Hiking in Maui

Brett & I did a "Hike Maui Tour" this morning. We left Kaanapali where our hotel is and headed to Lanai, where the road to Hana begins. We met our group and started our hike.

It was pouring rain when we started our hike, our guide was well prepared with rain gear and these mukluk shoes that were incredible to keep up with the different elements of weather.

Brett, just had to do some cliff diving after reaching one of the waterfalls. The falls were so full of water due to the recent rains they had experienced a couple of weeks ago. This hike was great we learned many different things about Maui's vegetation and hiked to 4 beautiful waterfalls.

While Brett & T.J. went scuba diving the kids competed in Slide Races at the hotel. Trevor just knew he had won, but a 16 year old who triples his weight beat him. (Go Figure) He will still keep trying everyday, please save us. At dinner we asked the kids their favorite things so far about Hawaii the answers are as follows:

Trevor: Slide Races & Snorkeling

Devyn: The phone in the hotel room (there are two lines and she can call mom and dad's room every minute).

Avery: Lei making with all the kids at the hotel.

T.J.: Scuba Diving (Even if he did throw up after the first dive).

zipping across maui

We awoke at 6:00 a.m. to do this........"The Zipline Adventure Tour." The bus ride to the top of the mountain was probably the most dangerous part. The van driver was little crazy. thank goodness for helmets.

TJ said his helmet looked like caesar in honor of our Vegas roots. This was a great adventure for the three of us. The longest zipline was 750 feet across. This was great. There were 8 ziplines.

Brett doing the "Fred Flinstone" landing. They told us to keep our feet moving like Fred Flinstone driving his car.

T.J. coming in for a landing.

we had a wonderful dinner at the Plantation House on the Plantation Golf Course. We couldn't resist walking and eating where tiger and Mickelson will be in just a few days. Of course the boys checked out the locker room which they say was amazing. The view of the ocean and the course was breath taking. Oh yeah the food was outstanding. So far this was the best!

Fun on the Island

We found a great restaurant on front street which runs along the Pacific Ocean. The best part was Hula Pie. Mahalo

devyn enjoying the beach and building her sand castles.

Avery trying to boogie board with the waves.

Trevor getting eaten by the "Big One" at Bob's Snorkel shop.

Our hotel is right next to the Black Rock cliffs, and as you can see T.J. is living right on the edge as you can see...........NOT. (He wanted to but Mom said NO!!!!!!!) These guys were crazy but the snorkeling was great.

Aloha!

After leaving Las Vegas at 5:45 a.m., we arrived in Maui with beautiful 80 degree weather and a slight breeze. The smell of gardenias and hearing the ocean will be a wonderful break from the 40 degree weather in the desert. We feel so lucky to have the opportunity to take the wonderful vacation as a family. we will keep blogging. Enjoy the holidays.

2008 Santa Picture

If you come to my house, my favorite christmas decorations are my 16 pictures taken with Santa every year since I have had children. My mom did this when I was a kid and I love looking back at all of them. You can tell the pictures when I am about 14 or 15 that I am so ticked that I have to do this. Well this year was my payback. My 15 year old son claimed that he was not going to be in this years picture. My husband began laughing and said, "Good Luck with that one, son." We did the picture Thanksgiving eve, and I told T.J. that know one would be at the mall. We pulled in and it was packed, so came the, "thanks alot mom." Each child tells Santa their one wish for Christmas and they are as follows:

Devyn: Pink DS lite

Trevor: Wie

Avery: Blue DS lite

T.J.: Peace and Happiness (He'll be cheap this year)

All in all the picture was okay and T.J. even smiled. At least he didn't cry like I did when I was that age. Although the Galleria kind of ticks me off, they make you buy something now. How rude.

Bellagio pre-Christmas

This is an artists rendering of what it will look like.

One of my favorite things to see at Christmas is the Bellagio Atrium. My parents were in town and we ventured down to see this:

An egg-full Thanksgiving

As Thanksgivings go, the table was set and the turkey was steaming with those wonderful smells of a wonderful meal ahead. We all sat down to say what we are thankful for, and then an after dinner nap. As we were awaiting Grey's Anatomy to begin we heard all of this yelling and tires screaching. As we approached the front door I could see dripping down my glass and when I opened the door, T.J.'s friend Michael laying on the porch with egg all over him. They had been chased up our street by a black Jaguar loaded with kids. Thankfully a license number was taken and we called the police. What's a Thanksgiving without Metro and the police helicopter hovering over your house.