Hold the Presses!!!

No big surprise here, another adventure by car...but wait...can it be? YES! Dan went on our adventure!!!!!

Back down 395 we went, destination: sun, sand, and Grandpa!

But first the adventure!

I've blogged about Mono Lake before, it is one of my favorite, most beautiful places. One of those places that makes you catch your breath and forget about any troubles or thoughts for the shear beauty. This was the first time Dan had been there, we were all so excited to share it with him!

I have become quite expert on balancing on rocks and using the self timer on my camera for family pictures all over the place, what fun pictures we get!

If you count from the left the taller tufas to the fourth where it seems a bit wider on top than the others, then you are looking at an ospry nest that had a mama and eggs! Please forgive me that I forgot my zoom lense in the car!

After a crazy night sleep with three to a bed we stoped at another favorite spot that Dan had not seen ether, Manzanar the Japanese Internment Camp near Bishop Calif. Fern and Leili earned their Jr. Ranger badges!

This is the obolesk that was erected to commemorate all those who lived here and for those who died. Amazingly facinating history. The paper origami cranes are for peace and  healing, arn't they beautiful!

Most likely my favorite family photo of the trip! This is Fossil Falls, you should have seen the comedy of this photo! I had the camera balenced on top of the van, after I pushed the button I had to jump down, run 50 feet and climb up the rock! All in 20 seconds!! It took more than one take!

With Dan with us we ventured further than before since we had muscles with us to help if I could not get everyone out, Jake was a happy camper!

When I look at this picture all I can think is, "Oh, the adventures he will see!"

More to come from our family vacation!

Birthday Making!

Sweet Fern found a great baby doll basket at goodwill last a couple weeks ago and was so excited to give it to Leili for her birthday this month. And then she got bigger ideas!!

And so she picked out fabric (from what the kids call "mom's fabric shop") and then together we cut and stitched!!!

A pillow and pad!! Fern did a lot of the sewing herself I just worked the petal and gave technical assistance! 

Fern even coordinated the fabric with the baby doll blanket Grandma H. made a while back!

I am thankful for the little time Fern and I had to make together. And even more thankful for the lock on my door!!!

I think Leili will be so stoked!!!

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{this moment}

Happy Mother's Day!

My peaceful morning filled with So. Cal sunshine, cards and kisses from my kids, and breakfast in my new lounge chair!

Hope your mothering day is lovely!

XO

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The Last Day in Paradise.

 We started the day sightseeing after breakfast, and sadly the Temple was just a photo stop since it was closed for maintenance the 4 days we were there.

 We also did a little strolling through town, this was the first Christian Church in Hawaii. I loved the way they used the natural building materials (lava rock). Inside was beautiful with the wood benches and stained glass.

 Their are a few banyan trees around the center of town, they are so interesting! We are standing on a 3 foot high lava wall and we still barely come up anything on the tree!

 After the little sightseeing we headed out to find another beach! We had to drive through a couple miles of lava fields to get to the beach. It was a bumpy ride!

 This one had a lot of lava rock but was beautiful!

 We had lunch on the beach! I could seriously live like this all the time!!

 This beach seemed to be used by more locals than tourists, there were younger guys who came in on kayaks who had been spear fishing and then this guy standing near the water was fishing with a net. And there were a few kids splashing in the waves.

 Dan was splashing too!

 I got a new shirt...hi!

 We went back to my funky restaurant one more time, the kava was wonderful for my travelers tummy!

 We spotted these bananas from the table, paradise I tell you!

 The plumaria trees everywhere are also amazingly wonderful...do I really have to leave?

Yes sadly. After a 5 hour delay waiting for the airplane to get to Hawaii I took off from my island paradise.

 And then the sun came up on a new day. I was so exhausted.

But not even exhaustion could prevent me from enjoying these smiles!

Aloha!

(and yes I am ready to go back and am already plotting my move!)

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A couple moments from this week I will always savor!

Paradise Day 2 ~ Beach Hopping!

Friday in paradise we went strait from our pajamas to our bathing suits and stayed that way all day!!
We took our poi from the night before and our papaya and mango from the farmers market, grabbed some rice and headed to the beach for breakfast!

Seriously could it get any better! The sand here was crushed lava rock and sea shell bits.

We pretended to be kids in the tide pools and I got to show Dan a couple creatures we use to find at my grandma's beach growing up.

Mollusks in the lava rock grooves...

Sea slug...

Sea urchins.

So this was our first beach of the day!

We then went back to town and did some shopping at the farmers market, more fruit, kukui nut necklaces... Then we stopped by a local hamburger joint Dan loves and then headed north of town to another beach!

Our first try was closed but we scored on the second one!! 

 It was a little stormy but the onshore breeze kept it sunny on the beach!

We went out near the end of these rocks and got to see a sea turtle swimming around! Swimming with sea turtles!!!!

I picked up coral and some more tiny sea shells and found this funny seaweed. I called it grape seaweed!

One and a half more days worth of photos coming soon!

Aloha!