Summer Memories

Sigh.  School starts for me on Monday.  Part of me is excited to get back to work and see the mostly eager faces, but another part of me still wants to be vacationing and relaxing.  I decided I would write down my top ten favorite moments of the summer, (in no particular order) so when I'm overwhelmed I can come back here and revisit my great relaxing summer.

Favorite Moment #10:  Singing the alphabet song with my friend Carter.  We were in a souvenir store at the Polynesian Cultural Center.  There was a nice soft couch in one corner with instruments for sale.  Carter handed Tiffany a ukelele, I had a drum and Carter grabbed a different color of ukelele.  I think we asked him what song we were going to sing, and he said very matter-of-factly - The ABC song.  So, with our great store instruments and extremely brilliant singing we performed the ABC song, complete with "won't you come and sing with me" twice.

Favorite Moment #9:  Sitting at Kimo's on our last night in Maui.  The sun is setting, the workers at the restaurant are taking down the window on the ocean side to give us an unobstructed view.  We are eating with Brian, Mo and Desmond.  The meal is the best I've had all summer: teriyaki chicken, filet mignon and fresh steam veggies - all with teriyaki.  Tender, juicy with a Hawaiian sunset for atmosphere.

Favorite Moment #8:  Toy Story 3, with family in Utah.  I enjoyed being with KC, Mom, Dad, Sherry, Ashley, TJ and friends.  Movies are always fun to watch with KC.  We can laugh loud and cry hard, and I did a lot of both.

Favorite Moment #7:  Having a great book series to take up a lot of the summer.  Legend of the Guardian King.  It was with me through a lot of the summer and by the end I wanted to read it again.

Favorite Moment #6:  Shopping with my daughters in Florida.  I needed something to wear in the water in Hawaii.  They gladly took me from store to store boosting my morale and helping me to find many outfits that would work.  What normally is a frustrating disheartening experience became a great moment of mom compassion.  Thank you girls!

Favorite Moment #5:  Learning to read the price tag before committing to a purchase.  About 33 years ago when I was in Hawaii with the family I got a pearl from an oyster and had it made into a ring.  I've never been able to wear the ring because I was allergic to the silver setting.  When we went this summer I wanted to get another ring with a gold setting that I would not be allergic to.  I got a nice pink pearl and found a setting that I liked.  We went shopping in other stores while they attached the pearl to the setting.  Upon returning and they gave Dale the price I was quite shocked.  I now have to take very good care of my ring.  I'm just glad I didn't like the $800 setting I saw on the way out.  I do love the ring, but I did learn to check things out before committing.  Can I just say how grateful I am that Dale is patient with me!  Hawaii was great with him around.

Favorite Moment #4:  Chauffeuring Mom and Dad while visiting in June.  Through the years they have done so much for me and our family that I liked the feeling of being able to give back.  It was a great relaxing two weeks with them that I'm hoping becomes an annual event.

Favorite Moment #3:  Visiting Harry Potter world.  I love Harry Potter.  I like saying it in my awful English accent.  I love the books, especially Deathly Hallows.  I love the movies (coming November 18!!).  I loved being able to visit a place dedicated to the fun of Harry Potter.  I know I've already complained about the heat and the abundance of people, but being with Lindsea and Travis made it all worthwhile, and of course
 Whitni and Marissa.

Favorite Moment #2:  Having the time to go visit and play with grandkids.  I enjoyed feeling free to go help Aaron and DeAndra by watching the boys.  There's nothing I'd rather do than see their fun faces and enjoy their great personalities.

Favorite Moment #1:  Having half my kids home for the summer.  On my way into the church this morning after saying goodbye to Marissa and Whitni I felt very lonesome for my kids.  Despite all I say or do or not do I love having my kids and grandkids around.  I will miss the flopping on the bed late at night just to visit, watching Nick coo and cuddle with Ryker, and listening to stories of work or cute guys at concerts.  It all gets sorely missed in the quietness of home.

This is not a conclusive list. There are so many great things that made this summer memorable.
Goodbye summer, hello fifth graders.

Cross Country - Maui

We arrived in Maui early in the day and couldn't get into room until four.  That gave us six hours to find something to do.  We ended up driving around and ended up in this huge lava field.

The lava rocks seemed to be coming from this mound, but this is just an offshoot from the big volcano that made up the mountain.

I love the ocean.  I love watching the waves, hearing the waves, swimming in the waves and basically I love the ocean.  Our room didn't have a view nor could we hear the ocean from the deck, bummer!

Dale's buddy on the rock near him.  I was suddenly very finished with sitting on the rocks listening to the waves.

Our beach.  What fun it was to sit and read, lay and read, swim and read.  Relaxing, until the trade winds start to blow and you're eating sand.  It will take us months to get the sand out of our eyes and ears.

One day we got in the car and drove around the wetter, greener side of Maui.  It was beautiful.

My sunset art.  Sunsets are gorgeous!

Monday night we took in a luau.  This shows the setting.  It was beautiful with great food.  Taro rolls, rice, salad, chicken and kalua pork with pineapple salsa - a recipe I need.  It was so delicious.

