Life Comes At You Fast...

Matt and I returned from Hawaii on Memorial Day to three little boys very ecstatic to see their parents. "M", the sitter, seemed to have made it through the previous ten days and said things went well. I can't tell if she was being polite or if the boys pulled a fast one on her! Either way, we're glad everything went well on the home front.

The boys were more than anxious to see their "surprises" from our trip. They all got T-shirts and Hawaiian necklaces and bracelets. Naturally, I forgot to take a picture of them all dressed up. Now that the braceletes and necklaces are broken and/or missing...Xander and Talmage scarfed down the packages of "7-D" mango slices we brought. Kalvin said he liked them, but after about the fourth day of saying "no thanks" he finally admitted that he didn't really like them! We sure missed the boys and all their little quirks while we were gone.

The rest of the week went fairly smoothly. The construction on the Strawhouse hadn't really progressed much while we were gone due to waiting for inspections, etc., but it started to pick up again at the end of the week. I spent a few days cleaning the house. Matt was back in full swing at the office. A regular week on the homefront. Until...

Friday.
I get all the kids dropped off at school/preschool. Off to the office to check on things. They need office supplies, so I go run a few errands and return to the office. I leave again to go pick up some lunch for Matt. I get a message while in the restaurant. Xander has stuck something in his ear and they can't get it out. I get to the preschool to find him happily eating his lunch. He's fine unless you even think of looking at his ear. We call the ENT. They can't get him in for three hours. I schedule the appt and we go to Dad's office to have him look in the ear. Xander is petrified and doesn't want anyone to touch it. After much reassuring and a bit of hand (body) holding, Daddy saves the day and pulls the object out. It is a small yellow pellet from a pellet paint gun, no bigger than a small pea. Evidently, they are all over on the playground at the preschool. We just happen to have the child who figures it might be interesting to stick into one of his body orifices. It's never happened before at the preschool. Naturally.
Matt has a break between patients and decides to check on the progress at the Strawhouse. He comes back excited about the progress made. Our two secretaries want to go see, so I drive them over to see. As we are walking in the front door, we witness one of the workers fall from the scaffolding and tumble to the concrete floor. We call the paramedics immediately. He has hit his head, his back and his elbow the hardest. We can't leave until the ambulance arrives and he is taken care of. Meanwhile, Matt is back at the office and panicking. Oh, did I mention that Xander was still at the office too, since we were only going to be gone for a couple of minutes?
Matt and I had somehow missed the announcement that the preschool was having a spring concert that night just after five. It was the funniest thing I have ever watched. Talmage and one of his buddies were so preoccupied with stomping out all the bugs on the sidewalk (outdoor concert) while Xander sang all the songs and did all the actions and movements. The teachers, and Matt and I, were all sure that it was going to be just the opposite! Xander has NEVER really participated in any singing or other parts in any programs at school or church. We were shocked!

In the midst of all this craziness, my sister had her baby today. He's healthy and well. So is she. Thank goodness!

Okay, so that weekend was pretty null. Nothing out of the ordinary. I seemed to be coming down with a cold (thanks fellow airline passengers), but all was well.

Tuesday.
Not much happening. Just trying to get back into the swing of life. Matt is doing general anesthesia this week, so he's pretty whooped by the end of the day. Why is that? Three or four kids versus his regular fifty in a day? Matt thinks it's probably from the emotional toll of the cases. The kids are really hurting.

