Surprise Hawaii Trip

I surprised Reed and the kids with a trip to Hawaii this month! It all started back in February when I asked Reed to get some time off in April so we could "go visit my parents." Surprises get pretty complicated when you're an adult -- I had to plan, (and convince my husband that I was planning), a whole fake vacation in California. (I'm actually a little disturbed at how adept I became at lying, and how complicated my lies became!) But the payoff was worth it. Reed was beyond shocked in the airport when I told them, and we had an amazing time together as a family. 

Cal and Reed enjoying smoothies by the pool:

Shave ice (with ice cream inside) during our day trip into Kona town:

Cal getting used to luxury service:

Funny story about this next photo... our nickname for Elliot is "the Piglet," and when we explained to Cal that at a luau, they dig a pit and cook a pig, his eyes got all wide and he whimpered, "Not little Elliot!?" Although we assured him that no one would cook his little brother, he was still nervous. As we waited in line at the luau, Cal tugged on Reed's arm and whispered urgently, "Remember the plan: DON'T SAY 'PIG'!" 

 Exploring "Place of Refuge" together:

One of the most memorable moments for me was our ill-fated hike to Akaka Falls. The sprinkling clouds that greeted us as we set out on the path quickly turned into a full-fledged rainstorm. We were soaked by the time we reached the vista point. Plus, with no one to take our picture at the falls, we opted for a selfie, and we couldn't stop laughing as we tried to squeeze an ergo-bound Elliot into the frame. It was quite an adventure:

We took a lot of family selfies, actually:

After four days on the beach, we moved to the other side of the island to check on the volcano! Here we are having a pizza party on the floor of our room:

The mist at the top of Kilauea was otherworldly, and made for a very mysterious mood:

 We checked out everything the park had to offer -- there were a ton of cool sights along the Chain of Craters road:

We loved getting breakfast at the Volcano House restaurant, with tables overlooking the active volcano, and AMAZING waffles. 

 Honestly, I had my doubts about bringing the kids. I wasn't sure if it would make the trip hard or something, but they were fantastic. They both loved the activities we did, and I found it delightful to do things together as a family. Reed and I took turns taking the baby back to the room for his naps, and it turned out to be an awesome arrangement: one of us got to nap with the baby for a few hours, and one of us got to play with Cal one-on-one for the afternoon. I will never forget...there was one day where Cal and I played in the pool together for hours, with nothing to interrupt us: no phone, no little sibling, no chores, or laundry, or meal prep, or lessons, or schedules, or a million other things that are always calling me away from him. We just laughed and played games for hours. I can't remember the last time that happened (if ever). I will treasure the memory of that afternoon, and will resolve to try to reach that happy carefree place with my children more often!

 It really felt like a relaxing, rejuvenating trip, but more than that, it truly felt like a bonding experience. We stumbled upon several new family jokes, had so many laughs together, smiled, held hands, and talked about what we want our family to be: adventurous, kind, fun, smart, and most of all, happy.

First Week of School and Family Fun

Cal started kindergarten this week! Look how excited he is.

Our good friend Emily visited from Salt Lake for the week. We got all of the kids together for a little reunion.

Elliot had another check up. He was really happy before he got his three shots :( Poor baby.

I went with some friends to a local farmer's market. We got a lot of delicious food, including some cheese blintzes for Reed.

We finished off the week at the San Jose Giants game. Cal had a lot of fun in the kids area outside of the stadium. They had inflatable slides, and lots of baseballs to throw and hit.

After the game, they had a great fireworks show. Elliot was terrified/intrigued by the whole thing. Every time another firework went off, he would squeeze Reed's thumb tighter and tighter.

Dinner with Anthony & Tevi

One of Reed's best friends from college hails from a hometown only 45 minutes away from us, which is lucky, because it means we get to see him when he visits his parents. We had a wonderful visit with him and his wife Tevi, along with their adorable daughter. It's wonderful to reconnect and stay in touch with this awesome family.

Last (Official) Week of Summer

This week was spent getting ready for kindergarten! (And squeezing in some final summer break fun before school starts on Monday.) 

 Swimming with Sammy, Cal's wonderful friend from our ward:

Kinder orientation was so fun! We got to meet Cal's teacher, as well as many of the other kindergarten parents. There was a buzz of excitement and fun in the room.

 After the main orientation, we got to check out Cal's new classroom. He was interested in everything, and made himself right at home.

 We spent our final Saturday of summer break taking care of some last minute prep, like braving Ikea for a new game cabinet...

 ...and getting a haircut (which Cal himself requested) for the first day of school.

 Looks like we're ready for Monday!