Spring Adventures

It's that time of year when people start to get stir crazy. The snow is hanging on too long (it's April right?) and there isn't much more you can do indoors. The kids are wanting to get outside, but it's still chilly enough out to make you sit by the window and look out, daydreaming of summer. That is how Leo (the boy I nanny) and I have been feeling lately. Since it's still too chilly and wet to play outside, but we needed to get out of the house, we decided to venture over to the Children's Museum and check it out. We had a lovely time there and Leo made many friends. Here are some snapshots I took with my iPhone of Leo having a blast:

I did not know he could climb like this… He climbed up this rope to go down a slide.

He loved watching the fish swim around

Being a butterfly

He was fascinated with the water

Putting the balls in the tubes...

Watching the balls plop out the other end.

He probably would have stood there all day touching that water.

He was fascinated. 

Moving around some wooden blocks.

Taking a seat.

Cute boy.

He loved these mirrors.

He kept trying to give himself a hug.

We will definitely be visiting again on a chilly or rainy day when there is nothing better to do. Leo loved learning while exploring all the new things the Children's museum had to offer. We had a blast. Next time though we will be sure to remember where we parked so we don't have to search for our car for 20 minutes… oops! Here's to hoping spring is just around the corner!

A Fairytale Wedding

I had the privilege of being in one of my best friend's wedding this past weekend and it was one of the most beautiful weddings I have been to. Not only was Mark and Amanda's love radiating for all to witness, but the location of the reception was in Hills, MN, in Amanda's parent's pole barn they just built. It was breathtakingly beautiful! When I was first told that the reception would be held on the Tilstra farm I expected more of a barn, hay bale, cowboy type theme. This wedding had a completely different feel.  Amanda had us wearing black dresses, red shoes, red accessories, we carried red roses, and the decor made me feel like I was in a fairy tale the way the many lights draped the pole barn along the walls and ceiling. The night even ended with fireworks. It was a beautiful day to celebrate Mark and Amanda.

Since the wedding was in Hills, MN (4 hours away from Minneapolis) I ventured down on Friday and stayed at the Tilstra farm until Sunday. I was able to help decorate the church, see the tri-state marker, climb some hay bales, spend some much needed time with dear friends, celebrate a beautiful love and new marriage, hug windmills, four wheel, and enjoy the open country. On the way home on Sunday, Mike, Becky, and I stopped at Minnesota's largest candy store. It was so overwhelming! There was every kind of candy you can think of plus a huge selection of soda in a glass bottle. It was a fantastic weekend! Here are some photos of my adventures:

Beautiful sunset down a country road.

Here is the tri-state marker. It marks where the state lines for Iowa, South Dakota, and Minnesota all meet. So, technically I was in three states at once! This is my friend Nina in the picture with me. She was another one of Amanda's bridesmaids.

This photo is tradition. Every time I visit the tri-state marker, I hug it and take a picture.

Kelsey, Becky, and me being a trio around the tri-state marker.

Beautiful sunset on the way to the farm that night.

Loved the flowers with the red shoes and how they popped on the black dresses.

The beautiful bride hanging out before the walk down the aisle. 

Amanda with all of her bridesmaids.

At the reception Becky and I climbed the hay bales.

As if we weren't high enough already, Becky made me get on her shoulders… nothing like conquering my fear of heights.

On top of the hay bale stack.

The view was so beautiful!

The sunset on top of the hay bale stack.

Another lovely country sunset the night of the wedding. I love that you can see all the barn silhouettes.

The fireworks at the end of night that were lit off to send off Mark and Amanda. I could not get a good picture - they were so much more beautiful and bigger in person.

The beautiful country view on my four wheeler ride.

I seriously love windmills. This is my favorite shot I got.

Just a small taste of the huge candy selection.

The store had a licorice section.

Just one of many soda walls

The building was bright yellow and very hard to miss.

It was a ginormous building!

