Whirlwind Adventure!

Venturing down to the beach to catch sunset on the day we arrived

Sorry I have taken so long to post anything!! It has been a crazy first week full of all kinds of adventures for our little family. First things first, the flights were better than I was expecting... Our itineary was SLC-San Fran (2 hrs) depart 9:30 p.m. San Fran-Taipei (16 hrs) depart at 12:05 a.m. Taipei-Bali (5.5 hrs) depart at 9:30 a.m. Arrive in Bali 2:30 p.m. Saturday the 7th. We almost had to post-pone our trip when Ben realized the day before we were supposed to be leaving that his passport was going to expire in January 2010! They won't even let you on the flight, let alone into Indonesia unless you have 6 months or more left on your passport. We were both in a panic and Ben ended up taking the first flight out in the morning to San Fran and was at the passport office when it opened to beg for a rush passport renewal so we could catch our midnight flight. Well, anyone that knows Ben knows he can talk his way into almost anything and this was no exception, he had a new passport in hand by 3:00 p.m. that day! Coco and I jumped on the SLC-San Fran flight alone and meet him at the airport. We were feeling very lucky that it all worked out. Coco stayed awake until we got on the flight in San Fran and then feel fast asleep in her car seat. It was definitely a very long 24 hours of travel but for the most part it was fine & Coco did great.

We arrived on time, with all of our luggage and most importantly our sanity! We were tired but very excited to start our adventure!

Jimbaran Bay Villa

These cute boys were surfing/body boarding on pieces of styrofoam. They were following us yelling "Hello Baby" to Coco :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

After all the snow and cold weather in October, Halloween day ended up being a gorgeous and pretty warm fall day. We took our beautiful Snow White down to the Cottonwood Club to meet up with her Witchy cousins for some Halloween fun. Without planning... Grandma Pat, Jodie, Bella, Berkley and I were all Witches! I'm not going to read into that at all! I was the Wicked Witch giving Snow White her poison apple of course! At the Cottonwood Club they put on a fun little carnival complete with games, a few bouncy houses, lunch etc. It was actually really fun, we enjoyed spending a little more time with the Buehners since they were heading back to Costa Rica the next day. We all went over to see Nanna Buehner later in the afternoon & she spoiled Coco with a few fun gifts for the holiday!

Coco carried an apple around with her ALL day!

BALI

Lapped the warm waters of the Indian Ocean, Bali is but one of 17,500 islands in the Indonesian archipelago, yet even among its colorful neighbors-and even after decades of tourism development-it stands alone in its lushness and incomparable beauty. Long, sugary beaches lead inland to hillsides terraced with jewel-green rice paddies; forests dotted with ancient temples abound. These centuries-old shrines-there are thousands scattered across the island-are evidence of Bali’s deep, enduring spirituality. For the island’s three million, mostly Hindu residents, daily routines are punctuated by prayer, blessings, and rituals-and it’s these traditions, even more than the spectacular landscapes, that make Bali such a compelling, authentic, and utterly singular destination.

Counting down the days.... 5 more to be exact!!

Growing up SOOO fast!

Coco's 1 year photo's turned out so cute! Since her birthday she has just sprouted. She is walking and talking in both english and spanish and seems to pick up a word or two a day. She is the happiest little girl and we just can't get enough of her! Sorry about posting so many pictures, I really did edit them down but there are so many cute ones and its my blog so you will just have to deal with it :)

Sundance...

4 YEARS LATER... Happy Anniversary! 10-14-09

Liquid Nation Ball

We have attended this charity event 5 of the 6 years it has been in existance. We missed it last year since Coco was born the same weekend! It is an amazing charity and was founded by the brothers that started Reef. It is always fun to mingle with the pro surfers and big wigs that turn out for the event. Thanks to our dear friends the Carlsons for watching Coco so we could attend this year!

