Well I can't believe that we have been here for 3 weeks already. WARNING: this is a VERY long post. We had 3 adventures PLUS the beach. You are all probably wondering why I haven't been in any pics-well lets just say that I am the photographer in the fam and then when it is just me and the kids well-you can probably guess why I am not in any pics. I hope you enjoy, because I enjoy being able to enjoy this experience and be able to put the pictures up to help me remember one week to the next. Dates of these pictures range from Saturday July 17th-Saturday July 24th
Waihe'e Falls Hike
This is a 1 1/2 mile hike to a 30ft waterfall. Pretty easy but a lot of up hill, in the rain and mud.
Here is a great little swimming hole that we came across on the way to the waterfall. We came back and swam here, those pictures are coming later.
If you look really closely you can see 2 different waterfalls.
Snack break, we took a lot of snacks and water and good thing we did. The humidity and walking uphill sure make you thirsty and hunger.
This isn't a very good picture because at this point it started to really rain but I had to show this cool tree. Lots of different shoots would grow straight out of the ground and go straight up, and they were strong enough that the kids could swing on the branches.
We finally made it to our destination. It was such a beautiful waterfall. It didn't have a big pool at the bottom but you could still go and stand underneath. The water was FREEZING!
Curtis enjoying a cool and refreshing shower and he needed it-he says-he was so hot and sweaty from the hike
Sorry about the wet spots, but it was raining! It was so beautiful, well worth the hike and all the mud.
HANG LOOSE!!
Jake trying to figure out how to do a hang loose sign. Does he remind you of anyone we know?!? The apple doesn't fall to far from the tree in this family.
The kids really seemed to enjoy the waterfall. They were glad that they had their daddy to come with them on this adventure. We were the only ones at the waterfall for awhile and then another family showed up so we started to head back down.
Here are the pics of the kids swimming in the swimming hole. Just right behind them it really drops off. Bailee went over there and went under and still didn't get to touch the bottom. I know it's not really saying much but still.
The water was so cold that Jon and I didn't want to get in. Jake got in and then it was to cold so he got back out. This is the picture that if you look behind them that is where it is deep.
Getting close to dusk, Jon took my camera-without me knowing-and was taking pictures. This is from our little beach I just thought that it was a pretty picture so I put it on here.
Now the other direction
I am actually in a picture. I was wondering where everyone disappeared at and found them down by the beach. It is quite relaxing to just go and sit on the rocks and watch the ocean.
The kids decided that they wanted to go to a different beach so that they could play in the sand. This hole was next to us so Jake decided that was his little play area.
The waves here are bigger than our beach, but not so big that the kids don't like to play in them. It is a really nice beach and not crowded at all. The place is perfect for us.
Bailee and Curtis love to go out and jump the waves. The one thing that the kids don't like about the beach is all the sand that ends up in their suits when they are done. We do back at our place have a hose so we wash off really well before going into the house. It saves our plumbing and we don't have to shower after going to the beach every time.
I wonder why they get so sandy? Not a question around here, they love this! We actually stayed at this beach for 3 1/2 hours while they played.
My little sandy piranha-as he is know to a lot of people. He loves to pose for the camera and then see his pictures after.
Bailee completely covered her whole body with sand and she looked so dark with it all over her body. People pay a fortune for this kind of exfoliation, and we get it for free every day!
Bailee catching a wave with Curtis's boogie board
HUKILAUHere is the story of the Hukilau-I didn't know this before going to one so I thought that I would share it hear so that I wouldn't forget and then you can learn.
When the saints first came to Laie they had a chapel and it accidentally burnt down in 1940 but because of the restrictions caused by WWII they were unable to start rebuilding until 1948. The local church members decided to start a hukilau as a fundraising activity for the new chapel. A HUKILAU is an ancient Hawaiian fishing method in which a large net is laid in the ocean with lengthy ropes extending to the beach tied to each end. Long leaves or LAU in hawaiian which are tied along the length of the ropes, flutter in the water and help scare the fish into the net as the community pulls (huki in hawaiian) the ropes gradually bringing the net to shore. The 1st hukilau was a huge success that it inspired Jack Owens to write the Hukilau Song. The hukilaus continued for 20 years till the government wanted to tax the saints. To raise money they would have crafts to buy, a luau and music.
