After an exciting three weeks on the mainland visiting family and friends, I’m glad to be home! With the cold weather in Washington and California, I came back craving Zippy’s chili and grilled cornbread, mmm. One lucky reader will win a $10 gift certificate to Zippy’s- read on for details.

Our trip began in Washington, visiting dear friends. The last time we saw each other, Miss G was barely a bump in her mama’s tummy, and Baby C hadn’t yet been planned.

Aren’t these three sisters beautiful? They are so sweet and special, with their own unique personalities. We found “fairy coins” growing in a little field.

Little Miss G is about to turn two. Something about her makes me think of on older time, like Anne of Green Gables or Little House on the Prairie. I think maybe it’s her “old soul” eyes.

Sweet Miss L will be five soon, and when I last saw her she wasn’t much older than her little sister and sported a halo of blond fuzz. Now she’s a caring, stylish little girl with a bright smile.

And Miss N.. serious, inquisitive, funny, perceptive. She has grown from a little girl into a young lady, leading and guiding her younger sisters with love and kindness.

After we bade our friends goodbye and promised to return (in hopefully less than 2 1/2 years!), we traveled to Southern California. Along the way we stopped at a few of our favorite places, one being the Griffith Park Travel Town in Los Angeles.

And yes, at nearly 18 months, Baby C is definitely the center of the universe. I can’t believe that in just a few short months I won’t be able to call him a baby anymore.. but he will always be my baby.

What do you get when you put two Hawaii boys in the snow? Fun!

T loved the snow. C was a little uncertain at first, then ran around having a lot of fun, then decided he was too cold and wanted to go home. T, on the other hand, had to be dragged out.

Now, I ask you- what do you look forward to most when you return to Hawaii? Leave a comment below and tell me no later than March 1. One winner will be randomly selected to win a $10 Zippy’s gift certificate!