Snips and snails

and puppy dog tails.  The adventures of this poor snail provided at least one hour of entertainment for both kids this morning.  I say poor because I just noticed it's dried up body in the hot, glaring sun.  

mmmmm.  Escargot.  Holly's favorite French delicacy

one year old cuteness

Book of the year

Could this be funnier?

Can't wait until this is released...

http://moms.today.com/_news/2011/04/26/6534646-want-another-bedtime-story-sweetie-heres-one-go-the-fk-to-sleep?GT1=43001

All sorts of things

-Read Bossypants by Tina Fey-it's as funny as you would expect it to be.  I read it on the beach in Hawaii while Mike was at a conference one afternoon...it seemed to be the ideal placement. But it's still enjoyable even if you have to read it at home in an uncomfortable chair with Phil Collins playing in the background. *shudder*

-Elise said to me today:  "In my opinion, gum is  magical food.  It just keeps going. It never evaporates."
...a few minutes later... "but it's kind of boring to just sit here and chew. Ok-take it away, I'm through with it."

-We bought a house in Coralville, Iowa.  It's beautiful (and huge); we are excited for visitors. Well, we almost bought it..we close June 20th but so far things are rolling along as planned.Yes, there is running water and there are real neighborhoods in Iowa. It's not just cornfields.

-Max will be one on Thursday! I can't believe it..and to think its been one year since I went under the knife.  (the trick to viewing this picture is to not look directly at my double chin.  What can I say, it was a rough night.)

-Mike has decided that the expression "why don't you put THAT on facebook." (which he says to me all the time) is the new "why don't you put that in your pipe and smoke it?!" 
It's probably only funny to me but...

Happy Easter

From Elise and Mike's mini-me

amazing

My friend Maria tuned me into this..a live webcam in Decorah, Iowa of an eagles nest.  The eaglets have hatched and the mom and dad are taking turns watching over them and bringing them food.  It might seem kind of boring and slightly intrusive? but I think it's beautiful..and really cool.

http://www.ustream.tv/decoraheagles

Aloha:-)

wishful thinking

somehow,  this glass of wine tasted way better when I was sipping it on that lanai...

We just returned from Hawaii..wish we were still there.  Grandma came into town to watch the kids while we jetted off to Oahu for some much needed R & R.  Mike actually had a good excuse to be there-the annual Neurology conference.  I had no good reason other than to tag along and enjoy a third trip to Hawaii.  I will start by saying that Oahu is very underrated.  Most people complain that Honolulu is too crowded and Americanized (?)  Last time I checked it was part of America..but anyway.  Not being ones to sit at a hotel we ventured around the island and off the beaten path.  It's an amazing island...from the North shore to the windy eastern side.  I am much more of a "let's stop right here at this secluded beach so i can jump in the water" than Mike so many of our pictures were of me swimming.  At the risk of sounding like a jerk, I don't mix well with tourists.  My annoyance level skyrockets so Mike knows it's best to keep me away and enjoy the beautiful parts of the island without tons of people marring the visuals.

our hotel grounds

 waiting to enjoy our first drink of vacation

 this picture highlights our difference in size/height beautifully

 I hadn't had Uni in years and I'm happy to say it still has that "ocean fresh" flavor to put it delicately

 Holly swimming at the North shore...interestingly enough there were few surfers..but lots of spear fishing?

 Mike on the phone at the North shore...

 I had forgotten just how much Hawaii loves Spam..the answer is to an absurd degree

driving past the many acres of the Dole pineapple plantation

 Our lanai at the hotel..we have no idea what I'm looking at. It might be the nightly turn down service person.  The mountains behind rose far above the sea and had a striking "Gorillas in the Mist" quality about them.  OK, it was cloudy for half of the time...

 I'm not sure what we were talking about here but I know we had several drinks before it was taken

 I look kind of sad here but was trying to get a glimpse of our hotel room which was beautiful and super luxurious

 On Waikiki at the Royal Hawaiian, a very pink hotel. Also had the best Mai Tais

 Waikiki with Diamond Head in the background

 Blurry, but it was really pretty at twilight

Our hotel was a few miles from Waikiki which was really nice.  No crowds....

The Getty again

Friday we went to one of our favorite spots in LA, the Getty Museum.  It’s very cool and if you are ever in the area you should take a trip there.  It’s located on a mountain top in Brentwood (very close to where we live).  The best part for Elise is the tram ride up to the top.  It’s a great location to get panoramic views of the LA basin to the ocean and out to Catalina.  Being at that elevation inspires more positive feelings about the city.  When you remove yourself from the traffic,  overcrowded neighborhoods and general rudeness you can see how pretty the landscape is...Mountains meeting the sea with the afternoon sunlight casting a sepia hue on the town.  

Elise is infatuated with the hall of French decorative arts. In particular, an elaborate bed which she aptly calls “my princess bed”  Here is a picture of her from last November with said bed:  

I am surprised after our numerous visits that she has practiced enough self-control to not have jumped into this fountain

it was very warm..I think you can tell by their faces

She has also discovered the photo booth application on my computer