I Love You, California!

Monday and Tuesday were a pair of rainy days. Monday we joined Will and his colleagues for pizza Downtown, and Tuesday I made dinner at home. We were so happy that Wednesday cleared up enough for the sunset sail that Will and I planned! It was pretty windy out there but we really enjoyed being out on the water and seeing the city from a different perspective.

On the must-do list was showing Jim and Hawley where we work. On a chilly, rainy morning we stopped by KS to show them my school then continued on our way to the North Shore. Before we went up to the field we stopped at Coffee Gallery, one of our favorite spots for some coffee and muffins. Then we showed Jim and Hawley the trees! The field is looking good! We had lunch at Cholo's and meandered around Haleiwa town, stopping in at shops and galleries for the rest of the afternoon. Dinner was leftovers at home and then it was time to get ready for the work week.

One might think that living on an island would mean that after a time you run out of things to do, but our to-do list usually keeps growing rather than shrinking! One thing that has been on our list for a long time was the Dorris Duke House - Shangri - La. Dorris Duke became fascinated with Islamic art in the late 30s and after buying a home on Oahu she decided she would create the entire house using materials from the Middle East. It is filled with tiles, furniture, textiles, and other collectibles that she collected on her travels. Unfortunately we weren't able to take pictures inside, but that just means you will have to visit and go see it with us! We were able to get a nice picture on the lawn. After our tour we stopped home for some leftovers for lunch and changed to get ready for the beach! We took one of the windiest drives ever along the East side of the island to do a little windy sightseeing before we stopped at Lanikai Beach. We went for a little dip and then wen...

Will's parents arrived on Thanksgiving! We were so excited to have them here! Not only was it their first time to Hawai`i but it was the first time Will and I hosted Thanksgiving at our home. On Thanksgiving Day Will made us pesto for dinner. But Friday was when we enjoyed our big Thanksgiving feast. We slept in before we cooked our day away.  Will was so proud to make his first turkey. I order it at Whole Foods a few weeks ago, picked it up on Monday, and will started the preparations Thursday afternoon. He brined it and baked it to perfection. I spent Thursday baking a pie that had far too many steps! I will go back to my more simple recipe next time. At least it was delicious! We had such a wonderful day eating multiple courses, sipping yummy wine, and enjoying good company. Appetizers The main event! It was a wonderful first Thanksgiving in our Kusch household!

Our dear friends Dawn and Brody got married and we were so honored to be invited. We were also excited about the opportunity to spend a weekend on the North Shore at the Turtle Bay Resort! The resort itself is quite expensive, but on the property are many condos that some people live in, while others are operated as vacation rentals. We went with this option since it was much cheaper and allowed us to have a small kitchen as well. We spent Saturday relaxing at the condo pool. We were the only ones there most of the time! After some lunch down at the beach with some friends it was time to get ready for the big event! The wedding was just down the street about 2 miles but felt like a world away. The wedding was stunning! Enjoying the beautiful shoreline. The ceremony site with the reception tent in the background. The gorgeous bride! Pictures at sunset. We danced the night away and ended with an after party at the bar at Turtle Bay. Sunday we spent the day ...

Go Cubs Go, Go Cubs Go, Hey Chicago, what do you say, Cubs are gonna win today! woo! Yeah! After a couple heart wrenching weeks, they did it! The Cubs won the World Series! We had a great, though sometimes heart breaking, time watching them go all the way! The girls cheered with us too!