We finished off the summer with a bang, with a 2 week trip to Hawaii!
First, Gran and Gramps John flew out from Pennsylvania for several days. They finally got to see our new house, since we moved in right as the Covid lock-down started. We had a really lovely time exploring Napa and hanging out on our big deck - playing with Chaos, Spirit and the chickens. Then we all flew to Maui for 5 nights at a fancy hotel. Everything was super fun, but mostly the many water slides at the pool. We spent every day at the pool and beach, and Keevah learned to snorkel too! We did some really neat snorkeling, and I saw lots of sea turtles in addition to endless numbers of fish. Crazy enough, Mr. Bill, Cara and Clare were also on Maui at the same time, so we hung out with Clare for a few days also.
With Gran at a Napa vineyard
Hotel lobby in Maui
Keevah and Mama snuggle in the pool cabana
Underwater siblings
Sissy stole Dada's glasses
Dada and Keevah
Gran, my family & Bill, Cara, and Clare
The Richoux & House families
Maui sunset
Beach castles
Keevah & Gran
Dada, me, Mr. Bill & Clare
Dada, Keevah and me in the awesome pool in Maui
Breakfast
We didn't make it through dinner on the first night in Maui...
sleepy humans
Mama & Dada scuba diving
Gran with me & Keevah
Gran & Gramps John with Mama, Dada, me & Keevah
After those 5 days, it was time to move on to Kauai to meet the Colton side of the family. Gee & Grandpa had organized for 32 members of Grandpa's side of the family to have a reunion on Kauai. Keevah and I loved hanging out with our cousins Rinnah, Providence and Antalya - BUT, we also got to meet a bunch of second cousins whom we had never met before! It was an absolute blast having so many built-in friends to play with. We did a lot of pool time and some snorkeling too. There was a day where Mama and Dada took us on an ATV adventure and we got super muddy! Another day was spent kayaking up a river, hiking, swimming in river pools, and ziplining. And yet another day took us for a longer hike to Waimea Canyon. A luau was the icing on the cake!
The WHOLE gang
everyone lined up by age!
Burried by Cousins Addison & Connor
Enjoying the zipline
Keevah Nyx lost her first tooth on Kauai
We had some professional photos taken in Kauai also
Cousing Joseph, Kate, Keevah, Declan, Christopher, and Mauki
Gee & Grandpa with Keevah, Rinnah, Providence, Antalya & Declan
Gee & Grandpa with my family & Uncle Ben's family
All 32!
I took this sunset photo!
Mama & Keevah & Uncle Ben & Rinnah
All ready for the Luau
Luau Time
Taking advantage of the lava rock formations
Dada & me
My family - enjoying sunset
Three Generations
Dada & Keevah
Mama, Declan and Keevah - movie night
Mama & me enjoying the pool
Mama & Keevah
The Declan fort 3.0
Gee may kill us for including this one...enhausted after watching all us kids!
Auntie Aubree, Mama, Dada, and Uncle Ben heading out on a dive
Hugs from Auntie Aubree at bedtime
Keevah watching the sea turtles body surf the waves
ATV adventure day...
swimming in a waterfall
With Grandpa - another day that Mama made us wear coordinating outfits
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With Mama - catching minnows
Grandpa & Keevah
Super cool remote control cars that go on the pool!
Grandpa and all the kiddos - lined up by age
Playing card games with Auntie Aubree
Waimea canyon hike
Uncle Ben & Mama
Dada and I enjoying the hike
Kayak adventure day
One of many swimming holes
Go Gee! She screamed the whole way down
Sissy in the bamboo forrest
Mama & her cousins: Sharon, Tim, Ben, Mama, Miles, Sarah, Drew, Casey & Hiromi
Mama & Keevah
Keevah & Rinnah
Geronimo!
Pool time! Keevah jumping off Dada's shoulders
Chicken fighting: Mauki on Mama, and GRANDPA on Dada, Marissa on Joseph, and Keevah on Declan
Cousins in the jacuzzi: Kate, Marissa, Joseph, Keevah, Declan w Mama, Rinnah, Providence w Auntie Aubree, and Mauki
Hawaii was so much fun we almost didn't want to come home - BUT we were excited because we were starting back to IN PERSON school! I'm in fourth grade now, and am enjoying school with my new teacher Ms. Lloyd. My best friend Haines is also in my same class and gets to come over to my house every Thursday. We are learning to take more responsibility since we are the older kids on campus now. I have some homework every night, but it's not too bad yet! I'm still in fencing and piano lessons on Wednesdays, and also am still really enjoying computer coding and drawing. I'm also getting really into reading, particularly historical fiction like the "I survived" series. I've lost nearly all my baby teeth, and lost three in the past few weeks, two in the same day! We also get to start playing an instrument in school, and I picked the cello. Mama is going crazy that I picked the only instrument larger than the trombone she used to have to carry around!
Keevah is in Kindergarten this year, and is LOVING it! She loves her teacher, Ms. Cates, and is always telling us how she never gets in trouble in class. She is mostly working on her lettters and numbers, and is also starting sight words. Her friend, Lucius, is also in her class. She is doing Taekwondo three times a week, chosen because "I'm already so good at kicking Declan!" She does swim lessons as well.
