Sunday, January 18, 2009
What a Wonderful Week!!!
We had such a great time with Natalie and Jeff and their delightful family. This was such an adventure! My flight over on Thursday, the drive to California the next day. Natalie and I conversed and listened to Pride and Prejudice on tape as we drove. What a delight to spend time with Katherine and Andrew. Our week included trips to the park--including a fun new one in Thousand Oaks with Jeff Williams--a fun evening with Laura and Blaise at their home, a hike and trip to the beach, a drive to Santa Barbara to pick up Jeff and a lively evening of January birthday celebration at Mom's house. (Six of the 13 family members in attendance celebrate January birthdays!!). Katherine is a house afire. She is full of energy and conversation. She is crazy about horses and gallops everywhere she goes (she can make plastic horses gallop, spoons, her cup, any object gallop). Such a loving, gentle little girl, goofy and fun loving. Friendly and affectionate, curious and bright. Such sweet times we shared! She saw my sadness when they left this morning and talked to me later on the phone. "I'll come see you tomorrow when I wake up!" she promised. "Are you happy?!" Andrew is handsome and full of noises and expressions and smiles. So very kissable! He is very ticklish and giggles delightfully. Natalie and Jeff are such caring and devoted parents!!! We will miss them and look forward to our next reunion. Families are joy. A bit of heaven on earth......
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Cousins Come Together
Once the wind died down, all the cousins with their respective mommies and grandma all got together at the park for an hour. Katherine, William and baby Andrew. Happy day.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Two years in the making! Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Derek Williams!
Best wishes to Derek and Hillary on their second anniversary! Very productive two years in Laie, Hawaii. Your blog has kept us fascinated, entertained, inspired. Bless you for sharing your wonderful lives with your family. You are dear to us! Hugs and kisses to baby Jocelyn--one blessed little girl!
He's Two!
It was an evening of excitement and fun for Will and family as he celebrated two years on planet Earth. Look out planet Earth! Highlights: Will racing back and forth at immense speed; the lighting of the candles on Laura's deep chocolate double layer cake with chocolate frosting and vanilla bean ice cream; Will's expression of astonishment and thrill as he opened every gift; Will immediately playing with every gift!; fun chance to visit with Jeff and Morgan, Steve and Chris, GiGi and the Harris' after the holidays; a ride on the Plasma car. At two, Will can sing songs, identify a huge variety of marine and insect life, kick a ball, run very fast, entertain anyone, give delightful hugs and kisses. It is exciting to think what this next year will bring for Will and the Harris family!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Maui Thanksgiving 2008: Our Westin Ocean Villa Vacation!
It was pretty kozy, but such a delight to have everyone with us: Ray and I in the master bedroom, Jeff stretched out on the pullout in the living room and Blaise and Laura and Will and Derek and Hillary and Jocelyn in the second bedroom: a queen bed, a pullout, a roll away and two cribs. (A bit crazy.) But more family made for some wonderful card games, car trips, dinners out and casual conversations. Fun to just hang out together and spend TIME. Grandma Christy (or “Grandpa,” as Will calls me), watched videos with Will (Walleeeeeee) and bussed baby Jocelyn, who beams and makes wonderful noises.
Family dinners included a spectacular view overlooking the golf course and the Pacific from the Plantation; a scrumptious chicken fajitas night, hosted by Laura with special cooking assistance from Jeff; a just-pulled-out-of-the-ocean Mahi Mahi barbeque hosted by Jeff, who did both the deep sea fishing and the cooking, with special assistance on sides by Derek and Hillary; and an all-you-can-eat Thanksgiving buffet at the Sheraton.
Other highlights: warm ocean breezes and sunny skies; Ka’anapali beaches with soft, golden sand; pods of porpoises; snorkeling (some went); enormously competitive pool basketball; a gloriously beautiful car trip and hike up the coast; the spectacular Iao Valley—lush valley and verdant, jagged peaks rising up out of a thick mist that miraculously lightened into sunshine; and a day’s drive past humongous waves, dense jungle and the Road to Hana. On the last adventure, Ray drove slowly for an hour on twisting, winding roads so some of us could avoid motion sickness until we pulled into a garden-of-Eden-like botanical garden. This was actually the name of it. The man at the gate said, “Welcome to the Garden of Eden!” We saw lush landscapes that were part of the filming of Jurassic Park and a hundred-year-old mango tree. Will ran everywhere, picking up huge leaves and giant seed pods. A man at the gate had 12 enormous macaws, brilliant in colors and noises. He had trained the birds to sit on people’s head, shoulders and hands so he could snap a $20 picture with their camera. A family was there from Alaska and he talked them into it!
Other sweet memories: Will looking up at Laura and Hillary, who were behind the kitchen counter together, and saying, “Two mommies!”; Derek hugging, squeezing, kissing, tickling his baby girl; the pic of Jeff holding a 40 pound fish; Jocelyn happy in her tent on the beach; spectacular fish tacos at the Hula Grill; the exquisite last sunset over the Ka’anapali Westin Ocean Villas North; sacrament meeting at the little chapel in Lahaina with Laura and Blaise and Will; and Will running across the concourse at full speed at the airport, entertaining other travelers. Ah, Maui. So varied and sunny and green. Wonderful to think we have this bit of paradise now forever!We missed Natalie and family!! Ray and I look forward to future times with all of you.
Family dinners included a spectacular view overlooking the golf course and the Pacific from the Plantation; a scrumptious chicken fajitas night, hosted by Laura with special cooking assistance from Jeff; a just-pulled-out-of-the-ocean Mahi Mahi barbeque hosted by Jeff, who did both the deep sea fishing and the cooking, with special assistance on sides by Derek and Hillary; and an all-you-can-eat Thanksgiving buffet at the Sheraton.
Other highlights: warm ocean breezes and sunny skies; Ka’anapali beaches with soft, golden sand; pods of porpoises; snorkeling (some went); enormously competitive pool basketball; a gloriously beautiful car trip and hike up the coast; the spectacular Iao Valley—lush valley and verdant, jagged peaks rising up out of a thick mist that miraculously lightened into sunshine; and a day’s drive past humongous waves, dense jungle and the Road to Hana. On the last adventure, Ray drove slowly for an hour on twisting, winding roads so some of us could avoid motion sickness until we pulled into a garden-of-Eden-like botanical garden. This was actually the name of it. The man at the gate said, “Welcome to the Garden of Eden!” We saw lush landscapes that were part of the filming of Jurassic Park and a hundred-year-old mango tree. Will ran everywhere, picking up huge leaves and giant seed pods. A man at the gate had 12 enormous macaws, brilliant in colors and noises. He had trained the birds to sit on people’s head, shoulders and hands so he could snap a $20 picture with their camera. A family was there from Alaska and he talked them into it!
Other sweet memories: Will looking up at Laura and Hillary, who were behind the kitchen counter together, and saying, “Two mommies!”; Derek hugging, squeezing, kissing, tickling his baby girl; the pic of Jeff holding a 40 pound fish; Jocelyn happy in her tent on the beach; spectacular fish tacos at the Hula Grill; the exquisite last sunset over the Ka’anapali Westin Ocean Villas North; sacrament meeting at the little chapel in Lahaina with Laura and Blaise and Will; and Will running across the concourse at full speed at the airport, entertaining other travelers. Ah, Maui. So varied and sunny and green. Wonderful to think we have this bit of paradise now forever!We missed Natalie and family!! Ray and I look forward to future times with all of you.
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