Sunsets

Sunsets in Hawaii are nothing short of BEAUTIFUL.

We love watching them from the porch at Papa and Tutu's. We chat, have a pu-pu and then head back downstairs for dinner. The weather is always amazing and the view spectacular.

Side Note: On the Big Island you can see the sun rise on the East side and the sunset on West side in the same day. (Although we have never waken early enough in the morning to drive and see the sun rise).

Swimming with the Dolphins

Every time we go to Hawaii we have an AMAZING and MEMORABLE time (post about the Tsunami warning to come) but I think this is the best trip that we have ever had. We were so stoked to have my older sister Lindsey join us on the trip and meet Sidney for the 1st time. She also did an amazing job documenting our trip so I will probably have more pictures and posts this week then ever! I'm having a hard time deciding how to organize everything I want to post on our blog so I have decided the easiest way to document our trip is to do it in no particular order....

Thanks to Paul's friends Mike and Diana Thomas my sister and I had an opportunity to swim with the Dolphins at the Hilton Waikoloa Village. They are such beautiful animals, I still cant get over the texture of their skin, its SO smooth. Their mating habits are a bit different and I wont go into detail here but if your interested in knowing I am sure Google could offer you some insight. Lets just say they don't discriminate...

Auntie Lou and Sidney meeting for the first time! So precious.

Sidney's 1st flight and she was Perfect, not a peep or a fuss!

We were literally holding the weight of this Dolphin, they weigh about 300 lbs. I still cant believe how they carry their weight while jumping out of the water, the trainers told us most of their strength comes from their tail.

Riley's staple drink at any resort or restaurant we go to... Sprite with as many cherries as he can coax out of the waitress

The best salad! Fresh lettuce and veggies with Macadamia nuts and grilled Ahi

Riley is the only kid I know who takes his shoes off to walk on Lava rocks. He loves it! He sees them and takes his shoes off and charges over them like he has feet of steel!

After swimming with the dolphins we hit the water slides at the Hilton... Unfortunately Paul lost his wedding ring on this slide :( Someone is now the proud owner of his Platinum wedding band.

Aloha!

A quick update... It's paradise, I never want to leave. We love having my sister Lindsey here with us. Amazing sunsets, beautiful mornings, paddle boarding and snorkeling. hanging with friends, play dates with Tiana and meeting Stone Mana. Beach days at Papa's house and the Mauna Kea, but mostly running around Papa's yard and jumping in the pond.

Almost all photo credit goes to my Sister Lindsey, she has taken SO many beautiful pictures and I will be using them in all of my posts about this trip!

New Jammies

I love knowing that this blog will serve as a source of memories for Sidney and Riley. That being said, Riley allow me to remind you about this "moment". You were sick with double pink eye and a cold. We bought you new buzz light year PJ's that afternoon. We came home and I immediately put them in the washer. Around 3pm you wanted your "new PJ's". When I told you they were in the dryer and almost done you said "ok Mom" and went upstairs. Next thing I know your Dad finds you here... patiently waiting for your PJ's dry. You crack us up and we sure love you buggy!

Happy VALENTINES Day!

BE MY

Valentine's Party

We love when Riley's preschool class has a party, its so fun to be in the classroom and see him interact with his friends. The day before the actual party its all he could talk about. He was so excited for the TREATS and that he was getting VALENTINES from his class mates!

Riley said "HIS MOMMY" was his Valentine (love my boy)!... But when I asked him who his valentine was he told me it was DELANY (A girl in his class) hmmmm maybe someone has a little crush?

Stringing a macaroni necklace... He only put on 2 pieces of pasta and then went straight outside for the RED BIKE

We've heard ALOT about this Red Bike, apparently is has been the source of a few arguments on the playground about who's turn it is to ride it.

Checking out his bag of VALENTINES

Sisters

My sister Lindsey sent this to me today, I loved it and thought I would share...

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day drinking iced tea and visiting with her Mother. As they talked about life, about marriage, about theresponsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter.

"Don't forget your Sisters,' she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. 'They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need Sisters. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them.'

"Remember that 'Sisters' means ALL the women... your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too. 'You'll need other women. Women always do."

What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman thought. Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!' But she listened to her Mother. She kept contact with her Sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one afteranother, she gradually came to understand that her Mom really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, Sisters are the mainstays of her life.

After more than 50 years of living in this world, here is what I've learned:

Time passes.

Life happens.

Distance separates.

Children grow up.

Jobs come and go.

Love waxes and wanes.

Hearts break.

Parents die.

Colleagues forget favors.

Careers end.

BUT.........

Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girlfriend is never farther away than needing her can reach. When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end. Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you...Or come in and carry you out. Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our life!

The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other.

Smiles

Last week Sidney gave us her first smile, and now we spend all her awake time trying to get her to smile more!

After the Storm

This is what the beach house looked like after the storm. Paul said he has NEVER seen the shoreline look this! Hopefully all the sand will be back before the summer!

Here we are..

Things you cant see... The Lakers game on TV, Riley with a handful of Skittles and Paul and my new obsession WORDS WITH FRIENDS on our iphones. This game is ridiculously addicting, even if you are not a scrabble fan it will hook you, just ask Paul! Set up an account and request a game with a friend... WHITO or MISSYWHITW PS my mom and brother are also addicted this game!

TALKING CARL

Do you have an iphone? Do you have kids that like to play with it? This is the best new application! Riley cant put the phone down, its so fun! Carl, repeats anything you say with an hilarious voice, he can also be poked and pinched and you can even tickle him to make him laugh out loud.

RAIN!

I have been loving this cold wet rain but I have not enjoyed driving in it like Paul does. Riley wants to wear his rain coat and rain boots in the house and keeps asking where his "Thomas umbrella" is which is weird because he doesn't have a Thomas umbrella! Silly Boy. Here's some pictures Paul has taken while he was out and about.

The Irvine Cove beach house stairs, look how high the sand is and the beach house has been totally flooded!