Spencer and Shana highlights

Spencer and Shana only got to stay for 3 1/2 days- not including travel time- which seems like 3 days in and of itself.  We are really very far away.  Anyway, we tried to help them have a relaxing/fun-filled trip.  The first day we, went to the beach, (see previous blog) here we are.....on our way to the beach.  Besides running rocks we took the paddle boards and had a fun time learning/practicing our paddling, or our falling off of paddle boards gracefully.

This was actually the day we saw the dolphins but before that, we started the day at 3 Tables, snorkeling and then some of us kayaked and some of us walked over to Waimea.  The water was so clear and calm today.  Emi looks like she is in a swimming pool.

We also went hiking on the black rock outcropping that separates 3 Tables from Waimea.  We found little tiny hermit crabs and really big black crabs.

Spencer decided to catch some rays while we were catching hermit crabs.

Then that night we went to the Kahuku Grill for some burgers.  They were great.  I got the Seek burger and then the next week I met Seek at 7 Brothers.  7 Brothers is another burger joint in Laie, the same LDS family owns both places and, you guessed it-they have 7 sons and some of them run the restaurants.  Spencer (also the name of one of the sons) had the Shemburger.  This Shem does not have a brother named Ham, or he would have a burger named after him too......get it? ;)

After dinner, and Shana being attacked by a ferocious wild chicken...we went to the PCC.  It was closed but we wandered around for a while to show them the place and then decided to stay for the night show. 

Since we didn't make that decision until minutes before the show started we basically got the last 4 seats- on the front row.  At times it was a little too close for comfort, but we got to feel the heat off those fire knives and smell the burning banana skirts so I thought it was great.

Our seats were also as far as possible from the entrance so we decided to cut across the stage.  I couldn't stop Spencer for a picture
 but I did get a great one of Shana with one of her favorite dancers that she affectionately calls "crazy eyes".

Kyle and his crazy eyes almost ruined the moment!  She was ready to kill me by the end of this!

On Sunday we had M. Wells church because it was stake conference.  Spencer and Kyle woke up super early and got to Pearl Harbor by 7, toured the memorial at 8, also toured the USS Missouri Battleship and had a great morning together.  It is actually a very sacred place and I am glad they got to do it without us, and on a Sunday morning.

 When the boys got home we had a big lunch and then went to hike Waimea Falls.  It wasn't much of a hike, but the kids complained like it was.  It was a beautiful Botanical Garden though and was very enjoyable, other than the complaining.

 This man was a plant expert and he was doing a little tour.  We just joined in to see the cannonball tree.  The "fruit" was as heavy as a cannonball and completely round.  He cracked it open and it was a very light green color and in about 5 minutes it had turned blue and stinky from oxidation.  He said they use them as cattle feed because they don't taste good either, but they were really really weird and in our family that is a win.

 Everything is so lush, that we joke about people charging money to see their botanical gardens, because the whole island is one big botanical garden.  This one was very educational and very well maintained and very shady so it was a very enjoyable walk (for the grown-ups).

 Emily wanted to jump but the "lifeguard" of sorts, wouldn't let her.  She got a great picture though!

 George wasn't thrilled about swimming but none of the grown-ups wore suits.  I should have, so he didn't have to, but we made him swim to help Matty and I think they had fun.  The water was a little murky and they had signs up about a disease you might get if you drank the water..... but everyone seems fine! Notice in the next picture how the big kids are all swimming back to me and Matty is still hanging out by the falls, chatting with some little dark haired girls.  She used to be a dark haired girl, now she is a dark skinned, light haired girl.

They let the kids do a scavenger hunt- word search and when they turned it in, after swimming, they got a prize.  Well, this has not turned out great at other places, with other scavenger hunts, the prize is always lame, but this time it was frozen, chocolate covered bananas and you have never seen a happier little girl.  You would have thought she won $100.  It might as well have been, actually she would have been less excited with the money.

Matty and her major award!  Turns out she didn't like them, but loved winning and loved sharing.

  On the hike back, there was a little side path that only these three wanted to see with me so we went the road less traveled, and are really all the better for it.  (No, it was actually no big deal-but was prettier than the road)

! However, when we got back on the main trail we started to run to catch up to the rest of the group and Matty fell and cut her hand pretty good.  A maintenance lady came by in a golf cart and gave us a ride to the office where we got a band-aid AND had a close encounter with a peacock. So really- a win win situation. 

One night we went to Papa'iloa.  It is a neighborhood that has fought the tourist for years to keep them off of their beach.  Because we have local cars, obvious non-rentals, we were safe going there, but we have heard they aren't nice to tourists.

  The great thing about their beach is it is the turtle nesting ground.  So we drove over, this picture is the only beach access way behind the houses,  and watched the sun go down and the turtles come up.

 There were 5 or 6 turtles, just off the beach.  Shana got a little wet, trying to get close to them.

  Well, one turtle anyway.  It was awesome to see one out of the water.  He looked exhausted.  We are going to try Papa'iloa  at least once more and see if we can see more of them beached.

We drove over to Kualoa Ranch because Shana is a big fan on Hawaii 5-0 and it is said to have been filmed there, with all the other movies and shows made in Hawaii.  She didn't see anything or anyone Hawaii 5-0 ish, but it was a beautiful place, as always, and we enjoyed our time there.

 Here is Spence again, unwilling to turn for a pic.

 Evan tried to pick me a flower....oops.  Really pretty though!

 I believe Matty's previous injury was bothering her in this picture, thus the long face.

Kualoa is one of Kyle and I's favorite places too.  It has been fun to share it with visitors, and fun to have Spencer and Shana with us for a few days.