After shopping, we put on our beach gear and played until sunset.
Not a bad day in paradise.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Saturday 12-22-12
The kids and I spent the day walking around The International Marketplace and finding a few treasures to take home with us.
After shopping, we put on our beach gear and played until sunset.
Not a bad day in paradise.
After shopping, we put on our beach gear and played until sunset.
Not a bad day in paradise.
Monday, December 24, 2012
12-19-2012 Rainbows and Sunsets
Just another beach day filled with rainbows, new friends, and playing at the beach until sunset.
Tuesday 12-18-12
We took Jim to work on Tuesday so we could also do a Costco grocery trip.
Once we were stocked back up with food, we played the beach.
The kids made a new friend named Kaelin from Kentucky. His parents are here for a basketball championship. His dad works as a sports announcer, so the family came along. And it's a good thing they did. Tralee and Hunter have played with their southern friend almost everyday since. Tralee and Kaelin make plans for the next day every time they part ways. It's cute! Remember making new friends on family vacations? So fun!
Tuesday was just a typical beachy day in Hawaii.
Once we were stocked back up with food, we played the beach.
The kids made a new friend named Kaelin from Kentucky. His parents are here for a basketball championship. His dad works as a sports announcer, so the family came along. And it's a good thing they did. Tralee and Hunter have played with their southern friend almost everyday since. Tralee and Kaelin make plans for the next day every time they part ways. It's cute! Remember making new friends on family vacations? So fun!
Tuesday was just a typical beachy day in Hawaii.
Monday 12-17-12
Last Monday was pretty laid back. We had to wait for the cable guy to come fix the cable. We didn't have tv up until that point. It wasn't really missed since we don't have tv at home either and we spend the majority of our days here outside, but once it was up and running it was easy to get sucked in. In fact one of the first channels I switched to was showing Singin' in the Rain. My plans to do the laundry were put on hold until after the kids and I sang and danced along with Gene Kelly, Donald O'Conner, and Debbie Reynolds to the likes of "Good Morning," "Singin' in the Rain," "Fit as a Fiddle," and "Broadway Melody." I have a video of each of my kids copying the tap dancing moves of some of the greats, but it wouldn't upload from my phone, so I'll add it later. Also, it was raining that morning so watching Singin' in the Rain was pretty apropos.
After the closing credits, the kids and I did the laundry, worked on Tralee's school work that was sent with her, and waited for the rain to stop. I'm not gonna lie, it was nice to have a kagillion channels to flip through on a rainy day. I had already finished my latest read (Reached from the Matched trilogy) and had plans to start Divergent, but HGTV and The Food Network sucked me in. I could only have those two channels and be completely happy, but I'd probably watch way too much TV. Anyway, I kind of got off topic. Where was I? Ah yes. . .
The rain finally stopped late afternoon, and with the laundry and school work done, and the cabin fever officially setting in, the kids and I ventured out onto the streets of Waikiki. We browsed some shops, checked out the beach, and stopped for cookies at a local bakery.
When the wee ones complained about their legs getting tired, we came back to our "Hawaii House" as the kids call it, and waited for Jim to get home from work.
Monday was pretty laid back, but kind of nice. Rainy days are great, even in paradise.
After the closing credits, the kids and I did the laundry, worked on Tralee's school work that was sent with her, and waited for the rain to stop. I'm not gonna lie, it was nice to have a kagillion channels to flip through on a rainy day. I had already finished my latest read (Reached from the Matched trilogy) and had plans to start Divergent, but HGTV and The Food Network sucked me in. I could only have those two channels and be completely happy, but I'd probably watch way too much TV. Anyway, I kind of got off topic. Where was I? Ah yes. . .
The rain finally stopped late afternoon, and with the laundry and school work done, and the cabin fever officially setting in, the kids and I ventured out onto the streets of Waikiki. We browsed some shops, checked out the beach, and stopped for cookies at a local bakery.
When the wee ones complained about their legs getting tired, we came back to our "Hawaii House" as the kids call it, and waited for Jim to get home from work.
Monday was pretty laid back, but kind of nice. Rainy days are great, even in paradise.
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Sunday 12-16-12
On Sunday Jim got off a couple hours early so we decided to have a family night down at the beach.
While there Jim took Tralee out in the water to ride in some waves. She did a GREAT job! Jim put her on a surfboard, watched for a good wave, then pushed her in it. I watched as my baby girl rode in a wave for at least 30 seconds. I was so proud! So was she! She keeps talking about surfing like a pro, and even painted a picture off herself riding in a big wave.
Sunday was a great day. We had a little church lesson again in the morning, walked around outside, Jim got off early, and we played together as a family. It was perfect.
I took no pictures as I didn't feel like it, but I do have Tralee's awesome surfing watercolor.
Enjoy!
While there Jim took Tralee out in the water to ride in some waves. She did a GREAT job! Jim put her on a surfboard, watched for a good wave, then pushed her in it. I watched as my baby girl rode in a wave for at least 30 seconds. I was so proud! So was she! She keeps talking about surfing like a pro, and even painted a picture off herself riding in a big wave.
Sunday was a great day. We had a little church lesson again in the morning, walked around outside, Jim got off early, and we played together as a family. It was perfect.
I took no pictures as I didn't feel like it, but I do have Tralee's awesome surfing watercolor.
Enjoy!
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Saturday 12-15-2012
On Saturday the kids and I hopped on bus 23 that took us towards a community collage to check out a local farmers market. A nice local named Marsha helped the kids and I get on the crowded bus and even held our stroller so I could keep my arm around each child as we stood. When we got off at our stop Marsha gave me a hug and wished us a Mele Kalikimaka. That wasn't the first time a near stranger gave me a hug while here. I think it's part of the Hawaiian culture, and it's kind of nice.
