...we wish you a merry christmas...and a happy new year!

one Christmas present we received was a trip to visit family...hubby's younger bro paid for all five of us, so here we are spending new year's eve in the snow! here are a few shots taken earlier today...

the view from across the street...that's the kids' "igloo" on the front lawn. it was rounder on top when we first arrived, but the keiki and their friends slid down the back of it so many times, that it kinda flattened out...

here's a shot of the "front" of the igloo...and there's the boogie board they used to slide down the back... yes, i feel like we're in leave it to beaver-land--nice, safe neighborhood where you can leave your stuff out for days--and it's still there when you go back to retrieve it!

now here's a rare sight... it's the fale my bro-in-law built on their front lawn... that's tolu on the right with her cousin a5--showing off his flattened out snowball... :)

finally tonight... here's a close-up shot of a5 & tolu...

may 2009 bring many blessings to each of you out there... we are especially grateful to be surrounded by family at this time of year... happy new year!

mele kalikimaka is the thing to say on a bright, hawaiian christmas day...

here are a few images of Christmas in hawaii nei... hope all our loved ones everywhere are enjoying the spirit of the season! merry Christmas and happy new year... hopefully i'll get to add a few more images and more in-depth descriptions of what we've been up to... for now we are thoroughly enjoying the company of my bro-in-law, his wife, and their six keiki, who came over from australia earlier this week to spend Christmas with us. we've truly been blessed this Christmas season!

surfboards on waikiki beach

slippers on the green grass in laie...post flood...

uncle fasi's limo showing their support of the green warriors (not to be confused with the blue & white warriors i grew up with on "the hill")... rain, shine, win, lose, GO BOWS! (and yes, i know that's not their official name anymore, but in a bit of a nostalgic mood this morning)

pearlridge center uptown-a view from the escalator... tolu had a school concert here one eve earlier in the month...


our family with polypride productions after their show in waikiki...a fun family evening hosted by uncle julius & aunty kehau skipps and their ohana...


...and where the skipps family took us for dinner after the show...haven't been here in ages...ono food, excellent company!

tolu, lua, & kahi with 5 of their 6 cuzzies from oz at costco--after hitting up all the food samples!