Senior! C/O 2010

Time is going by sooo fast! I only have about 2 months left of HIGH SCHOOL left. For those of you who don't know, I am graduating early in December. I finish high school in December but I am also able to walk on stage with my school in May 2010. Right now it's been quite busy, trying to balance my things for young women and my school work. At the same time I am applying for different colleges, universities and scholarships. I want to go to a school near the Bay Area but I feel like the Utah graduation requirements are not good enough (LOL) so the school I have a better chance in getting into is Brigham Young University-Idaho, but I don't want to go to Idaho, it'll feel like Utah and I hate the feeling, haha! I'm undecided but I'm going to apply anyways, hopefully I get rejected! Haha, just kidding. But I'm just glad I get to finish early and get things out of the way. It's so stressful, especially where you are not liking where you live at all. After I finish in December, I plan to move back to the Bay and work full time until my freshman year in college starts in the Fall of 2010. Besides that I am sooo excited to go back home this Friday 10/23 and see my family. I will be down for my Olive Family Reunion 23-25 and on the 27th I get to take off my braces! yee..finally! Hehe, anyways I'll update next week about other things. Hope everyone is doing great! I love and miss you all. Take Care!

yo'Monalisa:)

Home SWEET Home!

Woww, I cannot believe it..I'm back home! I'm at home as a visitor and not a resident which really sucks! I drove down here with my Aunty Moana from St. George and her grandson Jordan. We left yesterday around 11am and arrived in the bay at 8pm! Not bad at all, we thought we were going to be here around midnight and plus with all the traffic, I was surprised! I can't believe I got through it without sleeping for more than 5 mins. at a time and that only happened like 3 times out of the whole ride! Yay me. And it was entertaining to see Moana cussing at the cars who were driving slow, and the drivers being crazy swerving through the lanes. I'm just happy we got here safely and I'm so happy to be home. Nothing feels better than to be home, where you've been raised your whole entire life. Going through the streets you pass everyday, seeing the signs you pass by everyday, seeing the kind of people your used to seeing, seeing all the "kiggit" spots, the freeway I take everyday to Seminary, I miss everything! Ya know, on my way to Uncle Moe's house, right when I seen the Tanforan Mall, I straight stuck my head and screamed Yayyy, I'm Finally HOME! It was crazy, breathing in that good 'ole Bay Area smell, feeling the that good 'ole Bay Area weather, it was a great feeling! It was funny when I told everyone I was in town, they were all like, yayyy Monalisa's in town! Aha, when I'm in town they know the Bay is back to where it's suppose to be at..hehe! But, today I plan to hang out with my family and friends. Tomorrow I'm going to be with my dad and he's going to take me to my Orthodontist appointment to take off my braces..yay! Lol, and my flight back home is at 6:30pm. I arrive to Las Vegas, Nevada at 8pm and take a shuttle at 9:30pm and arrive to St.George at 12am. where my mom will pick me up..Lol, I don't know why she put me on that shuttle, ew! Ahaha, anyways I will go and finish gettin' ready for the day. Love being HOME! Yay :)

yo'Monalisa:)

P.S.-I will post more pics soon! ;p

Ups and Downs

Wowwww, this week has been one of the hardest weeks of my life! Especially when I'm here living in St. George. Well, first off..the Samoan Tsunami that happened this past tuesday, even though I don't know people there, I have family there, and I know lots of friends and family who's loved ones are there and it's so sad to know that our fellow polynesians have been hurt. And then, also I've been going through some problems with certain people..or a certain person. It's hard thinking about it, because I believed so much in it that I never knew I would ever go through something like this. I've told my closest friends about it and they've been there for me all the way. I love them so much, thanks guys! But, I'm just shocked and upset at the same time, I felt that I would feel better if I wrote it on here. So I am! But, this past weekend it happened out of no where..seriously! It was weird. All that I did and sacrificed to make it work feels like it's been thrown back in my face, not officially yet but I have a feeling it will. So now, living in St. George it's been even harder, I just wanna go home. Home is where I belong, but I can't do anything about it until I finish high school. I just hope it gets better, and I hope time goes by fast because I'm coming home right after graduation! Haha, on the bright side, I've been excersing..last night I went running with a group of friends around our area, I enjoyed the weather because it was just like Home's. Then the day before that I did about 200 sit-ups and other workouts! Yay me! Yesterday was also my grandfather's birthday and I remembered him the whole day! Rest in peace Gpa Henry <3. You know what was funny, yesterday after school me and aggie decided to give our Bus driver a cd full of Finn, Poly, R&B music and we sanggg the whole way home..so funny because all the palangi's loved us! Haha, one more thing, one of our relatives decided to move here to St. George, they were also in the Bay Area and in our ward and they are actually on the road right now moving into they're home tomorrow, they'll be at our place by midnight. So it should be getting better! Lol, yay to brown people in St. George..but I'm still moving back home after Grad! Lol. anyways, that's all I have to write about today, and lunch bell rings in a minute so got to go Ceramics! Take Care everyone. Love ya! Duecez :)
yo'Monalisa :)

