Hikes, Photos, and New Projects

Sometimes I wake up on Monday and really just want to go back to sleep.  A new week means new things to do and more monotonous work.

Not today though!  After a wonderful weekend, I'm excited to get the week started.  I want to begin some new projects, finish up some old ones, and-- after about a week and a half of being lazy with my normal hard core cleaning habits-- get my house back in order.

Yesterday was such an awesome day.  Kent and I went on a hike up Koko Head Crater yesterday, and we took Duke with us for the first time.  (Murphy has gone with us before, but he's just too little.  The steps get bigger than him, and we have to carry him.)  We also took "Flat Stanley" with us.  He's the little cut out man we had to take with us to landmarks to help my little cousin-in-law with her school project.  I actually had a great time taking his picture.  

If you don't know what Koko Head is, it's a crater from an old volcano.  The hike up the side going to the peak is about 1,050 steps.  It's not the easiest hike ever, but the view from the top is so worth it.

Here's Flat Stanley at the base of the stairs.

Duke did really well climbing with us.  We stopped once a little over halfway up to give him water, and then once more closer to the top so he could take a break for a second.

When we finally got to the top, the view was incredible.

I think Duke was a little pooped when we got to the top, so he just sat and let the wind hit his face.

After the hike, we went home, and I got cleaned up to take some family portraits for some friends who are leaving the island soon.  It was so much fun!  Here are just a few.

Isn't he a doll?

Now that the fabulous weekend is over, I'm looking forward to mailing out a few finished pieces, mailing out Flat Stanley, and starting fresh on some new projects.  I still feel very inspired by the beauty at the top of Koko Head, so I think I'm going to start a few pieces based on photos I've taken around the island.  I'll share photos as I finish, and they will probably be for sale on my Etsy, so keep a look out.  

Hope you have a wonderful Monday and that you are feeling as inspired about this new week as I am!