Fjords

We boarded our boat and settled in.  Our first day was a day at sea.  K got to know the other teens on the cruise and spent a lot of time with them playing chess and watching movies. I worked out and read.

The cruise was all the beauty of the fjords.  The towns where we stopped were very, very small.  There were a few souvenir shops selling trolls and Norwegian sweaters.  I should have bought a sweater-it was so cold!  

We took a train into the mountains on our first stop in Flam.

 We had tea every afternoon on the boat.  Beautiful views!

4AM!  It never got dark.

Bergen.  The second largest city in Norway with 400,000 people.  We did the hop on, hop off tour and really enjoyed the city.  It was so cold, we walked around looking for a place to eat and ended up in Starbucks and had hot chocolate.  K enjoyed the wifi.  

Signs at Starbucks.  K was mortified that I just had to take a picture.

Copenhagen

We flew to Copenhagen and spent the night before our cruise.  K had a great time at Tivoli Gardens last summer and wanted to go back this summer.  She talked me into riding on a really scary roller coaster-my feet were dangling.  So glad I did not loose a shoe!  

There is a Wagamama at Tivoli Gardens so, of course, that is where we had dinner.  

The next day we had a wonderful lunch before our cruise.  One of the best meals of the trip!  k had some kind of potato dish.  I like how K is having a cup of coffee and I am having a glass of wine.

London Calling

We started our summer vacation in London.  I made lunch and dinner reservations and we worked other activities in around eating.

First stop was dinner at Inamo.  A Japanese restaurant with an interactive table.  This was a great way to keep things lively and keep us awake our first evening.  The food was good and we had a fun time ordering from the screen on the table.  A projector above the table projects what the food will look like and then you press the order icon.  You can also choose your table cloth, play games and watch the kitchen with the chef cam.  

Our next reservation was lunch at the National Portrait Gallery.  I love the view.  After lunch we strolled through the Victorians.

I think K ordered the meat lovers special.

And then she had the chocolate lovers special.

The next day we started out with brunch at Duck and Waffle.  Loved the view and the food was good although we did not have Duck and Waffles.  I had granola and fruit and K had eggs and bacon.

A late lunch at Wagamama.  Love how K can multi task with the chop sticks.  This was really just a ploy to get her into Harvey Nichols.

K wanted to go to the Doc Martin store on Carnaby street so after we wore ourselves out there we went to Liberty and had tea.  That is my big piece of cake!

We had dinner that night at River Cafe and I regret that I did not get any pictures.  It was a perfect evening and a perfect setting.  And even after that big piece of cake I ate a big dinner.

Our final night we ate at Tom's Kitchen and I really think I was sitting next to Lindsay Lohan-I didn't even realize she was in London.  I think she liked me because I didn't bother her.  Before dinner, we also did a fun (at least I thought so) activity called Clue Quest.  They lock you in a room and you have to solve puzzles to get out.  It was hard!

Spring Catch Up

We are enjoying having Ayano. She and K love to cook. Rice balls are their speciality!

Easter Eggs

The bunny came

K works out with my trainer now on Saturday mornings.  They kick box and I do some weights (or watch them)

Decided it was time to say good bye to our trampoline

During

More during

After-our little raised vegetable garden

K getting a Japanese lesson

Trip to Magic Kingdom-don't think K was feeling the princess love!

VIP Disney.  Only way to go, especially on a 99 degree day the day before Memorial Day.  Loved our sweet guide Monica and her trainee.

Perennial garden looking good this year.

Pool project finished but in need of landscaping!

One.  More.  Week.  Of.  School!

Hualalai

My big girl relaxing over a morning cup of coffee

Lava bed during the day-it glows at night

We toured the volcano and lava beds.  It was freezing.  We vowed never to leave the Four Season again!

Interesting lava

The lava bed glowing at night

Beautiful flowers in the lobby

This guy runs through the resort every night lighting all of the torches and blows his conch shell

We saw whales on our last night but I did not get a photo

These little monkeys fell in love with K

Tesla parked at our hotel one night

Love our turtle friends who sunned themselves every morning

K having a Bento box on the beach

We had a couple of very windy days

We miss you Hualalai!

We Won the Lottery

We have a foreign exchange student from Tokoyo and I feel like we won the lottery.  She is sweet and so much fun to have around.  K just adores her.  Here is a picture when we went out for sushi last weekend.  We went to our favorite sushi place, Umi, which I now know means sea in Japanese.  I'm probably the only person who didn't know that!  But do you know what Wagamama means?

Better With Age

I cannot believe K is 14. How did this happen? She just keeps getting better with age. Not a typical teen-thinks Facebook is a waste of time. Just finished reading War and Peace. I've lost track of how many books she has already read this year. She has become an amazing piano player this year. She continues to love art and drawing. She also has a love of languages and teaches herself different languages and is excelling in Latin at school. Happy Birthday K!