P.S.-I will post pictures of our new home on my next blog sometime this weekend! So stay tuned! ;p

Change-My New Life!

Hello Family and Friends!
Well, as most of you guys know, me and my family had just moved out of the San Francisco Bay Area, California and moved in St. George, Utah. We've been here for almost 4 weeks, 4 weeks this upcoming Saturday 9/19. Being here for the last 29 days, I've experienced so many big changes and gone through hard challenges and obstacles. St. George is very very very different from where I am used to growing up seeing. Meeting new people, going to a new ward/stake, completely opposite and different area, let alone a different state, new school, new everything. It's a difficult journey I'm going through right now, and I'm still not enjoying it, don't be surprised. Lol, Anyways..well now, I am a Senior at Desert Hills High School, Home of the Thunder (Thor) yea, pretty sad, and this year is their 2nd year open so they have a lot of catching up to do. My brother and sisters, we all take the bus before and after school, don't be surprised..lol! I'm surrounded with Mormons galore, don't be surprised of that too, we in Utah here duhh! Just clownin', a good thing is that we all have a lot in common. I'm just trying to take things slow here, finish and graduate high school, then I can move back home! Haha, but everyone here is friendly, everyone here is new to St. George so we know how it feels to move somewhere completely different, it's a beautiful, weird lookin' town. Yea, that's about it. I'm just waiting on a plane ticket to come back home. I miss home so much, I miss driving through 101 (freeway), I miss going to Tanforan Mall, the Century Movie theatres, Sneathe Lane Chapel, my ward, my friends and my family, I miss my old home even though it was kinda wack & my room, I miss walking to Walgreens, I miss going to the Library (they don't even let you go on Myspace or Facebook in there!), I miss my old school & teachers, counseling office-still a Panther! Never would I be claimin' to be a Thunder (wth?!?!), I miss San Bruno, the Rollingwood House, I miss my hometown South City..where great things are Made, yupp yupp GUPPY! (insider), I miss El Camino Real, I miss seeing SamTrans Buses everywhere, I miss going to the Millbrae Pancake House, I miss my cat Simba (Lol!), I miss seeing Poly's..period! I miss the great weather (all I have is long sleeves and sweatshirts and it's freakin' hot here!), I miss everything! I MISS HOME. But for now and the next 8 months I will suck it up and deal with it I guess, but I'm not trippin' because I got someone to get me thru everyday and because I'll be back home right when graduation is done! Hehe, well..that's about it, my family and I are doing good, I guess, my dad comes every weekend, and Carolina's (my youngest sister) Baptism is on the 26th of this month and a lot of our families are coming to visit, hope you guys can make it! It'll be fun and we would like to see family, we haven't seen one brown person yet! Soooo, yes, please come to St. George. If you need more info. e-mail me at burlingame280@yahoo.com, I would have put my new cell number but nahhh. Thanks family and friends for all your support you do for me and my family. We love and miss you all, come by St. George anytime and visit us! Take Care.

With Love,
Monalisa

More of the PETERSON'S

Just Call Them GORGEOUS!

As you can see, the photos posted below this blog..I had the great opportunity to work with this Beautiful family. Even though I just started, I don't think there is another family so professional, natural and GORGEOUS like them. No fence to everyone, I just had a wonderful time and very grateful to learn from them and also working with Seini. Outfit changes, different poses and locations, individuals and etc. I loved every minute of it. I don't think I'm suppose to say the names of my clients so I need to be careful with that. Overall, I just wanted to thank Angela and Brandon (first names are ok!) for letting me join and take their pictures, it was a great opportunity and thanks for your support. I hope you and your family take care, blessings to you Angela and your pregnancy with your 4th child. And last but not least, Seini, thank you for help during the shoot and the shoots before!
Much Love.

forgot this one!

