Aloha!

We had the best week in Kauai with my whole family, thanks to my kind and generous parents who took us all along!  My brother Jeff leaves on a mission in one month, so it was fun that we could all be together one last time before he goes.  Kauai is the most beautiful place in the world and we enjoyed every minute of being there.  Some highlights of the trip:

pre-trip pedicure

Ready to fly

Surfing in Hanalei

My family made fun of my arm positioning, but I was just happy I got up!

Hanging out in Poipu

I don't think there was ever a minute where this guy didn't have sand and a grin on his face.

Family hot tub times

The kids LOVED the beach.

Hanalei Bay, my favorite beach in the world.

Pre-bedtime walks - look at that view!

Running straight into the waves.

Hannah lost her precious Ariel doll in the ocean.  On this morning - two days after she lost it - I found it washed up in a bunch of sticks on the beach!

Feeding the Koi fish.

A makeshift shelter from the sun.

Give this kid a stick and some sand and he is happy.

Naps on the beach.

No trip to Hawaii is complete without a huge slice of Hula Pie.

The hotel just built a kiddie pool complete with a waterslide.  She was afraid to go down it until Andrea bribed her with a snow cone.

Pretending to be a mermaid.

Catching frogs.

 

 

 

Amigos

I've said it before, the best part about living in the Village was having so many great friends as your neighbors.  Hannah had so many cute little friends there.  She especially loved one friend in particular: Lauren Farrington, or "Yeeyen" as Hannah called her.  Lauren is 9 months older than Hannah and they have been attached at the hip since Hannah was about 18 months old.  Being a little older and a little less feisty than Hannah, Lauren has always been a good example for my little girl.  The two have spent hours on the playground involved in elaborate imaginative games that often involved singing, transporting sand around the playground or building "nests" in the grass. 

Hannah, Kita, Megan, Lauren

Laren & Hannah

Lauren's family is moving to Idaho this week and we are going to miss them so much!  Did I mention that Lauren's mom, Ali, was always a great friend to me too?  She was always inviting Hannah over for play-dates, sharing meals and lending a listening ear.  I think we talked about everything and anything during those long husband-less days.  I am happy for her that she gets to move on to the next stage of life now. 

With our friends the Farringtons and Martins (Jack couldn't run into the picture in time)

Big H

Hannah thinks the Highland High "H" on the mountain was painted there just for her, so we took her to see it up close:

Big "H", Little "H"

How did he know that he was supposed to throw the rocks over the edge?

3rd Year is Over!

Jack's third year of medical school is over!  It was an intense year filled with extremely long hours in the hospital, constant studying, grueling exams and immeasurable stress.  But overall it wasn't too bad because he enjoyed what he was doing and he wasn't stuck in a classroom.  I am so proud of him for how well he did!  We really need to find him some good shoes though, his heels are bruised from standing up so much in his dress shoes. 

Now he has two weeks off before starting his first fourth year elective.  We are looking forward to fourth year.  Other than the stress of applying to and interviewing for residency programs, it should be a more laid back year. 

This is the Place Park

There is something so hilarious about putting your kids in a pen with baby goats and sheep.

Hannah was a little nervous.

Mostly she was repulsed by the smell.  Turns out that farms are not very clean places.

Jackson dove right in and chased the animals.

He wanted to pull their tails.

The naughtiest...

Come to our house and you are likely to hear Hannah yell, "Mister!" in an exasperated tone, "You are the NAUGHTIEST!" more than once.  Oh orderly Hannah, how she hates when things get messy or out of place.  And Jackson, pretty much all he does is make messes.  Lately his favorite thing to do is play in the toilet whenever he gets the chance as evidenced here:

Does taking a picture reinforce bad behavior?