And The Rain Came Down...

It rained 8 inches night before last and yesterday.  8 inches!  We, of course, went to go see what that looked like!!!

It looked like the boats were on land - or mud, as it were

The stream is rushing out under the bridge (right side), the water is more red than the sand, but the Honu do not seem to mind; one is poking its head up just in front of the boat's stern and another is underwater, right next to the boat.

Red, Red, water...

Muddy waves wash ashore

The stream that runs through Koloa Town is about twice its normal size.  The water has receded about 8 inches by this time - check the waterline near the awesome graffiti

Chased a Northern Cardinal all over the Kauai Coffee Plantation - they seem to really love the coffee bushes!

Beautiful Pink Plumeria tree

Boys crossing the swinging bridge in Hanapepe to check out the rushing river.  Dougie turned tail and came back to me.

Then darted out across the bridge, chirping,  "I'm going to cross the bridge now".  I think Stefan on the other side was a motivator...

Ian crossed the bridge.  Mummy and Grammie stayed on the platform...

Passed this Buddhist Temple a couple of times thinking, "What a pretty house!" 

The Waiohai pond back within its borders (taken late afternoon - previous photo taken in morning)

And The Thunder Rolls...

Eric and I were awoken last night by an unhappy Ian.  After dealing with his woes, I was awake enough to be listening to the thunder in the distance.  I became more awake the longer I laid there.

So I got up to watch the light show.  Turned out to be a good one!  The sky was lit up and the thunder was soon to follow.  I did not see many bolts as they were apparently behind us.  The rain was coming down hard, but came down even harder the longer I sat there.  A bolt shot down behind the building in front of me and thunder cracked immediately.  WOW!  I sure expected to have a few more members to this light show audience.  But (thankfully), they slept on.

The sky lit up, the rain came down

After about an hour, my dad came out and joined me.  We went walking the halls to see if we could get a better view.  Another 45 minutes later, we both headed back to bed when the rain had calmed (to just a steady rain) and the thunder became more background noise.

Birds taking shelter on the window railings

Waiohai pond overflowing its banks this morning

This morning, Mom and I went to an "area orientation" and won a two-for-one Na Pali Coastline boat trip.  Eric's answer to going?  "No way!"  Mom had already bowed out.  Dad?  Stefan?  Come on!  The waterfalls should be great...

The lightening/thunder lasted most of the day, so the pools were closed.  The boys played games and then we all went for a drive to check out the rivers and such (more later)!

Stefan sandwich!

Can't breathe, Daddy!

Daddy sandwich!!!

Lost

Many of you out there have watched ABC's Lost, and many of you also know it was filmed here on Kauai.  Today, we had our own Lost experience!

While in the surf with Stefan, Eric's sunglasses got kicked off his face (7 yo, boogie board, big waves...).  

They were Lost...

Our boogie-boarder

He and I looked for them.  We actually saw them wash up once.  Then they were Lost again...

I gave up, figuring he should have worn the $5 Fau-kleys (or were they Fay-Bans?!?) in the surf. I guessed he would learn that lesson!

I went to shower off the kids and muck about in the pool.

Stefan made friends

Pop and Ian on the super-fun slide

Dougie, the speed-demon, on the super-fun slide

Daddy and Ian on the super-fun slide (NOTE: pic taken earlier.  Notice the sunglasses?!?)

Ian plays with the fountains

"Pop - Where'd it go?!?"

"OH!!!  Right there!"

Some time later, Eric walked back with:

HIS SUNGLASSES!!!

They are now Found!

They had washed up in the high surf and the lenses were poking out of the sand.

So, if you do not wear your $5 knock-offs, diligence really will pay off.  I guess I learned that lesson... :)

Until We Meet Again... And Again... And Again...

On the inter-island flight, our seats were grouped, but not together.  Ian and Eric sat next to each other, Dougie and I sat together and Stefan ("I don't mind sitting alone!!!") sat in the row between us.  He was to have the middle seat.  A very nice couple had the seats on either side of him and were generous enough to let him have the window seat.  I am sure they figured that it would keep a seven-year old occupied to watch out the window as we passed over Ohau and onto Kauai.

So not the case...

Stefan kept THEM occupied instead.

He talked their EARS OFF the entire time.

I thanked them and let them know they were very generous and wished them a lovely vacation.  Without us.

That first day we went to the Shrimp Station (again, Oh-So-Good!!!), guess who showed up just before we were leaving?  Oh yes, Stefan's seat mates!  Poor people.  They thought they could get rid of us.

