We started out July by bleaching Matix's hair. I wasn't really sure how he'd like it once it was done, but he, and we all, loved it. It made it really easy to spot him in the water too! Before and afters, plus a little trim.
Lullaby took piano lessons from Colleen Zehender for a couple months, and although she didn't learn much, she had fun. Colleen has the most energy of any person I've ever met, but that made it hard for Lullaby to know what to do.
Auntie Jolie sent a box of goodies for the kids. It had little toys, some old sheets that Bradley didn't use anymore, and my old camp cup from Girl Scout camp. So fun.
We spent the first part of our 4th of July with our ward at Lydgate. They rented a shave ice truck, and played music, and had games, and so much food! It was a great time. Then later that night, we went to my friend Rebecca's house for fireworks. Such a fun day.
It's always a good day for a dive.
Pumpkin can be found at all times of the day, in Matix's bed. She loves him the best.
Sunday hair for Lullaby. She wanted a forget me not braid. Cute.
How cute are Paul and Matix? Auntie Stella sent me this picture she grabbed from church.
After church prepping for a beach night. When we bring the boards, we load them on top of the car. Sully loves helping Paul. Then we eat on the beach and play in the water. I love it here.
Matix went for his first ever interview for a job. He got a new outfit just for the interview. It was so fun hearing his thoughts on what an interviewer should wear. So cute.
He came back all smiles, paperwork in hand and a job at Kelly's Kitchen which is the food place inside the bowling alley. Woohoo!
Then we had to open a bank account for him so he could get direct deposits... it wasn't a very fast or fun process.
We went to Nawiliwili while Matix worked his first day at the bowling alley. It was weird to have him not be there, but it was a beautiful day.
Jolie needed a break from her regular life and came for a visit. Just her. We missed Bradley and Alexandra, but it was so fun having her.
The kids took Jolie on a run down to the falls, right away.
We went for a paddle up the Wailua River to Fern Grotto, where we found some tiny ripe bananas, and then on to the cliff for jumping. Such a fun day.
We went to see Matix at his work. We ate some food, and played at the arcade. It was fun to see him in action.
In the parking lot, they found their car! Virgo power!
Matix participated in his first ever boogie board competition. He was out there with kids who have been doing it for years, and he was only a few months in, but he had fun and loved all the swag he got. Jolie got him checked in, and Paul and I watched the break.
Waiting for his heat... 6 kids per heat, 8 heats. He was in the last one.
He came in last in his heat, but 32nd out of the 48 kids overall. We were so happy for him!
Free shave ice for everyone, and free juice from Kauai Juice Company, plus lunch for all the competitors and swag. What a great day.
On the way home, Paul got a flat tire. Thankfully someone stopped and helped him change it fast, and then to Costco for some new tires. Looks like he ran over a razor blade!
Beach day at Nawiliaili again while Matix works. Working as a 14 year old has some disadvantages because we have to drive and pick him up each time he works, but it gives us an excuse to hang out at the beach or get our errands done while he works.
Kealia for a lovely day at the beach. Hawk and Sully brought the army guys and made a war. I sometimes see little glimpses of my dad in them and I love that.
Jolie tried musubi and liked it, although she wasn't thoroughly sure at first.
We played "Beat the Parents", and the kids won cookies and ice cream, lucky ducks!
Jolie was worried about going into the grocery store because she was only wearing pants over her swim suit... So I sent her a picture from the inside, proving she had nothing to worry about. Shoes, and clothes don't always happen here.
We got some musubi, and peanut butter mochi, and other snacks for a trip to Hanalei. Jolie let the kids put on her sunscreen and she did almost every jump they asked her to. What a fun auntie.
Jolie did not love the mochi. It was SO funny to watch her eat it. She is sometimes a texture girl, and this was too mushy for her.
Anini on an overcast day, best for napping and snuggling.
We took the missionaries out to eat at Bobby V's, one of our favorites.
Sand castle making, of course.
She found a tiny jellyfish, and needed a picture of it.
Matix was practicing for an upcoming boogie boarding competition. He learned 360's and was trying to figure out how to do a drop knee.
Tower building with Cathedral pieces with Auntie Jolie.
Showing Jolie how we are related to Marilyn Monroe, fun!
Snorkeling at Anini. It's so easy to dive and see all the things you wanted to see. Tons of fish, turtles, and plant life. Lullaby took Jolie out.
Jolie and I went out to eat one night, just us, and she ordered the biggest thing on the menu. Ha ha ha.
