Brrrrrr

I suppose I really can't complain - this time last year it had snowed at least twice by now.  Our boat had been winterized for weeks.  I'm so grateful we had the opportunity to enjoy fall on the river into mid-November.  We've seen water skiers as recently as Sunday - the sad day we had the boat cleaned up and winterized for the season.  Although with the end of week forecast Mike did mention it could be worth it to take her for one last spin.....

Each year in early October and April, the river is dropped for residents to work on their shorelines.  So much so that we are unable to take out the pontoon and people collect hundreds upon hundreds of golfballs.  We had the opportunity to borrow our neighbors' fishing boat to take a quick peek at everything with four less feet of water.

Look at those fall colors poking through!

This is our sandbar!  

Last ride right before Hawaii - fall colors bloomed so late I thought for sure they'd be brown and down when we got home.

November 1st boat ride - finally some real fall colors!

The opportunity to be on the water after Labor Day is still a pretty strange concept to us.  At my parents' that date marks the end of summer.  Boats, docks, and lifts come out pretty quickly and it's just normal.  It's been such an amazing experience to be the first and last on the water.  When Lily said goodbye to the boat this past weekend she said - see you at Easter!

Hawaii - You Never Disappoint

It was below freezing when Lily came storming into our room this morning.  I thought the timing was perfect to take a moment and go through our photos from Hawaii.  With a cup of my Vanilla Macadamia Nut Kauai Coffee steaming beside me, I relived the vacation one photo and video at a time.

We left Grand Rapids bright and early with a four year old who was overly excited to spend the next twelve hours on planes.  We arrived in Kauai early afternoon, in time to enjoy happy hour at the Lava Lava Beach Club and walk on the beach.

We've been going to Hawaii since I was 14.  Most of the time every other year - sometimes two years in a row.  When people hear we're taking Lily along, they think we're crazy but I wouldn't have it any other way.  This was her third trip to the island and she acts like she owns the place.  People also think we're crazy when they hear we just sit around the pool and the beach and we're not running around trying every excursion.  It's not that it's expensive (excessive drinking all day isn't cheap - don't worry I replaced my side of the booze budget with more than 3 meals a day), it's just that Hawaii is our happy place.  As my mother calls it - our home away from home.  We visit to unwind.

We have our traditions.  The first night always means Keoki's for dinner and Hula Pie for dessert.

We have to get burgers at Bubba's no less than 3 times.  We have to try and fill a Lappert's frequent ice cream buyer card.  The list goes on and on.  Sometimes I document it so I can see the changes from year to year.  Sometimes I just take a mental picture.

We have to get pork nachos and margaritas at Breneke's while we watch the sunset over Poipu Beach.

We get up and watch the sunrise over Shipwreck Beach.

We park ourselves at Hanalei Bay and watch the surfers.

The first Sunday means we get up at 6:00am so we're at Kalapaki Joe's by 7:00am in order to see the Lion's kick-off.  Mike swears we've never seen the Lions lose a game in Hawaii.  And this year wasn't any different.

We have to take our picture next to the Crazy Shirts guy.

We go back for our second Hula pie.

We have to drive to the top of Waimea Canyon even though we've seen it countless times and it's guaranteed I'll get car sick.  

We have to go to Jo-Jo's for the best shave ice on the island.

But most of all - we soak up every minute of this precious time we get to spend together.  Before we get back to the reality of work, e-mails, dance classes, and chaos.