Halloween #1

We have three different Halloween events this weekend and kicked the festivities off today with a trick-or-treating playgroup. I took a few pictures of Woody and Buzz before we went in to join the madness.

"Hi!"

Checking out their cool accessories...

Ben shooting his priceless fake pistol at me. This is the one that was discovered in our checked baggage in Hong Kong on our trip back from Texas and took a few years off my life when the police escorted me into a van to locate and identify my weapon. But they let me keep it!

Posing with Wilder, Becca, and Austin. Alex's wings had to go a while later because he was knocking everyone in the head, although no one else seemed to mind.

Cupcakes, anyone?

Since I plan for the kids to wear the same costumes all weekend, we're going to have to avoid chocolate icing! Buzz definitely needed a good wash at home.

Ben also saw the ophthalmologist this morning and he was very pleased to see that the vision in Ben's lazy eye has improved with the use of his patch. It hasn't increased tremendously, but at our last visit several months ago, Ben couldn't even identify the first big picture using only his left eye. This time he made it through several successively smaller pictures before he started complaining that he couldn't see them. Great, great news. The downside is that the muscles don't seem to have tightened at all so we're probably looking at surgery next year to fix the turn of his eye, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there. And hopefully in Houston.

Last Days in Fiji

We decided to take Kevu up on the "waterfall adventure" and had no idea what an adventure it would be. The owner, Donna, drove us out to the main road with Suzann and Mark where we waited for the local bus in an interesting shelter.

The buses were really clean and nice and people all said hello to us.

It was a pretty ride taking us about half an hour down the coast.

One little guy was asleep about 30 seconds into the journey. It looks like I'm choking him but I was just keeping that big head from rolling around while the bus made turns.

We got off the bus at the airport, which was weird because there were no runways or planes. I should have asked how it got the name.

We hopped into another van and drove up a narrow, winding road to another village.

Inside the community hall we looked at some of the local handicrafts for sale, then hit the trail for the 30-minute hike to the waterfall.

Again, we got to take turns with the excess baggage. Ben was actually running a fever that day so I didn't make him walk much at all and he still managed to have a good time despite not feeling well.

At the very end we crossed a little bridge that probably took a year off my life. Not the sturdiest thing I've ever put all my weight on.

It was definitely worth the walk to enjoy the sight.

We were feeling pretty hot after the walk so the cold water was very inviting.

Bula!

The toilet facilities which thankfully we didn't need to use.


We reversed our path and rode a van back out to the main road and got popsicles at the airport while waiting for the bus. Any idea what color Alex chose?

Both boys conked out on the bus ride again.

When we got off the bus at our stop, Kevu's cell phone wasn't working so we had to walk back to the village to call Donna for a ride. Turns out Donna and Brian went out for Brian's birthday, got drunk at lunch, and bought a boat so they were still gone. Instead, they sent a resort boat over to the village to pick us up.

While we were sitting in the village, a man happened to walk by with a lobster he'd just caught and he was planning to sell it on the roadside. We'd seen several fishermen doing the same thing that day during our bus ride so we had no qualms buying it directly off him. For just $15 USD we bought this monster and took it directly to the chef at the resort when we got back.

Yum!!! The chef cooked it up with some creamy cheese sauce and it was divine. We shared it with Suzann and Chris and still couldn't manage to finish it off.

Happy faces with full tummies!

Finally, our trip to paradise had to come to an end and we reluctantly boarded the plane out. It was 5 1/2 hours to Melbourne and another 3 1/2 to Perth.

We successfully managed a trip without a stroller because Mr. Independent wanted to pull his suitcase everywhere and just the threat of having it taken away made him completely obedient.

We saw some gorgeous scenery on our way out.


A very unhappy little face after naptime!

The pilots invited the kids up in the cockpit in Perth and Ben was so overwhelmed that he didn't ask a single question. From the kid that can fire 100 questions an hour without even breaking a sweat.

Fiji was really an amazing adventure start to finish and a wonderful once-in-a-lifetime trip. (Of course, if we can ever manage it we'd love to go back one day!) Matt and I are so grateful that our overseas assignment has allowed us to visit places we'd only dreamed of before. It was a wonderful trip for all of us and a great time for us to get away together with no TV, no internet, and no shoes required. A great family vacation for us all.

Local Adventures

All of the Fijian people we met were SO friendly! For the most part it looks to be a very poor country but what the people lack in material wealth they more than make up for in personality and good cheer. The houses were very modest but tidy and many had carefully tended yards out front. Even the public bus was clean and the people on it welcoming.

One morning we set out with Kevu to visit his village, which is about a 30-minute walk from the resort, and I was really excited to get an up-close look at local life. We set off first along the beach and later walked along the tiny dirt road.

He was insistent we leave at low tide and I figured out why once we passed through a rocky cave that is covered at high tide.

It was a lot of work carrying the kids all the way there and back, but not as much work as these guys were doing. The first villagers we encountered were cutting down trees to build a new house and using cows to drag the logs. No tractors in these parts.

The village takes great pride in its church and nothing can have a higher roof. This one was Methodist.

This village just got electricity in the mid-90's and we saw lots of TV's and refrigerators. I really can't imagine how they managed just 15 years ago without power.

Little faces popped out of many of the doors to say hello. Everyone was very friendly and welcoming and the kids especially were excited to see us.

We visited the little preschool and made 4 new friends by handing out candy canes to everyone.

Same language or not, these kids knew what was good!

These sweet kids sang a little song for us and Ben and Alex sang Old McDonald in return.

All the kids together.

Kevu took us to his own house where we met his wife and some of her friends weaving palm fans. They also weave big palm mats and each one takes about 3 weeks to complete.

Walking home along the beach with one of the heaviest loads ever - Alex. He is total dead weight and loves to put all his weight on his packhorse's head.

One of our only family shots from the trip.

Our next lesson in local culture took place at the resort before dinner one evening during a Kava ceremony. The kava root is pounded into a fine powder and made into a drink called grog which is shared by people on all kinds of occasions, but especially when guests arrive or leave. It looks (and tastes) a lot like muddy water but has some antiseptic properties so our mouths had a nice tingle for the evening.

The whole gang - owners, guests (two other couples who arrived the same day as us), and most of the male staff.

Nina was considered the guest of honor since she and her husband Chris were the first to depart that week, so she got the honor of first drink. Each person claps his or her hands once, receives the cup and drink, then claps three times and says "Moda" before passing it back.

Matt's turn....he got a "low tide" so only a half cup. On his third round I suggested a "high tide" for him!

Lesi was laughing so hard he could barely drink. His laugh was high-pitched like a woman so everyone was rolling, which just made him laugh harder. After we'd finished the official ceremony, we all relaxed and talked until dinner started while a few of the guys played the guitars and ukulele.

This was one of our favorite things about the resort - family style dinner by the pool each night. Not to mention the fact that it was three courses of fresh, tasty food. Every night the kids were in bed (usually sleeping, sometimes playing) and we'd enjoy some adult company with the monitor nearby. Starting from the left, they were Kristi & Shawn (Aussie couple, he was there "working" on some electrical things but really surfing every day), Mark & Suzanne (across, from San Francisco), Chris & Nina (also across, and also coincidentally from San Francisco), and Matt & I.