4th of July

Independance day is a little different in Colorado than in Pennsylvania.  For one thing, there's no humidity.  And there is plenty of parking when you want to go out to find entertainment.  Actually, there are no people either because we went to the mountains.
The biggest difference is that it just isn't hot.  We went to a lake, and my kids wouldn't even get it and were shivering with big goosebumps about 20 minutes after we got there. 
Anyway, God Bless America!  I'm so grateful that I live in this free country.

World Travelers

...sort of.  Here are the photos of the awesome month of June, starting with Hawaii!
*Disclaimer: this was a trip focused on scuba diving, even though you wouldn't know it from my pictures.  I was terrified of dropping my camera in the ocean.  Or getting it wet or stolen while I was under the water.  so there are no pictures of us doing the coolest things on the island.  Scuba rocks.
Anyway...
On the plane:
  
We hiked up Diamond Head Mountain for great views!  It was pretty hot and I am pretty sure I had sweat rings down to my ankles.

 And if that wasn't enough hiking, we climed up a Cocohead Trail a few days later, which is essentially rail road ties up the side of the mountain, just like the Incline here in the Springs.
(We actually did this hike twice, and then another hike to a waterfall, but I didn't have my camera.)
These pictures prove I am made for mountains and not beaches.  

 We ate at all the good shrimp trucks. (And a few not-so-good ones too)

 I learned how pineapples grow!  Who knew?!  Only 2 per plant and it takes almost 3 years to grow 1 stinkin fruit!  No wonder they are so expensive.

 There are no words to describe this picture.

 Waikiki Beach

 Awe, look, it's Bryan and Steve's 30 something anniversary!

 (BTW, Bryan wore those pants the ENTIRE trip.  Not even joking.)
Ok, I don't know the people in this picture, but I like the colors, so it gets to go on the blog.

 Kim and Steve's anniversary!  Yea!

 How romantic, sharing icee's at the Japanamation kimchi stinky shop.

 I love all the flowers that just grow around the island!

 We visited the Oahu Temple.  It is beautiful!

 I tried coconut milk/water/whatever the crap it is, it is NASTY.

 And we ate some more shrimp.

 I am ashamed to admit how often we ate at the Cheesecake factory.  So I won't.  But all the Asians make cool signs in photos around the island, so we tried too.  (We are not as cool.)

 Golf.  We got rained on.  A ton.

Other noteworthy thoughts:  I got beat up by a boogie board.  Really.  I ended up with a fat lip and blood running down my face.  Plus a stiff neck and small goose egg on my forehead.  It was pretty embarrassing.
I don't think I will ever get on one again.

I really will blog. I promise!

I've been a little busy!  Ok, a lot busy.  A trip to Hawaii, a trek to Arizona...ALL of Arizona.  We visited Flagstaff, Winslow, Chino Valley, Phoenix, Gilbert, Mesa, Awatukee, and Green Valley (Tucson).   We celebrated Bryan's class reunion (which was kind of a bust), celebrated friends, family, new family (AJ) , new babies (congrats Aynsley!), sold a car, bought a car, learned to scuba dive, got a tan, climbed 4 mountains, and had a great time!

In the midst of all that, I took on a couple photo shoots.  Here is the link to Haley and Aj's engagement session.  Enjoy!
http://jamiehaysphotography.pixieset.com/aandhengagement/

Peter is 6

 Peter has been planning his 'batman' party since last June.  And when he wanted to invite his whole class from school, I thought, 'nobody is really going to come', so SURE!  Plus we had to invite his buddies he always hangs out with in our neighborhood and a couple other friends from church.  I was planning on a crowd.  Maybe 15 kids.  We planned a big water party in the back yard and told everyone to bring a squirt gun and swimsuit. What I didn't anticipate was that kids from his class would actually come.  There were about 27+ kids at the party.  (I stopped counting after a while)  It was so loud and crazy, all the neighbors behind me and to the side of me pulled up a chair in their backyards to laugh at me for being so crazy.
And then more (about 5 more!) neighbor kids (that did not receive invitations) somehow made their way into my backyard.

On a slightly different note, Peter wanted a chocolate batman cake.  Alas, here it is.  I think it turned out pretty well, though I like the polished look of fondant, the buttercream came out pretty cool!

 A partial glimpse of the chaos.  (There are about 20 other kids running around the yard with super soakers.

 The party favor:

 Happy Birthday Peter!  I hope you loved your party because you are never getting one that large again. Next year I think we will limit it only 20. (wink wink)