Reward

Reilly had a great week at school, and knew exactly what he wanted for a reward...

snickerdoodles & a movie night!!!

His FAVORITE !!! (And Avery's too!)

and some snuggles for Movie Night!

Keep up the good work, big boy!!!

Color

Avery's new favorite thing to do....








A budding artist, I'd say.

Shoes from Grandpa

While we were in Hawaii in August, Grandpa decided to take Reilly to get some new shoes for school. They had a great time together, and found some really awesome Star Wars shoes that light up! Thanks Grandpa, you're the best!!!

Girly Rite of Passage

So, Avery had a big first lately... I painted her toenails !!! I was so excited that she was actually able to sit still long enough for me to finish them, and more importantly long enough for them to dry pretty! It is so much fun having a girl to do these fun things with!!!



She LOVES it !!! She said, "sparkles!!!"

Reilly's 1st Day of School !!!

So, this took a while to get posted, but Reilly's first day of 1st grade was actually his first day of school EVER. (Since we homeschooled him for Kindergarten last year.) It was a tough decision for us to send him to public school, but we really think that the daily interaction with other kids would really benefit him. Not to say we won't revisit the homeschooling idea in the future, but for now we're settled.

Anyway, he was so very excited that first morning! We all went together and walked him in. (It was actually our first time to meet his teacher since we were out of town for Meet The Teacher Night.) She is really sweet, Reilly loves her! Even so, it was so difficult to leave him there. Almost unbearable. I was a mess that whole first day. I didn't see any other Mommies boo-hooing, so that was a bit unsettling. But I know I can't be the only one!!

He had a great day, and was so excited to tell us all about it. We made a special little first day of school party for him... I made some special snacks (brownies and a school bus cake)


And the grandparents and Aunt Lana came over too!



We're all so proud of you, Reilly Bear, and we can't wait to see all that you accomplish this year!!!

Last day in Maui

For our last morning in Maui, we spent a good deal of time just gazing out the window of our balcony- trying to commit every detail to memory. Of course, we had to have those amazing pancakes from Cane & Taro one last time. Then, we rented some snorkel gear from our hotel and walked down to Black Rock. We spent hours snorkeling... with sea turtles !!! They swam up so close to us, that we could have touched them !!! We just followed them around, and they didn't seem to mind. It was amazing! I'd say that the snorkeling at Black Rock was actually better than the world famous Molokini Crater we snorkeled at earlier in the week.

We were having such an amazing day, that we actually forgot that we were supposed to check out at 11. We actually forgot that we had to check out AT ALL - we wondered why our key didn't work when we had to go up to the room for some more sunscreen!! I took my key down to the front desk, and they told me that it was 2 p.m. and we were supposed to check out 3 HOURS ago! There were actually people in the lobby waiting for our room!! So in the span of 1 hour, we were able to shower, get ready, and pack all of our belongings! It was a whirlwind of crazy. We apologized profusely to the hotel staff, but they seemed pretty unfazed by it. I can imagine people lose track of time there more often than not. ;)

We were hungry after all that, so we headed to the Hula Grill for a delicious lunch. We shared a succulent Kalua Pork sandwich, and we ordered the best dessert! It was called Baked Hawaii. (Pineapple upside-down cake with Tahitian vanilla ice cream, topped with meringue and caramel rum sauce!) A-mazing!

Then, we strolled along the beach and said our goodbyes to the most beautiful place in the world. Before heading out for one last sunset dinner at Aloha Mixed Plate. Joey bought me another fresh flower lei, and the fragrance painted our whole night. We were so sad to leave, but really missed our babies and were ready to see them and give them their souvenirs! (a surf t-shirt for Reilly, T-shirts for them both that change color in the sun, shell necklaces, and a hawaiian dress just like mine for Avery!)

I asked Joey if he could describe Maui in just one word, and he said, "No, but I think I can manage 2... Creator's Masterpiece." I absolutely concur.
This really was the best time of our whole lives, and we'll never ever forget it.

Maui - Day 6 - Waterfalls !!

