More Adventures From Our Visit With Family

We also managed to fit in a trip to the Botanical Gardens again (since both Mom and nephew Ryan hadn't been) and we checked out The Spitting Cave Of Portlock...something I had never seen. It was actually a VERY steep hike down to the cliffs and cave and we all sort of held on to one another and tried not to slip. Probably not the safest thing for a pregnant person to be doing but oh well..all in hindsight right? Once down there, the view was stunning. The cliffs were amazing and pictures certainly don't do the actual beauty of it any justice. The boys (nephews - Scott was at work) actually climbed down the cliffs, a scary looking metal ladder and right to the mouth of the cave. My mom and I couldn't even watch...we were certain one of them would plummet down the rocks into the ocean. The Koko Crater Botanical Gardens this year were a wasted trip. Hardly anything was blooming and much of what was alive looked barely alive and infested with disease. Second to that, we sort of got lost on the trails and it took much longer to walk it than we had anticipated. My shoe was pierced by two thorns. My mom had a bad blister on the bottom of her foot and the boys were burnt to a crisp from not listening to me when I told them they should wear sunscreen. I won't even mention the Aloe section. Fun times anyhow.
Mom having her picture taken with a plumeria behind her ear. When worn on the left side it signifies "single" and on the right, "taken". Actually, it might be the other way around...I'm not sure. Regardless, it's a good thing you don't have internet in the bush Mom cause you'd probably fuss at me for posting your picture! Love you!

Some of the very few plumeria blooms to be seen in the gardens. They always make for a beautiful picture.
A cool picture of the cliffs at the Spitting Cave. The specks for people at the top of the cliff are my mom and I. We weren't into climbing down them and instead sat and watched for whales at the top. Didn't see any whales but did spot a giant sea turtle.
A closer picture of Mom and I sitting at the top and a shot of the huge house built right into the cliff. How cool is that? Not sure I'd want my house on a cliff being worn away by the ocean though!
The boys having their picture taken on the cliffs. You can kind of see the cave in the background. What was really neat was the sound you heard each time the waves pounded into the cave. You could almost feel the vibration under your feet.

The Infamous (or is that famous?) Sandy Beach

We've lived here long enough to know and be warned by locals and lifeguards that Sandy Beach is NOT a beach for children or inexperienced swimmers/surfers or boogie boarders. And yet, anytime we have visitors they insist on visiting Sandy Beach. To the locals, this beach is often referred to as break-neck beach. There are warning signs everywhere about the strong currents, the shorebreak and the rocks. It is a popular spot for "experienced" locals because it often has great waves. During my family's recent visit we of course made a trip there and while the weather wasn't great, the waves were; although pictures really don't do it justice (at least mine don't). My nephews insisted that they wanted to try boogie boarding. I warned them, but you know boys...they do their own thing. The lifeguard immediately honed in on them and gave them all the same warnings but in a more blunt manner, "you will get hurt." The is the same beach where Scott's aunt broke her knee getting hit the wrong way by a wave. Me being the pregnant one, sat back and took pictures.
Brandon & Sandy watching Ryan get eaten up by the waves.
My nephews attempting to look like experienced boogie boarders.
Ryan sitting taking pictures of the locals ride and/or wipe out on the waves.
Everyone wanting to put their feet in the water and getting a little more wet than they bargained for.Ryan's first attempt at boogie boarding on the highest surf possible resulted in a nice bloody nose. I really did try and warn him. He says boogie boarding is harder than it looks.

A Day In Waikiki

Some pretty wild orchids I came across.
My sister Sandy and her babies posing like tourists in front of the Banyan tree at the International Market Place.
They wanted to visit the International Market Place (like all visitors) to see what all the hype was about. It's really just a tourist trap selling unique but cheap items and the vendors just kind of repeat products as you walk through it. (More of the same...)
A view of the Banyan Tree. I don't know a lot about the tree, but they're pretty cool because the roots are above ground and grow from the branches down to the ground.
I couldn't resist taking this picture because where in the world do you ever see a public payphone ON a beach? Only in Hawaii!
Sandy and her boys pose in front of one of the same spots they visited during their trip last year. Only this year, the sun was barely shining and there was no beautiful blue sky or pretty flowers.
Mom and Sandy posing in front of the famous Duke!
A stop at the fabulous and yummy Duke's restaurant to top the day off. Seems to be something we do anytime someone visits and seems to be yummy and enjoyable every single time. If you ever have the chance to come to Hawaii you need to eat there at least once. The food isn't anything really special, just yummy, great service and sitting right on the beach is kind of cool.

Our Hike Along The Lower Shoreline

Ryan jumping at the water hole during our hike. It is hard to tell from this picture, but the waves were enormous out beyond the rocks.
Ryan debating on jumping and Brandon doing the "smart" thing. It was so windy that day it made it hard to balance on the man-made pole sticking way out into the water for people to jump off of.
The brothers having a brotherly moment and posing for auntie, mom and grandma!
My first nephew (whose diapers I changed) all grown up.
The brothers hiking ahead of us old and pregnant folk.
A picture of my mom, sister and two nephews prior to our hike on the lower shoreline of Makapu'u.

Where To Begin...

It seems I've been on a blogging hiatus...and now I am so behind on news and pictures I'm not even sure where to begin. Back to the beginning I suppose is the logical point, but I'm not even sure that I know where that is. Scott has been sick for a long time now it seems...he went on a trip and came back with bronchitis, pneumonia and ear troubles. During the time he was gone, my mother, sister, two nephews and a friend came to visit for two weeks. Dayton came down sick with 105 fever the day after they arrived. Another virus compliments of preschool. He was sick for about a week. Around the time he got better, Saige got sick with the same virus. Around the time she was getting better, my mom got sick and I got sick again. Presumably the same virus. Despite all the illness, we somehow managed to have a nice time, see some of the sites, take some pretty pictures and enjoy some family time. The weather was horrible (by Hawaii standards) much of their visit. They left on Friday the 13th. Since then, Dayton picked up another virus and a double eye infection. Scott is still sick but marginally better. Dayton is better after a week of oral antibiotics and eye antibiotics. I never recovered from the virus from when my family was here and now it has turned into a bad cough and possible sinus infection. Saige is sick again. So, while it seems you've all missed out on a lot, it really hasn't been "good news".
If I dig deep enough into my exhausted memory stores, I could probably find some "good" things and if not "good" things in my book, then likely humorous things in yours...Dayton has learned how to hop on one foot, he has started asking me about outer space and the big dipper (oh, and where I keep my spaceship), his eating has become more picky (who knew that was possible) and he likes to dip odd foods into odd mixtures like pasta into applesauce, he has become a pretty independent dresser, has mastered the art of manipulating his sister and has transitioned from his toddler bed into a twin sized bed. Saige copies absolutely everything her brother says and does, she talks up a storm, throws things when she doesn't get her way, scratches, makes the silliest faces, follows her dogs obsessively, likes to wipe things, has discovered how to take her diaper off even with clothes on, refuses to sleep, discovered how to throw herself out of her crib and has consequently transitioned into a twin sized bed in Dayton's room (another story for another day), she is very independent and yet demands complete equality - if Dayton wants to stand on a chair at the counter, Saige will get a chair so that she can stand there too...if Dayton wants to eat a certain food, so does Saige; even if she doesn't know what it is.
Now lets see if I can get some pictures posted...