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Nick's got all the kids trained.....

Morena's Favorite Things

Today is Thanksgiving in the US. Today, or I guess tomorrow, is also what they consider the official start to the holiday season. Even though Canadians don't follow that logic necessarily, I will for blogging purposes. I've decided to channel my inner Oprah and share my current favorite things with you. Maybe I can help you stuff a stocking for someone that you've been stuck for ideas.

Kuhn Rikon Paring Knives
These knives are amazing and so very cute. They come in lots of different fun colors. You can buy on line here.







Bath and Body antibacterial soaps.
If you've never tried these I highly recommend them. They come in dozens of amazing scents and not just the everyday smells you will find at the drug store. My favorite are the foaming soaps but all their products are great. I also love the Wallflower air fresheners.









Coleman Roadtrip grill
Roadtrip® Grill LXE Model No. 9949-750C
This propane barbecue is one of the best things we've ever bought. It's easy to clean since the grill is in two pieces and comes off easily. You can even exchange the grills with griddle plates or wire racks to use pots or frying pans on. We use the little camping size propane tanks but you can also hook up a full size tank with the help of an adapter. The best part: It's legs fold up so it can be used on a table top and makes for easy storage. And we've tested it in -40 weather and it came through it flying colors and yummy steaks!







Neutrogena Body Oil
This is an amazing product for all you northerners. Like most of you I'm sure, the northern climate causes me to have really dry skin. I use this oil before I get out of the shower to seal in the moisture and find it really helps. I pour it into a spray bottle to make it easier to apply and rub it in. And unlike most bath oils it won't make you greasy so you can get dressed right away without ruining your clothes. And it smells great.







The Azure Wrap
Someone suggested this wrap to me when I had Oliver and I'm so glad they did. It may be a little intimidating at first but putting it on isn't as hard as it looks. The website has a video to help so you'll learn in no time. Oliver absolutely loved being in it and it allowed me to get things done around the house while still holding him like he wanted. There are others on the market like the Moby and the Cuddle Wrap. They are basically all the same and I've found they are all pretty much the same price. Please get this for someone you know with a new baby. They will thank you, I guarantee it.







Dove Cream Oil Body Wash
This is the other half of my arsenal against dry skin. I had given up on body wash years ago but this product brought me back in a big way. It is so very foamy and rich that I can't imagine going back to just soap. I actually like the Dove SUPREME cream oil body wash even more than this one. It's even foamier... is foamier a word?

Sony Reader
Nick got this for his birthday and we both absolutely love it. He was sceptical at first because reading off a computer screen can sometimes be hard on the eyes but that's not at all the case. There is no glare and it looks just like a book page. You can even adjust the font if you need it. The software works much like Itunes where you download from a website and then sync it to the device. The downloads are super quick and the books are cheaper than from your usual bookstore. You may have heard of the Kindle from Amazon.com which is finally available to Canadians. From our research we like the Sony better. Compare here for yourself. The big plus for the Sony is that you can buy books from a few different sites and not just from Amazon.

24
It may be old news for alot of you but if you haven't seen it yet, 24 is worth your time. It is by far some of the best TV I've watched in a really long time. We've seen the first three seasons so far and have honestly been on the edge of my seat the whole time.

Croc 'Capri' Flip Flops

I have worn these flip flops every day for the last two years. I'm not kidding, I wear them in the winter with my socks as slippers when it's too cold for bare feet. Not much to say about them except to say if you love flip flops you'll love these.

Check that one off the bucket list

It's late, but before I head to bed I had to tell you what I got to do this morning. It ranks up there with the best things I've ever seen/done in my life. Today I got to see the Olympic torch come through my town. My whole family went and we cheered and waved our Canadian flags... it was awesome. I'm a long time Olympic Games Fanatic and will spend the 2 weeks this winter glued to the TV. I can't wait... Go Canada Go!

Does Sally really need their help?

I logged into Facebook a few minutes ago and was reading through my home page. Something down the right hand side of the page caught my eye.... under the 'suggestions' tab. It says,"Sally Smith. She has only 18 friends on Facebook. Suggest friends for her."

