I Promise...THE ALBUM IS COMING!

Okay so we didn't get in out on the 25th... ha ha ha!  Who cares about Black Friday anyways?  I was going to post a video about how the dog ate our album, but it turned out lame.

So here is the scoop...

We are receiving the tracks from the mix-down slower than we anticipated... but we have 2 songs completed and ready to go right now.

www.LITLLESONGBIRDS.org
We are waiting for the last 3 songs, and we will have our EP.  The website launch is slated for Saturday, December 10th.  You will be able to buy and download the songs from our website on that day.

We will be having a couple listening luau's here in KC, where the attendees will be able to buy as many albums as they wish before we release it to everyone else.  I will be posting information about those as the details get solidified.  If you would like to be in on that, just let us know.

This last week, we did the special music at our church during the offering.  Here is a little taste of what the EP is going to be like...
SNEAK PEEK... GO TO 1:01:00 thru 1:05:00

3 Turkeys, Beef and an Underground Oven!!

Thanksgiving in Missouri... island style :o)

I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving yesterday.  Out here in Missouri, we had an island celebration complete with an imu - translation; underground earth oven.  When we can't go to Hawaii for Thanksgiving, we bring Hawaii to us :o)

My husband and his friend Matt, another big island boy, decided to dig the oven in Matt's back yard.  Making imu's was a very normal thing for my husband when he was growing up in the back woods of Hilo side.  So early yesterday morning, the boys (ahem... I mean, men), convened to bring a little bit of Polynesia to the heartland of the USA... you should've seen the neighbors peering through the windows all day!  Lol.

If you would like to see the video of the masterpiece imu, check it out right here at Kris Skeele's blog.

THANKSGIVING VIDEO'S

Raving Review from A Real Life Mommy -Marisol

I have played the unfinished tracks for some of my mommy friends in KC. Here is the feedback from the first mom, my friend Marisol... So. It was a beautiful blue sky day here in Kansas City and I decided that I was going to head to the store to run an errand. I was planning on being quick and not being out of the house too long. Before heading into Wal-Mart,I figured it would be a good time to go through the car wash since my almost one year old son, Elisha, was sleeping so cozy in the back seat. Perfect time to get the truck cleaned and vacuumed out.  I turn into the car wash, pay my 7 bucks, and head on through to get the truck the long over due bath time she so desperately needed. I figured I go the extra mile and vacuum the interior as well. All this and not a peep from Elisha mind you. There I am. Done and headed for Wal-mart, yes? Not a chance. Keys are in the ignition, turned, and click-click. Nada. No juice left in the battery. Ugh! This is the second time in one week. I may have actually cussed in my head.  I called my husband, Efrain, and didn't even say hello when he answered. "I'm at the car wash and the car isn't starting," I said (or something to that effect). He called Uelese, for the second time this week, and asked for a jump. I felt horrible! I know how tight their schedule is already and here we are calling on them to come and help. But praise the Lamb, they are family. We love them so much. I remember when I called Uelese a few days ago to tell him that Efrain needed a jump and there was no hesitation from him to go and help. I love this family.  While Uelese was doing his thing under the hood, I hopped in the car with Rachel and chatted and then listened to some of the songs from the cd they're working on. First, I have to say that I was super excited when I found out that they were working on this. As a mom, I am trying to find ways to get the Word into my boys in a way that is fun, but not corny. Now I'm not saying that all kids worship music is corny, but some of it is. Kids get more than we give them credit for. I definitely want music that is going to engage them but not lack the depth that is the Word of God. I mean, this cd has a lull-a-bye that is written from the perspective of Revelation 5 after Jesus opens the 7th seal and there is a 30 minute silence in heaven. Really? Who writes that for a kids cd? And it is beautiful. I mean, I sat there in that car listening, and all three little Faagutus were in the back seat singing along--singing deep truths that most adults don't even know exist in the Bible. This is something special people. I was sitting there listening to it and I seriously cannot wait for this to be played in my home. Not only is it chalked full of Truth, but it's completely Rachel and Uelese--they brought themselves to this. It is kissed with Island groove and this mama is going to really appreciate that on those days where I wish I could be whisked away to an ocean getaway. Any remnant of the islands helps in those days so this will certainly do the trick:o) So all of this to say, it was a little kink in our day, but a a wonderful reminder that our Father is raising up musicians that love Him and are faithful to lay down their agendas and follow Him. This mama is so grateful.

OUR BIG NEWS!!

VIDEO UPDATE! - Kids Album & Today's IHOP Devo

Yoyoyoyoyoyo! (the faster you say it, the funner it sounds :o)  I am so excited!  My friend Mari gave me a huge tip for blogging - VIDEO BLOG!  So for those who don't have time to read my mini-books, watch this video. (btw, I am neither the world's greatest photographer or videographer, lol!  So please excuse the poor lighting, fuzzy sound and blurry pics.  I am doing the best I can just to remember to take the camera with me! Enjoy :o)

For those of who do have time :o)  This morning we went to Paco's studio this morning and tracked the kids vocals for the EP.  EP means a 4 to 5 song snapshot of the full length album (8 or more songs).  It was three hours of recording mixed with mandatory play time on the swing set outside :o)  How else do you keep six year old's focused for that long?  I wanna say thanks to Kahi, Bella, Lei, Noah, Kristine, Kala'i, Alyssa, Zoe, Mana, Francis, Kamealoha, and Keala.  You guys did such an awesome job today!

