I think I can, I think I can....

(Alex would approve of this title with his love for trains.)

This has become my mantra in the last couple of weeks. It seems we are always running kids somewhere. Last Wednesday night was ridiculous! We have 4 children, and 2 adults, yet last Wednesday evening our kids were scheduled for 7 different meetings/games in 3 different locations. I've decided that I need a clone of myself- in fact 2 or 3 would be nice- just to get everyone to all the different scheduled events.

This next Tuesday is pack meeting, so I will be there. Unfortunately, my own cub scout son will not be. He has a baseball game that Steve will attend with him. And I just found out that Alli's Science Olympiad banquet is at the same time in another location. Really???? I am just looking forward to summer so that our family pace can slow down a little bit.

Josh was in his "very first parade" on Saturday. His baseball team all climbed into the back of a pickup truck, and they paraded through town. He was pretty excited about the whole thing. Then his team had a bbq, and then a baseball game. Josh made out pretty well. After the parade, Josh found a group tailgating and mooched 4 hot dogs from them. Then at his team bbq, he had another 2 hot dogs and lots of chips. I honestly don't see how he can still walk. Steve and I are joking about taking out a second mortgage when he becomes a teenager. I'm not sure how we are going to be able to keep up with his food intake. :)

Anyway, another week has come and gone and we still haven't downloaded the rest of our Hawaii pics. One of these days, we'll get it together and post them. Miss ya much! Love, Deb

We're back.... and so is the chaos!

Deb posing by the Bowfin's big guns.

We toured the USS Bowfin- a cool submarine.

Matt and his fellow scouts on their hike.

3 little boy scouts laying on a dock....

Matt tending the firepit.

Shopping in our favorite souvenir spot.

The boys listening to the audio tour on the Bowfin.

Steve and Greg played with their phones constantly. It got to be pretty funny. :)

Deb and Steve wasting away in Margaritaville... a great restaurant on our last night.

I couldn't resist... the street sign was there.

In the park by the ocean.

Way too much fun in the Jimmy Buffet restaurant.

Steve really wanted to get the giant I-phone, but we settled for a picture.

Downtown Honolulu

Greg and Steve getting ready to fire.....watch out!

Aloha! We are back. Steve and I had a terrific time in Hawaii. We did lots of sight seeing (you know the tourist stuff) and our fair share of relaxing too. Michelle (my sister) and Greg (her hubby) Blackburn came with us, and Michelle played tour guide. She spent the previous three months researching where to go in Oahu. We rented a car and drove up to the north shore, and while there even went snorkeling with some giant sea turtles. We did the Polynesian cultural center visit- it was really amazing. We also went snorkeling in Hanauma bay. We also visited Pearl Harbor and saw the Arizona memorial and the US Missouri. It really was a fantastic trip overall.

The toughest part was coming home. We arrived home at about 1:30 in the morning on Wednesday, and then we had to get up and go to work the next day at 6:00 am. Ouch! We have been running crazily ever since. It is only because I got to come home early tonight (it is Steve's turn with the kids at the church) that I even have a moment to type this entry.

Josh had his first baseball game yesterday. He is playing on a 9-10 year old team as an 8 year old, so he has a steep learning curve but is loving every minute of it. Alli leaves this Friday morning at 7:00 am for her state Science Olympiad competition. Shawna, Alli and Matt have all been taking the WASL this week. And there is always Boy Scouts (Matt had his first big overnight campout and 5 mile hike last Friday), Cub Scouts (Josh earned his Wolf badge and is working on massive arrow points) and we just seem to never be able to slow down because of all the other misc activities that always seem to come up.

We are going to upload pictures from both cameras on the computer in the next day or so, and then I'll post lots more pictures. But I wanted to reassure everyone that we got home safely, and are already dreaming about going back with the kids someday. There were so many things that we saw that we said... "______ would just love this!"

Anyway, we miss you and are all looking forward to finishing up the last six weeks or so of school! :) Deb