A Barrel of Monkeys

Sunday, November 5, 2017

We are moving!!!!

It's amazing how fast time flies from summer into Fall. So much has happened dear readers. Sadly, Blogger has no updated it's app, so we are trailing a bit behind in our updates. We have decided that the barrel will have move to another hosting site. Please be patient as well roll out all the full we have had these past few months. You can find us at: https://wordpress.com/view/abarrelofmonkeys.wordpress.com

Sunday, August 6, 2017

Back to School!

And just like that....we are back to school! (CFI that is...)

Elias wants t be a carpenter when he grows up. He has Mrs. Hewett his year. His favorite subject is reading. He really found his love for the written word this summer...

Emmett is heading into his final year of pre-K. He has Ms. Beth who he loves dearly. He wants to be a Dad when he grows up and his favorite subject is playing LEGOs. Emmett is on the cusp of being literate. He wants to read and write SOOO bad. He really figured out how to make all his letters and he is spelling/reading simple words this summer. He pretty much is reading... Our linguist!

Elias has really taken charge of his hemophilia and has done all of his infusions. We are so proud if this monumental step in his life.

Aravis is now an official Alley Party member!

The Engineer. The Interior Designer. The Tester.

9 months

This little girl is a mover and shaker. She is into ALL the things. She is standing, causing, finger walking, and crawling everywhere! We are just waiting for the moment she stands and walks. She loves her brothers and can keep right up with their shenanigans. She smashes all the glass ceilings. She has the best guttural laugh. Aravis is totally living up to her name....

How Far We'll Go!

In this barrel we love us some Disney. We love us some Lin Manuel Miranda. So for our big "Hop the Pond" trip, we decided to embrace Aloha and travel to Hawaii. We ventured to the island of Maui. But first up...Cali of course.

Cousins meeting for the first time

On Opa's putting green

Auntie V

Opa and his granddaughters

The beach house we rented was on the north shore in Wailuku. The waves were choppy and the sand were medium sized lava rocks that were polished like river rocks. But our view was amazing and peaceful. It was tucked away with the locals, so very quiet each night.

Crazy cousins!

Jet lag. It's a bear. But at least our beach house faced the east and we welcomed each morning with a ht mug of Kona coffee, the sea air, and sound of crashing waves. We watched the early surfers ride the morning waves. It was quite lovely. Even at 5 am.

"I'm not giving the sky a high five, I'm measuring the stars..."

On the Fourth of July, we decided to hit up a local farm (plantation) on Maui.

Pineapple

Learning how to open a coconut

The restaurant was so farm-to-table, the chickens walked around at your feet

Of course, shaved ice!

Happy Birthday America!!!! (From your most Western state)

We spent one day on the Western part of the island doing a little pool time.

When you are so full of sand, everyone in at the same time!

We also spent the morning at the Maui Ocean Center and got to learn about all the marine life of the island. Sharks and Hona (turtles) are cool!

Pineapple whip!

Then we stopped in at the Maui Brewing Company. Very family friendly and beer made with aloha.

Of course when in Hawaii, you must go to a luau!

Watching the sunrise and set on the Pacific in the same day = mind blown.

Also a check on the Maui bucket list is the infamous Road to Hana. This piece of American highway of 42 miles has 54 bridges (many single lane) and 600 hairpin turns. Thankfully Daddy and Uncle T are very talented drivers and no one got carsick. We made it almost to the halfway point before turning around.