quack quack.

our long memorial day weekend began with mini-he's school graduation. he still has one more year of preschool, but we were there to congratulate his classmates who were moving on to kindergarten. i'm still very proud of the progress he made this year...as one who had a difficult time transitioning to preschool, he's come a long way.

on saturday, we visited ho'omaluhia botanical garden for the first time. it's a huge park tucked up against the mountains on the windward side of oahu. i love coming to this side of the island because it is so lush and green. there's a lake full of fish and ducks to feed, small hiking trails, picnic tables, and lots of lawn space so you never feel crowded. on weekends, you are even allowed to fish (catch and release). the area in my photos is just one part of the garden. according to the map, there are several more areas like it if you keep driving back. with a permit, you can even camp there. on this day, i met up with a friend and his kids, but i brought my parents back a couple days later. more photos from the rest of the weekend

to follow.

mini-he said, "mom, i'm not a graduate. i'm an undergraduate."

don't forget your bread for the ducks and fish!

every tree/plant is labeled.