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.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 26/07 - DAY 2

We were up early this morning to head out for our 1st snorkeling excursion. We headed to Ulua Beach in the hope of finding sea turtles. I love snorkeling!! It takes some practice to get the hang of it but once you do it is remarkable! The coral and the fish....amazing.

We are back at the condo getting dressed to head to lunch then on to Lahaina for some shopping and then the Old Lahaina Luau.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 25th/07

We met the sunset this morning a top the Haleakala Crater at 10,000 ft. above sea level. It took nearly 2 hours to go up the road. The road was ALL switchbacks. I thought about Lee......she should NEVER do this! Anyone subject to car sickness would not find it enjoyable. None of us felt any ill effects from the altitude or winding roads. The pay off was a remarkable experience. It was freezing cold and very windy. We knew what to expect but WOW it was very cold.

We huddled together and waited for the sun to peak over the clouds we were looking down on. We also watched all the other people waiting with us. Some were in many layers of jackets, towels, blankets, sheets. And there were some morons wearing shorts and light jackets. They were more fun to watch!

On our way back down the mountain we had our 1st look at Maui in the day light. We arrived Saturday night after the sun went down. It was poetic to start our 1st full day in Hawaii with the sunrise.

We are a pretty tired bunch today. We left Edmonton yesterday at 7am which meant an early trip to the airport (up at 4am) and arriving in Maui around 5:30pm. We went for a quick supper and a Mai Tai (YUM) and groceries. To bed by 10pm in order to get up for the sunrise we were up at 3:30am. We are now up from our 3 hour nap and ready to check out the BEACH!

By for now...........oh one more thing...................

GO BOMBERS!!!!!!!!!!

Off to Paradise

Well....we are leaving early tomorrow morning for Maui. I have not been blogging much lately as I have simply been pretty wrapped up at home and I can't access at work any more. I should have LOTS to blog about when we return!

ALOHA everyone!

Trick or Treat

Starring Carter as Batman and Luca as Buzz Lightyear!!

Raymond dressed up as Woody and he was living out his dream! Stayed in character telling "Buzz" to wait for Woody and letting out the occaisional yee haw! Carson was the cutest little dinosaur!


For once we enjoyed a Halloween without snow, without rain, without windchill and without SNOWSUITS!!

After some trick-or-treating outside we went to visit Cindy who was working at the hospital. I showed Luca where he was born and he said, "I know Mama!" Carter didn't quite understand why we were visiting Cindy at the hospital. He asked if she was picking up a baby. LOL! I guess he remembers us "picking up" Luca and Lee "picking up" Ronan. Such a simple mind.

I must apologize for being such an unreliable blogger lately! October was very busy. Lots of company, renos starting in the basement. We have the basement framed and the wiring done and drywall starts this weekend. On top of that we are getting ready for MAUI! We leave in 24 days!!

Turkey Day

It isn't officially Thanksgiving but we are having our supper tonight. I made my 1st ever pie from scratch this morning. Hope it tastes as good as it looks. Mmmmmmm.....apple pie!!

Saturday Morning....New PJs.....Life is Good!

Is there anything better than waking up on a Saturday in your brand new pyjama's?

Not for a 2 & 5 Year old!

Family Fun

We had a great time with Darryl, Tanya and little Liam. They came to town 2 weeks ago for a wedding and we spent the weekend visiting, laughing and playing the Wii. Made the pilgrimage to Ikea (a must-do for all Manitobans and Saskatchewanites err...Saskatchewaneans, people from Saskatchewan(??)). Liam is a doll! He stayed with us while D&T enjoyed the wedding and reception. He is very easy to look after. Here are some random pics from our weekend

Tanya kicking Joel's ass Wii Boxing!