baby, it's HOT outside.

THAT'S HOT!!!

max got bored pretty quickly, until she realized there was something inside.

the easter bunny texted me on thursday night.

said the weekend would be partly cloudy,

with a chance of rain.

maybe meatballs.

we agreed,

better safe than sorry.

i hope they got them all.

counting how many got put out was an afterthought.

this also doesn't really have anything to do with easter...BUT it still counts as festive.

this year i learned,
the more vinegar,
the brighter the color.
you probably knew that already.
i
did
not.
but now i do.
HER-RAY:)
{hooray}

the kids lasted about 5 minutes.

7 tops.

which meant i got to explore my creative outlets while they rode around on bikes with mama C.

GiGi bought the tye-dye kit this year.

told me to read the box and figure out how to do it.

i didn't read the box.

despite them advertising "5 easy steps!"

it's never that way for me.

i waited for Carla to read the box and tell me how to do it.

kind of like chemistry in high school.

and physics for that matter

so she started explaining.

i listened to the first part.
my brain can only retain what it can visualize.
about 2-3 steps.
one if it sounds complicated.
b/c if there's a part i don't understand my brain gets stuck on that part trying to figure it out.
and i tune everything out after that point.
even if they keep explaining,
i'm not hearing it.
don't EVER try to give me directions over the phone to somewhere i've never been before.
it won't be pretty.
yep,
the more i think about it,
the more it reminds me of how i was in chemistry.
then GiGi wanted to know how to do it.
"what did the box say em?"
so i told her,
"drop the color on the egg, smoosh it around with the baggy, and stop before it turns brown."
so she said,
"before it turns brown? is that what the box said?"
no comment.

i mean really,
who doesn't like dying easter eggs?

this really has nothing to do with easter.

for the last three nights,

i have been shamelessly eating the kid's easter bunny candy.
in the basement.
not eating it in the basement.
i actually eat it on the couch.
with a big bottle of water.
i just go down into the basement to get it.
i rustle through bags of different versions i've hidden away.
all if which contain Reese's peanut butter.
although i did buy one bag of the ones that change your lips into pastel colors.
classic.
look,
when the easter bunny tells me to do his shopping
he doesn't get to be picky about what i buy.
it's kind of like if someone asks you to bring mashed potatoes to dinner.
they can't tell you to take the skins off.
i'm bringing 'em.
i'm making 'em the way i like 'em.
so i get to leave the skins on.
besides 80% of the vitamins and nutrients are in the skins anyway.
and i hate searching for my potato peeler.
and they look prettier that way.
AND i always cut myself peeling them.
this i why i never peel 'em.
so then i bring up my little peanut butter treasure from the basement.
and eat them from the outside in.
b/c while necessary,
the chocolate is merely something to get through to the good stuff,
and compliment what's really important.
the peanut butter.
first, there's the standard mini cup.
which i feel obligated to buy.
i can take them or leave them,
b/c they are year round.
again, still obligated to buy.
b/c i love their pretty little easter pastel wrappers.
what i'm REALLY at the grocery store to buy is what i think you are excited to buy too.
unless you're allergic to peanut butter,
in which case you probably stopped reading before now.
THE eggs folks.
i'm talking about THE EGGS.
not cadburry.
i'm talking REESE'S.
this is surly not about cadburry.
the big fat ones, that only come out at easter, i KNOW you know those.
full of peanut butter reese's filling.
{insert choir of angels singing now}
they are my favorite.
the eggs,
not the singing angels.
although the two go hand in hand.
they are so satisfying that they don't need pretty little pastel wrappers.
they are unique.
they stand alone.
and finally this year i found the little Reese's eggs (i bought TWO bags).
almost thought they were the nestle crunch eggs.
same look at the nestle crunch eggs.
no sir,
they are not.
they are tiny little reese's eggs.
i do not discriminate.
i walk the easter asile.
with eyes a'glow.
and when it says "Reese's" i say "YES PUH-LEEZ."
capital P.
no matter the shape or form.
sometimes two times a bag.
b/c for some reason the people at Reese's finally get it right at easter.
and when i say "it,"
i mean,
they FINALLY put enough of that peanut butter filling into one lovely little yellow wrapper.
less chocolate,
more peanut butter.
and it got me thinking.
maybe that's what congress needs right now.
Reese's peanut butter easter eggs.
selling like hot cakes.
to boost the economy.
the deficit goes down,
economy goes up.
hmmm...health insurance would still be a problem though.
not sure Reese's peanut butter eggs could fix that.
although, maybe if everyone were buying AND eating them while discussing health care they would all be in a better mood.
and
sugar does increase brain productivity.
or was that just carbs...
that's what i told myself in college.
maybe that would explain the extra 15 pounds freshmen year.
or was it 20...?
i forget.
no matter,
all world problems fixed.
by the Reese's peanut butter egg.
you're welcome in advance.

