day 31

the butte.  in january.  27 degrees.

what is happening, momma nature?!  (no worries, girl - we'll take it ALL winter long!)

day 30

wispy clouds were begging for some attention.  

day 29

do you think he missed me?

day 28

today, buster went for his first walk.  hoodie, new collar & leash - the little dude was ready to tackle the streets.  the only problem?  his stubby, wittle wegs could not keep up!  he was just as happy to ride in the stroller with his girls.  maybe more than all that heart-pumping exercise, ridiculous panting and leash nonsense.  

day 27

i needed to make two pillows because i brought back two hawaiian-made pillowcases.  spent 30 minutes at my machine, and it made my heart happy to sew.  even something as simple as a pillowcase fulfills the crafty-sewing-loving-void in my life.  one day, i WILL get to all the cute, little projects floating around in my noggin.  one day. 

day 26

this is life.  

the one and only picture of my kiddos together - our last few hours on the island!

tess crying (no surprise), dylan is singing, and jb is doing the shhh-shhh-shhh to calm his baby sis.  

even with a few tears, life is pretty damn sweet.

day 25

the waves were massive.  caused by a huge storm, not sure if it made your news, but we had never experienced the multiple waves (at some times 3) crashing and merging into one giant wave.  you could be standing in shin-deep water, and the next moment, get nailed in the back of the neck.  intense.  

have i said jb was fearless?  we could not keep the kid on the shore.  he held his own, swimming with them, mostly on his boogie board - on his belly, then onto his knees, and by the end, he was on his belly, paddling out to catch the next wave.  surf lessons are in store for our next trip.  

day 24

we can't travel anywhere without getting in some type of hike - my kiddos crave it!  we decided to climb a "mountain" in makena state park.  i asked half a dozen locals, and no one knew the name of this hike.

here it is from the road.  not as intense at the butte but similar with stunning views from the top.

jb recognized molokini crater:  

hey!  i went there with dad!

looking back toward wailea

day 23 bonus

another picture of my family, in action (ok, very little action) at the beach.  

oh - rare moment of jb out of the water!  i'm certain he was running back to the surf.

day 23

footwear.  

flip-flops, crocs, keens, toms, absent pairs of nike and new balance sneakers.  

what you see here though: 12.  

twelve pairs of necessary beach/hiking/strolling wear.  and i think, just wait until tessie adds to this mess...

day 22

ben and i agreed to take it to the grave - we'll never admit how many visit(s) were made to krispy kreme.  but, this was one...  or the only???

day 21

my beach family.  if you're thinking that someone is missing, just glance to the left of ben & his girls - that small circle object in the water is jack.    

day 20

this day, the boys went snorkeling at molokini crater.  at 6:30 in the morning, we dropped them off at the harbor in ma'alaea and came back to our condo in kihei.  my plan was to clean off (some of) the sand, get me and the girls all pretty-like, maybe look in the mirror before walking out the door and take in some shopping; that Christmas money was really burning a hole in the pocket of my cut-offs.  

after our breakfast, the girls were crawling on the floor, giggling, playing.  i was able to sneak in behind them and capture some personal delight.  can't you just hear them squealing?  it still gets me - thinking about my two daughters.  sisters.  i hope they always smile like this at each other.  

ahhh, plans with kids.  

yeah.  tess decided that since she was getting up 3, 4, and sometimes 5 times (if i was really lucky...) that today would be THE perfect day for a nearly 4-hour nap.

but.  just because tess was snoozing on our shopping day, didn't mean we couldn't still make it girly.

day 19

the kid is fearless.  add "zipline" to his 6 year old resume...

day 18

i've walked this lawn dozens of times.  we were {re}married just a few hundred feet from this spot.  never have i witnessed a lone, rogue coconut just chillin' in the grass.  i know i laughed out loud when i saw it.  is it funny?  not really - actually, not at all!  but, i'm always in favor of the unexpected.  especially in pictures.

cute coconut almost right in line with that spectacular moon, too.

quiet sunrise to myself.  

day 17

part naughty almost-four-year-old, part sand crab.

day 16 (part II)

aloha!

i had to include a bonus picture for day 16.

we landed, swooped up our rental rig, grabbed some stewart's burger (formally, fat burger) and took in the sunset. perfect ending to a pretty perfect and smooth day of travel.

happy to be on the island.

day 16

we leave for maui in just a few hours.  this time around, i think the big kids are almost as excited me. and, that's a whole heck of a lot.  

they were playing like ideal siblings this evening.  the chatter back and forth had zero percent hostility, topped with loving hugs, a willing brother to help lend a hand... and regular squirrelly dylan, be-boppin' around on her tippy toes, singing do-do's with every step to the carpet.  she's a total nut.  

they must have come down the stairs a dozen times to show me different costumes - several unnamed superheroes, nemo, king jackie, a ninja turtle, princess duey, and of course, spiderman.  

the picture below captures my knuckleheads in an extremely rare moment of embrace.  one without screaming, hair being pulled, body parts kicked or tears smattering their cheeks.  

please enjoy.  i cannot guarantee when a moment like this will occur in the near future.

more posts to come in a few weeks - time to unplug and enjoy our family of five!

aloha ♡

day 15

as i'm running my fingers through his freshly cut hair:

hey, jackie!  how was your day at school?

the child lets out a deep sigh, grabs my hand and speaks:

mom.  

please give me some privacy with my hair.

