Maui

Summer trip to Maui- July 2011

Straight from the airport to Lahaina for Cheeseburgers in Paradise.

We spent a lot of time playing ping pong and waiting to play ping pong- it was popular.

Lots of fun at the pool's waterslide and at the beach.

A wristband for each day to use waterslide

We never spend much time at the hotels...next day we were off to Kahoma Ranch.  We drove ATVs on the old sugar cane roads through all the red dirt.

Halfway through he ATV ride, we arrived at a small lagoon where they had made three waterslides.  This was a great break to cool off.  The lagoon water was super cold.  We were covered with red dirt.

More time at the hotel after our ride.  Geckos everywhere.  Jose is really good at catching them.

We took a lei-making class...

Trilogy snorkel and sail.  While we snorkeled, the crew BBQ'd chicken for lunch.  It was a nice sail back to the Lahaina Harbor. 

 

Jose and I enjoyed a romantic night out while the kids ate room service.  When we go on vacation, the kids always ask us when we're going on a date.  They love to have time alone in the room.

Maui Hike-  2.5 miles to 5 waterfalls off the road to Hana

The second waterfall we stopped to jump- it was really high!

We hiked on trails, through water, over logs, up rock walls...it was great!  I loved all the plants- I framed this picture and have it in my office.

Lunch by the waterfall and lagoon. After we ate, the kids followed our guide up to where they could safely jump.  Jose and I relaxed and swam.

Old Lahaina Lu'au

Our last day in Paradise...lunch in Lahaina, play in the ocean and one more date!

Tennessee/ Kentucky

My sister, Leigh-Ann and her family live in Franklin, TN (about 20 miles South of Nashville).  We have enjoyed many visits to her home.  This visit was Thanksgiving, 2010.

We stayed in Nashville to visit ICE at the Opryland Hotel.  ICE is a magical ice sculpture inside a massive freezer on the hotel property.  It's 9 degrees inside.  Each visitor is given a huge blue coat to wear.  No one wants to be photographer because your fingers freeze.  Each year there is a theme...this year was "A Year Without A Santa Claus".

 

The grounds were beautifully decorated for Christmas at Opryland Hotel.

The following morning we drove 2 hours north to Kentucky to visit Mammoth Cave National Park.  This is the world's largest known cave system.  

 

Love to see the wildlife...

 

We made it to Franklin in time for fireworks. Being from California, it's so foreign to have fireworks in the winter.  It is so wet in TN so there's not much risk for fires.  My brother-in-law builds a huge bonfire and the kids enjoy S'mores while watching the fireworks. 

What to do when a bunch of guys are together on all this property?  Have an airsoft gun fight. 

 Every family has Thanksgiving morning memories of getting the food prepared.  This is one I remember from such a young age...getting to help roll out the dough for the bread. 

It's a family recipe from Grandma Helen- I've never tasted a better roll!

Lots of cousins to play with...

 Thanksgiving morning football game