I wish I would have gotten more shots of the wedding/reception because it was so beautiful, but I was having too much fun shaking it on the dance floor. Mark and Amanda, the love you guys have for each other is beautiful. I pray that you two will never loose that and that you will carry it with you many years into marriage. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your lovely day! 

My Hawaiian Aventure

I had the wonderful opportunity to go to the beautiful state of Hawaii May 14th - May 23rd.  My dad invited Andrew and I to go with him, and two of his brothers and their families, but Andrew couldn't go though due to his teaching and coaching job.  He encouraged me to go without him so I could spend time with my dad and see my uncle and aunt (my godparents) and my cousins from Washington that I never get to see.  I bought a last minute ticket (May 11th) and packed my bags.  I was hesitant to leave Andrew for 10 days since we haven't spent more than two days apart since being married, and I was nervous to fly on my own since I am not a good flyer and it was going to be the longest flight I had ever been on.  In the end, I was glad I decided to go.  The flight wasn't terrible - it was completely worth it, and even though I missed Andrew and wished he was there, it was nice to spend time with my dad and see family I rarely ever get the chance to see.  I spent my Hawaiian adventure on the lovely island of Oahu.  Here's a look into my adventure and some of the things I experienced while I was there.

This is the condo we stayed in on the Barber's Point Naval Base.  We stayed in the left side of the condo with my dad's brother, his wife, and his brother's daughter.  My dad's brother from Washington and his family stayed on the right side of the condo.

 This is the view of our backyard while standing on our porch.  It was so beautiful!

One of the first things my dad and I did was visit Pearl Harbor.  We toured the different museums they had available, and watched some movies on what the day of the attacks was like and some interviews of elderly men that survived the attack on Pearl Harbor and their experience.  We toured the USS Arizona memorial and saw the USS Bowfin.

This structure is called the Tree of Life.  It was designed by Alfred Preis and offered as a symbol of renewal to inspire contemplation in visitors to the memorial.  You can also find the Tree of Life in the shrine room on the USS Arizona memorial.

This is a display of the USS Arizona memorial to show visitors how the sunken ship still lies under the water and acts as a tomb to the many military men that lost their lives during the attack on Pearl Harbor. They built the memorial over the ship so when you're on the memorial, you can look over the side and see the ship.  

Entering the memorial.

In the shrine room reading all the names of the lives lost on Dec 7, 1941.  You can see the Tree of Life in this photo.

In the shrine room.

Part of the sunken USS Arizona sticking out from the water.  I'm standing on the memorial here.

 This is a photo of the oil still leaking from the sunken USS Arizona.  It's still leaking, even after more than 70 years of the ship sinking.

Photo of the memorial.

This is my dad (Dave) and me standing in front of the submarine USS Bowfin.

We went to China Town in downtown Honolulu one day.  China Town was very interesting.  There were a million small trinkets and souvenirs that you could purchase.  We also walked through the market in China Town which was my favorite part.  There was fresh meat, sea food, and produce throughout the market, and everything was so colorful.  We finished the day off that day by visiting a very pretty beach called Ko'Olina Beach.

This was entering China Town.  Look at all the trinkets that lined the hall ways.

Me and my dad in China Town after he gave me a real flower lei. The real flower lei's smell heavenly… Like no flower I've ever smelt before.

Here's the market.

Fresh and colorful crabs.

A lot of meat and sea food.

I thought this was slightly disturbing...

On the streets in China Town.

Ko'Olina Beach.

This is a sunset at Ko'Olina Beach.

One of the days I stayed back at the condo beach by myself to just have a relaxing day in the sun.  While I was in the water that day, I kept seeing a dark shadow floating.  I thought it either looked like a dead body or a shark, so I avoided the water the rest of the day.  Little did I know, it was Kermit a Hawaiian Monk seal coming to rest on our beach.  Kermit is critically endangered, there are only about 1,000 Hawaiian Monk seals left on the Hawaiian islands.  Because of this, you have to report when you see them and volunteers that track the seals come out and put up signs warning people to stay 150 yards away.  Kermit is 16 years old and weighs about 500 pounds.  He is one of the biggest males that they track.  They track the seals by bleached out birth marks the seals have, or by injuries the seals get from fish hooks, shark attacks, or dog bites.  While he's on the beach, he spends his time resting and digesting his food. Kermit usually swims back and forth from the island of Oahu to the island of Kauai.  That is about a 21 hour swim one way for him.  

