Kauai: Days 8-10

Day 8: Check-out day at the condo. We were sad to leave, we loved the condo and the location. We went back to Tunnels one last time to swim and snorkel. That afternoon we headed to the east side of the island where we would be staying for the remainder of our trip. After getting settled and showering, we went to a luau at the Kilohana Plantation.  We took a small train ride around the plantation. It was neat to see all of the local plants, wild pigs and chickens. The food was delicious and the entertainment was fun. We had a great time.

 

Day 9: My parents flew home first thing in the morning. It was sad to see them leave, knowing we would be leaving soon too. After dropping them off at the airport, my grandma, Scott and I drove up the Wiamea Canyon. Awesome view of the canyon and Napali Coast.



 

That afternoon my grandma flew home, so we headed back to the airport. That night Scott and I went out to dinner to a nice Hawaiian restaurant. Yum.

Day 10: It was Sunday so we attended a local sacrament meeting. It was interesting because you could tell about half the congregation were tourists. At the end of the meeting, the ward gathered at the front and sang us an Aloha song and gave all the tourists a crochet lei. Pretty cool. Afterwards we drove down to the south end of the island. On the way we stopped at Waimea Falls, drove through the Tunnel of Trees, and stopped at Poipu. We didn't swim since we would be traveling home that night, but it was fun to sit on the beach and enjoy ourselves until it was time to go home.

 

Our flight was a red-eye, so we finally made it back home Monday morning. We were sad to leave but excited to see the girls. They were excited to see us too. If it wasn't for the girls, I think we could have stayed forever. :)

Kauai: Days 6-7

Day 6: Wednesday morning my parents and I explored around the condo. The Cliffs are located on a cliff (hence the name) but there was a small trail leading down to the rocks on the waters edge. On the way we passed a small waterfall. The water is crystal clear and we tried to follow the coastline to find an easy access to the ocean. We were not successful, but it was fun to explore.

 

That afternoon Scott and my mom had scheduled surfing lessons at Hanalei Bay. They had a great time, and kept their surfboards the rest of the day. I even got up on the board once or twice. 

 

I really enjoyed Kauai, it is called the Garden Island for a reason. It is beautiful. We loved that there weren't too many tourists around. However, there was one thing that I didn't love about it... the rain. It rained quite a bit (on the North Shore, where we spent most of our time).  So although it was sunny and warm... I spent some time looking doing this: (protecting myself and our stuff from the wind and rain)

 

Day 7: Thursday we headed down to the east side of the island and rented some kayaks. We kayaked up the Wailua river to the Fern Grotto and then took a hike to Secret Falls.

 

While we were kayaking my grandma took a class on watercolor and painted a beautiful picture. It will always remind me of Kauai.

Kauai: Days 4-5

Day 4: Monday morning we were scheduled to take a helicopter tour of the island. I was amazed to see all the waterfalls and the Napali Coast line. We also flew inside the volcano crater, which is the wettest spot on earth. Awesome. (Pictures from a helicopter don't do it justice.)

 

After the helicopter ride and some lunch, we headed back to the north shore where we explored Anini Beach, but ultimately headed to Tunnels Beach for the rest of the day.

Day 5: On Tuesday morning we went to Hanalei Bay to go on a Napali Boat tour. It was awesome. We rode in a zodiac down the coast, riding the waves, going in and out of caves, looking at waterfalls and secluded beaches, and did some snorkeling.

 

After our boat tour we explored Hideaways Beach. It is a small beach not far from our condo and requires a small hike. Beautiful beach with good snorkeling. The next picture is taken from the trail. Look closely and you can see our towels through the trees.

 

Since Queens Bath was nearby, we decided to take a small hike to see what it was all about. We saw turtles, passed waterfalls, and got to swim in Queens Bath.



 

That night the we all went and did some Gong Meditation. I cant say much about it, I fell asleep instantly (too much Dramamine), but Scott loved it.

Trip to Kauai : Day 1-3

Scott and I were able to take a trip to Kauai. We scored an awesome deal on Groupon for the hotel giving us a 4 bedroom condo. We invited my parents and grandma along. It was an awesome trip. I am so glad my family could come along.

Day 1: We left the girls with Scott's family and headed out on a Friday morning. We didn't arrive in Kauai until that evening, so we hit the grocery stores and headed to the north shore. Our condo was located in Princeville on the North Shore and is beautiful. Each day we enjoyed our meals on the lanai listening to the waves and watching the chickens (which are everywhere). Missing it already.

Day 2: The next morning we explored the beach near our condo. Getting to Sealodge Beach took a little hiking, but it was worth it. We never had the time to snorkel there, which was a bummer.

After exploring we headed to the farmers market (ate a fresh coconut), and then to Tunnels Beach. By far my favorite beach on the island. I loved the mountains right in the background, and the snorkeling was great.

 

On the way home we stopped by Dry Cave. 

 

Day 3: It was Sunday so we headed to the Hanalei Branch for sacrament. Afterwards we went on the Kalalau trail to the Hanakapiai Beach. The hike itself is beautiful, following the coastline to an amazing beach. It is unsafe to swim, but we stopped and had a picnic before heading back.

 

On the way home we stopped by Wet Cave, and then enjoyed some time soaking ourselves in the hot tub that night.

Kindergarten Shots

In preparation for Kindergarten registration, Adelyn had to get a few immunizations. Although she was very brave, it hurt and she cried for a couple of hours (until she got distracted by a friend).

Later she drew this picture on the window (ignore the smears from the previous drawings):

She later explained that it is a drawing of herself and her tears (big blue drops) from getting her shots. So cute, and sad at the same time.

Olivia Turns Two

Olivia turned two! Boy time flies. We celebrated with family over dinner and cake. Olivia caught on to the idea that it was her special day and loved every minute of it.

"I'm Two!"

 

Here are her two year stats:

Height: 34in (56%)

Weight: 25.5 lbs (35%)

Sleepover

The girls love to have sleepovers together. Adelyn asks almost every weekend if she can sleep on the hide-a-bed with Olivia. It is so cute.