The morning of Day 6 was gorgeous of course, and we just had to return to Cane & Taro for their fantastic pancakes. Our agenda for the day was to drive part of the Road to Hana. (Which is a famous drive across Maui. Actually, it is widely acknowleged to be one of the most breathtaking drives in the world. ) It is a curvy coastal road with views of cliffs, beaches, waterfalls, and miles of rainforest. Typically this drive takes 3 hours one way, so our plan was not to complete it- and spend all day in the car. Our plan was to follow the Road to Hana ONLY until it led us to a waterfall. This was something that we absolutely could not leave Hawaii without seeing!

Our first stop was the Hana Bay Picnic Company, for their famous picnic lunch and a couple of smoothies. The first stop, actually the only stop that was necessary, was Twin Falls. :) With our picnic lunch in hand, we started to short hike to the first cascade. Joey was excited to get in that frosty water and climb up to the top. He jumped off of course, the first landing was about 20 feet high. Then, he couldn't wait to climb up to the next landing, which was 50 feet high!!! I didn't get a great picture of this cliff jump, but it was awesome! I stepped into the water a bit, and it was so cold!! We stayed a little while at the first cascade, and then began the 20 minute hike to the second waterfall. This one was exactly what I had in mind, and I was squealing with excitement when it came into view! It was so difficult to get to! We had to climb and amble across the most slippery rocks to get there, but it was so worth it!!! It was just what I had envisioned!!! Joey waded in immediately to check out the cascade from the water, once again frigid. Then, he saw a couple of guys jump off the cliff above- and planned exactly where he should aim his landing. Then, Joey hiked up to the top of the cliff barefoot, 70 feet above!!!! I got the camera ready, and he leaped ! I never thought I would be so excited to watch my beloved husband jump off a cliff !!! I love that he's so macho. Without even trying. He just is.

I hadn't planned to get in the water- once Joey told me how cold it was, but I just knew that I would regret it if I didn't. I had to put out of my mind all the visions I had of what would be swimming in there with me. (I am so not a fan of critters of any kind.) I made my way slowly across the slippery rocks into that icy water, and swam over to the large rock that was resting near the bottom of the cascade. Then I held my breath and swam underneath that waterfall. As the water hit my hair, the chill of it actually took my breath away. But I have never been more enthralled!! Joey jumped off a 50 foot and a 70 foot cliff, and I washed my hair in a Hawaiian waterfall. How many people can say that!!!??? For both of us, it was one of the most wonderful experiences we've had.

We were on a high as we hiked back to the farmstand at the entrance to the Falls, and Joey bought a freshly sliced pineapple for our drive back to the hotel. The drive was beautiful, and the pineapple was delectable.

We stopped at the famous Ono Gelato on the way back, and tried the coconut gelato. Beyond amazing!

Our plan for the late afternoon and evening was to find a beach with some ridiculously gentle waves. (Since I was fighting the urge to fear the ocean after our wave-rolling incident the day before.) I thought I would start small and work my way back up to the more robust waves at our hotel beach. As we were driving, we saw some toddlers playing on a beach in the tiniest waves imaginable, and I knew that was the place for me. We walked out and slowly waded into the water. Which was barely moving. That beach was full of sticks and tree roots, and hurt my feet. So, we set off to another beach that I had read about... Kapalua Beach.

Kapalua Beach was small, had gorgeous golden sand, and there were barely any people there. And, most importantly, the waves were gentle- not toddler gentle- just relaxing gentle. The only downside was the very large rocks mixed in with the sand. We did see a molting sea lion resting on the beach, which was so cool. Joey and I just floated there until sunset, until I felt completely comfortable in the ocean again.

We went back to the hotel and got cleaned up for dinner at Lahaina Pizza Company. The fried provolone was excellent and so was the Hawaiian pizza with pineapple!


We took some pretty cool nighttime beach pictures during our stroll, and soaked in our last starry night in Hawaii.

Maui - Day 5 - Trail Rides

For day 5, we decided to change things up with a breakfast at Cane & Taro... and that was one of the best decisions EVER! Joey ordered the banana macadamia nut pancakes and I had the Hawaiian sweet bread French Toast, which was stuffed with strawberry cream cheese and deep fried with a macadamia nut crust. These were extraordinary on their own, until they brought out the coconut whipped cream and coconut syrup. The most delicious breakfast we had EVER had. Ever.

