Summer pleasures, thoughts on bad people + when fizzy water's not fizzy
- Kids having a ball getting ice cream and playing at the splash pad at Whalers
- Ginger and mint perfume
- Luke sitting with me in the church associated with his school, where they have paintings of the story of Jesus and the cross: "Mommy, why were people so mean to Jesus? I bet all they got for Christmas was a lump of coal!"
- Luke, on seeing his bottle of fizzy water was no longer fizzy: "The bubbles have left the building!!"
- Jeff watched the kids last night and I got out with Vanessa and a new friend...such fun...
Happy Friday!
XO
The "tooth catcher," perfect fish tacos + a magical sunset
- Luke lost his second tooth yesterday. It was really loose all afternoon and he rigged up this "tooth catcher" to make sure he didn't lose it once it fell out...
- Jeff came home with mahi-mahi from a friend yesterday and made the most incredible fish tacos. Those tacos are definitely going to be on regular rotation at our house. I'm finding we want to eat very differently here because a) we don't want the oven on heating up the house, b) we don't what to eat anything hot because it's so hot out, and c) I'm really trying to work primarily with local ingredients because there's stuff from the mainland you just can't get and when you can get it it can be crazy expensive eg $4 for an apricot. But local ingredients are different than what I'm used to cooking with so we're in a learning period...
- We had planned to snorkel in the afternoon yesterday but didn't make it to the beach until after dinner. I kicked out while Jeff watched the kids but it wasn't clear enough to see anything so I came back and played with the kids in the pretty big waves, we laughed and laughed and there were conch shells calling back and forth and this beautiful sunset and I realized I hadn't been in the water watching the day end since years and years ago when I used to surf with Luke and we'd stay in at Rincon until it was pitch black and the stars were coming out. And also last night tiki torches at a resort down the way sparkling on the shore and Zo just laughing like crazy as the waves came towards us and the kids diving and so very comfortable in the water already even though we've only been here 6 weeks...it was really magical...
- Zo sleeping in Luke's room last night, hoping to catch a glimpse of the tooth fairy...
- Our friend Vanessa over and chatting on the porch before bed...
Happy Thursday!
XO
Candy store
It's things like this that make me feel like I'm living in a foreign country. We popped into a candy store to get the kids a treat and this was the candy. (Plus a few things we recognized along one wall. Plus cigarettes.)
Happy Monday!
XO
A 1,000-year-old village + close encounters of the turtle kind
Saturday was one of those days we'll remember forever.
The chief botanist at Daddy's hotel, Duane, invited us to go with him to see remnants of a 1,000 year old village up in Honokawai canyon...it's a place the general public is not allowed to go and it was so amazing and magical, especially being with the Hawaiian restoration work crew, one of whom sang a blessing on the ancestors as she brought us down the canyon, and Duane who walked us all around and gave us a history lesson and botany lesson in one.
And then we went and got my birthday present--snorkeling equipment!! And then we snorkeled right off our little beach and it was incredible all the fish we saw and the turtles, at least 2 of them and so close you could touch (though we didn't). Kids got a snorkel and mask to share and we thought it would take some time for them to learn but they got it immediately and both absolutely loved it. And I feel like in calm waters with one kid per adult we'll be able to take them out a little ways...Saturday they stayed in close where it's super safe. I asked the kids what they want to do with their last week of summer vacation and Luke said, "snorkel every day!"
Such an incredible place we're living in...
XOXO
Beaches and rainbows, My Little Pony songs + fried eggs are my current obsession
- The view from the water yesterday afternoon...with a little rainbow over our church...love our beach and especially that it is right down the street...
- Kids dancing today to My Little Pony songs...I am My Little Ponied out so have excused myself to the garage... :)
- Fried eggs again for breakfast today...eggs seem really good and fresh on Hawaii...
- Think I might pack a beach picnic for dinner...been a few days since we've done that...although it kind of looks like rain...
- And speaking of that...we're on the edge of the rainforest part of West Maui and I'm loving how often it rains here...
Happy Thursday!
XO
School visit, big boys take showers + lazy last days of summer
- Stopped by the kids new school yesterday for some uniform-related stuff...gosh everyone there is so nice...
- Pretty much ready for Day 1 of school on August 6th (so early!), just a few small things left...
- Kids are playing with Play-Doh and listening to My Little Pony songs right now on Alexa...
- Luke has decided all of a sudden that he'd rather have a shower than a bath. Makes him seem so grown up...
- Headed to the beach shortly...it's 2:30 and Zo says she wants to stay in her PJs until it's time for a bathing suit...letting the kids take it really easy these last two weeks of summer...school's going to be a transition for us all...
- Watching Season 2 of "Anne with an E," it's so good...
Happy Wednesday!
XO