'Ukulele lessons @ Lahaina Cannery Mall

Every Tuesday at 5:45 p.m. the Lahaina Cannery Mall hosts free 'Ukulele lessons. Since we were going to be surfing in Lahaina today, we decided it would be fun to stay the evening and check the lessons out. The Instructor showed up with 15 or so 'ukuleles for people to use along with some local people bought their own. The he have them a lesson. He taught them how to hold it, strum it and some of the chords they could use. He had them play along as he played his and sang them Elvis songs. He was super goofy but everyone had a fun time!

Lahaina Cannery Mall

1221 Honoapiilani Hwy, Lahaina, HI 96761

(808) 661-5304

http://www.lahainacannery.com/

Hangin' in Lahaina

When we were done surfing, we decided to check out Lahaina. They are famous for this HUGE Banyan tree that takes up about an acre block. We ate lunch on the benches under the tree. The tree is ONE tree that has compensated for it's long branches by growing multiple trunks to keep itself up. It's gorgeous!

The Surfers also got a free Rootbeer Float at Cool Cat Cafe so we stopped by there to cool off and enjoy a treat before we all went our separate ways for the day! Yum! {The Williams got there before us so they sat at a different part of the restaurant.}

Maui Wave Rider Surf Lessons

The one thing that Justice really wanted to do while in Hawaii was to learn to surf. A few brave souls of our extended family & Brett joined him today at the Maui Wave Riders Surf School in Lahaina. Lahaina is about 25 miles up the coastline from the Resort. MWR geared them all up with surf shirts, water shoes and a surf board. Then they headed to the beach. On the shoreline, Chad (their instructor) showed them the basics of surfing and talked about some safety. Then out into the ocean they paddled.

In hind sight- we should have set up lessons for 2 sets of 3 instead of our large group of 6 because Chad only took them out one at a time. Bummer! The rest of the time they floated on their boards in the ocean tied to a buoy. Oh well! Lesson learned. Everyone did get 2 runs at least. And everyone got up on their board! Way to go!!!! Here's all our amazing surfers hitting the waves. We also learned that if you do the last session of the day- they close right after. Sad face! That makes it so if you want to "borrow" their boards for a couple hours [a perk of doing their school]- you have to come back another day. We plan on coming back Saturday if we have time. 

Here's a couple more shots of Justice & his certificate from the MWR for completing their Surf School. He was a little bummed how it turned out because he had envisioned a whole day catching the waves on the board with his Dad. Hopefully Saturday will make up for it.

Here's some shots of Brett. The kids definitely have the advantage of being smaller & closer to the board. Getting this tall gorgeous man standing up was tricky. And even more so since there were so many people! LOL See the one with Brett riding 2 surf boards? Oh yah- but where is it's rider? :) So glad he had this fun adventure with Justice. He is one pretty cool Dad!

P.S. Tauni got a CD of some of the pictures that the professional photographer took. When she sends me some- I'll add those as well.

Maui Wave Riders

133 Prison St, Lahaina, HI 96761

(877) 313-7873

(808) 661-0003

Sunset Jumping & Crab Hunt on the Beach

Around sunset, we headed down the the beach by the condo to enjoy the sunset with everyone. My sisters & I (minus Kiley since they didn't make it on this trip- Miss you guys!)  tried our skills at doing a "Jumping" picture which we royally stunk at but had a way fun time trying!!! LOL

Here's the one closest to us actually all making it off the ground at the same time. LOL

Thank heavens for Picasa. We'll just make it look like we are awesome at it!!!

The kids even tried a few of their own.

And our little Seamons family tried one as well. And changing the colors a bit make it look super duper crazy!

After the sun went down, the beach becomes a land full of holes in the sand. It's time for the crabs to come out and play! The kids caught a couple to hold. Then, Brett & Trave started digging into the biggest holes they could find. HUGE crabs would come flying out of them and run sideways into the ocean. Everyone (especially Uncle Trave) would scream like little girls. It was hilarious!

Oh man! I LOVE the sunset at the Beach in Hawaii!