Wednesday.
The kids are having a do-not-cooperate-and-get-ready-for-the-day-morning. They are all just a little bit fussy. I have managed to sleep in. Hmmm. So far, so good. And we have no water. None. Not even a drop will come out of the sinks. I manage to scrounge up some clothes for each kid (today was going to be laundry day) and we all pile into the car. There is NO way I was going to try and do breakfast at home without running water. I pick up donuts at the corner stop by the school instead. Suddenly, I have become World's Best Mom. Okay, so maybe no water wasn't such a bad thing this morning...
Is the well dry? Oy. We don't want to go there. I turn off the sprinklers to see if we've just used too much water in a short time. Matt calls the well drilling company. One hour. No water. Two hours. No water. I check the breaker and the well pump. They are working. Wait...the pump controller is beeping. It says there is a short circuit. Good. So maybe it's only the pump. $5-6K sounds a lot better than a new $20K well. The driller finally calls at 4:15pm. We are in town and have all but given up on hearing from them today. Matt rushes back to the house. It looks like the pump wiring has a short. But not in the house. It's somewhere inside the well. Can't be fixed until tomorrow. I have a garden's worth of plants sitting on the porch that I have just purchased. It has been in the upper 70's outside and I have no water to keep them alive. Sayonara plants! Good thing I tilled the manure into the garden and took a shower LAST NIGHT.

Thursday.
The boys get taken to school. I have two appointments today. The well driller did not arrive before I left the house. I get a phone call from my mom. My sister who had her baby last week is hemorrhaging. They have called 911. Luckily, she ends up okay and is able to go home later in the day. Lots of prayers said.
My brother has a coworker that has been seriously injured in a work related accident witnessed by most of the coworkers. It's been a rough day at their office.
Mom calls to tell us that Dad is at work (she is still in Utah) but has just heard that there is a severe tornado warning for their town. In a non-tornado area of the country. It is raining harder than he has ever experienced in his life. After living in Oregon for 30+ years. The highways have been shut down in the area.
I get home from my appointments. The drillers have been working on the well. They have fixed the wire inside and it is now working. We have water!!!
It is Father and Sons camping weekend and there is a dinner with moms and daughters included at the campsite tonight. The boys have a blast playing in the water at lake's edge. They are soaked, covered in sand, and thoroughly happy. Mom and Dad are happy too. It is a good night.


To quote one of my sisters, can we just push the pause button on our family right now?!?!?!?!


Friday, June 5th.
The weather forecast calls for snow in the next 24 hrs. I have got to get some of the garden planted. Kalvin goes to school, Xander and Talmage help me in the garden in the morning. I think they found every beetle, caterpillar, ant, and other bugs that were out there. How do they do that?
The boys (ALL my boys) head to the campground at three. The weather is blustery, but they are going to sleep in a tent instead of taking the RV this time. I sure hope they have a good time. I work in the garden until four, take a very long hot shower, and plop into bed to watch "House" episodes on DVD. I'm not feeling very well. My cold has caught up to me.

Saturday.
The door chime goes off at 6am. Matt and the boys are home. Evidently, the kids slept all night, but Daddy didn't. The wind howled. Talmage was in Matt's sleeping bag, snug as a bug. Between the wind and a wiggly bug in his bed, Daddy was awake all night. And it started to snow by the time they left the campsite. Everyone else was bailing as well. At least they had a fun evening-roasting marshmallows, playing in the dirt, riding their scooters, telling stories around the campfire...I am really glad they were able to do that together. It was fun to hear the boys talk about what a good time they had with their dad. And to hear Matt talk about how much he enjoyed spending the weekend with his little guys.

Friday, May 22nd

A quiet day. Matt and I went out for breakfast, then he was off to classes. I went back to bed and slept another three hours until just after 11! Then I just chilled for awhile before heading out to Waikiki Beach, right on the hotel property. Matt said to me, "You had better go on the beach or everyone that hears that you didn't will be disappointed in you. That includes me!" So I went and laid out on Waikiki Beach. There. I did it.

Now I look and feel like a piece of Kentucky Fried Chicken. And I was only out an hour.

SCUBA and Kayaking, Thurs, May 21st

Matt wanted to get as many dives into this trip as possible, so he went on another trip this morning. The group went out to 92' depth and swam through some reef caverns. Matt said there was all sorts of marine life down there that we hadn't seen before when we went snorkeling.

The divemaster was very excited to see this sea slug (or nudibranch?), as he said it's not a very common one for that area.

Matt in his dive gear. So handsome, isn't he?

