Aloha September! 2009

We fell in love...head over heals in love...with a little island called Maui. :-)

I can't remember the last time my darling husband was this relaxed...just look at him in that hammock! We were on a walk...I believe it was the day we got married. My Mother-in-law stayed with the children in our hotel room so that we could take a walk all alone. It was lovely...as you can see.












Happily strolling the streets of Lahaina...
I love this photo..











The next 4 photos are of Baby Beach (I couldn't even begin to tell you the real name of the beach..or spell it for that matter!) this beach was perfect...simply perfect! It was shallow water...the boys even got some snorkeling in and as you can see...the babies got to play on the beach! Uncle Russ even built Maile a sand castle. I can't wait to take the kids there again someday.

sigh...so so lovely!

This photo was taken at the start of the worlds most amazing drive...the Road to Hana. Don't forget to try the coconut candy and the banana bread along the way! Its also a MUST to swim in the pools at the Oleo gultch (I hope I got that right)

Maile girl dancing it up at the Luau...she still does the hula every chance she gets.

This is the pool at our hotel. We loved our hotel...we would open our slider and we were steps to the pool and just a few steps more and we were at the beach. It was amazing...the pool was amazing...it was a moving experience to be in it...just ask Maile. :-)

Maile's very favorite flower that she dubbed.."The Chicken Flower"

We were lucky to have Grandma Nancy there with us...this is such a sweet photo...I had to share.

a look back at August 2009

Can you see that beast? Yes...thats some...kind...of....BUG! I believe Richard called it a June bug. All I know is that Maile loved it...held it...petted it...and would have shared her room with it if we would have let her. My daughter is definatly not timid! EGAD!

Maile loves making. I remember this evening well...I had heard cupboards opening and closing. There were dishes clanging and then a sweet small voice..."Mommy...I wanna make!" I walked into the kitchen to find the lovely spread you see here...Chili powder, Fartless bean kit, rolling pen, and a couple of bowls. How could I resist...after all the work she had just put into getting things ready. I checked the pantry and the only thing I could find (time permitting) was a box of chocolate pudding. She loved it (especially the big wisk...and the finished product) she was one proud little girl. I love her.

August of 2009 took us to Oso Flaco for a little nature walk. We had a great time! It was lovely to walk along the path...I think Maile walked almost the whole way! At the end of the walk we let Sawyer out of the backpack so that he could get in a little crawl time. We often forget about all the great walks and hikes there are around here...I wish we found a little more time in our busy lives to do this more often. What a great day it was!

July 30th 2009

Its a bit sad for me to think about...but I must include it in the recap. We laid our lovely Saint Bernard, Kimber to rest on this day. I really can't put into words how much I miss this dog. Kimber was the first dog that Richard and I got as a couple. He was our daughters first dog...and they were the very best of friends. He loved us...and we loved him. I still get teary eyed thinking about him...and the tumor in his lung that took his life. We miss you K-dawg...we miss you something awful!

June/July 2009

As I was looking back into the archives I came across a few pictures of the kids that I love and want to share...

Sweet Sawyer boy @ 7 months old June 2009

The prettiest dirty girl I know...

Maile Rae

July 2009

loving the swing @ 8 months

July 2009

The recap begins...

So..its official. I LAG!!! I have been lost in the sea of Facebook for the past year and have horribly neglected my families blog. I was reminded of this by my darling husband. He is not a social networking guru like myself (thank goodness..there is only room for one of us in this house) BUT he does enjoy seeing photo's of our children and reading our blog (or should I say he used to enjoy it!)

This is for you honey...because I love you so much.

be patient with me while I do a little back pedaling (my last blog was when.....??? JULY 2009!)

Weekend fun in July

Richard and I took the kids to Gilroy Gardens and the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Gilroy Gardens is a botanical gardens with amusment park rides geared to preschool/gradeschool age children. It was the first time Maile has been to an amusment park. Maile and her Daddy had a blast riding rides together. Sawyer even got in on a few of them. Gilroy Gardens was awesome...the only draw back was the heat...man was it hot!!! Its a must see for all you parents of young ones!!

I was having issues with my camera so I was only able to get one shot of Maile at the Aquarium...she loved the fishes and was in shock and awe of them swimming around right in front of her. The Penguins were her favorite...they were coming up to the glass and she was squealing with delight!

It was an awesome weekend. We were celebrating the fact that we had hired our driver back on for a few months!!!! We were in MAJOR need of a break...and some relief! I can't tell you what a difference it has made to have some help here at the tow yard! :-)

Catching up with June

In June Maile started her second round of gymnastics. Its such a wonderful program for her. I love watching her interact with other people. She is learning to follow instructions and gain confidance in herself. She is a great tumbler and can even do the splits! I am sure you will see a lot more photos like these...because we plan to keep her in gymnastics for as long as she will let us!

Sawyer turned 7 months old in June...and man is he a stinking cutie pie!! He rolls alllll over the floor but has yet to crawl. He eats like a champ and can't get enough. He will give anyone the biggest smile around (showing off his two bottom teeth!!) We are so in love with our little guy. Daddy put him in the milk crate one afternoon when we got home from town and I couldn't resist taking a few photos of him...they turned out great!