The Girl Who Played with Fire

I have been doing a lot of reading while here in Florida without the distractions of home and love that I am getting to do that. I also love that my kids are watching me read and that Kaitlyn and I are reading our own individual books together. I've read a couple James Patterson and Iris Johansen books and just started The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo series. My mom gave them to me and I put them in the back seat.

The other day we were driving in the car and Kaitlyn starts the following conversation.

Kaitlyn: Mom, have you read that book The Girl Who Played with Fire?

Mommy: No, not yet.

K: Did she get hurt?

M: I don't know babe, I haven't read it yet.

K: Well, I think that seems kind-of dangerous.

Funny little story I thought I would share. I wish I could share the tone and inflections through the blog, but I can't, so you'll just have to take me at my word when I tell you how cute it was.

Shopping in Americaland

We got in late on Thursday night. The kids slept until maybe 5 or 6 on Friday morning. Saturday morning they were up somewhere near 3:30 am for the day. After keeping them quiet for a few hours while huddled in the back room of my in-laws' place (which is no small feat, by the way) we got dressed and headed to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things and kill some time. We arrived about 7, which is the perfect time, if there ever is a good time, to shop at Wal-Mart.

As we were turning into the parking lot (after the 10 minute ride where we were all giddy talking about how great the car is, how smooth it rides, how roomy it is, that it has a DVD player, and how it is definitely NOT the Korean Batmobile we left behind that we love to hate) Ryan asks, "What is this place?" I tell him that it's Wal-Mart. I guess his memory has faded after 6 months on the ROK. He then asks what this Wal-Mart place has. My response, "It's Wal-Mart, what doesn't it have?" I told him it has food, toys, bath stuff, books, clothes, etc. He replies in an awe-filled voice, "Wow, so it has everything that people need?" Yup. Pretty much kid.

We got out of the car and walked toward the store. I retrieved my military id and ration card from my wallet and approached the doors of the store I have vowed to never shop in again. Several times over. Yet I keep returning. Very quickly I tucked them both back in my purse in just enough time to spare myself the embarrassment of showing them to the greeter to gain access to the store. We are creatures of habit. I know those of you who have been stationed overseas have also done this and are laughing!

We grabbed the items we needed and checked out. We weren't sure where to go next, as it was only 7:45 and we knew the rest of the house would still be sleeping. We climbed into the Odyssey (which I have missed so much...and swore I would NEVER EVER drive, but thank God that I have it and that it is paid off) and arrived at Target when it opened at 8. The kids were ridiculously overtired and Ryan was a crying mess off and on the whole time, but it was so great to be back in America, shopping in Target, and in a place where people understood the language I was speaking. We checked out, got a muffin for the kids and a Starbucks for me, and headed back to attempt to reprogram our clocks and distract the kids from their overtired crankiness with a swim in Grandma and PaPaw's pool before nap.

Our Trip to the US and Some Travel Advice

If you have ever traveled great distances, I don't have to explain to you what a beast jet lag is. We are literally upside down when we come and go. Korea is 13 hours ahead of Florida and boy do our bodies get confused. We have made this journey four times now (three of them just me and the kids) and it still takes us a good week to adjust. In a way it does get easier because we know what to expect, even though we are still waking up at 3 am because our bodies think that we just woke from a nap. It was also easier this time because I could throw the kids in the pool. By far the best way to beat jet lag. Fresh air, sunshine, and lots of energy burning activity!

We took an evening flight and even though Delta completely sucks compared to Korean Air, our flight was pretty good. The only benefit of the near complete inattention of the flight attendants on our flight was that they didn't interrupt our sleep. Or more importantly the children's sleep. They woke me once to scold me for letting a child sleep in a bed I made on the floor, but Kaitlyn transitioned well and both kids slept with their heads on my lap while I dozed from my middle seat, straight up, but thrilled that the kids were sleeping. There is definitely a lot less leg room on the Delta flight and the seats barely recline, but the kids slept and that is all I care about. Good thing too because the only (almost) kid-friendly movie was the new Alice in Wonderland and the only thing animated was a few Cartoon Network cartoons, not really appropriate for young children. Not one G rated or animated movie. Or anything that would keep a toddler's attention. Let's face it. If the toddler isn't happy the whole plane isn't happy. This was a serious shocker after flying Korean Air, which caters to children's needs and makes a mom's life much easier. Fortunately, the little guys were awesome for yet another flight and I thanked God, once again, for blessing me with the children I have. While they aren't perfect, they are great kids and I am thankful.

Here are a few things that helped on this trip that I would like to share with my friends who also make the 24 hour trip. I swear, every trip I learn something new.

1. Take the night flight. This is the first time we have done an evening flight. Usually our plane takes off mid-morning and we have to wake the kids wicked early to get to the airport on time. Then they sit all day without expending any energy and Kaitlyn has been known to not even sleep a wink. This flight was scheduled for 5:30, but didn't take off until closer to 6:30. We were ready early and were able to spend an hour or so at the park before having lunch with Daddy and going to the bus station.

2. Beach balls. I usually try to make the children sit quietly with books or toys before we board our flight. This time I wanted to make sure they were properly worn out so that they would sleep. I figured it was way more important for them to behave on the flight than in the airport, so I let them run around. Many thanks to my friend Terese who gave me the beach ball idea that she uses during layovers with her four. We kicked, passed, blocked, and chased two big beach balls for an hour and a half. The kids were sweaty, I was sweaty, and we definitely had an audience. We also had a lot of fun. While we played where it wasn't crowded, we did have to utter some apologies to people walking through or when a ball went astray. Everyone smiled and said it wasn't a problem. A few loved that we were playing hard and blowing off steam before the long flight. It worked like a charm and when they called us for boarding, we deflated our toys and slipped them back into the bag, where they hardly took up any space.

