...Maui

The Hufford girls arrive at the airport and received flower leis while waiting for their luggage.

Emily enjoyed playing the ukelele in our condo.

We ate an entire pineapple our first morning on Maui.

Laura and some flowers.  They were everywhere.

Emily loved visiting the beach near our condo.

If you look closely at this sign you can see there was quite a contrast between the weather on Maui and Anchorage.

Back in February it was dark and cold in Alaska...and it had been that way for a long time.  So, one night at dinner I blurted out that we should all go to Hawaii for Christmas and invite our families from California and Montana to meet us there.  I remember there was was a stunned silence and blank stares for a moment before the Hufford girls erupted with joy, laughter, and disbelief.  I remember one of them saying:  "Really?  You mean it?  Really?"

So, for about ten months we planned and dreamed of Maui.  We talked with people who had been there, searched the web for information, and made our reservations for condos, tours, and luaus.  We wanted to spend time on the beach, watch the sunrise from atop Haleakala and then ride bikes down its flanks, see a luau, snorkel with sea turtles, eat dinners out, and drive the road to Hana.  Essentially, we put as much as we could into a six night stay.  It was quite the trip.

Of course, it would be difficult to put all the photos and details into one blog entry.  Too much happened for a single sitting.  So, if you're interested, check back often for updates of our trip to...Maui