It's Official

Genevieve is done with diapers! (Ok, except at night-but she has nap time down!)
She has been for a few weeks now, but with Eve we never know if we're going to jinx it!
Yay Genevieve!

March and April...

About 2 weeks ago Andrew and I left the kids behind and traveled to the Big Island. The flight in was long, too many transfers, but we made it in an hour early which is apparently pretty unheard of! We grabbed our rental car, found our adorable hotel, got a beer, and ate Taco Bell! (Even though there was a 20 minute wait (with three other people in there) for food...?)
The next morning we woke up and drove to Volcano National Park. About a 3 hour drive from Kona.



The weather is crazy on the big island. In Kona is was always 78' and beautiful. The rest of the island, you never knew what you were going to get. Rainy one minute, sunny and hot the next. But we weren't in MN, so it really didn't matter!
This is the closest we got to any real flowing lava...



You used to be able to walk through this crater, but a few weeks before we came it decided to open up a little bit more! The day before we got there it was throwing out 3 meter wide rocks, and broke the viewing fence. Half the park was closed because of all the sulfur dioxide gas.


After our day at Volcano we made a slow drive home. Visited a winery, ate a fabulous lunch, then went to a Black Sand beach and saw our first (ahem, dead) Sea Turtle! (Don't worry, we eventually found live ones near our hotel!)



Then we went to South Point, driving down crazy, narrow, hardly paved roads. We walked along the edge for awhile looking for the Green Sand Beach, but it was getting late and the sun sets very early in HI, so we never found the actual beach-we did see a lot of green sand though!
We also watched some locals fish and tried not to fall over from the wind.


We did a fantastic hike into Waipio Valley. We walked down a 25% grade road to Hi'ilawe Falls. Then we wandered the valley and the road doesn't get much better.


This was the nicer part of the road with lines cut in it for traction.



Once in the valley the road crossed the river many times. Usually it was ankle deep and calm. This time it was thigh high and raging rapids. The first time we crossed it we had the thrill of a tour bus watching us. The bus turned around and went back up...we kept going.


We were also told that mosquitoes were thick in the valley- we laughed at the guide, especially when I only had to brush one off of me the whole time!


We also visited Hilo, and saw the beautiful falls around the town.



Half-way through the trip we were starting to go through kid withdrawal. Luckily our friend Holly, her husband Jason, and their two ADORABLE daughters came from Oahu to visit us! We headed back to VNP, and loved every minute of it!




The VOG rolls in. Yuck.


Holly and I split a delicious volcano cinnamon roll.


We took a lot of hikes, and for once we actually did one twice! The first time, we really had no idea what we were getting into. (We had no idea it was a 2 hour hike, full sun, blah blah blah.) The second time we were a little more prepared and brought our snorkel gear to swim in Kealakekoa Bay.


The trail was all lose volcanic rock too...


The snorkeling was beautiful and we had a great time, until I accidentally hit a sea urchin with my heel.



The wound. It doesn't look that serious but I probably pulled out 20 barbs in the hotel room and I could feel even more. Not to mention that they release venom which makes you light headed and short of breath and we had a 2 hour hike up a hill to do! I'm still limping in the mornings and we've been home for over two weeks. (Just needed to prove how tough I am...)


On our last day we explored the Kohola coast and all the fancy resort villages-which made me love our hotel even more! But we enjoyed shopping, eating, and more beautiful views!

Out last hike was Polou Valley. It was pretty quick, but very painful! The bottom was another black sand beach, and full of make-shift swings from old ropes.


Our flight home was long and late. We missed one plane and had to run through an airport to not miss another. But we were thankful to be home and for such a wonderful trip.

So, we got home and got right to work. Of course the house needed sweets, so Eve and I worked on that!



Cade and Andrew put together a smaller bike for Cade until he grows into his new one.



The kids and I spent a morning at the Macy's Flower show. The best part was the sleeping cat (See the chair behind them) and the cookie at the end.


Easter Eggs! They made awesome eggs this year.




And now the weather has been beautiful and we've been outside every minute we possibly can be! Cade has been loving the Spring Yard cleanup!





The kids got three Easter's! First the Bunny came to our house. Both kids woke up and instantly started spotting eggs. Thankfully we only put a few Jelly Beans in a couple because Eve had them GONE before breakfast!




The kids got all dressed and ready to go to Grandma and Grandpa R's, then Andrew decided Eve needed her nails painted!


Forgot the camera at the second Easter...
Then we grabbed a nap, and later headed to Grandma and Grandpa S's house for more eggs and the annual trap shoot.