Happy Halloween photo album

Here are some photos for Grandfolks and Aunties and Uncles. Miss you all. xox

Nap Fairy

Its a gray, soggy day. We spent the morning at the botanical garden learning about turtles and feeding the ducks. Its such a wonderful, beautiful and simple place to take the kids I don't know why we don't do it daily. They can go forever and never run out of ways to amuse themselves.

After that we had to pick up a new terarium and some crickets for a little lizard who likes to hang out in our front doorway. He used to like to hang out in the hose hanging on the wall but appears to have gotten his leg squashed by doing that. We're trying to help him out while his leg hopefully heals.

And then without warning, the nap fairy attacked. Poor Ella was defenseless! She was minding her own business working on her alphabet puzzle on the floor and then, Boom! Down for the count. I've tried moving her lately and she's woken up so today she'll stay there.

Ugly Feet

This morning we got to do something we've never done before, we went for a family jog! Jason and I used to run and jog when we were dating but he has had problems with his hip for awhile and has limited running to PT tests. However all that seems to have changed with his very own glass slippers, 5 Fingers. http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/

Newsweek ran an article this summer describing the 5 Fingers as being so ugly they make Crocs look like Manolo Blahniks and I have to say, I agree. However they are easy to run in and have changed my running form so its kind of a neat experiment. We also both read this amazing book "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall which promotes the benefits of barefoot running.

We had a nice run around Lanikai Loop and spent some time playing at the beach with the girls (Mermaid princesses continues to be the narrative of choice). I had gotten up ridiculously early to do the Dash and Splash race but had the best race I've had in a long time. I'm looking forward to more Five Finger training. The girls are already asking when can they get them too!

Its raining, its pouring

Ella is snoring, but that's not anything new. Here is something new,



our own little jack-o-lantern has lost her two bottom teeth and the new ones are right there ready to sprout!

We haven't done too much beaching, we've been getting a lot of rain in our neighborhood and while its still warm, you do get spoiled living in paradise and you do expect there to be sun if you're going to haul all your gear over to the beach. We did hit a friend's pool this afternoon and have another pool date lined up for tomorrow morning. But we'll be beach bound again soon.

Mom did have an awesome beach morning Saturday. Dad got up bright and early and headed to North Beach for an incredible surf and then met us at Kailua beach for Daddy Duty at the playground. I got to meet up with my favorite training partner for a run around Lanikai and then a swim down the buoy line, out to Flat Island and back.

The water was a little murky near shore but out near Flat Island it cleared up. One of the great things about swimming with Kelley is that she always spots turtles!! I never see them and luckily she points them out. Usually they swim away from us but the one on Saturday was happy to let us swim around and check him out while he enjoyed his seaweed breakfast. It was a perfect day.

Afterwards Hannah had a birthday party to attend in Waimanalo at the pony stables near the Polo Field. It was so beautiful to watch the horses running through the fields with the spectacular mountains in the background. They had pony rides and a small petting zoo and barn cats as far as the eye could see. While the beach is by far my favorite thing about Hawaii, I am starting to fall in love with its mountains too.

October

Beach Babes

Just wanted to wish everyone in Canada a Happy Thanksgiving! The trade winds have died and we're enjoying some incredible beach weather, way too hot for a turkey but we are planning a blueberry pie with ice cream.



Elle, Ella & their Elmo floaties

Tomorrow is Ironman Hawaii and its going to be a hot one! Can't wait to follow our friends progress on line. One day we'll check it out in person. For now we're just chillin' at the beach.

Time machine

This past weekend we took a time machine to a more carefree time, where children ran free and parents didn't fret over their children's whereabouts. We went camping and Hannah and her friends had the run of the whole campsite, the beach, the kitchen, tents and volleyball course. Roughly ten families from the Hawaiian Homeschool Association camped at Kualoa Regional park with nothing more organized than 2 potluck dinners and a ride in the park's outrigger canoes courtesy of the C&C lifeguards. Friday night there was a passing "squall" according to some campers but aside from the occasional Hawaiian blessing rains it was a beautiful weekend.

The park is equipped with a huge industrial kitchen housing walk in fridges, grills and a covered picnic table area. I understand its difficult to book but so worth it. The kids just ran, swam, paddled and played from Friday afternoon until Sunday afternoon with many expeditions down the coast to Secret Beach to play on the swings. The parents relaxed, chatted and played with the kids uninterrupted. Its nice when you can still share the good old days with your kids.