Summer is busy. Here’s a tiny taste of how busy.
Disney Cruise!
We went with some of my family, courtesy of my fabulously generous parents, on a Disney Cruise to Alaska! It was beyond amazing! The scenery was beautiful, the entertainment delightful, the food delicious and abundant; but my favorite part of the experience was just being treated so nicely the entire time! All of the staff were SUPER conscious of our every need, and wanted nothing more than to meet them all! It made me want to a) Go on another cruise so I could have that treatment again, and b) Treat other people a little more like that.
The whole group together (but at separate tables) for dinner in Langley, Canada. We sailed out of Vancouver. My kids are very proud to have added 2 new states to their list and a new country from this trip!
There were SO many characters to meet! Helen got to the point where she knew the characters were something special and would just wave and wave at them, and run to give them hugs! It was ADORABLE! 
It was so much fun! Thanks, Mother and Daddy!
Josh’s Trip to Hawaii
Josh’s family took a trip to Hawaii, courtesy of HIS fabulously generous parents, right when the kids were starting school; and we had kind of consigned ourselves to the tragedy that we just wouldn’t be able to go. But then it occurred to me that SOMEone could go, if not all of us. So Josh took a much needed break from life and partied in Hawaii with his fam! It was basically as paradisaical as you would imagine! I’m so glad he got the chance to go!
World’s largest Hawaiian shirt 
Church in Hawaii! Always one of the best and coolest parts of traveling! 
The group on an adventure 
Post helicopter tour of the Na Pali coast!
While Josh was gone, the kids and I partied at home!
Helen’s idea of a party 
Fay’s first day of 2nd grade! 
Carter’s first day of Kindergarten! This boy LOVES school! 
The kids and I had our, much anticipated, Harry Potter party! I read the first book to the 3 older kids this summer, and the deal was that when we finished the book we could watch the movie and have a party. It was a fun and special way to bond with my cuties. 
We went to the “Butterfly Biosphere” and everyone got to hold a butterfly!! It was genuinely magical to be surrounded by beautiful butterflies! Helen was a little terrified, though. Every time a butterfly came near her, she would say “Owie! Owie!” 
We also visited Grandmother on Sunday. The kids enjoyed lots of stories!
We really had a fun time while Josh was gone, but everything is definitely better when he’s here!
Josh’s super cool idea to help the kids get into Come Follow Me.
Other fun things have happened, too. But these are the events that really stick out to me. And I’m happy to have finally blogged about them so that we can remember them extra!