We enjoyed some more dancers.  This lovely gentlemen represented the Maori warriors.  They were fun and we were at front and center seeing more than we probably needed to.

She was absolutely gorgeous to watch.  There were five female dancers, but my eyes seemed to be drawn to her with her graceful ways and beautiful smile.

He also had a great smile and seemed to enjoy dancing.

It's hard to believe our vacation is almost over.  It's been relaxing, great atmosphere and the best weather.  

Cross Country - Oahu, Polynesian Cultural Center

Tiffany and Carter picked us up at Pearl Harbor and we drove around the island to Laie. We enjoyed an afternoon at the Polynesian Cultural Center. My memories of this place were nothing like the reality of today. It was beautiful - with grounds very nicely tended to.

Our first stop was Samoa where we enjoyed a firemaking demonstration with two sticks and the proper way to break open a coconut. All of this was done with tremendous humor by the gentleman above.

(Sorry you have to turn your head or your computer to watch this.  Anybody know how to rotate a video?)

This video shows the way to climb a coconut palm tree. . Keep watching girls all the way to the end.

Dale is always the shining example, but somehow captivates the young.

We enjoyed the buffet, did some shopping and then enjoyed the nightly show.  I loved the drums.  You can see the ribbons or whatever is at the end of their sticks.  It made it pretty colorful.

I was pretty amazed at the sitting on fire.  Who wants to do this?  What kind of mishaps could come from this?

Carter sat very quietly through the whole thing, but really came to life with the fire dancers.

They were very fast with their torches and spins.  It also got very warm.  I imagine they were quite hot with the lights and the flames.
This was a very educational experience.  I wish we had more time to visit some of the other countries.  It takes more than just an afternoon.

Cross Country - Oahu, Pearl Harbor

This is my journal of events so proceed at your own discretion.

We spent about three days in Oahu staying with our niece and her family.  Great accommodations!  I know she would love more visitors, maybe wait awhile though because they are adding a new one to the family very soon.  

The picture above is of the USS Missouri.  Dale and I spent a morning at Pearl Harbor.  We first did a visit of this ship.  It was impressive.  We had a tour guide with such a strong accent I had a hard time understanding him but what I did get was interesting.

We  were able to go below and see where the sailors slept, ate, mailed letters and worked.  It is definitely not something I would have been able to endure.  

This ship was used in Desert Storm in the early 90's.  The number of times these gun turrets were fired was painted near them.  They were fired over 200 times, and they are huge.

As we were on the starboard side of the Missouri the aircraft carrier USS Reagan was being towed out to sea.  It had been docked and was now leaving.  This was fascinating.  Right in front of us they turned the carrier around so its bow would be facing out to sea. It is a huge ship with so many jets on the deck.  I'm still amazed they can take off on that short runway.

Just so you know we were there.

I worked with my camera and blew up a picture of the people on board the Reagan.  They were taking pictures of us, or maybe the ship we were on.

This document was signed on the Missouri at the end of WWII.  Aboard the battleship USS Missouri, the Japanese signed the formal surrender document, watched by thousands of Allied representatives and the crew.  I have blown up the signature of General MacArthur, below it is Cmdr. Nimitz, the US reperesentative.  (If I have any of this wrong let me know, I'll be glad to correct myself)

Here is the original control tower.  It has been used in many movies, including Pearl Harbor.  Hey girls, let's watch it when I get back!

I was real excited to revisit the Arizona memorial.  I remember when I went with mom and dad and family well over 30 years ago.  I was quite moved by the whole experience and knowing we were standing over a ship where so many were trapped and died.  

Unfortunately for me, by the time we got out to the memorial my batteries died so this is all I was able to capture. It just means another visit here.  If you ever get to Oahu, this is a must.  

Cross Country - Day 3 and 4, Orlando

Day 3 was a bit more relaxing than the previous days.  We drove to Cocoa Beach and enjoyed the crowds, heat and sand.  The girls enjoyed the water..

and the sun...

and some just enjoyed getting someone else to enjoy the water.

I sat under an umbrella that my wonderful daughters finagled for me.  Reading in the shade was the relaxation that I relished.
Our afternoon was spent at the outlet mall where my girls thoroughly convinced me to buy more and more swim wear for my next stop on the cross country tour.
Our trip to Florida was so wonderful.  We enjoyed so many experiences, but mostly I just enjoyed being with Lindsea and Travis.  Lindsea has become such a strong lady it makes my heart glad to see how well she is doing.  Thanks to all who are helping with that.
Day 4
Church, some naps, visiting with Travis' sister and mom - loved all the stories!  Then it was time to head to the airport.
All week the girls were lamenting the fact that at home there were thunderstorms galore, but the forecasted storms in Florida did not happen.  Well almost didn't happen.  The storms hit just before we were to fly out, therefore our plane was delayed.

Here is the view from our airport window.  All is shut down waiting for the thunder, lightning and rain to lessen.
Thanks to all for the great vacation!!!