3. Something to block/minimize light and sound. I have been doing a lot of sewing lately due this this awesome place to buy beautiful, fun, and inexpensive fabric. I let the kids pick out fabric and I made them each a two sided tent/sheet to go from the backs of their seats to the seat in front of them. I attached big safety pins in case we had cloth seats and brought sticky backed velcro in case of leather seats. I didn't have to use either, but was able to tuck the material into the crevices of the headrests. Bring it anyway cuz ya never know what you're gonna get. Then I put the airline blankets across the top of that in the other direction making a dark tent for the two of them. This kept out the light from the other passengers and the lights of the aircraft when the crew turned all the lights on and allowed the kids to sleep. I also brought ear plugs and put them in the kids' ears before they fell asleep. Kaity wanted to keep hers in, but Ryan took his out. I slipped them back in after he was asleep and they both got about 8 hours of sleep. Ryan may have even gotten 9. Praise God!!! Just that leg of the flight is 14+ hours and without movies geared towards children could have been heinous. I really didn't even have to bust into my arsenal of travel things until the flight from Detroit to Tampa. Did I mention how awesome these guys are?

I know there are more tips and many more to be learned, so if you have any fresh advice for traveling with little ones, please feel free to comment.

An Overdue Update

I know, it's been a while. We haven't fallen off the face of the earth, just slid on over to the other side of it. We are back in the land of the free and the home of the brave and it feels so good to be back in America where there are no (or few) language barriers. The land of Wal-Mart (which I have sworn, more than once, I wouldn't go back to, but can't seem to stay away from), Target, Costco (the America version), Chick-Fil-A, and all other things American. Most likely made in China. I haven't been able to do much shopping at all yet, but can't wait to do so. Especially since I brought so few clothes.

Upon arriving nearly 3 weeks ago, we kicked the jet-lag and went down to Naples to visit my grandparents. Just before we left, my Grandpa was diagnosed with esophageal cancer and was not given very much time left with us. After a very emotional roller coaster, we found out last week that though the power of prayer and the grace of the Good Lord, my Grandpa's cancer is not only contained in the esophagus, but with radiation and low doses of chemo and due to the location of the mass, he may have painless years with us instead of mere months. And, with just three radiation treatments, the stint they put in to keep his esophagus from closing on him as the cancer grew, fell out! The mass shrunk (at least enough to not be able to hold the stint in) and he can go back to eating whatever he wants and living life as he did before. Well, when he isn't wiped out by chemo and radiation anyway. The change in the spirit of my grandparents when they got the news from the PET scan was as noticeable as the difference between night and day. The relief that washed over them both was as visible as the car they stepped out of. Grandpa said that he almost dropped to his knees in praise in the middle of the hospital parking lot! What a relief. Many thanks to all of you who kept them in your prayers. Please continue to pray for them as they go through this process. While the news is good, the situation and the treatment still sucks and continues to take a toll on both of them.

We have also been spending the past two weeks with my sister and my nearly 14 month old cutie pie of a niece Rylee. While it has been anything but relaxing, we have been enjoying watching her warm up to the family and getting to know this cute little bundle of personality. I will be posting some very precious pictures of her and her visit soon. She took to Kaitlyn right away and it has been fun to watch them interact. Kaitlyn has such a kind and gentle spirit and it has been sweet to watch Rylee go to her for comfort when she is heartbroken that mommy left the room and didn't take her. When they leave tomorrow, I think it will be Kaity who will be heartbroken. We will miss them and it is so tough to be apart from the little sugar when she is changing and growing so fast. Especially when we don't know when we will see them again.

We've had a few funny stories since we've been back and I hope to get them blogged soon. I've been out of the technology loop while here, trying to entertain the kids quietly when home during the day and visiting with family at night and have been lucky to return e-mails, much less blog and check facebook. Maybe one day I will be able to find a happy medium between too much technology and too little, though I am not holding my breath. As with many things in my life, it seems to be all or nothing. I suppose it is the perfectionist in me. :)

Hale Koa Luau

Our last night on the island we attended a traditional luau at the Hale Koa, a military resort on Waikiki Beach. What a fun way to end the trip! We drank Mai Tai's (our first if you can believe that!), participated in some traditional Polynesian fun, watched an awesome Polynesian show, ate some fantastic food, and some not so fantastic food. Please see the slideshow of Kaitlyn's priceless Poi Face. It is worth it! Oh, and the pineapple we had throughout our stay was divine!

The show was pretty entertaining. The kids loved it, as did we. Kaitlyn even got recruited to go on stage to learn how to hula. Ryan had no interest in going. It was fun to sit back and watch her take it all in. Unfortunately, our video didn't turn out, but we did snap a few photos. There was also a little boy who was 8 years old and number one in his division of under 10, or something like that, for a sport they call flame throwing. If you have a minute, watch the video. It is amazing what he does with fire. I couldn't get over the fact that he was just a little bit older that Kaity. She's hardly allowed to look at fire. :)

Towards the end of the show, the emcee asked people who were currently serving in the military to stand up and be acknowledged. Bill always ignores this request. Especially at Sea World. I think he reluctantly stood up at the end after enough prompting from his little angel. Then they worked backwards through all of the significant periods of wartime our country has seen recently. By the time they had gotten to World War II, there was one man standing. He and his wife had been married for 65 or 67 years and I couldn't help but think of my own grandparents. What Tom Brokaw calls the greatest generation. I think of my grandparents and all of the friends they have known, loved, and lost. Sure they have made new friends, younger friends, but I know they struggle with seeing their closest friends leave them and being the ones left behind. Now in their mid-eighties, they are the few left standing of this greatest generation. I feel so blessed and honored that I have been able to spend so much time with them in my adult life, even though that life has taken me far away in miles. That my kids really know their great-grandparents and that the greatest generation gets to positively affect another generation. Eighty plus years their junior. My kids LOVE their GG and PopPop and talk of them often. When God takes away, he also gives. When He took away my husband for a year, He gave me time with my grandparents and with our other family. He made everything come together so that I could have that, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

Here I am digressing again. Two posts, not where I was planning on going, but where I was led. I know my grandparents are reading this, and to a great extent, one of the main reasons I keep it going. It makes them happy when I post. It shortens the distance between us. Between my little family and all of our extended family. So, since you are reading, I just wanted to take the opportunity to tell you (AGAIN) how much I love you, admire you, and are blessed by you. How much of a positive difference you have made in my life, in my children's lives, and the dynamic impact you leave on nearly everyone you encounter. How much I treasure the time we have been able to spend together. From the time we lived with you the first part of my second grade year, to that month on the beach every summer, to the family holidays, and to the visits we've had in our homes across the country and yours. The ordinary and the extraordinary. And how much I am looking forward to seeing you in just one month!

