Oh Hawaii We Like You

Before our first trip to Hawaii we thought it would be our once and done on the list of places we wanted to go.  BUT then we went to HAWAII.  Oh, wow! It was beautiful warm and still America.  We didn't have to worry about currency or drinking the water (well except the salt water that would flood down our throats when we hit a wave wrong).  So needless to say we are on trip number 3.  

After our second trip we learned that taking a one year old was not so much fun.  So with Landry nearing the two year mark and Greyson at four we set out for another Foreman adventure.  

We started out our trip on the Big Island, our favorite.  We have great friends who live there and are nice enough to let us invade their home.  They also don't mind hanging out with our little family full of diapers and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  

Stephen and our friend Jerry snorkeled, boogie boarded, got nailed by waves and didn't mind us all watching and laughing. 

Greyson and Landry spent hours upon hours playing in the water and sand.  I was so thrilled that we were still going strong after 3 hours and after 5 I was completely satisfied.  Oh and no one except Stephen got burnt.  

We really spent everyday on the beach or in the pool.  One day we headed to the Southern most bakery and enjoyed some donuts, but otherwise we were beach bums.  

Airport Travel

If I had a dollar for every time I thought about airport travel I would be well on my way to being rich.  Funny, I used to look forward to the joy of heading through security lightly packed, sitting in a coffee shop with Stephen talking about anything or nothing really sipping coffee.  I never worried about loosing myself or finding chocolate milk.  I have been through the Seattle airport countless times and I thought I knew just about everything it had to offer.  BUT I never saw the incredible play place that became a lifesaving tool for our most recent trip.  

Traveling now consists of trying to get everything I might need into the smallest bag possible.  I try to think of any potential catastrophes that may occur and have a good game plan.  But then there is Landry, the wildcard.  Thank the Lord for all the incredible prayers and the people who invented the IPad, thank you, thank you, thank you! 

Yes, at the end of every trip we go through technology detox, but it is worth not getting all the dirty looks from every person sitting in front of my children.  This past trip we spent over 24 hours in the airport or traveling each way.  Our kids are really incredibly flexible sleeping in the most uncomfortable places or not sleeping at all.  They are up for the adventure and mostly what I noticed from our most recent airport travel was all the smiles they brought to people's faces.  They smiled, waved, caused traffic jams, but when Landry waves and Greyson smiles the entire place lights up.  

So while airport travel is not my favorite, I am thankful that my little men brought joy to so many people.     

Happy 4th Birthday Greyson!!

We had a day full of celebrating for Greyson's birthday.  I was really excited about it this year.  I think mostly because Greyson really got it.  So we did a lot of celebrating.  He had all of his Mission friends come over.  They went on a bear hunt, ate supper together, played pin the tale on the donkey, opened presents, ate cake and ice cream and ended the night with a fort in the living room.  

More of Our Everyday Life

Greyson has been working on his writing skills. It's hard to see but he was so proud of his first G. 

Greyson is also a "Builder Man".  So you will notice a couple of things.  He insists on wearing overalls everyday!  Every once and a while I can get him to take an afternoon off so I can wash them, but he will put them right back on the moment they come out of the dryer.  

We have had a very wet winter.  It rained 26 out of the 31 days of January and in February we got close to 7 inches of rain.  Half of it came in just a couple of days.  Well it is impossible to keep my little guys contained inside so we put on our rain suits and headed outside.  The boys were champions but my toes got so so cold.  

Every afternoon Stephen takes the boys to the gym to work out with him.  They have a great time and I get to work in the KBM office in peace for about an hour. 

We live in a great place where the boys get to roam free most of the time.  Greyson will ride his trike back and forth from the workout gym by himself and he has really had fun heading out to play in the woods.  I like it when he and Landry can play together.  It doesn't seem to end happy very often, but it is fun to watch.  

Our Week

Well while the lower 48 is freezing it seems we are having a bit of a heat wave here in Kodiak.  One day this week it was in the 50s and snow or even freezing at night hasn't really happened much at all this January.  

However it has been very cloudy and rainy.  I think we had 14 days straight of rain before the sun showed its face.  Out of the first 24 days of the year I think the paper said it rained 21.  Today is the first day of February and the first day in the new year that it has been completely clear.  

While this really bothers a lot of Kodiak people Stephen and I love it.  January was an incredible month for us full of routines and normal schedules with very limited extra events.  

We read two books and had the boys in bed by 8pm.  It was heavenly!