Final Days of Maui

Karen wanted a coconut real bad. It had to be fresh. What do you do?














Sean challenged me to an all out eating competition. It was time to see once and for all who is the king. We ordered the "Bonanza" Burger which was like 1.5 lbs of meat.














As you can see, I got schooled. I guess I'm not a kid anymore. Nice work Sean.

Us, agonizing over leaving this place. I guess all great things must come to an end.

Thanks Rob and Lisa, Sean and Jen, John and Michelle. Couldn't have made sweeter memories!

Day 4

Karen and I got up early and went to Iao Valley which is up in the rain forrest. We found a sweet trail and went hiking a few miles. It was amazing. We picked fruit off the trees and had a fun picnic. Can't believe how beautiful the mountains are here. No one to be found, except a few local skinny dippers. (I didn't look, but I think Karen peeked)




















We found the coolest little, private beach on the way home and went snorkeling together.









Here we are cooking up a few of our fish we speared. Good stuff. Not quite as good as The Melting Pot restaurant where we went afterward. Man these guys know how to eat right. I'm new to all these restaurants, but they are teaching me the ropes.

Day 3 Maui

Each day, we've been getting up at like 6 am (3 hours difference). We all go on a long walk along the beach. So fun hanging with everyone.

We had breakfast at The Plantation, which is a real famous golf course with the best views.

Karen and I went spearing at Black Rock. We nailed 3 different eels but all beat us and got off. One was huge and had a perfect shot in the neck. We had quite the audience underwater and everyone was screaming and freaking out at the fight. When it finally wiggled it's way off, he turned around and went after me and almost bit me. I haven't been that scared for a while. We got to swim with 2 huge turtles. Karen was in heaven.

This sweet Hawaiian dude appeared from nowhere to light the torches. He looked like he needed a hand.

Maui Day 2

Today we all cruised to Honolua Bay. Such amazing snorkeling. Rob put this little video together of all of us. Later, Karen and I went snorkeling right in front of our resort. After teaching her how to use the spear, she swims down and nailed a huge puffer fish. oops. I was dying.

Maui Day 1

We finally arrived in Maui. What a dream. Karen and I, a bunch of friends, no responsibilities staying at Rob and Lisa's Marriott resort (water front with a dream view). We had Karen's mom lined up to babysit all the monsters, then she had some last minute health problems. She's out. My parents were all set. A few hours before our flight out, my mom gets nailed by a car on her bike and ends up with a broken foot (both moms are okay). Sheesh, she's out. We were seconds away from canceling everything and my brothers all pulled together and insisted on making it all happen. They are the greatest ever. They're even keeping them all together the whole time. We feel so blessed to be here!

Splash in the Fountains

Water is just so entertaining. We spent some time at Fashion Island on Saturday. "Leave the poor fish alone." Yells one "free thinker".

















"No horse play around the ponds." Yells another "free thinker."
















"Leave the money in the water." Yells another "free thinker."
















Go work for your money girl! Whoopsie Daisy! Paige was working a little too hard...reaching a little too far. Luckily the nice security guard ran to the rescue and pulled her out of the water directly behind where Tyler and I were sitting. (Oops!)

Tagged Dangit

Linda Crawford just tagged me, because she rules, I will comply....

Joys

1. Holding and watching my sleeping babies.

2. Taking in the sunset, especially over the ocean.

3. Reflecting on childhood memories with my immediate family and grandparents.

4. Refinishing a trashed piece of furniture.

5. Reading to my kids.

6. Hearing my Mom and Dad laugh.

7. Eating warm brownies.

8. Holding Tyler's hand in the movies.

9. Diving off the diving board.

10. Laughing hard.


Fears

1. A tragedy that steals Tyler away from me.

2. Getting Pleurisy (again)

3. Cockroaches

4. Medieval tortures

5. Failing a college class that I didn't know I signed up for. As a result, that kept me from graduation. (I already graduated!!! Why do I keep having that same dream/nightmare!!!)

6. Starving to death.


Current Obsessions

1. When is our house going to sell?

2. Where are we going to move?

3. Should we add on to our house we have here?

4. Is Trevor getting all the love, nutrition and knowlege he deserves?

5. Ditto #4 for the other SIX children.



Surprising Facts

1. I used to twirl a flag.

2. I hate dark chocolate.

3. I am an excellent closet dancer.

Now I tag Tyler. Please make me laugh.