Then, we drove about 30 minutes up into the mountains for our horseback riding adventure- at Mendes Ranch. I was super excited because I love horses, and Joey was was really excited too- but he was just a little apprehensive since he is terribly allergic to them. (Thankfully that wasn't a problem. Must be because of that perfect Hawaiian air!) We got there a little early, and enjoyed a delicious barbecue lunch. Our riding skills were assessed, and then we were driven in a van further up into the mountains to where the trail began and the horses were waiting. I was given "Lowenbrau", a feisty mare who was named after a beer. This gave me pause.
And then I asked to wear the dorky riding helmet. I had serious doubts about her at first, not only because of her given name, but also since she could hardly stand still- even when I was firm with the reins! Our trail guide, "Butch", assured me that she was a good horse, she just couldn't wait to get started! (The horses are quite content, and enjoy the trail. The ranchers set them loose on the mountain each night, and they come back each morning for their food and water.) Joey was given "Cowboy", a gentle stallion. Which was quite fitting. :) Not sure if they did this on purpose, and could see somehow which horses we were most like- to pair us with. Curious. :)

The trail began slowly, we started by ascending the mountain even further to observe a tremendous view, with waterfalls in the distance. Butch was so kind to take pictures for us at each scenic spot! My apprehension about Lowenbrau faded quickly after we got started, she was a peach. But I had to be careful to keep her centered on the trail, or she would grab something to munch on and it would be difficult to get her back on track. Butch did let them stop for a drink and a snack, though. He had genuine love for all the horses, and knew them all so well... which was great to see.

The best part of the whole ride was the few times we got to let the horses run. And I mean RUN. It had been years since I had been on a horse, and it was absolutely exhilarating!!! Thrilling. There was that thought- that sensation that I might fall off, but I just held on tight and couldn't stop smiling! It was an adventure for sure, and the views were majestic.

At the end of the trail, we could not BELIEVE how filthy we were! We knew the dust was flying, but to get a look at ourselves in a mirror was comical. We had dirt caked everywhere, except for where our sunglasses had been. Especially since we first slathered on the sunscreen, which acted as an adhesive. This made the dirt almost impossible to get off without some sort of tool. Awesome.

On our way back to the hotel, we stopped to try a Maui Taco. Really cheap, and really yummy! People were staring at us, we assume it was because we were both covered in dirt. So we thought, what better place to rinse off than the ocean?? So we headed to the beach, and played in the waves. Which turned out to be a mistake. Of epic proportions. I seriously thought I was going to die. We.got.rolled. If you don't know what I mean when I say that, then lucky you. We were just swimming out in the ocean, not too deep at all. Maybe chest high in the water. When all of a sudden, a huge freak of a wave came crashing into us. My feet were knocked out from under me and I began to tumble through the water, not knowing which way was up. I didn't see it coming, so I wasn't able to take a deep breath beforehand. So, I knew I didn't have long. I was actually calm, while I was being thrashed about under the crushing power of that wave. I remember thinking, "this is it. This is how I'm going to die." When all of a sudden, it was over. We were both on the shore, disoriented, and stunned. Joey less so than myself, since I was also coughing and trying to find air beyond the water that I had breathed into my lungs. It was absolutely terrifying. I think the first thing I was able to say to Joey after that ordeal was, "Now I understand Alabama's "ROLL TIDE" thing. I never knew why that would be indimidating... now it is crystal clear." And then we both laughed... and thought about how funny we must have looked flopping around in that wave. Arms and legs flying, and then coming up dazed and confused. Anyone watching would have most likely found our mishap quite humorous. After all, to anyone else it was only a few seconds. But for me it felt like minutes. So, after all that, we went for a dip in the pool. Nice. Safe. Chlorinated pool. We watched a beautiful sunset on the beach, and actually saw a few others get rolled. Turns out, it is kinda funny. ;)

After finally getting all the dirt off, we headed out for dinner in Lahaina. Cool Cat Cafe was our choice for the evening, since we heard they had the best burgers on the island. Everyone was right, they were amazing! Good Lava Flows too. Goodness knows I needed a drink after that day! We ended day #5 as every other day, with our moonlit stroll, and also by thanking God for keeping us safe- especially on that particular day.

