You know what kids love? Broken glass.

We went to Urban Ore on Friday. Which passes for a field trip around here.... It's a pretty magical place, but let's face it - aren't all salvage yards pretty magical?

Friday, I'm in love....

BabushKups. A gift from Julie. Not really sure how I lived without them before....

Last week was all Tumbling & Trampoline Camp. This week is all running dumb errands with Mama. So I've heard. Wait until they see where I'm taking them tomorrow!

How do you like my new house?*

*It's totally not my house.

But if wishes were luxury homes, beggars would live in Weke Road beach houses during every school vacation. It's yellow, even.

The best thing.

One of the best and all-around completely awesome (I tend to use that word lightly - but on this occasion it's actually warranted) things about our trip was the Pacific Voyagers! One morning, seven vaka moana arrived and anchored in Hanalei Bay. They'd sailed from New Zealand and Fiji, Samoa and the Cook Islands using ancient polynesian navigation techniques. I know! We got to go aboard the vaka from Fiji (Uto Ni Yalo) and meet the beautiful and amazing sailors who let my kids steer and climb all over their boat.

They are on their way here to San Francisco now - arriving around August 5th or so. I feel like I should bake them a pie or something.

Postcards from Kauai.

Here are some things that I learned on Kauai:

1. It's very hip to walk down Hanalei Beach talking on your mobile phone. Everyone is doing it. But not me, because no-one ever called me while I was on the beach. I was waiting, but it didn't happen. I guess I could have made a call, but that just seemed excessively tool-ish.

2. You can spend too much on a water pistol. $6 is too much - those never work. But the 6 guns for $8 that you get at Foodland? Work like a charm.

3. I would eat fish tacos for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I might have some kalua pork nachos, if you're offering, but otherwise, I'm pretty sure I could live on fish tacos.

4. My kids will complain about a lot of things, but playing on the beach in the pouring rain is not one of them.

Back in the saddle. Ish.

Yeah. Home from the tropics and into full-on production sewing. My fingers are sewing and my brain keeps going to Hanalei. Vacation photos? Hmmm. I have to figure out how to get them out of the camera and into the computer....

Aloha! Homeward bound we are with heavy hearts and heavier luggage.

Wai'oli Mission House and my children being uncharacteristically good sports.

Umbrella drink....

It's not even really fair. I mean, Hawaii is just showing off. Happy 4th to the other 49!

A picture is worth 1000 awe-struck words, right?

Happy birthday to me!

It's not my birthday for another 2 months but I got a new camera. Finally! My last SLR had film in it. Are you jealous? Don't be (yet). I have to read the manual today. On the flight to Kauai. NOW be jealous.