Finally getting some wedding pics up! It was a beautiful, perfect day and we are so thankful to everyone who was able to be here and share it with us!  Above: the boys (in our backyard) all ready to head to the wedding.

Getting ready to walk down the “aisle”

During the ceremony, the Chris and I presented our parents with leis and the minister asked them to give us a few words of wisdom

During the ceremony with best man Nick and maid of honor Janie…and a little music

Now it was our turn to exchange leis

then…you may kiss the bride!  We’re married!

The whole group

my family…

and Chris’ family

and my girls!

We had the reception and Chris Uncle Brad and Aunt Diana’s house in Wailea

wedding hair

gift from Nino…our wedding portrait!

and of course the after party at Stella Blues in Kihei.  Brad is doind the “lawnmower” here

What can I say…Brad’s singing was the hit of the party!  And his backup singers, Aaron, Charles and Chris, were’nt bad either

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It’d beginning to look a lot like Christmas…at the beach!  Last weekend we went to the beach with Brendan and Melissa, some boogy boards and randomly, a Santa hat.  We thought it might be fun to have a picture taken on the beach wearing a Santa hat.  We also wanted to get pics boogy boarding with the waterproof camera, which of course led to Santa hat boogy boarding.  As you can see, it turned into a really fun day at the beach!

Melissa catching a wave

Brendan’s turn

Santa hats come out

and then the Santas (Erik and Brendan)head into the water.

and catch a wave!

Melissa and I chose to relax and float for a while

Erick catches as wave

my turn!

Chris drops in on a BIG wave

some minor Santa hat adjustments after the wave

Santa Brendan catches another wave

Sadly, Melissa and Brendan are moving back to the mainland.  Here’s one of our last dinners at Five Palms in Kihei.  We will miss them SOOO much!!

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Well, the wedding preparations are moving along…I flew to Oahu with Kaytee and Melissa to find a dress.  We shopped in Honolulu and stayed (thanks to Kaytee’s connections) right on Waikiki Beach in a historic hotel.  It’s now a Westin, but it was built in 1901 and was the first hotel in Waikiki.  This is our view.

We flew in at 1:30 and I bought a dress at 5:30!  So, then we had all day and night to enjoy Honolulu.  We went to the mall of course.  This is breakfast the next morning.

With Kaytee and the dress at the airport

I was relieved to have that checked off the list!  Next Chris and I picked our beach.  We took a bottle of wine down for sunset, just to be sure it was the perfect spot for the wedding.

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Halloween, 2008- Chris and I spent the weekend on Kauai with Melissa and Brendan for their wedding.  We arrived Thursday afternoon.  Melissa’s parents surprised her and came to Hawaii for the wedding.  Thursday night we all went to dinner in Hanalei. 

We all stayed in Princeville, at the Sea Lodge condos.  This was the view from my condo.

Friday, day of the wedding, checking in at the beach where the wedding will be held. 

Make-up and hair, done!

Chris shot the wedding video

Melissa and Brendan, during the ceremony

short rain delay- Kauai is green for a reason- plenty of rain!

The next day the four of us hiked for 8 miles along the Napali Coast

A beautiful, but muddy trail

After the first 2 miles, we came to a beach.  Then its two more miles to the waterfall, then all the way back…

Some of the trail was right beside giant steep cliffs.  Of course there are no pictures for the worst of it.  We were just concentrating on not going over!!

Made it to the waterfall!

Lunch time

Then time to go back…four more miles to go!

Back to the beach

Sunday, driving along the highway

 You will never see more roosters in one place than on Kauai. This one posed for me.

 Chris checking out the next step in our adventure, again, with the roosters.

A little off-roading in the Jeep down a road where Jurassic Park was filmed.

Smiling, but looking for T-Rex

Had to cross a few water bridges.  Chris took this way slowly…

… and came back a little faster!

Flying back to Maui on Sunday- took some pictures of Oahu as we came in for a quick layover.

Looking down at Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach

 Honolulu

Back to Maui!  View of the windmills on the west Maui mountains.

We had a great weekend and were so happy to be a part of their day.  Guess we’re next!!

