The Big Island for Christmas

 This year, I wanted to try something new; to travel for Christmas instead of gifts.  I'll admit, this trip was hard to plan.  Mostly, because there was a government shutdown and I am still grieving the loss of my mother.  I miss her probably more now than last year.  I knew we wanted to go diving so I pre-planned three dives with a good dive company and then left everything else to "if" we wanted to do it.   

We flew out on Tuesday morning bright and early.  Every single thing worked out that day.  I had heard that there were no rental cars on the island because so many people we traveling to Hawaii for Christmas.  I rented a car from Enterprise rental car off the airport because it was a third of the cost.  After searching for months, I found a good price for $475 for the entire week.  None of our flights were delayed and we all had an enjoyable flight.  I payed for a taxi service to take us to the rental car place and worried the entire time that we wouldn't have a car.  BUT we did!!  We actually got a jeep wrangler!  It was perfect.  We drove to our condo in the mountains after shopping at safeway.  We spent the night just hanging out in the condo and relaxing.  

 Wednesday was Christmas eve and we drove around to the other side of the island to see the volcano.  It had started irrupting at midnight, but we missed it.  It was freezing cold and we couldn't see anything due to the clouds and rain.  We stopped at a farm stand on the way back to the condo and tried some authentic Kona coffee.  It was gross to me, but not to Stephen.  I looked up a beach that we could stop at on our way home and it looked beautiful and secluded.  We started driving toward the beach and soon realized we were in the ghetto of Kona.  The houses were run down, junk was everywhere, and garbage littered the streets.  We found a place to park and started hiking toward the black sand beach.  It soon became very apparent we were not wanted in that area.  There were signs everywhere that said "No trespassing" and the people were very unfriendly.  There were tents and makeshift houses all along the path.   We even saw a local family yelling at their kids as the kids ran naked on an open construction site.  We also saw two kids swimming in the ocean completely unattended.  It felt spooky.  We did make to the beach and it was gorgeous!!  We only stayed about an hour because we didn't want to walk back in the dark across the lava fields and we had seen an ancient Hawaiian burial ground along the path. 

Volcano Nation Park on Kona, Hawaii!

 Thursday was Christmas day so we didn't have anything planned except playing at the beach.  Edward wanted to stay at the Condo so he didn't join us.  We drove down to a surfing beach where we could find some big waves for Nolen to play in.  The beach was fine but it was filled with rocks in the water, so playing in the water wasn't the greatest.  Nolen did have fun, though.

 Friday was our big dive day!!  This was why we came!  We got up early and headed out to the boat.  I am always a bit nervous to dive because anything can go wrong, but once I am in the water my fears disappear and I enjoy it.  I had rented a go pro so we do have videos of the dive but no real photos.  You'll just have to imagine how beautiful it was. Edward and Nolen both loved the dives.  We went down 75 feet.  That is the deepest we have been so far in our diving adventures. 

 Saturday, my friend Veronica and her family arrived so we met them down at Magic Sands beach, one of the only white sand beaches on the island.  It was crowded, to say the least.  Veronica's husband, Chris, lost his glasses on the first wave so he was super bummed about it.  Stephen spent about two hours searching for his glasses in the ocean, but no luck.  

That night we planned a night dive with manta rays! It was awesome.  Veronica and her family snorkeled on the same boat so it made the trip extra special.  The waters were really rocky and luckily I had taken Dramamine to help with the sea sickness.  Veronica did not.  And she barfed!  The water felt way colder at night and I was shivering as we waited for the manta rays to arrive.  We were in the water for 20-25 minutes before we saw one!  It was magical.  It swam right up to Nolen and nearly touched him.  It was incredible to see.  This was the high light of the trip for me.  

 

 

Sunday, we drove around to the other side of the island again to hike to a waterfall and drive up to the top of Mauna Kea.  We stopped for some shaved ice and made it nearly to the top of the mountain before deciding to turn around and back down to the condo.  I think we were all exhausted.  

