Over Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, we took a quick trip to Maui.  Daniel parents were still visiting and so we rented a two bedroom condo unit on the west coast.  A couple days before we left, I told Annika that we were going to fly on an airplane.  She was so excited about the prospect, she began to walk around saying, “Annie fly airplane.  Way up high sky!”  We loaded up a special backpack for her to carry on the airplane with toys for the trip.  She was a joy to watch though the whole airplane flight experience, from arrival at the airport, going though security, waiting and watching the planes come and go, walking on the airplane, and sitting in Mommy’s lap.  It was a short 30 minute flight, perfect for a wiggly, excited almost two year old.  She talked about the blue lights on the runway, and the red & white lights on the wings. Then we rode a bus to go get the rental car… she loves buses too.  All smiles yet again.  So, yes we had a great time actually on Maui too.  It was just so much fun enjoying her enjoyment of the travel.  Seeing the world anew though fresh young eyes.

On Maui, we played in the pool & on the beach.  We went to their amazing “Maui Ocean Center” aquarium, and took a whale watching boat trip.  Annika loved it all.  The whale trip was amazing for all of us though.  This is the season that humpback whales travel to the Hawaiian Islands to give birth and mate.  We saw quite a few swimming, showing their tails, and even the ultimate whale watching experience… breaching!  That’s when they jump up out of the water and then splash back down.  We saw one whale do this twice in a row and then roll back and forth belly in the air, flapping its fins around.  Beautiful.  After the whale breached, Annika said over and over, “Come back whale, come back whale.”  We also we treated to the apprearence of spinner dolphins.  Their name makes complete sense when you see them jump out of the water and spin in the air… it’s amazing.

Annika is really so interactive now.  Recognizing things and amazed at the new discoveries… whether it’s whales breaching, a tunnel of water at the aquarium to walk though, or just chasing the birds in the park.  She loves it all… and we love watching her!

Today, I dug a pair of well loved jeans out of my closet.  I slipped them on and it felt so comfortable.  This may sound silly, but there’s something comforting about slipping into your favorite pair of jeans.  I haven’t done that since… I don’t remember when.  Definately since being here in Hawaii (August 3rd, 2009).  We’ve had a ‘cold snap’ as they call it here.  And yes, it was cool enough for me to pull out the jeans today.  Granted I still had to roll them up a bit on the bottom as the sun beat down on me.  But it still felt wonderful.  How cold is a ‘cold snap’ in Hawaii, you ask?  Well, last night on the news they predicted that it wasn’t going to hit 80 degrees anywhere on the island today.  Yes, I know… all you midwesterners buried in snow, go ahead and laugh.  I sure did when one of the reporters on the evening news was wearing gloves and a scarf.  She was holding a digital thermometer that read 64 degrees, and told how they were going to travel around the island that evening to see how low it got.  Gloves in 64 degree weather.  I guess if you have lived here for your whole life, you get used to the ‘hot’ weather as normal.  For me, who grew up on the mainland, living in seasonal places, I miss the cold.  I miss curling up with a cup of hot cocoa.  I miss it.  You who are in it now are probably calling me crazy for saying that… but I’ve come to realize that “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”.  You wish you were here in the sun and warmth.  I wish I was there in the cold and rain/snow.  Sigh… how do we learn to be content where we are?  I think I need to work on that…. ok, I know I need to work on that.

… to Sharon who watched Annika today to give me a day off.  Annika loved the Grandma-Day… And I escaped to a coffee shop and blog posted like crazy.  Thanks for the break and thanks for helping me get caught up (at least to Christmas!) 

Christmas morning was full of laughter, generous presents and constant motion from Annika.  We were thankful to all be together this year.   I’ll let the photo captions tell the story for the day…

It was wonderful to have everyone together for a Linquist Family Christmas Eve meal.  Annika all dressed up in her Santa skirt.

Oh, that reminds me of a funny story about “Santa”.  Early in December, Daniel, Annika and I were driving though Kaneohe.  All of the sudden we heard her exclaim from the back seat, “Noah!”.  I wasn’t sure what she was taking about since her Noah’s Ark set was at home, not in the car.  But then we looked out the window and saw a white bearded “Santa” face.  She saw it and thought it was Noah… the only white bearded guy she knows!  We laughed and laughed.

And one more Santa story while we are on the subject.  Just last week, I was out with Annika and she said, “Santa” seemingly out of the blue.  But as I looked around I spotted what she had.  A jolly old man with a full head of white hair on his head and a full, long white beard on his chin.  Again I laughed.  Then as he was walking away, past us again, she says, “Bye, bye Santa.”  Kids say the funniest things!

Grandma (Sharon) and I made Christmas cookies with Annika.  We had a blast, but as seen in the photos, not as much fun as Annika.  Please bear with me being a “mom” here.  I know this is way to many photos of her… but I had a photographer (Thank you, Jessica)… and you don’t want to know how many were on the unedited list.

The first few need an explanation.  We got Annika’s new “Christmas present” apron on and stood her on a chair.  She helped me roll out the first batch.  I turned by back for a moment, and when I glanced back she was face down in the dough… coming up with a nose and forehead full of flour.  She was smelling the dough.  We laughed so hard and left the flour on her face… it was too cute!

I also have to say that she lost a bit of interest in cutting out and decorating once she tasted a cookie.  Yummy, yummy, yummy!

With all Daniel’s family in town for Christmas… in Hawaii, the land of sun and sand…  we had to have a beach day!  After loading up the tent, chairs, towels and sand toys, we headed north to Waimea Bay.  It was pretty big surf that day, so no one went swimming.  But that didn’t stop everyone from enjoying the sand, sun and gorgeous blue water.

Then on the way back we stopped at the famous North Shore Shrimp Shacks… so yummy.  The best shrimp I’ve ever had.  Delicious.  We all dug in and got messy… did I mention how yummy it was?!?

So many fun times had with family in town!  Here’s a collection of miscellaneous photos from those adventures.  (Shave Ice may look like a snow cone… but it’s soooo much better.  Come visit us and give it a try for yourself!)

We traveled over to Pearl Harbor area before Christmas to visit the USS Arizona Memorial.  Daniel and I think it’s an important part of our history as a country, and wanted everyone to make the trip.  Christopher’s plane got delayed, so he wasn’t able to join us, but everyone else made the trip. And even though I have been there a couple times now, it’s still at moving as the first time.

We had to wait a couple hours until our ticket time, so we walked around and got some photos of Annika and Daniel all decked out in Navy wear!

The three couples, and Annika, got all dressed up for a nice dinner out.  There is a wonderful restaurant tucked up against the Ko’olau mountains in Kaneohe, Haliewa Joe’s.  And yes, they do have a restaurant in Haliewa also, but we think the one in Kaneohe has a prettier setting!  The actual dining room sets up on a hillside looking out over a beautiful landscaped valley below.  Good food, beautiful setting… all made for a wonderful evening out.