Some pictures of one of my favorite anglers!!

 

Jacob has been out of town this weekend, bear hunting and doing vinyls (billboards).  He has visited 3 college campuses/football programs.  I think it has been a great experience for him and probably more visits to make, but pretty sure he has his eye set on other things after graduation (next June 2025).  It is almost time to set up his senior picture appointment!!!

Sunday May 19th, this happened around 2:30pm...sleet

By 5:30 that same day, this is what we were doing.  It was a nice 3 par course, so just took us 1.5 hours to play.  I chose to just watch!

Celebrated this girls 9th birthday recently!  Bree and I have been going on walks most days before/after work.  Often she will struggle to get up off the floor.  Not sure if something is wrong or if she is just sore.  I do know she is very very fluffy, so I have started her on a raw food diet.  As long as I can stay on top of prepping food, it should make a difference!

Mother's Day lunch (crazy to me how much Joseph favors Ben, mannerisms, voice inflection, etc)

Shout out to my niece Kendall, Scott's oldest.  She just graduated from UT Law school!  She rocked it and we finally have a lawyer, hopefully attorney in October when she passes the bar)

There recently was a huge geomagnetic storm and the northern lights were out in full force.  They are absolutely amazing, but pictures like this only come through with a camera....you never see these kind of colors with the naked eye - although I was able to see a very faint red/pink

This kiddo has put his 'high school' pads on about 3 times in 24 hours.  He is stoked to play football this fall.  We also just found out he is in the summer driver's ed class!  Looks like he will have his full on license early 2025.  Crazy.  He also just passed $4k in his savings account...all from working 10-15 hours a week.  I anticipate the kid will graduate high school with 15-20 k in the bank!!!

 

We got back yesterday from Kauai.  It was a great week!  Not too jam packed but busy enough that there wasn't a lot of down time.  The condo we stayed at over looked the ocean.  I enjoyed every morning getting up and watching the sunrise on the balcony in my robe with my hot tea.  As soon as the sun comes up, it gets pretty warm.  We attended a luau and went on a kayak/hike tour.  We were able to travel the whole island.  They had some flash flooding several weeks prior (14 inches in 4 hours) so the trails were pretty muddy.  We stayed at Pono Kai resort in Kapaa - a great location. We ate out several times and through our friends, hung out with some locals and attended a Hawaiian church.  Did some shopping.  Ate some great shaved ice and went to a large farmer's market.  

Boys did well (and had no incidents that I am aware of) while we were gone.

Random facts about the trip......

There are only 13 letters in Hawaiian alphabet - that's why the words look so weird

I enjoyed the Mustang convertible as much as I expected, but boy, it is like a low rider and not very comfortable seats for longer distances

Chicken, chickens everywhere

Po'ipu Beach has amazing sand

Because of cost of living there, there are lots of homeless....vans filled to the top

The Hawaiian's are very hospitable giving people

Anini Beach has amazing shade and plenty of room to spread out

Gas was $5.25 a gallon, versus about 3.70 here

Lots of traffic on the island, way more than I expected

Turtles at Poipu Beach are something.  Every sunset, turtles come up on shore, anywhere from 2-122 to rest for the night.  When we were there only 10 were there.  Monk seals can be seen too

April isn't best time of year to surf but great because it is just after the rain but before all summer tourists

Salt Pond Beach is beautiful and lifeguards will get on their microphone if you get on the lava rocks (I know from personal experience)

Jose and I are not meant to be in a double kayak together

Next island trip, take reusable bags because there are no plastic grocery bags on the island

I like wearing sun hats

Snorkeling and I still don't mesh well - could never relax in the water

There is a missile facility on the south part of the island

Gooseberries, before they are ripe, are not very good

Lots of traffic with very few roads

Photo dump - 

Have been out walking Bree close to the airport and am just amazed how close we are to all the planes.  Loved watching some of the big cargo type military planes doing touch downs.

Jacob and 5 other friends went to prom over the weekend!  Great group of guys!  In the group photo, the two on the left are his hunting buddies.  The one second from the left always brings the biggest smile to my face because he reminds me so much of a young Kirk Cameron - (one of my heartthrobs growing up).

Football workouts continuing to go well for the boys.  I am gonna look at Joseph one of these days and his baby face/young boy look will be gone!!!  Today Jacob and two other friends, drove 1.5 hours away to visit a two year school.  Their football coach is getting them some interviews with college coaches.  I am not sure that Jacob wants to go that route, but great experience.  His football coach told him he needed to put a 'reel' together so coaches can see him on the field.  I have watched it about a dozen times...proud momma!  Here is the link, but be sure to watch it on a computer and not a phone screen - much better the bigger the screen.  The first play on the reel was his 1 and only TD as a junior.  It was so exciting and a game my mom was here for.

https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16381847/6619561d0d624e2056fe3799

JR and I leave on Friday for Kauai!!