Wednesday, August 1, 2012

A Bit of Paradise

So the almost the whole Smith Clan (minus Kristen & the new babies), headed out to Hawaii on my Dad's birthday.  Thanks for giving us the present Dad!  The day started mighty early so by the time we arrived, there were a few tuckered out kids because who sleeps on the flight?  The kids and ladies hang out and protect the luggage while the menfolk secure rental carts. I felt much like Cade after the flight so very much appreciated Becca who took it upon herself to entertain the kids with games.  That waiting could have been excruciating otherwise.
We made did make it to the kids favorite hotel and after swimming, dinner, and unpacking - we collapsed for the night.  But on Sunday we were ready to go, up with the sunset, we enjoyed a leisurely morning; went to church with the locals; and headed to the greatest park to climb on the rocks, dip our feet in the ocean, and enjoy the play place.  Our blissful excursion was interrupted by a drenching downpour that caused us all to run in different directions and even left one kid temporarily lost.  Luckily we all survived and hightailed it back to the hotel for some Olympics and relaxation.
One thing I LOVE about where is stay is that every morning, they have Koi feeding.  We rush down and grab our little cup of food and those fish go crazy.  They are beautiful and amazing and even kind of crazy - none of us can get enough of the fish feeding frenzy.
 
And then there's the pool.  Seriously one of the best around.  It makes a complete circle, has 5 hot tubs, a bridge that goes across, and spitting creatures.  There is also a kiddie pool with an awesome slide.  My kids like nothing better than chilling in the cabana with their toys and electronics, swimming with their cousins, and ordering lunch. We'd have absolutely no problem living like this everyday.
Another Hawaii favorite is the shaved ice.  There is a stand just down from the hotel and we make the daily trek sometimes as much as 2x a day!  Those yummy colors with ice cream mixed in - there is no better summer treat.  The chickens squawk and walk around our feet as we eat (maybe they are hoping for a drop of shaved ice for them).  It feels like a true Hawaiian experience.
The beach was a little too sandy for some of our crew. But those of us who love the feel of sand between our toes still soaked it up.  Brett is a true beach lover.  He digs and splashes and gazes out at the sea - content to play by himself in his own little paradise.  I can't help but think that it speaks to his soul.  Each day is full of beauty and contentment.  It is wonderful.


Friday, July 27, 2012

A Smith Kind of Party


My parents home is full to overflowing.  We are all gathering for our trip to Hawaii and with 7 adults and 10 kids, the house is a pretty happening place.  And there 3 more cousins and their parents live near by.  All this youthful energy must be spent somewhere so we headed to Happy Hollow (a happy place for little kids but sadly NOT for big kids like Max). Train rides, animals, puppet shows, kiddie rides, carousels, and always beautiful weather. Max was a decent sport but it is pretty lousy to think you may be entertained only to find you are too big for everything and there are really NO thrill rides.   Tough being the oldest cousin.
Like always, Kenna was determined to have her face painted - it was quite beautiful and even inspired a few younger cousins to transform their look.  We also spent several nights pirating and running around Michael and Jen's back patio: hit up the Los Gatos candy store and fountains (they were cold!); headed to the jungle to play in the arcade, weave through mazes, and jump in the ball pits, and went to our favorite park.
The were cute little tinnies in our presence too who my kids were happy to baby and poke and prod.  Madeline and Parker have grown so much since Christmas and we were thrilled to be there to celebrate their very first birthday!
We headed to Los Gatos park and had pizza, yummy cake (ordered so we didn't have to cook), open fields to run in, airplanes to climb, and all the best park equipment.  We spent hours running, chasing, and playing in the train/fire engine with monsters and other make-believe creatures.
Becca and Madeline                                                             Brittney and Parker
  
It's feels so good to have someone else make the plans, the food, and have constant entertainment for my kids - This feels like vacation!