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Magical Maui Memories
December 15, 2019

Wow, what a trip! After much planning and Melissa's magical ways with Sky Miles, we were able to go back to Maui! Not only that, Marscel and Emma were able to tag along, which made the trip twice as fun. Of course, our kids came for the frist time, and now all they talk about is wanting to go back. It was a blessed trip indeed, and we want you to come along! Aloha!

Yes, back to the day when Covid-19 didn't exist. That world seems far away, doesn't it? Hope and pray you all are healthy and well!

And here we go ...

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Video Blog - November, 2019

And here we go ...

After 10 hours of flying and a late night to bed, we awaken to this amazing beauty! Melissa was still in bed, but me in the kids were out on the beach at 7:00 sharp!


I'm as light as a feather! I'm as giddy as a school boy!


William enjoys the tide pools. Also a good place to relieve yourself.


Probably should have named her Moana, but Marian's a good name too.


Hey gecko! Can you save me 5% or more on car insurance?


The next day we moved into our next gorgeous condo. "Don't touch anything, kids!!! Leave it looking perfect!!!"


I'll try not to post too many pictures of her. It's hard.


On the way to the pool. Walking in a dream.


Jonas looked like a total local sportin' the long blone hair. "Dude!"


My first graceful dive into the pool.


Yay! Mom's here!


Later that day it was off to the beach. This spot will work. I could spend a few days here.


William's first time snorkeling, and he took to it like a pro! "Sharks? Nah, there's no sharks in Hawaii! At least ... not right now ... in this exact spot!"


Blue waters.


Yep, that's actully Melissa out there taking a shot at snorkeling. When we were here last about 7 years ago she just got too dizzy, but William stayed alongside her and she got the hang of it. Good job!


The next morning ... Marscel and Emma and baby Elliot! Now the party really begins!


Marscel and Emma take the plunge, and again I reassure Emma there are no sharks ... right now in that exact spot ... I don't think.


Just too cool of a picture to pass up. Lookin' so natural.


Jordan Text: "Marscel, enjoying your vacation?" Marscel: "Yeah Jor. Could you hand me some sunscreen?"


After a couple days it was on to our last condo, where we would be spending most of the trip. Time to get this bleach-blonde beach bum boy to bed.


Pretty swank living room.


Elliott was a pro the entire trip. Talk about the easiest baby in the world to travel with.


Off to a botanical garden on the north part of the island! You ever get tempted to just push your kids in just for the fun of it? I don't. I was just wondering if you did.


"We are laughing!"


I find my inner peace. I also found my good suntan.


Everyone signals a "shaka", while Jonas signals a "rock on!"


We're standing in front of a cave. I mean, cause why not?


Hard to take in all the beauty at once. You just stare and smell and listen.


And you ... keep staring ...


Marscel leads in some grounding exercises ... while Emma laughs at me.


lol, William looks like he's really having his arm eaten.


This is us. The Niednagels. We like to hang out in tropical trees together.


So many trips and memories made together with this beautiful woman. I love you always and forever.


Afterwards it was off for a lovely evening dinner together. If only the view were just a little more scenic.


Taking photos of the pink fish eggs. They were actually very good.


I truly hope Jonas remembers this trip when he's older.


In front of a train and a wood thing. My captions are pretty awesome.


Pretty cute family there. Marscel totally looks like a native.


Just strolling the grounds.


Beautiful amidst the beauty.


So we stopped our car on the way home and grabbed a coconut on the side of the road. Time for some natural laxative, children!


Me drink! Me like! Me go bathroom good later!


There are mangoes, and there are mangoes in Hawaii. Big difference.


So this was unplanned, but we all chipped in (Including the kids) and rented this sweet convertible for a few days! Let's just say it was totally worth it!


Off to Ioa State Park, one of the wettest places on planet earth! I came here as a 5-year old, so it was neat bringing Jonas as a 3-year old.


There's the Ioa Needle! Apparently the native Hawaiians used to stand atop it to look for enemies from other islands approaching. Must have been a brilliant native who first figured that out.


Pretty good hang time, hon!


Maui Bros. Wish I had flowing long hair to fling back like that.


Sure do enjoy these kiddos.


So there was a part of the trail that said, "Do not go beyond this point." So like, we did anyway, and we met tons of other people who did too. More like a suggestion, it seems. Anyway, Marscel and I took this epic picture on the trail closer up to Ioa Needle. Not exactly sure what we're doing, but it's epic.


Time to visit Lahaina! This town in Maui is a favorite of celebrities, so being one myself I thought we should go there. That tree there is like over a hundred years old.


Chickens ... you'll see them everywhere in Hawaii. Supposedly a hurricane back in the 90s scattered them over the islands even more. Good eatin' if you can catch one.


This guy was awesome. Playing some music at an outdoor restaurant when he looked up at Melissa and smiled for a picture.


Off for an evening stroll to eat again. We sure like to eat food.


Kids are so cute in restaurants. I just wish they were cute and free.


The restaurant was right on the water, and they had lights shining into it. In the water you could see all kinds of fish, including octopus and puffer fish.


It's the next day and a new beach but the same clear blue water! Talk about a bunch of hick tourists!


Sun sets, and Philip and Marian make like 50 sand castles.


Time for Melissa and I to visit a swank restaurant ... like one of those "I really don't belong here" restaurants where you pretend to know all the items on the menu.


"Darling, you look wonderful tonight."


You may have been to nice restaurants before, but I'll bet you've never been to a beside-the-sea LED menu-glowing restaurant before.


A magical stroll afterwards with a mystical maiden.


Goofing around in the fancy hotel. Nope, we still haven't grown up yet.


Next day and it's off to visit more sites! We came to this particular beach for sea turtles.


And all we got were a bunch of dumb rocks. Oh, wait, look more closely.


This pictures perfectly captures the spirit of Jonas.


Ya bra, let's go sip some emu milk and unlock the secrets of the universe using our laptops.


This was a pretty gnarly cafe. Hippie just doesn't describe it well enough.


Lovely ladies.


Bogus bros.


Me climb! Me butt freezing!


So we stopped by this sweet waterfall area ... its name escapes my mind, but Marscel and I got our Aloha going on ... so much so that Marscel's shorts were nearly falling off.


Still never thought I would have a girl of my own. She's so special.


Marscel meditates.


They weren't ripe enough to eat, so we made use of them doing other things.


Got her Moana outfit. Pretty stinking cute.


Evening falls, and the waves get a bit choppy. Not stopping the kids.


Tell me Philip doesn't look natural.


Chasing my little monkey.


Pretty sure this could pass for an advertisement.


Yeah, I was starting to get a little nervous as the waters got choppy. The boys looked like they were gonna drown (they said they were fine), and I thought I was about to become a life-guard from a real-life episode of Baywatch.


That evening Marscel and I made several sand turtles! They were so cool and looked real in the night. Yeah we're pretty cool.


Using a lighted jump rope and listening to funky music. My wife thought of bringing pretty much everything.


Some family pictures (hope you got our Xmas card!).


Wow. Just wow.


T'was a trip we will never forget.


Aloha, good friends, and mahalo to you all!

And mahalo for stopping by! See ya next time!