Reagan's Christmas Sing

It's that time of year again!!!! Christmas Sing time!!!! The students practice for months on these songs and I love to see and hear them perform their program. Reagan was up first this year.

As the children get older, they sing more complicated songs with parts and rounds and things. I love it!

We were seated way over to the side and our friends and us kept laughing that Reagan made sure to look at us directly, even though we were way over on the side. She knows that this mama is looking to get pics of her!

Starting in 3rd grade, the teacher no longer teaches them their songs, they have a dedicated music teacher - Miss Marble. Reagan and Cole love her! 

After their program, we returned to their classroom where they had made a gift for us. Reagan made a candle with Christmas colors on it. She and her friends were so excited that their program was done and that Christmas is almost here!!!! We loved her program - Way to go Reagan!!!!!

Here's a little video of her program:

Christmas a Bit Early

Shannon and Benton are going to be spending Christmas in Arizona since Benton has to work over Christmas. So, we got together a couple of weeks before Christmas to celebrate and exchange gifts. Shannon and Benton gave Reagan a blanket in the shape of a mermaid and a beautiful jewelry box. They gave Cole a skateboard. Both kiddos LOVED their gifts!!!

Benton taught Cole (and Reagan) some moves on the skateboard and he practices constantly. We will be sad to not have Shannon and Benton with us during Christmas, but we were glad to be able to celebrate with them. Merry Christmas guys!!

Boondocks!!!!!

While we ladies were having our brunch bridal shower, Steve took Reagan and Cole to Boondocks. They played laser tag, arcade games, ate pizza and raced cars.



It was actually a fairly cold day and Cole had forgotten to take a coat so Steve let him borrow his. Cole looks so grown up in this long, men's coat. Oh well - whatever works, right?

Cole wasn't tall enough to race the bigger cars. He had more of a go kart thing, but eventually, he went with Reagan in her race car and they sped around the track.

They spent hours at Boondocks doing all that they could do there. When they came home, they were tired and full. They had run from attraction to attraction and had a great  time!

Steve was such a sport. He took them around to every attraction they wanted to try, he gave up his coat, he bought them lunch and ate with them and sent me several pictures so I could see all the fun they were having.

So, while we ladies had a lovely brunch and had a great bridal shower, these guys were having a blast.... way more fun than if they had stayed for the shower. Love it!

A Bridal Shower for Alexis

My niece, Alexis, is engaged. When she was first engaged, I called dibs on throwing the family shower. Unfortunately, we didn't have as many attend - from either side of the family - as we would have hoped. I think the weather played a factor. That didn't matter, though, because we still had a great time. 

Amber was our MC for the afternoon and kept us all entertained with stories and games and fun prizes. You go Amber and Congrats Alexis - we are so happy for you!!!! xoxoxoxo

Maui - Days 9 & 10

Our last day in Maui. We got up and worked out, showered and went for breakfast. The place where they have breakfast and pupus is on the 8th level of Black Rock and has a beautiful view. Before they turned it into an eating place, Steve and I - for years - would come up here and just think and plan and write and set goals. It is in the same building as the fitness center, so, we would cool down here after a work out and just sit on the benches and look out over Kaanapali Beach. This is one of my favorite places in the world and this view is one of the best of this beach. Now, we have breakfast and pupus here, but it is no less spectacular.

I have to laugh at Reagan and Cole and their breakfast and pupus. There is a hot chocolate machine here - well, it's actually an espresso machine, but it makes hot chocolate as well. Reagan and Cole are LOVING the hot chocolate. Every morning and every evening, they are loading up on hot chocolate. It doesn't matter that it is 80 degrees here - they are drinking hot chocolate morning and night. Crazy kiddos. I'll admit that it tastes great, but I don't need it several times a day. They crack me up.

After breakfast, Reagan and Cole (and Steve) swam in the pool and hit the hot tub. It was our sunniest day yet. We swam as long as we could and then packed up and checked out. We were only able to get a 2 pm checkout time. So, we stashed our luggage with the bellman and headed down to the beach.

We rented some snorkel equipment for Steve. Reagan and Cole already have their own snorkel equipment. I stayed with our stuff and took pics of them. They snorkeled around Black Rock for over an hour. The waves were not huge, but were still moving them around as they tried to look for fish and turtles. After about an hour, Cole got out of the water, having had enough. He then climbed on the rocks, looking for sand crabs.

