NW Hot

It is HOT in the NW... 103 yesterday, 102 today and 102 tomorrow...

the heat pump is caving into pressure...

the old dog is in front of the fan (and I'm very worried about her)...

could head to the beach, but I have class.

I do have water, two fans, and friends... did you hear me friends?

I'm headed to your house!

Week Wrap-Up

Have we really been home for a week already... seems like an eternity since we were in Maui.

* Pepe's PDP team took 2nd place in the Beaverton Cup!!!

* Basketball camp for the boys... shoes/shirts signed by Dan Dickau, evaluations, a minor scratched/black eye ("I was going for the rebound"... and it wasn't Phinneous.)

* Lunch with a good friend... with NO kids!

* Had to hire a babysitter for 4 mornings (2 different sitters) = $$$

* Class on campus MWF = $$$

* Swimming with friends at a local club = SO MUCH FUN!

* Ran out of "granilla" bars = sad Phineous

* PDP soccer... awesome program with great coaching

* Naps

* Learned to make raspberry jam from a friend... forgot to take pictures.

Vacations are great, but we were right back to our life... which I love and wouldn't change anything (well, I would like to speed up my classes so that I can play with my kids instead of homework, but other than that...)

And the story goes...

The Old Lahaina Luau... it was awesome. The food is always an experience, not bad tasting, not incredible just a good cultural experience. Everyone found something they liked and enjoyed the meal. The show was incredible. It was an hour long and amazing. Baby Girl sat on a wall for a great view and didn't move... she was enthralled. Phinneous looked at the pretty ladies and then laid his head on the table and went to sleep. Pepe made it through the whole show... he didn't say much, but as we walked to the car he said, "that was amazing" ...

Before the show... Baby Girl loved watching these ladies make the tea leave skirts. She had fun trying out the instruments.

Remember the girl letting Baby Girl try this instruments... this is her... Baby Girl loved watching her.

The Banyan Tree

We loved visiting the Banyan Tree. It was a gift from India and was first planted in 1873. Read the story here.

Phinneous in "jail"!

After we'd let baby girl sit in the tree, which she loved, we found the sing that said no climing or swinging on the tree.... oops

Maui... a paradise

Just a few pics from the first hours of our trip... there will be more... so many to share. I promise I won't bore you with all of them :)

Phinneous resting and studying for the fantasy football draft... yes, this kid is for-real.
Mama gets in the water to play with Baby Girl and Phinneous... they loved the waves.

Oops... Pepe wiped out... his shorts had so much sand in them... he was not a happy camper, but he kept playing and had fun.

Phinneous... mostly always smiling.

See... Pepe really did have fun!

The boys...

Baby Girl in her element!

Ewww... salt in my mouth!

Joe and Baby Girl at the Koi pond in Papkea

Pepe found a flower.

Taken from outside our room... this was part of our view.

Sitting on the sea wall at our resort... absolutely beautiful!

Back to life...

back to reality!

We are home... making my way through the mail... thanking friends that helped with the house, yard, and animals, trying to finish my online class (yikes), soccer tournament begins tomorrow, basketball camp on Monday, new class on Monday and so it goes...

Aloha

* This is not my foot... just in case you just fainted!

Maui in T-4 days!!!

We are getting ready for our big trip to Maui... everyone is excited.

My laundry is done, except for a few straggling pieces, but now I have to pack. Packing for 5 stresses me out. Pepe keeps asking... when are we going to pack, when are we going to pack? I want to pack now... you know because the laundry is done. But it is a huge chore for me... any advice? I need advice!

And, after I pack, I have to decide what to take for the kids on the airplane... again... need advice!!!

We have the DVD player, notebooks and pencils and pens covered, but is there anything else to entertain 9,7, and 5 years-olds for 5 hours? I need to know!

With all of the "stress" of getting ready for a vacation, I can't wait to get there. It will be an awesome exploration.

This is fun Mom!

A quiet evening...

no tv

no music

just sounds from You Tube (search: snorkeling Maui)

and quiet.

One child vacationing with a family friend... the other two drawing pictures and making lists on their new whiteboards from Target. I am so glad I picked them up today... better yet I had the brains to buy 3... everyone has their own.

$2.50 x 3 = $7.00 = a lovely, quiet evening!!!