Surf Industry Raises Record Amount of Funds for Humanitarian Organizations9/15/2009La Jolla, Calif. (September 15, 2009) – A sold-out crowd of more than 450 surf industry executives, surf stars, and VIPs gathered together on Friday, September 11, 2009, to raise an all time record amount at Liquid Nation Ball 6, the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) Humanitarian Fund’s annual fundraiser. Over the past six years, the SIMA Humanitarian Fund has raised more than $1.25 million dollars for global medical relief, urban youth outreach, injury prevention and assistance, and health education and awareness. The evening honored Flea, of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, as the SIMA Humanitarian of the Year as well as raised a record-shattering net amount of more than $270,000, which will go directly to 12 very deserving surf-related humanitarian organizations. “The huge success of this year’s Liquid Nation Ball proves the surf industry’s core values and resiliency when it comes down to reaching out for a better world,” said Fernando Aguerre, Liquid Nation Ball chairman and host. “To not only surpass our 2009 fundraising goal, but to also raise more than we ever have in this tough economic environment, is unbelievable. On behalf of the SIMA Humanitarian Fund and the 12 amazing beneficiaries, I would like to thank all of those who supported Liquid Nation Ball 6. Giving is the key to a full life.” One of the highlights of the night came during the live auction when Aguerre went to auction off Flea’s very own, one-of-a-kind, signature FLEABASS. Flea ran up on stage with his bass and rocked out to the ground in an impromptu performance for the cheering crowd. The bidding war for the bass finally peaked at $16,000. “Anything that I have ever done that is good, that is kind, you know, that is helpful, or gone out of my way to devote a lot of energy to helping other people – it’s just what you’re supposed to do,” explained Flea as he addressed the crowd after receiving his SIMA Humanitarian of the Year award. “And really, I applaud the surf industry this evening for coming together like this and using their energy for the variety of charities they support.” Flea’s Humanitarian of the Year award was presented by pro skateboarder Tony Hawk and Surfers Healing’s Izzy Paskowitz. Well-known as arguably one of the greatest rock bass players of all time, Flea is also known for making his mark on the world through his humanitarian efforts. Flea has a selfless heart, especially for children in need, as demonstrated by his active support and volunteerism for Surfer’s Healing, where he helps autistic children experience the joy and calming effects of the ocean and surfing. In addition to surf-related activities, Flea uses his love of music to benefit children. Flea co-founded the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, a non-profit music school providing scholarships and affordable music lessons to children in the community, with Keith Barry in 2001. While classmates at Bancroft Junior High School and Fairfax High School, their involvement in their schools’ music departments impacted them positively. After witnessing the decline in music education at schools, Flea and Keith decided to fill the void by establishing the Silverlake Conservatory of Music. For more information on the Silverlake Conservatory of Music, please visit www.silverlakeconservatory.com. The event, held at the ocean-front home of Aguerre where one of the world’s best private surfboard collections is located, also included a live auction of one-of-a-kind items, dancing, a silent auction sponsored by Riviera Magazine and live music. Always a highlight, the live auction featured items such as a “Portal” surfboard sculpture shaped by Greg and Jed Noll, which was auctioned off for $22,500. A private dinning experience for 10 by Zenbu Sushi was bid on so competitively, that the package was doubled creating two winners for $13,000 each. The “Evolution of Boardsports,” a compilation display of miniature boards done by master modeler Malcolm Wilson, was also a popular item on the auction floor, resulting in two packages being sold for $15,000 each. As has been the tradition for the past five years, the bidding at Liquid Nation Ball 6 concluded with Aguerre auctioning off his pants and shirt - which this year were tiger print pants and a Jean Paul Gautier velvet shirt - which he sold for the sake of humanity. In addition to money raised during the live auction, earlier that day at the ASR trade show, the Billabong Art of Shaping auctioned off boards that raised a net amount of $36,000 with proceeds going directly to the SIMA Humanitarian Fund. Liquid Nation Ball was originally created by Santiago and Fernando Aguerre to support the humanitarian efforts of SurfAid. In 2006 the brothers donated the Ball to the SIMA Humanitarian Fund, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation. The event now serves as the official fundraising event for the SIMA Humanitarian Fund, and continues to be presided over by Fernando Aguerre. All proceeds from Liquid Nation Ball 6 will benefit 12 surf-related social and humanitarian non-profit organizations selected by the SIMA Humanitarian Fund Board of Directors for their efforts focusing on improving the quality of life, health and/or welfare of people. The 2009 Liquid Nation Ball beneficiaries include Keep a Breast, Boarding for Breast Cancer, Surfer’s Healing, Jimmy Miller Foundation, AccesSurf Hawaii, Outdoor Outreach, Stoked Mentoring, Life Rolls On, Mauli Ola Foundation, Project Wipeout, SurfAid International and the Sumba Foundation. For more information on Liquid Nation Ball or the beneficiaries, please visit www.liquid-nation.com.