Jett, the beauty queen...

One last video of Jett doing his famous "Beauty Queen" move off the 40 foot cliff yesterday...crazy boy!

Aloha and Goodnight continued...

Jessie and I had to show the boys we could jump off the 35 foot cliff too so here it is.

Aloha and Goodnight...

We are packing up and getting ready for our red eye flight tomorrow night. It's been a wonderful "escape" and we're ready to head home to our routines, friends and kitties. This trip has been a blessing and we are very aware of that. I think we surprised ourselves that "getting away" is wonderful but there is also something special about being amongst family and friends during all the craziness that makes up the Christmas season. Here are some final pics of our trip...Snow and a 50 degree drop in the temperature...here we come!

Cliff Jumping...Not for the faint hearted...

We discovered a new place today called, "The End of the World". It's a big volcanic field with a crazy lava path to some great jumping cliffs. We all jumped from 3 feet and then Josh and Jett jumped from 35 feet. It would be easy to freak yourself out by the big dark shadows deep beneath you in the ocean but instead we just kept our chin up and enjoyed the swelling ocean all around us as we bobbed up and down. Josh is more freaked out than the average octopus of the deep turquoise ocean...unless he has goggles so he can see what is coming to eat him. HOWEVER, he'll jump off any height of a cliff as long as he sees someone do it first...test dummy ya know. Jett added one more notch in his daredevil belt today...35 feet and counting!

Tuesday - Dry Land Day

We took a break from the water today to do laundry and enjoy the sun and get REALLY sweaty...Jessika got her first taste of real Hawaiian Shave Ice...such a wonderful invention!

Mauna Kea beach...finally...SAND!

We've discovered the Big Island is mostly volcanic on one side and jungle/rain forest on the other. We found this sandy beach 45 minutes away and were oh so happy...we're heading back soon. Check out the awesome pic of Sailor and her sailboat!

Christ's Birthday Is Nearing...Did You Know?

Were Mary's the first eyes you saw
Or did You remember choosing that shade of brown?
Were You surprised at the shepherd's crazy story
Or did You know You wrote the song the angels sang?

What was this life like for You?

Did You know?
Did the cross cast its shadow o'er your cradle?
Did You know?
Did You shudder each time Your hammer struck a nail?
Did you know?
How much heaven and how much earth
Were in this baby at His birth?
Did you know? Or did you wonder?

Did you remember the brightness of Your glory Or did You just notice it was cold and dark here?
Did You know Your name or did you have to be told?

Were You just a baby or were You as old as time?

What was Your life like?



***Can you imagine? Can you imagine what that baby knew upon His birth? Can you imagine if that 10 year old was preparing Himself for what was to come? I can't imagine...but how humbling and awe-inspiring. Close your eyes and breathe in each word from Mr. Agnew's song. Let His love overwhelm you this week. Maybe we can't know what His life was like but we can know what His life was for...it was for you and it was for me and I love Him wholly and completely for it...let us be an example of that overwhelming love...because we DO know!

yesterday continued..

Chase stripped down on the hike...too hot.

Snow, Oh No...We Wouldn't Know... :)

Yesterday was another energetic journey to Kiholo Bay to play with the turtles. We trekked 1.5 miles into the desert coming out in the oasis of the bay...palm trees, black rock beach and turtles... amazing sleepy turtles. The kids made friends, Josh explored and Jessie and I read...we are addicted to our books and are trying to finish them so we can take part in more of the festivities...Thanks to my Joyful, I will now be recommending, The Mermaid Chair, by S.M.Kidd, aka Secret Life of Bees author. Jessie is reading New Moon...the Twilight craze...

Here's a pic of our Christmas tree we made and our pretty lights we hung. Boogie boarding is calling our names today since it appears we might have some clouds for a few days. Love you all and thanks for keeping up on our Hamik O'Hana...I love the texts, emails and comments.

We're here...oh yes...we're here...

Last night was a whirl wind finally arriving in Honolulu and eventually Kona. Because of the time and locale, we hit Costco promptly, moved into our house and explored our amazingly lush backyard...complete with coconuts, tangelos, figs, limes and other mystery fruits. We're so glad Jessie our sweet cousin came with us to play...especially for those early morning workouts Josh and I get to take ALONE!!!

We just got back from a day in Kealakekua Bay where we kayaked a mile across the bay, snorkled and hung out for most of the day. We are tired and back at our house drinking mango nectar out of our wine glasses.

A highlight so far is the private outdoor shower at our house. And for all of you that know the Hamiks at all...you know it's getting lots of use and giggles from everyone. The indoor showers are dry and will probably remain that way since nothing is as awesome as showering neck'ed outside in the warm Hawaiian air with palm trees and pretty flowers surrounding you...and the panic that someone might see you...hehehe, I promise there is no view for the neighbors, it's very private. :)

We hung our Christmas lights, made a Christmas tree for the house from our yard and are listening only to Christmas music all day long...thank you Lord for keeping Hawaii a part of your plan for our family...we were wondering for a minute...48 hours to be exact from our departure from Ashland.

