I love holidays that fall mid-week. It makes the entire week feel like vacation. We started by paddle-boarding at Kalipaki. This day was noteworthy because Zachary let Brady take him far out into the bay. Zachary is still a bit terrified of deep water, and yes, we did bribe him to do this. He said it was "Fun," but when asked if he'd like to go again, said, "No, thanks."
He's much happier to mess around on his boogie board.
Kate loves dogs. She screams and squeals when there is one anywhere in her sight line, and rushes to pet them.
July 3rd was the annual PMRF fireworks. 10,000 people showed up, so it was nuts in the traffic and crowds, but fun with friends and the fireworks were a ton better than I remember from last year.
Kate was excited by the explosions at first, then settled in on Daddy's lap.
July 4th: Kalipaki Trip #2 in one week, but this time to surf. Brady caught a good shot of Zac actually on a wave and not just whitewater.
Kate is suddenly a Daddy's girl.
We hosted a July 4th BBQ. I love hosting things. I love the cheesy decor and the planning and prep involved, and I love having kids running around the house and tearing through the yard.
We bought cheap, last minute outfits for our kids this year, but didn't get many cute pics of them. I love Kate's festive little dress.
Kate went from 2 teeth this month to 8, so this is her month's permanent expression.
Watching the kids outside made me want to buy our house so badly, despite the intensive makeover it needs (along with the ridiculous HOAs).
Brady, out playing with the kids.
We ended the night at Todd and Megan's for Costco fireworks, which the kids loved. I've never been one for lighting up our own tiny fireworks, but this experience made me a believer.
July 5th was Brady's 33rd birthday. I feel bad that I wrote an entire post on my birthday, and he gets a tiny mention in the middle of our week. It was half the reason the week was fun, though! We went to Roy's for some yummy fish and the kids opened presents with him after work. The kids loved helping me wrap things up, color cards, and bake a cake. Zac kept saying, "Can you not BELIEVE it?" every time Brady opened a gift.
His big surprise was a spear fishing pole.
Friday night, we hung out with the ward at Mahalepu. We were supposed to camp, but it was gnarly outside with crazy wind and frequent rain. We live three miles away, so we hung out at the campfire, slept in our own beds, and then went back in the morning. Everyone left early because of the lousy conditions, but when we got there with the Hadleys, we were in for a beautiful day.
We hung out at a rope swing and took the kids on a little hike.
Love Tanner's face in this one:
The kids' loved the "dragon"--a blow hole that makes a growl/roar with the waves. They were intrigued and freaked out. They were especially concerned when Todd put his hand in and told them what the dragon felt like.
Making the dragon mad by throwing in dust/rocks:
Another beautiful week and good times with our kids and friends. Holidays are not complete without friends and family, and I'm starting to believe they also require sand.
