Reasons to keep blogging

I really thought about giving up the blog, I've been absent for a while, and was thinking that Instagram could just be my Journal.  Until today.  I am currently the Youth Sunday School teacher at church and the lesson this week is on Journaling.  I prepared my lesson and decided to bring some of my Journals to the class.  I pulled out my blog books from 2009/2010 and then one fro 2014.  My earlier books I included paragraphs from this blog with stories and funny, sad, and challenging things that had been going on in our lives.  Then I flipped through the more recent book.  I realized that while my photography has improved and it is a photojournal...It isn't quite the same as those ones with the details.  Brooke got out the old books last week and spent a good amount of time reading them and just loved them. 
I feel like this is the best way for me to keep a record that will actually go into print and be passed on for my family, so I am challenging myself to post 1x a week for August, and we shall go from there.

So, July flew by.. As did June.  We just made the cross country move from Colorado Springs back to Pittsburgh.  I have never made the transistion to a new home so quickly in terms of feeling like I belong.  The people here have been wonderful, and I feel like this is where we should be.  My house is actually unpacked (I think I finally have it down now...11 moves in 13 years will do that to you!).
Bryan is out of the Army officially now and we are looking forward to this small chapter of our lives here in Pennsylvania.
We have enjoyed boating on the river a few times a week since we got here, and exploring all of our favorite old spots here in the "burgh".  The neighborhood we are renting in is wonderful.  Full of kids and good families.  I feel the same about our ward.  God has blessed us putting some great new people in our lives.  

January

 Pictures tell a better story here than my words.  We are really enjoying our time here in Hawaii.  Look at the huge waves crashing up against the rocks!  We are at Laie Beach.

 Sunset beach...Lives up to its name.  Great sunsets!

 She always wants me to take pictures of her dancing

 This girl.  She is the best baby.  She always has a smile on her face and is loving life.  She makes me so happy!  She can now roll over both ways.  She grabs everything she can get her hands on too.  She loves rice cereal, but not really her fruits and veggies.  She also can get up on her hands and knees now and rock.  The crawling is coming.  Brace yourself.

 I'm playing around with taking pictures of sunsets.  I am really not great at it yet.  You can see messed up the exposure...I should have had a tripod and it wouldn't have been so shaky...But I love this picture anyway.  This is Peter on the beach

 How cool is it that all 4 of them can play together?!  We don't spend much time inside, but when we do, Magnatiles are all the rage at the Hays' house these days.

 More of Brooke...

More Pictures, beware of randomness!

 Dress like your favorite book character day at school (Back in October)  B decided to dress like Fancy Nancy.  I think she is spot on!

Oahu

Moving here has been such a wild ride.  We are here now, and I am not going to get into the details of actually traveling here.  Not in this post anyway. 
We found an adorable (very small) furnished place to rent.  I love it.  The school is close, and the beach can be seen from the end of our driveway.  I never imagined I would live this close to the beach in my entire life. 
Now....on to a story.  Buying a car.  When you are trying to buy a used car in an island in the middle of nowhere, you get some interesting cars trying to be sold to you.
 For example:  "Hi!  I am a 10 year old mini van.  Yes.  I run great....But my doors don't open.  You can climb in through the back seat."
or "Hi!  I drive great.  But only in Reverse"  (Not even joking!  How crazy is that?!)

After a week of craziness and driving to every part of the island, we managed to find a vehicle that was within the budget and actually drives forward and almost all the doors work.... (The sliding door behind the driver side only opens from the inside.  Go figure)  But its only for 6 months, and as long as nothing crazy happens I should be able to sell it for what I paid for it.

Classic Island beater I guess.   The paint is also rusted off, and I found petrified lizards in the trunk.  Gross.

Other things about the Windward side of the island:  It rains during the rainy season.  Imagine that!  If there is a 10% chance of rain, it will rain.  Unlike Arizona, or Colorado, when it says 40% chance of rain, it most likely won't.

My yard is filled with green plants.  I couldn't tell you what most of them are, but it is pretty.  I know there are two giant avocado trees in the backyard, and I can't wait to get some off the tree!

There is no air conditioning in my house, which is totally fine for now.  We might get a bit uncomfortable in May, but we will live.

Also, my kids are sharing a room.  Well, three of them.  They rotate from the floor, to one of the bunk beds every night.  It keeps things interesting.  That's for sure.

The holiday season with 80 degree weather is something new for us too.  It doesn't quite feel like Christmas...but I'm not going to complain about the lack of winter layers and boots.  

Here are some fun pictures of late for your viewing entertainment!

Welcome to the world Caroline Jane!