Happy Birthday!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

My girls showered me in plumerias

 And took me to the beach

What day isn't made better with your toes in the sand?

I can hardly believe school starts in 2 weeks!  We have had a fantastic summer but considering the amount of bickering my two angels do in a day it just might be time to get back into the routine.  Olivia is attending an "ocean camp" for the next two weeks and we have one more set of visitors coming on Sunday.  As usual, it's 100 mph here!

Mahalo!!

My girls couldn't have been more excited when a few days before MY birthday a giant box showed up with gifts for them!

Emily's face was priceless when she saw this adorable Hello Kitty birdhouse made by Grandpa Hughes!  I had to giggle a little at the thought of him buying these paints and adding the glitter :)  What a good Grandpa!

Olivia was equally happy to see hers didn't have a spot of pink on it!  So cute!!!  Our weekend project is to find a place to hang these.

The giant box also contained two gorgeous hand made afghans - also in the perfect colors - and with glitter.  

Thank you so much Grandma and Aunt Betty, they are just perfect and a real treasure for the girls to have handmade gifts from their family!

Of course the gifts for David and I were equally as perfect.  I think the Hughes ought to buy some stock in Starbucks!  We should be getting a cut of all this.

All snuggled up.  We had to turn the AC down so she wouldn't burst into flames but there was no telling her she couldn't sleep with this in Hawaii!!

2 years!

2 years ago yesterday our tired family arrived in Hawaii.  We hit the ground running, found places to live, started jobs, enrolled in schools, made friends and set up our home.  

Normally, we would be starting to pack it all in for the next adventure about now, but we have the good fortune to be staying put for another few years.  Although it's hard to watch many of our friends heading onto their next chapter, we are blessed to be staying put in what really feels like our home.  

"You can't control the wind but you can adjust your sails."  

Indeed.    

Aloha!

Today is the day!!

Here they come!

And there they go!

Welcome home - we missed you!

4th of July Recipe

Ingredients:

One festive pedicure

One beautiful day

20 giant cupcakes

One peach cobbler (yes, it was delicious) 

One cute project for little hands

One tasty project for bigger hands

3 matching outfits

2 normal shots

2 goofy shots

A bunch of cute neighbors

One brand new friend (6 yrs old, going into 1st grade, at the same school...thank you very much!)

At least one cute baby up way past her bedtime

And one outdoor movie screen.

Mix all together and enjoy!  We sure did.  That might be the best non party, party I never threw!

The best part is that our countdown to Daddy is almost over.  We are so excited to be getting him back!!!  

  

Sad Farewells

Sadly, goodbyes are a part of military life.  You would think we would get used to it, but much like moving...it's painful each and every time.

We spent another day downtown today preparing to say farewell to our dear neighbors.  

They have been a fixture in our lives since we got here two years ago and watching the girls say goodbye was like watching sisters being separated.

It was a fun day full of sun, swimming, food and fireworks. 

 We stayed as long as we could but it was finally time to go. 

  

Emily always told Abigail she was her BFF for infinity F's.  I know they will remain friends for life, just wish they could stay next door!  Fair winds and following seas friends, we miss you already.