At One with the Sea

The Kaneohe Bay Sandbar...our refuge and all time favorite way to kick back and relax. Paradise just doesn't get any better than this! Each time we've headed out, there are subtle changes but the constant is always the fun we have with our friends when out on the water and the calmness that follows any day spent out on the pontoon boats. This may just be one of Marine Corps Base Kaneohe's hidden gems and a treasure that is just too good to pass up. Where else can you set your course for the open water only to find that there is a sandbar oasis for all ages to enjoy?

The kiddos adore splashin' about and playing with waterguns, boogie boards, and swimming in the crystal clear waters. LD will jump around in the sand for hours or look for little critters when the sand is completely exposed. It is a surreal feeling...you stand in with water up to maybe your knees and then look all around you. All you see is a great expanse of water and the majestic Ko'olau Range charging upwards into the blue Hawai'ian sky. Yep. We love it out on the sandbar. Can't wait for our next outing...who know, HS just may be at the helm!

Flat Visitor

Aloha! E Komo mai to Honolulu, Hawai'i!

Over the course of this month, we were thrilled to show Flat M. all around paradise. After flying 5, 557.5 miles to get here, we began her introduction to "The Gathering Place" as this island is nicknamed.

On her visit, she was able to enjoy fantastic weather (80 degrees and tradewinds!), sunny skies, and saw countless rainbows (the reason that the license plate has a rainbow on it).

Although the island is only 44 miles long and 30 miles wide, we have an abundance of super cool activities to keep everyone entertained.


Flat M. really enjoyed sharing a shaved ice with her cousins after a fun outing to the pool and beach in Waikiki.

She also enjoyed building sandcastles at Ko'olina Lagoon while her cousins snorkeled in the crystal blue waters.





Flat M. went to the Waikiki Aquarium and marveled at the bright colors and funny fish names of the fish commonly seen in the mighty Pacific ocean and around the Hawai'ian islands.




She also visited the Bishop Museum, a great spot to be immersed in the history behind Hawai'ian culture.



She also enjoyed karate lesson with HS, music classes with LD, and playing at the neighborhood park in the evenings after HS had finished his homework and piano practice.

WOW! She was busy with fun and even came back with a tan and wearing a hula outfit!

Character & Beauty

Character contributes to beauty. ~ Jacqueline Bisset


LD is like a little pepper pot full of character constantly bubbling and overflowing from every pore. Low and behold, today, she decided to make herself even more beautiful taking all that personality and charisma really shine forth through a very solid and very hard to wipe off layer of white.

"M-o-m-m-m...you have to see this..." HS shouts from the top of the stairs into the kitchen. Followed by a "I can't believe this...you've made a real mess this time!" At this point, I was taking the stairs two at a time and beheld a bright light standing at the top of the stairs. Only thing is the bright light was actually my daughter standing covered from head to toe in the whitest stuff known to man...Desitin.

"What in the world?!?!" I exclaimed as I picked up my daughter who was smiling from ear to ear with hair that stood clear out from her roots as if she had just stuck her finger in a light socket. "Mum...she's got Desitin everywhere on her...I've got to go..." I said breathlessly as I still had my mom on the phone for our morning chat. I proceeded to peer into her room where a once full tube of Desitin lay mangled and twisted upon her floor. She had single handedly squeezed that poor tube of Desitin all over her chunky toddler body. Not much was on the floor, but that obviously wasn't the thrill of squeezing the Desitin. It was the idea that she was putting on "me make-up" as she kept telling me over and over as I tried to began rinsing off the thick white paste in the tub. Only, the paste wasn't coming off.

I scrubbed and scrubbed and then peered at her hands. No white was visible. Whew. I said outloud as I then began working on her face and hair. Just then, she wiped her cheek and a streak of pastey white emerged once more. You've got to be kidding me...I mumbled under my breath. I began scrubbing once more. To no avail. The water by now was turning cold and I was beyond upset. Call Grandma...like she would appear like a genie and with one nod of her head, POOF! Desitin gone! "uhhhh...grandma...we have an emergency..." HS stumbled over his words. Thank God for a mom who is handy beyond all measure...she had already looked up ways to get Desitin out of hair and off skin. It appears LD isn't the only one with a tactile fetish.

