Colin's First Spring Break Day

Up early this morning as Ryan had a Dr. appointment for an annual checkup at 7:45 then off to school for him. Colin had decided that he would like to go bowling this morning, so when Mom got home we all got ready and headed for the Bowling Alley. We met some of the neighbors there so had a really fun time.

Colin did great and Grandpa did particularly well with two strikes to finish out his game! It was a very good time! Then off to pick up Ryan at school and then Mom took us down to the big swings and dropped us off while she went to the Commissary. That was REALLY fun!

Colin really had to keep his knees out to keep them from scrapping along the grass!

After a lot of swinging we did a little running and then some quiet time under a huge tree that provided share for the whole area.

Man, what a lot of hair between those three heads!!

Mommy finally came and we headed home for lunch. Then she took off for her 8 mile run and Colin, Ryan and Grandma made Banana Pudding - YUMMMM!

Ryan and Colin are GREAT helpers in the kitchen!

Had super Enchiladas for dinner and a nice quiet evening. The end of a very nice day!

Sunday

Got up and watched the Carolina game before breakfast. Weird having the games all over before dinner! Had pancakes for breakfast and then headed for church. Mommy taught Sunday School today and Ryan and Colin took up the elements and collected the offering this morning. Very busy morning there. After catching up with folks we've met in our different visits here, we headed home for a little quiet time. Colin and Jill left for Awana at 3 and Ryan, Grandma and Grandpa had some fun time here....a little basketball, some games and just some hanging out time. When Mom and Colin came back they had friends of Mom's who were here on a cruise of the Hawaiian Islands. We headed to Ko Olina and the lagoons and had dinner outside on the patio at the Marriot there. It was a very nice time. Jill had worked with her friend Mary Kay at CHKD when she lived in Virginia Beach and they had a great time catching up. After dinner we drove them back to the pier and got to see the cruise ship all lit up....another very nice adventure!

Fishing at Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens

The adventures never end around here! So much to be done.....

Today we headed through the tunnel to the Ho'omaluhia with two fishing poles, three boys and two girls for a new adventure. They have a great weekend program for kids where they can fish in the pond - catch and release freshwater fishing. When we first arrived, there weren't many folks there, but then a large group of Big Brothers/Big Sisters came. They provide bamboo poles or you can bring your own, but no casting if there are a lot of folks. Colin and Ryan had their own poles so brought them. We had brought some bagels we had for bait.

It was a stunning setting and lots of fun and excitement. After awhile with no fish caught, a gentleman named Mr. Knud came up to offer some suggestions. It turned out he was the man who started the fishing program 15 years ago. He was a great teacher! He took the weights and bobbers off the line and just tied on the hook and then put on the squishy white bread for bait and then said to keep the fishing pole pointing down and not worry about reeling in the slack line because the fish would grab the food and pull the line straight. Boy did that work! Colin caught the first one....

then Ryan caught one....

Ryan kissing his fish

and Mommy's very first fish caught ever!

This beautiful Dragon Fly landed on one of the plants
at the edge of the lake while we were fishing.

It went back and forth with everyone catching fish until we ended up with 17 fish caught! It was a really GREAT morning! We then headed home for lunch and hung out with some basketball games that afternoon. Also played some Zingo and generally had a great time. Mommy took off in the evening for some girl time with friends and we had Movie night with Planet Earth's The Great Feast. Another wonderful day.

North Shore

Colin was off to his last day of school before his Spring Break next week. Ryan had decided that we should go to the North Shore today to Shark's Cove. Normally it's a great snorkeling place but when we arrived today it was very low and terrific for tide pooling! It was never above our knees so great for Ryan!

Armed with a net for any fish we might encounter we headed out...

ah, sea urchins....Mom needs to watch where she's stepping!

a Red Slate Pencil Urchin....

the fish are very fast...but Mom caught a Ghost fish....

some very cool caves with the open ocean on the other side.

