Day 69-- The Holidays

We thought the holidays might be a little hard since we were going to be without our families, but we had a great time! Our friends Brenden and Julie got married right before the holiday and spent their honeymoon over in Ko'olina and then after a week they came to stay with us in our little house. Then, as if that weren't going to be enough company, Kate and Jim decided last minute to come to Hawaii also. They stayed in a hotel in Waikiki, which made it an easy way to visit that little portion of the island.

Honestly, we've been so busy it's hard to recount all the stories. But I shall try. Cole and I tried to make sure we kept up with traditions by decorating gingerbread houses.

Cole's is my favorite because he has one of the little guys falling off the roof, and the expression of the other one cracks me up. 

I had a little friend join me in the laundromat over Christmas. Good thing I was sitting up on the counter, or I may have just squashed him reflexively. So he lived to see another day.

Our Christmas vacation before the actual day entailed, shopping, hitting the beaches, eating at our favorite places and going out dancing. Cole and I love dancing, so this was definitely a great way to spend the holiday.

After a day of filming some kiteboarding, Cole and I were freezing and warmed up at this little Italian restaurant. I love good italian food. Especially if you can order an omelette that really has nothing to do with being Italian. 

Kate with her new found bike, the pink panther.

Amy and Cole at Sunset

The day of Christmas Eve, it was officially Cole's second day off of the holiday, we decided to meet some friends at the beach. We made a quick stop at Ted's bakery, our favorite place, for cake and food, then went up to Turtle Bay Resort for some laying on the beach, surfing, or whatever anyone wanted. That night, Cole and I stayed up to watch Muppet Christmas Carol and eat pumpkin streusel... delicious!

On Christmas morning, we woke up, ate more pumpkin streusel with bacon and eggs, woot, and finished muppet christmas carol. For two hours that morning, I also skyped with my family, which included my brother Kaiden serving his mission in Lima Peru! It was so amazing to see him! He looked so good. 

After skyping, we left to go meet Jim and Kate for scuba diving!

This scuba trip was by far the best scuba diving I have ever experienced! I wish I had the pictures, but I don't yet. We will get them later, and video! The first dive was 120 feet to a ship wreck. We saw a 6 foot sea turtle, and an eel that was just swimming around, not just hiding in a rock. I've never seen that before. Kate actually ran out of air on this dive, so she buddy system'd all the way to the top. The next dive was much more shallow. An eel bit our guide as he was looking for an octopus. Not too bad, he moved his hand just in time. We swam around and saw a lot of cool fish. Then we saw a reef shark! He was awesome. And finally, we were playing with a little octopus, and he decided my face looked nice, so he latched onto my face over my goggles! I was looking straight into the middle of the octopus kinda freaking out... Cole continued to role film... and then I calmed down, and the guide took me to the ocean floor where I laid down and the frightened little octopus swam away for safety. 

After diving, we were starving. So I went and bought a little tourist dress so we didn't have to go home. We met up with Brenden and Julie, and the 6 of us went out for all you can eat seafood. Best idea of my life. Thanks for coming up with it Jim :)

After eating seafood, we were supposed to go to Les Miserables, but we'd missed the current show, and another one didn't start until 10:30. So instead, we went dancing. We were the only people there! Of course. But we paid the DJ to play eighties music all night. It was definitely a good Christmas.

This morning I went and got a package my mom had sent. She was so cute to send us a bunch of things for Christmas: another gingerbread house, sugar cookie cutters and recipe, pajamas, a Christmas decoration (mirror with tree and Merry Christmas in a bunch of languages), and stockings filled with candy. Cole also got a gift card to go get some tools, and I got money to go buy some paint. Thanks mom!!

Last night, the Smith family did their annual exchange. Truman had me, and sent me this cute card:

Adrienne picked out some sweet hair product for me. Which I love!

All in all, it was a wonderful Christmas and Cole and I have been really blessed.

Day 45

I can't believe it's December already! Number one, because it came so fast. I think this year has gone faster than any other year I can remember, and a lot has happened! I can't believe just last year at this time, Cole and I were getting engaged.

Number two, because it's still bathing suit weather outside.

A lot has happened in the last couple of weeks. Cole started his job at Vivint Solar. He's really happy, but he's working 10-14 hours a day, 6 days a week.

This is Cole's first panel that he helped install:

His first week though, was Thanksgiving, which means he only worked 4 days that week. Thanksgiving was a lot more eventful than we thought it would be! We were invited to have Thanksgiving with Danny Anderson's cousin Tori and her family. I woke up kinda sad that we weren't with anyone! But we went to beach, and then came home to make the best green bean casserole ever. It's cheese and bacon instead of mushroom. And don't worry, I didn't forget the french onions on top! It's going to be a must have for Thanksgiving's to come! That was the important part. I wanted to make sure we did something that would make the tradition list. So a recipe for a new dish was what is going to last. Dinner with the Sessions was excellent. All of the traditional fixings, complete with pumpkin and pecan pie. My two favs :)

Cole and I wake up at 6 every day so he can get to work by 6:30. On the way, one particular day two weeks ago, Cole needed to stop at Don Quijote (the grocery store around the corner. I love this store! It's kinda like a super walmart would be if it was created by asian people). So we stopped, and as I was sitting (stopped) letting Cole out of the car, a little old lady from the handicapped spot backed right up into me. Sigh.

The good news, we got almost as much as the car cost for this little ding from the lady's insurance company. So, not a total loss!

I've been running around like a crazy person since Cole is working so much, trying to tie up all the loose ends that moving has left us with. Almost done! Fingers crossed. I did have to add one more item to the list today when on our way home last night, Cole and I blew a tire:

Other than working a ton, having some car issues, Cole and I have found time to play! We go to the beach every Sunday. I'm trying to learn to boogie board (not going well) and Cole is surfing. He's also getting into kiteboarding, which is pretty awesome.

Oh! In order to make our house feel more like home, Cole and I made homemade ornaments from gingerbread. They are chubby little guys who only look decent from far away. But I strung them up all over the living room with some candy canes and ribbon, and with some stockings and poinsettias, this place is looking a little festive. We still are going to make gingerbread houses and we are making each other Christmas gifts this year.

I promise to get better about taking pictures! I've missed a ton, and I know because I don't have the pictures that I'm forgetting some very funny things.