Recap: Late 2016

So after a fun summer in "new england" we are back to our endless summer in our new home. 

August had the kids starting 1st grade at Ewa Beach and 3rd grade at "HTA" (a home/charter school : that experiment only lasted one quarter.)

The girls are developing some good friendships

Jeff is getting some water-time.

Our long weekends are dream-vacations

Six year olds are fabulously goofy.

They are turning into big kids right in front of my eyes. 

FIRST TOOTH!! 

Jeff's decompression space.

Jody and Skip and baby Quin came to visit at Christmas time. 

Recap: Summer 2016

We are not willing to give up our East Coast Summer Trip

This year we started in New Jersey. (Jeff had work stuff, so the girls and I made a bucket list detour and got to visit with friends (Jennifer Baratta (ne. Kaufman) and Elliot and Kaitlyn)

Then to Connecticut. For a wonderful family get together with Kristen, Ethan & Summer at Chris & Linley's home.  We played in the creek catching crayfish, in the back yard for all kinds of lawn games, geocaching in the woods nearby, lots of quality time together. 

Then to Cranberry Lake for more fun!

Camila made it up to the top of the big white pine on Lone Pine Point!

Patio Dining 

Always fun at the Wild Center!

Loving the freedom of a personal watercraft!

Oh good grief. They're up there again!

We also had a great week with the Stolzenberg family at Cranberry Lake. 

(But I seem to have misplaced all my pictures from July 2016)

Recap: Early 2016

Here are some photo highlights of the really good stuff from the beginning of our Hawai'i adventure

Girls started school Feb 1, in the middle of 2nd grade and Kindergarten.

We added to the family.

We moved into a house on the shore.

We got a boat.

We missed our friends. But Island Life is Pretty Good!

January 2016 update- Moving to Hawaii

Seems I've kinda skipped almost everything for the past year or so...

I'll rewind a bit.

In October 2015. Jeff's boss at Covanta; inquired if he would be interested in a new job... Hmmm. Turned out they were looking for someone new to manage their Honolulu facility.

We discussed, and decided that even though we were very happy in Diablo Grande, and even though starting over is a little frightening, and even though it put more miles and travel hours between us and our family. That we were willing to see it as an opportunity, an adventure, and able to say "Yes."

Jeff started right away. The girls and I stayed in CA through the end of the year.
Its been a long transition period. We've been able to gently say our goodbyes, really deal the anticipation, sadness, happiness, fear, gratitude... All the emotions. What an experience.

Jeff travelled back and forth, and we were able to spend the holidays together! Halloween fun in the neighborhood. Thanksgiving with Jody and Skip. And Christmas with Grammy and Grampy King.

Since New Year we have (mostly) been together as a family in Hawaii. We found a house (that we can afford) on the shore, near Jeff's work. Hard to beat that! We will be walking distance to the elementary school. We expect to be able to move in at the end of February.

Currently, we are staying in a nice 2 BR condo in a resort community nearby.
Olivia has lost 3 teeth in the past 2 weeks! Camila turns six TODAY! We will have a little burger-bbq at the pool with our new friends.

The girls will starting classes at their new school on Monday. Scary-exciting!

We miss our friends and our routines, but have strengthened our family bonds and are happily anticipating new friendships and experiences.