Aloha

As I'm writing this, it's blustery, crazy wet + cold, and these photos are making it warmer in the house.  At least in my head anyway.

I have been up to my eyeballs in Finian Road projects and deadlines (so excited to sleep in tomorrow morning and not rise at 4 am!), so as things are uploading, I want to share some of my favorite images from our week on Maui.

First of all -- I feel so blessed to be able to continue to go to Hawaii with my family.  I've been lucky enough to visit every year for probably a dozen or more years, with the exception of the year we got married (yes, replaced by the "best worst" honeymoon ever to the Cook Islands in the South Pacific: the honeymoon from hell which involved an ungodly amount of diarrhea in a third world country).  I'll never choose the Cook Islands over Maui again, trust me. 

Anyway, back to the awesomeness of this trip.

Jonathan hasn't taken much time away from the office this year.  I think this was maybe his 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th days off?  It was so good to be in the same place as him at the same time.  And  the boys loved it.   And we loved the chance to spend time with my parents -- just relaxing.  Mom and Dad, thank you for everything you did to make this vacation possible!  :)

We were incredibly blessed that Stella stayed at the house with Maggie, keeping an eye on her as we all adjusted to her tumor in her leg.  We would not have been able to relax much had Maggie been on her own...and she adores Stella.  It was an awesome gift that Stella gave us for peace of mind.  Thanks, Mo Bells!!

I took the boys to daily Mass each day, like we do at home.  I came away very grateful that our chapel at home has carpet and not stone floors.  Thomas's tantrums ECHO like no other in a big, stone church!

We did a lot of everything and a lot of nothing.  Lots of naps and resting.  Lots of pool time.  Lots of reading.  Dinners in and out, and very little computer or TV time which was a good disconnection from the norm for all of us.  The boys adored being able to wake up every morning to BearBear and BearBearMom.  We adored being able to have a date night and some time for just the two of us. 

A few of my favorite moments...

John Paul chilling in his inner tube from Grandma.  He was so happy in the pool.  I love having little fishies for sons.


The sunset as we BBQ'ed dinner by the beach.


Thomas was in heaven in the pool with all of us.  We actually rotated between all of us with him since he had infinitely more energy than each of us.  Four hours nonstop until he crashed in bed for his afternoon nap. 

A few amusing moments where he was jumping into the pool.  This particular jump may have miscalculated his trajectory. 


Better...


And perfecting his belly flop.


We'd hit the happy hour/sunset dinners down at Whalers Village.  John Paul loved chewing on anything and everything.


Lots of short rainstorms with exceptionally beautiful rainbows.  Thomas loved having all kinds of water "on demand" when he wanted it.


My budding two year old photographer took this shot at dinner.


Pool time is the best.


Seriously - this is our life right now.  John Paul and Grandpa are headed in the direction we are going.  Thomas is headed the opposite direction -- at lightning speed, no less -- and one of us is turning back to find and retrieve him. 


A scene from the "really cool free luau" that my mom found.  Dad and I both starting drinking when we realized that the musicians behind were lip syncing.  Hawaiian Milli Vanilli, eat your heart out.  


Dinner at the Ali'i...BBQ'd caramelized onion burgers, pineapple shrimp w/a tomato/avocado salsa and grilled pineapple.  So incredibly tasty.  Thomas started early. 


John Paul napped anywhere and everywhere.  Here he is, underneath a lounge chair, on a towel.  Out for the count.


My cousin, Zach, is stationed on Oahu and he flew over for the day with his girlfriend. Trish is beautiful and from Brazil...and John Paul was in heaven with his new Brazilian older woman.  :)


And the two of us, off to date night.


One final image of the tattoos that Thomas got the last day on the island.  They're finally fading.  He woke up yesterday morning and had scratched them a bit during his sleep.  "Mommy!  Tattoos are broken!  I'm sorry, Mommy!  I'm sorry!" 



So grateful to have this time away.  And in the middle a torrential downpour, feeling a bit of the aloha spirit still around.