Mudpies!

With the weather so nice these past couple of days, the kids and I have spent as much time outside as possible. I was weeding the flower beds and looked over to find Jack making a mudpie in the back of their Cozy Coupe...and Gracie eating it! Good protein I guess!

they were both fully dressed when we went outside...then the pool happened and both were stripped!

Sour!

Grace is our good eater--our GREAT eater, actually! Garrett calls her our "little garbage disposal!" We have yet to find anything she doesn't like--until now, I think. She was introduced to the lemon in Ohio--don't think this will be a regular on her menu anytime soon!

Good Ol' Y-town!

For the last leg of our month long vacation we traveled to Youngstown, Ohio--Daddy's hometown! We had a very busy visit packed with outings and fun things to do--the kids had a blast and enjoyed every minute of Grandma and Grandpa time!

learning to play one of the many instruments Grandpa has mastered!

the calm before the walking storm!

Gracie hearts her Uncle Kevin

So..a bit of background for these next photos. I made SERIOUS fun of my mother-in-law for wanting to take the kids to this "exotic petting zoo" on Belmont Avenue. She had said "it's like being in another county"..and I found this hilarious! Well...I ate my words--BIG TIME! Wagon Trails was AWESOME! Jack had an amazing time (and so did I!), the animals were so cool and SO close!

here we go...!!

a Bison--on Belmont!!

feeding the Elk---they were close enough to kiss!

water buffalo...again, on BELMONT!

and ostrich--these were crazy aggressive birds!---just a small sample of pics, but you get the idea, amazing petting zoo!!

Mommy's night out in Y-town!

Barry Women

Gracie and Grandma

Of course our trip wouldn't be complete without a couple trips to the Golden Dawn

Golden Dawn pizza! Grace's first time--it's a monumental event in their lives, yes, the pizza is THAT good!

and her first time eating Handel's ice cream--the best ever!

Family Fun at the Country Club Pool!

Grace meets Layla-Aunt Ali's dog

Aunt Ali and Uncle Kevin

"Yee-Haw!"

Uncle Mike and Aunt Kelly

That concludes our month long vacation--like I said, I think it was the best one yet! Thank you so much to my family and Garrett's for the great time we had, the help with the kids, and for a WONDERFUL vacation filled with lots of family love!

Hawaiian Honeymoon

After 3 years of marriage and 2 kids, Garrett and I finally got to take our honeymoon! Garrett's squadron is participating in RIMPAC for the summer, a Navy exercise with different countries. This brought the Reagan to Hawaii for a week--and opened up the door for our fantastic Hawaiian Honeymoon!! I left the kids in Indiana and made the 8 hour flight west! We had an amazing time together--work free too, Garrett put in for leave and it got approved! I couldn't believe it! 6 days of fun in the sun with no kiddos! As much as I would have loved a honeymoon when we first got married, I definitely think we appreciated it much more now that we have been through 2 deployments and 2 children!

we started our trip off with lunch at Dukes and got an amazing Bailey's ice cream pie!

Lanikai beach in Kailua--the couple that introduced Garrett and I LIVE here!

hiking Diamonhead

quick kiss at the top!

insane view

snorkeling at Hanauma Bay--may have been my favorite day of the trip, it was awesome!

Garrett gave me a tour of the Ronald Reagan--this was inside his room, a 6 man room!

front of the ship, looking at the Arizona Memorial

the Mighty E-2 Hawkeyes

Garrett's window ;)

Dinner at Beach House at the Moana Surfrider

North Shore--the beach where LOST was filmed!

Garrett's boss had given him a real cuban cigar awhile back...we saved it for our last night with champagne!

Luau at the Hale Koa

Squadron Wetting Down at a bar in Waikiki

We ended the night with dancing and Denny's!

When it was time to leave we were both SO sad! We had an absolute blast with one another and are so thankful we got the opportunity to go--going back is a MUST!