We're back... Hawaii was amazing (as always)! The highlight of the trip was hanging out with my family... and if a picture is worth a thousand words, then there are 45,000 words about our trip on my sidebar.
And yes... Brian took this picture from one of our long-time favorite spots on the North Shore of Oahu, Haleiwa Beach.
A few pictures from Brooklyn's 5 month birthday... She was so excited and wiggly that Bossier the Bear barely made it into the picture. I have to admit, though --- these were taken on her good day! She's cutting teeth, and "cranky" hardly describes her this past week. I did notice today that her bottom teeth are starting to finally break through.
You may also notice that our weather has been all over the place lately. In some pictures she is wearing a sweater and jeans, yet in others she has on a sleeveless sundress... oh well, fall temps are just around the corner, but first --- HAWAII!!!
Yeah... I know... these pictures are really late! Dylan's birthday was a couple of weeks ago, but I am just now getting around to posting a few of them. He's three... still can't believe that! 
We had such a great day with him. Brian took the day off, and we had breakfast at our favorite spot. Then we paid a visit to the Columbus Santa Maria, a life-size replica of Christopher Columbus' flagship parked along the Scioto River in downtown Columbus. 
After the tour, we went back home to "celebrate." Dylan had his first of two train cakes --- this was the "homemade" one, and trust me, it looked homemade --- and we opened a few presents and ate his favorite dinner --- hot dogs!
Later that week, we had a little birthday party with some friends, and Dylan had his second train cake --- this one looked much more professional. To his delight, many of the gifts he received had something to do with trains. He added to his Thomas collection and set of viaducts, a battery-operated "James", a Thomas the Tank Engine beach towel & puzzle (thank you Auntie Lisa), an entire collection of Thomas the Tank Engine Railway Rhymes (thank you Auntie Cayenne), and a James from "The Trouble with Trees" (thank you Mr. Joe & Mrs. Judi)!
I think he really enjoyed his birthday, and for me and Brian, the highlight was when he looked at his homemade cake and said "It's w-w-w-w-wonderful! Mommy, it's so beautiful!" Believe me, to most people, that cake would have never been considered beautiful, but it was exactly what he had been asking for for the last 8 or 9 months, and he loved it... makes me wonder why I even spent the money to buy the professional one for the party. Now, he asks for a train cake almost every day. I guess the truest pleasures in life really are the simplest...
