Fence

 

We love house projects and making our home secluded!

Time to block the wind and the neighbors with another bamboo fence.

It looks so good!!! To the side of the truck.

and in front of the truck.

Luckily she doesn't mind us planting a bit in her yard.

Grow baby, grow!

18 years

 18 years and counting.

Happy Anniversary to us!

Senior year of high school....April 1999 - best year of my life.....met Justin....

so grateful for getting gas at Circle K on Hudson Bend

Feb 4th, 2006 - the beginning of the best life - Justin made me dinner and proposed to me.

8 years later, June 16, 2007 - another best day of my life.....marrying the man of my dreams!

3 years later - Sept 27, 2010 - another best day ever - Dylan was born

almost 2 years later - July 10, 2012 - another best day ever - Hudson was born

Ponder this...

Dylan is exactly 3 years (almost 15) from when Justin and I met in high school (I was 17, almost 18) !!

Married at 25, had Dylan at 29, Hudson almost 31....

half way or closer to potential marriage and grandparent than they were born!

Excited and stunned. Time comes and goes, why being present is so important!

So grateful to homeschool and spend so much time together.

BEST LIFE EVER - thank you JUSTIN!

Here we go...off to more amazing years.

Father

Happy Father's Day to all Dads, grandpas and uncles!

I love my DAD! 

Man's job is never done. 

Love how his slippers are nicely placed on the side of the pond as if he stepped right out.

Hudson giving his money away. haha

Happy Father's Day to one of the best fathers we know.

So blessed to have such an amazing father for my boys!

Aw, tried to save another mynah bird but he ended up passing.

A good father....always trying! Provider and protector. 

10 years

I can't believe we have been here for 11 years and been going out to Hookipa every morning for 10 years!

Morning crew back in the day.

It is so sad when you know someone who passes.  A surf friend passed from Alzheimers at 75 years. He had been battling for a bit and not surfing for the past couple of years.

RIP Jim. Always in our hearts and in the ocean.

Over the years.....just some moments sitting on my desktop of my computer.

SOOOOOOO fun!

Look at him now!

This is one of my favorites.

 

Laughs

 I seriously think we could make everything fun.....

Taking our neighbor's dogs to walk with us.

The boys LOVE their dogs. 

Who would have thought a doggie playdate was sooooo fun!

Dylan's new game he loves.

Justin has run into a few friends over the last week that have suggested us going to their Jiujutsu class as a family......so they finally took them up on it and went. The boys loved it. Justin remembered why he stopped! ha, so hard on the body.....me, thankfully I opted to stay home and garden. My neck and shoulders appreciated it. Justin's body was not happy with him. We LOVE being in the water and working out too much to go back to smashing our body up. Priorities.....the boys want to go back so Justin will have to learn techniques only and not roll unless a size match shows up.

Gearing up to smash.

This kid makes me laugh.

Turning Point Moment

 WOAH!

Today I had a turning point moment while in the water. The boys and I went back for 2nd session and I boogied the inside while they surfed. I love watching them catch waves!! As I was paddling back out and watching Dylan, I had an emotional moment. Woah, I am legitimately excited for Dylan turning 15, learning to drive and on his way to becoming a man! While I was thinking this I was watching another kid we know surf a wave with a mustache!! Yes, he is a few years older and it just hit me....we will be there soon too. Yet, now I am excited to see Dylan come into his own, to see what he becomes. I am already so proud of him, it is amazing to watch! I love hanging out and being with them. Over the last 6 months to a year has been a huge growing point for us all. I have really been letting go and letting them have more responsibility and autonomy in all areas. It has been a struggle, a balance, a growing point full of LOTS of tears and emotions from us all, but I feel like we have leveled up for this milestone. I am still there amazing mother, yet now by there side as more of a friend, guidance to keep them within the bumpers. 

I know I will still have moments of sadness, moments of longing but they will always be there to remember, to grow from, to shape us into the future....and now I am excited, let's do this. We are doing it!!

The lens is different now.

Perspective. We are DOING it!

Fake it until you make it....you will. What a journey. Cat and all ;)

Crew

I didn't realize but our CREW consists of...

Cids (aka Kids that also includes Shelby since she is like a little sister), 

Cats, Chickens, Cockatiels.....that is a lot of Cs!

One of the last times the cockatiel crew was together.. :(

My fig tree is finally going crazy.

Workout challenge.

Dylan working on developing a game.

Love our workout time.

This guy gets me out there.

On his class....one girl had some cool glasses on, so he got his to join her.

Bella and Big Guy trying to claim the piano.

Grateful to workout with this kid!

And I wonder why I am tired!!! 17 waves, 2 mile paddle, whew.

This boy is going to be (I MEAN IS) big. Dylan's wrist compared to mine. I guess he is bigger than me - weight, height and frame. I feel since I am the parent and he is my little boy, I AM BIGGER!!!?????

WHAT ON EARTH!

Dylan cleaned our cars and when I went to drive it.....he left me a present. haha

Hudson saved for months for this video game skin....proud moment.

Chicks

Growing up.

Exploring time.

Yes, I am jumping up here now.

Little bird trying to be big bird.

Are you my Mother?

They love me.

Just hanging out.

Rosy

Trouble?

I have grown!

Time to fly.

We moved them outside to our coop. A week early, 3 weeks vs. 4, but it is Hawaii weather.

Cats

 Kids to Cats I guess...

Never would thought integrating a new cat into our cat house would be such an adventure!

When you mix one white witch with a male tom cat that is use to being outside......

you come across some territorial and peeing issues.

WEEË.....this has been NOT SO FUN! 

I have almost given up multiple times but something in me perseveres.

Thankfully I have been in contact with the lady that knows about him to help me through this. If they would have wanted him back in the beginning, he might have been on his way. I cried so hard at the thought of this, stress of cleaning and love for this animal. Not knowing what to do is maddening.

So frustrating to think you know who the culprit is, to then be back to square one on the guessing game, to thinking you figure it out and BAM again back to square one. I have tried everything and I think we (fingers crossed) may be onto a breather.

Doors shut, cats out at night and when not watching them, multiple litter boxes (thought they were inside/outside - urg! nope....research says to have more than you do cats, eyeroll!), clean litter even when you think you don't need to, space and catch the aggression right when it starts to stop it and end on a good note. 

Dear Cat GOD, please continue to have harmony, love and peace in our home. Let Mr. Big Guy and Bella get along, feel safe, and at home. No more territorial and peeing. xx

Trying to get along. Bella growls at him, he ignores it until one night decided he was not going to take it anymore and went after her. Thankfully we were there to get it before it got bad. In hen sight we should have not even let it get that far. Thought maybe them brawling would fix it....nope - made it worse!

You know your yard is peaceful when the animals are enjoying it.

I think he is loving his new home.

Brothers.

Buds.

Cat bed.

He wants water from the faucet like George we use to cat sit.

And.....they look like they might be trying to be bird buds.

Water.

First time outside....he was off.

Forcing him to nap with me.

Exploring.

hahaha. Buds?

Flat out.

I think they are friends.

Lazy.

Whatcha doing in there????

His spot.

I LOVE this guy.

Whose bed?

Is this a bed and breakfast??

Yep, it is!

So tired.