Back to the luau. At the end of this tribute to all veterans, they played I'm Proud to be an American. This song gets me every time and our last evening in Hawaii was no exception. Having spent the morning in Pearl Harbor it was impossible to choke back the tears and a few fat ones fell. Maybe it was that I was leaving paradise, but I think I would have had the same reaction had I been staying another night. It was a fun and moving night and we couldn't have asked for a better way to wrap up our trip.

Slideshow of the pictures from the luau.

Manoa Falls

We left Pearl Harbor and within minutes of getting in the car, Ryan was out. We had chosen lunch today to be one of our few dining out meals, but packed extra sandwiches just in case. We were really wanting some sushi while in Hawaii, so we decided to try another hole in the wall place that was highly rated in our guide book. Seriously, the revealed series is THE BEST! We were not disappointed with Irifune, a quintessential Hawaiian-Japanese fusion restaurant well known and frequented by Honolulu locals. The guide book told us that when you say Garlic Ahi, most Honolulu residents think Irifune, and since they hadn't let us down in the past recommendations, we stopped by and got a mixed plate with the garlic ahi and some sushi to go. We passed Kaitlyn a pb&j and drove up to the neighborhood where the Manoa Falls trail begins. Again, the food was great and the sushi was just what we were craving. After Ryan woke up and ate lunch, we started out for our hike.

While we sat in the car eating our lunch, we seriously thought about not doing this hike. It was raining, the trail was known for being a mess due to the rainforest-like climate, and we were going to the Hale Koa Luau at 5. Since it was our last day and we didn't know when or if we would ever get back here, we forged ahead and decided it would be worth the hike in the rain. We figured that if we didn't do it, we would regret it.

Again, the kids were awesome little hikers. The trail was slippery and definitely steep in some parts and there were lots of muddy falls and stumbling. The rain stopped, but the mud continued. Ryan was all laughs and in hog heaven with all this mud and climbing, until we got to the bamboo forest. Being the picture taker that I am, I wanted to get a picture of the kids in the bamboo forest. Ryan started crying and didn't want to go, so I thought if I went with him it would be better. Wrong! He was hysterical. He was so upset and we couldn't figure out why. I was a bit irritated that we only got pictures of his fit, but figured we would try again on the way back down. Now I am so glad we decided to take pictures of him in hysterics because it tells a really funny story.

About 10 more minutes into the hike, this time with a little boy who doesn't want to be put down, we find out why he was so upset. Turns out he thought I said BABOON forest. He thought there were baboons in there and all he could think about was the scary mandrill that hangs out with the baboons on the pages of one of his books. A baboon forest! Poor boy. After that we were able to explain to him what bamboo was and he was fine on the way back down. Still wanting to be held, just in case, but happy. We still laugh about this any time we think about baboons or bamboo. Take the time to check out the look on his face in the slideshow below.

Again, the view at the top of the trail was worth the trek. And the trashed shoes (we brought old ones that we ditched in Hawaii for the kids and for me, and Bill's were saved by the miracle of an OXY Clean bath). And the stained clothes, all of which came clean (except Ry's white shirt) with a couple soaks in the OXY Clean bath as well. Shocking! What a beautiful waterfall! In fact, the trek was quite rewarding as well. The vegetation changes as we climbed and was so lush and green. I couldn't help but take pictures. Pictures, that again, don't do this beautiful island justice. The sounds, the smells, the feel of the air. This place is truly paradise. On the walk back to the car, we were rewarded, yet again, with another beautiful Hawaiian rainbow.

Slideshow of Manoa Falls Pictures

Pearl Harbor

Our last morning in Hawaii we went to visit Pearl Harbor and the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. We watched a movie that retold the history of the attack and then took a boat to the memorial site. What a somber experience. So many lives were lost. It was a beautiful, peaceful morning, just like the morning before the attack, and easy to picture ourselves in this area nearly 70 years ago. Beginning a normal Sunday, a "day off", a time to relax and reflect, enjoy God's beautiful handiwork, and then being caught completely off guard. The devastation that followed was incredible. And the lives lost. Oh, how heartbreaking.

We weren't expecting the effect this experience would have on Kaitlyn. I think for the first time, she really understood what her daddy does. What he protects. The risks involved. She was so sad being here. Very quiet, which is unlike her. You could see her thoughts through her eyes. She couldn't understand how a country could be so greedy and jealous as to create such a sneak attack and kill so many people. She kept asking how they could hate us so much as to want to kill so many people. To be honest, I can't understand it either. Ryan was oblivious, which is exactly how a 2 year old boy should be.

The site was pretty amazing and you could see parts of the ship above the water and below it. They had a diagram of the ship and the parts you can see above and below the water were labeled. See the slideshow of pictures at the end of this post. One of the things that was most surprising, as equally sad, was that oil still leaks from this ship. As a reminder of what was lost. It has been almost 70 years since this ship was sunk and oil STILL leaks from it. It isn't hard to imagine that this was a working vessel. Filled with sailors ready to set sail at a moment's notice. That notice never came.

