Thursday, May 31, 2007

Friends of the family

Some might remember the close friends of ours whose son was in the hospital for several weeks last year just after Ben was born.

Anyway their story got written up in the Children's Hospital quarterly magazine. It's a very interesting read, all the better because it has a happy ending.

Monday, May 28, 2007

Detroit Wedding

We went to Detroit for some college friends weddings. Unbelieveably I didn't get any pictures of the bride and groom. Trust me, they looked fabuolous.

Ben was a hit at the party.

 


He even learned a new trick.

Posted by Picasa

Hooding Video

We also took a quick video of the pair being hooded!

The names have been filtered out to protect the innoncent.



While trying to find audio to use for this clip I learned more than I ever wanted to know about Pomp and Circumstance here.

For instance did you know that Macho man Randy Savage used it as his entrance music? Wow that would strike the fear into me.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Graduation

We went to Ben's aunt's and uncle's Graduation from Medical school.






Having a doctor in the house will never be a problem over future holidays.

The two of them have had an active couple of months: marriage, graduation, and even a new house!

Thursday, May 17, 2007

What about Ben?

You might wonder what Ben was up to while we were off traveling the south Pacific.

Well apparently he was playing the ponies, as one concerned friend sent us this picture of him studying the racing form at Arlington Park.


We need to have a talk with him.

Really, many, many thanks to both sets of Grandparent for watching Ben for us. They took many more cute picture of Ben, but that's not what you are here for is it? :)

ok just one more....

Oahu

We did all the other standard stuff on Oahu.

We went to the top of Diamond head.

Snorkeled in Haunama Bay


Toured Wakiki beach and its famous landmarks....(and stores unfortunately)

We also toured all around the North Shore looking for some big waves and the surfers who ride them, alas it wasn't to be. The ocean was pretty flat all ten days we were in Hawaii.

Mostly, however, Katrina slept in Oahu.


But I am NOT mad at her :) I was tired too.
Posted by Picasa

Pearl Harbour

We spent three days in Honolulu. The first day we went to see Pearl Harbour.

Approaching the USS Arizona Memorial.


The tears of the ship


Recently (within the last ten years) you can also go on board the USS Missouri at Pearl Harbour.


Those history buffs in the audience might recall that the notice of surrender by Japan was signed on the decks of the Missouri. It is commenerated by a really nice plaque right on the spot the surrender was signed.


At Pearl Harbour they have a catchy saying. They calls these two places the bookends. The place where WWII began and the place where it ended for the United States.
Posted by Picasa

Hana Hwy (1 of 2)

Get your motor running....

Head out on the highway.




Looking for adventure.

Posted by Picasa

Hana Hwy (2 of 2)

And whatever comes our way....






Everyone told us how terrible the Hana highway was, and that it wasn't worth doing. I think we disagree. However, we left really early so the traffic wasn't bad, we had great weather, and we had a convertible. Without any one of those three I could see how it would be much less enjoyable.

After posting those two pictures of Katrina, this might be my last post for awhile. :)
Posted by Picasa

Luau

We went to the Old Lahina Luau and had a great time. We were really hesitant about doing this because Luau's seemed to have kind of gotten a bad rap. This one was really great though, and I would highly recommend it. It was neat to do something uniquely Hawaiian. Or at least uniquely Polynesian.

Pig cooked in dirt....mmmmmmm.


Monday, May 14, 2007

Snorkeling -- minor update!

We have done lots of snorkeling while in Hawai'i. I tried to take some good pictures. I hope you will humour me and take a look.

I found Gill and Dory, but I am still looking for Nemo.



There were quite a few of these fish in the water. I believe they are called convict tang.

There were also quite a few humuhumunukunukuapuaa. (That is the name :) )
They seemed a little shy so the pictures didn't come out quite as good.
A pretty neat sea urchin. Much better than the armpit ones we normally get to see while snorkeling.

This was a pretty neat flounder. This is a really cool fish to watch swim.

Pretty blue fish...
Yellow tang and one of those armpit urchins I talked about before.


On Oahu I got to see an octopus, which was something I had never seen before while snorkeling. He was a little shy for the camera, but you can just make him out here.


We also got to swim with a couple of sea turtles.


I tried to take a nice video of it. Sorry it's a little shaky, but I was swimming as fast as I could just to keep up.

The oddest fish of all.


These pictures were taken off of Molokini, K'annappali, and Big Beach on Maui, also in Hanauma Bay on Oahu. Big beach was my favorite, but it is in a unprotected area exposed to bigger waves. You need to be pretty comfortable with snorkeling to go around all the points. Also if you go too far you wind up on a nude beach. Let's just say they don't like strangers with cameras, and I didn't like being there.

Hanauma was really cool, it was crowded near the shore, but much better once you swam out through some of the channels.

Wednesday, May 09, 2007

Aloha!

For those not "in the know" Katrina and I jetted off for 10 days in Hawaii to celebrate our Five Year Anniversary. It was really tough leaving Big Ben, and I think we spend most of our time talking about him....

Our first morning on Maui we got up and went to the top of Haleakala to see the sunrise and Bike down the Volcano.

It was very cold. Katrina couldn't even stop shivering for the picture.


Here we are half way down the mountain. She was finally warming up.


We rode alongside some pineapple fields. The baby pineapples are so cute. Not as cute as our baby though.

The next day we went Beach hopping looking for a good place to sun and snorkel.

In this shot Katrina is looking out disappointedly at the largish waves. These are bad for snorkeling.



We got to see a fantastic sunset at dinner at one of our hotel's restaurants.


See you in a couple of days!!

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Ben Walks!

Enjoy!

Friday, May 04, 2007

Many Congrats

On running a great race to Katrina and Trex.


and to Big A and B