The kids and I spent the week right after Christmas with my parents in Kauai.
This was my fifth visit. Once as a child, once in college, and twice with Chris. My grandparents originally purchased a timeshare many years ago in the town of Kapaa and our family has traveled there on and off for many, many years. This was my first time being there with both my parents.
I’ve loved it every time for so many different reasons.
This time I loved it because we did a whole lot of just being at the pool or the beach. There wasn’t a lot of traveling around or sight-seeing (which I’ve done before and enjoyed as well) – it was more just being together and letting the kids (and adults) enjoy each other and the water.
The photos I’m sharing today were taken by me, my Mom and my Dad.
I’m an ocean girl.
Give me the sea and I’ll give you a really deep breath.
Give me the sea and I’ll give you a calm heart.
And oh those sunrises.
At my parents house on the Oregon coast we get the insane pleasure of seeing sunsets. Love that Kauai to me is so much about the sunrise (and the roosters who tell you it’s time to wake up).
I also love having my parents there to capture me capturing those two.
And the laughter.
And the fresh-squeezed juices my Dad lovingly prepared.
And the water. Pool or ocean. Love that my kids love it too.
We visited a local Catholic church and lit candles and said prayers for our loved ones.
And we relaxed. Always love my Dad’s daily cocktail hour concoctions.
She is amazing. Fun, silly, wide-eyed, lovely.
And she learned to swim just like her brother did on vacation when he was four.
Simon, as I already knew, shares my love of the water.
This trip for him was all about boogie boarding. Dad and I each spent time out with him, showing him some pointers and just generally being around while he worked through the basics.
I think he liked it.
He did not, however, like losing two of his masks. He’s definitely a fan of his masks but made a ton of progress on this trip in not having to have his eyes/nose covered with a mask the whole time.
Nice capture Dad.
Love being there.
Thanks Grandma Marie and Grandpa Neil for setting the precedent. Thanks Mom and Dad for continuing the tradition.
And now, love being home.
How awesome these photos are, love that all of you take them and share!! My goodness is Simon having a growth spurt, must have to buy his clothes monthly now, WOW!! Miss Anna is so sweet, love the happiness and fun she’s having. Hard to believe she’ll be 4 next month.
Our dream is to one day visit this gorgeous place too, thanks for making me smile this morning.
Beautiful pictures and awesome memories! Happy New Year Ali!
I still kind of miss the chickens. We had sirens when we island hopped to Honolulu.
What awesome memories you will all have. Last year my husband and our 2 kids spent the Christmas in Kauai and we missed it soooo much this year. We want to make it our new family tradition too. Thanks for sharing!
Love the photos of Anna and her Grandmother. The sunrises are some of my most vivid memories of my time in Hawaii. Have a wonderful 2013, Ali.
Wow! I loved seeing the pictures mixed with your words. It seems like between the three of you, you were able to capture so many dimensions of the trip. I agree with you – I love the pictures your mom took of you taking pictures of the kids.
Ali, how blessed you are to have this place in your family and even more to have a family of photo lovers. Totally agree with what you said about the sea:)
Loved the gorgeous photos! I so want to go to Hawaii someday. I’m making some Hawaiian tea to enjoy now.
such awesome memories made. some times we need to just kick back and enjoy the time.
AWESOME PICS!
aHHHHHHHHHHHHH those photo’s are amazing…I gotta say all the pics with Anna and your Mom PRICELESS!!! Went to Hawii once many many years ago on my honeymoom, hoping someday to be able to go back! Thanks so much for sharing AND I missed you:)
This made me happy.
It looks like all of you had a fabulous time! Your comment about being an ocean girl got me thinking about how I’m a mountain girl and how my folks helped to foster that by building a cabin in the woods when I was a girl.
We all have a Spiritual Geography – don’t we? I’ve got to dig out my copy of Dakota: A Spiritual Geography to reread sometime this year.
Thanks so much for sharing your stories. Your stories jog the stories of my own.
i love kauai and the pictures you posted. amazing. i’m with you, the ocean makes me take a deep breath.
i think my favorite picture is the one of your dad making OJ. only someone who loves you very much would make OJ that way. LOVE.
thanks for sharing
Beautiful photos and memories. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for sharing. Beautiful photos.
It looks like your kids got some quality grandparent time. Love the photos especially the sunrise. Boogie boarding is so much fun. My family and I were in Hawaii too and it was really sad to leave the warmth and come home to 30 degree temperature.
As always, thanks for sharing.
