Hawaii

WE LOVE HAWAII!!!!! The surfing, the diving, the waterfalls, and my mom brought back henna and i have been going crazy with that!

- Mira

Fish

So far, I am loving Hawaii. Everything has been great. Yesterday we went on a hike to a waterfall, which was super fun. And a couple of days before that we went diving, both dives were on wrecks. We took the SeaFox out one evening for sunset, and Papa caught a delicious fish. We also went surfing one day at Waikiki beach, it was wonderful. So yeah, the stuff we have done so far has been pretty great. But I have to say, one of my favourite parts has been the food. Almost every night we eat fresh fish. Wherever we go to eat has fresh fish. Now normally, I don't eat meat, except for fresh fish, which I still don't eat often. Since we have arrived in Hawaii, I have eaten at least one meal a day that includes fish, a lot of the time it is two meals a day. It is absolutely wonderful. I just don't know how people do it all the time, I guess my body must not be used to it. After almost every dinner, I leave feeling completely full, food coma enducing full. I guess my body must not be used to all the protein, or I'm just not making good judgement calls about when to stop eating.

Maya

Aloha Hawaii

We recently left Mexico after two fun weeks with my sister Jane in Punta de Mita. Maya and Mira loved spending time and laughing with Auntie Jane who was a great host and sister (thanks for wonderful hospitality Jane). 

We're now in Hawaii with good friends Matt and Sheila, who have traveled to many places to see Nadia and I including Zimbabwe, Jordan, the UAE, and Cambodia where we spent Christmas together. It's now nice to spend time with them where they live, near Coco Head on Oahu. Matt owns several dive shops on the island and took Maya, Mira and I wreck diving a couple of days ago, while also taking all of us with Sheila for a sunset cruise on one of his boats. The highlight of the boat ride was hooking and landing a nice fish which we later ate for dinner (delicious). The kids have also surfed at Waikiki Beach and tomorrow we plan to hike to a waterfall where the kids can also cliff jump into the water. 

Last night we also had a barbecue at Matt and Sheila's house where I was able to see my old Rhode Island friend Steve and my cousin Paul. It was great to catch up and hopefully we'll get to see them again before leaving Hawaii.

Cheers, Rob

 Girls diving on a wreck at 90ft.

 Sunset boated off of Cocohead

 Maya captaining our friend Matt's dive boat

 Blue jack caught just before sunset

 Dinner with Steve Pazienza, my cousin Paul, and friends Sheila and Matt

 Interesting crab seen on dive

 With my sister Jane at her art studio

 Ocean swim with Matt on his boat

 Boards for sent on Waikiki 

Waikiki 

America

I love America  The junk food is so delicious - cheezits, Doritos, Sour patch, Nerds, War heads, etc. In the airport, there was a bowl of candy, you were only supposed to take one.  Well, I had a different idea...

- Mira

PS. MINE!

The Miracle of Flight

"I have come to accept the feeling of not knowing where I am going.  And I have trained myself to love it.  Because it is only when we are suspended in mid-air with no landing in sight, that we force our wings to unravel and alas begin our flight.  And as we fly, we still may not know where we are going to.  But the miracle is in the unfolding of the wings.  You may not know where you're going, but you know that so long as you spread your wings, the winds will carry you."    C. JoyBell C.

Many thanks to Kate Evans for sharing this beautiful poem.

- Nadia

Flying above the mountains of Oaxaca

Nothing Days

What a weird schedule we have had here in Punta Negro with our Aunty Jane. We wake up between 8 and 10, and then lie on the couch for a couple of hours. We make plans, to go to the grocery store maybe, or go surfing, but don't leave the house until the afternoon, that is, if we leave at all. Our lunches are at three, our breakfasts at noon, so dinner doesn't usually happen until 8 or 9 at night. By the time we have finished eating, it's normally pretty late, and the day isn't even done yet. We clean up the table, and wash all the dishes, before taking one last dip in the pool and/or showering. Of course after showering it's time for bed, so we get into our pajamas and curl up with Aunty Jane. Then we watch a couple episodes of the Big Bang Theory, to put ourselves to sleep. By then it's usually midnight, or maybe even 2. We wake up in the morning, and it's between 8 and 10, and we lie on the couch for a little while. We make plans to go to the grocery store, or maybe to go surfing, but don't leave until the late afternoon, that is if we leave at all...

Maya

Aunts

Only an aunt can give hugs like a mother... Keep secrets like a sister... and laugh with you like a best friend. - Unknown

My aunt and I can't talk without bursting out into laughter, she is super nice and doesn't have any rules! Her house is like kids heaven!

If you want to laugh, look on YouTube and search corn challenge gone wrong!

Mira