Week 2 of 4 flies by

Thursday August 2, 2007

I can’t believe we have not written since Sunday. What a fun filled week. We are now officially new colors. The sun has transformed us into different people. Brenner is still claiming ‘not dark enough’ and begging for a reduction in sunscreen applications, but I am holding strong on the skin cancer prevention program. Keyan has been complaining most of the week about the pace we have been keeping them under and so we decided to mellow out for a while. We have spent a lot of time coloring, playing Uno, napping, window shopping at the surf shops, skateboarding, riding the four wheeler, playing missions, swimming, and watching movies. We tried to go Sunset beach at least once everyday and Brenner and I continue to do our regular exercising. We just slowed down and it has been really nice. I have had a lot of time to ponder and just enjoy my environment. It has been lovely.

Monday was mellow. Brenner went surfing with Kalee and Kaulin on the South shore while the kids and I hung out at Sunset. Ammon is such a fish. He is really enjoying the water and doing his “surfer moves”. Keyan got a salt water rash and became a bit uncomfortable so we only swam for an hour and half and then headed back for lunch. Brenner and the cousins got home shortly after us. He had a great time, but unfortunately he hit his foot on the reef, cut it and hit a sea urchin getting a spine deep into his foot –ouch at least he was able to catch a few waves and hang out with Kaulin and Kallee. Kallee is so cute, very mature for her age, and very athletic. Keyan just adores her. We haven’t seen too much of Kaulin. He’s been out with his friends and on many adventures most of the week. We went to dinner later that evening with Kallee at Haliewa Joes. It was a lot of fun. The kids tried calamari and loved it. I would have never imagined my kids trying not to mention enjoying eating octopus. Ammon got such a kick out of eating their heads and tentacles. Brenner enjoyed crab cakes and I devoured some Ahi with some wonderful sauce. The sunset was spectacular. We sang songs on the way home. Keyan and Ammon made up silly verses to ‘I hope they call me on a mission’ most of which consisted of potty humor. I am sure the reading of 8 Captain Underpants novels has nothing to do with that. Kallee and I had to pick the four wheeler up from friends and so we enjoyed a moonlit ride. We giggled the whole way home. I felt like I was 13 for few minutes. It was fun. We then had a quick family night and headed for bed.

Tuesday was much of the same. We rested at home. It is amazing how tired all of us still are. The boys were pretty grumpy most of the day. Little spats here and there and not wanting to do anything –at least until their cousins came over. The girls started school this week so we have not seen them as much, but they called and wanted to head for the beach so Keyan and Ammon decided they wanted to join them. I hung back and prepared home made Mac and cheese while they enjoyed the beach. Everyone came back happy and excited. They all ran in the sprinklers for 20 minutes just laughing and chasing each other. I wish I video recorded some of it, it was really funny. Then we all sat down and ate together. It has been so much fun getting to know Avery, Lily, Brin, Gretchen and Jason better. They are a wonderful family and their girls are hilarious. I implemented my usual dinner antics to get my boys to eat their food and the girls just loved it. I ask them not to eat their dinner and if they ate it I made some sort of dramatic disgusted look and pleaded for them not to eat their food because I do not want then to grow, get prettier/handsome, or gain intelligence. I just act completely devastated when they eat and for some reason this works. They laughed and laughed mean while it just helped get Ammon and Keyan to finish their dinner. After dinner we all went to bed early.

Wednesday was yet again another mellow day. We knew the Krebs were leaving so we did not want to do anything until we could see them off to the airport. After they left we went to Sunset again and swam. I was able to swim for 25 minutes consecutively. My Achilles is really getting stronger and I saw some amazing fish life, including a sea turtle. I can swim forever as long as I am wearing a snorkel and mask. I can’t get over the beauty and diverse wild life. I forgot how much I love the sounds while under water. I love hearing the fish eat, the crackling, and popping sounds. It is so soothing to me.

Keyan’s rash was bothering him again so he went in with Brenner while Ammon chose to stay and continued to swim up a storm. He put on his mask and snorkel and just swam his heart out. He was singing in the waves, pretending to be a baby crocodile and blowing bubbles with his snorkel. I love watching that little guy. He was yet again upset when I told him it was time to head back, but this time he said, “Mom I’m having too much fun to go back” I just told him we could come back later and he was satisfied. For some strange reason as long as I tell him he can do something later he is satisfied. Even when we go to a store and he really wants an item if I just say we might get it later he is fine. I hope this last forever! After naps we went to get some Acai. It is the best smoothie I have every eaten. It is a combination of all kinds of berries mix with ausi (brazilian berry), granola, and bananas. I loved it, we all loved it. We will definitely get more of those. After our snack we came back to the house and prepared for our family photos. Daniel Ruso, the photographer who has been staying with Kaulin said he would take some photos for us. We met at Pipeline at sunset. We could not have asked for a more beautiful evening. We actually got some nice pictures considering the kids were not very cooperative. They lasted about 15 minutes even with M&M bribery. I felt guilty because we interrupted some honeymooner’s sunset. They were trying to film it right where we were taking our photos, but they were not as upset as I thought they were. Afterwards they spoke to me for quite awhile and mentioned how anxious they were to begin there own family.

We went back to the house for dinner and got to know Daniel better. It was nice to have an evening to get to know him. He is a very talented photographer and a joy to get to know. We found out that he’s one of the top 10 most published surf photographers in the world right now. We are very grateful he shared his talent with us. We will cherish our photos even if Ammon is pretending to be a pirate in most of them J

August 2, 2007

Today we decided to go to the Sea Life Park. Ammon has been dying to go to the Aquarium and see some sharks so we figured this would be a good compromise. It was soo hot there I thought we were going to melt, but the kids did not seem to mind and had the time of their lives. Ammon’s face was priceless when he was watching the dolphin show. When the dolphins would jump out of the water he was speechless and enthralled. I could not help, but giggle at his excitement. We enjoyed observing and feeding the green sea turtles, watching the sea lion show, and looking at the gigantic sea life aquarium which included two sharks! Keyan and Brenner enjoyed swimming with the Manta Rays. Keyan is so curious and eager to learn knew things. He was so cooperative and willing to do what the biologist prompted him to do. I was impressed at his courage to touch and hold the Manta Rays. He did not display any fear, just slight caution and curiosity. Brenner has always wanted to swim with Manta Rays so I was excited for him. I know it was not in a natural setting, but at least he was able to touch, feel, and observe them up close. Ammon was so disappointed he could not go in and Keyan was so encouraging. He kept saying, “Its okay Ammon when you are older I will bring you back here and we can go in together. Don’t worry Ammon you will have a turn and I will tell you all about the Manta

Rays”. Ammon bought a shark grabber and was ecstatic. We headed home for the scenic drive, dinner, and a movie.