When we were done snorkeling, we used the shower facilities in the fitness center to clean up. Then, we headed to Whaler's Village to eat our last meal here at Hula Grill. Our toes in the sand, island music being played and good food to eat as we watch the sun go down over the horizon. Next, we shopped for gifts for our friends and teachers and Reagan and Cole each selected a gift to remind them of this trip. Reagan chose some rainbow pens and a bottle with sand and rocks inside. Cole chose a stuffed animal turtle he had seen while we were shopping there a few days ago.

With our meal done, we walked back to the hotel and went up to the area where they serve the pupus. We weren't hungry, but we needed to spend our time somewhere and that view is gorgeous. Reagan and Cole continued to drink their hot cocoa, which cracks me up since it is 80 degrees here, but whatever they want, right?

Eventually, we headed out to where the shuttle picked us up. We were lucky again (as when we arrived) to have the shuttle all to ourselves. Our flight departed at 10:25 pm and we flew all night to arrive around 5am in Los Angeles. After a 45 minute stop, we continued home and caught an Uber to drive us to our house.

It was freezing and snowy at home. Yep - it will take us a while to get used to the cold, but we had another fabulous trip in Maui. We'll be back Maui - you never disappoint.

Maui - Day 8

Today we had clean laundry, so we were able to work out. I love the view when the day is fresh and new. The sun is just coming up, the beach is fresh with no people and no footprints. It is a beautiful site from the building where the fitness center is.

Then I showered and Steve went to work out. When I came out of the bathroom, Reagan and Cole were sitting in our hotel room in silence with big eyes. The people in the room next to ours (whom had been arguing the night before) were full on fighting. It was a couple arguing and yelling and hitting something (hopefully a wall or a desk and not a person) with profanities flying. I figured they didn't realize how loud they were so, I called to Cole - loud enough for them to figure out how thin the walls were. Nothing. Then, the f-word started to be thrown around along with other profanities. I yelled "Hey - there are children in here!!!!!" and I immediately turned on the Disney channel on tv and turned in way up. Reagan and Cole tuned in to that, but I could still hear that couple arguing. I packed up and we headed to breakfast. Steve met us there and Reagan and Cole couldn't stop talking about the fighting couple. It clearly scared them.

After breakfast, Steve took Reagan and Cole back to the room to change into their swimsuits while I visited the front desk. I told them of the incident and that my children were scared and that I was a bit fearful after yelling for the couple to knock it off. I asked them to move us or to move the couple. They were quite accommodating and immediately offered to move us to another, nicer, room. We accepted, packed up and moved. Then Reagan and Cole hit the pool (and hot tub!). After a while, They changed and Cole and Steve headed out for their Father/Son Fun. Reagan and I stayed at the pool and ordered lunch. After lunch, we headed back to the room for Reagan to finish up some more homework.

Steve and Cole had a great Father/Son Fun. They had pizza and frozen yogurt. They played on the beach and found an itty bitty frog. When Cole and Steve returned, Reagan and Cole went to the pool together for a bit. Then, Reagan needed to study some more. Her teacher had sent her history test sealed in an envelope and she had been putting off taking it since it was supposed to be an hour long test. I tried to get her to take the test, but she put it off, saying she would be more fresh in the morning.

After we headed back out to the pool and the beach for a while, we went to get pupus. We were full after that and returned to our room to crash. This was our last, full day here. Tomorrow night, we fly home.

Maui - Day 7

No working out this morning as we had used all of our clothes. We hit the breakfast buffet and found two cats that hang around the buffet area. One is black and one is spotted. Reagan and Cole couldn't get them to come close enough to pet (that may have been a good thing).

After breakfast, Reagan did homework while I did laundry. It was a rainy day today, so, we probably couldn't have spent the day in the pool anyway.

After a break in the rain, we headed outside for a bit and Reagan and Cole swam and then we headed inside to rest.

After watching the iPad and Pres Elect Trump's speech, we decided to take a walk down the beach. We walked all the way down to the Hyatt at the other end of Kaanapali Beach. We stopped to look at some Hyatt Residences that they have recently built (most of the hotels here have a time share program).

Then, we returned to our hotel just in time for evening pupus. Once again, Reagan and Cole found the black cat. They watched it and followed it for a while.

It was another beautiful sunset - perhaps the rain made it more so. Our time here is closing and I feel it. It will soon be time to return home and back to our routine and our life. But, until then.... 

But, until it is time to go, we are going to soak up every last ray of sun and every last bit of fun while we are here.

