Merry Christmas 2025

 

It's hard to believe it has been almost a year since our first family vacation in Hawaii. It was definitely a highlight for all of us for 2025. I am so grateful my family humors me with a few family photo ops here and there. It means so much to me having us all together. As the kids grow we seems to take less and less pictures and they seem to change so fast. Each year goes by more quickly than the last and even the kids have noticed this as they age.

In most other ways the year has been a typical year. Most days we count our blessings and we try to do this in good times and through the struggles. It is getting more challenging to write an annual Christmas letter as the kids grow up and are beginning to write their own stories. Our stories overlap but they are not always mine to share.

In that regard I will keep this years letter short and sweet. We reflect on 2025 with LOVE and look forward to 2026 in HOPE. We are thankful for our family and friends and we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Love,

the Neufelds

Badminton

 Our Badminton Club hosts the best tournaments, Christmas Parties and Year Ends. Yesterday was the year end Pizza Party and Family night and it was an extra special one for us this year. Rebekah received an award for most improved girl 12 and under and Angeline received most improved girl for 18 and under. Afterwards we all played a few games and it was a lot of fun. The picture of Josh is from the tournament in January. Samara is also continuing to play well. She didn't attend the tournament this year because it was the day after we got back from Hawaii.

Angeline Sweet Sixteen

Twelve years ago Angeline had her first tea party themed birthday. Earlier this month she celebrated her 16th in the same way. I don't think she has had a tea party every single year, but it has been a popular choice. Along with Sweet Sixteen came the milestone of getting a Learners Licence which you can tell from the pictures she was "over the moon" excited about. I haven't had the privilege of driving with her yet, but I am looking forward to it.

Angeline has had a lot of adventures this last year. She continues to enjoy badminton, and also picked up curling again this year. She experienced her first time on an airplane and tried surfing for the first time. 

Angeline, I love how you always have a project on the go and how you have an adventurous spirit for trying new things. You don't let a fear of falling get in the way of trying, and because of this, you have grown a resilience to getting back up again and again. I look forward to another year of your adventures, to coming along side for some, and to cheering you on from the sidelines for others. Have a wonderful year being 16!

                                                      Some adventures from this year

  

Angeline's 1st Year

                       Some Angeline Adventures

              Flower Girl 2013 (almost 4)

Day 14- the last day

 This morning we went on a hike to the pill boxes from WWII up Kawi'a Ridge. It was quite the climb but not more challenging than the lookout, maybe a bit more technical in some places. So glad we went. Fun side note, I got to speak french today with one of the other hikers that was looking for the easiest way onto one of the pill boxes. Samara was with me and she thought it was pretty neat. 

It is our last day in Hawaii.... we fly out just before midnight and we had one more thing to check off our list (actually David's list) which was to buy and try a coconut. The water was sweet inside (which we knew from Moana but had never tried first hand prior to today).

The waves were the biggest they have been so it was nice to enjoy them. Bekah managed to loose our favourite snorkel mask but I was glad it was the mask and not my bottoms!

Not looking forward to another flight (or a night one at that) but it has been a great vacation and we are ready to be home.

Mahalo Mom and Dad Neufeld for helping make this vacation a reality. Mahalo to my amazing sister for taking care of the fur babies and holding down the fort while we were away.

                                                                               Samara

Day 13 Ohana (Family) Photos

Day 12 Honolulu Zoo

We visited the Honolulu Zoo today. I'm so glad we did! It's been ages since we have been to a zoo and a lot of the kids don't remember going to the Abbotsford Zoo. Seeing the elephants give themselves a dust bath was a highlight. We also just happened to view the cheetah sit up and stretch his neck and look around... very regal! Once he lay back down again he was out of sight. The giraffes were majestic... the lemurs were adorable, all snuggled up in a bunch. The birds were beautiful. We also saw an Axolotl (which I thought was a fantasy animal, so I was quite shocked they were real). It was pink and just as adorable as the stuffies! I highly recommend visiting Honolulu Zoo if you are ever here on vacation. 

Only 2 more sleeps until we leave for Vancouver. Sleep number 3 will be on a midnight flight (hopefully sleeping).

Day 11- Manoa Falls Trail

 

We started the day with a hike on the Manoa Falls Trail. It was a bit anticlimactic when we finally reached the 150-foot falls, and it was more of a trickle, but it was still a sight to behold. The Manoa waterfall was featured in Jurassic Park. Every time we drive somewhere we see the dense Hawaii forests so it was really neat to be in it. The first thing we noticed were all the sounds. I think it was mostly birds… we did spot a cockatoo way up high in a tree. The photos do not do it justice but I will share some anyway. The yellow flowers and the photos of Bekah and David are from later today. We didn’t get into the ocean but we did go for a walk on the beach and the kids had lots of pool time.