Merry Christmas from the airport...

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Update on our potential trip to Kona...after having flights cancelled into Seattle, boarding and unboarding our plane, after 7 hours waiting hopeful in the airport...we ended up in Sacramento staying in a hotel late last night. We are now waiting in the airport to get on our plane to Honolulu and then hopefully trying to get our new 4 hour layover to Kona shorten significantly. The kids are troopers, the parents are tired and the teenager is helpful. We found an empty Gate in Portland to take over as a family so the girls played Check-In attendant/passenger, they cartwheeled all around and Jett chilled with his music and movies...what a day...we left 1.5 days ago for Kona and here we are...making elf movies to pass the time. God is good and we are tired but we're still HOPEFUL!!!

Christmas in Hawaii...maybe...

Pray for us, we are sitting in the airport with a cancelled flight to our Christmas destination in Kona. We were able to keep the surprise of our holiday plans all the way until this morning. We made up lots of "stories" about why we stopped last night in a hotel...the roads were to bad to continue to Seattle (our first "story"). All the snow this morning made it too difficult to drive to Seattle so we might need to fly there (partially true "story"). Then I was tired of telling "stories" since I'd been hiding this adventure for 3 months so JOsh finally told them the big surprise. They were so excited but Sailor first said, "You mean we're not going to Gramma Kim's?" What almost appeared as disappointment soon turned into hugs and shrieks of excitement...until now...we are sitting in Portland with many upset passengers because flights to Seattle are being cancelled. UGH!!! Oh please Lord, we know our lives are on your schedule but please say that means we're still going to Hawaii. Check in again...we'll keep y'all posted...

The pic is the kids getting the news of an Aloha Christmas!

Winter Love Boxes

Since we decided to get our kids out of Dodge (Ashland) for Christmas, we needed a family project to help others this Christmas season. We were going to miss our annual mission day trip with our church so we came up with this idea. A friend and I organized a project called Winter Love Boxes for our families at our kids' school that needed a little extra love and support this Christmas season. Over the past few weeks we had each classroom bring 2 items to contribute to the big Christmas meal we were putting together and items for stockings for every child in each family. We also had a tree with ornaments so Bellview families could contribute gifts for all the kids in addition. In the end, we were able to bless 18 Bellview families with almost 40 kids in those families. Serena and I had a big work day putting them all together so they could be delivered to each home. Our kids, 6 in all plus a couple friends, all helped fill the stockings and boxes. It was a joy to be able to serve as a family and know that these 18 families with 40 kids would have a little extra this Christmas season.

Chasey finally lost her first tooth...

Chase celebrated with her sis, Kaili and Ula. It wasn't loose when I dropped her off at Good News Club, it was half way loose when I picked her up and 5 minutes after getting home, Chase (sitting in the pedestal sink) yanked her own tooth out. She was so proud!

Love and Chocolate...

In the book Love Adds a Little Chocolate, Linda Andersen writes:
Duty can pack an adequate sack lunch, but love may decide to enclose a little love note inside...Obligation sends the children to bed on time, but love tucks the covers in around their necks and passes out kisses and hugs (even to teenagers!)...Duty gets offended quickly if it isn't appreciated, but love learns to laugh a lot and to work for the sheer joy of doing it. Obligation can pour a glass of milk, but quite often, love adds a little chocolate.

Ahh...everything is better with chocolate...especially love!

Christmas Shopping...what are you going to give?

I'm sure you're all in full swing getting your Christmas shopping finalized...or started. If you're like me, you hate the crowds so you finished your shopping already or you may be CRAZY and have braved Black Friday and other Christmas mall insanity episodes. Nevertheless...there's one gift I wanted to remind you to shop for. What are you getting Jesus for Christmas? I encourage you to take some time. He's not very picky so it shouldn't be hard. He appreciates anything we give him. Big or small, there is one thing I know He wants. That perfect amazing beloved gift...YOU...yes YOU! As you're thinking about so many other people this month, remember who's birthday it truly is and make Him a part of all your shopping. Keep Him in mind while you are discerning how much money to spend that He's provided you with, how you'll treat the other CRAZIES still shopping and the many tired store clerks you'll come into contact with. Make sure to smile and wish those people assisting you a MERRY CHRISTMAS...yes, I said it and so can you. Jesus, especially this time of year, wants you to be toasty, cozy and intensely on fire for him and what better way to shine that light than a simple, Merry Christmas!

Back to your gift. As you're wrapping your presents so carefully and putting them under the tree, don't forget the most important one. Maybe you can wrap up your insecurity, maybe you have a health issue to offer or possibly you want to surrender your busyness to Him this Christmas season. Whatever it is you have to offer Jesus, He is ready and happy to receive it. Maybe if you're like me, you'll be wrapping that same gift everyday and continually placing it under the tree because you have so much of it to give...and that's not a good thing...but it is to Him when we place it before His feet and say, "Here, I'm giving this to you because I love you, I trust you and I believe you."

Merry Christmas everyone and don't forget to give the most precious birthday boy a gift this blessed season!