After a wonderful adventure in the pools, we headed back to shore and it was just beginning to shower again as we got in the car. And of course we had to stop in Hale'iwa because....

no trip to the North Shore should end without shave ice!!! Then back to town and we made it just in time to pick up Colin and head home for awhile. After some time to catch our breath we hopped back in the car and headed downtown to the Hale Koa Hotel in Waikiki. It's a wonderful hotel for military personnel right in with all the big fancy hotels. They have a great pool and the boys headed for it as soon as we got there.

We had a great time there for an hour or so and then headed to the bar/restaurant there so the boys could get their hot dogs for dinner. They were huge. We enjoyed the music while they were eating and then headed down the beach to the House without a Key Restaurant right on the beach for the adults dinner and the boys dessert. Shortly after we were seated, this beautiful sunset occurred.

There was a wonderful three piece band playing hawaiian music

and a wonderful hula dancer to entertain us.

The food was great and we had a very pleasant time. After dinner we headed back up the beach near the Hale Koa and waited for the fireworks they have each Friday night. As we were waiting we enjoyed the wonderful full moon, one of the largest because the moon is very close to the earth this month. Then for the fireworks!


It was a marvelous show and we headed back to the car and home. What a full and delightful day! And the best news was that Dave Graduated today with his Masters in Foreign Relations from Tufts! Congratulations to you Dave! We're very proud of you!!! Wish you were here!

St. Patrick's Day

The Leprechauns came and left a real mess. They got into the playroom and had puppets and stuffed animals all over the house. There were pictures askew in many of the rooms and they did get into the trap. They stole the gold but left some wonderful gold candy behind and a four leaf clover plant so we should have good luck for a long time.

Colin had left them a note asking for a picture and they left one of their house. Quite a visit! Then Colin was off to school and fun there and Ryan had a great morning at home. We played more games, made pretzels

and read books. Great time! Mom went to get Colin at school and then we had lunch. Went over to the ID office in the afternoon to see about getting an ID for John so he can take Ryan to school on base when Jill is gone. So, all that is in the works.

Home for more fun time, a little rest for Grandma and Grandpa and then a great dinner. After that we headed for a nice walk with the boys on their bike and ended up at one of the playgrounds nearby for some tree climbing.

Colin - he's getting very good!

Ryan is too!

Then as we were about to head home for a bath, some books and well deserved sleep, this great sunset finished off our outside adventures for the day!

Good night on another wonderful day in Hawaii!

Children's Museum

Ryan has Spring Break this week so Colin went off to school and then Grandma and Grandpa took Ryan to the great Children's Museum in downtown Honolulu. It's always great fun!

Ryan the Engineer...

the fireman...

the best Steward I've had in a long time...

cooking up some outstanding Asian food...

and joining us for a marvelous lunch!

When Mom came from her haircut to pick us up, there was Art in the Park in front of the Museum so Ryan got to be creative there too. Some beautiful pictures came home with us! We picked up Colin at school and then headed home for lunch.

They have a great science project going at home. One day at church they saw some Monarch caterpillars on the milkweed so they brought a few home along with some milkweed leaves to feed them and put them in a container and have been watching them grow and change. They have already released three butterflies. Today there was one crysalis and three caterpillars. It will be fun to watch the next week or so.


Since tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, it was time to make the traditional Leprechaun Trap. The Internet supplied great ideas and the work began.

With rocks painted gold and a trap underneath, we'll see what happens tonight. The rest of the afternoon we just played games and had a fun time together. The green shirts were out and ready for tomorrow.

Back to Hawaii!!

We're off to Hawaii again...for our last trip. Jill has some training to do with Dave in New Port RI the last week in March so we're going to babysit with the boys :-). We left RDU at 6:00 a.m. and arrived in Honolulu in the early afternoon so we had a whole afternoon free. We had three very special people waiting for us at the airport. :-) with beautiful leis!


It was definitely time to get rid of the fleece and enjoy some nice warm weather! We spent the afternoon pretty close to home just enjoying the warm weather and some great fun outdoors.

After bike races, dinner, a walk and a little playtime in the park, we headed to bed the same time as the boys. It's been a very long but very fun day!