On the far wall of the memorial were all the names of the sailors who called the Arizona their home and went down with her or trying to protect her and our great country. They paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. As Memorial Day just passed, I can't help but think about how many people take their freedom and the lives as they know them for granted. Freedom is not free. It may be free for some of us, but some of us pay a high cost. Friends we have known who have lost their lives to protect our freedom. Their families who were left behind to face indescribable sorrow and who will never forget the cost of their freedom. On a smaller (but no less important) scale, the families of the military heroes we know and those whom we will never meet, who continue to fight for our freedom and the pain, heartache, and uncertainty they experience with every deployment, every news story, every silence in a usually noisy airspace on days that are perfect for flying. The missed birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, births, deaths, graduations, dance recitals, and all-star games. Their children who are among few who don't have their mom or dad at school events honoring mom or dad. There is a cost for our freedom. One that many people don't see. I am filled with pride when I think about my husband's sacrifice for MY freedom. For our children's future. This wasn't were I was planning on going with this post, but it is where I was led. This morning when I woke up, I opened the house up on this beautiful, sunny day and went about my morning. While I was getting my second cup of coffee four F-16's flew over our apartment and the skies echoed with the sweet, sweet sound of jet noise. The oh so sweet sound of freedom. It made me smile and I was filled with pride, and thanksgiving, for what my husband, my hero, does and that I have the honor of being his wife, and of being an American. I pray that he never has to make the ultimate sacrifice those men did in 1941, but I know that he is doing what he loves and it is for the greater good. I also admit, that there are days that I take my life, and my freedom, for granted. But freedom is NOT free. The cost is so very high.

Hawaii - Day 3 Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay, Tantalus Drive, Waikiki Sunset

Our third day began with a hike up Diamond Head. We were a little concerned about how the kids might do with the hike, since it had been quite a while since we had been hiking together, but they were AWESOME! Ryan wanted to do the WHOLE hike "all by myself!" because he was smack dab in the middle of being two. Filled with independence and confidence, he forged ahead, all the way up the famous landmark. Both kids kept a really good pace and even climbed the stairs by themselves, even though we practically begged them to let us carry them. The stairs were so steep (there were 99 of them!) and Ryan did great, but every couple of minutes I asked him if I could carry him. Finally he caved about halfway up and allowed me to hold him, which may have been a bad idea. My legs where aching after climbing up those stairs with an extra 35lbs on my hip. With about a quarter of the way left, he insisted that I put him down and he do the rest by himself. I was secretly relieved, although the climb to the top took quite a bit longer with him climbing on his own. Kaitlyn did just as well and all the other hikers passing by couldn't believe how great they did! We made our way through a tunnel (the kids loved that!) and up a narrow spiral staircase to the top.

Once we made it to the summit (761 feet), we were rewarded with the most beautiful view! It was totally worth the effort and the kids were so proud of themselves for accomplishing such a feat on their own. They ate up all the compliments, as well as a snack, while we took some pictures and enjoyed the scenery. Then we headed back down the landmark, ready to cool off in the cold water of the Pacific.

Slideshow of pictures from Diamond Head

Next on our list of "must see" was Hanauma Bay, Oahu's most famous snorkeling spot. Once we were there it was easy to see why. This crescent shaped nature preserve is chock full of stony coral and the home to many, many species of fish. We have never been so close to fish in their natural environment before. It was an amazing experience. I could have literally held them in my hand. They had no fear! Unfortunately, we didn't see any sea turtles, but they are known to be in the area. We didn't get out too far because we took turns snorkeling since Ryan refused to go. Gotta use the buddy system. Bill took Kaity first and she really enjoyed seeing the fish up close, then it was my turn. I took the camera and ran down the battery. Check out the slideshow below and the video clip. Please excuse the Darth Vader soundtrack. I was out there for at least 45 minutes, maybe an hour, but it only felt like 5. I could have stayed out there all day. Bill finished off the Mac fam snorkel tour.

We had such a relaxing time time there. We swam, snorkeled, picnicked, and played. While the kids played in the sand with the beach toys left at the condo for guests, we layed out and soaked up the sun, knowing we would be arriving to snow in Korea. We laughed at the kids, watched them play in the sand and the surf, and enjoyed being together again, knowing we would stay that way.

Slideshow of pictures from Hanauma Bay.

When the kids looked like they were going to pass out, we left Hanauma Bay and went for another drive. If you decide to go to Hawaii (or anywhere, really) with young kids, I highly recommend doing your big stuff in the morning when they are fresh and then going on a driving tour during naptime. This way you can enjoy the island and they can nap while you drive. When you only have a short period of time, it is great to be able to meet their needs and still see the things you want to see. The best of both worlds.

This car tour of the island was to see the not to be missed Tantalus Drive just outside of Honolulu. It is absolutely amazing that this beauty is just a few minutes outside the hustle and bustle of the big city of Honolulu. Getting there took us through my dad's old stomping grounds nearly 40 years ago, when he was stationed there with his service in the Navy. I am sure it has changed in an enormous way since then. I can't put into words the beauty of this drive, so I will let the pictures do the talking. They don't do it justice, but you can see the beauty in them. Again, the view from the top is the best!

Slideshow of Tantalus Drive pictures

After the Tantalus Drive, we headed back to the condo to make dinner and then we walked down to the beach to watch the sunset. The kids played and we all enjoyed a really pretty Hawaiian sunset on Waikiki Beach. We had hoped to get some great pictures of the kids, but they weren't really cooperative on the picture taking front. We made the best of it and got a couple of good ones.

Slideshow of the Waikiki Beach pictures

The North Shore

After our whale watching adventure, we loaded up the rental car, ate our lunches, and explored the North Shore of Oahu.  We stopped at Turtle Beach where the kids got to get up close to a really big turtle, play in the sand, watch some surfers, and explore during a walk on the beach.

Slideshow of Turtle Beach Pictures

We got back in the car and continued the North Shore drive.  Kahuku on the North Shore is famous for its shrimp, so we stopped at Romy's Kahuku Shrimp Hut where they harvest their shrimp daily and are known for their freshness.  We got an order of the garlic butter shrimp, which were steaming hot and delicious!  They were so hot, that we couldn't even peel them without burning our fingers!  So, with the delicious smell of garlic butter filling the car, we drove to La'ie Point and ate our snack enjoying another beautiful view of the Pacific.

La'ie Point is made up entirely of sandstone and has several off shore islands.  The closest one tells an amazing story of mother nature's wrath.  This island is 432 feet off shore, but it seems a lot closer.  On April Fool's Day in 1946 a tsunami literally punched a hole right through the center of this island.  Amazing how much force must have been generated to have had that kind of effect.  The tsunami was devastating to the town of La'ie, but left an amazing piece of art off the coast.