So nice. Happy New Year and welcome home
I love love love the photos of Anna and Grandma—of course I’m a grandma, so I can so relate! How fortunate you are to still have your parents who are able to interact with your kids this way!
i love the ocean too, but live 450 miles away! lucky for me i have a daughter and her family in forest grove and can go over a couple of times a year. wish i was there now…instead of here….wonderful memories, wonderful pictures of your vacation!
Love how the photos convey the feeling of closeness and wonder. So happy you experienced this good time, hoping one day I can visit Hawaii, it would be awesome.
Your photos warm my heart. Welcome home. You were missed.
Love see you all together and the love in every photo. Awesome.
So glad you are having a wonderful vacation with your family. Looks like alot of wonderful photos. I will be interested to see if you will be using all of your photos in your PL or will you make a special vacation album?
I’ve always had trouble with tons of photos and wondering whether to edit or just make a special album.
Thanks for sharing your life!
Most of them will just go in Project Life. Working on that now.
Looks like you had an awesome time! Me and Hubby are planning out 5-year wedding anniversary and thinking of going to Hawaii. That is definitely on the list of places to visit.
Agree with all the other comments but have to add……you ROCKED that bikini! And in January no less.
Lovely, lovely pictures. And I wish I looked as good as you in a bikini!
You look a-maz-ing!! Are you still running? Any tips for somebody who’s never run but is interested? it’s intimidating….
Ali-
I love when you share your travels with us, especially your travels with your kids. The images you share and you words you choose to describe this special time…it is always so touching for me to read and view. Thanks again for being so open with all of us.
Those pictures will be so treasured by those kids in years to come… your an amazing mom Ali…
I find beautiful photos reflect much family love, I love.
I love the photo of Anna with your Mom and the doll. I can just hear the conversations they are having. Thanks for sharing. Must reconnect.
What wonderful pictures and memories! Kauai is a place that allows me to breathe too. There is something about that island. Thank you for sharing.
Love the relationship your kiddies have with your parents. Really special. Love that you got to be there and see it all as well as have some one document you three together also. Happy Holidays.Thanks for sharing.
It looks like you guys had such an amazing trip! Kauai looks gorgeous! You all look so happy together too… I love how close you are with your parents and your kids as well
Oh my gosh, Ali—love the pictures! Looks like you all had a fabulous and fun time. Thanks so much for sharing with us.
We have a time share at Pono Kai,but haven’t been there since 2010. The pictures kinda looked like Pono Kai. I find that it is so relaxing there, especially no phones or interuptions like when you are at home! Love the pictures! Thanks for sharing!
We are just down the road
.
Beautiful Pics! Love the photo of your parents on the porch. Your mom with the newspaper has my heart. My parents still love receiving and reading the newspaper too.
Ali, I love how OPEN you are to share your experiences, your family, your thoughts and photos with all of us. You inspire us every day. I feel like you are one of my closest friends . . . .
What an awesome gift your Grandparents left, even if it wasn’t their original intent. The gift of a holiday – amazing how much that really means – a break, family time, thought, rest. Just awesome!!
Hard to believe our girls will be 4 next month. I found your blog just before getting pregnant, and my M was born the day after A.
Your words and photos are always inspirational – glad you all had such a fab time.
Wow! This made my day as I sit here in Salt Lake buried in our annual inversion. You all look so happy and just full of the joy that being together brings. As always thanks for sharing!
How awesome! I took photos of my daughters in that same swing. Your photos make me want to visit Hawaii again! It is such a peaceful enjoyable place. Thanks for sharing and making me remember our vacation again!
Moments captured just beautifully Ali…loved seeing your holidays pics:)
Thanks for sharing the beautiful pictures. I have a Project Life question. Since you said you are working on it, as a designer, have you already received a kit? With the new catalog, have you changed your plans for a starter kit?
Nope – I have not received a kit yet. I’ll be using Seafoam. Love the new ones but I don’t believe they are available until May (I could be wrong about that).
Great pictures!I had the pleasure of working in Honolulu for three months recently. Loved it!!
I love the picture your dad caught of Simon on the boogie board, pictures like that stop my heart when I look through our own albums at home. Thanks also for the pictures of a warm sunny place in the middle of winter, but mostly thanks for sharing your
story with the rest of us and helping inspire creativity.
Love this Ali…love you!! xoxo
as always…THANK YOU for sharing tidbits of your life!!! you are so very inspiring in all that you do!!!
Wonderful photos and lots of stories to tell I bet. Thanks for sharing Kauai. Hawaii is on my list!