Who Are These Kids?

 

Who are these kids? One of my favorite experiences from our honeymoon. Our Sea World visit in San Antonio... I am fascinated by dolphins. Apparently we did selfies before selfies were a thing.

Thanks For Playing Along, My Love

If my husband hadn't been wearing his awesome cape today, I'm pretty sure this day would have gone down as a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. This has been it's only redemption. 

I am thankful for my hubby humoring my tendencies to be a romantic. I got not one, but three Valentine's cards. I was instructed to open them in order. One for each stage of our relationship.

Red was for "Lani P" representing when we first met and dated.

Pink (the blending of the red and the white) was for "Lani M" representing our committing to each other/getting married/early years as a married couple.

White was for "Lani Girl" representing where we are now... he claims his favorite stage so far. I love all three.  I told you.  He really did go above and beyond this year... WOW factor is on high.

Craig went into the local chocolate shop today and there was a whole line of guys. He asked, "Have you ever had this many guys in your shop at one time?"  Then he looked at a guy standing closest and shared, "It's like this. We're all on the treadmill and then someone comes along and turns the speed way up for one day and we're all just trying to keep up." This. This is one of the bajillion reasons I love my husband. Thanks for playing along, my love. Thanks for playing along.

I Heart Date Night

I heart date night.  But especially my date.

YEE-Hawwww!

I haven't had a whole lot to laugh about this month which means, I guess, the few times (two I can think of, to be exact) they've come along are memorable.  Craig's parents took us out to Craig's choice of restaurant the other night to celebrate his birthday:

And this is what happens, I guess, when you're turning 48 and you get free ice cream.  You do not get to talk the waitresses into letting one of your sons sit on it instead.  You MUST sit in the saddle yourself.  Or they take the ice cream away?  Obviously, he didn't try it to find out.

For some reason it struck me as funny.  A grown man sitting in a saddle having the restaurant respond to the question, "Can I get a YEE-hawwww?"  Oh how I love this man.

So while the month hasn't held a whole lot of laughs for me, it sure has given me lots of reasons to be thankful.  And that's not all bad, either.

 

I guess I'll mark this down as Reason Why I Love My Husband #1,000,013.

Ordinary? What's Ordinary?

Why I Love My Husband #1,000,012:

 

 

Daddy's Summer Art Camp

Why I Love My Husband #1,000,011: I love me some "hands on" Daddy.  Loved listening to the sounds of Craig teaching Kekoa how to paint a figure coming from the basement on Saturday.  He is so patient.  Should have been a teacher. Or a coach. An unusual, but welcome rainy Saturday produced Kekoa's first figured painted.  He was so patient.  So excited.  So proud.  So was Daddy.  I wonder if Kekoa realizes how lucky he is?  I wonder if Mommy realizes how lucky she is?  She's been noticing.  And she admits to loving it.

The Cupid Shuffle

Why I Love My Husband #1,000,010: Craig has been more than a little vocal this year about his chagrin for Valentine's Day. But lucky for me, the cupid just shuffled up the days a little and the only fall out from his Cupid Resistance I've experienced so far is scoring me this pretty little bouquet a day early.

When it dries, I will have a beautiful dried arrangement left in it's wake. I love it.

But I love his heartfelt, romantic Valentine's love note more.

Who can resist such poetry?

And then he took me out on a pre-Valentine's lunch date.  Chocolate nut pie.  Mmmmmm...  Thanks for humoring the hopeless romantic in me and my love for Valentine's Day - one of my favorite holidays... a not so distant second to Thanksgiving.  I love you, Sweet Cheeks.

Burning Love

30 Days of Fun - Day 27
Why I Love My Husband #1,000,009:  Just a little photo booth fun on our date night.  I love my husband.  Even if he does pick my nose.

Reason #1,000,008

This would be reason why I love my husband #1,000,008 .

My Mexican Souveniers

If you're interested in seeing all the pictures we had taken, here's a slideshow. I was impressed with what they did.

Taking the Lead

*beginning of sap* I love it when my favorite dance partner takes the lead. He's so fun. Sometimes I forget to acknowledge that. I couldn't have picked a better person to spend the rest of my life with. *end of sap*

Jake

A week ago today, I traveled north to this man's funeral. This picture was taken last April on his 92nd birthday. He was my Dad's uncle. What I remember and will miss most about Jake are his robust, give-me-your-full-attention greetings. When he'd see me coming, he'd approach, grab my hand in a good hearty handshake and put his other hand on my shoulder. Then he'd say, "Who's this? Is this Lani? Hello, Lani."



