newlyweds. After the big weekend I need to make sure to get all the pictures in and everything in place so you can all have an idea of what it was like that night...not to mention recover from the jetlag and excessive tasting of wine. Stay tuned next week for all the detail and pictures from Sonoma gang! Take care we hope all is well and as usual Aloha and Mahalo from the entire HF Crew!!!