First day of Preschool

Alex's first day of preschool was today! She will go 2 days a week which is perfect for both of us. She was excited to go....at first. Once in the classroom the realization that Mom was not staying hit & the crying began. No phone call yet so I assume all is well :-) How'd she get so big?!?!?

Happy on the way in!!

With a big cheesy smile ....BEFORE we got inside LOL

Halloween

We ended up going out with some friends and I forgot to take the camera along - opps! Fortunately I had already taken some pictures before we left for the night. Here are Ariel and Daphne :)

Ty was all ready to go.....

Alex had just woken up from a late nap and this was as close to a smile as I could get LOL

The look says it all - we are DONE with pictures for the moment! She did perk up greatly once we got around friends and she could actually start trick or treating!!

Ko' Olina Lagoons

Day at the beach with friends! Three moms and 7 kids between us hit the Ko Olina Lagoons for the morning. If you have heard of the new Disney Resort on Oahu then you have an idea of the location -lagoons are there as well (as is the Marriott)...It's on the west side of the island.

Alex still does not like the beach - or more specifically the waves/water. But given that there's grass and shade to play with, and others to keep her occupied, she was a happy camper this morning!

Ty & friends at the lagoons

Alexandra will finally play on the beach ;) but spent most her time on the grass picnic area.

Baby Q figuring out that sand really does not taste that good! The biggest, most squishable baby you'll ever meet! :)



Koko Head Crater Hike

Another beautiful day and we decide to get the kids out for a hike....which turned into a climb haha The hike in queston is Koko Head (Crater) hike. It's on the southeast side of the island close to Hawaii Kai. But a trail hike this is NOT! As you can see from the pictures below.

The are the "steps" to the top....it starts out as a little incline and goes almost vertical at the top!

About 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up Alex had had enough! She did well to make it that far and I was under no illusions about her making the vertical part. Ty on the other hand wanted to keep going - so she kept going with Dad :-)  She was amazing!  Men who were taking rest breaks on the way up (particularly near the top) were asking Sebastian how old she was...When they learned she had just turned 5 some were saying "You go girl!!" and others were more "Stoooop!! You're making us look bad" LMAO

But up she went with enough energy at the end to pose for pictures :-D

Dirty & dusty but made it!

                            Hawaii Kai                                                                              Hanauma Bay
                                                                                                                                                                                   

Top of the world with attitude :-)

On the way back down......

                                                                                    

   

Taking a well deserved break and enjoying the breeze!





Once we had re-grouped, cleaned off and gobbled down snacks it was off to the pool for a cool dip.....Needless to say the kids racked out for most of the afternoon once we go home!

Jane Sapper Day :-D

It was soooooo much fun :-D The spouses of the 65th Engineer BN had the opportunity to do some of the stuff our soldiers do. We hit 3 stations - some on foot, others by truck.



Our first station was room clearing using M16's (& blanks of course!) Unfortunately there weren't any shots of our squad in the mix (we were just too fast for them hahaha)

The next was the machine gun range where each of us got a chance to shoot (and YES I actually did hit the target - multiple times :-)

The last station for us was the LRC (leadership reaction course) where you problem solve as a squad to get the 'mission' done. This followed by the modified physical training test - push ups, sit ups and box jumps (instead of the run).

Considering how many hours we had been out there already, I think we all wished we had done the PT test first!! The push-ups and sit ups I only got beat by a few (yes they were counting all of us)..But the box jumps??? Damn there are some box-jumping mama's in our group LOL I got smoked on that part! Had no idea it was such a great but hard workout - something to add to the routine :)

Bumps, bruises, dirty and one lil ammo burn later and it was all done. It was a blast!!  For many of us the only question was, why can't we do this more than once a year?!?

1st Squad, 2nd Platoon!

Hawaiian Summer Fun Catch-Up!

 

Beautiful Summer in Oahu!

The most recent long weekend we has no specific travel plans so hung out around the island....One favourite is the games place in Mililani Town Mall :) First hit is always the carousal ride LOL  Both girls LOVE the ride!! After that Alex plays the toddler games (smack the gopher, etc) while Ty and Dad usually go play the Pirate-shoot-em-up game...



Rainbow over Waimea Beach (Seb the person between the tent & other person)

These are from back in July when Sebastian was in the midst of completing the North Shore swim series (4 ocean swims of different lengths). Despite the craaaazy early show up times the girls and I tried to make it to most of them :)

Waimea is one beach that Alex likes - as long as she is 1) occupied and 2) it's not too too hot since she still refuses to go into the water to cool off. This swims series was fun for the girls as their favourite babysitter, Sam, was also at the beach with her family.

Getting buried in the sand still always a fun thing to do LOL

Especially when you have friends to do it with!
(Sam & her brothers)

Race-ready!!!! :-D




And yes - this flat, calm water above IS the same Waimea that you hear about having 20+ foot waves in the winter time!

Now we start killing time till the race is over!




Do a little workout...some push-ups...

Tyler and Sam swimming.......

Everyone starting to close in on that section of the beach where the race will end (orange floating balls are the 'chute' that all racers will go through).

It might not look like much but there is a fairly large crowd - many are up on the grassy area where the stands are.




Haha Race results are posted on the board behind Ty - not that she cares of course, she's more interested in hanging out in the trees!!

Tyler's Birthday :-)

Alexandra's Birthday

We woke up in Banff on Alexandra's Birthday (see below) and went back to Calgary around lunchtime. It made for a busy long day as the people revolved in and out and Alex was being a bit under the weather with a cold. Her cousins joined the party late - after the cake was cut but she did not mind as that prolonged the present opening into the evening LOL I don't have pictures of all of it - as the night wore on trying to get the girls into a bath & bed became the challenge! Normally I'd let them stay up later but with so much travel, little sleep in Banff and a sick birthday girl decided better not :)

Overnight in Banff, AB

Ahhh the mountains - I do so love being there!! And I soooooo did not want to leave :-)  LOL

The only downside is the Alexandra came down with a cold - which from the timing of it means she picked it up in Edmonton right before we came to Calgary, poor thing :(  But waking up in the Rockies on her birthday was a wonderful thing! The kids LOVED the trip - hotel, mountains and all. I took a lot of pictures but missed the waterslides, hot tub & kiddie pool in the hotel.

Now figuring out a way for another trip back LOL So much to do - esp biking & hiking!!