Am I the only one that finds that incredibly wrong? Sally (not the real name of course) is some one who uses Facebook for one reason, to see pictures of her Granddaughter. She has a few (17 apparently) other friends that she's picked up here and there but she's obviously not the usual obsessed patron. Does it seem right that Facebook is recruiting friends for her? Why does the suggestion feel like it's saying Facebook feels sorry for her? It makes me feel strange.

Maybe it's just me.

Na Pali Coast

I'm back in the real world again. Back to diapers, bottles, naps. But wow, is it all worth while to see that little face again and hear him laughing. It's the best sound in the world.

The last days in Hawaii were great. We went on the catamaran cruise on Thursday and have to say it was the highlight of the trip. The weather was amazing and the ocean was just rough enough to make the rocking boat fun but not scary. I correct myself from the last post when I said that the Na Pali coast was only accessible from air or sea. It is also accessible by hiking the trails if you are that type... I, am not. I was very happy on the boat. The scenery was the thing that just made the trip, I'm sure you'll agree it's a beautiful spot.

Observe my hotness

We are leaving Hawaii tonight...sniff.... While I'm sad to leave our relaxing paradise I am really excited to see my little boy again. It's been a great vacation but all good things must come to an end. There is one thing I won't miss about being here. I like to call it my white man's afro. Because of all the rain it's been super humid and my naturally curly hair doesn't do well in humid. Hot isn't it?

Jet lag and off roading

I'm getting old... why else can I not get over this jet lag?? I joked several times with friends that I was excited for the trip but would almost be just as happy if I went to a local hotel because really all I really wanted from this vacation was to sleep in for 8 days straight. Well, I think I bragged/hoped/expected too much because we leave in 2 days and I have yet to sleep any later than 7am. Oh, I lie, one day I made it till 830am but every other day it's been 630 or 7am. These early mornings have been wreaking havoc on the other end of the day too. All but one night so far we've been in bed by 1030pm or so. Nick is finding this very hard to accept because he just turned 31 and this is playing right into his 'I'm over the hill' complex. I'm 5 years older than he is so if he's over the hill, what does that make me?

Despite the hit and miss weather at the beginning of the week we've managed to enjoy our days. We've done alot of exploring between rain showers and even got in a little pool time. Today we went off roading with Kauai ATV and had an amazing time. I don't think I have ever been so dirty but we tried our hardest to get that way so it's all good.

The field right behind that tall grass is where they filmed scenes from Jurassic Park. You remember the scene where they hide behind the log because those little dinosaurs are swarming because the T-rex is coming?

A rare good picture of both of us. Even if we are filthy.

Our group at the end of the trip. Notice how dirty my pants are. I hit the last and biggest puddle so perfectly that we were swamped!

Tomorrow we go on a sunset catamaran dinner cruise up the Na Pali coast. This part of the island isn't accessible by road, only by air or sea and is supposed to be very beautiful. Hopefully the surf isn't too high so they don't cancel or reroute it as they've done earlier this week.

Flora and Fauna

I know the chickens are a strange addition. Chickens run wild all over Hawaii. There are dozens of hens, chicks and loudly crowing roosters around our resort which is delightful at 6 am.

Isn't technology great?

It's been 5 days since I've been away from Oliver and I'm happy to say I'm doing just fine. I miss him lots but I'm really enjoying our time as just people, not parents. We did get the chance to 'talk' to him yesterday when my sister set up the opportunity on Skype. I don't think he understood what was going on and just sat there and ate his cookie. I think he may have recognised our voices but that's about it. It was just nice to see his little face and tell him I love him. Thanks Courtney!

Kauai

We've arrived in Kauai last night to weather warnings of sever rain, flash flooding and high winds. I'm not complaining because, hey, I'm in Hawaii. Luckily this morning it seems we've been given a reprieve and it turned out to be a beautiful day. We took a walk around the resort and then drove up the coast to see what we could see.

We are staying at Pono Kai in Kappa thanks to my grandparents time share. You can see by the trees that it's very windy. The water is very rough and I took many pictures but they just didn't do it justice. Lets just say I won't be going out in that water any time soon.

On the north side of the island the water was much more hospitable. Must be the direction of the wind I guess. We are having fun in the Jeep that we rented for our time here. It's awesome riding with top off. (Jen, this is the closest thing to a beach pic your going to get with me in it!) Please excuse the picture quality, I think I had a smudge on my lens or something.

