New Kid in Town

There's a new kid in town named Summer and the girls are smitten. 

Meredith is an old pro and baby holding.

 Delaney is having flashbacks and praying that this one doesn't stay for too long.

 "You're not going to live here right?"

 "I thought this was a good idea since the other girls did it but I'm not so sure.  Maybe if I don't make eye contact it will be okay?"

 "Oh wait this kid is HILARIOUS!"

Come visit soon Summer!  The girls will teach you the finer points of projectile vomiting, blowing out a diaper and keeping your parents up all night.

January 2012 - Week 3 + Hawaii

So so far behind on posting, but I guess that is what a tropical vacation will do - make you slow down!

We had a wonderful trip back to our favorite spot on Kauai, Poipu Beach.  We traveled with my parents, brother and sister in law again this year to cure our winter time blues.  It was another fantastic week!  The best part was getting in an extra day due to weather in Seattle.  I swear we hadn't seen a cloud in the sky for months and then of course the day we were supposed to travel...snow in Seattle.  Thankfully we used a travel agent who got word a couple days ahead of time so she rebooked us, we packed and got to the airport 2 days early.  So glad she did because all of our flights ended up cancelled!

I have a bunch of pictures that you can see HERE.  See the short version below!

The pictures are out of order because blogging on a Monday is never a good idea.

Luau Quinn ready for some hula.

 I would have loved to see the Na Pali coast, too bad I get super seasick.  Jesse and Meredith went on an ocean adventure with this beautiful backdrop.

 Back to hula time.

 We met up with our old travel friends, the Lake family!  Zoe and Meredith were fast friends yet again.

 And back to the boat...Meredith and Jesse had a special day.

 The boat captain said it was the most marine life they have seen in years.

 Meredith is obsessed with dolphins and went wild when she saw some up close!

 Youngest one on the boat!

 She also got to snorkle with sea turtles but didn't like the other fish touching her legs so it was short lived.

I'm with ya Meredith, dry land is the place to be.

 Long day on the ocean for this little lady.

 Hanging out at Baby Beach.

 Delaney was there too!

 And Papa Jim.  He's a great swim partner.

 We ate a lot of chips, poolside.

 And did a lot of lawn running in the evenings with Uncle Scotty and Aunt Stacy.

 Jesse was there too!

 We caught a hula show where Quinn stole the show when she wouldn't leave the stage.

 Thankfully this year there were no flashing incidents from the Hamilton girls.

 We got in some good beach time with the Lake girls.

 Quinn actually touched the sand this year.

 She really took to island life. 

 I think it was a happy scream.  Emory looks scared.

 KK sighting!

 Meredith is our beach babe, couldn't keep her out of the waves.

 Monk seals hauled out on our beach every morning.

These two hauled out on the beach in the mornings too.

A rare Mom sighting.

 We got in some napping.

 And some afternoon shade time.

 Here's my water gal.

 These 2 prefered the foot wash.  Could have left them there all day.

Note the matching 18-24mo sized suits.

 We helped KK celebrate her birthday by eating all her gelato.

 It only rained once!

 Our fav shave ice shack.

 After getting taken out by a wave Delaney played it safe on shore.

 Meredith played in the waves for hours.

 Quinn was happy watching fish.

More to come once I do a phone dump!

January 2012 - Week 2

Bestill my heart, where did this big girl come from and where has my baby gone?

Almost six...

 And where has my sweet ballerina gone?  Gymnastics is the flavor of the month around here.

*sigh*

 We have spent the last 2 weekends in McCall doing our favorite winter activities.  Even skiing despite the pour showing of snow in our area.  The bunny hill and some of the bigger runs at Brundage aren't too bad, still not great.  We don't have any ski pics because our hands were full with 3 kids on the hill.  Thankfully Meredith is LOVING to ski this year and is whizzing down by herself, and riding the chairlift by herself too.  Meredith and Taelor got to ride the lift together and though they were the shiz.

Anyway, the Porters built an awesome sledding run down our yard to the dock. 

More like an I luge to be exact.

 Happy before sledding injuries and frostbite!

 She's tiny but she's a trooper.

 We haven't seen a cloud in these parts in some time.

 We had to post a human blocker at the edge of the dock or else the kids launch into the air.  Sadly there just isn't enough snow to make any walls!

 I think this is when the girls started whining.  Looks like the cabin is on fire.  Probably shouldn't leave Quinn in there alone napping while we sled.  She's a terrorist I tell you.

 Sledders!

 Oh look, my back.

 Oh look, no one helped mom out on the corner.  Ice + bottom = ouch.