Busy Week

Busy, Busy, week but I am happy to report that the kickoff event for the group I chair is under my belt.  We held a Welcome Coffee on Tuesday for all the past, present and future CO/XO spouses and the Master Chief, Senior Chief Petty Officer Spouses! 

We had about 80 attend and thanks to a great team effort the Admirals yard looked spectacular, the food was awesome and I'm pretty sure it was an all around good time.

I was too busy to get any photos when the set-up was finished but here is the yard about 20 minutes prior to everyone showing up!

We are already planning for our November workshop but it's nice to take a day or two off and exhale!

I spent the day yesterday in training and today I am off to school with Emily for a field trip to see a play!  Next week is Fall break (already) which is terrible timing for us.  David will be home just after that ends and then Grandma and Grandpa come too.  Would have been nice if that all lined up with school vacation but oh well - we'll just keep rollin!

Look at me Daddy!

There are so many cool milestones when you are a kid!  I think the last time I hit a milestone was needing glasses - not nearly as fun as say riding a bike with no training wheels and climbing the wall at the pool...to the very top!

I took this video with my phone so it isn't the best but Emily wanted Daddy to see how good she has gotten at riding her bike!

She also finally mastered the climbing wall at our pool.  Very determined and very proud. 

Fearless!!

Emily wanted to wear her hair "kinky" to school the other day after she noticed what it looked like when I took her braids out.  The memory of Olivia hit me, I remember her discovering "kinky" hair in Kindergarten too...wearing a blue polo uniform!

When did I blink? 

Really?

Dinner Conversation

Me: So Olivia, what's on your plate for tonight?

Olivia: Uhhh, Beef Stroganoff?

Emily: No Olivia, she means what's on your agenda!

Ali'i Tour

In order to be the hostess with the mostess (even more than I already am) I joined an Island Culture group recently so I could get to know more of the island. Fun for me and fun for you when you come visit - it's a win-win!  Today was our first tour called the Ali'i Tour (Ali'i is the Hawaiian word for royalty).  Very fun - get ready Grandma and Grandpa...we are going!  The guides were hysterical and I got to see a few places on the windward side that I had never seen.  For those of you who have been here it's like a mini Polynesian Cultural Center without the drive, cost, and heat.  Another win-win.

They made the "haku" leis we are wearing in some of the photos and told us the flower on the right side means you are single and available.  Sorry sweetie...he said that since you weren't with me all bets were off :)  Better get home soon!

More fun with Emma

The day we went to the North Shore most of the parking lots were full at the "regular" beaches we go to...so we had to "settle" for this one!  I know Sharon, you are pulling out that tiny ukulele again right?

Princess Leilani managed to deal with it.

She opted for the hot sand body exfoliation

As did her sister

Emily helping with the guest room remodel

Peace out peeps!

Aloha Emma!

Well, it's back to reality around here today.  My Mom left last night and although it's always hard when our number one cook, playmate, homework helper, travel companion, flower picker and house decorator leaves...we did so enjoy the visit and are thankful that she braved the day long excursion to come visit.

In between all the above mentioned duties, we did manage to play tourist a bit.  Aside from our day on the Missouri, we took a tour around the island, went to a few beaches, visited Chinatown and the Aloha Tower.  We kicked off our island tour with a morning trip to sea glass beach.  Very peaceful morning - nothing like walking along a quite beach and finding tons of treasures!

We then drove towards Waikiki and Punchbowl Cemetery.  Punchbowl is a national cemetery which is the final resting place for those lost in the battles in and around the Pacific for both World Wars, Vietnam and Korea.  It is inside an old volcanic crater and offers a beautiful view of Waikiki and Diamond Head crater.

The trees at the top of the memorial are shaped to grow in large circles like wreaths. 

Inside the memorial there are maps created out of small stones, beautifully detailed showing each major battle of the different wars.

This is a small inset on one of the maps.

We then continued around the Eastern side of the island and it was the most beautiful, clear day!  We could actually spot two other Hawaiian Islands in the distance.  Molokai is the closest one on the left side of the photo and Lanai is a bit more distant on the right. 

After lunch we ended our day at the Pali lookout which is a stop off of one of the roads that leads through the mountains taking you from the windward to the leeward side of the island.  It offers a great view of Kaneohe.  The sandbar that we boat too is the light green spot in the bay area. 

I have more to post of our weekend at the North Shore but since the kitchen isn't cleaning itself I had better get to work!