Boston's Vegas Tournament

Right of the heels of our Hawaii trip we headed out once again the following weekend for Vegas for Boston's soccer tournament.  We planned on taking the whole family, but Ethan had already missed his first two football games because of Hawaii, and he didn't want to miss another.  We arranged last minute  for a ride to his game, and the Hawkins offered to watch him.  Of course, Sophia saw her chance to spend all weekend with Reese, so she asked if she could stay as well.  Tirza was great enough to take both, and so it became a trip with just the big kids.  It was kind of nice to take a trip with just the two of them.  Not because we didn't want all of them, but it gave us more time to spend with the older two.   We got into Vegas around 8 on Friday night, and immediately hit the strip.  We parked at one of the Casino garages and was shocked at what was going on in the casino.  Times have changed.  There were half naked girls dancing up on the bar tops.  We were covering Boston's eyes and quickly got them out of there.  Boston's reaction was "EWWW" with some laughter....so glad that is the stage where he is at right now, because it could have been a much worse experience.  Aubrie was just disgusted and confused as to why any girl would to that.  We walked a bit of the strip with them, and landed at Hard Rock for dinner.  The service was AWFUL, and definitely gave us a story to talk about!  It took so long that it left us no time to go to the M&M store or ride the coaster.  We told them we would hit it Saturday.   

Saturday morning was our first game, and my alarm did not go off.  I woke up 10 minutes before we were suppose to be there for warm ups.  Boston threw his clothes on and Ben took him to the fields while Aubrie and I got ready.  Boston team played a great game and won.  After their win it was time to eat, since we missed breakfast.   We found this great Pancake House, Baby Stacks Cafe.  I got the Red Velvet pancakes pictured below.  Ben Got Orange Cream, and Aubrie got the Banana Fosters...the best of all three. Boston got French Toast...Shocker.  We told the team about this place and we all tried going the following morning, but the wait was way to long! 

 Our second game was later that day, so we had a huge chunk of time to do what we wanted.  They boys were not allowed to swim, coaches orders, so we hit the outlet mall.  Aubrie was on a mission to find shorts, which she never did, and Ben and the boys made out big time at the Hurley store.   The second game was on the windy side.  We played a team from Utah who was very good, and the boys left with their heads hung low with a score of 4-1.   That didn't keep them from having a great time in the hotel pool that night.  The boys swam while the adults talked.  Before we knew it, it was late and we didn't have time to take the kids to the strip for the New York roller coaster.  They were bummed, but I had no desire to go there in the first place.  That coaster is the worst....it throws your neck all around, and super bumpy.  I'm sure they wouldn't have noticed though.
The following morning we had one more game before the championship.  The weather was FREEZING, and the parents were all laying on the ground to keep out of the wind.   Everyone thought for sure it was going to rain, and some parents went to their cars for refuge from the cold.  Luckily it warmed up a bit by the time their game started, but the wind was really bad.   The other team had the wind in their favor the first half, and we were able to keep them from scoring.  The second half we were doing well, and the other team got a red card, so we were one player up and crushed them.  That took us to the Championship to play the Utah team again.  They were a really good team, and so the boys knew it was time to give it all they had.  In between games, we got some lunch, and drove by my old house.  It was sad to see it so run down and different. The pulled out all the front landscape and put in concrete....so ugly.   It was such a beautiful house when we lived there.  It was one of the more expensive, custom neighborhoods, and now it is the GHETTO!   It's always fun to check out the places I lived.  The kids couldn't believe I lived here once.  LOL

The Championship game the boys played hard!   It was a shut out game until the last 5 minutes, and then the other team got a goal.   It was a let down, but they also realized how much better they did.  The Utah team thought they had it in the bag, and they only got one goal on us.  

 This is my favorite picture of the trip.  The boys praying afterward.     I guess they had fun, because this is what it looked like on the way home!

