KAUAI

all right!  it's been long enough!  i'm ready to take back my blog.  there's been too much that's happened that i don't want to forget.

let's go back.  way back, to the beginning of summer.  we took the kids out of school the last week and braved the airports, manned with 3 large checked bags, 7 carry-ons, 7 backpacks and 6 kids.  i was counting in my head all day trying to keep track of everyone and their parts and pieces.

but we made it.  without a hitch.  that might be a first for us.

plus we had wade's brother, brek, and most of his family with us for the ride.  it was so cool for the kids to take a trip like this with cousins.

there is an obscene amount of pictures to follow.

elle was a perfect little charmer the entire trip.  

really.  perfect.

brek and emily and five of their eight kids.

everywhere EVERYWHERE was green and more green

this was tunnels beach where bethany hamilton got her arm chomped off by a shark.  the fact didn't seem to phase the kids any.

can you believe those mountains coming down right into the ocean!?!  oh man.  i'm tempted to go back for Christmas break.

dead fish and peanut butter sandwich.

seems like a logical combination.

this is hanalei bay where we rented a a big ol' house for the week and where we really spent most of our time.  since we had both babies with us we didn't really have much planned beyond going to the beach every day, eating lots of food, surfing, and taking naps as needed.  and lots of reading.

it was PERFECT.

these two were fast friends.  whitney named him fetch, and cried for weeks later worrying that he didn't have anyone to play with him after we went home. that girl needs a dog.

devan woke up the morning we left to kauai with strep throat.  

of course.  no one in our family had EVER had strep throat, so of course she'd get sick the very morning we were flying out.  after a couple days worth of meds she was feeling much better.

thank goodness.

on our way back to the airport.

you know i have more pictures.

that's for another post.

this is enough for today.