Pictures from La'ie Point


After hanging out at La'ie Point, we got back in the car and headed back to Hale'iwa.  On the way back we took turns exploring the tide pools at Shark Cove while Ryan dozed in the car.

Ryan woke up just in time for shave ice at Aoki's in Hale'iwa.  We slurped down two heavenly shave ices with cream at the bottom between the four of us in no time flat.  We payed a little extra for the large yellow cone, and it was worth its weight in gold.  Those things were as messy as they were tasty!  We finished our drive back to Waikiki chasing rainbows and reflecting on the perfect day we shared as a family.

Whale Watching

Our second morning on the island we got to do something I have always wanted to do.  I know it sounds lame, but it has always been a dream of mine to go whale watching.  We decided to spend the morning on a catamaran, thinking it would be more intimate and relaxing than one of the bigger boats and we were so glad we did!  North Shore Catamaran is a wonderful company with a knowledgeable and friendly crew.  They also offer a fantastic military discount for our military friends.  We boarded in Hale'iwa and enjoyed a three hour cruise in the Pacific watching whales and taking in more of God's amazing creation.

Humpback whales are massive, and while we only saw ones breach from far away (and actually not even on this cruise, just a lookout point later that day) we did see a lot of whales during our visit, mostly on this cruise.  We were trianglated by them several times and with our zoom lens were able to get quite a few good shots.  By law you are not allowed to get less than 100 yards away from them, but every once in a while they would surface closer to us.  They are truly amazing creatures.  Check out the pictures in the slideshow below.

The kids loved the boat ride and we hung out in the hammock for much of the trip.  It was a great place to relax and take it all in.  Ryan was hilarious and was on a shark kick.  He didn't want the sharks to get him, so he would lay on my back, making sure that no part of his body would touch the net, and say, "Shark no eat my fingie!"  As he got more comfortable, he would put his finger through the net or his feet on the net and then pull them back up on me and say, "Shark no get me now!"  Oh how he made us laugh!  I love hearing his little voice and the way a 2 year old puts his own spin on the English language.  I love getting a little insight into that sweet little head of his.  We had a great ride, loving on our kids and having them love on us and just enjoying each other's company.  It was so nice to enjoy the gifts God has given us without the distractions of our daily lives getting in the way, all while appreciating the great beauty He created for us to enjoy.

East Oahu Afternoon

After we tore ourselves away from Portlock, we continued east to do a little driving tour of the island and found some fantastic lookout spots and some fun beaches to sink our feet into.

Our first stop was Lana'i Lookout, on Highway 72 about 3/4 of a mile past the entrance for Hanauma Bay. The funny thing about this lookout is that if you can see an island offshore, it is Moloka'i or even Maui, but not Lana'i.

Lana'i Lookout

Another 1/2 mile east is another narrow pullout. This is where you can see Halona Beach (where they filmed the 1950s movie From Here to Eternity) and the Halona Blowhole, where the ocean has undercut the lava and drilled a hole through to the top. Unfortunately, the surf wasn't high enough for us to see the blowhole erupting, but the view was incredible anyway.

Halona Beach

View of Sandy Beach from the lookout.

Our next stop was Sandy Beach, which is a pretty good stretch of, you guessed it, sandy beach. We told the kids they could get out and get their feet sandy and their toes wet. The water was chilly, but beautiful. Kaitlyn is our beach baby. She loves the water, no matter how cold it is or how big the waves are. She has always loved it, from the time we took her, just shy of a year old, to San Diego where the water was chilly and the waves were a bit bigger than the gulf. She loves to get in and wait for the next wave and then run as fast as she can away from them. Ah, the simple joys of being a child. And being around a child.

Soon to be sandy girl at Sandy Beach.

A testament to their very different personalities, Ryan does not like the ocean. When we took him to Myrtle Beach at 14 months and he was not happy. He clung to Mommy for dear life, refused to go near the water, and screamed when he put his toes in the sand. It takes him a long time to warm up and won't even think of going in if there are any waves. He loves the calm water of the pool and the Gulf beaches, but wants nothing to do with the surf.

Daddy's girls!

Ryan not happy that his girls are in the water.

The happy couple.

The next stop we made on our East Oahu drive was at the easternmost point of the island. From this scenic outlook you get a great view of Makapu'u Beach and two islands that are believed to have been formed by the last eruptions on the island. The shorter, and closer, island is Kaohi-ka-ipu and was made from a traditional lava flow when the ocean level was lower and that was all dry land. It looks dark and burnt because it is so young, relatively speaking. The larger island, Manana Island is a tuff cone and created by a steam explosion.

Makapu'u Beach as seen from the lookout point.

Manana and Kaohi-ka-ipu Islands

While at this lookout point we also saw whales!

After a snack and some whale watching, we went down to Makapu'u Beach and let the kids change into their suits and play in the water. We enjoyed the incredible scenery and got a few laughs at the expense of our son. Kaity was in hog heaven playing in the sand and surf (I won't even begin to tell you how long it took to get sand out of places I didn't think sand could get in!) and Ryan was beside himself with worry for his sister. Every time a wave would come up to meet her at the shore he would scream for her safety. We got his horror and her delight on the videos below.

Doesn't this look too pretty to be real?

Manana and Kaohi-ka-ipu Islands from Makapu'u Beach

Lighthouse from the Beach

Our Beach Baby

After playing at the beach, and cleaning up from the beach, we drove to the town of Kailua for some grub. We stopped by Pepper's Place, another hole in the wall rated excellent for its food. We chowed on some really great, really greasy sausage sandwiches. Think Philly cheesesteak, but with sausage, peppers, and onions and yummier than any cheesesteak we have EVER had. De-lish! We took an inland scenic route back south and, again, had we seen it in the movies, we would have thought it was too pretty to be real. Holy smokes! Talk about the most lush, greenest, and brightest drive. Everything was so vivid and beautiful! We took H-3 back to Honolulu and it dropped us at Costco (okay, so we had to take a few turns) where we got gas (the cheapest on the island if you ever need to fill up and have a membership) and some food for the rest of the week. We got back to the condo in just enough time to throw dinner together and watch the sunset from the balcony before packing lunches and bags for the next day and settling in for the night. It was an amazing first day in PARADISE!!!

