More Kauai 2009

Swimming with Auntie Ann

Favorite things from our 2009 Kauai trip:

Sarah running up to me after dark one night as everyone else was busy making dinner. "Aunt Barb, Aunt Barb, Aunt Barb," she said. "I have something you MUST take a picture of." And then she led me to the horse sculpture in the garden by the pool.

Aunt Judy asking Uncle Ron if he had a Lau-wili-wili and his response of "Go fish!" Who knew a child's card game could be so fun for adults?

TT sitting at the breakfast table having a conversation with Sam while he inhaled an entire banana and asked for more.

Aunt Judy leaning over Sam (in the crib) and patting his butt while singing The Old Rugged Cross.

Uncle Ron saying "Was TT here feeding you before?" after a little bird swooped in to check us out while I ate four cheese quiche and drank my double shot latte on the Hyatt balcony

Zackary soaking his feet in the hot tub with me while the full moon floated in and out of the clouds above the resort.

Sitting at the dining room table after dinner our last night listening to Zachary and Sarah laughing and laughing in the bedroom with TT and Uncle Ron.

Watching the sunset (or lack thereof) with Uncle Ron one night, sitting there long after everyone else was gone talking about Jimmy Joe and war and tragedy and how really, really grateful we are for our lives.

The way Sam's hair got curlier and curlier with the humid Hawaiian air.

Sarah singing Dancing Queen and other songs from Mama Mia in order to distract me from the scary parts of the movie playing on the screen near the pool one night after dinner. "I'll tell you when the bad part's over," she kept saying as she looked back over her shoulder at the movie.

Laying in the sun drinking mango daquiris with TT while Sammy zonked out in his stroller in the shade

Inhaling 2 perfectly grilled hotdogs while forcing my elders to watch the season premiere of The Biggest Loser

Letting the buttery, cilantro-pesto-covered opakaka melt into my mouth at Roy's Poipu Bar and Grill, a family tradition

Watching TT walk with Sammy into the deep end, continuing to carry on their constant conversation as she dipped him in and out to get him used to the water

Peeking into the bedroom on the second day to see Sammy sprawled out on his back in the crib, sound asleep and perfectly comfortable in his little blue and white striped Elmo Explorer bib overalls that TT bought him for Christmas

The taste of that first lime daquiri that only TT can make just right

Red dirt and fresh papaya and super sweet pineapple and full moons over the ocean and the sound of the surf and the tradewinds in the palm trees that keep me coming back over and over again.

As promised, photos of some of these moments and more are here.