Great to see some good friends from my AmeriCorps service year

at brunch today!

J & B Basketball

Jack and Benji enjoyed being on basketball teams this winter.

Hawai'i Bound

Mike and I had hoped to take a big, childfree trip on our 10th anniversary. When the time came, though, the kids were still young and finding childcare for a week didn't happen. So we went out to dinner instead.

Since then we've been holding out hope that we'd be able to take a big trip for our 15th wedding anniversary. That is coming up at the end of May, so we have been busily making arrangements to leave for a full week+ to go to Hawai'i. After booking flights and lodging, it finally feels real. Therefore I am now feeing GIDDY. We'll be visiting two islands, incidentally the furthest away from one another in the chain of main islands. Big Island, the youngest island, were we can view some active lava flowing from the volcano, and Kaua'i, the oldest island, where we look forward to some serious beach time, and perhaps zip-lining and a helicopter ride over the Na Pali coast.

Some good friends of ours tipped us off to this B&B on the Big Island. We will stay there for 2 nights, and even reserved spots to rappel down their on-site waterfall.

Chose a room that OVERLOOKS THE WATERFALL. I think I will never sleep better....

Once we leave the waterfall/rainforest/volcano part of the Big Island, I become super picky about lodging. I want BEACHFRONT. No questions. 

We are booking vacation rentals rather than hotel rooms for the first time, since Hawai'i has so many available.  Found two good places with very responsive and kind owners in the Kona-Keauhou area of Big Island, and in Kaua'i. 

Every cup of coffee and mai tai must be consumed at this table. Period.

Where we'll sleep in Keauhou on the Kona coast (an area recommended by old friend and Pacific guru, Mac Marshall.)

This place is where we'll be for 4 nights when in Kaua'i. Can't wait to hear those ocean waves at night.

Ditto on the coffee and mai tais at this table. But in Kaua'i.

It will be hard to wait two and a half months to get there. And once we do, those 8 nights will fly by, I'm sure. I'm not looking forward to the 9 hr flight from Houston to get there, nor the overnight flights to get home. But I plan on it being worth it. For now, I get to spend over two months in anticipation (which I once read is 50% of what people enjoy about vacations: the planning and anticipating).  Tonight I'll be dreaming of tropical farmers markets, black and green sand beaches, and the sound of ocean waves.

Continues to be a Sushi Man

When his brothers got invited down for an overnight on the grandparent's farm, we told Gavin he could have a special mom&dad night. He chose to go out for sushi (or Tushi! as he likes to call it). He insisted on his favorite sushi spot where I used to take him for lunch when he was in preschool, and where he celebrated his 5th birthday. I love that kid.

School daze

Got to enjoy some time volunteering in the kids's school the past several weeks. Helped at Jack's Valentine's Day party, chaperoned Benjamin's school field trip to the Science Center, and visited
Gavin's classroom for his Star of the Week presentation. I love it when my schedule allows for flexible time to do these types of things. Helping at the Book Fair this week. Nothing like counting out $8 in nickels and dimes!

Jack the 4th grader

Jack had a short solo at his 4th grade music concert, and also entered a drawing of the Eiffel Tower into the school art fair. He is growing up fast!

Birthday FaceTime

Jack was home sick with a cold today, and it was several hours into the day when we realized that it was also the day his half birthday treats were to be delivered to his classroom. In the afternoon, his teacher and class called via FaceTime to sing him Happy Birthday. It was the sweetest thing, and brightened both of our days. I can't say enough good things about the school my kids are at. The teachers always go the extra mile to take care of their kids.

Wizarding World of Harry Potter & Universal Studios

This past week we fulfilled the boys' big Christmas present this year and took them to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando. I will never get tired of Florida in January. Luckily the weather fully cooperated so that we had two nice days in the park, and a gorgeous sunny day for the pool. Mike and I enjoyed this more than we anticipated; probably because it was low season for the theme park so crowds and lines were at an unusual low. The boys had a good time, too!

Hogsmeade

Gavin's first Butter Beer

Weasley's Wizard Wheezes

Gringotts Bank

The Leaky Cauldron

Diagon Alley

Benji at the Three Broomsticks

Eating at the Three Broomsticks

Unexpected water play at Curious George land

Waiting for the Hogwarts Express

Seuss Train

I thoroughly enjoyed soaking them with water guns from above.

Cowfish Grill = sushi for Gav, Mike & Brandy and burgers for Benji & Jack

82 degrees in January

Gav in the hot tub

The Hideaway Grill at Cabana Bay Beach Resort

Our hotel had a bowling alley on-site, and we took advantage of that after a long day in the sun at the pool.

Cabana Bay Beach Resort, on-site at Universal, was very family friendly and had moves in their pool courtyards each night.

Christmas 2016

Seems to be going off with the usual gusto. Enjoying the thuderstormy day indoors. Boys are having Nerf gun fights, playing Wizard's chess, baking new recipes out of a newly acquired cook book, and tossing the baseball. Oh, and eating sweets. A lot.

Dijo in a box. Sponsored by Amazon.com

Lucy the Hospice kitty

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Fat Phine

Wizard's Chess

Treasure Hunting with clues

Big gift is the surprise of a January trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Watching some videos about the place online.