Our First Morning in Paradise

Where, oh where, do I begin. I found the guide book tucked away in the kids' travel activities bag, sat down and started going through the pictures when I realized some where missing. After you see all of these pictures (and I am TRYING to weed them out) you will wonder HOW I could tell some were missing, but just trust me, they were. Anyway, I figured it out (a Picasa problem) and started to get to work. I am SO overwhelmed and don't even know where to start. Every moment of this trip was fabulous. The food, the sights, the company. And we both love to take pictures. So, needless to say, we have just shy of A TON of pictures. Kind-of the same reason we haven't blogged Thailand yet. Just too much! So, I thought there would be four posts, one for each day here, but that would leave impossibly long posts, so I think I am going to post the way I have them organized in Picasa. You may get two posts for a day or get to read about the whole day in just one post. Either way, you'll hear our story...finally.

Our first day in paradise had us waking right at sunrise since we were on Florida time. We got up, lathered on the sunscreen, got dressed, grabbed our bags for the day and headed to Bogart's for breakfast. Bogart's is on the east side of Waikiki and is one of the best cafe's on Oahu. We drove past it and had to turn around because it is a small hole in the wall place in the middle of a strip mall. You also bus your own tables and there is no bathroom, but they made up for it in food. What a great little place to grab a fantastic bite to eat! I wish I had taken pictures. Bill and I had amazing gourmet omelets and the kids shared a delicious Belgian waffle with nutella, strawberries, and fresh whipped cream. Of course, Mom and Dad had to do a bit of quality control on that one, but we shared our omelets too. The roasted potatoes where the best I have ever had. They were perfectly crispy on the outside with the most perfect blend of seasonings and we all chowed! If you are ever in Hawaii you MUST try this place for breakfast. De-lish! Okay, now that my mouth is watering and we don't have anything near as yummy in the house (well we do have nutella and strawberries ;D) I'll continue. We hopped back in the car and headed east to the small town of Portlock and Koko Head.

Koko Head is an amazing formation caused by a volcano's last eruptions after a long period of dormancy. The explosive eruptions usually take place near the shoreline and the result are cone shaped mountains of cemented ash (tuff) that forms when the water seeps into the magma underground that immediately turns it into steam and due to the enormous pressure causes a massive explosion. On Koko Head, which is pretty much all residential, there is a little known spot at the end of Lumahai Road that leads to a public access trail. Follow this steep trail for a few minutes and you walk out to an absolutely breathtaking sight. Layers upon layers upon layers of cemented ash, each representing a different explosion. AMAZING! This is why we have so many pictures of this spot. This is also the home of the Spitting Cave of Portlock, where the constant force of the ocean is eroding the rock and splitting the point in two. The waves crash into the cave and are pushed back out when they hit the back of the cave, causing the ground to shake under your feet and the water to explode out of the cave. I can't wait to see what this is like during the summer when the waves and tides are right because it was beautiful in the winter, even with the smaller waves.

Locals are the ones who frequent this area and are known for diving/jumping into the exceptionally clear and beautiful blue water. There are a number of memorial plaques here as well. You can see how dangerous this place can be from the pictures, but the pictures really don't do it justice. My heart is doing the heebie-jeebie thing just thinking back to when we were there. Walking along the layers with the kids kind-of freaked me out and I am not usually squeamish or afraid of heights. Kaity had a few moments where she got scared, mostly as we were climbing back up, but Ryan was fine for the most part. I kept making Bill take Kaity because he is so much stronger than I am and I took Ryan. Even though he is less stable on his feet, I felt so much more comfortable when I was walking with him than when I was walking with her. Whew! Just thinking about it is making my heart race. But it was so worth it the extra gray hairs we may have gotten! We'll call them our Hawaiian highlights. I know there are a lot of pictures, but please check them out. They really are amazing! This place was so mesmerizing and we could have explored all day...if we didn't have small kids and only 3 1/2 more days on the island.

Hawaii

The time has FINALLY come. I changed the blog background, so now I must post. First, I must say, I LOVE HAWAII!!! I REALLY LOVE HAWAII!!! Okay, now I can blog. :)

In January, after Bill spent his year in Kunsan on his one year remote, he came home to Tampa to spend time with his family and pick the kids and me up to move to Osan. We decided to stop in Hawaii on the way back to Korea and it was the best (and worst) thing we could have done. The plane tickets actually cost less when stopping in Hawaii than when going straight to Korea, so we just had to stop. We will never be the same. We have been trying to get to Hawaii since before we got pregnant with Kaitlyn. The hop during the summer of 2003 never panned out and we got stuck at Travis AFB in California. It turned out to be a great trip, but we never made it to Hawaii. A couple of years later, some very dear friends of ours moved out to Hawaii and told us if we could make it out there, they could get us back. I started planning and the Air Force started its counter attack. Same thing happened with our fabulous vacation to Europe to visit some of our best friends in Italy and Germany, but I digress...and if I dwell too long on it, then I get depressed. I have a love/hate relationship with this thing called the Air Force. ;)

Well, we finally made it to paradise. I swear, I thought Hawaii was one of those places that HAD to be too good to be true. That it was all hype. No place could be THAT beautiful and wonderful. Sure, it would be great, but it couldn't be all that is was built up to be. You guys, there is no hype. It is beautiful and wonderful and fantastic. It is serene. Peaceful and relaxing. It is just as beautiful, if not more so, than the pictures in the travel books. I absolutely fell in love. I fell in love with God's beautiful creation and this fabulous state I had never seen before. I fell in love with my family and my husband again after being apart for a year. A year that followed a heinous TDY schedule, a deployment, and 8 short weeks of us being together, knowing we would be saying good-bye again for a year. We fit so much in, but never felt rushed. It was the shortest and most wonderful four days I have ever spent anywhere. And we experienced every minute as A FAMILY! I cannot describe to you, after a year and a half of hard good-byes (heart breaking, throat closing, not being able to breathe good-byes that you can't understand unless you have been there, no matter how hard you try and truly WANT to understand) how incredibly wonderful it was to be able to spend time together, knowing we were not going to have to say good-bye again for a long time. I am sure that has a little to do with my Hawaii bliss, but this place is truly breathtaking! And we never even left Oahu!