DEVOTIONAL

After finishing at the studio, we ran over to the House of Prayer and got ready for the devo.  A little inside scoop... usually devo's are 2 hours long.  That's a long time to play the guitar by yourself!  But today it was only 1 hour, which is completely doable.  I think I was so excited from recording that all I wanted to do was praise praise praise! So as soon as my ears could get adjusted to the sound on the stage, I started in on declaring God's goodness.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH DEVO!

For those of you who are going to go back and watch it, make sure you watch till about minute 43. Side-Note - This is the fun part about our devo's... everything is spontaneous.  We never have a song list.  We go on stage with a bunch of songs we could do, but we let Holy Spirit steer us into whatever melodies, rhythms or phrases.  At 43 minutes in, my husband motioned to our children and our friends (that had just spent the morning singing for the album, another Hawaiian family here in KC), up onto the stage!!  The kids sang with us and it was SO sweet.  The prayer room felt like a giant living room for the family of God to rejoice in our Father's love.

The Pure Portrait Project - Steve Willis

for more info CLICK HERE

For our friends in KC, this is a screamin' deal.  Steve is a local and world renown photographer.  He did the photography for the Nefarious Project and has worked on a number of weddings here and overseas.  He does great work and he is a dear friend of our family.  As you can see, we had a blast during our session :o) and I don't like being in front of camera's.  Make sure you call ahead of time to make an appointment. Don't wait until last minute or else you might not get in.  ($150 for 5 images, and if you wanna pay $50 more, you get all 25 images)  See, I told you it was a deal!

!!!KIDS EP ALBUM!!! COMING SOON!!!

Hey Friends and Family,

5 tracks,

 on iTunes and hard copy, 

Black Friday, Nov. 25th

 the day after Thanksgiving

I have exciting news.  For about fourteen years I have had a dream to record my music.  At last, my dream is coming true :o)

I have never had the opportunity or funding to get into the studio and do the professional job that I have always dreamed of doing.  I have had a lot of practice in studios on various different projects, but never a straight shot at a full length project of my own.  When we moved to Kansas City almost 4 years ago, I hit the most sobering season of my life.  I suddenly shifted out of a season of full-time ministry to the body of Christ and into ministry to my husband and children ONLY.  You wanna talk shock!  That's what I was in.  Ministry career woman gone Betty homemaker, with almost no transition time.

To make matters more intense, we landed at IHOP-KC.  In my mind I thought living here, around the prayer room atmosphere, would be like living on clouds and flinging glory dust all around.  After all, we pray day and night here!  It was the complete opposite.  I spent my first year being rudely awakened out of my slumber as preacher, teacher, singer, worship leader, Sunday school teacher, you name it, told me the unadulterated TRUTH!  The truth about God's character, His second coming and my identity...from the BIBLE.

I wish I could say that I was happy about all this stinging information, but I wasn't.  I got angry.  I felt duped.  And I thought, "My kids are not going to have this problem!"  So I would go to weekend services and listen intently, like a deaf person trying to make out words by reading lips.  I remember how disoriented I was, but I kept on praying, "Lord, help me get this!"

It was at the exact time that I was being forced to learn how to be a stay at home mom and homemaker.  I didn't have long hours alone to pine over concordances and notes.  I had a 1, 3 and 4 year old who all were overdue for much needed mommy time.  The first lesson: make a consistent time schedule for each day.  So we started each day with worship.  And right there, in that basement living room, my kids and I would write songs and little ditty's that would help them (and me) remember the TRUTH about who God is, His second coming, and their identity.

Although I was not the happiest clam in the sea, the melodies and rhythms that came were very uplifting.  Many of the songs were started by something my kids were humming.  Between nap times and meal times, while my children were being potty trained and learning to obey, we sang and danced, and I wrote all of the songs down.  Those songs got us through some rough times.

During the year in that basement, I wrote 80 songs.  Not all of them were kids songs.  Our lives changed and we emerged from the basement leaning on Jesus more than ever :o)  He started to transition my husband and I back into public ministry.  As people heard us sing, the big question everyone asked was, "I love your music.  Do you have a cd?"  And every time the answer was a disappointed no.  As the Lord honed us in to our calling as missionaries, and we joined a team at IHOP, I thought, "How is this ever going to happen?".  We went from living on my husband's earned wages to trusting God to provide every single cent through people who heard God tell them to give to us.  That's crazy!!!

But it worked, because we finally found what our whole family was made for.  Fast forwarding to this year, 2011, the long winter of fruitlessness began to pass.  We could feel our hearts thawing and a small hope start to live again.  I would hear the Lord whisper to me, "Do this kids album first."  I would be in discussions trying to strategize how to make the wisest move with the songs God had given us and I would hear Him whisper again, "Do the kids album first."

I finally laid all of my dreams down, and said yes.  Soon after, the least expected thing happened... my husband and I got offered studio time with a trusted worship team member, Paco Arteaga,  for free.

So for the next few weeks, I am going to blog the process.  I am going to try my best to share what is happening with you daily, because it is SO exciting.  Please stay tuned in.  You might not believe some of the God stories as I post them, that's how awesome they are.  As of now, the plan is for:

 5 tracks,

 on iTunes and hard copy, 

Black Friday, Nov. 25th

 the day after Thanksgiving

Our website will be up soon.  Keep your eyes peeled!

Heads Up!! We Will Be Doing A Devo This Saturday!

This is to all the people who care :o) ... LOL!

Me and my hubby will be doing a devo this Saturday.

Saturday, November 5th, 2pm CST

Tune in by clicking on this button: 

Then just click the play button and Voila!  Instant worship action :o)

Please join us.  It's gonna be good.