Monalisa PHOTOGRAPHY

MOST RECENT Edited Pictures! Click to ENLARGE, 

and hope you like them! :) 

Thanks for stopping by...

POSTING MORE LATER!

My 1st SHOOT with SEINI

WOW! Was this a ride to be on. I got in Salt Lake City, UT yesterday morning at 9 a.m. Seini Pahulu with Seini Photography picked me up right on time and we had a shoot later that day ready at 7:30 p.m. at the Draper Temple in Draper, UT. It was a young family who wanted photos for their father on Father's Day and Seini and I had a blast together shooting them from different angles, and all in all we made a great team. Seini used my pictures for her Teaser's because she fell in love with it. I'll post my pictures later just because Seini needs the computer to do her editing and stuff like that, also, I'll be making my own photography logo later when I land in the Bay, back home...which will be in a month or so, so that's half of the reason why I don't really want to post pics up yet. So for today's schedule, at around 3 or 4 p.m., Seini and I will be off to tour the city and practice shooting. Later around 5 p.m. we will be hitting up a Baby Shower shooting some pictures for them. Tomorrow, we have 2 shoots, I know one is a Baby Shower but I think the other is a couple, not sure. But, I'll be practicing and stuff like that. Anywho, I got to get off, just wanted to check in here and update you guys. I need to practice editing my pictures so I'll be on later. I'll be posting later but if you would like to see my teaser's, Seini has it on her blog at www.seinis.com, it is under, "A Daughter's Love". Hope you like it, cause I'm so very proud of myself. Well, I got to go but outside looks good in Utah, so go out and have a fabulous day.

Much Love,

Monalisa

Torn in Between the TWO!

Hi Everyone! I know, I know, I've been writing too much on this thing already, but I had something on my mind that has been bothering me that came up today and thought that I could write it and share it with you all. My family always had this problem with which family to stay with the most. My dad's family doesn't live here in the bay but my mom's family does. All my dad's family live in Utah and my mother's family live here in the Bay, UT, TX, Seattle..etc. Problem is, I love both families to death but it seems like we only know ONE. I don't like the feeling, I want to be able to be close with both families. Long story short, both of my families are having a Family Reunion on the same weekend. Ever since I was a young girl, a big event from both families would happen on the same day but our family always went to my mom's family. It's not a bad thing, I love them but it's gotten to a point where me and my brother and sisters don't even remember our first cousins names from our dad's side. I don't like to miss out on precious times with my family, I want to be able to take the time SEPERATELY to be with each family and every time we miss an event of my dad's, we don't feel as close as it used to. I just hate being in a situation like this where we have to choose. I'm TORN IN BETWEEN THE TWO. I haven't had time with my dad's family and I miss them but at the same time, my siblings and I have a great relationship with my mother's family, it's frustrating, and it's a bad feeling to have! Respond if you like, or if you know what I'm talking about! Be back later.
Take Care everyone!
Monalisa Si'i

FINAU FAMILY
Not all of us but this was the last time I seen most of them all together, at BIG cousin Ray (GO RAMS! ..by the way) and Kassie's Wedding in Sept. '08

KAUFUSI FAMILY
Again, JUST MOST of us, but these were the only pics I could find with the most recent, at our Family Reunion in Oct '08 and Seini's Wedding in April '08IT'S OBVIOUS ISN'T IT?
maybe, maybe not.

Quick Announcement!

CHANGE OF PLANS EVERYBODY! NO Summer School for me, turns out, San Mateo High dropped HALF of the Summer School classes and the classes I was enrolled in was the dropped classes. Sooo, I stopped by my school to see if my counselor was there and figured out that I was able to take online courses through BYU Independent Study! WOW! I'm happy with that, now I can sleep in, work extra hours (when I get a job..VERY SOON!) and just enjoy FREEE-ness. Soo, that's all I wanted to say! LOL. Have a great day!
yO' MONALiSA :)

SUMMERTiME!

