Sunday, August 31, 2008
Feeling under the weather...........
Soooo..... I know it has been awhile. Unfortunately, I have been feeling a little under the weather lately. I have been pretty tired, a little cranky, and a lot nauseous. Toothpaste makes me sick, smells are overwhelming, chocolate is unappealing, and I am sick of plain, dry, Eggo waffles. If you don't already know.......................... You got it. We are expecting Herdoiza number #3 sometime in April. Everyone is very excited. I can't wait to start feeling better when this 1st trimester is over. Until then there may not be too many new posts. 
Onto other news.... The rest of our Hawaii trip went well until about Wed. night when I started feeling sick. (I new it was to good to be true.) We did a 12 mile bike ride down hill. It was fun and beautiful. Driving up the canyon in a small van, on a road that was winedy, did not make my stomach feel well. However, coasting down the canyon was much better.
We also visited some botanical gardens and checked out the rest of the island on Friday and Sat. I'll post pictures soon. Unfortunately, there must be something wrong with this site because I can't upload any photos at the moment. We flew home on Sunday night and returned home Monday at 4:00 p.m. The flight went as well as could be expected. I had saltines and slept for most of the journey.
Finally, we are gearing up for school next week. Amanda will begin first grade on Wed. and Nic will start preschool on Thursday. Boy did the summer fly by. Steve and I are both working a little bit tomorrow and then I plan on taking the kids shopping for some new shoes. All the other school supplies have been purchased and are ready to go. I am wondering if Amanda will start school with a black eye. She fell at tennis camp last Thursday and got a nice shiner. I tried to get a picture, but I couldn't do her injury justice. Today it is looking purple, yellow, and red, but it is not swollen anymore. What a way to start the school year!
Well, I'm off to lie down and the kiss the kids goodnight. The routine nausea is kicking in. I will post pictures tomorrow when the site is up and running. I will also post my non-winning entries from the last scrapbook contest I entered. Hope everyone has a great Labor Day and gets to relax!
Onto other news.... The rest of our Hawaii trip went well until about Wed. night when I started feeling sick. (I new it was to good to be true.) We did a 12 mile bike ride down hill. It was fun and beautiful. Driving up the canyon in a small van, on a road that was winedy, did not make my stomach feel well. However, coasting down the canyon was much better.
We also visited some botanical gardens and checked out the rest of the island on Friday and Sat. I'll post pictures soon. Unfortunately, there must be something wrong with this site because I can't upload any photos at the moment. We flew home on Sunday night and returned home Monday at 4:00 p.m. The flight went as well as could be expected. I had saltines and slept for most of the journey.
Finally, we are gearing up for school next week. Amanda will begin first grade on Wed. and Nic will start preschool on Thursday. Boy did the summer fly by. Steve and I are both working a little bit tomorrow and then I plan on taking the kids shopping for some new shoes. All the other school supplies have been purchased and are ready to go. I am wondering if Amanda will start school with a black eye. She fell at tennis camp last Thursday and got a nice shiner. I tried to get a picture, but I couldn't do her injury justice. Today it is looking purple, yellow, and red, but it is not swollen anymore. What a way to start the school year!
Well, I'm off to lie down and the kiss the kids goodnight. The routine nausea is kicking in. I will post pictures tomorrow when the site is up and running. I will also post my non-winning entries from the last scrapbook contest I entered. Hope everyone has a great Labor Day and gets to relax!
Friday, August 22, 2008
Choas and feeling so SORE
I'm back after a couple days off. I didn't realize the chaos that was occurring back home. Apparently Nicholas had been sick and Mom and Maureen had stopped by my house each day to check up on the kids. I didn't find out any of these details until Wed. and Nic had been sick on Mon. Needless to say I was in a panic that the babysitter withheld this info when I asked how things were going each day. I felt physically sick and was so upset to learn these facts. I'm glad my Mom & Dad were there to help out and we sent the sitter home early. The weekend should go much better since we know the sitter much better and the kids will be with Kaye and Bob too. Now if only we can relax again. Wednesday really did us in!
