We were in Kalapawai this morning and I looked around to see a gun strapped to a man’s leg, and as my eyes scanned upward they bulged and my mouth gaped. He had on black pants, black shirt and a baseball cap. Here’s what happened next:

The monarch caterpillar we were “hosting” hatched!!! We woke Sammy up to see it – he said “this is EXCITING!” 

Yesterday I kept Sam out of preschool and enjoyed a totally unscripted long morning with the boys, starting with a run onto base for doctor appointments. On our way through the gate we saw Obama’s motorcade coming out (they’d been working out at the gym).

So how do you like our remodel? Nice place to stay? Ha! This is the Paul Mitchell Estate, where it was initially reported the Obamas will be staying for Christmas. I went to a wine tasting here with my friends a month or two ago. It’s now being reported the Obamas will be staying even closer to where we live, near the Marine Corps base, but the street will be secured and we won’t be able to get near it. I am guessing that’s why the location was changed, or never was going to be in Lanikai in the first place.

 

Trivial side note compared to the meaning of the season, but I am afraid I’ll forget my promise to Sam unless I write it down: if you ever find yourself sitting at a triangle table, you can eat like a pirate! (i.e. sit on the table, eat with your hands, throw your plate…) We’re continuing to work on manners…when does it end? 🙂 I’m hoping triangle tables are really as rare as I imagine…

I thought we’d do an easy walk near the ocean today, somewhere that typically gets a lot of sun even in winter, and avoid the major mud-fests we’ve encountered in the mountains lately… We were COVERED in mud by the end of the jaunt! Click on the photo above to join us from the comfort of your dry chair 🙂

Above is Sam, dressed in a “dress-up” shirt with lots of buttons (that he does himself), at a concert – actually a recital at Punahou School. You’ve heard of Punahou – that’s where the President-Elect went. It’s a gorgeous campus, and you’d think it was a small college vs a K-12 school. Anyway – I stay tuned into free music events so I can take the kids often. I saw this chamber music concert (which I later found out was a recital) and decided to go. Fiasco or success, it would be memorable.

Check the album – I’m trying to keep it updated so you can enjoy festivities virtually 🙂 Happy Holidays from Hawai’i!

• Dec 4 – Ben’s first tooth, bottom left
• Dec 10 – crawling!!!
• Dec 11 – pulling to a stand – already??? yikes!
• Dec 12 – second tooth, bottom right!

There are so many privileges to being a dependent of an active duty service member. One such we enjoyed today – a tour of the USS Arizona from the Admiral’s barge. The tour began at the boathouse and a little museum inside with very good maps of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

He (or she) makes his own bed and sleeps for two weeks!

Last night we enjoyed trimming the tree with mom and Richard – Dave made a great spiked egg nog (yum!). How is it that when you’re a kid, the advent season seems to last a nice, long time, but as an adult it blows by so quickly?

We’re really enjoying doing more kayaking now that Sam is older and can be trusted to sit up front on his own and sometimes even paddle. Today we went to Chinaman’s Hat (Mokoli’i), which has been on my “list” for a long time. Mom hung out with Ben in the little tent while we scooted out, then I came back with her kayak so she could meet up with Dave and Sam out at the little beach. Here is a shot from the top. Very very tricky. Would not recommend taking a child up there. Nice view from 206′ feet up. Thanks for the family adventure, Dave, despite having a ton of school work to do! Love you!!!!

This is the best surf report I’ve heard – wave faces, swell direction, wind speed, even sunrise and sunset. And it’s got a good dose of aloha spirit…take a listen if you’re stuck in traffic with your bluetooth thingy in your ear 🙂 Tim – you’d especially enjoy it I think. My brother dialed in every day while he was here. Miss you, still, Doug!

I just came across this picture as I sifted through the 485 pictures of our fantastic week together. I thought of you all day and knew precisely when you landed in LA, ready to shift into high gear again with client meetings and deal brokerings (a word?).

Sam and Ben got COVERED with sand this morning while watching Tito Pig (Uncle Doug) surf. I learned a few more things, but only had a few minutes out on the board before Dave arrived and jumped on. He was taking a break from painting the bathroom, so I was happy to see him out there for a bit. Tomorrow we plan to kayak surf 🙂