This was the best year yet. The kids were just a little older and traveled well. My sister joined us for this trip. Stuart called guava juice “lava juice.” Travis said “My balloon survived being deflated! It’s still completely flated!’ We stayed at the Fairmont Orchid on the Big Island. Nobody wanted to leave.

Their shirts say “dab-a-saurus rex” and they are doing the “dab.”

Stuart’s learning how to relax.

This is what we do for fun in Hawaii.

Underwater dab!

Valve had a special geocache game for the kids. Super fun! It took us two days to complete.

Travis loved to snorkel. He and Paula and Fletch saw a sea turtle, lots of fish, and beautiful coral!

Last year I couldn’t stand up paddleboard. This year I did it! Yay me!

Stuart’s first coke!

This little sea turtle family lived near the hotel.

Elliot is studying a bird. Then he pets it.

Luau time!

Travis got a shark eating a boat. Elliot got a troll.

We lost Stuart a few times during the luau. Once, we found him in the sand pit.

Little Don Draper with his lava juice.

The white cone cups were “party hats” and made good beach toys.

Paula tried stand up paddleboarding too. It didn’t turn out so well! She took Stuart out for a ride and to look at crabs.

Fletch was a pro!

Movie night! We saw Trolls. And ate s’mores.

Volcanoes National Park

Entering a lava tube!

We kept track of our altitude with this chip bag.

Here’s another place we found Stuart: under the bed, asleep.

Stuart loved the koi and all the waterfalls.

Shave ice! This year with mochi!

My kids playing with the toys, not exactly as intended. They look like little Easter eggs with playful boys inside.

We stayed up tonight looking at the photo albums from when the kids were born. I made chocolate cupcakes for Elliot, and we had hamburgers for dinner–his favorite. At church, he got to choose from the toy bin and he picked a multi-colored pen. Tonight he used it to make a diagram of his room so we could envision where he’s going to put the putting green he got today. All the possibilities!

This poor fella is putting with a yard stick. We got him some clubs, but they haven’t arrived yet. 
Travis has been practicing for a month on this song for his brother. This is love.

Elliot and Travis celebrated with their friends today at Skymania. They jumped on trampolines and then played laser tag. I made Travis mini cheesecakes with strawberries, and Elliot wanted salted caramel chocolate chip cookie bars. 

Travis was writer of the week in his class. We are so proud! 

Elliot learned to ice skate this week. He ended up just using a hockey stick to balance on the ice. He called it his “three-legged strategy.” 

Stuart playing trains with Fletch. 

This horse has been put down for a nap. I’m jealous! 

A boy and his hat. 

Mmmm…doesn’t this fruit look appetizing! 

A sweet valentine to Fletch from Travis. I’m glad he wrote his last name on it or we might not know who it’s from. Travis is super into Fletch these days and consults him on his life questions. He always wants to know what dad thinks about certain things and when he can talk to his dad. So sweet! 

Elliot made up this game and we played it together. I love stuff like this. 

He had a great birthday! Cupcakes for breakfast, lots of presents, and sweet cards from his class. Everybody adores this guy. One kid likes his “style and hair do!” One guy really needs a friend on the playground. I’m not sure I want Travis to get the “surprise mystery” one of his friends will give him if he goes to that kid’s house. (!!!) 

Elliot wants to know:  is it legal for a man who has a mansion to argue with his wife about getting another pool room and filling the pool with skittles? 

In other news, our yard is coming along thanks to Travis. 

I try to get the kids interested in eating. So I try to get them to help me cook. They never want to cook, but sometimes they’ll eat what I make. Today it was homemade pretzels and chocolate fondue. Not together. Just stuff I thought they would like to help cook. They didn’t. 

We are renovating the back yard. Here are some photos. 

Travis made his dad a giant card. Elliot made a coded message for Fletch. Stuart brought his craft home from preschool and hung it up. I cooked some steaks with pepper sauce. Happy birthday to Fletch! 

Yes, two snow days in a row! Because of actual snow. Approx 10 inches at our house. We woke up in Narnia, it was so beautiful! The kids played outside, built snowmen, had a snowball fight, and we met up with our neighbors for hot chocolate. Our electricity was out for the first day and we resolved to buy a generator. We were so cold! Day 2 we had electricity again, whew. And in just 8 days the kids will be out of school again for winter break.