Spring Break!

This year we spent spring break in HAWAII!!

Our trip to Hawaii has been in the planning/saving phase for a couple of years now. We were supposed to go last year, but then the twins came along and I didn't think I could do Hawaii with two 4 month old babies...so we put it off for another year. Well, we finally went! The timing worked out well, since Matt's mom and dad were able to come along with us. They were a huge help with the kids and the boys!! I don't think that we could have done it without them and still have fun, since most often one boy was running up the beach one way and the other was going the opposite direction. It was nice to have a lot of helping hands.

We stayed at the Hale Koa, the army resort on Waikiki. It was gorgeous, with beautiful grounds, parks and views.
Our first night there, we thought it would be a nice welcome to Hawaii to attend the hotels Luau.

The show was pretty cool, with amazing performances. Seeing Polynesian dances never get old, they are a sight to behold!

Well, much to our ignorance, while we were on the plane, and enjoying the luau and getting settled...Japan had a major earthquake which caused tsunami swells. After settling down for the night finally, we got a wake up call just after midnight. The hotel's sirens were blaring and an announcement was running through the PA system. " This is not a test, a tsunami warning is in effect, all individuals must evacuate from the coast line...". WHAT!!! I remember waking up and asking Matt if it was real, or just in my dream. We got up, got dressed, and were looking out the window, flipped on the news and were trying to decide what we should do. Luckily we do have friends in the area whose home is on high ground, so were almost ready to give them a call and say "can we come stay?". Come to find out, the Hale Koa is built like a fortress, and meets all the safety regulations to qualify for a vertical evacuation. Our room was on the 13th floor, so we were fine where we were, and did not have to leave. A 6 ft wave was expected to hit the Hawaiian shores just after 3 am. I didn't sleep very well after that, expecting a giant wave coming to sweep us all away. I kept getting up and looking out the window. Oddly enough, everything looked completely peaceful. Eventually a wave did hit Hawaii, I slept through it, and it was only 1.9 feet higher then normal. The only "damage" we saw, was that the Waikiki beach was a little more rocky then usual. We were very blessed. The next day, Friday, the whole island was shut down, roads closed, so we just stayed at our Hotel, swam in the pool, and enjoyed Waikiki!

Sunrise, the morning after our arrival. Yes! Our resort is still here!

The boys loved the balcony. The first thing they did, whenever we were in our hotel room, was check to see if the door was open to the balcony so they could go out.

We had a gorgeous view. One direction we had the ocean, and the other we had the mountains, and out straight we had the city skyline.

It was perfect!

Standard Vacation breakfast...Chocolate chip waffles and pancakes!

Mom and Dad Jeppson on Waikiki

The Jeppson crew on Waikiki

Enjoying the beach!

We did so much and took so many pictures during our trip, that I will have to break it up into different posts. It really was a dream spring break with perfect Hawaiian weather.

As we were packing up to go home at the end of our trip, Hannah exclaimed that she already missed Hawaii. I think we all feel the same!

It's a Special Day...

When it is someone's Birthday!!!!

Today it is my Sweet Girl, Anya's Day!!!

She is turning 11 and we can hardly believe that she has been with us for that long!

Top 10 things about Anya:

1. She was always a very Happy Baby and kid

2. She has the greatest smiles, they go straight to her eyes

3. She is super creative and has a wild imagination

4. Her favorite thing to do is read!

5. Her second favorite things to do is write, she has already won several contests this year with her writing...she is very good at it!

6. She is an awesome big sister, and is always willing to help out

7. She loves the water and beach, is a master snorkeler now after Hawaii

8. She is very inquisitive and is always looking for more knowledge and fun facts...this girl should be on Jeopardy!

9. Although she professes to be a tomboy, she loves her long hair and is turning into a beautiful young lady.

10. She loves her savior Jesus Christ and spends time reading her scriptures and writing in her journal...both good habits to acquire young.

WE LOVE HAVING HER IN OUR FAMILY!

it wouldn't be complete without her.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANYA RANAE!!!!

Do you think I should dejunk some toys before we move?

Your Mission...Get into as much as you can, as fast as you can...Mission Complete.

I love....

Seeing this peeking at me over the counter while I am in the kitchen!

San Diego Again

Over President's day weekend ( Matt and the girls had a four day), we went on our annual trip to San Diego and Sea world. We knew it would be a stormy weekend, but we braved the bad weather and headed South anyway. We thought it would be good training for touring in Europe. The day started out beautiful and sunny. We caught the Shamu show and feed several of the sea life animals around.

By afternoon the skies opened and poured down on us. Luckily it wasn't a constant downpour. It would rain hard for 10 or 15 minutes and then slack off to a drizzle. Matt had convinced Anya to go on the Atlantis ride ( part roller coaster, part log ride), So they were both soaked. Not just a little bit, but completely wet. They didn't much care that it was raining, since they were already wet! Luckily it wasn't too cold, and we have an awesome rain cover for our stroller. The boys were warm and dry as can be tucked inside!

We had an awesome dolphin experience. In years past, it has been a mad free for all to feed the dolphins. This year it is much more organized, probably due to recent legislation being passed. It wasn't busy at all, so the girls got to go with their own trainer and spend time with a dolphin all on their own. The met the dolphin, fed the dolphin, each got to pet the dolphin many times, and do some basic tricks with the dolphin. Mean while the trainer was talking and answering questions about dolphins. It was amazing!

This is Hannah's new boyfriend. She met him in the salt water aquarium and they spent a good 20 minutes gazing into each other's eyes.

Cora, all tuckered out, gazing in the salt water aquarium.

The next day we went to the San Diego Zoo. The weather was better this day. There were more spurts of sun, and less spurts of rain.

Cora wanted so much to get a picture on this bird.

I love the Koala's.

This one was pretty active, he was moving around and eating.

Look at those ears!!!

Most of the Koala's were huddled up like this.

Don't you just want to squeeze them!

We had a good trip as a family, despite the weather. It was an adventure! We drove out to Coronado Island, and looked around. It was too cold and rainy to go to the beach this time, but we have vowed to get down to San Diego for one more weekend before we move.

We love it there so much!

I Love Getting Roses on Valentines Day...

These beauties were accompanied by a box of Godiva chocolates.

A very good day indeed.