I Flipping Care

Just when I thought I had it figured out, Grace came along and proved me wrong. This little princess is STUBBORN and takes me for all I'm worth. The other day was particularly trying with her. By noon she had me in tears. That evening my sweet husband brought me flowers along with this card. So truly romantic. I mean really. I loved it. Just know that someone "flipping" cares when you are going through tough times makes ALL the difference.

Hang Loose

Mike and I enjoyed 5 days in paradise this week. I tagged along with Mike to Hawaii as he attended a conference at Pearl Harbor. Island living truly allows one to hang loose and RELAX!

Slipping Into the Sunset

Mike and I went down to the beach each night to watch the beautiful sunsets. Here in Washington we rarely see the sun slipping below the horizon since giant fir trees block the view. Notice the cruise ship and sailboat pictured here literally slipping into the sunset.



The beach was a short little jaunt from our hotel and Diamond Head (pictured here) was not very far beyond that. Plus Waikiki had plenty of dining and shopping options. A girl could really get used to all of the wonderful shopping at her finger tips! It is a good thing I do not live in the city or have oodles of time on my hands like I did this week.

Toes in the Sand

Foot loose and fancy free--no kids! Grandma Christensen is at home with the kiddos.

Polynesian Culture

Kudos to the Polynesian Cultural Center. It is a wonderful blend of entertainment, history,and fun!

A Howling Good Time

School was out last Friday for a teacher inservice day and so we made way for Grand Mound, WA to stay at the Great Wolf Lodge. I have to say the resort is really well planned and lots of FUN! The water park is actually inside the hotel. I'm a big fan of a STAYcation (staying in your own state for vacation). Short trips cost less and deliver just as much anticipation and excitement as the big long trips :).




Tips for a fabulous stay at Great Wolf Lodge:

1. Be prepared to get WET and enjoy 84 degrees in the middle of the winter!



2. Let yourself hang loose and kick back for a fantastic mini vacation.





3. Bring lots of CA$H or else plan ahead; you can really burn through the dollars fast at this place if you aren't prepared. We brought lots of snacks and some easy meals; every room has a microwave and mini fridge.

4. Bring friends. We brought along the Anderson clan so every kid had a buddy!



5. Book a reservation on a week night, it's cheaper. The only drawback is that everything closes by 10:00 p.m. which is early when you're in vacation mode. No worries though, we invented our own fun!





6. Plan on reaching complete exhaustion by the end of the day. Climbing up mammoth water slide stairs all day=very tired children and parents. Oh, and the Howling Tornado (pictured above) is by far the coolest slide.

Sipping Lemonade

I came across this picture today...thought it was so cute. Gotta post it to my blog as an ode to summer. Here's to longer days and warmer weather. Sigh. Did the ground hog see his shadow?