Hawaii 2014

Well as  you can tell we can't stay away.  One year at the Marriott Ko Olina Resort and we are hooked.  The Resort is in a nicer part of the island only grouped with a few of the finest Resorts, and the calming man made coves are a great place to relax.  Every year we consider a new island, but we always resort back to this one.  The Resort has become home, feeling like we had just left upon our return.  It's familiar, and our family likes familiar.  We like returning to things we enjoy and feeling comfortable wherever we go.  Traditions are big with us, and this place has become a tradition.  Of course, we fooled the kids into thinking this tradition would not happen this year.  We complained the tickets were too expensive, which they were on the airline we normally take to Hawaii, but I was able to find some reasonable prices with a competitor.  However, we didn't share that information with the kids.  We went with the story that Hawaii would not be happening.  Aubrie started cluing in the night before we left, when I was having everyone gather all their liquids in one Ziploc bag,  and she started putting two and two together as she noticed that we were taking the same amount of luggage we always take with us to Hawaii.  I tried throwing them off by having them only pack four outfits.  And when she insisted we were going I reminded her that we weren't packing enough, and that she was making us feel bad that we could only take them to California.  The next morning as we were driving under the tunnel by 7th street Aubrie knew we were going to the airport.  They were thrown off that our flight was on a different airline and the tickets destination was LA.  When we got to LA instead of going to baggage claim we ended up at the gate for Hawaii.  They were all very excited, but of course kept saying "Oh, I knew it all along!"  

This year was super relaxing.  The first year we wanted  to take the kids everywhere, the second time we felt like we needed to take the McGees everywhere.  This year we weren't slaves to schedules and didn't feel like we had to be anywhere.  We  just did things that seemed fun to us at the time. It was great!  It allowed for things like running early in the morning with Boston along the beach and seeing a seal,  exploring the Disney Resort,  Sophia being able to feed the fish and enjoy Resort activities like the Mermaid reading, and going up to the third floor for ping pong and pool.  My most favorite thing was just being able to relax in the lounge chair not feeling like we needed to be anywhere.  I also enjoyed our lazy nights playing card games and watching TV.  There were only a few things we were committed to.  We found out the day before we left that some friends of ours from the ward, the Snows, were there also.  We already planned on church, so we met  them for church, and we ended making a day of it..walking over to the temple after church and then hanging  at the house they rented on the north shore.  It was a nice relaxing way to spend the Sabbath.   We also were able to meet up with Megan.  She is finishing her schooling there.  It was great to see her.  We took her out to Dukes one night, and then took her with us to Hanauma  Bay another day.  She had never been and it was one of the things on her Hawaii bucket list, so we were happy to be able to take her along.  Because it was such a chill trip it seemed so long.  Usually when we leave I'm longing for a few extra days.  When it was time to go this year, we all felt ready to go.  Not because we wanted to, but because we felt satisfied with the time we had there.  Eight days is a great amount of time to spend in paradise!!  I'm grateful that we have had the opportunity to make it once again.  It really is something I look the most forward to doing with my family.     

My seat buddy for leg one....still thinks we are going to California!:)

 Ben told them we were celebrating 4 birthdays and an anniversary.  This was in our room, along with champagne glasses and champagne...which obviously was never opened.  The view from our room.  Ben surprised me with an Ocean View.  LOVED it!  

First Day Spent Relaxing at the resort, and making a trip up North for Giovanni's shrimp and a Teds Bakery Pie!

Never tried the roasted corn until now.  A definite must from now on!

Something you can always count on in Hawaii, Rainbows! 

Saturday night at Dukes.  My Favorite dish, besides the dessert.  The kids love the Buffet!

Sunday at Temple square.

Time with the Snows  at North Shore

Hanauma Bay.  Windy and Rainy at first, then perfect laying out weather.  Visibility and current too strong to go beyond the reef, but Sophias first time to snorkel and see the fish....she was so excited.

Resort Activities.   They were all looking forward to another shot at the hulu hooping title.  Also we added Tahitian dancing this year.  That was fun!  Aubrie wouldn't let a boot keep her down!

                                                     This kid does not work out! Jealous!

Boston Hawaii selfie!

Kumon goes with us everywhere!

Fish Feeding!  She also got to feed some in the coves...that was an early 7:30 wake up call!:)

Dole Plantation. A long trip just for ice cream.  Of course we didn't get out of there without opening a few oysters!

Haleiwa.  A little shopping this time.  They have the best Quicksilver store there!

Second to Last day spent at the resort!

Sophia getting a little cash for her singing in Waikiki.

Last snow cone on the last day in paradise.  The worker gave us each a free snow cone, since he knew us so well by the end of the trip.  All the workers new us by name between checking out basket and volleyballs for the pool, and ordering endless amounts of shaved ice...the only place we got them on the island this time. We all agree  Marriots are the best on the island! 

This is what I have to leave:(

Getting ready for our first Red Eye!

What our family does with a 4:30 am layover in San Francisco!