The lovely eel that wouldn't have minded biting a hand if given the chance. They have lockjaws, so if bitten, the only way to escape is to cut off their head and then remove it later on. Yikes.

After the 92' dive, they surfaced and boated over to another area for a shallower 45' depth dive. Matt had a total blast. I was kind of bummed to see all his pics and videos that night. I really wish that I could go diving too...

But instead, I went kayaking. My group drove over to Kapohe (?) beach and set out from there. It is considered one of the top ten beaches in the world. I could see why. Perfect white sand with an intense green and blue ocean. We left the beach around 9:30 am and set out to Mokulele Island, just under 2 miles away. I and another gal had single kayaks, the others in the group went tandem since they were all couples.

Mokulele Island is a bird sanctuary for a particular Hawaiian species. Our guide taught us about it's habitat and lifestyle. There were little potholes of sorts covering the entire hill on the side we shored on. Each hole had a bird inside, preparing it's nest for mating. It was pretty crazy looking.

On the other side of the island lies Shark's Cavern. The surf was calm enough that our guide was able to take us out there. It was a hike! We had to climb up and over boulder after boulder of sharp lava rock to get there. Once we did, we were able to jump in and snorkel in the pool. The only bad part about getting in and out was that the tide would slam us against the rock edge in the process. My knee got bumped and evidently, my derriere as well (that particular area hurt that night, but didn't show a bruise until the next day. The size of a grapefruit.). There are also multiple rock diving spots off the cliff. I jumped twice from the 15 ft ledge. That was fun. Except for the uber strong saline rinse up the nose both times. Yuck.

The trip back was just as great as going to the island, although I was definitely more tired at the end. We did see a couple of sea turtles as we returned. I'm really glad I went. Just a small bit of red around my shoulders where my lifejacket had rubbed off my (4x!) applied sunscreen.

Sorry to disappoint with no pics of my jaunt. I did purchase an el cheapo waterproof camera, but I actually have to take it in to get the film developed!

Dinner at the oldest hotel in Waikiki, owned by Westin Hotels. The tables were set out on the courtyard next to the beach and a local Hawaiian band played music all evening. Someone commented on Matt's nice shirt-"Armanai, Manhattan?" Nope. Costco, Montana. LOL.

Wed, May 20th

Hanuama Bay

Matt had some courses to attend in the morning, but had an unexpectedly free afternoon, so we hopped on a bus over to Haunama Bay for a couple hours of snorkeling.

It felt actually felt safer further out, because the tide would push us over the rock and coral, then ebb. That didn't leave us much space to navigate without touching the coral, a big no-no.

We managed to see more than one sea turtle. They are so graceful as they glide around. And they didn't appear hesitant around us at all. We wish the boys could have been there, even if they are still too little to have actually gone out with us to snorkel. They would have loved it.

Dinner was at Michel's Restaurant, on the beach, with the Trustees. The sunset view at Diamond Head was exquisite.

Monday, May 18th, Big Island>>>Oahu

Kilauea

Recipe for an awesome volcano experience:

1. Wake up at 2:45 am. Regret going to bed at 11:30pm. Drag self out of bed.
2. Leave B&B at 3 am. Drive on never ending winding roads.
3. Meet guide at little "Painted Church" at 3:50 am. Said guide must be a local Hawaiian with express permission to access areas closed to others.
4. Walk in the dark through lava fields with only a headlamp, somehow avoiding twisting an ankle, falling on "glass" lava shards, or succumbing to poisonous gas emitted from the occasional steaming vent.
5. Arrive at destination, still in the dark, in total awe of the fiery red glow only 20 yards from where you stand.



The lava was flowing from one major river and many small streams around it the morning we went. Our guide said he had never seen it like this before (he goes to the site daily). Also, the wind was going in a slightly different direction than normal, so the smoke was blowing out and we were able to see more than usual. Sweet.

The wind constantly blew the smoke in different directions, so the view was always changing. And the lava constantly changed, too. One minute an area would be gushing, the next, it had stopped and a new area around it would start to flow.