Four Winds II Snorkel Trip

One thing that the whole family for sure wanted to do in Hawaii was to go on a boat ride & do some snorkeling together. We found an afternoon trip that we could all afford and booked it last week over the phone. We were all way excited!
The winds were pretty strong this afternoon so we didn't get to head out to the Molokini Crater {the afternoon excursion destination is based on the trade-winds} but we did go out to the Coral Gardens to do some snorkeling.

We took sail from Māʻalaea Boat Harbor on the Four Winds II, a 55 foot, glass bottom catamaran. The Four Winds II Features: Roomy Deck Space (upper and lower decks), Covered Cabin (plenty of shade), Complete Galley and Bar, Large Glass Bottom Viewing Room, Free Use of Snorkel Equipment, Fresh Water Shower, Waterslide, BBQ Grills (plus a crew that knows how to cook!), Stereo Sound System (playing a fun selection of music), Free Use of Optical Masks, Optional SNUBA, Marine Naturalist and Videographer, Onboard Daily Movie (filmed that day - starring you, your fellow passengers, and all the beautiful marine life), Photo Services and Underwater Camera Rentals, Wetsuit Rentals, and More!

The crew provided us with flotation devices, snorkel gear and some snorkeling instruction. Several of us rented wet suits (with holes in the butt! LOL). We looked awesome, by the way! Once we got to the Coral Gardens they let us loose into the ocean for some snorkeling. I was a little too worried about floating-away children to have the best time at snorkeling but most everyone seemed to really enjoy it. Like I said- the winds had picked up so the waves kept pushing us pretty far away from the boat. We were pretty tired by the time we made it back to the boat. ;)

Dad & I rented water-proof cameras so it was fun to get some pictures of us & the creatures of the Sea.

Once we got back on the boat, they served a BBQ lunch. It was great to have it all provided and just be able to enjoy the ride. It would have been way awesome to see the sea life in the Crater (next time, right?) but we had a super fun time being all together!

Checkin at:

1 Maalaea Boat Harbor Rd.

Wailuku, HI 96793

$44.79 Adult

$34.08 Kids 3-12

$8.04 BBQ Lunch

Makena State Park

This morning, we followed the rest of the crew down to Makena State Park to play in the waves. The sand at the beach was gorgeous and bright. The waves were large enough to swallow my family. Which they thoroughly enjoyed on purpose- LOL!

Kamaole Beach Sunset

Right across the street from our condo is the Kamaole Beach Park I (in Kihei). Around 7 pm (it gets dark early here) our little Fam went for a walk on the Beach to watch the sunset. It did NOT disappoint!!! Amazing!!!!

Fun @ the WorldMark at Maui

Dad & Edette celebrated their 25th Anniversary this past week! Hau‘oli lā Ho‘omana‘o!! Way to go!!! ;) About a year ago, they invited us to come party with them in Hawaii. They have time share points and got a condo for each of their kids & their families that wanted to join in their celebration. We are so grateful for their invite and this amazing adventure we get to have! Thanks Dad & Edette! We love you! XOXO
One of the fun activities we did at the World mark was making Kukui Nut bracelets at the Community room. We actually got to see a Kukui Tree later this week. We made bracelets and anklets. Love them!

We didn't get a chance to make one but I LOVED these Banana Leaf Bowls they made. One lady that was making it told me that she still has one from 15 years ago. They just dry out and stay gorgeous. Next time that I'm in Hawaii- I gotta get me one of these! ;)

One thing I love about the Time-share condo thing is that you have a full kitchen! We made an amazing dinner Sunday night. So delicious! We even BBQ-ed out our front door next to the beach. Fun!

The girls also loved picking flowers to put in their hair. They had flowers everywhere! Our favorite flower to pick was the Plumeria which is the most common flower in Hawaii. We picked ALOT of them during our stay. {I guess I should say that we picked them "up" ALOT. We tried hard to have the girls not pick things off trees.}

We found lots of Geckos around the condos. This little guy lost his tail when the kids picked him up. He is so cute and tiny!

Here's the view from Auntie Tauni (that's what Glory called her all week which was super appropriate because everyone is "auntie" in Hawaii! ) & Uncle Trave's condo. We stayed in a ground level 3 room condo to the right of here. We could hop the fence and cross the street to the beach!

