Happy New Year and Zachary Turns 7!

 Living in Poipu means we frequent the green belt.  Sunday nights are my favorite night of the week, and we love spending them by the ocean.

 Zachary is not into skateboarding yet, but he was killing it down the puka.

 This picture of Kate reminds me of Zac on his big wheel.

 Zachary got confident enough to start cruising down "ninja style."

The Sunday before New Year's, I was all kinds of irritated at church.  People were hacking and coughing, complaining of sick tummies, and wiping boogers.  Everywhere.  I told Brady I was certain we'd all get sick that week.  Yep, we all did.

It started with Zachary on New Year's Eve.  When this kid gets sick, he completely shuts down for a couple days--napping three times a day, and staying put.  The rest of us try to function as normal and it takes us a while to kick a cold.  Not Zac.  He was better after 2 days.  The plan was to eat with friends, watch a movie at the park and follow it up with fireworks.  He was disappointed to miss out, so we rented the same movie and watched the fireworks cuddled up on the back lanai.

The weather was chilly, so the following Saturday, we went to the Kapa'a bike path.  Brady got acquainted with his longboard, Kate worked hard on her new bike, and Zachary and I went off together to the end.

 He made sure to find the mud holes and go through them a dozen times.

 I love this picture.  This is where Brady and I were when we got the call from Erin saying she was in labor seven years ago.  We booked it back to our car, hurried home, and got on a plane.  We were holding Zac for the first time the next day.  I can't ride on this path without thinking of the anxiety and hope and excitement we felt.  Added to that now is gratitude and so much love.

 The rope swing at the beginning of the bike path:

 Kate had her first day in Sunbeams that Sunday.  She's been ready to move up for a while.  Today she actually had her first part over the pulpit.  We wondered if she would get scared, but she stepped up to the microphone, said her scripture, and stood there red-faced and proud until her teacher told her she could sit down.  Super cute, little lady!

 Kate wants to play with Ava every single day.  We did make it to the beach again for a freezing cold outing.

 Zachary was still out of school for his birthday this year.  He started off the day with the exclamation, "HEY!  I KNOW HOW TO READ THIS NOW!"  Jillian and Eric bought this for him when he turned three, and he suddenly realized his skills could master Suess.

 We made it to the pool, jumped on the tramp, decorated cupcakes, and made it to baseball practice for his special day.  Immediately after practice, several families joined us for pizza and cake.  The house was chaos and I think I'm becoming a better mom now because I really, really loved it.

 Owen entertained everyone with his dance party moves.

 Zac and his friend, JoJo.  They've been in the same class at school for two years.  The two of them plus David plan to rent a condo together and have their girlfriends move next door when they are "old."

 It was his golden birthday--turning 7 on January 7th!!  This is the best I could come up with on our small island because I only realized it a couple days before.

 Some more expressions:

Zachary really makes us proud.  He works hard and does not mind corrections.  He doesn't get easily discouraged.  He practices piano every day, reads, and does homework without complaint.  It takes a lot of mommy effort, but he's so malleable.  He loves to play with legos and has his room's window ledges decked out as display cases for his Chima and Ninjago creations.  He absolutely thinks that trophies are worth playing hours a day, five days a week for all season.  The only thing he loves more than chocolate chip cookies is Subway.  He eats everything now but wishes he could still be on the "bite system" for dinner (i.e. one bite per year of age).  He still runs to his classroom every morning when he gets dropped off.  He makes friends easily and his idea of a good time is playing in sand or doing tricks on his board with them.  Or playing with legos.  He loves legos.  I mentioned that, huh?

Zac is sweet to his sister.  This break was adorable.  We had three weeks and most of his friends were out of town.  The weather was cold.  I worried he might get restless but he and Kate played together every day, coming up with crafts, new ways to jump on the tramp, and new games.  He taught her how to build houses and cars with legos.  They tore it up at the park.  They watch out for each other and love each other so much.  They also fight.  That's part of love.

I love his birthday and I love the circumstances of his birth.  I love that we still communicate regularly with his birth mom and I hope they are able to have a beautiful relationship together over time.   We feel so lucky and so blessed that he is our son.  (I'm allowed to be mushy on the birthday post.)  

The following Saturday we went to baseball and then off to the (dirty) waters of Pakalas.  This was my favorite surf spot for years when Mary and I first started going because the rides go forever.  Brady's never been here and we had the beach to ourselves with the Vandennakkers.

 The waves were teeny tiny, but we all took turns surfing.  See that brown water?  That's why this place has so many shark sightings.

 The following Monday was Zachary's last day of break.  It was also beautiful and finally warmer.  We met up with several friends and spent almost 4 hours digging sand and playing in the water.  These pictures are from a beach excursion earlier in the week, but they can stand in.