The weather continues to be gorgeous. It rained for a little while yesterday, but it didn't spoil our plans. We took an Ocean Raft tour to explore the Na Pali Coast. It was absolutely beautiful. There are no roads that lead to the coast. You need to access it by boat. We took this powerful raft and rode out approx. 1 hour. The ocean was not too rough and we explored sea caves and saw waterfalls and cool rock formations. Then we anchored and snorkeled near some coral reefs. We had lunch and then returned home. The ride home was not relaxing. The ocean was not so smooth and the boat was rocking and rolling the hour ride back. This was no luxury boat. You couldn't stand up and walk around, there were no seats, and you had to sit on the edge of this raft and hold on tight. The raft would slam into waves and we were practically air borne. My butt was so SORE. Today my back and Steve's back are sore too. The tour was great, but I could have used a gentler boat ride.
Today we are going on a 12 mile bike ride. It is all DOWN HILL. I like to coast so this should be a perfect activity. I just hope my butt can handle it. We will be riding down a canyon which is suppose to be very scenic. We leave in a few hours.
In the meantime, I'm really starting to MISS the kids. I didn't think that would happen, but I can't wait to get home and see them. I am not looking forward to the flight home, but I can't wait to see Amanda and Nicholas. Until later........
The weather continues to be gorgeous. It rained for a little while yesterday, but it didn't spoil our plans. We took an Ocean Raft tour to explore the Na Pali Coast. It was absolutely beautiful. There are no roads that lead to the coast. You need to access it by boat. We took this powerful raft and rode out approx. 1 hour. The ocean was not too rough and we explored sea caves and saw waterfalls and cool rock formations. Then we anchored and snorkeled near some coral reefs. We had lunch and then returned home. The ride home was not relaxing. The ocean was not so smooth and the boat was rocking and rolling the hour ride back. This was no luxury boat. You couldn't stand up and walk around, there were no seats, and you had to sit on the edge of this raft and hold on tight. The raft would slam into waves and we were practically air borne. My butt was so SORE. Today my back and Steve's back are sore too. The tour was great, but I could have used a gentler boat ride.
Today we are going on a 12 mile bike ride. It is all DOWN HILL. I like to coast so this should be a perfect activity. I just hope my butt can handle it. We will be riding down a canyon which is suppose to be very scenic. We leave in a few hours.
In the meantime, I'm really starting to MISS the kids. I didn't think that would happen, but I can't wait to get home and see them. I am not looking forward to the flight home, but I can't wait to see Amanda and Nicholas. Until later........
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Hawaiin Adventures
Wow! This is my 100th post on blogger. I guess this is verification that I have been sticking with my New Year's Resolution 2008. I'm glad I can check at least one off my list. Now on to Hawaii....
Yesterday was a fun-filled and exhausting day. We were up early to begin our adventure. It started with a 2-2.5 mile kayak ride. The scenery was beautiful. Once leaving the kayaks we hiked, where I got eaten up by mosquitoes. We saw a bunch of cool plants and flowers. We finally came upon this huge rope swing where you could swing into this large body of water. Steve did it and had a great time. I was freezing cold so I didn't want to get in the water. Steve and I had a splashing fight in the kayak and I was drenched. The hike was in the shade and I had goosebumps in Hawaii. After the rope swing, we took a covered tractor ride to have lunch. When lunch was finished we rode one zip line and then hiked to the waterfall from Indiana Jones and you could jump off the cliff into the water or rope swing with a 20 ft. drop. I chose not to since I was freezing and did not have appropriate water shoes for the rocky water. Steve had fun flying off the rope swing again. It was similar to what we had done on our honeymoon, so I didn't feel I was missing out on anything. Finally, we finished with a hike back to a boat waiting to take us to our car. We got a lot of exercise and had a lot of fun in the process. While we were there we also saw where they shot some scenes from Jurassic Park. It was very cool.
Today we have nothing planned. I'm excited to just hang out. I think we will explore the beach and find somewhere to work out. Tomorrow we have a rafting/snorkeling trip planned.