Maui - Day 4 - Snorkeling

Day 4 began the adventurous leg of our vacation... with snorkeling at the world-famous Molokini Crater. (One of the most incredible snorkeling spots in the world!) We reported to the boat, The Four Winds, at 7 a.m. that morning. Breakfast was provided, and then we hit the open sea for the 1 hour sail to the Crater. I started feeling a little nauseated, (of course I would be the one to get sea sick.) I was given a ginger drink (and they called me a "sicky"... "Oh, we've got a sicky." funny.) The ginger was grrrrosss, but seemed to help a bit. We finally arrived at the Crater, and after some brief instruction, hit the water! It was COLD, but we jumped in with our rented underwater camera. We were so bummed that we actually missed the biggest stingray ever sighted by our crew, they just couldn't shut up about it! But, the fish were plentiful, we saw quite a few that we had studied at the Aquarium!

It was incredible, so quiet and calm. The breathing underwater thing was a little strange, but awesome. The time went by so quickly, we just lost track of it. After a couple of hours, lunch was served.... hamburgers. But who would ever bother with a burger when there were also delicious Kalua Pork sandwiches!??!! Joey did a little more snorkeling after that, while I lazed on the boat- more accurately, while I tried not to become sick on the boat. :/

On the hour sail back to the Marina, our Captain took us by "turtle town", and we got to see so many turtles!!!

Despite the nausea, it was an amazing, adventurous, memorable day! And I only heard the JAWS theme playing a couple of times while I was underwater!!! I was not born with that adrenaline junkie/adventure gene, so it was a big deal for me to do something like this! Joey was so proud of me, and so was I !!

After we got back to the Marina, we stopped at a local store so Joey could sample an authentic Hawaiian Shave Ice. (He got pineapple flavor, but wasn't that impressed. He would much rather have one from Bahama Buck's. Go figure.)

We rested until it was time for dinner. Brilliantly, we chose to return to Aloha Mixed Plate in Lahaina for yet another delicious beachside meal at Sunset. It was exquisite.

We wandered around the quaint little town, but encountered a suspicious looking character in the shadows who asked us if we would like some "herbal essence". Joey declined, and told the man that we brought our own shampoo. That's why I love him. Hilarious.

We stumbled upon the most amazing tree in the Town Square, a Banyan tree. Which stretched across an entire city block. The root system must have been mind-boggling! I'll let the pictures speak for that one. Oh, and I can't forget this little gem, while admiring that incredible tree- full of birds.... oh yes, I did get pooped on. The only time in my entire life that a bird has pooped on me. In Hawaii. Awesome. Luckily, there was a shopping area across the street with lots and lots and lots of soap.

We thoroughly enjoyed our nightly moonlit stroll along the beach, and wondered when we'd get to return. Actually, we seriously considered just staying there forever and having our children shipped to us!!!!!

Maui - Day 3 - Vow Renewal

Our Wedding Day !!

We started with a delicious early lunch at Leilani's before heading over to Mikey & Honey's hotel, The Grand Wailea, to get ready for our ceremony. That hotel was amazing, and the bar there makes the most delicious Lava Flows on the planet! (For those who don't know, a LAVA FLOW is a tasty adult beverage... specifically just a Pina Colada with strawberry puree. YUM.)

I got my makeup applied and dress on, just in time for our incredible photographer (Honey) to take some pictures of us on the grounds of the hotel and in front of the waterfall there. I can't fully express how wonderful it is to have an amazing professional photographer in the family, much less one who was going to be in Hawaii anyway for Mikey's company trip! It was so great having Mikey and Honey there with us, it made it even more perfect being able to share it with them!

We arrived at our ceremony site a bit early, which was good since we had to put on tennis shoes and trek down some gnarly rocks to get to the secluded Poolenalena Beach. We were a little worried, since the wind on the climb down was furious... but then we reached a tiny cove, and that fierce wind dwindled to a gentle breeze. It was directly under the cliff side home of Hollywood actress Sharon Stone, and adjacent to the home of Clint Eastwood. Pretty cool. Our officiant, Rev. Kevin, opened the ceremony with a Fozzy Bear-esque guttural "singing" to the Four Winds. During which, we all found it quite difficult to hold it together without laughing at the poor man.

The rest of the ceremony was sweet and romantic. We acknowleged all that we've been through these past 10 years as a couple,and now as a family of 4. We renewed the Vows we made to each other 10 years ago, and promised once again to love each other for the rest of our lives. It was dreamy, and so romantic. It was the wedding I had always wanted. Thank you Joey, for making it your goal in life to make all my dreams come true. I'll have to dream up some more, since you've checked off almost everything on my list! You're more than I ever dreamed of, when I dreamt of the man I would spend my forever with. You are truly a prince among frogs. ;)
I love you with all my heart, and I thank God for blessing me with the gift of you.

