We just returned from our best vacation yet. We went to beautiful Maui for 10 glorious days. Rick has a eye conference in Hawaii every year at different islands and this year it was at the Hilton Grand Wailea in Maui. Hello 5 stars! We had a blast every day so there is a lot to share. Day one we woke up nice and early around 5:30 am. Cali time would have been 7:30 and we would have been out the door on our way to school. We sat on our balcony and watched the sun rise and drank our coffee. We played in the pools for a couple of hours before a storm was to hit. We had lunch, put the kids in kids camp and went and had a couples massage. Very romantic (even though Rick fell asleep and started snoring! The storm came and went. We picked up the kids and went to have dinner, watch a movie and go to bed. Our kids love room service! Day two was another fun day at the pools. There was like 10 different pools and they were all connected by water slides. Then there were 2 big water slides and a water elevator that took you to the top. Crazy fun! I think we had as much fun as the kids did. Lava flows and lunch by the pool, what is better than that! That night we went to a luau and our sweet shy little Ryley wanted to get up and do the Hula when they asked for participants. She marched right up there and did a perfect job. Rick and I just kept looking at each other with our jaws dropped. She was the cutest little thing with her little blond hair and serious expression. Of course my camera battery died at that very moment so I only have one lame picture that you cannot even see very well. I did get a little video though before it went out. I missed most of it though. I have accepted it and moved on so I will not continue to go on and on about how distraught I was that my shy little baby had the courage to get up on a stage in front of hundreds of people and learn a dance. OK so you get how upset I was, as would any mother. We went on a spectacular hike in a rain forest. I love how our girls just love adventure. They were at the front of the pack hiking along, eating all the edible plants, nuts and fruit that our guide showed us. We got to swim in waterfalls and I jumped off one. I am sure I could have talked one of the girls to at least climb up there but I figured I'd better not. There was another waterfall that had a rope swing. I had to climb up the roots of a giant Banyan tree and tuck myself into the roots while the guide held me up there and handed me the rope. I hesitated just a moment, Rick swears it was because I was in this position with our HOT tour guide, but truthfully I could not see how if I let go I would not just fall down the roots. When I finally let go I loved it! It was so fun I wanted to do it again and again. Another fun thing we did was go on a snorkeling trip to Lanai. We sailed on a catamaran and had people waiting on us hand and foot. I think I had a steady flow of Mai Tai going the whole trip! There were whales jumping out of the water all around us on our way to the island it was amazing! We watched the captain real in a Mahi Mahi and give it a beer to make it stop flapping around (otherwise to kill it)! Crazy! We got to the island and snorkeled around for a little while. I love that our kids just jumped right in and swam around without fear. Ryley is 4 still! I think that is awesome. I loved the snorkeling. The fish were so bright and beautiful I did not want to get out! After snorkeling we had lunch on a little beach called Hulopoe Beach by the four seasons on Lanai. There were all these spinner dolphins jumping out of the water and swimming all around in the cove. I looked at Rick and he knew I needed to swim out to them. I borrowed a mask and swam out there and yes I was surrounded by about 50 or so wild dolphins! Jumping out of the water swimming all around me, so close I could touch them! This was one of the most amazing things I have ever done. I swam in and told Rick he had to go out there. He is not quite as adventurous as I am but he swam out there and he loved it. I tried to swim holding Ryley so that she could experience it but I couldn't get far enough. Ryley of course was mad at me because I could not get her out far enough to them. I tried to tell her that mommy was drowning but she just could not forgive me for a good 20 minutes after that. On the way back to the dock in Lahaina the captain stopped the boat in the middle of the deep ocean. He said here is where you can jump in and free dive down to hear the whales. I was a little nervous about being shark bait but there were several other people in the water so I figured the sharks would have options. I jumped in and dived down a little ways I did not hear whales but the water was so beautiful and blue I have never seen anything like it. It reminded me of when my dad would just jump in the ocean on a deep sea fishing trip. I felt like he was there with me. Again I did not want to get out of the water. Right before we got to the bay a baby humpback whale totally breached right out of the water! As I was fumbling around with the camera it's mother did the same. It was such an amazing sight. The baby jumped again and I got a picture of it out of the water. I felt like our snorkeling adventure was complete. That was by far my favorite day. We had lots of fabulous dinners. Our favorite was at Mama's fish house. We went with some friends who have two girls that Luca and Ryley just adore. If you are ever in Maui you must go to Mama's. It is right on a world famous windsurfing beach. The windsurfers were flying around on some crazy waves. It was really fun to watch. We also loved our dinners at Humahumanukunukuapua'a (the girls had been practicing saying that for weeks and can say it pretty fast now), Serento's and Spago. Spago had a beautiful view over the beach we had been playing at every day so it was a wonderful way to end our trip. Some other highlights from our trip were jumping on the water trampoline, watching the whales from the beach, Kayaking, shopping (OK so a highlight for me), kids camp (the kids wanted to go everyday and night), spending romantic evenings with Rick, working on our tans, playing with the kids all day in the pools and at the beach, my spa day, Rick's golf day (he always plays an awesome game in Hawaii, last year he had 2 hole in ones), lots of yummy drinks, ordering ice cream sundaes and watching movies, Rick getting certified to do botox :), sleeping with the doors open so we could fall asleep to the sound of the waves, and really just connecting as a family. It was so nice to just not have any chores to do or anywhere to be. All we had to do was be together. I love Hawaii and I know that each and every year we will just add to all our memories there and someday our girls will look back and remember our time there. This year we will be going back fairly soon because Lexie is getting married there in May. Till then Maui.