Turns out Peanut Butter, when applied to where Desitin has been placed, will attract the stubborn Desitin molecules. Regular dish soap breaks down those molecules just like it would on grease on a very coated pan....only it was LD's beautiful golden hair that the greasy Desitin was caked on. Prior to the Peanut Butter application and dish soap, HS had a very simple solution to LD's bleached white hightlights that stood as sentinels even after I had washed her hair at least ten times with baby shampoo and then tried adult shampoo. "Let's just cut her hair" he said simply. My facial expression must have said it all in response to his idea as I pictured my daughter looking like a Buddhist monk. "Or, I'll just call Grandma and see what more she has to say..." Good answer I thought as I returned to scrubbing.

Poor LD, covered from head to foot in her Desitin make-up and hair gel wore herself out from the stress of being so beautiful. She fell asleep nestled up against my chest and cuddled in two blankets. The smell of dish soap laced with the unmistakable smell of Destin perfumed her delicate skin and conditioned her once again golden locks. As for her big brother and mum, we sat in awe of her beauty and giggling over her fascination with goop.

Note to the reader: This would hopefully be our most eventful day in HS's weeklong Spring Break. What a kick-off!

Birthday Bud

As many of you know, HH is celebrating his birthday today! I keep telling him that as he ages, he becomes even more handsome and it as if he's celebrating his 28th not 38th. Many of you may also know that HH is a twin. So, happy birthday wishes go out to his sister.



What you may not know is that he also has another twin...a very dear friend who know kidding, not only is into similar intrests and shares the same line of work as HH, but he also was born on the exact same day and the exact same year as HH. Freaky weird, I know. We call him now, HH's "Birthday Bud." We celebrated their birthday over the weekend with a delish BBQ on Saturday, surrounded by our kids and spending the majority of the night doing what we do best together...laughing.

Hau'oli 38th lā hānau to HH, his twin, and Birthday Bud!

"Hoppy" Clan

Dear East R. Bunny,

We are really happy that you sent us such a great early Easter package! We've enjoyed eating the treats, making cool cupcakes with sprinkles, and watching our pinwheels twirl in the tradewind. You are really special for thinking to send us something over the mighty Pacific! All the treats and fun items have helped us to celebrate Easter.

May you have a great time bringing "hop"iness to all the boys and girls in the world. Make sure you get lots of rest, clover, and carrot tops after your big outing!

Hoppy in the Pacific,

The Adventure Clan

Easter Parade

2002 found us not the couple that we had been for the six years previous, but as the jubilant and oh so thankful parents of the most handsome baby boy we had ever (and of course, have ever) seen!



How fast HS's first year flew! In 2003, we found ourselves with a full fledged toddler who was enthralled with his Easter basket...and chocolates!



A Monterey Easter may be a little chilly with a fog bank hanging around, but nevertheless, the celebration is in full tilt...especially when mommy allows you to sit in neck of one of the big trees that was in front of our house! Even with HH in Newport for six months, HS and I made the Easter of 2004 memorable.



2005 was our 1st Easter spent back in Nippon. Although deployed for Easter 2005, he arrived back in port shortly after Easter and we celebrated the way any good Japanese individual does...with an ohanami! We sipped sake and enjoyed sushi and other Japanese treats under the Sakura with a group of Japanese we've never even met!



2006 we celebrated our 2nd Easter in Japan. HS was enthralled with the Easter Bunny and adored searching our base apartment for his Easter basket...he had to follow the crepe paper trail!



Our tour in Newport sprung us into a happiness that we reflect upon frequently. Although blustery and frigid, 2007's Easter festivities reflected the proud preschool child complete with bunny hat!




2008 was an extremly special Easter for our clan. If we thought 2002 was amazing, this would be a year that we added to our clan and the Easter festivities now involved one very dashing boy and one beautiful girl! From this point on, we will be lucky to witness the change, excitement, and discovery from two of God's greatest gifts to us, besides our marriage.



LD also made a major transformation from her 1st Easter of 2008 to 2009! She quickly discovered the chocolate bunny and giggled whenever HS found an egg that the Easter bunny had left. She decorated eggs like a champ and had bluish-purple fingers for Easter morn!



Yes indeed, Easter is one of the times of year to turn inward and reflect upon God's great love for us. In doing that reflection this year, I do feel truly blessed by His grace, patience, and love. What will Easter 2010 have me reflect upon? Well, that has yet to be written within my mind. However, one thing is for certain: the Easter baskets are on the tansu ready for the Easter bunny's visit, the eggs are awaiting their special dye from the kiddos on the lanai, the kids have their Easter attire, and I can't wait to enjoy the beauty of Easter with them.