And being with his family always meant laughter was right around the corner. See what I mean?



Here are some pictures of his lovely children and grandchildren. A few had left prior to this photo and some were too far away to make it to the funeral. But suffice it to say, he was well loved. If I'm ever in a nursing home, I hope my children and grandchildren will come visit as often and be as loving and caring as his children and grandchildren did and were to him. They were amazing.



I was thrilled to see family I hadn't seen in years. Here's Debbie and I:



I don't think I'd probably seen her since I was 14. You do the math. That's over 20 years ago already. She used to give me and my cousin, Missy, baths and comb our hair back in the day. It was really good to see her. Posting two pictures, because she liked the second one with her glasses on, but I liked the first one where I could see her pretty baby blue eyes.



Craig had recommended I make the trip alone since he had a physical therapy appointment and thought I would enjoy my time with family more if I didn't have the boys along. And was I ever thankful he did. Thanks, darlin'. Not only did I get some one on one visit time with family and friends, but I got to go spend some one on one time at home with Mom & Dad afterwards. I think I got home at midnight. So no turning back into a pumpkin for me. And you wonder where I get my love of bright colors from?



I guess I come by it naturally, huh Mom?



This is what my wedding bouquet would look like if I had it to do all over again. Minus the chicken wire in place to keep the animals out, of course.



The landscape has changed up near the farm where I grew up. There are giant windmills as far as the eye can see to the north, east, south and west of us. Some people don't like it. I think it actually looks kind of cool.



We're going to miss you, Jake.

The Headless Engineer

Our train ride went something like this:

Me: How much are tickets for your train ride?

Ticketholder: $2 a person for 1/2 way. $4 a person for a full ride. Children 3 and under are free.

Me: (eyes widening) This must be SOME train ride. I'll take three 1/2 way tickets, please. (thinking... I should have gone ahead and told them Gavyn was two when we bought our entrance tickets.)



Gavyn was all about the waving to everyone as we left. See if you can make out his "See you later," in this video. I love his little sing song voice. It makes me want to cover him in smooches.



The train ride starts. The announcer explains the sights along the way. Only you can't see anything. I start to make audible comments about how this might possibly be the worst possible way I've ever spent $6 in my life. Finally, Craig looks at me, raises his right hand from where his arm is resting across Gavyn's shoulders and makes a motion with his fingers for me to "shut it". Then says, "Try to enjoy it, honey." It silences me for a moment and then I bust out laughing.

That's the difference between him and me. I see something as a rip off. He sees something as an experience that only happens once in awhile... something to enjoy no matter how much it costs. We won't be taking train rides forever. And I suppose, if I'm really honest with myself, I have wasted my money on worse.

But that wasn't the end of it. Oh no. When we got to our 1/2 way point, the engineer was kind enough to let the boys get their picture taken with him and the engine. When I looked at the pictures Craig took as we were walking away, we were all in the picture, but the engineer behind Kekoa had his head cut off. You could only see him from his shoulders down. This, for whatever reason, about sent me into convulsions. How hard is it to take a picture and make sure you can see everyone in it?

Me: Craig, why didn't you get the engineer in the picture?

Craig: I did.

Me: No you didn't. He has no head. You cut off his head in the picture.

Craig: Whatever. Don't ask me to take anymore pictures.

We stop speaking for a few feet. Then I start in again. His silent reaction and set jaw indicates I'm probably pushing my luck. I'm dangerously close to ruining the day for everyone. I let it go. Kind of.

So we get home and I'm downloading the picture, and guess what:



Wouldn't you know? Our friendly engineer has a head, afterall. Now who wants to go to the zoo with me? I'm sure to make it a pleasant experience for all. Don't raise your hands all at once, now.

Grown Up As It Gets

My little sister tried to take pictures of us at a local park about five years back. We had resigned ourselves to the idea that after eight years of marriage we'd likely not be having children. I was pregnant two weeks later. I'd like to think we've matured since then, but I'm afraid this would be a bit of a stretch. She never offered to do a photo shoot with us again. I wonder why?