So, when I first arrived in Oahu, I didn`t know what to do with myself. After going along at what seemed like a break neck speed, I found myself with nothing to do! We had spent most of the month of December attending appointments, packing, purging, packing some more, doing some chores around the house, packing and taking care of all the last minute details to wrap up our lives in Sherwood Park for a year.

Going for a walk

We celebrated Christmas with my family in Gull Lake. Both of my siblings, their spouses and children stayed at my parent`s house which made for a busy, often loud, weekend, but it was great! I felt like we had a Christmas. The kids opened presents, had stockings to look through in the morning, we ate great the whole weekend and it was good to spend quality family time together. The weather was cold, but we still enjoyed being outside, going for a walks and shoveling snow with all the kids in tow. It felt like Christmas.

When we arrived in O`ahu, there were people who had strung Christmas lights off their balconies, there was a decorated tree in the church we attended for a Christmas Eve service, but Hawaii does not feel like Christmas to me. Driving from the airport with the windows down and that moist, tropical air blowing in your face, it does not feel like December and you quickly shed a few layers of clothing.

After being so busy in Sherwood Park, it took me almost a week to find my groove. I felt restless, I had a hard time sitting still and I would flit from one little task to another. I would put in a load of laundry, I would tidy up the boy`s room, I would wipe down the kitchen counters one last time. I felt guilty sitting still, doing nothing.

Paddle boarding for the first time

R&L Paddling in Haleiwa Harbor

Now, after almost two weeks here, I have found my groove. I try to sleep in, which is difficult, because I hear pitter-patter upstairs or I hear my kids. We eat breakfast and then decide what to do for the day. We pack a bag of snacks and water bottles and then we head out somewhere. Maybe we should go to Haleiwa and do some shopping, find a nice beach and park there for a few hours or go stand up paddle boarding.

James at pipeline

Matty at pipeline

I realize that this will be a little slice of our life in the Bahamas. There will be chores and little boat jobs to take care of as well. The boy`s schooling will probably take place in the morning but then we will have the afternoon to play! I am sure it will take some time to find our groove on the boat as well. I also know there will be some growing pains as we all learn to live our lives on a 39 foot floating house.

L