2010 The Year in Review

2010 Was most definitely a big year in our family's life. Difficult to say what was the high point of the year, Charlotte finished her Teaching degree and got a position as a High School Science Teacher at Hilo High, Hana ran the EMS 5k and came in second place, the girls went on the Alaska cruise, those who came to visit, new family members and those who left us.......but I'm getting ahead.....let's try to do this chronologically....

JANUARY

Hilo Unagi: AYSO Select season began and Todd and I formed the Hilo Girls U-14 Select Team Unagi...A great bunch of girls with great skills who formed a great bond amongst them. I would say the best and most fun team I've had the opportunity to coach

Cousins from Kona:

In January had the pleasure of meeting with my cousins Cristina and her brother Alejandro and wife Andrea for lunch here in Hilo. Alejandro and Andrea lived in Kona for several months and this was the first of several visits we had with them...

FEBRUARY

Kona Soccer

We did a couple of soccer related trips to Kona in February, some for the AYSO select season and one for the President's day soccer tournament in which I played...We of course took the chance to go and visit the cousins.....

And go to the sandy beaches on that side of the island..

Track & Field:

Sydney ran in the Big Island Intermediate School track & field competitions in Keaau and came in 1st place in the 100 mt sprint and 2nd in the 200 mt sprint.....

TSUNAMI WARNING: On the morning of Feb 27th before dawn I got a call from one of the Soccer team dads who was supposed to coach for us a game while Todd and I took a coaching course. He is a police officer and told me that he was not going to be able to coach the game, actually there was going to be no game because an evacuation order had just been issued for bayfront due to a Tsunami caused by a massive Earthquake in Chile. I immediately called our friend Ken from Hilo Guitars to let him know and then went out there to help him evacuate his store.

The tsunami was schedule to arrive to Hilo around 11:30 that morning. The evacuation went on smoothly and later that morning all the high streets facing the ocean were lined up with canopies and people were having bbq's waiting to see the tsunami....(only in Hilo). We actually went over to Ken's house to have a bbq and watch the Tsunami as well....

While the Tsunami did not cause any damage to any properties, it was quite impressive to see the water in the bay rush out and then back in as if a river.....

MARCH

Trip to Dubai. We were contacted by an engineering firm from Dubai wanting to be our representative in the Emirates and asked for us to go and have a meeting to train his people. The call was on a Monday and we were on a plane on Wednesday! talk about short notice!....

Dubai is without a doubt an interesting place....how else can one describe a futuristic city in the middle of the desert with shopping centers that have Ski (snow) valleys built inside...

The world's tallest building, and....

The world's largest musical fountain.....

Kirk Banks Soccer Trournament, Honolulu

Towards the end of March we went with the Hilo Unagi to Honolulu to participate in the AYSO Kirk Banks Tournament where select teams from all the islands play. The Big Island stole the show (at least in the U-14 Girls Division) by putting four teams in the semi-finals: Hilo Ali'i, Hilo Unagi, North Hawaii and Kona.

This team gave coach Todd and I many satisfactions, plenty of goals, good passing, solid defense...

The girls played their hearts out, unfortunately we were outplayed by North Hawaii in our semifinal. The other Hilo Team went on to win the final against them..

Visit from Nonna & Nonno

Nonna & Nonno joined us in Honolulu for Kirk Banks and then went with us to Hilo for a nice visit.

While in Honolulu we got a chance to see some sight seeing. We went to Nuunanu Pali to face the fierce winds there....

And took a long drive along the North Shore of the island....

Back in Hilo with Nonna & Nonno

APRIL

Earth Day at the Zoo. Charlotte and her Girl Scout Troop had a booth at the Earth Day celebration at the Panaewa Zoo where they gave away free seedlings (tomatoes, green onions, zucchini and others)

MAY

Brownie Troop Camping Trip

In May Charlotte planned a trip for her Brownie troop. First stop: Kona for a submarine ride!

Then up to camp Kilohana!

Brownie Dads making breakfast!

Mr Magoo!..

In May my brother and his wife had their first child : Diego Fernandez del Valle Martinez Negrete (I kid you not!)...aka Mr. Magoo!.... Welcome to the family!

EMS 5k Run

One weekend in May Hana went over to a sleepover at her friend's Ella. The next day early in the morning they called and asked if I could bring Hana her running shoes for Ella and her mom were going to run in a 5k race and Hana said she wanted to try it out..... She had never enter a distance race before, so I told her just to go at her own pace and not to worry if she didn't finish, that trying was the important thing....

Before the race with Ella......

Here she is with Ella at the starting line....

1/2 mile into the race.....

Not only did she finish the crouse, she came in 2nd place of her age group, behind her friend Ella.....

JUNE

Cruise to Alaska!

For the girls this was probably the high point of the year, not for me..... I didn't go :o(

Charlotte and the girls went to a 7 day cruise from Vancouver to Anchorage with her family (Aunts Sharon and Joyce, Uncle Pete, cousins Missy & Kiki and niece Gillian).

They had fancy meals...

Went swimming on the ship's pool (the only ones crazy enough to get in the water)

dog sledding...

zip lining......

sight seeing...

And much more....

JULY

Friends from Tucson

Our friend Rick from Tucson and his son Sage (Syd's age) and daughter Teal (Hana's age) came to visit for a week.

They stayed with us and we went several places. One of the places we went with them and the Chrysostomous was on a hike down to Pololu Valley, very cool!

on the way back at Waimea to give our guests some shave ice....

AUGUST

Trip to Mexico. A new customer in Mexico required several trips this year, August was the first one. Every time food was one of the top priorities!

Also visiting family....

Sept-Oct not much must've happened these two months because I couldn't find any pictures...

NOVEMBER

Xmas Day Parade

This year Charlotte paraded with the Brownie troop...

While Sydney went with the School band!

DECEMBER

Is still going, Sydney played in several Xmas band concerts with the school band, Hana made Good Citizen of the month in school, and for me, the highlight of the year, the backpacking trip to Waimanu (see previous post).

For the holidays we're planning a 3-day Eat-stravaganza:

Day 1: Xmas Eve at our house with our good friend Pat and Daughter Laurie

Day 2: Xmas Day at the Chrisostomous

Day 3: Tamal feast at Fran'n Jim's.....

Christmas Eve Dinner Menu:

Prime Rib (grilled)

Mashed Potatoes

Green Beans & Carrots

Beet Salad

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pine Nuts

Blue Berry Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream......

Merry Christmas - Mele Kalikimaka - Feliz Navidad to all!......