Maui

(Shopping at Whalers Village, Kaanapaali)

I think the only way to go on vacation is to go with family! It was great having the help to entertain Nora and keep her busy but it was just such a great bonding time for all. We got to watch Nora grow with confidence in her relationship with her Gong Gong & Po Po, as well as with her Kow-Foo, Kow-Moo and of course, play time with Megan ALL day long if she could!

(Halloween with the grandkids!)

This was our first getaway with the whole Kai side and just a really truly special time with Nora and Megan. Everything in terms of getting there and back on the plane went really well, and the three bedroom condo with the beach in walking distance was just perfect. If you're going to do Maui with a family, then having your own kitchen is the way to go... no stress about worrying what restaurant meal to eat next, we did a few grocery / Costco runs and away we go!

(The one time we did try and go out to the restaurant all together... hectic!)

So many highlights, let's see if I can describe them in pictures.

Lemon Face! Everytime we would ask Nora to do a lemon face, she originally started with her true expression of woah-that-sour-type of look, which has eventually evolved into her pouting her lips and raising her eyebrows. Just can't get enough of her new 'looks' for the camera... we're working on the 'Blue Steel' look!

Nora really really enjoyed the honey mustard dip that accompanied her chicken strips and fries... didn't care too much about the food... but dip please!

Beaching it! It took a little while for her to figure out the texture of the wet sand and incoming waves... she'd really lift her legs up the closer we bent her down to the water. But eventually she loved it and played lots in the sand - helping out with the sand castle that Trav & Cherie built, letting them know that 'water... coming!'

I love Megan! Nora enjoyed every moment that Megan was up... kept calling for her, bringing her toys, sharing, hugging and kissing... it was really so sweet to see how affectionate Nora is toward her cousin. Megan really loved the Maui air and climate and would often take 2-3 hour naps at one time, sometimes two naps in one day! So we'd often hear Nora telling us, 'Megan... sleeping'.

(Matching hats and swim diapers!)

Date Night! Going with family also meant that we could each take a night to ourselves! Originally Trav and I had dinner reservations at Lahaina Fish Company, but then at the very last minute (well, 10 mins to go before the show), we decided to take in the theatre! We went to watch 'Ulalena'... a local production about how the Hawaiian Islands came to be and more about their culture... it had some 'cirque du soleil-esque' type dances and acrobatic themes to it and a very very cool performance by the sound effects band, with the use of all types of natural musical equipment, very neat. Afterward, we still managed to have a very yummy dinner at the Fish Company, getting the best table in the house overlooking the water and beach.

Anyway, tons of fun and a great way to spend a holiday. The red eye flight back was brutal but luckily Nora slept the whole way, and when we got home we managed to have a nice relaxing afternoon together to wind down before we started reality again :)

Mom, Dad, Steve, Cherie & Megan... thanks so much for a really wonderful time together, we had a blast!

PS... will post the rest of our pics on the slideshow soon!