best day ever

Ummmm. Yeah. So about that catching up. Before I do that, I want to talk about today.

Today I took the girls to This is the Place State Heritage Park by myself. This isn't really remarkable except that I can't remember the last time I took the girls to a museum or park or something of that nature without friends. Without a mom to gab with and a gaggle of kids to run around with. It's my favorite way to catch up with friends who have moved - not too far away, but just far enough away that we don't see each other enough.

But today, it just so happened that the weather was perfect and the girls were dying to see the baby animals and I had nothing else scheduled, and so we went. Just the three of us. And it was perhaps one of the best afternoons I've had in ages. I had hours with just the girls to talk. To giggle. To answer their funny questions about pioneer life and stinky animals. To duck into the historic homes and agonize over which craft to do. To sit with them and focus. To listen. To listen. To listen.

We took our time, wandered around, made friends with the artists helping with crafts. We waited for the train and when it rounded the corner I laughed myself silly at how happy they were to ride a train on wheels. They were so happy to be there, just being there. 

When we got in the car to head home, Annabelle said, "I'm going to go home and draw pictures of everything we did today. So I don't forget." And Lou got to ride a horse - finally. In other words - best day ever.

Indeed.

This is probably my favorite photo taken of Lou in the history of ever.
So happy.

Baby chicks. Maybe the cutest things in the world. 

Note that there are three arrowhead necklaces. Yes, I made my own. What.

They stamped leather here. It's kind of hard to see from the photos, but it was a huge hit with these two.

Their instructions: just stand normal. Oh that Lou. 

Yes, trains are that exciting. :)

Oh how I love these people. :)

so behind!

Ack. I've never before in the history of ever been this lame on my blog! I realize maybe two people have noticed, but for me, it's a bummer! This is my little place to corral all our comings and goings plus random thoughts that mean mostly nothing. It's just that I am so. behind. So many things to post. But I'm determined to catch up in some measure. 

I have a few random Hawaii photos left over. I know. We're probably totally over Hawaii. But I will not be over Hawaii in a few months when I wish I could be there. So here are a few (read: a couple zillion) more!

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The resort my parents-in-law stay at has fun little workshops. The girls got to color a little tote bag (note that Belle is still coloring long after everyone else has moved on - gotta get every. last. thing. colored) and we made pretty Hawaiian flowers for our hair. Not pictured here: we took ukulele lessons. More on that later.

Our hotel had beautiful ponds full of koi fish. Every morning the kids went out to feed them. The ponds were also home to some big ol' frogs that would come hopping about at night.

We went to church while we were there. Such a beautiful meeting, and a family picture deserves documentation. So often one of us is behind the camera. I love to hoard the ones that have all of us.

And the hula lessons. Please note that cute grandpa in the top left joining in. Makes my day.

Uncles Jeremy and Wayne (a native) would track down the best spam musubi in the world for me. Breakfast of champions folks. Also, I picked up a koa wood ring pictured there. Quite rad if I don't say so myself.

I love how hard the kids sleep in Hawaii. The sun sucks everything they've got, and boom. Overall, sleeping in Hawaii is the best sleep in the world.

Lou found some horses. Of course she did. (It's a huge life size chess set.)

Annabelle missed tumbling while we were in Hawaii, so we sent her coach some pictures of her practicing on the beach. :)

My brother-in-law Tanner and I were a little on the obsessed side with getting a real ukulele. We signed up for a little lesson, and walked out totally sold. If you have any musical background, or even the wish to have a musical background, try the uke. YouTube a few tutorials, and you'll be playing full songs within hours. Literally. Tanner, Whitney, and I all visited Lahaina Music (best people in the world) and picked out a real uke. We then wore those things proudly all the way home. We've also named our uke band - The Beach Bums. Like The Beach Boys. But far lazier.

And now for a bunch more beachy photos because beach.