Maui 2013

We have been home for three full days after two glorious weeks in Maui for our annual sun vacation.  I keep meaning to upload my pictures and post to my blog but have so been enjoying these precious few days together all relaxed and without a schedule.  It's been lovely and surprisingly productive as I've been straightening up and doing some new year's cleaning around the house after a very hectic fall!

Maui is always such a perfect vacation.  There are a million things that I love about it.  I find myself often daydreaming about it during the year, the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore, the smell of the air all heavy and humid, the birds chirping early in the morning and beautiful flowers blooming everywhere you look.

Here are a few highlights from our time away because pictures can always tell a way better story than I can:

Beach time...hours and hours of our day was spent lounging on the beach in the sun.  Sheer perfection!

Our complex was completely decked out for Christmas, they even had giant ornaments hanging in all the trees, Sydney thought it was so cool!

I brought a kite with us for Sydney to use and we spent many a windy afternoon in the park flying it, it was terrific!

We always enjoy a trip to the Maui Ocean Centre, this year we got a weekly pass and went a few times.

 I just love the flowers in Hawaii, Bird of Paradise and Hibiscus are two of my favourites!

Sydney and I are always on the hunt for sea glass on the beach to add to my sister's collection.  We were amazed to see this huge pile that a lady had collected at a craft fair.  She takes the glass and makes beautiful pieces of jewellery to sell.  I got myself a gorgeous pair of light blue sea glass earrings, love them!

Syd spent many an afternoon bobbing around the swimming pool.

Took a little afternoon trip to Lahaina, even discovered some newly opened factory outlets there!  Just when I thought I couldn't love Maui any more....

We spent a day with our friends Ryan, Christina and Jack in Kapalua.  Syd and Jack had so much fun playing together on the beach. It was so cute to see how excited they were to see each other!

Syd loved collecting flowers everyday on our morning walk and making bouquets for us.

Just loved that she wanted to take her Abby Caddaby doll for walks in the little stroller.

Sunset is one of our favourite times of day...

Syd would often do her yoga, a complete sun salutation while we were watching the sun set.

And Mommy and Daddy would enjoy a glass of wine.

Sydney's passion on the beach this year was collecting treasures, shells, coral and sea glass.  Everyday she would fill a pail with things and bring them home to rinse off and lay out to dry.

More fun times in the park playing soccer with Daddy.

Love this shot of her pensively looking at the water during sunset while perched on the lava rocks high above the ocean. 

We always love connecting with nature while we're there.  This year we saw tons of Humpback whales jumping and breaching in the water and a turtle swam right by Paul and Syd while they were in the ocean, it was magical!

We are soaking up a few days together at home before life resumes to normal next week, loving the slow and easy moments that our post-holiday time brings!