then we were blissfully happy again

the day before yesterday,
i was floating on my back in hanalei bay.
today was harder,
but man,
harder feels good.

 especially when i get to come home to these.

the trees too.

they are my very favorite tree.

i've been talking about how i wanted to plant one all winter.

guess what?

my street is lined with them.

such a treat.

except they smell gross.

pity.

BUT somewhere around 4pm i was ready to be back floating in that bay.

b/c both kids were crying.

it had been raining the ENTIRE day.

{insert WELCOME HOME from tropical paradise here}

and for some reason,

i had decided we didn't need the tv today.

b/c i haven't watched it in 7 days.

i had good intentions.

it was the "vacation self" talking.

the one who is motivated to be the "good mom."

remember her?

then the sun came out.

i stuffed everyone into a coat and shoes.

and life was blissfully happy again.

sun on our faces.

spring in our eyes.

until brennan INSISTED on pushing the stroller.

or standing in front of it to stop us every 5 feet.

to pay a passing toll.

or something.

that was annoying.
and darling.
all at the same time.
it's possible.
i know, b/c it's my brain that was doing the thinking at that very moment.

then blissfully happy again once i got him to race us.

except we weren't racing.

i'm brilliant.

it worked for 15 seconds.

i might be exaggerating on the time there.

but it DID work:)

until he got tired and wanted to ride in the stroller.

the single stroller.

which max was already in.

and then i remembered the PHIL & TED.
which i don't have,
but was wishing i had.
or least wishing i had my double stroller with me.
so i told him to hop in the basket below.

right on top of the big fat warning label which surely read,

"DO NOT USE AS SEAT."

which i of course ignored.

and then we were blissfully happy again.

see the bipolar mama that truly lives within me?

love her.

with lightening mcqueen riding on the handle bars.

all three tires flat.

and two kids riding in the single stroller.

i had what i would call a good work out.

that's what it was.
and i felt super chic and genius being so creative.
when we got home i weeded more of my yard.
the kids played in the mud.
and then it started to rain.
i put my face up to the sky and felt like i was in hawaii again.
but with my kids laughing all around me.
a rainbow even came out.
right above us.

it was heaven.
b/c anywhere the people i love are with me is heaven.
even on a rainy day.

time to go catch up on my DVR.

enough with the tv fast already.

have mercy.

Especially

Back in the swing.
Feels so good to be home.
Even doing laundry.
Especially doing laundry:)








Oh I LOVE my little family.
And max's coconut purse I brought back for her.
She loved putting things in,
Zipping it up,
And opening it up to pull things out.
Brennan keeps calling his "sus" (surprise souvenir) a "ki-tar".
I am so tired.
The red eye is more brutal than child birth.
What an amazing trip.

Made possible by:
Dr Sean (A.K.A. best husband on the planet, seriously, the man is a saint)
Mama nacho (MIL who watched my kids all day, bless her)
Mama C (my mom! got me there, treated me there, and got me home, I love you!)
Family & Friends (all of you!!! Who talked me into taking a leap to do something that terrified me--leaving my kids for some much needed alone time).
Couldn't have done it without any of you!

Love,
E

Goodnight Hawaiian Moon

I cannot remember a time where I have flown overnight on a flight when the skies were clear and there was a full moon over an ocean.
Remarkable.
The entire sky lights up.
The clouds illuminate.
White and black.
The moon glows across the ocean of glass until the it falls off into eternity.
Quiet
Calm
Romance
That God let me enjoy.
Making me feel so small and tiny.
so cherished.
To have been able to glimpse God's view of this beautiful creation called earth.