Day 10 Church & Market

 This morning we went to a farmers market before heading to church at Kailua Baptist. The market was neat but like all things in Hawaii it was expensive. It would have been fun to get breakfast there but we had already eaten so we opted for some german pretzels (I can't resist a bread pretzel).

The church service was nice and the people were very welcoming. It is always interesting to see what other churches are doing. There was a corporate confession which I would add to every worship gathering if I was in the position to do so. The service was all outlined in a printed booklet with helpful hints that I appreciated as a visitor. They noted that most people received the benediction with open palms... just things you wouldn't know if you didn't regularly attend.

After church we made some lunch and then headed to the beach for some more body surfing. I didn't last long... (my abs have been sore, I think it might be from the beach walking/running but I could really feel it in the waves).

Next we visited "Book Ends" which we thought might be similar to a chapters but it turned out to be a used book store. I have a confession... I don't like used book stores. I'm sorry... I hope we can still be friends. It's just messy and smelly and hard to find things. I know many people who would love to spend hours getting lost in a used book store... to me the thought just evokes panic.

There was a Donut King right next door so we picked up a dozen donuts for dessert and played the donut game (everyone is assigned a card number... in this case Ace through Jack and when your card comes up you pick a donut... we go youngest to oldest so Naomi is usually the ace unless we are playing with my niece or nephews).

Everyone has gone to bed early because we are waking up early to do a hike.

Day 9 Makapu'u Lighthouse Walk

 

This morning started with a 3.6 km beach run before sunrise. The rest of the crew was out of the house early too so we could take in the sights of the lighthouse walk. We did get to see some whales surfacing and spouting in the distance.

After lunch it was back to the beach. The boys had a red crested cardinal visit them in their room. We did some shopping at Target. After dinner we watched Moana (Naomi's pick). And somehow everyone managed to be in bed around 8:30pm. I think we were all exhausted from the morning walk and another day at the beach.

Day 8- More Snorkelling in Lanikai

 This morning Jonathan and I went back to Lanikai Beach to do some more snorkeling with Samara and Rebekah. This beach is close by but you can't park near it so Jonathan had to drop us off and then walk. I would love to squeeze another morning in here if we can. I like snorkeling where it is not very deep and this beach is perfect. I saw some beautiful yellow fish but I accidentally switched off video and it didn't turn out. The collage is screenshots from the underwater video I was taking because that seems to work better than taking underwater photos. I just use a waterproof cell phone bag which works pretty good.

After lunch we had some beach time and everyone just had some quiet time in the afternoon. I finished my audiobook "Where the Crawdads Sing." Since we hit the half way mark yesterday I am feeling a bit of pressure to try to see as much as we can see, also we might not be able to be in the ocean for the last few days here because of potential jelly fish. Definitely slowing down on the picture taking. We did feed some birds this morning and I will share a picture of one of the wild roosters that has been hanging around (there are wild roosters and chickens EVERYWHERE).

(*Turns out the Jelly Fish issue wasn't an issue on the side of the Island we were staying on).

Day 7 Hawaii Half Way

 

The sunrise was exceptional this morning. There was almost no wind compared to other mornings. Jonathan and I, David and Joshua went out in the kayaks. We just had to get over the first few waves and then it was smoother sailing. The sensation of the swells wasn't for everyone. David decided once was enough. Coming back in was challenging. We laughed when the boys capsized thinking we were going to do so much better but we also were tossed into the sea on the first big wave near the shore. It was fun before we went overboard.

Other than the kayak adventure it was a typical relaxing day of pool and ocean... ocean and pool. Other than the sunrise I didn't take many pictures today. Sometimes its nice to have a vacation from picture taking too. 😁

As of today we have had seven days in Hawaii and we have seven more days to go. I feel like we are going to blink and it will be over. The first week has certainly gone by fast. So thankful for the time we have had so far to relax, explore, and soak up some sun. 

Day 6 Shave Ice & Hula

 

This morning was a relaxing one. In the afternoon we headed back into Wikiki for some Hawaiian Shave Ice and a Hula Show at the Shopping Centre. Joshua seems to have swimmers ear so amidst the business and fun we are trying to get him feeling better. Hoping he feels better in the morning or we will be navigating a trip to the clinic. Poor guy!