Carter's 6th Birthday Party

We had a LEGO party yesterday to celebrate Carter's 6th Birthday. Of course being a January birthday one never can count on the weather and this year (much like the year he was born) was horrible! Wind Chill warnings, blizzard conditions. Luckily we planned to have the party at home. The kids played a few games (including a Lego Star Wars BINGO game I downloaded off the internet) and played with lego. It was remarkably low key. Not what we are used to but I guess our boy is growing up along with all his friends.

Our last minute Sears photos

Christmas Fun

As you can imagine, the boys were very excited about Christmas this year. It certainly helped to have Carter to enlighten Luca about Santa. Carter convinced Luca to sit with Santa. Luca was a bit tentative but sat for the picture and asked Santa for a fire truck which Santa of course delivered. We have another believer!

We hosted dinner on Christmas eve for Mom, Lee and her family. Everyone slept over to enjoy Christmas morning together.

We had no problem getting the boys to bed thanks to the Norad Santa Claus tracking website! If you have never checked it out you MUST next year. We checked it out around 9:15pm on Christmas eve and the radar showed Santa in Quebec. When Carter realized he was in Canada he took Luca and bolted to bed. He told us to get to bed as well!

Ronan's last Christmas as an only child. Lee is due in April.

The only gift we really needed to buy for Luca....he is obsessed with Ninja Turtles!
Luca opening his santa present.

Christmas morning bed head for everyone!

A Month later......

Since we got home from Hawaii we have been going non-stop! We starting renovating the basement before we left and we had to get all the painting done before the carpet was installed a week after we got home. Now all that is left is the finishing work (baseboards etc.) which may take the next 10 years to get done but it is great to have even more space for everyone to hang out. We built a family room, a small office and a guest room. We moved the TV and the Wii down there so the bonus room over the garage is now what I like to call the "quiet contemplation room". Bookcases, the piano and a couch. Bliss......

And on the 4th Day.......

There were DOLPHINS!

We went snorkeling this morning at La Persouse Bay. The snorkeling spot is located just past the lava fields about as far south as you can go on the island. We parked and walked in on the very rocky shore. Definitely not a swimming beach. We heard some fellow snorkelers almost whispering about a school of dolphins nearby. We nervously looked at the spot we would have to enter the water and it was a bit intimidating. Pretty much all jutting lava rocks before into the deep water. Then we saw the dolphins frolicking in the distance and we got our gear ready and got into the water. As we swam out we saw fish we had never seen and passed a big sea turtle. We had spotted a sea turtle yesterday which we had figured would be the highlight of our snorkeling adventures. Not so....today the four of us swam with the dolphins. Not in an aquarium with tame dolphins, in the open ocean beside wild dolphins. There were about 20 of them and about 10 snorkelers spread out. People were so excited as you can imagine this doesn't happen everyday. We had an underwater camera but haven't had them developed (remember developing film?!?!). The pics below are not my pics....in case it wasn't that obvious. Hopefully some of ours will turn out.

We were pretty pumped after snorkeling and it was only 10:00am. We stopped at Polo Beach and hit the waves for some boogie boarding. After an hour and a half of that we were starving and it was time for lunch and a nap.

The boys are getting supper ready and after we eat we are heading to the Maui Ocean Center.
After that there will need to be some hot tub time.....snorkeling is a lot of exercise.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 28 - DAY 3

Yesterday's Sunrise from our condo.

At the Iao Needle

'Iao Valley is the site of one of the most famous battles that occurred in 1790 and changed Hawaii history forever when King Kamehameha I destroyed the Maui army in an effort to unite the Hawaiian Islands.

It is day 3 and I have to admit I am starting to miss my boys. This definately was not the holiday to bring them along considering all the stuff we've been able to do but I am missing them.

Of course I will try (said with great sarcasm) and enjoy the rest of the trip.

Today was a rainy day. We went out on a bit of a road trip to see the IAO Needle and over to the North Shore to see some big waves.

We had fish and shrimp at a little fish market/restaurant called Eskimo Candy. Leonard and I finally got to satisfy our coconut shrimp craving. We had hoped to get to Bubba Gumps for shrimp but it is in Lahaina and we were there already. From where we are it is quite a drive.

Last night we hit a highly recommended sushi restaurant for Sushi. I am not normally a big sushi eater but this was an eating experience! Mmmmmm....it was all delicious!!

Panko Crusted Ahi Sashimi Sushi Roll

Mango Crab Salad Hand Roll

Matsuhisa Style Miso Butterfish

Lobster and Blue Crab Ravioli

Spicy Crunchy Tuna Roll

Shrimp Dynamite

Late this afternoon the skies seemed to lighten up a bit and we decided to get to the beach. Well, I would say we cheated death a bit venturing into the waves to boogie board in the roughest surf any of us had been in. We were all very smart about it but MAN water is strong! We were all very full of sand....sand was everywhere (from eyelids to ..... you get the idea) but it was so much fun. I can't pick what I like more snorkeling or boogie boarding.

I don't have any pictures from today but here are some beach shots from yesterday.

We are eating in tonight. Joel is grilling some Marlin steaks then it is off to do some shopping!

Luau Pics

The Luau was absolutely incredible. It will be a night none of us will forget.