Hawaii Jan 2009

What a trip! We flew in my mom and sister to watch the kids for 8 days while Ed & I went on a tropical get-away. This was a much needed and anticipated trip for us. Everything about it was awesome! We went to Oahu and stayed at a resort in Ko'Olina, about 30 mins. NW of Waikiki. My mom is an angel on earth for not only taking care of the kids basic needs, but also carting them all to practices and games. My mom is a dear, selfless person. Most of the photos were taken from 1 of our 2 lanai's. Our resort had ponds with stingrays in one and hammerhead sharks in another. All of the food was great (I was in love with a lobster bisque). We did everything touristy (luau, Pearl Harbor, drive to North Shore, ate from a shrimp truck, shopped for souveniers at a Swap Meet, snorkel & whale watching cruise) and still had time to relax (massages, laying on the beach, EATING). Our resort was located on one of four lagoons that were connected by a nice paved walkway and beautiful landscaping. Before we left we were already trying to figure out how and when we could come back!

Winter break festivities

We really enjoyed having Ed home for 2 weeks while the kids were out of school. We had plenty of lounging around the house but also ventured out for some fun. We hit up the Sacramento Zoo twice...once with just us and the other time with our friends the Aubins. We also went to Six Flags with our friends the Cains. All of the kids were so much braver with the rides compared to last summer! It was weird waiting for Drew, Quincy, Lexi and Will to get off of Tony Hawk's Big Spin which they rode over and over again by themselves! It's a legit ride, just doesn't go upside down. Chase rode a roller coaster and giggled the whole time. In the midst of it all Chase, my baby, turned 2! Ed went back to work today, the 2 older kids are at school and we're looking forward to my mom and sister coming for another visit tomorrow. Saturday Ed & I leave for Hawaii, so those pics should be the next update.

Ice Skating

We went ice skating for the first time and it was so fun. I am the only one who has ever ice skated, so I sat out with Chase and took some pictures while lending support. The kids did so well! And Ed was awesome too. We prepped them up front and explained "You are going to fall ALOT. Just laugh, get up and try again!". I was very proud of them. Cole was brave enough to try without holding on to the wall. Chase was the only one upset because he couldn't do it too. But a highlight was we all got to watch the Zamboni! I took these pics with my phone so they are not great quality, but you can get an idea of the fun!

Secret Santa

Ed got a gift delivered to our house last week. As you can see from the picture he really enjoyed his "Very Important Prize". The sender was a secret, but we think his employees from Oregon sent it.

These are just pictures of the kids taken yesterday. They were dressed for church services (except for Chase who has been fighting a stomach bug). They are growing so quickly!