We picked up the latest edition of our favorite travel books on Hawaii (the others were in storage with most of the other great stuff we own) only to find that the one on the shelves had JUST come out. Copyright 2010. Score! I am hoping I can put my hands on this book soon, so I can tell you all the great places we ate and things we did and how to find them. It is a fantastic book that tells you like it is. The authors live among the locals and tell you where to go and where not to go, finding hidden little delights that the other travel books don't even know about. It's called the Blue Book series or the Revealed series. The name of the book we used is Oahu Revealed and they have one for each island. FANTASTIC! If you plan a trip to Hawaii, pick up a copy. You won't regret it. We also have one for the Big Island and Kauai...in storage. They are excellently written.

Hawaii left an impression on our whole family. The kids pretend play that they are in Hawaii or are going to Hawaii. They are packing up their car with their luggage and going to the airport in Hawaii. The are snorkeling in Hawaii. They are hiking in Hawaii. The list goes on. Funny story, when we drive to base, we parallel the train tracks where we see trains daily. The kids always ask where the trains are going. I usually say north or south, sometimes say Kunsan (where Daddy used to work (south) or Seoul (north)). The kids usually respond with a silly answer like the north pole or the south pole. Ryan almost always says Sea World. The boy LOVES Sea World. One day a few weeks ago, they asked where the train was going. I told them it was going south. Ryan told Kaitlyn it was going to Hawaii. Kaitlyn responded with, "Buddy, that train is not going to Hawaii, but if it were, I'd be on it!" Me too sister, me too! I told Bill and he said she sounded just like me. I wish I could have gotten it on video. The inflections and tone were SO me. I am sure some of you are just picturing it now. ;)

Unfortunately for Bill, the pure, clean air and beauty of Hawaii intensified the smells of Korea and made the return a bit less lovely, but we will never forget the time we spent on the island. We were a sight coming through the airport with our 7 checked bags and car seat bag that carried a car seat, a booster seat base, and Kaitlyn's scooter, 8 carry-ons, and stroller, but it was so worth it. It was worth the hassle of the bags, the van to take half of us and half our luggage because we couldn't fit it in the rental car, and it was worth the extra 8 hours on a plane. In fact, it made the trip so much easier because it broke up the 24 hours of travel from Tampa to Osan. We made so many wonderful memories and took a ton of pictures. I won't even try to pretend that I am going to crank out these posts tonight, but my next four posts will be of the four amazing days we spent in Hawaii. I may take me a while, but the pictures alone will be worth it.

Did I mention that we ABSOLUTELY LOVE HAWAII?!?!?!?!?!

Mother's Day

Every year I dream of a Mother's Day where I can sleep until 10 in a quiet house, then be whisked off to the spa for the day, only to return to a clean home (one that I didn't have to clean) to kiss my kids goodnight and enjoy a glass of red wine and some dark chocolate in my pj's. That is NOT what I got this Mother's Day or any other Mother's Day for that matter.

This is the first Mother's Day where Kaitlyn has really gotten what it is about. Last year she tried, but Bill was gone, so she could only do so much. This year, Mother's Day Eve, Bill took the kids to the BX to go shopping for my birthday and Mother's Day while I amused myself in the shoe and makeup sections and promised not to peek in the cart. Their excitement was so cute! Kaitlyn kept saying she couldn't wait until tomorrow morning so she could give me my presents and surprises. Ryan blew the whistle in the car about some chocolates. ;) Oops, but he was forgiven because he is so darn cute!

On Mother's Day I heard the kids in the kitchen at 6:45 (really early for them) and by 6:50 I was being served a very large bowl of cereal in bed by both of the kids. They flew into our room singing "Happy Mother's Day!" with the biggest smiles on their faces and their hands full of my breakfast, a card, and a bag of my favorite treats. Dove dark chocolates! They were so happy giving me my surprises and their thoughtfulness filled my heart with joy. We spent the rest of the morning drinking coffee and reading books in bed and getting ready to join Bill on a business trip in Seoul for a few days. I also got a new pair of Rainbows. Thin, gray, and double stacked! Just in time to break them in for the warm temps we are finally having!

We got up to Seoul and spent the day at the zoo at Seoul Grand Park. We headed to the Dragon Hill Lodge for Mother's Day Margaritas and Mexican food and checked into our super posh hotel room at the JW Marriott for a quiet night. Throughout the day, the kids would randomly yell, "Happy Mother's Day!" to me and I couldn't help but smile.

So, no, I didn't have a quiet day at the spa getting pampered, but to tell you the truth, that isn't what I really wanted anyway. My time will come for that. One day way too soon, I will wake up to a house that is way too quiet. Where I will wish my children were waking me up with the sounds of their sweet feet running (not walking) through the apartment and their giggles of happiness as the anticipation of surprising me wakes them up way too early. Those are the years where I will be at the spa, most likely with tears in my eyes. This year I got exactly what I wanted. To be woken up at the crack of dawn by the sweetest gifts I have ever been given, so full of joy that I am their mother and that they get to spoil me. If only they knew how incredibly blessed I am because I have the awesome privilege of being their mother. Of getting to spend every day with them, and the awesome responsibility of shaping them into the people they will become. I spent my Mother's Day exactly the way I wanted to spend it. With my greatest gifts and the man who absolutely adores us. God is SO good!