Making good on our bet, the kids won cookies and ice cream, and this is what they got!
We removed the shower door and had to break it to fit in our car to take to the dump, but that caused so many little shards of glass to be in the yard. So we picked out as many as we could. Then Mousey came to "help".
Good bye to Jolie, it was a great, fun packed trip. I got her to the airport, but thennnnnn, I got a FaceTime call from her at the airport bar, drunk, and had missed her flight. She was supposed to get on an early morning flight just a few hours after that, so she didn't want me to go get her.
BUT, as it turned out, that wasn't correct. Her flight was actually at 5PM, not AM, so she Ubered to my house and took a nap, and then we tried it again. I made her send me a picture of her at the gate, proving she did not stop at the bar this time, and she did. She made it, silly girl.
Day at PK's with the family and some friends. Matix went out to the break with Walls. Hawken built a fort in the tide pools. Paul went out diving and even found a puffy sand dollar, yay! Then shave ice and home.
Our dragon fruit are starting! So fun!
Sully was invited to his friends birthday party at the Owen's house. They are so sweet to let the kids use their pool for a party. Happy birthday Emmitt.
Changing oil is sometimes a family event. All the kids know how to do it now, which is awesome.
Rope swing at the river jump is so fun. Very cold, and refreshing, but fun. Even I jumped, but of course, no one took a picture of that.
It's always a good day for a boogie board with your dad.
Sunday hair is usually a Lullaby thing, but this time Solace wanted a picture of his orange hair chalk in his hair before we got ready for church. Then a picture of Lullaby fresh from the shower and ready for church.
The snuggliest baby kitty, Mousey.
Date night with my favorite guy.
Working out in the yard and I have a few watchers. Whiskey and Snow Baby mostly.
Beach day with Lullaby's favorite people, the Wilde family. Lullaby did my sunscreen...
Beach day with friends, yes please.
Matix heard about a trick you can do with frogs and toads, where you can draw a circle around them and they stay in the circle. So weird! It worked for a long time, but it did eventually hop away.
The kids participated in the Kids Entrepreneurship Market with our homeschool group. They mostly sold their Pokemon cards.
Paul's Aunt Steph introduced me to these and I love them. Anytime I see them for sale at Costco, I buy them. Yum.
I was parked in my car on the phone with someone and we were talking about how animals seem to find me wherever I go, and I look over and see a cat staring at me. Is that wild timing?! Then when I got out, two dogs, one after another ran out of the jungle and came up to me. I couldn't believe it.
This cutie lost another tooth. New smile, cute!
New puzzle and its mostly blues and pinks, took us a long time.
I love the way my room looks when the sun starts to come up. It feels so good.
Date with my favorite girl.
This game of Risk went on for two days. No one could be pulled away to help put away the groceries, or pick up the living room, or anything else. It was all Risk, all day.
Trip up to Hanalei with my favorite people. They boogie boarded and surfed and warmed up in the sun next to me. I read and ate the coconut they opened for me. I love it here.
Paul found an old cell phone in the river where he was snorkeling and pulled it up. No chance of it coming back to life though.
We went to Auntie Christie's farm and worked for the day. We fed animals, cleaned enclosures, and moved a few structures and cages. And of course there was lots of cuddling too.
Date night with my favorite guy. We went to see a few bands play in Kilauea.
Trying to read in my bed, and I got a snuggler.
Lullaby made snickerdoodle cookies to make ice cream sandwiches with strawberry ice cream. It came from one of her recipes from her Raddish subscription. I wasn't sure about the combination, but it was SO good!
Another piano lesson.
Sully found the world's biggest slipper! Wow!
New Raddish recipe, Hummingbird Cupcakes. They were delicious! Thanks Lullaby!
Sweet playful Mousey in the laundry basket.
Renovations for the month were mostly focused on the bathroom. We had to get off all the old tiles, remove the backing, solve the no storage problem by building shelves, redo the plumbing, and line up the faucets and shower head with the drain. It was a big undertaking. Bathroom befores...
Tile arriving from Spain. Woohoo! It took a looong time to get here. Very few things were broken, I was so impressed.
Paul and Hawken did some re-wiring. They are now the official electrical crew. Any time we have an electric anything (unless it's super major) they do it.
I wall-papered a board and made it into semi-open shelving for next to the sink to hide all our stuff. The outlet is inside one of the shelves to keep our toothbrush chargers hidden too. Yay!
