It's been way too many years since the family has been to Hawaii, so we've made a last minute decision to go for a week right before Christmas. Sitting for over five hours on a plane is a piece of cake when you're heading to a place like the Big Island.

Paradise has been waiting for us here at the Mauna Lani hotel. Birds, flowers, and a lovely fruit place are waiting as well.

A quick tour of the hotel grounds to bring back the old Hawaii memories, and get us ready for a great week of relaxation and fun.

Charlotte and I have been dreaming of having a chi-chi by the beach again after so many years. They're as good as I remembered.

Sunset in Hawaii with the turtles and palm trees is just perfection. The torch lighting ceremony closes out the first night of our vacation. Yeah baby.