cooking class and friends

Hawken and Lullaby really loved their cooking class last semester. They were making chicken salad sandwiches in this picture.

Then, after Option's Day sometimes we get some friends to come over and play, which makes it an extra fun day. Who doesn't love a watermelon and yogurt picnic with friends?

light parade

We went to the light parade in Lihue and it didn't disappoint. The kids got loads of candy, we watched a million bright lights drive by, we snuggled together and ate snacks.  It was lots of fun.

bike ride surprise

Paul rides his bike every morning along the bike path in our town. One day he went extra far and he found this amazing Float Camp. It's pretty amazing.

birthday boy

Hawken chose to bring treats for his friends at Option's Day on his birthday. He was so excited to tell everyone it was FINALLY his special day. I made rainbow fruit skewers for the kids, and a special number 8 watermelon for the birthday boy. He was so happy.

besties

These two are the sweetest friends. I'm so glad they aren't just brothers. They love each other so much.

the princess baby

This girl, our only girl, has our hearts. She is full of life. Her eyes are bright and her laugh is loud. She loves her baby dolls, and her brothers. She says long prayers and sings long songs and tells long stories. She picks her own clothes. She loves learning. She is determined and tried any challenge you can give her. She is thoughtful and loves creating gifts and notes to give to the people she cares about. She has lots of friends and makes them easily. She is sassy and can be sneaky if you try to get her to eat something she does not want to try. She is the pickiest of all our kids when it comes to food. She cries when she's done something wrong, even before getting caught. She is compassionate, and kind, and good-hearted. She is happy and twirling and helping all day long. She is strong and courageous and certainly my FAVORITE girl, ever.

the over achiever

Hawken, my sweet lovey boy. He is so smart and curious. He makes us proud and always makes the right choice. He thinks of others before he thinks of himself. He loves to snuggle and when he has a nightmare he cuddles up with us, or one of his siblings. He kicks in his sleep, and is just about as active as he is while awake. He is creative, and purposeful in his art. He loves animals, deeply, and cares for their well being. He is connected to the earth and loves to watch and help things to grow. He is such a great brother and takes care of his siblings. He's a natural leader. He is naturally talented at so many things, but doesn't like to try things that he might fail at.  He loves routine, and balance, and schedules. He likes to be in charge and to be my helper. He is patient, and more mature than he needs to be. He is my FAVORITE 8 year old. 

the wild one

Sully is our feral child. He is SO wild and free. Trying to get a decent picture of him is nearly impossible. He runs at full speed, or he drags his feet. He loves it or he hates it. His hair is a curly blond mess most of the time. His clothes rarely match and are never on the right way, because he has to do it by himself. He uses "me" instead of "I", as in "me want one please!", or in the third person, "Sully want one please!". His speech is getting better, but still is hard to understand sometimes. He loves kisses and snuggles and being held. He plays alone really well, but much prefers to be playing with one of his siblings. He is funny, and makes us laugh every day. He is independent and wants to learn new things. He is ticklish and happy and always ready to dance when he hears music. He is my FAVORITE 4 year old. 

the oldest

Matix is 9 now, and such a cool kid. He is very sensitive, and kind. He is a good artist, but humble. He does nice things for others without needing recognition. He takes initiative and is a problem solver. He loves to play, and be wild. He never wears shoes, and he always gets hurt. He is a risk-taker and so so brave, until he gets hurt, then he isn't brave, even a little bit. He laughs the loudest at funny jokes. He still loves to snuggle, and isn't too cool for us yet. Matix is such an awesome 9 year old, in fact, he's my FAVORITE nine year old I know.

haircut

Paul finally decided he HAD to cut his hair. He doesn't like to brush it and it was getting long enough that he might have to start, so that meant he better cut it off... I think he's handsome either way, but not both, as pictured. Short on one side, long on the other. Ha ha ha.

Waimea Canyon

We went for a long hike down part of the Waimea Canyon. The kids stared out with lots of energy, but by the 1 mile mark, they were super slow, and needed a break.  We hiked through so many different types of terrain, it was really cool.

Steep switchbacks, and slippery slides made for some nerve-wracking moments...

We got just past the mile marker and the kids and I stayed put in one place while Paul, the only real hiker among us, kept on going. He hiked another hour or so without us and saw some lovely sights. We made rock piles, ate snacks, and played games. It was a perfect solution. Hawk is the master of balancing.

The hike back out of the canyon was just as steep in places, even when we tried new paths.

But we were rewarded with a perfect rainbow. So pretty.

Sully got to ride in this makeshift baby carrier... It's really not made for this. Paul just loosened the straps, and slid Sully in between the pack and his back. It was a snug fit, but made for a happy Sully and a faster walk.

Matix was going to stay and build his house right here in this soft grass.

Lullaby had had enough and swore of hiking for the rest of her life. She was SO mad. Poor thing.

So, we took a tired picture to fit in with Lullaby, then we all matched.

And a couple last rainbow pictures. So pretty!