The New Pad

We have been officially in our new place for 8 days now. I just had to double check my calendar because it feels much longer!  We have been busy. Too busy.  We have been making daily stops at the house, cleaning and continuing to pack and then unpacking at the new place and organizing.  In the meantime, as I am sure you have read, my dearest friend is moving and one of my great friends from high school is here visiting. 

Today, we spent the day at the beach and the gorgeous KoOlina Beach Villas playing in the pool.  Sorry no pics of that I was busy in the pool.  Zack is in love with the water and had so much fun splashing around.  Abby had a blast too and is not fearful enough of the water.  Unfortunately, she doesn't realize she can't swim and therefore can't just step off the side of a pool into the water.

A video of us playing in the water.

Here are some random pics of the last week.  I will get pictures of the place one of these days when we have it put together.

Playing with toys, boxes and whatever else he can find while mommy unpacks.

Gavin came to play and the dads and kids found a hammock area:)  I think I need to find it!

 This picture make me happy and sad.  My baby is "playing" with Mia and he seemed so old.  At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I just can't believe he is almost 1.

Look! No hands...Guess he loves Elmo.

Walking to the beach

Zack was trying to follow Abby down the path:)

A Bittersweet Day

The ladies spent a beautiful day lounging at KoOlina enjoying our time with Lisa, who is leaving this week.  Although it breaks my heart that Lisa and her family are leaving, it was a perfect day and great to have quality time!

 

We had all the guys and the kids come join us in the evening to continue our aloha to the Ducotes.  They have meant so much to all of us in our own special ways.  They are a beautiful family who will be dearly missed.

 

The breathtaking sunset was a perfect touch to the farewell festivites.

Lisa and I with our boys.  Joseph, although he looks bigger than Zack is 8 months younger!

Joseph 2.5 months, Zack 10.5

The kids loving the beach!

Zack had a blast paying with his sand toys and trying to eat sand every chance he got.

Abby enjoying the gorgeous sunset!

So Many Memories

8 years ago while I was finishing up my student teaching, I went out with Michelle (my best friend growing up) and Lisa (Michelle's high school best friend) came out with us.  Lisa, was in her first year of teaching in Hawai'i and loving it.  I bombarded her with questions because it seemed to good to be true.  Really, teaching in Hawai'i? I had never even been on a vacation there.  Long story short, I needed a change in location desperately and a job also so it seemed perfect!  I filled out my application that night, had my interview in Mach and was living in Hawaii teaching in July.  Lis let me stay with her until we got a house with Heidi and Melissa.  We clicked so well and became the best of friends!

It has been an amazing 8 year journey.  I'll miss you, Lis!

Our plan was to be single and have lots of fun with the girls but that didn't last long when we were swept off our feet by Matt and Rich.  We had lots of fun dating and many good laughs.

  

 From girls' nights to concerts, beach days, pool days and anything else possible we have had a blast doing it and enjoying living in Hawaii.

 

2006 was a fun year of engagements and weddings and it was so much more fun that we could enjoy all the fun together!

More good times celebrating birthdays, traveling, boating and just enjoying life.

Uncle Rich and Auntie Lis are very special to both of the kids and were right there when both were born, which means the world to us!

2010 was filled with lots of babies and lots of fun!

Let the Moving Begin

Friday night, after the kids went to bed, Matt and I packed the first round of the Uhaul.  My arms were tired the next day!

 Our empty house.

We took the kids to the Weidas for a fun play date so we could get the biggest stuff moved over.  We really appreciate it and the kids had a blast!  Mark helped move and we are so grateful ( and to Steph who had the kids on the first Saturday without wrestling...so sorry!).  The guys moved lots of heavy stuff in some small spaces.  We are so lucky to have such great friends to help us out!  We could not have done it without them.

Our new living room...needs some work:).  

Matt relaxing on the lanai after a long day of moving .

Too many boxes...

I need child locks ASAP:)

Still a work in progress!  It looks like we have a busy week (hopefully, not month ahead of us!)

Some Recent Abbyisms

I think it has been a while since I have captured Abby's latest and greatest...she certainly keeps us on our toes!

My parents sent Abby  a magnetic alphabet board and we thought she would just play with the drawing part for a while but it turns out she loves the letters and knows a good bit of them.  She has a lot of fun pointing our A's for Abby anytime she can find one.

This is a video of me quizzing her for the grandparents that I promised a while ago I would post...

In the move we transitioned her to her big girl bed.  She loves it.  Anything that qualifies her as a big girl she is into though.  We never thought it would be a touch sell.  My only worry is her falling out, which according to her already happened today during nap and she was okay with it.
It is fun to read her books and snuggle in bed with her.  We even tried to get Zack in tonight but he wasn't having much of it.  He just climbed around us instead.  Matt snuck in and took some pics tonight.  Abby was over my book and started to read her own:)

I am not sure sure if you can see in this picture but Abby has a giant band-aid on her face from a bug bite gone wrong.  She keeps picking it and Matt finally covered it up to avoid more blood and scarring...ugh!

Here is an excerpt of life with Abby:
Me:  Let's go take a bath
Abby:  I'm getting my milk and I'll take a bath pretty soon....
Me: huh! really?


At the end of Sesame Street Murray says "Peace"
I was joking with Abby one day and said, "Peace out!"
I also taught her to say good luck when Matt goes to softball.
So now, almost every time we part ways she says, "Good luck, peace out, see you later!"

Aloha Maipalaoa

We have been so busy lately that this week kind of snuck up me.  We are moving this weekend and it is starting to sink in that we are moving out of our house, our first home.  We have so many good memories in this house!

We brought our beautiful babies home from the hospital to this house.

We ( Matt) learned how to build and fix lots of things.

We made lots of great memories...

As cheesy as it sounds we made this house our home for almost 4 years to the day and we will miss it but it is time to move on.  Aloha Maipalaoa!

Sealife Park

Sealife park had a special for 4 adults for $40 and I thought kids under 3 were free...it was 2 for the record even though nobody checked or cared.

The Buelows and us packed up early Sunday and headed over to the east side of the island and pciked up Makaela so Jenn could show the house.

It was a long but beautiful drive.  The scenery is totally breathtaking and new since it has been too long since we have been over there. 

Sealife park was way more fun seeing it through the  eyes of kid. 

Abby had the biggest smile on her face as she was checking out the huge aquarium.

 

The dads were great showing the little ones around.

 

And the little guys had fun too...

I think the dolphin show at the end was the best.  Zack was so cute standing on my lap clapping for the dolphins and Abby was squealing...I will spare you the video:)

After we made out way around the park we went to a secluded littel beach aross the street and played for the afternoon.

The big kids raced...so cute!

My facorite sequence of the afternoon!  Stepha nd I wnet to dip Abby and Makaela to get ready to leave.  Steph and Makaela got toppled buy a wave and I, like the great friend I am, stood by and laughed hysterically.  Luckily, Matt was there to capture it all on camera.

To finish off a fabulous day we went to dinner at Kona Brewing Company. 

 Not surprisingly, the kids crashed very shortly after getting in the car and heading home:).