A Day at the Volcano

We headed out for a family adventure on Monday and toured Volcanoes National Park.  It's a trip that Stef and I have been on many times with visitors but it was a first for the boys.  It was SO exciting for them to get bundled up and see the crater, walk through a "real lava tube," explore the fern forest and run through the steam from the steam vents.  Mostly it was just great to spend the day together, doing something out of the ordinary and enjoying "special family time."

Also great was the family photo taken by a visitor who was clearly more interested in the plume from the crater than the fact that we are a family of four...

Proud boy to have conquered his fear and walked through the entire lava tube TWICE!!

Monday Morning

is so much more fun when dressed in matching shirts and sweatshirts...

We Heart Tropsicles

Four pops for the four of us just wasn't enough for us this weekend.  I had to go back for a second pop (not pictured) and eat half of it before I got to the car and had to share with the rest of the fam.  

Woah.  These things are so ridiculously delicious- and we are proud that one of our dear friends has started this amazing business- Tropsicles!  Fresh pops made with love with local fruits and veggies... what could be better on a hot Saturday morning?  

Dentist!

It was Lance's second and Kiran's very first trip to the dentist.  Both boys did amazingly well and let Dr. Jill polish, floss and poke around in their mouths.  Proud parents?!  yep!  We were.

Second Annual New Year's Celebration With the Dougerys

Such an amazing treat to spend two days with Julie, John, Jack and little number two on the way.  Living far from friends and family can be really difficult... but having a great friend with a family home in Kona makes a piece of it so special and much easier to digest.

Juls and her fam make it out to the Big Island at least two times a year and we are lucky enough to spend some of this time with them.  It's hard to explain, but there's a part of me that sees our kids growing up together in these brief, but regular get togethers and it is such a reassuring feeling.  I just know that despite the distance, we will be in close touch for years to come!

10 Fabulous Days With Nini

We were on pins and needles waiting for Nini to arrive for her visit... as we counted down the days to Christmas, Lance would ask "and how many days until Nini gets here?!"  She got here just in time to cook us an amazing fish chowder for Christmas Eve dinner and stayed all the way through the new year.

It was likely the best visit yet.

Highlights included: Nini sleeping under Lance's loft bed every night only to be woken up bright and early by Sassy (Lance's girlfriend/doll) tickling her from above, daily swims at 4 mile beach with turtle sightings every day, Christmas morning with the excitement of a three and one and a half year old, the daily ins and outs of life with mom's help, homemade and restaurant bought mai tais, lots of good talks, and two glorious days in Kona with the Dougerys.

As usual, we didn't take any photos.  I guess that's what happens when mom comes.  It's all so perfectly normal and comfortable and easy that you don't think about documenting... we did manage to take a few but nothing is a good as the real thing!

Motherly Love Times Two...

Saying goodbye was harder than usual, mostly because the reality of saying goodbye to Nini really hit Lance.  Here we are at the airport with a heartbroken little boy and an equally sad Nini in their goodbye embrace.

It won't be long until next time... with that photo as motivation, I'm sure we'll see each other again soon.

Christmas at Last!!!

After counting down for 25 whole days on their calendar, the boys were definitely ready for Santa's big arrival.  Lance literally FLEW into bed on Christmas Eve- he was so worried that Santa would catch him awake that I had to convince him it would be okay to go to the bathroom before bed.

Nini was here, which made our day even more special.

Kiran's favorite present, by far, was his very own backpack- he is SO proud to have a big boy backpack like his brother!

Lance was mostly impressed by his new bball hoop and his cowboy gear... He also presented his first handmade gift- a beautiful candle that he decorated with beeswax at school.

Stef scored big time with the full beard that he's been waiting for since his early 20's.

A big highlight of the day was talking to our families and friends on facetime... so amazing to live in an era where this is possible- it definitely makes the distance somewhat easier to bear!

'Tis the Season

The boys gearing up for Santa to come with Rudolf noses, reindeer food, cookies for old St. Nick, and their first gift of the holiday- flatbed trucks with cars in tow... the magic of Christmas is so much fun with these two!

Catching Up On Photos

Some pics from the last several weeks that are worth sharing...