Today we had Mia's First Birthday Celebration. Yes, it's a bit late, but we wanted to hold off on a party until Matt was home and then we decided to have a joint birthday with Abby and Gavin since the holiday season was so packed. We held it at the Coconut Plantation Pool (thanks Martins) so we all got to be outside and had plenty of fun. The party was the Hungry Caterpillar theme and it was lots of fun organizing it. Plus we got to celebrate Mia's birthday with close friends.

And here is the funny outake family pic. Daddy and Mia chowing downThe birthday cake:

And all the birthday kids together:
Mia got a little excited about the candles:
Mia also got her own little cake but she was very conservative with her cake eating. She didn't exactly "go to town" like normal one year olds. She was quite dainty about her eating.

So the time has come for our annual Girls' Night Christmas Party. Tanya hosted in her gorgeous new home (an my temporary home) and once again, we had an all out crazy time. We had a night of many surprises (pregnancies, gifts, shoes and shapes -in no particular order). It was definitely bittersweet since this will be my last Girls' Night Christmas party, but it was a blast nonetheless. Jaimi, once again, was an amazing Secret Santa!

Lots of funny faces
Me, Steph and Katie

Our time with Santa

We went to a holiday fair at our friends' school and Santa was there. I thought it would be a good idea, but I guess not.

Night out for the adults!!

We used to be a group that went out every week, now with kids, we are lucky just to get out sans kids (not that we don't love them immensely, but...). We decided to get babysitters and party a bit. We started at PF Changs, chatted and then hit up some bars. There was a Jenn and Matt Q and A game to see how much our friends knew about us. Fun times. Definitely going to miss this bunch! Can't wait to come back, visit and "check out our rental" (all for tax purposes, of course)

Family Christmas Photos

Our Hawaii Ohana got together for a collective and then individual family Christmas pictures. It was definitely sad to think that this is the last year we will have Hawaiian scenery for the back drop of our Christmas cards, but always fun to get together with friends.
Here's a photo that didn't make it into our Christmas card this year...

Them be fighting words

My family has some weird phrases that Makaela has picked up on and now uses with Matt. One is "bachagaloop" (not sure if anyone knows how it's spelled) and "knucklehead". Well what do "knuckleheads" eat? Knuck-sandwiches, of course! Here is Makaela threatening to give Matt a "muckle-sandwich".

Mia's New Shoes

Mia has started walking so I thought it was time to try her out in some shoes. She had an interesting time getting used to them.