2010 October- June 2011

Okay, we’ve been a little lax on updating our blog. Sorry about that. Before I clue you all in to our present “happenings”, let’s back up and have a quick review of the past year…


Christmas 2010-


Here we are at the Space Needle in Seattle. The kids had been begging us for years to go and so we finally gave in.


Nothing like a dinghy ride in the middle of winter!


Ahhhhhh. Mexico-
5 funfilled days with our wonderful friends (Tami, Gene-in spirit, Christian, Abby, and Toby) in beautiful Puerta Vallarta!



Sydney turned 12 on February 9! Woohooo! One more year until the teens. Yikes!





Annie turned 9 on March 8. Good grief they grow fast!




In January we discovered our fuel tanks were leaking (barely, but we knew it was something that had to be dealt with or it could become catastrophic in the future). Our tanks run the width of our boat right under the companion way and galley. Imagine a coffin-that's how big they are-2- 150 gallon black iron tanks (read...very very very very very heavy). Well, Bob being the stud that he is, was able to tear out our galley and rig a pulley system with our boom and halyards and lift those big girls right out of there. Okay, it wasn't quite that simple. After much cursing, torn up teak, and bruises, the tanks were out.

This is our galley. The girls had to crawl through it to get to their rooms.


Taking the 2nd tank out of the boat.



Our pretty new diesel fuel tank. Isn't it beautiful!




After the interruption of the fuel tank issue, it was back to cruising!
Sydney brought her friend, Emily, with us on our cruise to McMicken Island (the girls came up with a pet name of Chick Chicken Island on this cruise- I'm afraid this may stick)



In May we switched out sailing dinghies. We became the new owners of an awesome nesting/sailing dinghy. So much fun!



We went on our yearly cruise to Penrose Pt. for Memorial Day weekend and had a blast with friends. We even had our friends/cousins on Pondo May(our previous vessel) rafted next to us.




The sun finally came out for a few hours in June so Annie decided to do her schoolwork outside.





Shari's mom turned 80! And she's still working like a dog (and loving it). We all flew to Oahu for her 80th bday party. We started to think we were cursed...It poured rain, thundered, and lightning cracked for 2.5 of the days we were there. What in the world?! Luckily it let up and we ended our visit on a beautiful, sunny note.
The Brooks/Murison clan



No visit is complete without a trip to Matsumoto's in Haleiwa. MMMMMMM!






So Sydney had her first dance in June. It was a costume party and she dressed up as Aphrodite. Isn't she beautiful!