Butterflies ...

This post is just a little out of order ... yes, secret's out ... my life does get a little out of order sometimes.

We had such a great time at this year's MSU butterfly exhibit. Had the whole place to ourselves and the butterflies were litterally all over us! We were doing ok until one of those little guys decided to flap it's way over to Ike's face. What a funny little guy ... put him three feet from a screaming freight train, no problem ... but let a butterfly near his head and it's meltdown city!

(Photos courtsey of our personal photographer Emily)

the Sunny garden ...

Sunny has quite the green thumb. She has a competition going with Uncle Rick and Grandpa. Prizes go for the first person who can eat a fully ripe tomato off the vine and then for the largest tomato of the season. Sunny's waaaay ahead on the first part of the contest but when she realized she'd have to eat the tomato to win she almost backed out all together. I offered to be the taster for her (I LOVE garden tomatoes) ... so now we're back on track!

the Henry Ford experinece

Last week we spent the day with friends at the Henry Ford museum and took the Rouge Factory Tour. I've been wanting to do this for quite some time now and I must say I was NOT disappointed. The entire experience was completely AWESOME! We were all mesmerized by the Ford F-150 assembly line. Those trucks travel on 4 miles of conveyor belt to go from sheet metal to greased lightning! In just 8 hours the Rouge Factory can make enough trucks to line up end to end and stretch for TWO miles! My question was, "Are people really buying up two miles worth of new truck every day??" Apparently.

We also enjoyed the Ford museum where we saw amazing pieces of American history like ...

the chair where Abraham Lincoln was shot ...

the bus where Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat ...

the Oscar Mayer Wiener-mobile (classic) ...

and the limo where JFK was assassinated.

All just awesome.

No cameras allowed on the Rouge factory tour ... (can't be giving away any of Ford's secrets)
These next three pics are courtesy of the internet ...

Sunny is testing out a completed F-150.
"My feet don't reach the pedals but I'll still give it a thumbs up."

Help me ... I'm drooling over this '65 Mustang.

Ike and I sitting in Rosa Parks' seat. We listened to her recite in her own words what happened that day. Sitting in her seat we imagined what she would have seen in front on her; tired, crowded, angry faces.

Ike was a big fan of these GIANT trains. Wow, they were huge!

JFK's car ...

Lincoln's chair ... yup a rocking chair. Who knew?

The Wiener-mobile ...

The next morning when Ike woke up I asked him what he

liked in the museum.

He thought for a minute and then got a big grin on his face

and said, "Hot-dog car!"

The Sunny Ballerina ...

Dance Lessons ... $(a lot)

Recital costume ... $50

Recital tickets ... $30

Tights ... $7

Carnations ... $5

Watching your little girl become a ballerina ... priceless.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

(more pics of my Sunny little ballerina)

Nature Walk

Wanna take a nature walk with us ...

We walk through the Tacoma Hills natural area every single day to pick up Gage from school. It's literally across the street from our house. We've been talking about exploring deeper into it for the last two years but for some reason waited until last weekend to actually go for it. Wow ... were we ever surprised at what was right there in our own back yard!

Hawaii ... home stretch

(just a few more pictures to endure of our amazing adventure)

Snorkeling at Hanauma Bay ...

Endangered Honu (sea turtles) ...

Overlooking Hanauma ...

Palm tree in the sun (it's fair to say that I've become somewhat obsessed with these) ...

This guy can climb a coconut tree with his bare hands and feet

and then bring down a coconut and be eating it in 2 minutes flat!

Playing with the sunset ...

I get mezmorized watching the sun set over the ocean ...

Rock band ... we're making our "album cover" faces ...

Best place to eat on the island ...

thanks Vicki (and Jared and Braden and Jayce).

Who knew??

Love this temple ...

Loved this trip!

My mind is already reeling with thoughts of "where next". I think I may have caught a traveling bug. I'd go back in a heartbeat.