Maui - Day 6

Today, we changed hotels. We moved up the beach to the Sheraton at Black Rock. We love both of these hotels - each for different reasons. The Westin has a cooler pool with a big slide. The Sheraton has a hot tub. The Westin is located right in the center of Kaanapali Beach, in the middle of all the hubbub and action. The Sheraton is at the top of the beach, at Black Rock and is much more secluded and quiet. The Westin has everything right there and easy to access. The Sheraton is more spread out and sprawling. Oh well, we manage to stay at both of them during most trips here, so, we get everything we like.

We got up, worked out, had breakfast and showered before we hit the pool this morning. Next, we swam until lunch when we picked up Subway and ate by the pool. Then, I went up to pack while Steve and the kiddos swam some more at the pool.

I loved this pic Steve took of Reagan. First of all, I love that swimsuit - its so classic with its navy and white. Second, she just looks like a model to me. She's so pretty and has such an enviable figure - she is all legs with this skinny body. Steve says she is built just like him and that he was skinny (which isn't necessarily enviable for a boy) when he was younger. Thank goodness because that is much preferable to her having my - not so skinny - build. Anyway, I love this pic!

When we were ready, the hotel shuttle took us to the Sheraton. We checked in and unpacked and we headed out to the pool for some more sun. This pool makes it a bit harder to watch Reagan and Cole, but they love it. The Sheraton also has these floating beanbags in the pool. You can just lay on them and float and watch the ocean behind you.

After swimming for a while, we headed back to the room and cleaned up. It was during this time that Cole figured out he could fit into the compartment in the end table next to the beds. Crazy boy! Reagan and Steve got ready their Daddy/Daughter Date.

I love that Steve takes time with each of the kiddos for a special "date". Reagan has been planning this for weeks. She loves to have this tradition and she loves to plan what they do. They went for frozen yogurt, exchanged notes or cards for each other and walked up and down the beach. 

Once again there was a beautiful sunset. We just LOVE this island and this beach. 

At the Sheraton, they have evening pupus (appetizers) and a morning, continental breakfast (which ends up being more than muffins and juice). We hit the evening pupus and then dropped into bed, tired from a long day of playing.

Maui - Day 5

Up at 5:30 again and I headed to the gym while the kiddos did homework (actually, only Reagan did homework - Cole was done days ago). Then, Steve went running on the beach while I showered. We headed down to the pool right about 9 and swam for a while.

Once again, we were able to sit on my favorite chairs. I could see the swim area where Reagan and Cole were, the steps to the slide and the bottom of the water slide, the pool and the beach. LOVE it!

It was windy and rained off and on. It always makes me laugh how any amount of rain or wind clears out the pool. We seriously had the pool to ourselves after the rain started. Oh well - works for us, right?

We ended up coming in to the room to relax. Reagan, Cole and I walked over to Whaler's Village to get some lunch. We ate in the room and let Reagan and Cole watch some iPad movies. Then, we went to the hotel Mezzanine to do some more homework, read or work on the computer. That way, we were outside, but not in the rain and wind. After about 90 minutes, we returned to the room for some tv and rest - it was still rainy and windy out.

After we relaxed and watched a movie, we grabbed some dinner and hit the sack. Whew - relaxing can be really tiring :)

Maui - Day 4

Up at 5:30 this morning and we had our usual routine. I worked out while the kiddos did homework and Steve worked out while I showered. I love the view from the workout room. It's on the 2nd level Mezzanine and looks out over the pool and out to the beach. Today, it was light enough that I could actually see something :) We hit the pool at around 9, grabbed some chairs and then headed to the beach. Reagan and Cole rode the waves (which weren't too big), chatted with friends and played in the sand for a long time.

Cole climbed all around the rocks looking for sand crabs. He had a great time but came up empty handed. 

Then, we headed back to the pool and swam for a couple of hours.

Once again, Reagan and Cole went down the slide time after time. They rode around on their tubes and the crocodile. Then, they got out the football. They threw it and played keep away. Then Steve joined in on the football fun.

It always amazes me how bringing out a football and throwing it around gets other kiddos (mostly boys) and even the dads involved in the game. All of a sudden, Reagan and Cole (and Steve) have friends to play football, keep away or catch with.

After a couple of hours at the pool, we ventured back up to the room. When we came back to the room, we showered and then headed to Hula Grill for dinner. We just love that place. It is a barefoot beach restaurant with a limited menu, but great views of the ocean from the tables and nice music.

After dinner, we played on the beach until it was dark. I just love it here and I love this beach!!! 

Ahhh - it's so peaceful to sit and watch the sun drop down over the horizon and to hear the waves crashing on the beach and to feel the island breeze blowing through my hair. Yep - I know why they call this place Paradise.