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Aloha!  Just wanted to let everyone know that Chris and I are engaged! He proposed on September 29th on Keawakapu Beach at sunset.  I didn’t have my camera (imagine that!) so I don’t have any pictures. Luckily Janie was able to capture it through this drawing.

So the next weekend Chris and I grabbed a bottle of wine and went to the same spot for sunset and took some pictures so everyone could see where we got engaged.

Here’s the ring!

Then, last weekend the planning began.  We had brunch at Seawatch started making plans

Cheers!  Aloha!

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 My friend Melissa is getting married in a couple of weeks so we had a bridal shower for her at the Grand Wailea.  Thanks to a friend we got a cabana for the morning by the pool, then we all went to the spa (tourism is down so locals get good deals). It was the best bridal shower ever!

Here’s me with Melissa and Heidi in the cabana.

and the view from my chair

We all enjoyed the waterslides

and then a chi chi

Recognize this famous person floating by?

It’s Kelsey Grammer!  Fun Day!

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Aloha!  This blog is going to be some misc. pics of what’s been happening recently.

First of all, our house was full of termites so it finally had to be tented.  This is very common here so I guess it was just a matter of time.  Since it never gets cold the bugs just seem to stay year round.  We had to pack up all food, shampoo, everything into these bags and then move out for a couple of days

And here’s the house!  Looks like a circus right?

So that was last weekend.  A couple of weeks before that we went to a friend’s daughter’s birthday party. Chris was a hit with the ladies when he put the new big wheel together.

One bright and sunny day, a group of us went down to Keawakapu Beach and watched the sunset.  You know by now I love to take pictures of palm trees against the blue sky.

Jim and Chris, enjoying the beach.  Not a bad start to a Saturday night!

On a sad note, last Sunday was Megan’s last night on Maui.  She moved back to the mainland and met Peter in Texas.  We miss them both!

Yesterday a group of us got up early and went snorkeling in Makena, at a place called the aquarium.

First we hiked through the trees…

…then over lava rock to get to it.

We’re here!  Lots of fish to see

looking up towards Haleakala from the water

wasn’t this guy in Finding Nemo?

Ollie made a new friend.  He picked it up to look at it and it attached to his mask.

Matt dries off on the lava rocks.

Ollie’s friend back home in the water

That’s about it for me!  Back to work tomorrow.  Have a great week!

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Hi folks.  I have very sad news!  My very first friend in Hawaii has moved back to the mainland.  We were all very sad to see him go, but wish him the best going back.  Last weekend we all hung out for one last time.  Saturday was a beach day, of course…

boys avoiding the sun

Chris takes a kayak out

Rachel and Dante enjoy sunset

After sunset we had hot dogs and a fire.  Laura played the ukulele.

Sunday, we all went to the Maui Film Festival.  Sunday was the last night (and my third trip this week).  It’s always fun to watch movies under the stars.

Sunset at the film festival

Aloha Peter!!!!!  We will miss you soooooo much!

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It’s official.  Maui has the highest gas prices in the nation… 

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Aloha everybody!  If anyone is still out there reading…I am still here.  Its just that I have almost been here 2 years and wonder if anyone really wants to see more pictures…kind of the same thing over and over, ya know?  But, last month Mom and Dad came back for their third visit and we had a great time! Chris and I were able to take some time off work and got to vacation with them.  Here are a few of the highlights… 

Day 1, fresh off the plane.  They check into the Wailea Marriot and head straight for the Mai Tais!

Always a favorite- swimming with the honu (sea turtles)

We spent a day sailing and snorkeling on Trilogy.  Started at surise, sailed to Lana’i, snorkel/sail from there and then sailed back at sunset.

Our new favorite place for Happy Hour and sunset, in front of the Marriot

Mom and Dad check into the luxurious Kealani in Wailea

Thanks to a few buddies of ours, Mom and Dad had an amazing suite with the best view!  This is looking down at the pool from their balcony.  We had a blast on the water slide.

Ahhhhh, a day in our private cabana…

and the next morning, a canoe trip!

Thanks Mom and Dad!  We had a great time!  Come back anytime!  We miss you!

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