Ice Skating
My mom and I took the girls and my niece ice skating for the first time. On the way there they were both very nervous. Luca was sure she was going to fall and the blade of the ice skate was going to cut her hand. She had all the details in her mind of how this was going to happen. Is she me or what? Ryley was just scared, she did not really know why. I was sure that I would be doing jumps and spins after just a few minutes practice :) Wait isn't that the same thinking that ended me up in the ER on the 4th of July after I split my shin open trying to reclaim my youthful status by doing flips off the diving board? Yes it is. Well anyway I was sure I could still do alright.
After losing 5 lbs trying to get everyones skates on in the dark, (they were trying to create a winter wonderland feel to the rink), we were ready to hit the ice! We saw a bunch of little kids using these safety skate things made of PVC pipe that but getting our hands on one was not an easy feat. I really wanted to steal one from one of the kids who kept going the wrong way on the ice but I figured that would not be appropriate. As the girls stepped onto the ice, they each started crying and said I cannot do this. That is a phrase I refuse to hear so I went out and showed them that they can just hold onto the wall until they get comfortable (or until I stole one of those PVC thingy's). My mom, Luca, and Stephanie slowly moved along the wall and I took Ryley out around the rink. I was pretty much holding her up at this point. Then I took Luca around the rink...same story. I was thrilled with the arm workout I was getting. My poor terrified Niece Stephanie did not want to go out into the rink with me but I made her. I dropped her off back at the wall and we saw some kids exiting the rink with 2 PVC thingy's. I quickly nabbed them and the very second Ryley got hers she was off. Luca same thing. I quickly skated off to find them and they were little maniacs, skating wildly around everyone at top speed. Ryley thought it was great to get going super fast then skim the ice on her heels. I showed why that was not a good idea for several reasons the main one being is SHE COULD HAVE FALLEN BACKWARDS AND CRACKED HER HEAD OPEN!! She did not care, it was fun and that was much more important than the possibility of stitches or worse. Well after about 20 minutes with the thingy's they both decided they did not need them and they were right. They would skate around the middle of the rink and get further and further each time. I could not believe how good they were doing. It was fun to watch how confident they had become in just a few minutes. My niece also built up her confidence and made it to the center rink. What fun!! My mom was going round and round the rink staying close to the edge. She actually did amazing! Her girlhood was filled with ice skating up in Canada so it was fun for her to know she still had it in her. She had one nasty fall in which I was sure she hurt herself but she just got up laughing away. I loved every minute of it! Luca and Ryley were just having a ball. We skated for nearly 2 hours and probably could have done more but it was starting to get crowded so we decided to leave. The girls talked about it for days and really want to take lessons. I think it would be so much fun so them so we will see. Oh and I don't think I will make the next winter Olympics after all but at least I did not fall!!
Christmas Party
We went to Rick's office Christmas party last night. It was party #2 for the weekend with one more to go tonight. Rick was picked to lipsinc in front of everyone! I think his song was Can't Touch This. He was a huge hit! I pesonally would have died if I was up there. NO WAY! But Rick has no pride :) We have been little partiers lately and I have to say I love being all dressed up with my man. We have so much fun together.
Breakfast in Bed
Saturday morning I woke up not feeling too great. My sweet girls wanted to make me breakfast in bed so all on their own they made me toaster waffles with agave nectar (that's what we use for syrup in our house), vegetarian sausage, rice, whip cream and a sprinkle of salt over the whole thing(interesting but not too bad). They added a lovely garnish of fresh baby spinach leaves. They brought it to me on a cookie sheet with a glass of water and a little vase with purple stink weed that they picked from the yard. It was too cute so I had to gt pictures. They completely dressed them selves in the aprons and chefs hat. They had so much fun and I have to say I was very impressed at their culinary skills :) It was so fun to hear them downstairs coming up with their plan. Luca of course was the leader, but she is so good at listening and incorporating Ryley's suggestions. I think she could make a very good head chef one day. Ryley added an arm massage with lavendar baby lotion to my morning. She said she would take care of me all day. Fortunately my "sickness" was cured fairly quickly with a little coffee and advil. hee hee :)
Thanksgiving in Santa Cruz
For Thanksgiving we went to Santa Cruz to see Rick's sister Betsy (Owa). It was really great for the kids to get to know her better. The girls helped make the stuffing, put on endless dance party shows in her family room, planned games for all the adults, went to the boardwalk to ride the roller coaster and smothered Cowboy (Owa's dog) with attention. Besty's children Jolie and Darrin came for dinner and it was a nice small get together. The girls really got the Santa Cruz experience with the street musicians in downtown Santa Cruz. They danced their little hearts out. When it was time to go they asked if they could stay with Owa. Then I reminded them that we had to get home to decorate our Christmas trees.
I really have been thinking about all the things that I am thankful for. Here is my 2008 thankful for list
- My husbands patience and kindness
- Luca's imagination
- Ryley's silly laugh
- Our family's health, we are blessed.
- My soul sista Karla who never forgets me even though she is now an Ohioian. We are still on the same wave length even though we are so far apart. I miss her everyday!
- My dear friend Stacy who I talk to every single day! We always know where each other is going.
- My sweet friend Vivian for being such an example to me of faith and strength. Her friendship is a gift from God in my life.
- My mom, pure and simple.
- My sister who is always there to lend an ear or advice. I am blessed with our relationship.
- My grandson (hee hee) bringing Ashley and I closer and for his saving Ashley's life.
- Our home, a modest tract home but the most comforting place I know (for all of us)
- God's grace and humor when it comes to dealing with me. (really should be #1)
- The kindness of others. I am touched when people do things from the goodness of their hearts. I have so many friends who are just pure generous souls. I admire them all.
- Velour sweats! I look forward to putting them on every day. :)
I think that there are so many things that I let go by on a daily basis and do not give thanks for. I am truly thankful for this moment and where my family is right now. We are blessed.
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