as we drove glumly away from heather and kivalu’s house, we had to do something to cheer the kids up, so we came up with a game called “i went to hawaii and i loved [insert thing here]. each person had to name something and then the next person had to name the things before and their new thing. this was how it went:
i went to hawaii and i loved……
nate: the shrimp
drew: waimea bay
anna: swimming with momma in the ocean
tara: backyard bbq’s
jeff: fireworks
nate: jumping on the tramp
drew: making new friends
anna: the waterslide at the pool
tara: snorkeling
jeff: shark cage (HOO HA HA)
nate: going crab hunting
drew: jumping off the big rock
anna: playing with te’a the doggie
tara: shaved ice
jeff: room service
that pretty much sums up all of the fun things, but here are some others i dont want to forget:
braving a lot of my irrational fears about the ocean and just going for it. just be FEARLESS!
like
swimming in the ocean. in warm water. and being able to see my feet.
and
snorkeling in hanauma bay and seeing a sea turtle! anna was a bit too
hesitant so she took turns riding on our backs like a turtle. :)
and
riding three miles out into the ocean on a boat and jumping into a metal cage, about a dozen 10ft galapagos sharks swimming around me. watching drew and nate do it too.
sleeping in everyday-the kids playing on the trampoline just outside our front door
the best mango’s i have ever eaten in my entire life
drew making a new best friend and telling me that they were both going to pick out constellations to look at and remember each other by until they saw each other again. exchanging emails and promises to ichat.
nathans utter amazement about room service-you mean you just call them? and tell them what you want?AND THEY BRING IT TO YOU?! spoiling them and letting them all pick desserts and cokes with their dinners.
spending the day poolside at the turtle bay resort – having drinks and food brought to me poolside while reading in the sun is my idea of heaven.
jeff and i relaxing on the balcony after the kids were asleep.
sitting on the beach while it rained – knowing it would pass in five or ten minutes
bonding as a family (amazing how good it felt to share things wtih
the kids and show them and teach them about a different way of life)
getting anna and nathan into the ocean with us on the last day-before
that-they just played in shorebreak
the boys jumping off a twenty foot rock at waimea.
lighting and blowing up about 500 fireworks on new years eve – all of
my kids were in pyro heaven
Glad to hear that you had such a great time!! You are one brave gal getting in the shark cage and all. Have a wonderful new year–glad to ‘see’ you back! I love the photos!!
Awwwwww I am melting from all the cuteness!
And I am so happy that you guys got to go and do this, you deserved it!
Stalker for a while, but wanted to leave a comment. I’ve enjoyed your vacation. Well, I didn’t go, but it was fun reading through this made me feel as if I was there. Looks like you had a great time. Love your work.
That first picture is unbelievable. It even has a depth of field that gives it the appearance of being a close up of a tiny world, until you see Anna. Know what I mean? Like, there could be a sparrow in the foreground, but instead it’s a little girl! I love that.
great pictures- looks like you had great weather?! we were there at the beginning of December & had lots of rain(storms!). Love Hawaii!!!
that just sounds so amazing!
oh my goodness!! i just saw the sharks in the water!! (how did i not see that before?) how freaky!! how cool!
My Goodness Tara it sounds like the dream vacation for sure.. and these photos.. OMG wonderful
So obviously Anna is going to be a model. Does she have a choice at this point??? She has pouty down to an art!
Glad you all had a great time and made it back safely!
OMG…….that picture of the shark is so amazing, how cool that you got to swim with sharks..your trip sounds heavenly….it is making me want to book a flight right this minute. I know what you mean about swimming in the ocean…..Hawaii is about the only place that I truely feel comfortable swimming in the ocean, I love how warm it is. It sounds like a perfect trip! Happy New Year! :)
Oh man! I miss you all so much. We really did have some fun–didn’t we.:) Ahhh- i didn’t know that drew and valu made that star pact–how cute! Thanks for the incredible memories. Valu is already wanting to know when you are coming back- soon I hope! And I have to keep peeling Keenan from the casita door as he keeps knocking and calling for anna. We love you all- give each other squeezes for us. Those tree shots are amazing!
are you kidding on that first photo?!!!!…beautiful and wonderful and textural and needs to be big and in a magazine and on a canvas and looked at daily. You are SUCH the artist! Wow!
It looks like you had fun. Those first two shots are gorgeous!
what an amazingly special trip you had!!! and the photos look to really capture those indelible memories.
those 1st 2 of anna are STUUNINGLY beatiful!!! the quality is top notch, and i LOVE the bw conversion!!!!!
cheers to you. happy new year!
LUv them!!!! Can I come next time?!? :)
Glad you are back! Looks like so much fun, we can’t wait to get there when our kids are a little older. LOVE the ones of Anna in the tree!! Gorgeous!!!
sounds and looks amazing!
I’m going to Oahu in March! :)
anyway, you have me crazy excited to go…
and very tempted to try the shark thing!
can you show us more pictures from that?
every single photo of anna is AMAZING! that girl is model material. the 2nd one of her is shockingly GORGEOUS>>>>>>>
amazing all of them t!
tara
sounds like an absolutely amazing vacation….ah, maybe someday for us. thanks for sharing all those photos, all awesome but those first two are super wow!
what a fun, happy trip!
