Busy Vacation Schedule Belies President's Self-Description of Laziness

President Obama has been keeping such a busy schedule in the first few days of his Christmas vacation that one might question his recent suggestion that he sometimes fights laziness.

In the 48 hours since his Friday night arrival in Hawaii, the president found time to have dinner with friends at a Waikiki restaurant, play a 5-1/2 hour round of golf, attend Christmas morning church services and later that day meet Marines at a nearby base.

The White House doesn't provide an itinerary of events on the president's vacation calendar but the rest of his time on Oahu is likely to include more visits to the golf course and trips to the ocean from his family's rented beach home.

Based on past experiences he's likely to escort his daughters to a local shave ice parlor and maybe even visit a popular coastline park renown as a first-rate snorkeling destination.

During a recent interview in Washington, Obama said he sometimes becomes lazy and cited his Hawaiian upbringing for that trait. "You know it's interesting, there is a deep down, underneath all the work I do, I think there's a laziness in me," Obama said with modest condemnation.

He then smiled to explain: "It's probably from, you know, growing up in Hawaii and it's sunny outside, and sitting on the beach."

As with all trips the president is still briefed each day on the latest developments throughout the world. Since he's been in Hawaii his staff has sent out messages on the situations in Yemen, Nigeria and Iraq -- hardly matters most people would ever think about, let alone while on a vacation.

Perhaps the most unexpected moment of the president's trip so far happened when he and Mrs. Obama visited the Marine Corps base in Kaneohe.

There they met with Marines and their families who were celebrating Christmas in the chow hall. After a few minutes of shaking hands and posing for pictures, Obama picked up eight-month-old Cooper Wagner and held him high for cameras to see.

The youngster then took his hand and swiftly placed it inside the president's mouth.  Obama didn't seem to mind too much and he even played along with the child for a few seconds until the president's mouth was free from the intruding appendage.