Kauai, Life, Christmas, and 2014 Wrap Up

If you get these posts by email, you might want to click the link at the bottom to see the actual page because our Holiday Video is on it!

Video (Embedded)




The past few months have been completely crazy. I took on way more work than I should have and that really affected my Holiday spirit. It kind of sucked the life right out of me and though I know the kids are happy I feel like I really failed in the mom department. For 2015 I will plan better and make sure I stick to my guns when it comes to scheduling holiday photos for clients. I need days off and I need rest and that's that.

Some of the big things that happened this year were a couple trips to Honolulu as a family and one with just Peter and I (can you say BRUNO MARS?!?!). We hiked the Stairway to Heaven, which is a once in a lifetime type event. We went to Hana several times and completely unplugged from everything telephone/internet/tv - it was heavenly! 2014 also saw the birth of Nico and Abra's first baby, Arlo, which Kai has deemed Arloha and Grandie and Pops getting back together. We are so thankful for these things!

I started my second company over the summer and it's slowly but surely grown over the past few months. It's been a little stressful but ultimately Peter and I see it as a way to grow even further and eventually may even provide jobs to our kids if they ever want to work with us!

We closed out the year with a trip to Kauai. I hadn't been since I was pretty young and Peter too. So this was a great way for us to experience it with the kids. I love where they are right now. They are such great travelers and so much fun to be with. I am so stoked that Cruz is now at an age where he's going to remember these vacations.

We just had Christmas morning today, the 26th. As usual Peter's work schedule had us change the date. When Christmas is on a Friday or Saturday he'll get it off. But it was just fine changing the date. It actually kind of extends the holiday a bit. The kids are all occupied at the moment, playing with this and that while Peter is putting together a Lego boat for Kai. We'll see if I get around to posting pictures! haha

Ok here comes the picture overload....

Cruz, Nana, Eligh and Chayce. Cruz loves hanging out with his cousins and Nana as much as possible!

No fear Cruz going down the waterslide on Kauai

Cruz was pretty stoked to be in the water all day

Kauai Adventuring at the Kilohana Plantation Train

Whirlpool in the pool!

Visiting Hanapepe town, the home of Lilo and Stitch and the swinging bridge!

Really like Hanapepe

Kai picked out a baby seal to be his toy from Kauai. His name is Umo

Honey straw addicts

Waiting for the train

I don't know why Cruz looks so unhappy - he was so excited for the train.

Feeding the chickens and pigs

The old Koloa Sugar Plantation - now closed. You know me and sugar mills (love)

Yep, he's peeing on the side of the road

Hanalei Town Overlook

Lumahai Beach playtime

Huge surf at Lumahai

Hanalei Bay was storming and big surf - all that mist is sea spray!

Hanalei Taro Fields

Somebody loves deep bathtubs!

Pops and Arlo

Pops, Grandie, and Arlo

Polo Beach right before I splashed my mom

Turtle swam right next to me!

The boys have expressed interest in helping with dishes - score!

On our first morning on Kauai we were driving to the train and then were planning on hitting up Waimea Canyon. We were driving and a truck in front of us swerved onto the right side of the road, hit mud, and careened across the lane into oncoming traffic hitting a car and killing the driver. We saw the entire thing happen right in front of us. I told the kids to look away and gave them my phone to play with while Peter ran to check on the guy that was hit and helped direct traffic until the police arrived. Sadly, it set the tone for the vacation because I think we were all just so shocked, sad, and couldn't understand why something like this could happen and that hit happened so fast. It still bothers me these weeks later and I guess there just isn't any understanding. There is no rhyme or reason for it - only a lesson to be learned that life can change in an instant and every second needs to be savored. The kids still ask about it and I give them the best answers that I have and we all express thanks that it wasn't our car that was hit.

As 2014 winds down and we're looking toward 2015, I want to promise myself to not overextend myself so much, to have a couple more days to be totally present with my family and not so wrapped up in work, and to take the kids traveling more.

May 2015 be full of peace, hope, love, and thankfulness!