So this first picture is the men putting the net into the boat to take it out.
This is our neighbor Harlan rowing the net out into the ocean.
The guy in the white shirt is holding the end of the net and then the boat is heading out and dropping the net.
If you look close you can see the net dropping into the water.
This is the other end and this is the rope with the leaves tied on to scare the fish and you start pulling and heading toward the starting guy while slowing pulling the net toward shore.
The guy on the left in the black shirt is our bishop here, and then the guy in the grey shirt is Brent Stauffer the painter on the temple and our next door neighbor. His wife will come with me and the kids a lot to the beach.
Jon and the kids pulling in the net
Another picture of them helping!
You have to look really close towards the water to see the net in the water. It takes a lot of people to pull it into the shore.
Just waiting to be told when to start pulling again.
Here is the end pole that the net is attached to and then it also helps to keep it in the boat without all spilling out at once.
Now if you see the net closet to us that is one side of the net, then you look to the group of people behind and that is the other end of the net. So you pull and start coming together to get the net in.
These are all the snorklers that stay out in the water and help so that the net doesn't get stuck on any of the rocks or other stuff in the ocean.
You can't see any fish but this is our catch. We didn't get a whole lot but enough for me if you were to ask. Bailee is in the pink shirt, Kenadee in the yellow, and then Curtis is on the left in the gray striped shirt.
One of the fish that got caught. Poor little sucker, suffer a slow and painful death.
Bailee and the fish!
Jake and the fish!
Kenadee and the Fish!
Curtis and the Fish!
I was surpised that they all held it. You can probably guess which one I am thinking of, but they didn't even squirm or anything. I probably wouldn't have held it, not my kind of thing.
End of the HUKILAU-it was a very neat experience.SUNSET BEACH-with our daddy
we get him out every now and again!
I had to put this on, it is probably one of my favorite-so far. He was resting, you know he swims so hard.
He has this coloring book of beach stuff and it has a little boy on the front that is buried in sand and he keeps asking to be buried so this was the perfect beach for that. He loved every minute of it, it says a lot that he would actually hold still long enough to get buried.
All sandy and showing his muscles to ya. He wanted me to keep burying him over and over, but I convinced him other wise, and distracted him.
Isn't the scenery great?!? What a tough little man!
I just thought that this was a cool shot, that is Curtis standing there and then Jon and the girls behind him in the water.
Curtis and his birthday present, he picked this out all by himself and we have had a great time with it. We probably don't ride it like we should but we are having a great time.
Jon is holding the board while the kids climb on and then when the waves comes he lets go and they try and surf. They don't last very long, but they get a thrill with it.
Another cool shot. Sunset beach is the world famous beach for surfing, but the two times that we have been there the waves have been non-existent, but it is a great place for the kids to play and to watch the......yep SUNSET!
Kenadee wanted a try at surfing, the minute Jon let go of the board she fell, but you could hear them laughing clear up on shore. Plus it is a great shot with the sun, I think. Not a Ricky awesome, but good for me.
Jake is dancing with the waves. He sure gets worn out which is good for us at night. He usually falls asleep around 8-8:30 and that is after asking us if he can go to sleep. TO bad he hasn't learned how to sleep past 6:30 in the moring.
The setting of the sun. We got to the beach around 6pm so that we could play for a little while before the sunset, it is definetely worth waiting around for.
It is even better of a shot when you have Jon and the 3 older kids down in the water. Here are a couple of pictures of the sun setting.
I really like this one.
Tried to get all the kids to the beach before the sunset but it different happen very well. We will have to go back again and try it again.
Last picture-Hope all is well back home. We love and miss all of you. Visitors are welcomed! Hint, Hint-he he just let us know ahead of time!
Stay tuned for more adventures next week!