Megan meets cousin Martin

A cute video of Megan and Baby Martin last August

You're Invited...

A funny sign we saw in Hawaii

Looks like a wet forecast between here and California!

How 'bout them RED RAIDERS!?!

YIIPPPPPEEEEE!!

Number 7 Texas Tech OUTPLAYS Number 1 University of Texas and WINS in a huge game (just over!) Despite several stupid events of fans and students who rushed the field and tore the goal post partially over before the clock went to zero! So when you have penalties because of your fans, that isn't pretty.

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It was today's ESPN feature. They actually broadcasted all of the gameday show from LUBBOCK, TX. Camping for good seats started on Wednesday. Having such a big game in such a smaller city is hard. They fed everyone camping at Raiderville for 3 days, and apparently camping was a good option, because hotel rooms were no where to be found!

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Here is the game day video link where today's special guest, BOB KNIGHT, made predictions on all the games this one! Of COURSE he predicted a Texas Tech win...! Guns up!

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And here is the ESPN roadtrip to Lubbock. I think they captured a lot of great traditions and things that I almost forgot about gameday. Here is the link to the roadtrip video!

Those of you who know us, know that we are not a sports or football household. Even Megan watched the first half, bedtime was at half time, and our household hollered and jumped up and down watching a game tonight! Yippppeeee! If you missed it and want to see it, check out the replay here on ESPN

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PS -- for those of you who might not have figured it out, we are both Red Raiders / Tech Alumni!

Happy Halloween

Here's a few photos of our little ladybug. We went trick or treating with about four families on the block. Megan was the youngest and a bit slow, so I had to carry her more than I would like. Chris stayed at our house to man the candy bowl.

When Megan got home, she kept asking me "why are you wearing pumpkin earrings?" she asked this about 8 times as I guess my answer ("It's Halloween") never satisfied her.

At almost EVERY SINGLE house we went to she would say "trick or treat" and then when all the other kids were leaving, ask every homeowner "Why do you have a pumpkin?" At about the 10th time, all of the parents in our group were laughing at Megan. Apparently the pumpkins were odd. She found a few of them SCARY and didn't like them.

At the house where I thought she would be scared (it was decorated creepy and the guy at the door had on the full costume like the movie "Scream") She walked right up to the man and asked him "What's your name?" He was a good sport, took off his mask and said "Mike!"

Pumpkin at the Pumpkin Patch

Hawaii Quick Reference

Ok. I know, I know, I posted all sorts of stuff. And then I rearranged the order to make it read easier! So I made this quick reference guide to reading all about our trip to Hawaii, post by post. This may be really more than some of you WANT (so go ahead, ignore us!)

Synopsis -- texty overview of the trip. Really the posts that I added with photos do it better justice!

Day 2 -- at the shore, out and about
Day 3 -- Pearl Harbor, resort walking
Day 4 -- North Shore, Polynesian Cultural Center
Day 5 -- Restful hotel day
Day 6 -- Visit to Marriott Vacation Club
Day 7 -- The Pineapple Plantation
Day 8 -- Boat -- Dolphins -- Snorkeling -- Swimming

Family Photos -- PCC, water, Pearl Harbor

Oahu in pictures -- Day 2

The beautiful sunrise at our hotel -- (please note the Day 2 3:45 AM wake up time!) So we were up and dressed in plenty of time to catch the 6:30 AM sunrise outside!

But SOME of us needed our coffee to keep going.

7AM was time to hit the water at the lagoon and see the fish. Megan discovered that she hates sand. That was true for the whole trips, with lots of whining to be carried on the sandy parts.


We headed into town for a second breakfast (you get hungry when you eat at 4AM) and then drove around the resort area and up the coast a bit. We went into Honolulu to get a camera filter that we needed, and saw Waikiki a little as well as some nice areas.

Megan woke up near Diamondhead crater and we took a quick stop to look around, but the trail was closed. We took in the nice view, posed for a few "vacationer" shots, and then headed back to the hotel for an early bedtime.

Honolulu, Honolulu, HONOLULU!

Oahu in pictures -- Day 3

Day 3 actually began again with a 7AM visit down to the lagoon this time to catch the actual fish feeding sponsored by the hotel. They gave us all cards showing the different tropical fish, and then we waded out to feed some small silver fish and these rather large (14 or so inches long) green ones that just swam up to shore! The guy said that they were rather new, and had only been showing up for the last month. Apparently word gets out about free food in all areas! No photos, we were all feeding!

Then we ate, packed up, and headed out to Pearl Harbor and went to the memorial for the USS Arizona. I learned something there, was that the early radar at Pearl Harbor actualy picked up the Japanese bombers. However, the operators thought it was a new fleet of aircraft that they were expecting that day, and sounded no alert. Hindsight, you know. Also, since they were more afraid of sabotage than attack, all of the aircraft were close together, wing to wing, and the battleships were also close, making the targets easier to take out.




The memorial (from the outside)

A view of the flag from below in the center of the memorial

When we finished, we went back to the hotel and spent some leisure time strolling the beach and the grounds.

I just LOVE this photo. It is the Megan Laugh captured (and note the incredibly photogenic forehead scratch). This will be followed by the black eye attained the next day at the IMAX film.

Oahu in Pictures -- Day 4

We started with a drive out to the north shore to see the waves, turtles and surfers. Please see below to see waves, turtles and surfers!

Next, we were off to the Polynesian Cultural Center. Here you could visit each of the Polynesian Villages, see typical attire and activities of early residents of those islands, and then attend a luau and show.

We started in Samoa, where they showed how the natives had to climb the trees for the coconuts (men did all the food gathering and preparation and cooking). Of course, when you see the really tall tree, maybe there is something to that! It was a fun exhibit though, as the climber and announcer really ham it up. Megan tried to play the sticks game at the next village, but mostly it just hurt (me) a lot as she wasn't so coordinated at it.

Dinner was at the luau. THey dug up the pig and served drinks. OF course, the pig was just an example, since there was no way the one would feed all 1000 of us there. Megan got a nice pineapple drink (smoothie) but she was a bit put off by the pineapple itself. Since the Polynesian Cultural Center is a family and Mormon owned location, no alcohol at the luau. So the pineapples always tasted like they were missing a little something (rum perhaps?)

Finally, we went to see the two hours evening show called Horizons. Megan watched almost all of it, and fell alseep during the finale of firedancing. She would have loved it the most!