15 Things I didn't know about my husband until I married him.

1. He was once a wrestler...and his stage name was STAN DA HAMMER. I think if I was with him back then I would have been on the floor laughing the entire time.
2. He owned two dogs. One name Brownie and one named Banana. I still can't stop laughing at the names he choose.
3. When he was 5 years old he burnt down his Aunty Kalo's house, and blamed it on the neighbor who smoked.
4. He never played football in high school. He walked onto a College football field, got a full ride scholarship then got drafted to Tampa Bay Buccaneers and also played for The Green Bay Packers.
5. He LOVES sushi just as much as I do... and knowing this make me LOVE him a million times more.
6. He doesn't have a middle name.
7. He loves OLD music... and I'm talking OOOOOLLLLLDDDD school....
8. He holds a few track and field records for University of Arizona and Sacramento JC.
9. He is an early bird and I am a night owl. He changes the clocks around the house on the weekends so I think its 10 am when it really is only 6.
10. He is a neat freak. Even when we stay in a hotel he will make the bed and put all the trash in one bag to get it ready for the maid.
12. He was once my neighbor and lived downstairs from me for over a year.... never asked me out till I moved to Seattle.
13. He is a great cook.
14. His favorite love movie is Somewhere In Time.
15. Out of all the sports he has played, his #1 love is SURFING.










Look at that face.... does that look like a face of a little boy who would burn down his Aunty's house and blame it on the neighbor.... YES IT DOES!!!


Some of his Aunties at our wedding. I'm a chicken and I guess if I had to I would lie too if I burnt down any of their homes.

Gavin Grazer - Headshots, Los Angeles California

On my way to Costco we made a quick stop at our friend Gavin's home. He has a few big projects coming up and needed some update headshots. Gavin is one of my husbands closest friends. He is practically family to us. We love hanging out with him, his wife Jana and son Jack who is a splitting image of him. Not only is Gavin a loving husband and father but he is also an Actor, Director, Writer and Producer. Check out some of the work he has done HERE. Also watch the video below of him and Jana. The both had a part in the movie Slipstream. Love the two of them!!

Coming to Oahu one day early... Puts a HUGE smile on my face.

Just a quick note. I'll be coming a day early to Oahu....... so I'll be there from Oct 8-16th. As of now I only have 4 spots left for shoots on Saturday the 9th and one spot on Sunday Oct 10th. Then I'm officially on vacation mode. I only plan on working a few days and taking the rest of the week off to enjoy some much needed vacation time with the family. Email me at Mapu@MapuanaPhoto.com if you want to schedule a shoot.

Weddings

The other day I met up with a wonderful Bride and her sister. As I drove home it got me thinking about how magical a wedding day is. I LOVE weddings. I LOVE everything about the entire day from start to finish.

I love the way a mother helps her daughter get ready for that special big day.
The look in a fathers eyes as he walks his daughter down the isle.
The way the Groom looks when he sees his Bride for the first time that day.
The look in a Brides eyes as she recites her wedding vows.
The first kiss.
The proud look on the parents as they embrace a new family.
The first dance.
The little details that go into making this a special day.

I just wanted to share how blessed I am to be able to do what I do and be a part of this day. The magical moments that I am able to capture in images and give back to them for memories to last a lifetime simple make me HAPPY.

Hi!

So I just wanted to blog today..... about what?? Well I don't know but I just wanted to. So HI!! Hi to anyone who reads my blog. I want to be able to blog more but some days are just plain old boring... and I don't know what to blog about.. kind of like today. Not much happened.... church, park... lunch date w/ the hubby. Fun for me but it might be boring to read about.... so here I am just wanting to say HI!!! Also since a blog is better with a picture here is Stan and Faith at the park today.

Travel Dates for 2010

With ANOTHER baby coming this year I am trying to plan out my traveling schedule and get as much travel miles as possilbe. I know that once this bundle of joy gets here I'm going to be tied down for a few months. As of now I have only committed to going back home to Hawaii in October and Las Vegas in April. I have had a few people from the Seattle area interested in doing some family/portrait shoots and I am considering making a trip up North. If you would like to schedule a shoot send me an email at mapu@mapuanaphoto.com and I might just make a trip your way.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - April 1 - April 4
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - August or September???
HONOLULU, HAWAII - Oct 9 - Oct 16th

Happy Birthday Elijah

Today my boy Elijah turns 13 and there are so many things that are going on in my head right now. One of them is where has the time gone? 13 years..... holy moly..... I can just close my eyes and remember watching him take his first steps or the first time he said mama. I miss him when he was little but those days have come and gone. I miss being his most favorite person in the world. There were days where he would want to tell me EVERY little detail that happened in his day. These days he is a typical teen..... and doesn't enjoy sharing ALL the detail of his day!! But Elijah if you are reading this I want you to know that I will ALWAYS love you even when we are going through the teen years. I will never stop loving you. I will still love you just the same as when you were 1 and 2..... and when you turn 20 and 30 and 40 and 50 I will still love you just the same.


Photo credit to Pua of Tiare Photography for taking this picture. Thank you Pua!!!


The both of us at his 1 year old birthday bbq at Ala Moana Beach Park.


This is how he looked after every meal.


Waikiki Beach with his cousin Samson.




After one of his basketball games in Manoa.