3 years old

Our little girl turned 3 today. It's amazing how much she has grown in these past few months. She is still the one that challenges us daily as parents but is coming to understand what it means to have control over her emotions...and boy is there drama at times. This girl loves to dress up (especially in anything pink...because that is her favorite color), wear mommy's jewelry, play house with her baby dolls, climb any obstacle in her way, show her independence in stating that she do things "by myself", color and "do school" like her brothers, take care of her little sister...or make her cry, run from place to place because walking just isn't fast enough, is quick to tattle on her brothers...even if she is in the wrong, and loves to sing and dance...as long as no one is listening or watching. She definitely keeps life from becoming dull and we sure do love her a ton! The theme this year was ladybugs...balloons, cupcakes, wrapping paper, decorations...

Mele Kalikimaka!

We started off our Christmas weekend by taking our traditional trip to the beach on Christmas Eve. It was waaaay too cold and windy to swim, so we decided to do a hike instead...Mokapu'u Lighthouse. It was breathtakingly beautiful as always.

Waimanalo Beach on the way home.These are the only pictures we have of Christmas morning...and the hubby took these...not realizing he needed flash. So they're a little blurry. Jason and I both decided we wished there was a church service every year for Christmas day...whether it's Sunday or not. It was such a great focus for the day.
The kids were busy making gifts and cards for each other a few days before and enjoyed opening each others gifts up. That had to be my favorite memory of opening gifts that morning.Lainey preferred to eat all the paper...that was her favorite part.

Then that night we walked on over to "Christmas" street to see the lights again. These folks go nuts-o with the lights.

#3 No Daylight Savings

We don't fall back or spring forward here in Hawaii...love it.

A-B Honor Roll

Ethan received this award at school...

...and Jude wanted to be a part of it as well.

Christmas pix preview

#4 Food

There are certain food items here in Hawaii that I know we won't be able to enjoy on the mainland. Here is my list:
Poke (pronounced Po-kay) : my favorite is the Ahi Limu Poke. Limu is seaweed. I also really like sashimi but I know that you can get that on the mainland...not so sure I want to eat it being land-locked and all. Not sure how fresh the fish is in the mid-west unless you get it out of the river. But poke was something I actually craved during my pregnancy and now I am glad I can indulge in this treat once again. (the picture I got off the internet if you're wondering whose manly-tan hand that was)


Apple-bananas: these may look like regular bananas but they are not. It's hard to explain the difference other than they aren't as mushy as a regular banana, are smaller in size and have a little sweeter flavor. Yum!Frozen mochi: I know how to make regular mochi but I'm pretty sure that you can't find frozen mochi on the mainland. Bubbies is my favorite brand, lychee flavored...sooooo yummy!

Chocolate Haupia pie: Ted's Bakery makes the best pie but I was able to find a recipe...probably not the same but I'll have to try it anyway.Malasadas: These warm portuguese doughnuts are melt-in-your-mouth good. Although I do miss Krispy Kreme, those would be a close second to these yummy pastry's. Lychee: I know you can get these canned but there is nothing like fresh Lychee. If I could grow these on the mainland I would.

Bubble Tea: I don't know what it is about a frozen tea drink with tapioca pearls but we love them around here. Hopefully we can find these on the mainland...I've heard it's the newest "coffee shop" drink.

7 months old

Lainey is 7 months old today. Boy did that last month fly by.

We tried taking pictures right before bedtime, but as you can see she just wasn't into it. She is trying to pull herself up on things, the couch, a chair, people (if they're sitting on the floor), even in her crib...thankfully she has only gotten onto her knees.

She says "ba-ba" and "da-da" but not in association to anything. (warning: the video below is long but I figured the aunties and grandmas wouldn't mind)

photography

Jude has been interested in learning how to take pictures. So he had fun taking pictures of Lainey and I out in the front yard. He did pretty well...it's not blurry and we're centered.The photographer and his baby sis.

tree lighting

We headed over to the local hospital to go to our last tree lighting with our friends. This has been a really fun tradition every year, and it's sad to think it will be our last.The night started off as usual with a trolley ride around Kailua Town while singing Christmas carols. We were singing Mele Kalikimaka and when we got to the verse where it says "from the land where palm trees sway...here we know that Christmas will be green and bright" I got a little teary eyed thinking about how this will be our last Christmas where things will be sunny and bright and green. We all counted down and they turned on all the lights. So pretty!




While we were leaving we got stopped by the processional of Santa Claus riding in on an old fashioned fire truck. There were even dancing gingerbread men, toy soldiers and a prince and princess. Fun times!

#5 Flowers

There is a sweetness to the air because of the amazing flowers that grow here. I'm not a perfume person but if I could find scents of some of these flowers in perfume form, I would buy it. Here are my top picks:

Plumeria

Mock Orange

Stephanotis

Jasmine (pikake)
TuberosePua keni keni flower Gardenia

#6 Ocean and Mountains

I remember last summer when we visited the mainland and I kept expecting to see the ocean every time we drove over a hill. It's funny how that is so normal to me now. I still am in awe when I see the ocean and the amazing aquas, greens and blues of the ocean water. I think I will have to paint a room in our new house those colors just to remind me of Hawaii.
The mountains in Hawaii are so unique...they are incredibly steep and green. They are not the type of mountains you hike (unless you hike the "stairway to heaven" trail), they are always green (because the clouds usually get stuck as they float by and dump all the rain on the mountains), they have waterfalls after a good rain and they have the neatest crevices in the volcanic rock from years of erosion....stunning.