 Zac digs holes so deep now that I watch carefully.

 Happy New Year!  Happy Birthday to Z!

Christmas 2014

Twas the night before Christmas...

Our tree looks a little wimpy with our tall ceilings now.  Coolest gift from 2014 pictured above: the longboard.  Natalie and Scott helped us out with that one.  Thanks, guys!

The kids woke up after 7am (!) and obediently waited at the top of the stairs.  We sang the traditional "Christmas comes but once a year and now it's here, and now it's here," took a couple pics, and make the trek downstairs.  I love that Zachary made Olaf give us the shaka.

The kids immediately noticed the trampoline outside, and Kate shrieked when she saw her new bike.  It took them until breakfast to notice Santa's note.

She rode it around the house until I couldn't stand it--I waited a whole 60 seconds--and told her no way. 

My very favorite Christmas picture from this year:

I made crepes for breakfast, but they were gross.  Oh well.  Kate's other gift from Santa was her Elsa doll, seated next to her plate.

As soon as she opened that doll, she immediately changed into her Elsa costume from Halloween.

A little while later, she opened her Anna dress, purchased right in front of her a few days before Christmas.  After she changed into Anna, she said, "Now my heart is frozen, huh?  I wish I had my two braids in RIGHT NOW!"

Zachary's enthusiastic expressions stole the show again this year.  He is so grateful and excited about gifts, even though Santa didn't bring him "a robot that can talk and move and clean up for me."

A gift from his cousin, Tanner:

Noticing the trampoline for the first time (which made the late night set up so completely worth it):

Kate opened her new ballet tutu in her favorite color and said, "Look!  A dress for one of my babies!"

I wrapped up and opened my gift to myself, purchased all the way back in October.

Brady, opening up a book from his parents:

Saying goodbye to our elf, Ralphie, until next year:

I spent an hour talking to my family, including Eric, on Zoom.  It was awesome seeing everyone's faces  and listening to everyone take turns talking.  I felt like I actually hung out with my family that day.  I also saw Brandon and Jason for the first time.  Cute babies!!  

We both went running and then had to convince ourselves to get out and go to the beach (when all we really wanted to do was sleep).  We met up with Jennie and Justin and their kids and had a beautiful, crowded beach day.

Brady and Kate paddle boarding:

Christmas Day family pictures:

I got in my 3rd surfing session of the week, paddling out with Jennie.  There is something ridiculously awesome about surfing on Christmas.  I do realize it sounds like I do it for bragging rights only, and that is possibly the appeal.  Not sure.  All I know is surfing on Christmas is a step above surfing on any other day of the year.

Brady even caught a pic of me (I'm standing on the left).  No, the wave didn't close out on me and the guy in better position didn't catch it.

The boys gathered a small crowd watching them do tricks.  I love boogie board tricks.

When we first arrived at the very crowded beach, there was a lady doing full blown yoga poses on her paddle board.  It would be one thing if there weren't hundreds of us there to observe, but there we all were, watching her make a spectacle.  In honor of that lady, I pulled my own stunt on the way in.

Seriously adorable Owen.  Brady loves this kid so much.  Zachary and Kate regularly say, "I wish Owen was in our family."

Kate and Ava:

Kate becomes a sand mermaid:

And Ava is a sand unicorn:

Friday night, we made up the previous weekend's camping disappointment and headed back to Polihale for a campout with a different group of friends.  Brady took the day off, so we arrived mid-afternoon rather than barely in time for sunset.

The water was too rough to swim, and the beach was covered in Portuguese Man-of-War.  I was stung by one of these guys this past summer.  Youch.  They are so beautiful, though.

When boys can't do boogie boarding tricks, they fine other ways of entertaining themselves.

I love that we can have radically different experiences at Polihale--sometimes with sand so hot it burns our toes, and other times with clouds and chilly breezes--but it is still my favorite place on the island.

Jennie snagged a picture of us with her good camera, cueing a whole new wave of camera envy for Brady.  Soon enough, babe.

 The night was chilly and windy, but fun.  The kids woke up at 4am and giggled until they could barely breathe, then immediately went back to sleep until 7am.  (Yes, another 7am!  My kids finally sleep past 6am!)  In the morning, it was more creative sand play and running around.

Sand art:

 I love that Kate is accepted as a playmate with Zac and his friends.

 We lasted until 1:30pm, then headed back home to clean up and go to the see "Big Hero 6" with the kids.

This Christmas brought so many feelings of gratitude.  I loved celebrating in our own home.  I loved that we have kids at what feels like the perfect age for the magic of Christmas.  I loved that they enjoy stories about Jesus and stories about Santa.  I loved the expressions of love we received through cards, phone calls and emails all season long from family and friends.  The holidays were happy and Christmas was merry.