Camping, anyone?

We were so lucky to spend last week camping in San Diego at the San Elijo campground with some of Tyler's brothers and their families. Our kind of camping -right on the beach, perfect waves, snorkeling, showers, a little market right on site... Couldn't be better, except for the loudest train that kept honking every night. Unreal. Trevor sure loved it. Anyways, we had the best time. Good way to end the summer together.





















Tyler preping the kids how to tuck in the barrels.





















We ended the trip in Temecula for the last day.

Up the Coast

We just returned from taking the family up the coast all week. We stayed each night in a different coastal city from Montecito to San Luis Obispo. We discovered so many amazing beaches, hikes, parks, etc. and just hung out together. It's quite the adventure sleeping all 9 of us in one hotel room each night, but the kids did great. It was one of our favorite trips ever. It's always great to be home. Here are a few photos.

Happy 4th!!

This year we broke a long tradition of watching the Tustin fireworks show. Although it's a great show, we decided to fight the crowds and head for the beach this year. We were lucky to hang with our great friends (the Fairbanks), at their amazing beach house. What a hook up, especially with parking.

After the great firework show, the grunion were supposed to be running (thin fish that come lay their eggs on shore. They are a blast to try to catch with your hands). It's not too often that they are here. We tried, but struck out. Next time kids!!

Let's get some air, kids!!

For a while now, Tyler has been telling the kids he's gonna take them to the biggest bike jumps in CA. They have been really excited, especially Brock. He really built these jumps up. When we pulled up, the kids were screaming at how big the jumps were and their dad was the hero. After about half an hour, they started to figure out that the hills were too big and you really couldn't get air unless you were on a motorcycle. Tyler blamed it on the kids, telling them they weren't fast enough, but we all know the truth. Hilarious. He made it up to them by taking them squirrel hunting with spears (sticks) and we took them to frozen yogurt.

Happy Birthday Paige!!

Our little baby is now 6!! She spent the day in Laguna, playing in the waves with a million cousins. We decided we're going to keep her.

The Empty Nesters

This whole week, our 3 oldest were at "grandcamp" with some cousins and Tyler's parents. Once a year, Tyler's parents take cousins between 6-12 for a couple of days. They take them on adventures and show them lots of fun. I Can't wait to pick them up today. As much as we missed them, it was so nice to be with only 4 kids. Tyler took a few days off and we went to Big Bear at a little resort together. We had a blast but we forgot to take pictures until the way home.

This is Alex and Aaron worn out from a fun vacation of hiking and swimming in the mountains. The van's looking a little sparce.....missing the big kids.

Hook, Slice & Shank Classic

Every year, we get together with a bunch of buddies from the Orange Stake and have a guys adventure for a few days. Some years we have up to 50 depending on what we plan. This year, cousin Kurt threw the Hook, Slice and Shank Classic in Vegas. We had the sweetest weekend. A few of the guys, I haven't seen for almost 20 years. Always so great getting together for a few days while our poor wives hold down the fort.

Some of us after golfing.

They were extremely lucky that my knee was in healing, cause this tournament would have been mine.

Has anyone gone on the rides on top of the Stratosphere? Holy cow! They are out of control. Hanging over an 800 ft ledge. My favorite was "The Big Shot". It was a free fall ride on top of the Strat. Freaked me out.

Some of the survivors that conquered the Stratosphere.

The big Fathers and Sons outing was this weekend. Other than Aaron wandering off and a bunch of us searching for him for 1/2 hour, finding him alone in the woods a few hundred yards away, it went just great. Sheesh. Freaked me out!! It's a great time to camp when it's around 100 degrees and everyone is sticking to their sleeping bags. ha. The boys somehow just love it. ??

Alex's 4th birthday! Nice buddy.
Alex was so pumped to have Aunt Michelle all
the way from Portland to hang for the birthday.

A little wiener roast and smores in the back.

Man Down

Saturday Tyler left to go surf with his brother Jared. He left at 9:00 a.m. He should be returning around 11:00 a.m. Right? Wrong! Tyler was gone for less than 20 minutes when the phone rang. If Tyler calls me in the middle of a surf, it's never good. Turns out he biffed it pretty bad on a wave and lightly tore his MCL in his left knee. Looks like I will have 8 children instead of 7 for a bit, rats! By the way Tyler, the surf report said waves were 2-3 feet on Saturday, not 20 ft plus. Nice try!