Will turns nine!

 I cannot believe you're nine!  This was your year for a birthday party and you chose to have it at Airhouse (where else?).  All of your friends are up at the mountain for another weekend at least so we chose a mid-week date which allows for ten guests which was just fine.  We invited all of the boys in your class and when some couldn't make it Jack, Henry and Tye filled in.  It was perfect!

You boys bounced around for an hour and then we went up to the party room for pizza and of course cake.  I did a fun photo cake this year and you loved it.

After we had packed up the car and were on the way home we looked wistfully out the window and said "That was the best birthday party ever."  AWWWW.

Jack and Henry gave you this awesome hoody and stuffy:

 These are from us and Grandma:

 Our family "nine" photo.  It's tradition!

 Ok, not much impresses you but this shot was a beauty!  They were Gola shoes that I bought through J Crew and it sure looks like they were a hit!

 We asked you what you would like for your birthday dinner and of course you wanted a steak.  So dad went out and got some special ones for you and you devoured it!  You love steak!  Like father like son.

I cannot BELIEVE you're nine!

XOXOXOX All the best this year and every year my darling Will. 

Baby's first ultrasound

We had our 20 week ultrasound last week and got our first glimpse of our newest little guy.  Dad took the time off work so that he could be there with me and we were so overjoyed to get a look at you.  

The tech said you were all balled up for the majority of the appointment and were super chill.  When we got to spend some time looking at you there were some tears shed and it was such a neat experience.  You were holding your hand in front of your face and your other arm was behind your head just lounging.  Adorable.

It sure looks like you are sucking your thumb here to me!

We are all so excited to meet you little one.

Your brothers have been begging mom and dad for a LONG time to have another and we finally decided that we would try.  It is a big decision at our age but in the end we just decided that we weren't done yet and still had someone missing.

The boys are so excited they come around to my driver side door and open it for me and hold my hand into the house like I'm an invalid!

Will took his allowance money to the mall the other day so that he could buy a calendar and mark each day from the due date so that he could have his own countdown.

We recorded us telling you both the news and about a week later we made a cake dyed the colour blue to indicate that the baby is a boy.  As you cut into the cake you could both see the blue colour and it is hilarious!  We have that recorded too and you were both open to either sex, it didn't make a difference to you.  But I think it helps us to be able to prepare for another little boy in the house.

I am going to work until the last week of school when I will be 30 weeks along and then I will be able to spend some time with you both in the summer prior to the baby coming.  Four more months!

We are all super excited to meet you!

Char and his BFFs, camp and jersey day

 Charlie, you are total besties with Alex and Daniel Ohly in your class.  You talk about them all the time and we recently had a play date with them.  I can definitely see why you are so attached to them, they are really fun, outgoing boys just like you.

Part of our Birthday gifts to Will was a weekend retreat at Camp Qwanoes with your friend Ryder.  Angus Heyes was also there as well as a few other kids you knew but you spent almost all of your time with Ryder.  So fun!

 Last week Canada had a terrible tragedy when the Humboldt Broncos from Sask were in a terrible accident in their tour bus.  Yesterday was jersey day where all students were encouraged to wear their jerseys in support of the boys on the team.

 I love our school.

Our last days on The Big Island

 We totally splurged on a helicopter flight from Hilo on the other side of the island to spot some flowing lava.  Such a neat experience!

This is a cliff leading into the water neat Hilo where lava has just flowed over the edge.  It interrupted a roadway and the pilot showed us how the road simply stopped at one point.  Apparently the lava flowing over the cliff can be seen by boat as well.

 This is red, bubbling, flowing lava.

 This is the Akaka Falls from the air!

 Ok, Char, we know you fall asleep in every moving vehicle but this is getting ridiculous!

 After our helicopter tour we had lunch at the Hilo Bay Cafe and had a beautiful view.  We headed back through the centre of the island rather than the coastal route which brought us to higher elevations.  We were not prepared for the fog up there!

The very next day we headed back to he airport for our return flight.  I'll never understand how I so reluctantly leave from vacation and you boys are practically running for the airport.  What is wrong with you?!

A conch, Mom conferences and some beach time

 Every evening at sunset an ambassador from the Fairmont goes around the resort, blows his conch and lights torches to signify the end of another day in paradise.  It was really neat to watch and you boys loved it.

Every morning Mom went to her conference:

 Oh and another thing, Mom's pregnant!

We had been thinking about having another baby for a while and Dad and I finally made the decision to move forward on it.  We just felt like we weren't all here yet!

More on this later.

But this is me trying to get the most life out of my regular, non-maternity clothes...

 The two most handsome boys in the world.

Malasadas, tacos and Akaka Falls State Park

 We had heard that there was a Malasada truck nearby that we had to try so we tracked it down and they were delish!  They are sort of like doughnuts, but stuffed with whatever flavour you choose and made to order.  Also, they are filling!

We also found a place called Kohala Burger and Taco which was very tasty.  We ate there more than once....

 We also tracked down this Big Island Shave Ice Co truck and had two happy customers!

 We did a hike at Akaka Falls State Park.  The falls are 442' high while Niagara Falls is 167' (but it was nowhere near as impressive ;))

 This little devil ran up my leg as I was walking and I had a fit.  But you boys loved it.

 Akaka Falls

 There was a farm that we drove past where they had fresh pineapples and coconuts so we decided to give it a try.  Will, you love pineapple and ate nearly this entire bag!

Slack Lining and Mants Rays!

 Always up for a challenge, you both decided to try Slack Lining so the first time.  It is a VERY difficult activity and takes a lot of skill, core strength and patience.  The teacher was of course blown away by you both but the goal seemed to be to get you to be able to get from one side to the other in a painfully slow walk by the end of a two hour session.  This activity was not your usual adrenaline fueled endeavor.  You both stuck with it though and definitely improved throughout the class.

What a beautiful setting!

 That night we went on a tour that turned out the be the highlight of our trip: a sunset trip to see Manta Rays up close!  Here's how it works.  The tour company fabricates a board with handles around the edges to hold on to with lights on the underside to shine down.  Plankton are attracted to the lights and Manta Rays are attracted to them in turn.  So basically we got a front row seat to a feeding frenzy right underneath us!

 Manta Rays can get up to 18' in diameter.  I think the ones that we saw were closer to 10' or so but still huge!  This is one of them having a snack before we were even in the water:

 I couldn't believe my eyes.  They kept coming toward us with their huge mouths agape and then flipping onto their backs inches below us and then floated down into the depths again while another would make the trip up to us in rapid succession.  It was unreal!

Their mouth were so huge and we could see right down into the depths of them, as if they were hollow.

Will, you were way into it.  Charlie you were kinda freaking out but I have to give you credit for even doing it.  It WAS freaky!

Umbrellas, swimming and a Luau

 It was such a beautiful resort.

We went to a sushi restaurant close by called Monstera.  Char, you loved the little umbrella that came with my drink!

 Poor mom went to her conference every morning while you butts lounged around!

 Sweet swimmer boy:

 Oh we found Cold Stone Creamery in town and you boys LOVED it!  (big surprise)

 We went to a Luau.  Charlie, you had the hardest time with the roasted pig.  We watched as they removed the pig from the buried site where it had been roasting all day and you had a big reaction to it.  You refused to eat the pork from the buffet and said that you were becoming a vegetarian since all life is precious.  Oh dear.

Will had a second plate of the pork and dusted it.

 This was the fire thrower.  We sort of interrupted his practice time but he was very amenable to a picture.  It was the finale show!