As the lava would hit the water, big chunks would cool down and break off, forming lava rocks that would then float around in the surf. They would continue to glow slightly and let off lots of smoke and steam. There were probably a couple hundred or so of these at any given time floating nearby. There are volcano boat tours that come out this early in the morning as well. It's too bad, because the people on the boats can't really see much, since the smoke clouds cover the view from their direction. We felt sorry for those that had paid to take the boat tours. Not only could they not see much of the volcanic activity, they were also put at serious risk from the hydrochloric acid gases produced as the lava hit the water. Of course, the boat operators weren't going to tell them that. The gas in the air was congruent with the acid in the water--not really good for the boat itself. Oy. Also, we watched one of the boats go right into the middle of all the floating lava rocks. There was a very loud bang as it's propeller hit one of the rocks. We could hear one of their guides trying to distract the people on the boat with some "volcano facts" as we watched two of the boat crew frantically trying to look out the back to see how bad the boat had been damaged. Oh boy. They were able to leave, so it must not have crippled it too badly.

One of our favorite pictures. This was around 4:30 am, just after we arrived on site.


And here is the culmination of the entire experience...totally unexpected and very real.

I need to add a note here on our guide. He was very knowledgeable, very cautious, and had our safety in mind at all times. This was just part of the whole volcano experience, unexpected dangers and all!

The rest of our day was a bit more calm. We took our island hop from Hilo to Honolulu in the afternoon, checked in to our hotel, and just walked around until dinner. We met up with one of the Trustees (of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentists) and his lovely wife for a heavenly dinner at a restaurant on site, then returned to our room to relax and crash for the night. All in all, a fabulous day.

Big Island, Sunday, May 22nd

Our first adventure of the day was to the Hawaii Botanical Garden. It is located in a bay with small waterfalls and crashing surf. An array of orchids, heliconia, ginger, spider lilies, cannon ball trees, banyan trees, and so much more filled the hike around the gardens. Although the entry charge was $15, it was totally worth it.

Ginger Plant




Heliconia




Heliconia

Bay At Hawaii Botanical Garden

As we drove around the island, we encountered all sorts of fun little roadside shacks and stands. We stopped at one and had the best fresh fruit smoothies (no ice, ice cream, sugar or other added junk) we've ever had. And a fantabulous fish wrap sandwich. Yum. Wish we could go back for more.

Later in the day, we went driving along the north shore of the Big Island. One of the little side trips off the highway was to Akaka Falls. We passed through the farming community of the island, and saw many sugar cane and taro fields, coffee plants, etc. The waterfall was a short, steep 5 minute hike that seemed to appear out of nowhere. It reminded me of the sheer magnitude of Multnomah Falls in Oregon, but with the lush tropical vegetation of Hawaii everywhere. Stunning.

Requisite Touristy Photo Op

Akaka Falls

We drove to the Mauna Kea observatory summit to watch the sunset and see the stars this night. Took a pic of the GPS readings to prove it!

Elevation at Mauna Kea Observatory Summit

We had to take the Saddle Road from Hilo to near Mauna Kea, then from there, the summit road, which required 4wd, so the convertible rental had to go. We traded it in for a Jeep for the day. Mauna Kea is a 30,000+ foot mountain, but 17,000 of that is underwater. But we had the privilege of driving the other 14,000 (okay, so 13,861 ft to be precise) feet up. Lots of ear popping and VERY sharp and winding roads. Oh, and the warning about "invisible cows". Evidently, the moo-makers like to suddenly appear on the road in front of vehicles, out of the mists. Lucky us that we didn't encounter any of the beasties.
Not so great weather though, which was really a bummer. There was a freak cloud storm. Our first stop was at the visitors center at about 9,000 ft. We needed to pop in there for about 1/2 hr to adjust to the elevation change to help avoid altitude sickness. We were hoping that the weather would clear up as we reached the summit.
The observatory was amazing in that we were able to go from sea level to 14,000 ft elevation in less than an hour. But the weather didn't improve when we got up there. In fact, it was worse. It was 37 F and with gale force winds. There was a couple 10 second or so breaks in the fast moving clouds is all. We stayed about 15 minutes (in the car), then went down the mountain again.
Well, I can officially say that I have experienced altitude sickness. And it sucks. Think horrible headache (like from a spinal leak, which I can unluckily say I have experienced), nausea, dizziness, trouble concentrating, and generally feeling quite ill. The cure? Get down to a lower altitude. FAST.It's amazing how quickly I recovered once we got down to about 7,000 ft.
Naturally, Matt didn't have any trouble at all. I'm so jealous.

