aloha.

we just got back from a great vacation in hawaii! there are TONS of pictures and uploading them proved to be more than Blogger wanted to do... so to get them into order is not something i'm willing to fight with Blogger about. 

Please to enjoy the picture explosion! 

Ava and Cousin Lilly

view from our balcony

loved our resort, right on the water.

pearl harbor

Cousin Danielle and Cousin Lilly

attempting to get ava to enjoy the beach... it was a lost cause.

sweet, silly, girls.

view from the infamous hike, before it got bad...

family fun.

after the hike, gabe was way too sore and swollen to walk around the Polynesian Cultural Center.

fun videos with Ava.

funny girl.

please to enjoy the following videos:

ain't she sweet.

please to enjoy the following pictures: 

mother's day

here are some fun pictures from yesterday. 

hangin' with mommy while daddy got us breakfast. 

top of the world park... trying to catch a breeze. 

ladies. 

love.

happy.

laughter. 

so happy to have such a wonderful daughter. 

family stay-cation.

last weekend we had a fun little family stay-cation. my brother's family came to town and we had a great time with all the sweet children.

thursday was a disney day. it was so hot, but we had short lines and got to enjoy a lot of rides at both parks.

friday was a beach day. Ava has been to the beach before in long beach. no waves and she's never been in the sand. friday was her first real beach day.... she was not so happy with the sound of the waves or the feel of the sand. (that and she was tired).

she relaxed with gramma while i enjoyed the waves with Brian, Matthew, and Elizabeth.

Saturday was a relaxation day. no pictures of that.

Sunday was baby Benjamin's blessing at church, followed by a party at Mike and Janica's. Ava had fun playing with the big kids.

and i totally stole this picture from Michelle. i can't get enough of it. it's so sweet. This is my Grandma Lowe with my newest nephew (her great grandson), Benjamin. 

it was a great weekend!