December is the month for the Crazies!

I'm not insinuating that my friend Ai (above) is crazy, just that I have included myself in the throng of people (usually women) who put way too much on their plate in December. Even though it is often daunting, I have to admit that I kind of get a rush from the craziness of it all. Here are some of the crazy things we did in the first two weeks of December:

Ai (above) is getting ready for our annual Swim Club Membership Meeting and Christmas Party. I was elected president again this year (I ran unopposed again, so I'm not tooting my own horn here), to my kids' chagrin (it means I keep up on their attendance records). We have a team event once a month, but this party is the most important. I think it went well, especially due to the fabulous catering. And of course, the photo above is the only decent photo I took all night. 

We washed all three cars in one day. 

For one of her Personal Progress projects, Ana took on the task of directing and producing the Ward's Natvity Scene this year. It was a LOT of work (especially getting all the costumes and set together) with a lot of helpers, but the kids all did a great job and it went off without a major hitch. 

She loves directing!!! I've always seen a future for her in directing (anything). 

And we got a tree! Our neighbors let us cut down one of their Norfolk/Star pines. Much better than the Christmas Stick from last year. The kids were delighted... even though the tree kept falling over at random times (Jonah is a bit of a Scrooge when it comes to Christmas trees and didn't want to be involved, so I take full responsibility for the poor set-up of the tree). 

Po and one of my greatest friends, Mary, share the same birthday (and Jamie too, but she couldn't make the trip. :) ... and lucky us, Mary and her family were here on Maui for the big day (and 9 mores days too). They rented my friend Amy's guest house and had some awesome adventures, and we had some great times hanging out, having dinner, and showing them a bit of the island, doing the crazy Bamboo Hike, and lots of beach time. Ana even got Mary up on a surfboard. 

I won't divulge her age, but she's much older than she looks! 

My kids loved getting to know Mary and Kade's two boys again (Cam and Elsie are the same age as their two boys and Cam and Kellan were friends back before they can remember in Saint George)(the photo above is of Po and Mary's Ethan, btw), but Amy's daughter Sophie and Mary's Ethan ESPECIALLY hit it off. It was pretty cute. I had to document it here in writing in case there's a future between them... 

And, finally, in those first two crazy weeks of December,
Ana and I tried to tame Po's hair. That was the craziest of all.