Cloudy and Windy

Hawaii Adventures #1

DISCLAIMER: For some reason, while using Matt's computer, I cannot get these pics and such to format in my post the way I want to. So the pics are all over the place and the entries look discombobulated and poopy right now. Sorry. I will edit them later when I can use my comp again. :(

Manta rays

The Trip There and Day #1, Hilo, Big Islan

Matt and I left Friday at 6:30am MST and arrived in Hilo, HI at just around 9:30pm Pacific time. That would be 1:30am for us, so just under 24 hrs of travel time. Yuck. We would have arrived around 4:30pm if our flight from Salt Lake hadn't been delayed 2 1/2 hrs, which resulted in us missing our island hop from Honolulu to Hilo. Luckily, we were able to catch the very last hop out that night, on the very last seats available. The Hawaiian airline ("GO") was kind enough to not charge us for completely new tickets! Mahalo!

The boys have stayed home for this trip. We felt like the traveling itself would be too long for them. After finally getting here, we would have to say that it was a good choice, although we are already missing them. We have to say thanks to "M" for agreeing at last minute (as in three days before) to watch them, when our other sitters had to cancel due to injury. So, thanks again, "M"!

We stayed at the Orchid Tree B&B in Hilo. Great two room place in a quiet neighborhood in Hilo. Breakfast consisted of breads, juices, cereal, and a fruit platter with fresh pineapple, papaya, mango, banana, rambutan, longan (sp?), lychee, and orange. Yummy! We will definitely stay here again if/when we return to the Big Island.

Saturday, May 16th

We are exhausted from the travel, but have a good night's rest, despite the noisy coquil frogs outside!

Decided to go visit the west side of the island, around Kona. The diverse landscape is amazing. It's volcanic rock one minute, then lush grass and cane fields the next, to mountainous regions covered with palms, banyans, and other trees. There isn't a straight or smooth road out here and the average speed limit is 35mph, just right for taking in all the views. And seeing multiple mongoose running across the roads...

Kona is the more developed side of the island, with more shops, etc. The snorkeling is better on this side, so we grab some gear and head over to "The Refuge" area nearby the the Captain Cook monument. The tang fish were literally right at our feet before we even stepped off the natural volcanic rock ledge into the reef! There were many spiny urchins as well.

Wana (black urchin)

After snorkeling, we were able to go grab some dinner before our next trip out. While we were getting our snorkel gear, Matt found out about a night dive to see manta rays. We went out on a boat with about ten other people. I am happy to report that I did not get seasick and puke in front of everyone (I was petrified that I was going to). Matt was the only diver on our boat aside from the master diver, which he was really excited about. Turns out the master is also an endodontist that works on the naval base. Go figure!

There were 13 manta rays that showed up that night. The smallest one was 2 yrs old and "only" about 5 ft across. The largest was 13-14" across. They eat the swarms of plankton that are attracted by the diving lights, so Matt got pictures of the actions from below at 35-40 feet, while I was able to snorkel above with the rest of the group. The mantas were so surreal. They would swim and flip around right next to us, even skimming my stomach a couple of times! Matt said that he got knocked over more than once. They weren't aggressive towards us at all, more like oblivious to us! In the videos he took, you can tell when Matt was getting bumped by the rays!