While at the market we ate some Fried Green Tomatoes (yumness!), and I even attempted some BBQ Abalone. Apparently it's a specialty around here. I saw it on The Food Network once, and thought, "if I ever have the chance, I'm going to try it." We'll friends, it turns out I'm not much of a hard-core seafood lover as I thought because I didn't care for them. They were a little much for me. I think Jim would have loved them, but they weren't for me. Now I know.
The hit of the market for us was some organic all natural Popsicles. Hunter ate strawberry and Tralee had chocolate banana applesauce. So good!
We decided to walk home from the market, as it didn't seem like that long of a bus ride. It actually wasn't too bad for me, but Tralee's legs were pretty tired towards the end. The only thing that brought a little pep in her step was when we happened along some local artists displaying their work at a park.
Tralee tells me she wants to be an artist when she grows up all the time. Seeing some artists in Hawaii was exciting for her. We talked to some about their technique, inspiration, and general life in Hawaii. Stinks loved it. We each picked out our favorite piece of art, and left with ideas on how to create it ourselves.
When we walked by the flags outside the Honolulu zoo, I noticed they were hung at half-mast in lieu of what happened in Connecticut. I pointed them out to Tralee and asked if she knew why flags are hung at half-mast. She didn't.
This was a moment I had been debating since I heard the tragic news. Should I talk to Tralee about what happened, or keep her innocence in tact? On one hand, I could not say a word, but worry that she hear about it from someone other than me in a safe and loving environment, or talk to her about it, worry about her reaction, and worry about spoiling a piece of her childhood.
As we walked by the flags, I decided to let Tralee lead our conversation and see what way it would go. When she asked, "Why are the flags hung half way?" I answered, "whenever something sad happens in our country we hang our flags half-way or half-mast to show respect for those affected." It took a few seconds but Tralee put the pieces together and asked, "They're hung half-mast today, what sad thing happened?"
I told her I would tell her when we got back to our apartment and started to pray for guidance.
As soon as we walked through the door Tralee asked again, "So what sad thing happened?"
I told her, "yesterday in a city far from here and far from where we live a man who was really confused and angry and sick in his head went into a school and killed a lot of people. Some of them were children."
Tralee didn't say anything so I continued. I told her how much we love her and that we will always do our best to keep her safe and happy. I reminded her that she also has Heavenly Father to turn to. I told her that we ask him to protect her everyday in our prayers and whenever she wants to, or feels scarred or sad she can pray as well. I then asked if she had any questions.
She asked a few, and then we moved on with our day. She hasn't brought up the shooting since, except when she prays. She's been praying for the people in Connecticut and so have I.
After resting for a bit in our apartment, the kids and I played at the beach. We had a grand old time together.
Our Saturday was bittersweet. Mostly sweet, we had a lovely day together, but our hearts and minds weren't far from those suffering.
While at the market we ate some Fried Green Tomatoes (yumness!), and I even attempted some BBQ Abalone. Apparently it's a specialty around here. I saw it on The Food Network once, and thought, "if I ever have the chance, I'm going to try it." We'll friends, it turns out I'm not much of a hard-core seafood lover as I thought because I didn't care for them. They were a little much for me. I think Jim would have loved them, but they weren't for me. Now I know.
The hit of the market for us was some organic all natural Popsicles. Hunter ate strawberry and Tralee had chocolate banana applesauce. So good!
We decided to walk home from the market, as it didn't seem like that long of a bus ride. It actually wasn't too bad for me, but Tralee's legs were pretty tired towards the end. The only thing that brought a little pep in her step was when we happened along some local artists displaying their work at a park.
Tralee tells me she wants to be an artist when she grows up all the time. Seeing some artists in Hawaii was exciting for her. We talked to some about their technique, inspiration, and general life in Hawaii. Stinks loved it. We each picked out our favorite piece of art, and left with ideas on how to create it ourselves.
When we walked by the flags outside the Honolulu zoo, I noticed they were hung at half-mast in lieu of what happened in Connecticut. I pointed them out to Tralee and asked if she knew why flags are hung at half-mast. She didn't.
This was a moment I had been debating since I heard the tragic news. Should I talk to Tralee about what happened, or keep her innocence in tact? On one hand, I could not say a word, but worry that she hear about it from someone other than me in a safe and loving environment, or talk to her about it, worry about her reaction, and worry about spoiling a piece of her childhood.
As we walked by the flags, I decided to let Tralee lead our conversation and see what way it would go. When she asked, "Why are the flags hung half way?" I answered, "whenever something sad happens in our country we hang our flags half-way or half-mast to show respect for those affected." It took a few seconds but Tralee put the pieces together and asked, "They're hung half-mast today, what sad thing happened?"
I told her I would tell her when we got back to our apartment and started to pray for guidance.
As soon as we walked through the door Tralee asked again, "So what sad thing happened?"
I told her, "yesterday in a city far from here and far from where we live a man who was really confused and angry and sick in his head went into a school and killed a lot of people. Some of them were children."
Tralee didn't say anything so I continued. I told her how much we love her and that we will always do our best to keep her safe and happy. I reminded her that she also has Heavenly Father to turn to. I told her that we ask him to protect her everyday in our prayers and whenever she wants to, or feels scarred or sad she can pray as well. I then asked if she had any questions.
She asked a few, and then we moved on with our day. She hasn't brought up the shooting since, except when she prays. She's been praying for the people in Connecticut and so have I.
After resting for a bit in our apartment, the kids and I played at the beach. We had a grand old time together.
Our Saturday was bittersweet. Mostly sweet, we had a lovely day together, but our hearts and minds weren't far from those suffering.
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