Funny side note: The first night we were in Hawaii and driving to the condo late at night-- drivers were crazy!! They seemed to do whatever they wanted on the road. Run red lights- no problem. Park wherever you want- go ahead! Drive faster than the speed limit- it's your choice!! So that became our Vacation Motto- "It's Hawaii, we do what we want!!" 

Kealia Pond Refuge with Grandpa & Grammy

On our way back to the condo we saw this "Sea Turtle Nesting Area" sign & decided to stop. It was next to  the Kealia Pond Refuge. We never saw any turtles but we loved playing in the ocean for a bit with Grammy! We also collected some sand and some coral. The kids loved pretending that the waves obeyed their will. We are quite the Water Bending Family, I guess! There was screams of pure joy as these kids tried to "NOT" get wet in their 1st Hawaii Ocean experience! LOL

Along that road back to Kihei (and tons of other roads in Maui), the streets are lined with Sugar Cane Fields.

Maui Tropical Plantation

Our plans after Church today had been to go on a car ride and visit some waterfalls, a bamboo forest and the Seven Sacred Pools. However, we found out that part of the road that I had planned for us to take is NOT covered for rental cars. The only way (in a rental car) to get to the Kipahulu State Park is to go along the Road to Hana. And that's a whole other day adventure!! I was bummed.
But we decided to try out the Maui Tropical Plantation today instead. You can take a tram ride around the plantation but we decided to just walk around the garden part for our Sunday walk.

Maui Tropical Plantation

1670 Honoapiilani Hwy

Wailuka. HI

9-5 pm

It was such a beautiful place!!! They have a free ap that you can download and then walk around and check out all the vegetation. One of our favorites was this huge tree whose leaves can be written on. As long as they are still connected to the tree the writing stays bright green.

We made it to a little pond and threw down some blankets to have our lunch. Justice, Victoria and Glory LOVED chasing the chicken all over the place. They also adored the turtle they found. Glory got supper close to him and tried to feed him her flower.
After lunch we enjoyed watching the zipliners and discovering all the fruit growing in the trees. We saw coconuts, bread fruit, bananas, avocados, chestnuts and tons of other strange and gorgeous fruits. Awesome!

It was so peaceful and amazingly gorgeous! The flowers were beautiful! The girls collected any they could find on the ground! Liberty loved checking out the fish in the pond and we even found the turtle again watching the people do the zipline across the water. Fun! As we were leaving, Glory actually found an egg which the front desk let her keep. They gave her a little velvet baggy to keep it in. She kept really good care of it all week making sure it was safe and warm. She was pretty bummed when we had to get rid of it before we left Hawaii. LOL Silly girl! Thanks Grammy & Grandpa Randy for joining us today. So fun to share a walk with you in such a charming little place.

Church in Maui

Sunday morning, we got up and found our way to Church. It was only a few blocks from the condo. The chapel there had a wall that was open to the outside. Pretty cool! We love how they all start their talks out by saying "Aloha" & having the entire congregation "aloha" back. We loved the trees and flowers outside. We are definitely in Hawaii!! Luv it!

169 Auhana Rd

Kihei, HI 96753

When we were in the airport last night- we saw this sign about what Aloha means. It's a bit blurry but I love how complex this Hawaiian greeting is!

Oh Hurray! Magic of the internet... I found this poster online. Yeah! What is Aloha?

What is Aloha? What is this special “spirit” that is universally spoken of? For some of us it is more than a greeting, but rather a life force that defines who we are and why we are here.
Auntie Pilahi Paki, who was a “keeper of the secrets of Hawai‘i” tasked several of her students to be prepared for the future when the world would be in collapse. She spoke of the time when Hawai‘i would have the remedy to save the world and the remedy was “Aloha”. In 1970, at a Governor’s conference she introduced modern Hawai‘i to a deeper understanding of “Aloha”

A Akahai – meaning kindness (grace),

to be expressed with tenderness;

L Lokahi – meaning unity (unbroken),

to be expressed with harmony;

O‘Olu‘olu – meaning agreeable (gentle),

to be expressed with pleasantness;

H Ha‘aha‘a – meaning humility (empty),

to be expressed with modesty;

A Ahonui – meaning patience (waiting for the

moment), to be expressed with perseverance.