Finally, I want to leave you with a surprising fact. Do you know that chickens and roosters roam freely here in Hawaii? Our guide compared there chickens to our squirrels. As I am writing this there is a chicken and a rooster sitting in our backyard. It is crazy to see them just wandering around. Also, there are wild boars that roam freely as well. It is odd to see pigs and piglets hanging out. Well, that is it for now. Until later....
Yesterday was a fun-filled and exhausting day. We were up early to begin our adventure. It started with a 2-2.5 mile kayak ride. The scenery was beautiful. Once leaving the kayaks we hiked, where I got eaten up by mosquitoes. We saw a bunch of cool plants and flowers. We finally came upon this huge rope swing where you could swing into this large body of water. Steve did it and had a great time. I was freezing cold so I didn't want to get in the water. Steve and I had a splashing fight in the kayak and I was drenched. The hike was in the shade and I had goosebumps in Hawaii. After the rope swing, we took a covered tractor ride to have lunch. When lunch was finished we rode one zip line and then hiked to the waterfall from Indiana Jones and you could jump off the cliff into the water or rope swing with a 20 ft. drop. I chose not to since I was freezing and did not have appropriate water shoes for the rocky water. Steve had fun flying off the rope swing again. It was similar to what we had done on our honeymoon, so I didn't feel I was missing out on anything. Finally, we finished with a hike back to a boat waiting to take us to our car. We got a lot of exercise and had a lot of fun in the process. While we were there we also saw where they shot some scenes from Jurassic Park. It was very cool.
Today we have nothing planned. I'm excited to just hang out. I think we will explore the beach and find somewhere to work out. Tomorrow we have a rafting/snorkeling trip planned.
Finally, I want to leave you with a surprising fact. Do you know that chickens and roosters roam freely here in Hawaii? Our guide compared there chickens to our squirrels. As I am writing this there is a chicken and a rooster sitting in our backyard. It is crazy to see them just wandering around. Also, there are wild boars that roam freely as well. It is odd to see pigs and piglets hanging out. Well, that is it for now. Until later....
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Ziip-i-dee-do-dah!!!!
So I can't believe I'm posting at 6:00 A.M. Hawaii time. Yesterday I was up at 3:30 trying to adjust to the time change. Anyway........... it is absolutely beautiful here. The weather has been great and the scenery is unbelievable. I must say the flight here was SOOOOO LOOONNNNGGG. I am not looking forward to the flight home, however, it is shorter.
Sunday, when we got here I was exhausted. I managed to stay up til' 6:00 P.M. Monday was much better. We made a plan for the week and signed up for a few adventures. Also, w
e checked out our new condo. It is great, much better than a hotel. Unfortunately, there is no air, only ceiling fans. I couldn't believe it. Oh well, sleeping last night was not bad.
Yesterday afternoon we went Zip Lining. It was AWESOME! I thought I was going to be nervous because you are high up above the trees and streams. I was wrong. The view was incredible and zipping over everything was so cool. If you ever get the chance I would highly recommend it. You are strapped into a harness and sent flying down a cable to your destination. What a thrill. You can't help but smile!
The only bad thing about this place has been eating. Since, it is less commercialized than the other islands there are not your typical restaurants and stores. We have seen 2 grocery stores 45 min apart, 1 McDonalds in that time span, etc. It has been hard to find lunch and dinner. I think we will resort to cooking more meals which is fine with me. At least the meals will be healthy.
Well, I gotta go. I'm off to eat breakfast and then we have a kayak safari planned for this morning. Hope everyone is having a good week!
Sunday, when we got here I was exhausted. I managed to stay up til' 6:00 P.M. Monday was much better. We made a plan for the week and signed up for a few adventures. Also, w
e checked out our new condo. It is great, much better than a hotel. Unfortunately, there is no air, only ceiling fans. I couldn't believe it. Oh well, sleeping last night was not bad.
Yesterday afternoon we went Zip Lining. It was AWESOME! I thought I was going to be nervous because you are high up above the trees and streams. I was wrong. The view was incredible and zipping over everything was so cool. If you ever get the chance I would highly recommend it. You are strapped into a harness and sent flying down a cable to your destination. What a thrill. You can't help but smile!