***** Photography courtesy of Kristina Fanelli - Koi Images and Events. www.kristinafanelli.com

Maui - Day 2

Our second day was really fun! Like the first, it began like a dream. Waking up to bright sunshine streaming in through the thin curtains that were blowing in the most fragrant breeze imaginable. We began all our days with a run, which was invigorating. It was so much easier to wake up early in Hawaii, we didn't want to waste any time sleeping!

So in order to avoid sunburn for one more day, we decided to have some mostly indoor fun. We ventured to the Maui Ocean Center Aquarium to study the things we would be seeing while snorkeling later in the week! It was really interesting, and comforting. We learned that there aren't really any sharks to worry about while snorkeling and swimming around Maui!!! Of course I would pay attention to that stuff... I've had many a nightmare thanks to JAWS.

We had lunch at one of the restaurants in the Aquarium, the Seascape. Joey had an amazing Teriyaki Pineapple Cheeseburger and I had a salad. His was amazing, mine was... a salad. ;)

The best part of the Aquarium was the giant tank filled with sharks (who can actually sleep) huge fish, and the adorable baby turtles! It was a great day, and we learned a lot.

Then, we strolled around the outdoor mall and stumbled upon a Yogurtland. It was my first such experience, other than say a TCBY. And I must say, I am now a shameless addict! Healthy, Delicious, and practically guilt-free = Awesome.

We were very excited to get to the Sunset Luau that evening! And talk about perfect, when we looked out from our balcony there was a rainbow!!! Seriously!?? This place is unreal.

I had always wanted to go to a Luau! This one was truly authentic, not at all cheesy. They even roasted a pig in an imu. (an underground smoke pit) And I must say, he was incredibly delicious. Here's a tip, when in Hawaii, if ever there is Kalua Pork on a menu.... ORDER IT !! It is amazing! And free adult beverages made it even better!!! We saw one of the male performers husk a coconut with a crude spear-like tool, in about 20 seconds. Joey bought me my first real flower lei, made by one of the artisans there. The flowers were soft and beautiful, and the fragrance was absolutely intoxicating. The food was incredible, and the sunset was breathtaking. Weather was perfection. Literally. We wondered where all the mosquitos were!

We made fast friends with the people at our table, some Newlyweds and some married for much longer than us. The show was my favorite part of the evening! The best part being the emcee asking for all the couples celebrating Anniversaries to stand, and then had the ladies sit down. Then he asked those men to come up to the stage and follow along in a special hula dance for their lady. It was one of the brightest moments I can remember! Watching Joey up there, so embarassed, yet having so much fun made me absolutely giddy! I can still see him up there so vividly, it brings joy to my heart. Then there was the fire-juggler, which was super cool ! Completely crazy and dangerous, but definitely cool!

After the luau, we strolled along the beach hand in hand. Like we did each and EVERY night. It was a little chilly, but so so wonderful. And we couldn't get over how few people were there! Our hotel seemed full, along with the other hotels along the beach, but the beach itself was never really all that crowded- even in the middle of the day!

We just soaked up that gorgeous moonlit, starry night. It was the most romantic setting we could ever imagine! It was the perfect prelude to our Day 3... our WEDDING DAY!!! Stay tuned!

Maui - Day 1

The day was finally here... Joey and I were headed for Maui! I had been dreaming of this for as long as I could remember !!! It was so difficult though, to get on a plane and leave my babies 3 thousand miles away for 7 days. So, I'm sort of conflicted to report that we had the time of our lives!!! The absolute best time we ever had! Really, this vacation had everything... Romance, intrigue, adventure, comedy, excitement, and even a little danger.

Our plane took off around noon, and after a quick layover in Phoenix, we arrived in Paradise that evening. Picking up the rental car took a while, so it was dark when we got to our hotel. (Well, condo actually. It was recommended to us by our travel agent who just happens to be a Maui expert!) We stayed at The Whaler on Kaanapali Beach, which was absolutely perfect. Perfect location as well. Right on the beach, and just a short walk from fantastic restaurants and an outdoor mall!!!