A secret of “Aloha” is that a person cannot do one of the principles without truly doing all and if you are not doing one you are not doing any. So, to be “Living Aloha” is to live all of the principles. An even deeper meaning of “Aloha” that Auntie Pilahi Paki shared with us can be found in a quote from our Queen.

The Queen’s quote found on epilogue page of the book “The Betrayal of Lili‘uokalani” 

– By Helena G. Allen

In 1917, after Queen Lili‘uokalani had seen the end of the Hawaiian monarchy, she said to her hanai daughter, Lydia K. Aholo, “To gain the kingdom of heaven is to hear what is not said, to see what cannot be seen, and to know the unknowable – that is Aloha. All things in this world are two: in heaven there is but One.” – Queen Lili’uokalani (1917)
Aloha is an overarching principle. Like most Hawaiian words, it has many meanings. It can be a noun, verb, adjective and adverb. It is prescriptive, descriptive and subscript.
Aloha is more than a greeting or salutation. It is a condition, a way of life, a mind set and an attitude.
Aloha is an action, not a reaction. It is a natural response of respect, love and reciprocity, and not a contrived series of motions or expressions that have been rehearsed and perfected for a commercial expectation.
Aloha is to be in the presence of life, to share the essence of one’s being with openness, honesty and
humility. It is a way of being, a way of behaving, a way of life. It is a commitment to being real. It is a
commitment to accepting others and giving dignity to who they are and what they have to offer.
Aloha is not a slogan, pitch line or monogram. It is a spiritual principle that conveys the deepest expression of one’s relationship with oneself, the creative and life-giving forces, one’s family and community, and with one’s friends and strangers.

Aloha!

Glory's 1st Plane Ride

After visiting with our sweet family members, we were in a rush to get to the airport. Goodbyes are always painful! But it turns out that we apparently had enough time to fix a flat tire on the side of the Seattle highway!! LOL Oh the adventure!

We ended up parking our van at some random Park & Pay lot and quickly took a shuttle to the terminal. After security we road the tram to our gate. The kids were super excited!

This is Glory's very first flight and the first one that Victoria can remember! Here's them boarding the plane for HAWAII!!!! Wahoo!

A 5 hour late evening flight went pretty quickly with eating a meal, bathroom breaks, a beautiful sunset and an in-flight movie of Tomorrowland.

Hawaii- here we come!

We landed at the OGG Airport, 1 Keolani Place, Kahului, HI around 10 pm. {That's Hawaii time which made it like 2 am back at home! Whew! Long day!} We got all our stuff and hopped a shuttle to rent our fancy Town & Country for the week. Auto everything! It was snazzy! Then after a quick stop at Walmart, we headed the 20 minutes south to check out our new abode for the week! Let the fun begin!

Budget Rent-a-Car

Kahului Airport

865 West Mokuea Place

Kahului, HI

(808) 871-8811

$445.58/ week

Davis' in Seattle

My Dad & Edette are celebrating their 25th Wedding Anniversary this week. To be able to celebrate with them- they used their Time Share points to get all my siblings and I (and families) a condo in Maui for a week. It's been quite the planning process and pinching pennies and looking for deals [kids even did a very simple Christmas last year in anticipation for this adventure]. But we are finally on our way to this once in a lifetime opportunity to do with our little family (and extended as well)!!!

It just turned out that Brett's sister, Shauna recently moved to Seattle. And that tickets were cheaper out of there with a direct flight to Maui. We called and made arrangements to come see her on our trip out and back. AND it so happened that this weekend that the Davis family was going to be visiting Shauna as well. Double jackpot!!! We left early this morning so that we would have time to visit them all for a bit before we had to be to the airport. We saw Shauna's place and her amazing view as well as a walk down to the Top Pot Doughnut Shop! Yum! Even though it wasn't long enough- it was super fun to see everyone!!!

19th Wedding Anniversary

Nineteen years ago today- Brett I started our life together!!! Time has flown by- that's for sure! I'm very lucky to be married to him. And even luckier that he sticks with me! XOXO

Because of our BIG upcoming trip (details coming soon)- we kept our actually anniversary pretty low key. But we did get out on a date for dinner and a movie.

And our sweet Victoria made us a banner & decorated our room with love notes. What a sweet girl!