he's six.  going on sixteen.  

day 14

we were lucky enough to have this train derail in our island... well, no, not exactly, but how great is THIS?  what you can't see, what i chose not to include, are two more cars:  the coal car AND caboose.  

ben brought this home last autumn, and by the time i had a second to think about his location, (the trains is a he, no?!) he was frozen in place.

i have big plans for this guy.  i see many children, mine included, captured on this wondrous prop.  a few coats of paint to cover up the sunshine-themed colors, and he'll be good to go.

to be continued...

day 13

gramma d's birthday!

happiest of birthdays to you, momma.  i'm so thankful to be celebrating YOU today.       i love you.

day 12

(no words needed.)

day 11

super-sluggish, lazy saturday.  obviously.

buster's moving in on beanie's personal bubble.  they'll be spooning in no time.

day 10

hoarfrost.  but what i think when i say it: whorefrost.  what a terrible word to describe something so beautiful.  

day 9

sunsets.  my weakness!  i chase them down, looking for the best view, a new view.  weaving in and out of neighborhoods, looking for a different angle than the last.

5:15 pm

 5:18 pm

that ball drops quickly, but thank you, Lord, we're gaining daylight now.  the half-way point can be a struggle - here's to more minutes and sunshine!

day 8

one of the best happenings to come out of 2013 - meeting jen.  i think back, she met me when i was at my lowest of lows.  i had seen her a few times at gymnastics, juggling her three boys, and i remember thinking, oh my, that's going to be me.  SOON.  

after tess' arrival, right smack dab in the middle of my postpartum depression, i would put on a brave face to take my son to jump and tumble, somewhat manage my redhead, while the newly minted brunette would fuss and cry (ok, scream) and i would want to join her.  during one of those tuesday mornings, jen grabbed tess from my arms and tears filled my eyeballs from bottom lid to top - just like a cartoon character.  here, i had met her in just previous weeks, spoke to her with a hellohowareyou, and yet, we had this connection.

i'm so grateful for her friendship.  

on this late afternoon, her oldest boy was celebrating his 6th birthday.  we met up at our local fro-yo stop.  i must say… gabe's in trouble; he's got himself an admirer.  and please, ignore the kid in stripes - disney flick that he's never, ever, not once watched before… right…

day 7

can you say burnout(s)?  someone please tell me my kiddos will one day allow me to take their picture again…

but oh - look at these adorable hooded towels!  if you would like a customized gift, check out my girl mel's Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/Mnpolkadotjane

day 6

i remember finding jb like this.  likely the same age.  and, i took a similar picture.  i know it's not hilarious or even that funny (to you!), but discovering your own tiny human doing something, anything other than the norm, will crack you up - promise!    

day 5

a 30-some degree day AND blessed with this beauty?!  that just doesn't happen!  usually the bitter cold has to kick in before we get those colors and clarity.  but ahhhh - ak is not disappointing this winter.

day 4

a mere four days in, and i'm resorting to the fruit phone.  i think because i was completely humbled last year, brought to my knees by the (now) Über-sweet baby tess, i've learned there's no room for pride.  there's no reason to hide behind a pinterest-laden world - i've always wanted my blog to be real, speak the truth and nothin but the truth.  sheesh.  i'm really building this up more than it really is…

on saturday, i received a text from my man, asking for a salon update.  i had been there less than an hour, and already, i was getting the ol "check-in" text.

this.
was my response.

day 3

can't get enough of her beauty.  alaska grabbed me at a very young age.  all our trips from minnesota to alaska for christmases & thanksgivings.  skiing alyeska in the winter and hiking flattop in the summer; i always knew i'd find my way back.

day 2

i promise they won't all be dog pictures.  it's kinda like when you bring your new, fresh-smelling baby home.  you take, like, 200 pictures of the same pose, same smile, but still, can't get enough!  that's where i'm at.  having a single-digit week-old little dude is a lot like having an infant.  (and, i can say that because i've done both!)  you're in the nap, feeding, pooping time-suck.  but oh - how cute and wittle.    

BUSTER.

i can't believe i'm doing this (day 1)

seems incredibly silly AND unrealistic, but after talking with one of my photog friends, we agreed to do a 365-day "challenge" - where you document something about every day for a year.  she is a momma of four, so it's equally ridiculous (ok, MORE ridiculous!) for her to attempt.  but what we thought, we could hold each other accountable.  oh, and i put challenge in quotes because i can't say it will be a struggle for me to pick up my camera every day - but, getting them onto my mac is where the biggest challenge may arise.  

i like the entire idea of this.  

i like the dedication.  i know i'm gonna love looking back.  mostly though, it gets me to my blog, without the pressure of needing a few hours to write a bunch, edit & upload a bunch.  right now, i just want to be able to touch the smooth keys on a regular basis.

like most things (and most women) i am making a few exceptions to this challenge.  while i may shoot every day, i'm not sure if i can post every day.  i'll likely be doing several posts in a sitting, keeping the words down and the focus on pictures.  ahhh, see?!  it all loops around - i don't think i'll ever grow out of loving a story chock-full of pictures!  the other exception that we agreed to was the occasional phone picture.  i want to avoid that desperately, but there are those rare moments when i grab my phone before the moment passes.  so...

here we go!

  

day 1

we have a new addition to our family.  bella is more excited about her evening carrots than she is having to share her bed with this intruder, this stranger.