Oh What a Time...



Snuggling and taking in the glow of the Christmas Tree



Oh, what a Time.

All December back in 20-10.

What a very special time for us,

'Cause we remember what time.

  

Relaxing by the tree before bed



So we've rung in a new year, taken the tree down, turned off the outside light timer, carefully taken down and tucked away the kid's Christmas masterpieces, said a tearful goodbye to my parents, and now I sit here in a very quiet house with extremely white walls and can't help but marvel at the stark contrast from what I had just a few weeks ago until now. 

 

What a fantastic December here in Paradise.  Who cared that it rained a little...OK...poured on some of our days.  Sometimes, on reflection, weather acts from God can create possiblities that we wouldn't have done otherwise. 

  

HS prepares for a meeting with the Twister Master



*Like playing many rounds of Twister, Sumo style, while watching the waves from our cottage at Bellows. 

 

*Or how about rearranging the lanai furniture because, well, the rain had blown in so many little bitty pieces of debris that this anal retentive, OCD gal just couldn't handle looking out at the lanai (nevermind the Alien communicator device that she is attempting to forget as a bad memory out of her livingroom windows...seriously, is a satellite dish that big really necessary?). 

 

 *The Christmas themed storybooks that I so obviously placed in a basket by the chair in the living room were actually used this year (last year they were, but only in the evenings) by everyone...including HS who would pull one out just to read to LD. 

   *Witnessing Cody eat not one, but at least four socks...in one gulp.  I swear, he's a garbage-dog-wanna be.  I also swear he's fed.  Every day.  

Tutu Fan



 



*Endless baking of delish cookies (which my waistline still hasn't recovered from, but man...they were tasty) and one of the many ways of makin' my heart sing is to watch the kiddos bake with Grandma. 

 

* Dropping whatever we were doing just because the sun came out from behind the gloomy clouds just in time for an incredible sunset and running out the door to feed "fishies" in between rain squalls. 

  

*Warm weather beach days with the kiddos splashing along the shores of Ko'olina with Grandma while Popop relaxed under the shade of a gigantic palm tree. 

 

Papa and the Palm Tree



*Heading out for Boutiki's Tour of Homes in Pearl Harbor's historic Hale Ali'i, Makalapa, and Hospital Point for a fun evenin' with just my mum.  We finished inspired to decorate my tiny house with vigor for the holidays.

 

*A neighborhood Bunco evening that gave us another time just to be mom & daughter. 



 

*Shopping for awesome bargains and searching for the perfect Christmas gifts.  

 

* Hardly watching TV because we were enjoying the sounds of the season, Hawai'ian style. 

 

* Cawfee.  Pots & pots of delish Mill Mountain cawfee minus the steam (except on the few chilly days).

 

Oh, yes.  It was quite the time...and these are just a few of my memories that linger and make me want to shout:

 

COME BACK to PARADISE!



Mele Kalikimaka!