sand and swim

First and foremost, we need to cover this. 

If they they could have, the girls would have spent every waking moment at the beach or in the pool. Lou had to practically be dragged away every night we were there. There she'd be, the sun long gone, still digging away. We used the beach as a major bargaining tool - if you hike up this mountain (yes, we employ serious bribery when hiking, sometimes it involves ponies), we'll go tooo thhheee beaach! 

Annabelle gained a wee bit of confidence in the water this trip too. Their favorite pool from years past is now shallow enough for both of them to touch the bottom everywhere. Rather, they're both tall enough now. Instead of clinging to the steps, the girls dared to bob around, testing their water limbs.

We spent countless hours digging and building, then swimming and splashing, then repeat. And the aunts and the uncles who gave us periodic relief (read: all the time) were just the best. My babies really do have the best aunts and uncles in the world.

What follows is a big ol' dose of Vitamin D. You're welcome. :)

For fun, go here to compare.
We're standing in literally the very same place.

Award for best uncle goes to Uncle Tanner,
their "dragon" who swam the girls around for hours.

The aunts and uncles made the castle from frozen.
So naturally I made Olaf.
Finally he can see what frozen things do in summer. :)

Even after everyone had left the beach, Lou stayed.
I took dozens of photos of her down there,
content to dig and dance and play.

Those two little silhouettes are Aunt Kimmy and Lou.
Aunt Kimmy went down to keep our little sand junky company.
If there were babies in the sand, you'd probably find Aunt Kimmy.

How's this for the best thing in the world?

This was also one of those nights where Lou
was the last soul on the beach again,
dragging her "sled" and her treasures
and totally oblivious to the world around her.
I love how happy the beach made her.

P.S. They still have sand stuck on their scalps, several million baths later. It's insane. When I took all the clothes out of our luggage, sand flew out in every direction. We definitely brought Hawaii home with us. Literally. :)

the hawaii twenty

So last week, our little foursome was very lucky to be counted among a rare group of 20. All related. All in Hawaii. The Cheneys descended in a storm of brown eyes (blue eyes like mine are found only in the transplants). It was the best of times. The best sand. The best food. The best sun. The best food. The best people. Just the best.

This is perhaps the most redundant phrase found on this blog - we have lots of photos. It's even worse than it used to be because now I have not only two cameras worth but also two phones. I'm sorting through them in my spare minutes, and I have so many I want to share and catalog. But for now a smattering of some of the best.

I just want to say that we were really so lucky and blessed to be there. Many (many many) thank yous to Grandma and Papa Cheney who made the trip so wonderful. There are so many memories in Maui that we will never forget. Just the best.

I bathed the girls the night before we left and put their hair in a bunch of braids.
Before landing in Hawaii, I took the braids out, and there you go. Magic hair do.
Also, on every single flight, each girl poured over the emergency pamphlets.
Pretty sure we're all ready for an emergency landing. Super.

Before we left, I picked up these two really cheap dolphins at the dollar store.
I pulled them out as we began our long flight to Hawaii
and told the girls that they were "quiet dolphins."
If they were loud or screamed or bugged people,
I'd have to take their special "quiet dolphin" away.
We're very into pretend around here, so they bought it.
Ate it up really.
Those dolphins were a hit and worked wonders the entire trip.

Not at all happy to be there!

This was taken just after church.
Note the dolphins. :)

Stay tuned. There is so much more to come. :)