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Sunday, July 31, 2011

Dragon Boats

Today Kieran and I headed down to Ala Moana beach park to cheer Cooper and Fletcher's grandpa on while his team, the current reining champs rowed too keep their their titles! This year to make things harder they had new boats...with no DRAGONS on them! How can you have a dragon boat race with no dragon? For starters, it makes the boats really rocky...several capsized! Which as a spectator was interesting, but not so good for the teams. Joe's team did well and went on to the final round...go Joe! Couldn't resist, sorry! LOL! We didn't end up staying to watch the final race though, it was hot and the boys were all getting a tab bit restless, so we all headed our separate ways.  A fun afternoon behind us all. :)

Kieran and I wandered over to the bookstore. I can't pass up a bookstore. We ended picked up a few books for Kieran...ones he can read too me! :) Then we finally headed home. But, once here we decided we still felt like being outside...so we headed out on a walk. We headed over to Boston Pizza for dinner, it seemed the most appropriate place to eat since Shaun's in Boston this weekend visiting friends and seeing the sights. We also found an old Chinese cemetery, that is now used as a theatre...strange! We wandered around and I tried my best to answer life and death questions for Kieran in an upbeat and honest way. I'm pretty sure I sounded Buddhist. I never quite know how to answer these things without feeling like I could be warping him for life.

On the way home I watched a dad helping his two young boys learn to ride their bikes, the joy on their little faces was simply infectious. Its the simple things like that that I miss most about living someplace simpler, smaller. It's those things that I wish Kieran could experience. I know that he gets too experience things that so many other children don't...how many other children can call The Met their local museum, or Central Park their playground? But, occasionally, I think we all think the grass looks greener on the other side.

xo,

-A

Beach boy :)
















We saw these two cuties at Barnes & Noble & I asked their parents if I could take their picture. The little one was so sassy! Love it!









 For Shaun <3

We ordered one slice of pizza each & this is what we got! 





 Hey Cooper! We named a street after you buddy! ;)


 This looks like it belongs back east too me.
  








  



Friday, July 29, 2011

Sights & Sounds

Yesterday Kieran, my niece Sage and I went to the Honolulu zoo. It was raining in the morning and we weren't sure the weather was going to work in our favor, so while we were in the car, I decided we all needed to sing no more rain songs. Anything we could think of to help make the sun want to come out. It worked! We ended up with a wonderful sunny day! :) The animals we apparently pretty happy about it too, because quite a few of them were out playing. I've never been to a zoo where the animals seemed to be putting on a show for you. Parents think the kids movie, Madagascar. We had some very playful and very loud, orangutans. They seemed to be playing some sort of high flying game of tag. They were fantastic! Like National Geographic, live! One of the best things about the Honolulu Zoo, is that the animals habitats aren't set far away, they are up close and personal. You really get to see the animals and how they live and in this case play. My personal favorites, were clearly the orangutans and the meerkats. They were equally out and and playful. They loved playing with the watching crowds. :) Plus, they have such great personalities of their own and would do the funniest things. One decided mid way through entertaining, that he/she was too hot and was in need of a nap and just flopped down and fell asleep. It was hysterical. Very, nope done, can't be bothered. Sage and Kieran had such a great time too, excitedly running from exhibit to exhibit. Spying animal after animal.

We went from the zoo back to the house (it was really humid out) to have an indoor picnic. We had fun laying out our super soft blanket and food. We told stories at lunch and made up games. We made plans for our upcoming trip to Maui to visit Grandpa and Grandma. After lunch, we decided we could all use a walk and went out in search or avocados. There's a huge avocado tree here, with equally huge avocados! Each of the kid's picked an avocado to bring to Auntie Tamara. They were happy as clam's with their giant avocado finds. So cute! After a few good hours of playing we had breakfast for dinner. Who doesn't like that? Then we headed outside for something I thought would might make a cool photo....tossing handful's of glitter in the air. Turn's out, I needed to wait until the sun went down. Oh well, it was still awesome! They had the best time and I'd totally do it again!!!!!!  We all had a great day!!

Lighthouse number two! Not only did I get picture's of it, but I hiked up to it. : ) Jennifer, Cooper, Kieran and I hiked up Makapuu today. The hike itself is really easy. Which is a good thing when you have kids with you. Especially when it's really windy. Which Makapuu is most of the way. But, the views are amazing! It's gorgeous at the top! The boys, despite initial protestation had a good time. Kieran have it three fingers up...he said that's because it's better than two and it's also his third hike. :)  After our hike we dropped Jennifer and Cooper at home and Kieran and I headed over to a wonderful farmer's market in Lani Kai. He ended up having dinner there, what looked like yummy panko crusted tuna steak, with brown rice and salad. He was happy with it! :) I then took him over to Cold Stone Creamery. Another lovely day in paradise. :)

xo,

-A

 Here they are together at Sage's school. We had just arrived to pick her up. They were both so excited!!!
 Cuties arriving at the zoo! :)
Super chatty orangutan :)
Here they are playing together. They were amazing!




He's eating.


 Peacocks may look pretty, but they're pests! This one was a thief! He stole food from a toddler & made him cry!

Meerkats are awesome! The one laying down had been playing, then decided, nope, I'm tired & flopped down to take a nap!
 I thought this was a really interesting mural. Very real to life....hmm! LOL!





 In front of the stork house. I was telling them how they were delivered. They didn't go for it. LOL!


 My lunch. ;)
Kieran at our picnic. :)
Sage enjoying lunch at our indoor picnic. :)



So much happiness on their little faces! 
 Jump!!!
Cooper & Kieran at the start of the hike










 Makapuu lighthouse

 Molokai in the distance




 Storm clouds on the next ridge



 Crater...the boys loved that they were looking at an old volcano! 


Kieran gave the hike 3 fingers up! :)