Mannnn, am I excited for this summer to warm up! It is June already and I'm just trying to enjoy my summer vacation..at least when summer school is done with. Again, I start June 8th, going to summer school at SMHS, my school's rival, every yr. we beat them! On June 9th, my 1st cousin, Hermana Sisilia Kato is coming back home from her Dominican Republic MISSION, after serving over 18 months. I can't wait to see her, I miss having her around, she was like another older sister, but now she's coming back reallll soon. Anyways, my parents are leaving for TONGA the last week of this month and the first 1 or 2 weeks of July, so I'll be getting a break very soon. The first week of August, I have GIRLS CAMP, it's my last year camping but next summer before I leave for college, I will be lucky enough to not just go ONCE but TWICE to BYU for our Stake's YOUTH CONFERENCE, I went in '06 and I'm going again in '10. But I am most excited to fly down to Utah the week after Girl's Camp. Not because of UTAH, pleaaase, UTAH ain't all that. They're OK! But, I'm really going down there to shoot my Senior High School photos with Seini Pahulu, my sister-in-law. The photography for senior pics here in the bay area cost about $200-$300. Seini is willing to do mines for FREE which I am very grateful and excited for. Especially, when I want to work in the same exact field, which is a great oppurtunity for me to learn more about PHOTOGRAPHY. Also, Seini invited me to a Photography Conference in Las Vegas, NV for High School students a few days after I take my shots so I'm most likely going, and I want to learn more about photography, working with people, working the camera, business and so much more. I don't want to pass it on, it's a huge step for me, one problem though, I have to miss the first 2 days of school. WE'LL SEE WHAT DAD SAYS! =/ Haha, So during the summer I'm going to try to lose weight, grow my hair,taking braces off in the next month or even earlier, and etc. so I have a lot to prepare for. And then pretty soon, I'll be starting my SENIOR YEAR and getting prepared to send my application to BYU IDAHO. Wooaaah, I can't believe how much I've grown. I still remember all my older cousins at my age, now it's my turn and now they're all married and popping out babies like no other! Hahaha, anyways, I hope everyone has a great summer. Keep in touch!
Monalisa Sii.


Ma Ulu number that my ward did for our Stake conference. WE WAS BOMB!
You know since I was talking about photography, here's some I took WITH PHONES! Lol, NOT EDITED! 1. Sipola sleeping 2. Woods when I was camping 3. Bride pic while I was at a family wedding in UTAH.
One of my girls camp, not even half of us! This how the BAY goes down.A typical day after Summer school (LAST YR) out eating at Fresh Choice!One of my missed PASSIONS,..Volleyball! I don't play anymore.In Leadership. There was a SUB that day, so we messed around with the iPHOTO.After Sipola's 1st Bday Party. Went home with her, just finished changing her stinky daiper..TWICE in less than 15 mins. Haha, I think it was the keke's.My favorite picture TO DATE, with my namesake, my Auntie MONALISA & I. I love her!The MONSTERS, I mean JOKERS! After Sipola's party, thought this was funny!Heated! Burlingame vs. Cap Football Game! With sis Biena and bruh Anthony..Monster Bangin'!Another day with the SUB in LEADERSHIP! Haha. Me & Nixx.Big Sis Tina Fakahafua graduated, C/O 2009 with a full ride scholarship to play Basketball for CSI:College of Southern Idaho, CONGRATS! Also, to the rest of the CLASS OF '09. I'M NEXT!Another day without the Teacher. Me and Britt!Big cousin Hermana Kato serving the LORD, about to be home JUNE 9th BABYYY!A great picture of the LEGENDARY BOB MARLEY to kick off this SUMMER of 2009! Oh yeah.OH YEAAAAAAAAAH BABYYYYYYY! HAHA.

