A Little Ketchup (or is it Catch Up)

Hi everyone,

A few random pictures to please your eye!

How do you like my mustache? I'm trying to be like dad. I think I have a long way to go, and mom can't get over how weird it looks, but I think it's got potential. By the way, this mustache was naturally created from drinking a green smoothie from the glass, no painted on mustaches here.

Here I am sporting my new backpack. We got it for our adventure trips but we have yet to actually take it backpacking. It did go all the way to Hawaii though and worked great for carrying toys and snacks onto the plane and all around the island.

Finally, a little park time. Ahhh, summer, where have you gone?

Until next time . . .

Out to Sea

Hi everyone,

I seem to have a fascination with boats. It's a good thing our friends Alex and Sheila have a boat and are willing to take me on it because I don't think I'd get my fix of being on the water any other way, besides maybe riding a ferry boat. Mom and dad will probably never own a boat but maybe I will when I get older. Hmmmm . . . I guess I better start saving money now.

Don't you love Dad's windswept hair? He chopped it off after that so I guess it won't be so windswept anymore! Anyway, we enjoyed an afternoon out on the water. Mom thought it was kind of funny because when I'm in new situations I like to take it all in before I get comfortable enough to move around. The part she was thought was funny was that for the first stretch of our boat ride I stayed planted right in her lap looking out the front window, but once Alex stopped for a few minutes I started climbing all over the boat. I didn't even stand still when he started the boat up again!

Alex even let me drive the boat! I know it looks like I'm not watching where I'm going but I had to glance over momentarily for my photo op. While we were stopped in a bay to eat our dinner we saw a few seals, one who even chased a bird off a piece of driftwood floating in the water. It was amazing how those big creatures were able to slide themselves up onto the wood and sun themselves without falling back into the water. We didn't get any pictures of them though because they were too far away to see in the camera and we didn't want to get closer and disturb them.

Mom, doing her cheesy grin because she really didn't want to have her picture taken, and me chilling out on our way back to the boat launch. It was a great first boat ride!

Until next time . . .

The Big Island - A Wrap Up

Hi everyone,

I know you are heartbroken because this will be my last post about our trip to Hawaii. We really did have a great time! It was nice to explore the island, but we also had a great accommodations so that when we didn't feel like exploring we just enjoy ourselves. I made sure to take my life jacket with me but by the end of the trip I was jumping in the pool without it. I think I'm ready for full-fledged swimming lessons so I can feel the freedom of being weightless in the water without having to worry about sinking.

Down, down, down I go!

Up, up, up and away!

Until next time . . .

The Big Island - New Black Sand Beach

Hi everyone,

When we were on the west side down by the lava flow we also had the chance to walk to a black sand beach that is currently under construction. What I mean by being under construction is that the old beach was covered over with lava and now the waves are breaking down the hardened lava so that is creates a new beach. It was pretty tumultuous water so I wouldn't want to be out swimming in it, and I couldn't believe how loud it was with the rocks all rubbing together as the waves were pulled out to sea. It sure was beautiful, though, and a great example of the power of the earth's elements. God really is amazing when we stop to look at all he has created and how!

Until next time . . .

The Big Island - The West Side

Hi everyone,

I'm thinking I should be finished with posting about Hawaii in the next few posts and we can get on to bigger and better things that are happening in our household. Well, not necessarily bigger and better than Hawaii, just busier.

The waterfall in the top photo is called Rainbow Falls and it was a really beautiful spot. There were people sitting out on the rocks right by where the water cascades down but we decided not to be big risk-takers that day and played it safe. There was also a HUGE, and I mean really HUGE, banyan tree at this park. How would you like that tree for a tree house!

This was also when we went back to the other side of the island to see the lava flow. We drove all the way down as close as we could get but it just wasn't our day for seeing lava. Some days you can see it oozing out, other days just steaming. We just saw the steam. It was a little disappointing but at least we tried.

Until next time . . .

The Big Island - Akaka Falls State Park

Hi everyone,

There were some beautiful waterfalls and lush green plants on the West side of the island. That is the side that also gets over 300 inches of rain in a year. Yikes! We thought it rained a lot where we live. These photos are of Akaka Falls and the huge banyan trees and vegetation in the state park that the falls are located in.

Until next time . . .

Hawaii - Continued

Hi everyone,

Wow, how did you like that big pause in between Hawaii posts! I can't believe how much time is sucked up looking and applying for jobs, getting ready for MOPS, and Mom getting ready to do some subbing. Boy howdy, there never seems to be enough time in the day.

And now we return to our regularly scheduled broadcast of a recap of Hawaii! We took a gorgeous drive along 4 Mile Scenic Drive (what an original name, huh?). Dad, Alex, and Sheila tried to get an avocado out of a tree and ended up trying to swing on the vines like Tarzan!

  
We also frequented the beach pictured below a few times. It had blue, blue, blue water that was warm and there was a sea turtle that swam right by us while we were swimming in the water.

Did you notice those black clouds in the last photo above and also in the first photo below. Every afternoon those clouds would build up against the mountains but it never really rained. Then when it was time for the sun to go down the sky would be clear in the distance allowing us to see those gorgeous Kona sunsets! Another thing we noticed on the Big Island versus Oahu was that when people wanted to leave "graffiti" they used the white coral against the black lava rocks. Of course, we had to do a little graffiti of our own!

Until next time . . . (actually in just a few days because I have a few more posts of Hawaii to share).