As always, Anna is a doll……but I sure love those freckle-faced boys!
so cute that drew has a constellation friend! i love that! sounds like a fantastic time! makes me want to go back. love the pics. you sound so incredibly happy tara! i love that the mostest! love you girlie.
that first photo made my heart jump.
it’s gorgeous.
xx
jill
Tara, I lurk your blog daily. Love your fun spirit and to see your amazing talent as a photographer. But honestly, that first photo. And the second. They take my breath away. Enter them somewhere. Win a contest and a free trip BACK to Hawaii. Whatever! Blow them up to beyond huge!
Treasure them. She will never be that age again. She’s beautiful.
Okay, two words- SHARK CAGE!!!! Wowza. Major jealousy happenin’ here. The whole trip sounds absolutely divine!
I’m glad you guys had a good time…and stayed on the North Shore which is the best place in all of Hawaii (and I’m not biased just cause I live here!). I bet the boys loved Waimea..and the fireworks were pretty gnarly this year too..at least by our house. What great vacations photos of your kiddos.
gorgeous pictures, and wow – so jealous of the sharks!
The first picture of Anna in the tree is amazing! I love the b/w and how you can barely notice her…she looks so peaceful!
I have been lurking for months, but when I saw that pic of Anna, it brought tears to my eyes. It is amazing! Anyhow, I missed reading about your world while you were gone. I live up the 405 from you, near Manhattan Beach, and I hope to one day have you do your magic with my family.
Oooh, we stayed at Turtle Bay too. It was heaven. Thanks for sharing your moments with us. Brings back great memories! How was the surf? We went in Sept. and it was flat. We wanna go back in the winter sometime and see those famous Waimea Bay waves!
Are you freaking kidding me? That second picture of your daughter is UNREAL. You have talent beyond measure.
p.s. (i’m the one who recently “got” your just be-ness)
Those sharks look way too scary for me. I would never EVER do that. How safe is it really?
your gorgeous kids are so wonderful in all their kid-ness :)
These are incredible. The first two look like something from a fairy tale. And the sharks – OH my.
the first photo of anna reminds me of a wood nymph from some fairy tale…..delightful as always….you never disappoint Tara.
Christine
where is the ‘insert yourself here’ button? looks like you had an amazing vacation!
sounds utterly amazing! like paradise. those first two pictures of your girl are stunning!!
Great pictures! I could NEVER do the shark thing. My Dad took me to see Jaws when I was six…yes six. It has affected me for life and I am 41 now. To this day I can not even look at a picture of a shark and when I go into the lake where we have our boat I think shark. I even think shark when I am swimming in a pool. Right now I am thinking I will probably have a nightmare tonight about sharks!
Glad your trip was great.
sounds absolutely AWESOME!! ! loved seeing the photos!!
Welcome back.. sounds like you guys had a wonderful time!! Great pix..
Oh wow. Those photos of Anna are breathtaking. When I grow up I want to take photos like you do :)
Tara,
The first picture of Anna is amazing, different it took my breathe away. It is such a beautiful and shot. Just amazing.
Big Fan of your Work
Jen
okay, so I’ve sent my friends to your blog to check out the shark cage – we are all VERY interested (and VERY scared too!) and I had a couple questions…I didn’t know how to email you so I hope it’s okay to ask here!
1. seasickness. I live in Oregon and have been out on the ocean twice. Once was fine, but the second trip I got SO sick. So my question…how was the boat ride part? choppy? smooth? The 2 hours bobbing up and down on the ocean is worrisome to me. I’ve told my friends I do not want to puke in Hawaii. :)
2. Is there plexiglass surrounding the bars of the cage? Or could the sharks eat your fingers?
:)
Thanks Tara!
wow!! what an awesome family trip. swimming with sharks & snorkeling. fun!
Those first two photos are incredible. I love the first one it’s so magical like a movie set or something. But I also love the second photo. I love that Anna’s legs are covered in sand. It’s so evocative of the beach and holidays. Amazing. Sounds like an absolute dream holiday.
Oh my gosh, what is it about that first picture!?!?! It looks so old-fashioned and 3D or something. Your pictures are all amazing as usual, but that one literally takes my breath away.
i am so happy that you had such a great time. i am so jealous! i LOVE the north shore if i never visited another islad i would be ok. i just love how simple it is there. i love all of your pictures especialy the first one of anna in the tree. it’s kind of like a where’s waldo. so pretty.
Sorry phone call did not work out and everytime I go to call it is too late….Reading your blog and seeing pictures says it all…The pictures take my breath away. That one of Anna!!! I am so glad you had a wonderful time.Shane was the best of Uncles to Mckenna and She was her precious self the few days I had her. I am so glad you had this sacred time together. I hope it renewed your spirit and your soul…….What a wonderful family bonding time the Kids will never forget.Its times like these that when the kids are gone and you look back with any type of regret,,, you will remember and say but we did this……
I love you
Mom
4 things:
Happy New Year!
Sounds like you had a fabulous time – so glad it all went well…
Awesome photos as usual – the b/w one of your daughter is KILLER.
That being said, I wish I had your eye!
:)
Tara — this trip looks so amazing — and your images…as alway fabulous…. i love the one of the little one in the tree…wow. Have visited your blog often ove the last year or so — you’re an inspiration…
Happy New Year — cheers –
Genine