Sacramento & Golden Corral

Today, my mother woke me up at 8 a.m. asking if I wanted to go to Sacramento for Sipola Lahi's funeral. I decided to go, because I didn't have anything going on and also, I wanted to see family. I was so over school, that I just wanted to get out and enjoy my first weekend of the summer. So, we went and my mother, my younger sister and I left a few minutes before 9 a.m, and the funeral service starts at 10 a.m. and we still had to get some gas and pick up Kathy and Helen all the way from Castro Valley which was going farthur away from Sac soooo it took another hour to go and get them. After, when we arrived, it was a little over 10 a.m. and Kathy ran to the bank down the street. She took for ever, so we ended up leaving at around 10:20 a.m. We were in for a long ride and most of the time, Kathy and Helen were telling us about a japanese movie called Louisa. It has 8 episodes that are about 4 hours long and the whole time of our ride, Kathy explained what happened in the movie. I know how fun, but it was actually really cool. Haha! :) Anyways, we arrived, got to the church safely and after 10-15 minutes, the intro of the funeral service was over and everyone was on their way to the Cemetary. This is where everyone has their orange funeral stickers out and police controlling traffic while everyone was making their way to the Sacramento Memorial Cemetary. After Sipola was buried, everyone was HUNGRY..I left with Mafi, Nessa, Nony, Fa'aster, Baby Pola and Kalai while everyone else was still mingling after. We arrived, waited for everyone, Mafi ended up leaving somewhere with Nessa's wallet so we had to wait for him. By the time he came, everyone was at GOLDEN CORRAL..oooo yum yum! It was sooooo goooood! I haven't ate the whole day and it was about 1 or 2 in the afternoon and all I had was a NUMBER 5 GUM [the green one! :)] We were all eating and were very satisfied. That's when our ride headed back home to the Bay Area. Me, Helen and Aggie knocked out in the back..UGLY STYLE! Just kidding, anywho, after we dropped Kathy and Helen, we ended up taking Helen back with us to the other side of the bay while Kathy went to pick up Belle from work. We went to the Hillsdale Chapel to meet my dad so that my parents would go to San Jose for another event while myself and Aggie drove home to the kids. Now, my parents are still not home and we're just kicking it here. Anywho, that was my day..sooo long! I know, sorry! Haha, okay, that's all, another update! I'm skit on out, be back soon!
P.S.-Forgot, this pic was at Joe's Graduation fiesta at Ihop after his Grad this past Thursday. It was fun, but I've talked too much sooo that's it. Lol!
yO' MONALiSA :)

ONE MORE DAY LEFT!

Tomorrow is the last day of school. So far I finished 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th period finals. Tomorrow is my 1st and 7th period finals which is History and Math. Busiest classes ever and I can't wait to get out even though I'm going back to Summer School on June 8th. LOL! But not only that, there are so many graduations. I'll be going to my school's grad, San Mateo's, Ryan's the buttface's Grad and maybe Cap. Grad Parties, so far, invited to one of my friend's grad but I can't go because it's the same date and time of the TRIPLE JOE'S [that's what they call 'em] Graduation Party. Joe Vaeanuku from Pen High, Joe Unga from San Mateo High and Joe Mataele from Eastside Prep High in Menlo. Anyways, I just heard from Fatulisi [Joe Mataele's mama] that the other two Joe's aren't walking soooo most likely it's just going to be Joe Mataele's Grad Party and everybody will be there. Continuing, Memorial Day weekend was so fun and relaxing. RIP to every fam who passed..I'm just trynna get into my Senior Year. Haha! I'm so excited, it's going to pass by so fast and I need to prepare to turn in my application for BYU Idaho by December 1st, I'm scared and excited at the same time. Also, get ready to take Senior pictures and make up Seminary work so I can get a 4 yr. Diploma and take care of school. Start new for the school year of 09-10, I'm ready! Anywho, that's what's up for right now! I'll keep yah POSTED, you STAY TUNED!
yO' MONALiSA

Weekend!

Well, yesterday, my ward and my young women ran a fundraiser yesterday afternoon for our girls camp this summer..it was a luau and it turned out great! All of our numbers that we had ready to perform took up the whole program soo no one in the audience was bored soo that was great. Also, I invited one of my best friends and relative, Alissa from my school to dance for us since she dances professionally and she came with her sisters which was great to have them around! Overall, I LOVED IT! Today, went to church like usual and now that I'm at home, we're all eating and I'm trying to study for my Seminary Bowl but I have no materials to study with sooo I'm like WTH! Ugh. But, I just wanted to post up some updates! No school manana, I'll be at the Oakland Temple in the morning doing Baptism For the Dead for the names my Uncle found in our Geneology for those who died without getting baptized so that's exciting and I need to study for my English final the next day on Tuesday. Which means 3 DAYS LEFT OF SCHOOL and I'LL BE AN OFFiCiAL SENiOR! Hella JUUiCE'd! Haha, anywho, I'm a end it here! Keep it HUNNIT!! TOODLEs.
yO' MONALiSA..duhh!

My PLAYLiST!

Enjoy..