I think I can still count this as fall pictures since they were taken in October. This is McKay at a field trip to an apple farm in North Georgia. The kids each got to pick 5 apples off the tree and bring them home. We went on a hayride and these pumpkins were so neat looking. Sorry the photography isn't better. They were huge pumpkins and so fun to see. I was asking my kids what food they would like for Thanksgiving just to see if they had any favorites. Madalyn said turkey and potatoes and apple pie (she loves Aunt Sherrie's apple pie), Maryn said nice turkey and pumpkin pie and McKay said pumpkin pie, pumpkin butter, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin dessert, hmmmmm......think McKay likes pumpkin?!

So, Maryn has played soccer for 2 seasons now. She thinks she loves it and is so excited to play until about half way through the season when it turns into "I don't want to go to practice today." Saturday was her last game of the season. Her favorite position is goalie (not sure I spelled that correctly) Maryn has no fear when it comes to pouncing on the ball and begs her coach to play that position. When there's no action on her end of the field, she entertains herself and the parents with little dances and songs which is pretty funny sometimes....especially when she doesn't remember that people are watching.

HOT CHOCOLATE RECIPES!!!

So, one of my favorite church sites is LDS Living Magazine. Here is a link for 10 yummy looking hot cocoa recipes. Let me know if you try one of them and how you like it.

http://ldslivingmagazine.com/articles/show/1766

GOOD NIGHT

Hope that satisfies a few curiosities about Hawaii. We had a fabulous time and will definately do it again someday. It might take me a few weeks to get blogging again but I'm forever trying to do better at it. Erik's in Kuwait and it's a good way for him to see the kids so I'll do my best to put up a few things each week. Love and miss you all!

Red Sox?

So, Erik and I have this friendly fued over baseball teams. He's a Sox guy and I'm a Yankee girl. For the record, I have his hat on ONLY because he didn't want to wear it in the water and NOT because I was supporting the Sox in any way shape or form. He's laughing while he reads this because he knows that I'm only having a little fun with him. However, when he travels to Boston or gets sport attire for the kids with the Red Sox on it....curiously he never brings anything for me. Love you honey!

We went on a dolphin excursion up off the north shore. There isn't a road that goes all the way around the island and the mountains that are behind Erik and McKay are an area of the island that most people don't see because it's not easy to get to. It took alot of persuading the get Madalyn in the water even though she was so excited to see the dolphins but she did it and had fun. The dolphins we saw were spinner dolphins, a little smaller than ones you're probably thinking of when you here dolphin. The came right up by the boat and swam around underneath for a while. We had some good views. It was a great day. The water is the prettiest color blue. I don't know how it gets that blue but it's just really pretty.

More dolphins

Dolphins

Dolphin excursion

Submarine

We went on a submarine and did the whole underwater experience. I think everyone had a blast except for me. I started getting sick as soon as we boarded the sub and we were on the thing for an HOUR! Let's just say I used the little white bags they give you on the way in and the rest of my afternoon was rough. The kids took these pictures. You can see some sea turtles sitting on the reckage of the top pictures. The pictures don't do it justice, it is pretty if you don't feel sick.

Navatek Cruise

One of the advantages of taking a sitter was being able to go on a few dates with my hubby! Erik took my on this fabulous dinner cruise with a 7 course meal, music and entertainment. It went all along the west coast and down past Diamond Head and then watched the sunset before returning to dock. I ate my first lobster from the shell and just relaxed on the ship. A very fun memory!

Playing in the sand

My beach babes. Making sand castles is important stuff. It took a few tries to figure out how far from shore you have to put the sand castle for it not to get washed away and can I just say how glad I was that we were in a hotel and not at home because we had enough sand in the tub every night to make our own island.

Grass Hut

Without getting my book I can't remember which island this was. Look how sunny it is. Believe it or not at one of the islands we had torrential rains and got completely drenced and then it was sunny again. McKay is making a face like one of the islanders, not just sticking out his tongue at the camera....really.

POI

Poi is a purple paste made from mashed up tarrow root. It's pretty much like eating wallpaper paste. Very bland and doesn't taste like much. They had samples and the kids chose to partake. Knowing what it tasted like I chose not to partake and McKay's expression is pretty classic of most peoples response.

HULA

HULA lessons. Before there was written language on the islands, hula was how stories were told. Each area of polynesia has a different style and meaning behind their dances. It was so fun to see all their costumes, the colors and the different dances.