This island is crazy beautiful. They call it the Hollywood of Hawaii since there have been so many movies filmed here. Jurassic Park, Tropic Thunder and Indiana Jones just to name a few. Everything is very lush and green and there are some spectacular views. I can't wait to explore more as the week goes on.

Till next time I say again, Aloha!!

Heaven for some

The Yard House in Waikiki is Nick's happy place. This is just one side of the bar and as you can see there are alot of beer on tap. On average 125 varieties at any given time, from all over the world. I'm proud to say they even have Moosehead... brewed in Saint John NB, my home town.

Paradise at 730 am

The view from our hotel at 730 this morning. We're on the 24th floor at the Outrigger Beachcomber. Great choice if you ever come to Honolulu.

The surfers were out first thing. I love having a camera that you can crop from that far away and still end up with a decent picture.

We're up very early this morning because after 22 and a half hours of travelling we were exhausted. I was asleep by 915 last night (hence the early morning pictures and post) and am planning on having siesta later in the day so we can hit the town tonight. Yardhouse, here we come. But this time no Senior Frogs because I just can't deal with that hangover again. It's been almost 2 years since we were here last and I still haven't got over that.

Aloha!

Off to paradise

The bags are packed.... again, but this time it's one-not so full-bag each. No car seat, stroller, amauti or diaper bag. Nick and I are off to the sandy shores of Hawaii in the morning. Or should I say in a few hours since the flight leaves Saint John at the ungodly hour of 530am. No matter how early I'm psyched and can't wait to get going.

I said goodby to Oliver tonight as I put him to bed. I have to admit I got a little teary as I said my final I love you before I put him down. I'm a little torn on how I think I'll handle being away from Mr. O for 10 whole days. Most of me says I'll be fine. Of course I'll miss him but it's our time and I'll enjoy it. The tiniest other part of me says that it'll be harder than I think. Only time will tell I guess but I go in excited to live our 'pre-kid' life again, even for a little while.

Aloha to you all... I'll be in touch!

Leaves and trees

I've said it before.... the thing I miss most about the south is the trees. I have been thoroughly enjoying the scenery since I've been back and have confirmed my thoughts that this is the most beautiful place in the world. At least to me. I love the rugged beauty of the north and it makes me happy every day but there is something about the trees, the ocean and the hills of the maritimes that makes my heart sing.

Today was a beautiful fall day for leaf pictures in the back yard, even though Oliver wasn't digging the new texture.

Touching grass for the first time and enjoying the view.

Just Play

We made it.

We finally got to Saint John after staying that extra night in Halifax. The morning flight went off without a hitch and made it to mom and dad's by 10am. It feels great to be around my family. This trip is extra special because my sister who has been living in Calgary the last few years is back in Saint John so we get to spend lots of time together. I've also been anxious to get our boys together so they can get to know each other. Unfortunately, the first meeting didn't go well. Erik, who is a year and 4 days older than O, took one look at my mom hugging "his Oma" and lost it. He is used to being the king of family's attention and was not happy about sharing his throne. Over the last few days he is coming around and I think they'll be good friends by the end of the trip.

So far the trip has been great. We've settled in and have had the opportunity to see a few friends and family members. There is nothing like hanging out with friends from way back, Lots of stories to laugh and reminisce about. I've also had the chance to get my hair cut and did some shopping. I seem to have fallen back in to the southern swing rather easily. The thing I've enjoyed the most so far is taking O to Just Play. It's a huge indoor playground that they have recently opened in Saint John and the kids had a great time.

Oliver loved watching the colors flash and change on the LED game floor.

Erik really likes the slide.


O is obsessed with the stairs lately so these are stairs he's allowed to tackle.



Way way up on the bridge.


A good time was had by all. Not sure about the kids but I for one can't wait to go again.

So close...

Guess what? Would you believe we're still not home? I'm sitting in a hotel in Halifax instead of having beers with my family in Saint John. So close, yet so far away!

We were on our way down the runway in Iqaluit and and the plane slowed right down. Some kind of light went off in the cockpit that they had to check out before we could leave. Luckily it was nothing and we headed back out but at that point we were already an hour late and I was going to miss my connection. There were no later flights getting in tonight so we'll be taking our last leg in the morning. It's been a long day and am exhausted so I'm off to bed.

Don't forget to turn your clocks back tonight! Hope you all had a great Halloween.