Luke, Kristen, Benjamin & Eli

Monday, November 08, 2010

Timeshares

Sigh, yes, we got talked into a timeshare presentation for a $100 dinner certificate. But well, it was actually kind of fun walking around a resort on the beach, and no, we didn't get talked into anything! Afterward, Dad, Mom and Luke went surfing for the first time while Benjamin and I napped (he never did get a hang of the 3 hr time change) and then hung out on the beach for some mommy-baby bonding time.

Eating some sandy "O's" (Cheerios).

Baby Beach

Up until this point, Benjamin was very timid to go into the water. It was recommended to us to try Baby Beach in Lahaina because a coral reef breaks the waves before shore. The water was very calm and warm and Ben loved it!

Lunch at Aloha Mixed Plate, Luke's favorite food of the trip. Ben INHALED a strawberry mango smoothie...........

Walking around the condo grounds picking out plumeria blooms for Nana and Mama to wear behind their ears. He also loved to take the garbage out with Papa, check out the engine of the car, play in the red dirt on the shuffleboard court and see the neighbors cat. Why else would you go to Hawaii?

The sunset from our lanai.

Relaxin' Day

On this day, my parents took our shared rental car and did the Road To Hana, which we didn't feel Benjamin would tolerate (driving all day on a winding road). Instead we walked to Whaler's Village for breakfast, spent the day on the beach, and watched the sunset with the Chans. It's pretty nice to be "stuck" without transport sometimes!

It may have been one of the "bluest" days we were there!

Sleepy babe.

Kira and Ben watching the sunset.

It was fun to walk through the paths of lit torches at the Westin near our condo.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Friends!

We overlapped vacation time with our friends; the Chans! Kira and Benjamin are three months apart in age and we enjoyed hanging out on the beach with them, swimming at their hotel's kid pool and eating lunch out. We enjoyed our first sunset on the beach that night and then I think subconsciously decided to watch every sunset during our Maui stay.

Friday, October 29, 2010

Snorkeling at Black Rock

Luke, my mom and I went snorkeling on our third day at Black Rock which was a good hike from our condo. There was a bit of wind and the water was all churned up, so Luke and I had just decided to read on the beach. But then my mom came running up to get us, telling us she saw turtles! Well of course we headed back in, and of course, I still couldn't see anything. I was starting to swim back to shore when Luke tapped me on the shoulder and pointed down. I was directly on top of a sea turtle bigger than me! How cool is that for my first turtle sighting? (turtle pictured is teeney weeney in comparison :)

Some of our favorite Maui pro

ducts and beach bums.

Maui Ocean Center

I think he could have been placed in an ad for the aquarium the way he ran up to all the tanks with his nose squashed against the glass!

A very cool presentation in the shark tank with sting ray.

All I said was, "Go give the dolphin a kiss!"

Maui Bound!

We had the amazing opportunity to go to Maui from September 29th-October 13th, 2010! My mom and dad (this is Kristen writing), Luke, Benjamin and I all got to go together. I am finally sorting through massive amounts of pictures and decided I will make a blog post for each day, documenting the highlights of the day. So, here is our diary....

I was VERY nervous (and that is an understatement) about Benjamin's first plane trip across an ocean for 5-1/2 hours. I had visions of evil glares from fellow passengers as my child screamed up and down the aisles, or even worse, clutching at his ears in pain and howling. To jump to the end of the story, he was a perfect little traveler and managed to charm all of those around him. This was one of those "little" answered prayers, that didn't seem so "little" at the time!