 Monday was our last full day on the island and we took it nice and slow.  We slept in and cleaned up the condo before we checked out at 11.  We drove over to Veronica's condo and hung out there for a bit because we headed over to a coffee farm for a tour.  This was a pretty cool tour and it was free!!  We then took photos on the rocky beach by the condo before ordering sushi and watching movies.  I arranged for a taxi at 9:00 at night to take us to the airport.  He forgot and I texted him a reminder!  HA! We got to the airport in plenty of time to catch our flight, so no worries. We took the red eye home and landed in Phoenix Tuesday morning before catching a flight to Albuquerque.  

It was an amazing trip filled with fun memories and very relaxing.  I am so glad I didn't plan a to of activities because we all needed a break.  One think I learned from this trip is that maybe we don't want to go somewhere crazy for Christmas because everyone needed some serious down time.  

Merry Christmas!
 

Christmas 2025

 I planned a huge trip to Hawaii this year for Christmas, so we did our celebration a few days early.  Everyone was planning on being out of town after December 20th, so that was the magical day I picked for us to open gifts and eat dinner together.  

I took the boys shopping so they could get gifts for family members.  We walked around target and then headed home to wrap everything.  

 Stephen and I said we would host Christmas, so we cooked a small turkey breast, some bread, and a salad.  Craig and Blair brought some food along with my dad and Landon, they brought chicken legs.  We had a wonderful dinner, and then took turns opening gifts.  We played some fun games before everyone headed home to travel for the holidays.  I love Christmas and I am so glad we got to celebrate as a family.

 

Recital Weekend

 This weekend was my piano and voice recital for my students.  It went wonderfully.  My friend Leigh flew in with her daughter from Colorado on Friday.  I had told a lady in my old ward that I would sing at a few old folks homes around the area during the month of December.  So I had a show just before I had to pick Leigh and Vivian up from the airport.  It was fun to sing for an hour with the people in the retirement homes, but it was also a lot of work.  Especially, when I already have a lot going on during the month of December.  

After the airport, we went to dinner and then to the river of lights.  This year, it was just Leigh, Vivian, and me who went because Craig and Blair had a show at UNM that night.  Stephen didn't feel like being a part of the girl group with out Craig, so he stayed home.  Neither of my boys wanted to see the lights.  Too bad for them because it was beautiful.  We even roasted marshmallows by a fire!

 

We woke up early on Saturday morning to head over to the church for the Christmas Recital.  The recital began at 8 AM!  It was perfectly early.  HA! Every single kid did great.  A few kids were running late so they went at the end, then all the kids had cookies and hot chocolate.  I definitely miss my boys playing in my recitals.  It is bitter sweet.  After the recital, Leigh, Vivian, and I went to have tea at the tea house again, just like last year.  It wasn't as fun as last year because we were put in a room that was themed "Nightmare before Christmas"! HA!  The food was delicious, though.  Then we went for a walk around the Bosque before I dropped them off at the airport to fly back home to Denver.   

As soon as I dropped them off at the airport, I headed straight to Nolen's jiu jitsu match.  I parked, ran in, paid, and made it just in time to see Nolen fight.  He lost, but I was so glad I got to see him.  

 

After the match, Stephen and I went for an 8 mile run around the Bosque.  My favorite loop is right in our back yard.  It was the longest day but so rewarding.  As soon as we got home, I jumped right in the bath and then to bed.  I love these beautiful busy days! 

 

Happy 4th Birthday, Pearl!

 How has it been four years?  Pearl is so loved by our family.  She is such a wonderful dog.  She isn't perfect, but she is nearly perfect.  She loves our entire family and tolerates everyone else.  She is sweet, kind, calm, and always up for a good run.  I have been taking her running with me on Friday's for the last few months.  We adore her.  I know my life wouldn't be the same without her.  The boys absolutely could not live with out her. 

  

I tried my hand at making cookies and getting them frosted for my recital but it was a complete flop. I messed up something and I am not entirely sure what.  But these cookies were gross.  I voted and forced the boys to play a fun game together.