Hawaii Five-O, Day 1

We have 144 pictures so I better get started blogging!  Hawaii was so much fun and we jam packed as much as we could and still ended up being able to relax. 

Monday doesn't count as a day in Hawaii since we were both so tired once we got there!  Tuesday morning, we went to the timeshare presentation that gave us the rental car.  We are serious pros at saying no, but love the free stuff.  Here is the trail of offers:

Napa trip in February, gave us $50 to Macy's plus 4 days in Hawaii

If we booked the free 4 days in Hawaii, they gave us a free rental car if we went to the presentation while there.  We had an extra hotel room right on the beach that was WAY small but had a nice view.  We never stayed in it, but enjoyed the rental car!

The rental car company gave us a nice deal to upgrade to a Jeep with a removable hard top.  It was an amazing way to enjoy the island (we drove that car almost 400 miles in our week and were all over the entire island!)

Perfect weather

We had a kitchen in our real room so we headed to Walmart to get some snacks.  I was sad that I couldn't bring my large coupon book, but they did have these right next to the chips.  Of course, we peeled one off and used it.  I made Ben take a picture of me with my lone coupon.  I must say, ouch! to the price of food there...

Pearl Harbor was our next stop.  There were no more tickets left to see the memorial, so we did the tour of the USS Missouri instead.  It was worth it.  Our tour guide was really fun and told some wonderful stories about the battleship.  It was a great experience, especially as I have really gotten into history lately.

 The spot where the Japanese signed to surrender

 I took a picture of this quote because I really loved it.  There were so many interesting stories about events on the Missouri.  I wish I could remember them all in detail, but my brain doesn't work like that. 

Next stop was the air museum...not as exciting and their garlic fries gave me a stomach ache.  That's about all I got from there:)

 The plane behind me was flown by President Bush #1 

Day one was a success! 

Welcome to Toilet Camp

Nope, not potty training Nathan...  The correct name is actually Twilight Camp, however little N decided it is pronounced "Toilet" camp and corrected us so many times that it has just become the new name for the Oram family.

Bailey enjoyed Cub Scout Twilight camp this week.  He was able to make marshmallow guns, projects, play sports and shoot bb guns (his favorite activity).  We spent Friday evening with him at the family campfire (minus two tired twins who stayed home with uncle Curtis)

Getting ready to shoot marshmallows

Bailey and Malachi

Practicing his first aid skills

Good thing this is only a drill!

Archery

BB gun medal and mommy

Nathan and Daddy waiting for the Cub scouts

Emma and her braids

Hi, My name is Joe, and I work in a button factory....

Pushing the button with her arm, foot, rear and tongue!

Working Together for the Common Granola Bar

Nathan convinced Kate to fetch all of the chocolate covered granola bars from the snack cupboard and bring them to him in the laundry basket.

"This not OK, Mom?"

No, Nathan, not so much.

During this collection of food, Addy decided to eat some snack leftovers...

All I did was go to the bathroom!  :)

I'm a big kid now

What to do when high chairs won't hold them, booster seats don't work so well and you just give up?

Skip a step and they go right to the big table and chairs!  They ate there for breakfast and dinner today and loved it.  Bigger mess for mommy, but maybe I can move the high chairs far far away!

Haircuts!

The twins bangs have been bothering me for a while.  They are at the stage of growth where they get in the girl's eyes.  Usually these thoughts of mine do not turn out well, but this time, it wasn't too bad!

Not bad for a mommy cut (especially THIS mommy who often messes up girl hair)

Kate's wasn't that bad, so it was easier

What's that?  Addison caught in the act of trying to bite when she got mad.  Well, she got some back as Kate bit her when they were fighting about ten minutes later.  Addy got sent home from the gym child care today because she bit another child (who wasn't a sibling).  Luckily, it was the child of a mom from 5th ward that we sort of know.  

Blogging rut

I just haven't been taking enough pictures to represent our wonderful start to summer, but I finally snapped a few so here we go...

She loves summer...sleeping in, swimming, eating fruit all day.  She is the ultimate California girl

She is loving her Primary class at Church right now.  Sister Singleton sends them with LOADS of pictures and activities home.  And the occasional treat:)

They are still getting used to being around each other ALL day, but it could be worse.  Overall, when they are doing something (swimming, playing, etc...) they can get along rather well.

Nathan has a new love-the swimming pool.  He is a fish! 

Addy loves to dress up with sunglasses and/or princess crowns, draw on our walls and doors and play outside. 

She's sort of walking, when she wants to, but it is getting more and more frequent.  We will probably return home from Hawaii and have a walker.

Kate was mad about something, but always smiles about food!  She not only walks, but RUNS!  Everywhere!  She also loves to play outside on the bikes and can repeat anything.

I was trying to get a good picture of her with the sunglasses on, but she wouldn't do it.  She's a bit, um, strong willed:)

Our summer day consists of:
Wake up, breakfast, get dressed
Gym for Mommy
Lunch, Nap for girls
Quiet time for others:)
Gym for swimming
Dinner
Play
Bed

Sounds simple, but it is very nice to get in the groove of our lazy summer!

Taking the Challenge

Reading blogs is fun for me as I like to see other people's posts and read about their lives.  Who wouldn't?  You get to know different things about them.  At times, it is a bit creepy as you know all these things without having actually talked to them about it, but it does make for some great follow up conversation!  My friend, Jamie(you can read her post by clicking on the blog list link I have as I don't know how to do the link directly in this post!) talked about how on blogs we can sometimes make things look more perfect than they really are and it is time for a good dose of reality to lift up all those other moms around us.  Here are a few things that truly make up my day.

1. I too, as many others don't shower until the afternoon.  There is no point before I go to the gym and then you get going and forget sometimes.
2. I hate to shower and get ready anyway and if I didn't stink and look terrible I would just wear my workout clothes and sports bra everyday without ever changing, sleep in it, everything...
3. I am not good about having my kids brush their teeth until they can do it themselves.  And I never make the older ones floss...
4. Although I go to the gym regularly, there are some days I barely break a sweat and then go sit in the spa.
5. My floors are rarely mopped as almost my entire house has wood floors and it just annoys me to do it. 


I could go on, but who wants to be depressed, right? Now I must get moving and hopefully squeeze in a shower!