The signs they put out.

 Kermit.

One of my favorite things we did while I was in Hawaii was visit Haunama Bay and Waikiki Beach.  Haunama Bay is one of the best spots on the island of Oahu to go snorkeling.  I wasn't very good at snorkeling.  It made me feel claustrophobic with my nose covered, and I hated hearing myself breath.  I did go for a little bit with my dad since we were there.  I saw four fish, and that was good enough for me!  My dad was out with my uncle and aunt for about an hour and a half.  He said he saw schools of fish and different coral and sea urchins.  He said it was awesome.  Waikiki Beach was fun to go to to say I've been there.  It's one of the most popular tourist beaches on Oahu.  We ate lunch at Duke's restaurant on Waikiki beach and that was good!

Haunama Bay… This picture doesn't even do it justice!  It was so beautiful!  The stuff that looks like rock is coral reef.  My dad went out snorkeling beyond the reef… I didn't even make it to the reef.

This is a diagram of how Haunama Bay looks to help give you guys a better idea.

Down in the bay soaking up the sun while my dad, aunt, and uncle were out snorkeling.

It was amazing!

This is me giving the "hang loose" sign that is very popular in Hawaii.

My dad and me on our way back up to the parking lot

This is Waikiki Beach with Diamondhead Volcano in the background.

Waikiki Beach was almost too picture perfect.  It almost felt fake.  It was beautiful.

On my last day in Hawaii we went to the swap meet at the Aloha Stadium, then toured the USS Missouri.  The swap meet is basically like a ginormous flea market.  There are hundreds of booths set up around the Aloha Stadium where you can buy anything from jewelry, clothes, trinkets, macadamia nuts, fruit, etc.  We also toured the USS Missouri or the "Mighty Mo".  The USS Missouri is the ship where the surrender of the Empire of Japan ended World War II.  We got to see the exact spot where they signed the documents of surrender. 

This is Aloha Stadium where the NFL plays the Pro Bowl every year.  This is where the swap meet was.

The "Mighty Mo"

Posing for a shot before touring the "Mighty Mo"

On the USS Missouri.

This is the spot where Japan surrendered and ended World War II. 

One of the many lunch lines on the ship.  Over 240 gallons of milk, 500 gallons of coffee, 210 dozen eggs, 200 pounds of bread, 500 pounds of vegetables and 1,000 pounds of meat products make 5,000 crew rations every day!

This is where most of the crew slept.  They are called "coffin racks" because they're often located in small, cramped, crowed living spaces spread throughout the ship.  I would get so claustrophobic! 

Before I wrap up this extremely long post, I have to share some of my favorite beach shots and nature shots from my trip.

This is cement bunker on our condo's beach on Barber's Point Naval Base.

I loved the sound of the crashing waves outside of our condo.

The water was such a beautiful color.

Some beautiful trees at the Punch Bowl Cemetery.

This is the Hawaiian Cardinal.  The little guy came right up to me.

This is a banyan tree, one of the most beautiful trees in Hawaii I thought.  

This is the same tree that's pictured above.  It is way bigger than it looks here. This one is over 100 years old.

This is Kailua Beach

This is a rainbow we saw as my dad was driving me to the airport.  It was the only time it rained while I was there and I think it was because Hawaii was sad that I had to leave.

Overall, I had a fantastic time in Hawaii seeing the different sights, learning many things, and enjoying multiple beaches.  I feel so blessed that I had the opportunity to go and spend time with my dad, and see family that I hadn't seen in years.  Next time I will bring my husband though because it wasn't the same without him!