My Blue Eyes

Ryan has the most beautiful blue eyes. They are even brighter than this picture of him at 12 months old. He is always talking about his blue eyes. Blue is his favorite color and it hasn't escaped him that his eyes are his favorite color. He loves his blue eyes, and so do we! The other night he had a little friend over for a playdate and dinner. While she was eating in the booster seat, he bent over and cocked his head up to look at her, about three inches from her precious face. Then he said in his most excited voice, "Caroline has blue eyes like my blue eyes!" It so sweet the way he talks about his blue eyes. Tonight after dinner, Bill flipped his chair over to see if he could find where a misplaced screw (STS) went. Ryan immediately went to assist his daddy. While watching what Daddy was doing, he started talking about Daddy's brown eyes. He stuck his finger in Bill's eye (literally) and said, "You have brown eyes, not like my blue eyes." Bill's eye's are actually a true hazel, but it is so cute to hear his little voice talk in the sentences he comes up with. He brings us so much joy!

First ER Injury

Well, it was bound to happen at some point. Monday started out great. Everyone slept in, we spent the first part of the morning as a family before Bill headed off to work and the kids and I headed to playgroup. After playgroup we had a great trip to the BX (the kids were angels!) and post office, and met Daddy at Chili's for lunch. We stopped by ITT and reserved our tickets back to the States and headed home for quiet time. On our way off base I stopped by the gas station to fill up the batmobile and put air in the tires. Kaity needed to use the restroom, so she went to the side of the building and used the one there. On the way out, she slammed her thumb in the hinged side of the metal door. Fortunately (thank the Lord), I was right there and was able to get the door open within a few seconds that felt like minutes. She just started saying ouch, ouch, ouch, but as soon as the door opened and the blood started gushing she started freaking out. I grabbed a bunch of toilet paper, threw it around her finger and compressed it until we got to the car. That was the end of the freak out. I threw her in the front seat and we drove with no seat belts on to the hospital. We sped (at 15 mph it didn't take much) to the hospital, where everything was guarded and taped off since we are currently in the middle of an exercise. The whole ride (maybe 2 minutes, if that) Kaitlyn reminded me that it was dangerous riding in the front seat, especially with no seat belts on. That's my girl! When the poor guy saw all the blood he waved us into the bay where I left Ryan in the car and escorted Kaity inside. I threw my id card at them and, after making such Kaity was okay with me leaving, ran outside to find no less than 8 people swarmed around the car getting Ryan out and getting ready to bring him to me. Ryan and I parked the car and joined Kaitlyn inside in her little hospital bed. She had NO color to her face and it was nearly the color of her off white shirt. Not what a mommy wants to see! After sitting in bed with her (continuing to elevate and compress) for a bit, her cheeks started to get a little color back into them. After about an hour or so, they decided they needed to get her back for some x-rays. We all joined her in the x-ray room and I realized it was probably past just needing some stitches, so I got out the camera and began the photo documentation.

First x-rays

Checking out the x-ray machine

ER self-portrait

We waited a while longer before the docs came in to share the x-ray results with us and recommend treatment. She had a small fracture in the bone, but they were really worried about damage to the nail bed. I was actually pretty calm throughout the whole trip, but have to admit when they said they were going to put my baby girl under I thought of the worst. Fortunately, it was a conscious sedation and there was an anesthesia specialist there to monitor everything. It also didn't hurt that he had a little six year old princess as well, and he cared for her like he would his own.

The doc checking it out. Smart girl knew not to look this time.

After the doc left, I called a friend and had her come get Ryan. He was amazing. Our busy little boy was so great and stayed in the bed with us the whole time. I had no toys or means for entertainment and God truly blessed me because we were on our way home for nap when this happened. So, our sweet boy missed nap and was an awesome little guy while everyone was making a fuss over his sister. I didn't even think to call anyone because I was thinking that, at worst, she would just need a few stitches. No big deal. Always the optimist! Two and a half hours later, Ryan joined his buddy Sophie for a little play date, we got a hold of Bill, and the surgical team prepped for the operation.

Such a good boy!

While we were waiting for Daddy and the surgical team.

The orthopedic surgeon was AWESOME! She was so kind and reassuring. She explained to us exactly what was going to happen and that she was going to make Kaitlyn as good as new. She was a natural with Kaitlyn and our brave little girl had no fear, despite all the pain she was in. Well, a little of the needle, but ended up saying it tickled. Many thanks to Major Good for that one!

The orthopedic surgeon and her patient just before the drugs were administered. She was distracting Kaity with her funny glasses!

While Kaity was in la-la land (Maj. Good kept saying it was the best legal high you could ever have), Major McMichael removed Kaity's nail (didn't have too much work to do as Kaity did a doosie on it), repaired her nail bed, reattached her nail, and stitched up the underside of her thumb. The surgery took about an hour and she should be as good as new. The only concern she had was of a small numb spot where she may have lost feeling due to the fact that she cut it so deep and so close to the nerve, but only time will tell on that one.

She doesn't remember a thing!

Two hours later, we were released. While we were waiting for the meds to wear off a bit more, Kaity was telling us about her time "asleep". She said she was all over the place. On the walls, on the ceiling, dancing around the room. She knew it was just a dream though. She smiled a drugged little smile several times that just made us giggle. When I asked her to say thank you to the doc, she smiled and winked at her. I think the wink wasn't quite intended (maybe it was, we wink at each other a lot at home), but it sure was adorable. The surgical team all told her she was the very best patient they had ever had. She was so incredibly brave. I had to admire her bravery at such a young age in such a painful time, uncertain of all that was happening around her. She was wearing a shirt with FABULOUS across it and it was very fitting for the afternoon. The surgical team ate it up too! I cannot stress how incredibly AWESOME this team was. They worked so wonderfully together and were amazing with our angel. A true gift from God.

Waving good-bye to the surgical team...just after coming to.

We wrapped up the night with takeout from Thai 2, our favorite restaurant in Osan, and cotton candy ice cream for our brave patient! And a 7:30 bedtime for a very drained Mommy!

Kaitlyn hasn't missed a beat since the incident and goes back in a few hours for a post-op follow up appointment. We are confident she is healing well, and are thankful that generics weren't affected by the children's medicine recall!