The only bad thing about this place has been eating. Since, it is less commercialized than the other islands there are not your typical restaurants and stores. We have seen 2 grocery stores 45 min apart, 1 McDonalds in that time span, etc. It has been hard to find lunch and dinner. I think we will resort to cooking more meals which is fine with me. At least the meals will be healthy.
Well, I gotta go. I'm off to eat breakfast and then we have a kayak safari planned for this morning. Hope everyone is having a good week!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
A Laid Back Weekend.... FINALLY!
Since we are gearing up for our big Hawaii trip, we had a pretty laid back weekend. We spent Friday getting haircuts at Mom's house
and then visiting our friends Robert and Debbie, the girls, and their new puppy Maggie. She is so cute! Tug had a great time, as did the kids. On our way home we picked up carry out and had 20 minutes to kill. There was a GAP in the shopping plaza and Amanda and I did some school shopping. She definitely was opinionated and voiced her likes and dislikes. Her favorite find was this hat.
She loved it because it made her look like Lilly from Hannah Montana. I just thought it was so cute! (It was also the most expensive thing I bought. Those darn accessories!)
Saturday was very relaxed around here. Everyone played nicely and I found time to finish my Harlen Coben book. It was called Hold Tight, NOT Tell No One. That was his last book. Anyway, Hold Tight was great! It was a very fast read. I couldn't put it down for a second. Steve and the kids were playing Wii Golf and I was reading in between watching Bogies and Birdies. We finished the night with a special request from Amanda. We watched High School Musical with popcorn in her sleeping bag.
Sunday was a little more busy. Lots of running, yard work, cleaning, and a trip to the park which resulted in Steve running home to get the car and pick us up since it started to rain. I think today was the weirdest weather we have had in a long time. It was freezing and rainy for the beginning of August. I even wore a jacket to the park. Steve decided to take the kids to the movies as a back up plan. They saw Space Chimps and liked it a lot. I cleaned, did laundry, and baked a blueberry pie. (I had to do something with all those berries from Costco. I can only eat so many anti-oxidants a day before they start to spoil!)
I'm planning to go to bed early tonight. I have a busy day tomorrow and this week should be hectic preparing to leave this weekend. I can't wait. Next Sunday evening I'll be in beautiful Kauai at this time. Maybe I'll even post since we are taking one of our computers. Anyway, I'm outta here. Have a good week........ and here are a few more pics.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
New Pictures from the New Camera............
Okay............let's rewind my last blog and get excited about my new Canon Digital REBEL XTi. WOO HOO! That is right. Sunday I bought the Nikon D40. Sunday night I had a dream about the camera. I think something was bothering me about my decision. By Tuesday, I returned it to Ritz Camera and instead found a great deal at Costco. I went there to get the Nikon D60 when.... to my surprise I found the Canon Rebel on sale for the same price. After more research I decided on the Rebel and I am soooooo EXCITED I did! The camera is AWESOME and the pictures are great! I have only played with it a little bit, but here are some pictures with my NEW CAMERA..........
I love that it takes pictures so quickly and that everything is not overexposed. I also like that the creative modes are easy to use. I can't wait to take some photos in Hawaii. I have less than 2 weeks to practice.
Speaking of Hawaii, I saw pictures of the condo we are staying in today. It looks beautiful. It is 2000 square feet and has been totally refurbished. There is a private beach nearby and a pool. There are lots of activities very close too: golf, kayaking, water skiing, a resort, hiking, horseback riding, snorkeling, biking, etc. I can't wait!!!!!!!!!
Finally, there has been a lot of complaining here at the Herdoiza household. Steve and I have decided Nicholas and Amanda are seeded for 1st place in complaining. (Followed by me and finally Steve and then Tug.) It has been very trying. Everything seems to be met with opposition, whining, and then complaining or yelling. I'm trying to come up with a positive way to stop this terrible behavior. Anybody, have any suggestions? (Mo, Mrs. Psychologist) As for me and complaining........... I think a nice vacation will take away my gripes about showers, toilets, cranky clients, no sleep, and dog hair on my sheets!
