The Rest of Us (and some more Little Ones)

Swimming in the ocean, laying in the sand, floating in the pool and lazing on the lanai were not the only activities we participated in while in Hawaii. We did one or two other things. Small children limit the energy Tadd and I have to do too many other things. My folks' and the boys and Emily did lots of fun things like riding in an outrigger canoe, hiking Diamond Head, surfing and buying pearls (the boys most favorite activity was waiting while the ladies opened up oysters).
We watched the sunrise...
checked out other parts of the island...
ate dinner at Duke's Canoe Club as the sun set into the ocean...
walked around downtown Waikiki in the dark...

and checked out the local wildlife (a Hawaiian monk seal).
The boys played toss with the football most days and also played sand volleyball a fair amount.


One day we took a hike--it was tons of fun. We trekked probably about 3 miles and got fairly muddy. Caroline did all the downhill by herself and about 1/3 of the uphill. Grandpa kindly offered his shoulders for the rest of the ride. Nora lounged in the back pack and Ezra hiked his little buns all on his own. About 1/4 mile from the top he sat down and said he was done. I showed him how close we were and he whispered to himself "I can do this, I can DO this" and took off running. Haha, oh for the energy of a five year old!

Spectacular views.











And we drove into Haleiwa for shave ice several times. Yum!
After a week of relaxation on the beach...we had to come home. We knew it had to happen. Now it's back to the realities of winter! Snow, rain, wind and clouds--the perfect weather to keep us indoors for a while--where we have looooooots of projects : )