Kauai

What a vacation! We were so spoiled. It was our first visit to the island of Kauai and we both loved it. It's known as the "garden isle" and is so green. I felt like I was in a movie the entire time with the gorgeous scenery and contrasts of dense jungle and mountains to turquoise ocean. We had the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation. We loved it.

A sea cave off the Na Pali coast.

The food we ate was fantastic! We had seafood almost every night. The ahi was the best I've ever had and the fruits were so sweet. The shave ice (pineapple and coconut with macademia nut ice cream) was delicious!

One of the highlights of our trip was a hike we did the first day we were there. There is an 11 mile coastline (no we didn't hike the whole thing!) that is basically untouched. The cliffs are so steep they can't build roads, so the only way to access it is by foot or boat. We hiked the first 2.5 miles and back to a secluded beach. The hike gained a lot of elevation, so we were huffing it at times, but the views were spectacular. And the snorkeling at the end made it that much sweeter.

We also took a catamaran to the Na Pali coast. It was a much more relaxing way to see the coastline. The coast is dotted with waterfalls, sea caves and tons of wildlife. Dolphins swam with our boat on the way back. Watching them I kept thinking of the documentary on dolphin fishing we saw a while back called The Cove--it's a bit disturbing. Dolphins are such beautiful creatures.

We chose to stay in a small cottage instead of a big resort and we were so happy that we did. We loved sleeping with the windows open to the sounds of the rain and jungle. It also had a kitchen so we didn't have to eat out at every meal--and saved us money! Other favorites of the trip: trying stand up paddleboarding in Hanalei Bay (one of the most gorgeous sights I've ever seen), hiking to waterfalls and secluded beaches, sleeping for 10 hrs at night, reading good books, swimming in lava pools, driving up Waimea Canyon and ending the trip with massages--argueably the best money spent.  Meanwhile, the girls were happy as could be with Mimi and Papa! Thank you!

Back from Paradise...

 

Pictures of Summer

a few things...

This porch is actually part of a playhouse. No, unfortunately it's not a playhouse at our house, but one that was on display at the Irvine Spectrum. I love it and think it would be a nice grown-up porch. Isn't that little chandelier great?

Golden Spoon. We've been there quite a few times and we all love it! We had an impromtu visit last week and surprised the girls after they were all ready for bed that we were going out for ice cream. Once we were there Kate declared that this was "the best night ever!"

Our garden! I've always got more pictures of our garden. We've had hits and misses, but fortunately we've gotten a few meals out of it. And the peppers are growing like crazy now!

Kate and her new pet. Moley, the roley-poley. She picked the name all by herself. His home is a glass jar filled with dead grass. She checks on him every few minutes and takes him out, plays with him for a while and then puts him back. Sometimes she'll find others in the yard and put them in there as well so Moley will have friends. When we got home yesterday she ran out to check on him and I heard her saying "I missed you while we were gone, Moley." I'm glad the girl has got a friend :)

Bonfires and s'mores at the beach. One of the best summer treats!

Fudgey's and tinker toys at GG and Gramps house. Kate asks all the time when we are going to GG's house. Not only are GG and Gramps great fun (and they just turned 91, wow!) but they've got the best candy dishes and cookie jars. Always full and second helpings are encouraged. We never leave GG's house hungry.

The circus came to town! Kate was a little unsure of it all in the beginning but got into it once she realized she didn't have to get too close to the elephants and lions (creeped me out a little, too). She always loves outings with her cousins.

And no photos, but Paul and I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary this weekend! Our dinner at 320 Main was the best food I've eaten since we moved to California. Seriously. Sea scallops, mushroom and herb flatbread and a caprese salad. I can't wait to go back. We were reminiscing about the past six years together and both agreed that this past year has felt the busiest! It makes life go by really fast. Too fast, sometimes. For now, we are just trying to enjoy Summer because it will be over soon!

A day at the lake

Sunny San Diego

We spent last weekend enjoying Grammy's sunny Del Mar house with family. San Diego is so beautiful. There are a lot of fun neighborhoods to explore and everything you could want in a big city. Even though I grew up just a few hours north, I haven't spent much time there. Paul's family spent every summer there, so they know it the best! We ate great food, enjoyed perfect weather and company. Saw the ocean, swam, kayaked La Jolla sea caves, shopped, went to the park, watched the surfers and flew kites. Summer is going by too fast!

OC

crazy kids. barn animals. pig races. huge turkey legs. carousel. pony rides (wow--she loved this!) corn on the cob. gross combinations of fried food that we did not eat! time with mimi and papa. rides. cotton candy. bubbles. Summer!