Around the House 2

About a month ago... When we thought spring was just around the corner... bam! Here comes more snow! We've had some warm days and some cold days for the last month. On the warm days I've been busy in the garden, so I haven't taken too many pictures outside yet. On the colder days I've remembered to get my camera out more.

The boys are always finding funny things around the house and dressing up. The goggles are some of their favorite things to wear.

S 'skiing' with the George Foreman drip catchers and big kitchen spoons.... this little guy really cracks me up sometimes.
Wearing some funny hats in the yard. And their new submarine crocs.
Yummy... happy spring cookies.
The boys love wearing daddy's hats too.
Rocking out with their mini guitars. If only sound came with pictures!

Around the House

We've been working on getting our basement painted. One day, while I was painting I thought it was really quiet in the TV/playroom. P had fallen asleep on the train table. By the time I got done painting and my camera he was awake and just laying there. What a sweetie. :)

And this is what happens when I suggest to S that he put a few cheerios out on the table for he and P. They dumped the whole box on the table!
P didn't feel well one day, so I got a little mat for him to lay on in the kitchen while I was making dinner. S thought he should snuggle in next to his brother to help him feel better.
We're eagerly awaiting warmer weather around here! Can't wait to get out and garden!

Winter Fun

A couple weeks ago we hit 40 degrees, so we made the most of it and played outside for several hours. S and P built their first snowman. S thought it was really fun... P was kinda scared of it. He didn't really want to be next to it; maybe he thought it was real?

Today we had quite a bit of new snow. Not near as much as you folks down in Oklahoma, but enough to make some snow ice cream. I cooked up the custard, and then S stirred in the snow. He just had pizza for lunch, so that is what is all over his face :)

Yum! Not my best idea to serve it in a big bowl on the floor... they both got it all over them and had to change clothes. But it was fun. P thought it was little too cold for him, so S ate most of it.

Hope you're enjoying your family time indoors as much as we are! If you look in the second picture you can see the boys finger painting projects from this morning back on the little table. It is now rest time, and after entertaining these guys most of the morning, this mom is ready for a rest!

Grown-UPs only Vacation!

On New Years Day we set out for our first ever vacation without kids(since having kids). We utilized our bajillion miles we racked up flying back and forth to Guam, and flew to warm Hawaii in the middle of the cold Nebraska winter. Turns out Volcano National Park isn't exactly warm. If you ever go, pack more than shorts and t-shirts. We ended up reusing the warm clothes we wore on the plain while exploring and hiking in the park. The lower elevations on the Big Island are warmer though, so I'm glad we had planned to spend half of our time down near the beach.

We stayed at the Military Camp right inside Volcano National Park. We had a cute little cabin, and it was all decorated with Christmas lights. Fun!
Observing the volcano crater.
Hiking on hardened lava up to the top of Pu'HuluHulu (spelling? I don't have my references here with me)

It was really beautiful when we reached the top. Not something you see everyday. Volcanoes and hardened lava. It was also chilly and rainy. The sign said be prepared for driving rain... good thing we brought the umbrella; we had driving rain on the way back down.

Another picture of the cabins at the Military Camp. It was great driving up to these at night; made us feel right at home.

Akaka falls. Didn't quite get the drinking the waterfall thing right. There was a group of people behind D while we were taking the picture cheering me on, so of course I got embarrassed and wanted to stop before we got the picture right.
Huge Hawaiian tree. I never saw what kind of tree it is.
The one place you can still see moving lava on the island. The day before we were there that sign right befind Davy was in front of the lava flow. Overnight, the lava engulfed the sign! What amazed us was that people had homes built out on top of this stuff. They lived right there with the molten lava! CRAZY! Right behind Davy there was a sign that said Private Drive, No Trespassing... The lava didn't obey the sign... it trespassed, and there is no longer a Private Drive there.
While we were watching some lava oozed up and out, so cool! All over you could hear these little popping sounds like Rice Krispies where the hardened lava was expanding and breaking apart.
Black Sand Beach.
Our feet in the ocean at the Southern most point in the United States.
And the regular beach at the resort we lived it up in for a few days. Thank you grandparents for watching our boys so we could take an awesome vacation!