Well, the kids are watching a movie now so I think I might read or scrapbook before I get them ready for bed. I checked out 3 new books from the library. Change of Heart by Jodi Piccoult, Tell No One by Harlan Coben, and The Book Thief. I'll let you know the verdict soon or after Hawaii. Until next time....... I hope everyone has a good complaint-free night!
I love that it takes pictures so quickly and that everything is not overexposed. I also like that the creative modes are easy to use. I can't wait to take some photos in Hawaii. I have less than 2 weeks to practice.
Speaking of Hawaii, I saw pictures of the condo we are staying in today. It looks beautiful. It is 2000 square feet and has been totally refurbished. There is a private beach nearby and a pool. There are lots of activities very close too: golf, kayaking, water skiing, a resort, hiking, horseback riding, snorkeling, biking, etc. I can't wait!!!!!!!!!
Finally, there has been a lot of complaining here at the Herdoiza household. Steve and I have decided Nicholas and Amanda are seeded for 1st place in complaining. (Followed by me and finally Steve and then Tug.) It has been very trying. Everything seems to be met with opposition, whining, and then complaining or yelling. I'm trying to come up with a positive way to stop this terrible behavior. Anybody, have any suggestions? (Mo, Mrs. Psychologist) As for me and complaining........... I think a nice vacation will take away my gripes about showers, toilets, cranky clients, no sleep, and dog hair on my sheets!
Well, the kids are watching a movie now so I think I might read or scrapbook before I get them ready for bed. I checked out 3 new books from the library. Change of Heart by Jodi Piccoult, Tell No One by Harlan Coben, and The Book Thief. I'll let you know the verdict soon or after Hawaii. Until next time....... I hope everyone has a good complaint-free night!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
WOWEE Lots of news!
WOWEE!! Lots of excitement here. I can hardly contain myself. Where to begin..... how about with this.....
Doesn't everyone look great? Cameron didn't even cry at the birthday bash. Here are a few action shots of the kids in the sprinkler with Amanda's friend.
In other eventful news, Amanda lost a second tooth on Friday while eating cookies. Unfortunately, this one will not make it to the tooth fairy. It will stay in the special tooth box along with tooth number one. She is waiting to get a better return on her investment. Who knows what the toothfairy will be paying in 2015.
I'm a proud owner of a new Nikon D40! Since Steve already got me an early birthday gift, I figured I would have to buy myself this little present. (Not to mention, I've wanted a SLR for awhile and now I'll have 2 weeks to learn it before Hawaii.) When I walked into the camera store I knew my budget and what I wanted. After talking to the sales clerk and ignoring my Internet research, I bought something totally different. The good news is that I saved myself a chunk of money to be better spent on a lens instead of mega pixels. Anyway...... I can't wait to break it out of the box, hopefully tomorrow. Now I definitely have to take that photography course at OCC.
So speaking of pictures here are a few new ones:
Doesn't everyone look great? Cameron didn't even cry at the birthday bash. Here are a few action shots of the kids in the sprinkler with Amanda's friend.
Here's my Martha Stewart side coming out. Aren't these the cutest things? I found these silicone baking cups and I thought the kids would love them. Nicholas wanted to make blueberry muffins.... So we did. I thought they would make adorable flower cupcakes. I can't wait to load up the frosting and sprinkles. The stuff that people come up with............
In other eventful news, Amanda lost a second tooth on Friday while eating cookies. Unfortunately, this one will not make it to the tooth fairy. It will stay in the special tooth box along with tooth number one. She is waiting to get a better return on her investment. Who knows what the toothfairy will be paying in 2015.
Finally, as a SURPRISE we got the kids a Wii with our poker winnings last weekend. The Wii is a video game system if you haven't heard about it already. You use a remote to mimic different activities. Amanda has been asking for one A LOT. We figured it would be something for the kids to do with the babysitter while we are in Hawaii.
You gotta love the action shots while they are playing tennis. Well, that's it for me. Steve and I are gonna watch a movie tonight. We never rent videos. I hope I can stay awake. Hope everyone has a good Monday :)
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