Aloha Hawaii

So....we're here! Aloha Hilo, land of lava rock, black sand beaches, green jungle, blue blue ocean, and more lava rock. So far we are...we like it here, I'll just say that for now. The first couple of days have been hard, reality set in about the time we stepped off the airplane and we were driving to Hilo thinking "what in the world did we just do..." we have no job, not even a real plan, and we flew across the ocean a million miles from our families to do...what? So I guess we are figuring that out! Oy. Look at these beautiful pictures, they'll make you feel better for us.

We love the black sand beach, can you tell?

Every day gets a little better. I had a job interview on Friday that I think went well, they said they'd call tomorrow, and Dusty has an interview on Tuesday with the USDA. Or, something like an interview. The guy wants to get to know Dusty, he said not to dress up, because "it's Hilo". So what does that make it? I guess he'll find out!

Anyways, we might be back on the mainland sooner than we thought...

Look at these houses:

Right there on the lava rock! And this isn't even OLD lava rock, there is lava within walking distance of these houses that flowed there 20 months ago, we walked on it! So what are these people thinking, is what I want to know. And who owns land that is that newly formed?? Does the state own it? Did these people just claim it? I mean, seriously, you can SEE hot lava up on the hillside from these houses at night. Apparently these home-owners don't care if they lose their homes to burning lava, is about the only conclusion I can come to. I guess they'd have plenty of time to evacuate, the lava does move at a snails pace. And look at the vegetation already growing- thats how much it rains here! 270 days a year it rains. Maybe they will have lush rainforest yards in 40 years. Maybe.

At any rate, I don't think Dusty and I are THAT desperate to own a piece of paradise...

I do have to say that I've never been in a place before where I feel like I am actually watching the earth form, it's pretty cool. To think that this is what Oahu and the other islands used to look like millions of years ago feels like stepping into a time machine. Here is me reflecting on the vastness of time,

Or maybe thinking about how tiny and far away I am from...everyone. Or maybe trying to remember how to walk, because i don't think i'm doing such a great job in this picture...

Well, until next time, aloha!

Dropped off

The blogging bandwagon this summer...and now I'm using a blogging app from my iPad so we'll see how this works!  We've been everywhere this summer - Idaho, ct, niagara falls, new York, rhode island beaches, back to Idaho, and now we are off to Hilo on Tuesday!  Wow.  Makes me tired just thinking about it, actually.  Oh yeah, and we drive from Florida to Idaho. Psh.

We've had such a great time with our families this summer and wish we could stay with ALL of them forever and ever (and isn't that what's so great about the gospel??!), but we are ready for our next adventure (on this earth)!  We don't actually have a job in Hawaii, but we are hopeful :).  

Here are few pictures of us recently...oh wait I only have pictures of Troy...here are some pictures of Troy recently!!  He just turned 7 months and is crawling around like crazy, although his favorite game is still "somebody-hold-my-hands-I-want to-walk!".   He's started pulling himself up by himself and is still really surprised when he does it, like he's amazed he got there and doesn't know what to do next.  It's adorable.  

Ok so I couldn't choose just a few...can you blame me??  I really should blog more often...

This guy's pretty great, too.  

I'm such a lucky girl to have these two boys in my life- they make me so happy!  

Oh I love these pictures so much.  It amazes me how I spend ALL day with Troy and then it's so easy to look at pictures and videos I took of him that day after he goes to bed - I really should be having ME-time then!  He is just too much.  Unless, of course, I'm reading Harry Potter and must finish before he wakes up so I can read in-interrupted, that's important too.  (I finished book 7 the other night- yahoooo! SO GOOD.  I can't wait to read them to Troy!)

Ok, I'm pathetic - my life really does revolve around him..

4 months

Troy is growing like a weed and just lovin’ life!  (and he spit up aalll over my lap right as I was typing that.  Gotta love mommyhood…)  He is so inquisitive about everything and smiles, talks and laughs all the time (just not for the video camera, of course!).  We’re still having a blast in Idaho, Dusty and his mom are yard-saling (is that a word??) like crazy.  We took a break and went rafting today.  Sometimes I forget how beautiful the rivers and trees and outside are here and I need reminding – today was a good reminder.  Plus, we have a great babysitter and I don’t have to worry about our babe  (thanks Momma Williams!).  Someday we’ll take him with us, but we thought today was maybe a bit early to give him an oar and see how he fares…

When we got home we went to Dusty’s cousin Crystal’s roller derby match (is it a match? or game..?  A bout!).  Whatever it was, it was pretty awesome – those girls are tough!  Crystal’s roller-derby name is Callous Alice.

Callous Alice = Cool, in my book.

hello Idaho!

 

View Full Album

We got here about 2 weeks ago now, and we’ve been having a great time just hanging out with family, playing games, doing a little exploring, and carrying on the family business (buying things at yard sales and selling them on craigslist – that’s mostly Dusty.  Troy doesn’t share his Grandma’s love of garage-saling, especially at 7am.  Or that could be me…it’s probably both of us..)  We road tripped across the country with our Subaru filled to the brim and struggling up the hills once we got out of Florida.  And we made it without any major (or minor, for that matter) issues with our car!  I figured there were so many pictures it’d be better to create one of these nifty albums.  The pictures are in no particular order…but you get the gist!  We got to see some good friends and played in Georgia, in the Smokies, Kentucky (Mammoth Caves), the Ozarks, Nauvoo, Missouri, the Rockies, and then ended our journey by driving through the last night to get to Boise while Troy slept. 

 

So now we’re in Idaho!  Troy got to meet two more aunties, Natalie and Meagan, his uncle Jordan, and his cousin Milo.  We’re excited for our family-fun-filled summer!!  And we’re loving it so far  :)

3 months

This post is a little late, but the picture was taken on time :).  We’ve been a little busy.

Troy is growing every day!  Every day he looks a little different (I swear), laughs a little more, shows a little more personality.

He’s a fun kid, I love being his momma.

goodbye Florida.

You’ve been good to us.

We’ll miss your springs.  And jungle-woods.

We’ll miss our friends we made here.

I’ll miss my job, but Dusty won’t miss his.

We named our son after you.

Thanks for the adventure.

packing, swimming, and graduating

is what we’ve been up to the last few weeks.

And I won’t lie- it’s a pretty good life.

PAcking:  I actually took these pictures about a week ago and our house doesn’t look nearly as neat as this anymore, but it ACTUALLY is much cleaner!  (Thanks Mom and Dad Williams!!)  We are moving tomorrow, so this is a last minute, last post in Florida for me.  We will be spending the summer with family then will be off to somewhere wonderful (we don’t know where yet…but it will be wonderful!) 

Swimming:  We’ve been taking Troy to lots of swimming holes lately.  Since Dusty has been done with school I feel like it’s been summer vacation, or like every day is Saturday.  It’s great.  We went to lots of springs when we could and went to the pool on days we couldn’t.  Troy is quite the little swimmer – he even goes under now and doesn’t cry.  Having Dusty for a dad, he’ll have to be brave…so we figured we’d get him started early.

Kissing manatees – I love it :)

And MOST exciting, GRADUATING!!!  I couldn’t be more proud of Dusty.  He put in a lot of grueling days and nights to earn this hood. I think he is a pretty amazing guy. and I’m glad Troy got some smart genes :)