"We're all gonna die!!" screams Luke - Day 3

We drove up to the top of Mauna Kea to see the observorties and snow & ice. It was increadibly windy up there at 14,000ft. After I took the picture of JB & the kids both Raven & Luke opened their car doors and Luke's knocked him down. That is when he began screaming "It's going to blow us off the mountain! We're all gonna DIE!" We quickly gathered all that had blown out of the car (including Luke) , got us all back in and had a good laugh. Then we drove about 1/2 way up Mauna Loa, the long mountain, which is very different than Mauna Kea.

Lava Flow - last of day 2

There has been recent lava flow near Kalapana over public lands. They have set up a viewing area, but it is aways back for safety purposes. Last year when we hiked across the 2003 lava flow in the National Park area we could get much closer to the flow. In the distance you can see the lava flowing into the ocean and the steam rising. It's pretty amazing to see the newest earth on earth!

another part of day 2 - cave #3 on Mamalahoe Hwy

This church is just one of the small churches all over the Bis Island. Most hold about 50 people and have a cemetery of some sort near it.
The map and book that we used has 3 caves marked and suggests that the 3rd is the best. We found it and did a bit of exploration in it.

Waipio Valley - Next part of day 2

At Waipio valley we drove down. It's a one lane paved road that drops about 2000 feet in less than 1/2 mile or so(Holy WAA!). Very steep and very lush. We saw more people trying to walk down it this year, but we didn't attempt it again. There's a black sand beach that you can only get to through the valley. There is also more construction going on down there this year than last. Last year I took a picture of stair that lead to nowhere, but this year someone has built a house that those stairs lead to it's door. Pretty neat.

Pololu Valley - 1st part of day 2

At the end of the road out of Hawi you come to an amazing valley. We did the short hike down (about 20 minutes) and explored around at the bottom of the valley. We found this swing that was like a 7' log hung by thick ropes in an area that looks as if someone is living down there. There are wild cow and feral pigs. We saw the cows but no pigs and not the person(s) living down there.

North Hawaii - Day 1

After landing, getting our car, food stuff, drink stuff, ice chests and boogie boards we hit Hapuna Beach at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel. A most beautiful beach. The hotel is still closed to visitors, but that just means that the beach is less crowded (only 30 cars allowed in at a time). We boogie boarded and body surfed. It was great. We stayed the 1st night in a nice 2 bedroom cottage Hawi. We ate at Sammy D's. I had Korean honey chicken & JB & the kids had burgers. It was good. We were all exhausted.

Getting to Hawaii

We had a stop in Vegas, then San Diego then finally Kona, Hi. This pictures from the plane are of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa then the other one is the most nothern part of the big island, where we stayed our 1st night in Hawi.

Exile Island Update

This weekend JB got the roof over Exile Island and the deck almost complete. No puncture wounds this weekend, just a few scrapes and splinters. It's coming along. Now we're off to Hawaii - Big Island!!!!!!!!

Fantastic 4 game

Today Luke got this interactive game from Papa & Nana Lanham . . . We got it put together and he and his sister are having a blast with it. He is still learning the ropes, but he's such a gamer that it'll be not problem for him. I can hear them playing now . . they are having a blast!

2nd tooth in 2 weeks for Luke

Lukey lost his top front last Saturday evening and he pulled the bottom left this afternoon. He's growing fast :) and breaking the tooth fairy!

coming along

jb has both sets of stair up completed. everything looks really good - except his hand . . . .

Brown Decided

We tested this week for our Brown Decided belts and passed. I think it was the best testing yet for the kids. I was a judge this time (I have to judge 3 testings before I test for my next instructor collar). Testing was on Luke's b-day. They really shined! JB & I didn't do too bad either :)

Indiana Jones B-day party

My baby is 7!

The cake is from Raiders of the Lost Ark - Well of the Souls - notice the idols holding it up - the gummy worms are the snakes (movie fact - they brought in about 9,000 snakes for the shooting of the movie. and when they brought in the cobras the scene was shot with glass between Harrison Ford and the snakes - you can see a little of the reflection if you look closely in the movie). Luke had a great b-day party. In most all of his pics, he is wiggling his front top tooth, which he lost that night. (yes, I accidently elbowed him while we were playing the Wii.) He got all of the Indiana Jones lego sets and two Star wars. He is very good at them. In one week he has completed 5 so far with 2 to go.