We were amazed when we got to the hotel and breezed into the open-air lobby. We could NOT wipe the smiles off our faces!!! We got all settled into our ocean-view room and enjoyed the complimentary pineapple. Then we decided to hit the grocery store we saw on our way in, since it was too dark to see anything anyway. It was shocking how much groceries cost in Hawaii- especially the cereal! But, thankfully, the pineapples were cheap!!!

We couldn't wait to get to sleep that first night- so we could see the sunrise and the beach in the morning!!! We slept with the sliding glass doors open, and the waves lulled us to sleep in no time.

The view that morning was almost more than we could handle!! We couldn't believe it was real, and couldn't wait to get down to the beach and put our toes in that sand! Which was such a fine, perfect golden powder. Oh yes indeed, there was frolicking. It really is every bit as perfect as you imagine it would be. We just wanted to camp out there all day long, (since we couldn't manage to take enough pictures!!) but we didn't want to mistakenly get a sunburn before our Vow Renewal Ceremony that was 2 days away. So, we decided to walk over to the outdoor mall for some souvenir shopping and lunch.

Then we hopped in our zippy little rental car and explored the island a little. Don't know why I found it so strange to see an Old Navy and Krispy Kreme there... probably because it just feels like an entirely different planet.

Then we changed into our swimsuits, and headed down to the Hula Grill for some Happy Hour Mai Tais. We also tried a tropical fruit sampler, which included bananas, pineapple, mango, papaya, lychee, lillikoi, strawberries & watermelon. It had this amazing pina colada dipping sauce that was out of this world. It was a truly Hawaiian experience!

Then we hit the beach for just a little while that evening, again trying to avoid those dreaded tanlines/sunburns! The water was pretty cold at first, but once we were fully immersed, it was just exhilerating and completely refreshing.

Then we headed into Lahaina Town for some dinner, and stumbled upon the best meal of our entire lives- at Aloha Mixed Plate. Sure, they serve the food on compostable paper plates, plastic forks and cups. (But to quote the New York Times, "Paper plate meets million dollar view".) The entire restaurant was completely open-air and our view for that first Hawaiian sunset was nothing short of spectacular. The thing that astounded us the most was, there were NO mosquitos. None. AND we were sitting OUTSIDE in August without breaking out into a sweat. It made me realize that, although I love Texas, temperately speaking... it is an armpit.

We began our dinner experience with a yummy Pina Colada, and Coconut Prawns with Pineapple Chutney. AMAZING! We knew then that we were in for something special. Joey ordered the Kalbi Ribs (Grilled Korean-style sesame teriyaki short ribs)and I had the Shoyu Chicken (oven baked chicken in a soy sauce marinade) both were served with white rice and macaroni salad. Sounds simple, but this food was to die for! We shared a dessert that rocked our world, the name of it was so not appetizing: Cheesecake Lumpia, but we were so glad we ventured to try it. It was a cinnamon-sugary caramel fried cheesecake. It was truly the best.meal.ever.

Our first full day was incredible, and we relished the fact that we had 6 more to go!

Summer's Last Hurrah

For our last day home with Reilly before his school career began, we took the kids to Going Bonkers for some crazy climbing, sliding fun! (It's like a Chick-fil-A playground on steroids, for those who aren't in the know.) Reilly had never seen anything like it, his eyes were HUGE... so we knew we scored!! We love making our children feel like there's magic in the world... we believe that's actually part of our job as parents. :)

It was actually there that I felt something I didn't expect. It was the very first time I felt like we were a 4-pack... instead of three and a baby. Because we let Avery climb with the three of us, up to the top of that crazy playground... and she was a pro! She stayed right with us, climbing and sliding like she'd done it a million times! There was chasing, racing, red-faced sweating, and giggling... most of all giggling. It was the most fun we've ever had as a family of 4. I just know I'll remember it forever, as the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our family.

After we closed down Going Bonkers, we hit one of Reilly's favorites for dinner... Panda Express! Followed by a perfect snow cone from Bahama Buck's. (Joey's absolute favorite.) Joey introduced us to the ring game there, which like everything else- he is annoyingly great at. I think Reilly got the hang of it too, but Avery was just too busy enjoying the snow cones to bother with more than one try at it.

It was such a great day, the perfect summer send-off for the kiddos!