Paradise

For Jordan's graduation trip with the family we all went to Kona, Hawaii. We were all so excited, I was especially excited I had never been anywhere tropical. We left early Sunday morning and got to Hawaii by lunch time with the time change. Tory was a great traveler, she was awake for the flight to Seattle and then slept through the flight from there to Hawaii which arrived an hour early. We have been so lucky in our travels with Tory she is always so good. We stayed at this cute little resort that was very comfortable for our herd of 10. We had three different condos that had two bedrooms each, a full kitchen, 2 bathrooms, living area and a lanai. There were beautiful flowers and little green geckos. We went snorkeling, on a island bus tour, to a luau where they roasted a whole pig in an underground oven, went shopping and did little shopping. All in all I loved every moment of the vacation and I think that everyone else did too. It was so beautiful and exotic. I would go back in a heart beat. Enjoying our plane ride, Tory is the best little traveler ever. She slept most of the way there and watch Elmo and colored the rest of the time, what a good girl we have.
The first view of the tropical water out or plane window

This is a beach just down the street from our condos

Our bedroom, the tub was amazing not only was it deep it had jets too We had a great bbq area outside our condos, here is Jimbob, Tory, Jordan and Hunter cooking dinner and playing a game of cards.
The first time Tory and I put our feet into the warm Hawaii water

Tory enjoyed her tartar sauce at Bubba Gumps
Aren't those pig tails the cutest things ever
Poppy and Tory checking out the Geckos

These little guys were everywhere, Tory loved them and would point them out where ever we would go she ever learned how to say "Gecko" while we were there.

We walked to an open air market just down the road and at one of the booths there a man had a snack bar set up for the Geckos, kind of funny to see. They seemed very happy though to have the canned fruit just for them.

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We took a bus tour that went all the way around the island, it took about 12 hours. I really enjoyed it we were able to see all the island and learn about it from our tour guide Sal. He was very educated about the island, lots of great information. These are the things we got to see and do that day..... First was the Kona Coffee Company, we drove through all the coffee orchards and then stopped at their gift shop. Then on to the bake shop, where they had the most amazing sweet bread, oh my goodness I can't even explain how yummy it smelt and tasted.

Us at the Black Sand Beach


This is the entrance of the Lava Tube

At the lookout of the Volcano in the center it was erupting, this is the reason we had some foggy days or should I voggy days
We stopped at Rainbow Falls which is all the way on the opposite side of the island from where we were staying. The vegetation over here was so huge, they have a climate like a rain forest. Everything was so green and growing like crazy.
We had quite a few more stops on the bus, including a candy factory, the Muna Loa Nut factory, and a Cattle Ranch information center and gift shop. Who would have thought that there would be cattle ranchers in Hawaii, in one area of the island it's all pretty much cattle land. If I remember right Sal (the tour guy) told us that there are 13 different Eco systems on the planet and the island of Hawaii as 11 of them. Kind of crazy, I thought that the whole island would have been all tropical, not so though.

We got to see and swim with sea turtles

Carl and Tory hanging out with a wise old sea turtle

Mom and Jimbob enjoying the water together
Another adventure was snorkeling, we went out on a boat the took us to a couple different places where the snorkeling was wonderful
This is Captain Cooks Monument, this was my favorite place that we snorkeled. The water was calm and there was lots of fish to see. I had never been snorkeling before, the fish and all the other living things in the water were so perfect they didn't seem real. It was amazing.

While we were out on the boat the Captain was trying to find some dolphins for us, we weren't having much luck and didn't think that we would see any when we stumbled upon these guys, at first we thought that they were dolphin but as we got closer we noticed that they where black and not grey that's when the captain told us that they were Pygmy Killer Whales and that it was quite a treat for us to see them I guess that they are uncommon to see and are usually pretty shy. They were just lovely we were so close to them, we could hear them blow out there blow holes and make little noises. We even saw a mom and baby. It was awesome. Everyone was so excited including our captain, he had only seen them acouple of time in all his years as being a guide.

The birds there were also so beautiful with completely different sounds then are birds at home have, these are just a few that where around our condo, as well as some of the beautiful flowers.

These are pictures from the Luau we went to, we even ate real Hawaiian food. It was not so tasty, but its all about the experience though right?




On Saturday it was King Kamehameha Day, they had a beautiful parade with lovely ladies all done up in flowers and gorgeous fabrics. Every one in the parade rode horses to King Kamehameha's Palace to honor him.

One night we ate at the little place called "Bongo Ben's", right across the street was the ocean. This sunset happened as we were having dinner, it was picture perfect.
Us getting on the plane to go home, back to the sticks.

What a Wonderful day

Weddings are so lovely and this one was extra special since it was Meg's. Meg and Chris were married on May 29th. It was a wonderful day filled with love and excitement. All of us girls were together again, with us having to be adults now we aren't together to often but when we are it is so much fun, I love our time that we do have together. We had Meg's wedding shower on Wednesday, the rehearsal on Thursday and the Wedding on Friday. It was a busy couple of days. I also got to do the wedding flowers. It was so great to have the opportunity to work on my skills again. Meg was a great bride and just let me do my thing with the flowers. Meg and Chris had their wedding in a beautiful old church and then the reception at the Red Lion Inn at the Park, in there amazing ballroom there was great food, good music and lots of dancing. Tory was the cutest little flower girl ever and enjoyed the dancing too. This is Meg's Bouquet

This was Chrysta's, Hannah's and my bouquet

This is Meg's mom's bouquet

All of us at Meg's Shower.... More pictures to come

Girls you look Lovely

Hair and Flowers that's what I do, and once again it sure has come in handy. I got to do Jordan and her friend's hair for prom this year. I also did Jordan's and Hunter's prom flowers. Tory and I went and spent the weekend down at mom's so that we could be there for the prom festivities. My mom made dinner for everyone and their dates and then we severed it to them.

It was so fun Mom and I decorated the table and used Great Gram's China for the table settings. We had extra orchids so we used them for the center piece on the table. We even had time to give Tory a little up do. It's hard to believe that this was Jordan's last prom, she has grown up so quickly. She is such a beautiful young lady and I adore her.

Naughty Tory

Yet again my little monkey found something to climb onto and explore. Never a dull moment at our house.

Easter Sunday

On Easter Sunday we took alittle road trip down to my Aunt and Uncles house where my family was all getting together. We had a little Easter egg hunt were the competition was high to find "the Golden egg". Kaid was the lucky one once again to find it. The rest of us cousins decided that she is band from searching for it next year. Then maybe Tory will find it.

Bag Balm

Bag Balm has been a staple in our home ever since Tory was born. She has horrible sensitive skin, when she was newborn a doctor told us to use it instead of desitin or A&D. Needless to say it has been a mirical for all our skin issues. Lately Tory has figured out how to open the tin and then stick her hands in the balm. She thinks that this is great fun and I am forever forgetting to put it up after we use it which leads to more hands in the tin. I have found her covered from head to toe in it, in her hair, on her face and all over her jammies. It seems that she like to fling it once it is on her hands which leads to it flying on to our new couch, Carl's prize TV and of course our carpet. So once again today I was not thinking and didn't put it up after use and what do you know, Tory was being ever so quite which is never a good thing. I walked in to our bedroom and there she was fist deep in Bag Balm yet again. Do you think that I'll ever learn. One thing is for sure though.... as I was wiping off her hands she kept pointing at the tin and saying, "NO NO." So she knows that it is naughty, I just think that it is just to much fun to play in so she keeps going back when I leave it where she can reach. What will it be next.....