... Senior moment?

Some time back, when I realized that I could not keep up with this blog, I told myself that I'd update at least once a month.  Well, I'm finding that to be quite difficult.  Last months blog I questioned where time has gone, but this month feels like it's going faster! Where is the brake? I'm going to chalk it up to "getting old".  I can't seem to catch a breathe.  I'm going to take a week to "catch a breathe" and try to relish all that's around me... and hopefully come up with a better blog next time.  Until then...

March Madness???

I don't know what happened with the month of March!  Where did it go?  Somehow March just fast-forwarded itself and here we are, April 1st.   It seems time speeds with age, and I cannot find the brakes!  ughh!    Anyhow, let me try to capture what happened in March.  

As with any other year March signals the start of the Basketball Playoff season in this household... that means NCAA Playoffs as well as NBA.  Eddie follows it religiously.  March is also the start of Swim season for the kids (they start practicing in February though...)  I haven't gotten into the groove quite yet, but I was able to snap couple of pictures from their meet.  But before we get to that, month of March started off with the boys going to GALA dance.   Eddie's birthday is also in March, so we got him a little cake and had a small celebration.  Happy 35th (?) Birthday Eddie!

Jeff with his GALA date Paige

 Chris getting ready for his event

Jeff racing breast stroke

Jeff listening to his ipod between events

 boys relaxing between events

Eddie's "surprise" Birthday Cake

Well, ready or not April is here... that means in just over two short months school year will also end!  (sigh) ... I'm not ready for that ...

Back from paradise...

We finally took that thing called "vacation".  Yes, it's been a long time since the last time our family actually took a vacation that didn't involve family weddings,  birthdays or holidays (Thanksgiving/Christmas).  It was just purely for relaxation... no work involved.   Kids had a week off for Presidents' Birthdays and Eddie also took two weeks off, so off we went to Kauai, Hawaii.  We had a great hook-up thanks to our friends who had connections.   We stayed at Marriotts in Poipu Beach, Kauai.  It was absolutely BEAUTIFUL!  Although it is the smallest Hawaiian island we did not even see half of it.  We spent most of our time in the water.  No one wanted to go exploring!  But I suppose part of being on "vacation" is the ability to do nothing at all.   Although Eddie & I grew up near the beach our children have not had that opportunity, so this was a new and exciting experience for them... to swim, snorkel, boogie board and surf in a warm, tropical ocean water.  They had a blast!  In fact they even made a comment about just living there.   who knows, maybe one of them will go to University of Hawaii!

on our plane ride... beautiful clouds

it was a long flight... 

and kids had to keep themselves occupied

girls peaking back every now and then...

we're finally here... Poipu Beach

view from  the Marriott Resort

gorgeous sunsets...

with tiki torch lights on at night...

beautifully kept property grounds...

Rachel running at sunrise...

It really was beautiful...

there are tons of wild hens/rooters roaming around the island...

it rains throughout the day... thus this beautiful rainbow

Lizzy really enjoyed boogie boarding...

Jeffrey & Rachel getting ready to boogie board...

one of our rare exploration outside of the resort

Waimea Canyon, AKA Grand Canyon of Hawaii

girls...

boys...

and after the hike we stopped by the famous Jo-Jo's for shaved ice... yummy!

then once back at the resort we were back in the water again...

here's Lizzy & Rachel snorkeling

we saw many tropical fish...

including this one, Hawaii's State fish

HUMUHUMUNUKUNUKUAPUA"A

girls drying up...

Rachel getting some conditioning in...

kids spent many hours digging in sand...

Lizzy back on the boogie board

we rented couple of surf boards

here's Jeff giving surfing a try

Chris also gave surfing a try

Eddie found this deserted beach nearby and so we went to check it out

monk seal sleeping at the beach

it was absolutely gorgeous

so picturesque...

hmmm... should we put up our boys here for the night?

this was the entrance to the very private Mahaulepu Beach

we went "off-roading" with our rental minivam

one of the "shacks" in a little town called Koloa

Eddie said he wants to buy it and fix it up... LOL

Spouting Horn Park...

water shoots out like old faithful geyser

back at our resort... surfing again

and digging some more

absolutely beautiful sunsets

boys with their surf boards...

actually looks very good

our romantic sunset shot

last sunrise before leaving the resort...

kids watching tv in the morning...

obligatory "matching outfits"

until next time...