This afternoon, after going to Lydgate Park and Kapa'a Town to get some great Ahi Poke, we headed back to my parent's hotel.  They have a kids' pool that has fountains and a slide - seriously great!

Just who do you think we should pass?  Yes.  The very same couple.  AGAIN!  I made my exit after this poor lady said, "...and we are only here for one night!"  Eric stayed and chatted (while I wondered if he was OUT OF HIS MIND!).  I could not blame them if they had been exasperated, running into the same verbally impulsive kid every single day of their three allotted days on this island.  I get exasperated!

Thankfully, they were not only kind in words, they were also very genuine and had enjoyed their repeated run-ins with us.

PHEW!

Turns out, the third time IS a charm!

Lydgate Park

This morning we went just up the street to Lydgate State Park.  In spite of being on the East side of the island (translation: high surf in winter, beaches closed to swimming of any sort...), Lydgate is fantastic for kids.  It has a huge play area in case you/your kids are tired of the sun and sand (yeah, right!).  A swimming and pseudo-snorkling cove has been created by building a rock wall (seen below).   The lagoon is no deeper than an adults' chest.  The tide still goes up/down and waves lull in and out, but the surf has been broken up by the rock wall.  Fish will come and mingle on the edges of the rock, creating a great place for kids to take up snorkeling.  Stefan first snorkeled here when he was 4.  We still can not convince Dougie to do so at 5-1/2...

Ian and I sat on the rocks that divided the main lagoon and a "baby" lagoon (a lagoon inside the lagoon - shallower and very calm) and watched fish for a good long time.

Stefan snorkeled and engineered sand structures

Dougie tried re-creating the Panama Canal.

 Eventually Ian came to join them in their digging.

Ian tries out snorkeling...  from the lounge chair... 

E Kanikapila Kakou

E Kanikapila Kakou presents free weekly musical concerts as part of increasing the education and literacy of the Hawaiian arts and artists.  The evening started with a hula and ukelele lessons and then a performance of the taught song.

Then we enjoyed an amazing concert by LT Smooth.  He and his band were amazing.  To think he was a crack user at 8 and a heroin addict at 12 is hard to believe.  Thank the Lord, truly, that has all changed for him.  Here is an article written by the Honolulu Advertiser on him:

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Aug/17/en/hawaii708170301.html

I took some terrible pictures (it was dark inside):

LT Smooth and his band: Vatanui and Bruce Collins

And the hula dancer: Pati Taulaulelei

Stefan found a soulmate in one of the women in charge of the raffle.  She taught Geo-Physics post graduate courses and worked on the ice roadways up in the Arctic.  For those of you that have met/talked with Stefan, you can see how he would find her attractive.

For me, it was, perhaps, a small glimpse into his future.

Their similarities, dispite the age gap, were exceptional.  Just as their dancing was...

Stefan and Lyn dancing to the music

If you would like to hear a taste of the concert and what he can do, (and MAN can he strum those strings!) check out the You Tube video:

Sayonara, Yokosuka! Aloha, Kauai!!!

Saturday afternoon we headed off to the airport.  Final destination: Hawaii!!!

One benefit of "aging" is that our memories don't serve us well - or, at least, accurately.  If it did, we would have never put Ian back on a plane with us.  Ever Again.  Ever.  The last time we left the Garden Island, Ian cried - no, SCREAMED - the entire flight.  People gave us a standing ovation when we got off the plane.  Maybe they were just standing.  OK, maybe they were really just trying to get off the plane too.  But, I would have understood if they were cheering us OFF the plane...

However, temporary insanity took over (and the promise of HAWAII and Grammie and Pop!!!) and we booked our flight.

This time, our trip started with a 2-hour bus ride from base to Narita.  It looked like this:

Completely engrossed in their reads whilst sitting in the back of the bus

Reading Thomas

Must go to sleep...

It was a great way to start the trip and it turned out to set the stage for the whole flight.  Not a single argument about turning off movies, games, etc.  When the plane lights went out, so did all three boys.  And not a peep from anyone.  In fact, Ian did not even wake up until we were headed through immigration.

The boys were awake and ecstatic to see Grammie and Pop (Eric and I were too!).  I think the feeling was mutual :)

Phew!  What a relief!  Thank you to the sweet baristas at Starbuck's for wishing us to:

Have a safe trip n' have fun!

So far, we are!!!