4th of July - Hawaii Ohana Reunion

On Sunday morning we all met at the Ford's new AMAZING home and

had breakfast and caught up on life while the kids ran around like crazy.

Lance and Kara thanks for letting us come enjoy your BEAUTIFUL home,

and for feeding us.:)

I only brought my 50mm lens and decided the kids had to sit in good lighting

so luckily Erin had a wider angle lens on her camera.

Thanks Erin :)

Image credit: Erin Low

check out her work at Erin Michelle Photography

Whose bright idea was it to have the kids get together and get their pictures taken?

It is always a must

no matter how much they dislike it :)

This is what I was able to capture from the side.

This is what Brielle thinks

about the whole thing.

Jo Jo was all about it,

Krew on the other hand decided to let the

water works start

which just started a chain

reaction for Teja, then Brady

and Jo Jo only for a second,

here she is already wiping away her tears

Bella, Bode and Graham

just hung out and wondered

what all the crying was about,

and why the adults were jumping around

like crazy people

trying to get them to smile.

torture almost over.

what's that? pictures are done.

OK I am good :)

Kara rewarded them with fruit snacks, Kali decided to shove them all in a once

and we told Jo Jo to say cheese forgetting she had fruit snacks in her mouth

this is what we get :)

I was so excited for Krew and Jo Jo to get together again,

I wasn't prepared for this. Kali and Jo Jo, best friends :)

Brielle you are adorable and win the

most Hawaiian looking award.

Look how dark that girl it!

Brady showing us is throwing and catching skills.

The stunning Williams Family.

the girls.

man love.

From Kali's point of view.

This is what happens when Ohana get together,

Aaron became Derek's brother,

Lance stepped in for James since he was not able to be there.

(You were missed James!)

and Jo Jo became Krew's twin.

Low Family, Ford Family

Bagley Family, Williams Family

Jones Family

If I can see through the tears streaming down my face

I can finish with my thoughts of how much I LOVE seeing my Ohana.

The friends we made in Hawaii are PRICELESS!

Hawaii is paradise, but for me the people we met are what made it

a true paradise.

let the party begin

The family all got together for a Wood Family Reunion, it started at my parents home in Washington where just my immediate family met up for a week before heading off to the BIG Wood Reunion in Lava Hot Springs with my Dad's whole family. Nate was not able to make it to the Washington get together but we met up with him in Idaho.

All pics in this post our taken my my sis Janica.

Check out all of her photography work at janicalarae.com

Kali always willing to model for us :)

before jumping in the pool we painted all of our nails.

Then Kali jump, dove and swam like a little fish,

she finally got brave enough to go off

the slide and jump off the diving board

thanks to Auntie Cori and Uncle Tucker :)

They helped ease her into the idea by having her jump and slide

onto a big floating mattress first.

Then Aaron surprised the kids with their very own fishing poles

and gave them lessons on casting, so they would be ready for fishing at the cabin.

Kali was able to do it all by herself and casted all the way over the pool,

she does better than me.

Aaron and I hanging out

Kali, mom and Cori went for a run.

Kali wanted to look just like her Auntie.

She will not let me ever put her hair in a pony tail but she let her Auntie do it!

Kali has become quite the little runner. She can run a quarter of a mile with our stopping, than takes a little breather and runs all the way back.

Aaron has her in training.

Sunday afternoon hanging out with the family.

Kali and I are twins :)

me at 15 weeks

Grandma putting all the grandkids to work pulling weeds, and playing of course :)

swimming

hot or cold, rain or shine

this is where Kali likes to spend her time.

Seriously though, the other day it was 60 degrees outside,

70 degrees in the pool and it started to rain out side,

that did not stop her, she had to get in her morning swim.

This is how Krew likes to spend his time :)

While I was cooking dinner, Krew was making a movie tower.

thanks Kali for helping clean it up :)