Kauai - Part 2

Time for more photos!  I know that these aren't exactly showcasing my business, but I really enjoy also using this blog to keep in touch with my family and friends, as well as create a "digital diary" for myself.  I spent some time looking back over my older posts and it was so cool to see what I was thinking and where I was at just two years go.  So sometimes posts, such as this one, are just as much for me as they are to share with all of you.  I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoy looking back on the times shared with my wonderful family...

About a month before we went to Kauai, my Mom turned 50.  For her birthday I wanted to give her something she would always remember.  So instead of just more "stuff" I decided to take her on a adventure that would make memories to last a lifetime!  I surprised her with a powered hang-glider trip :)  It was an amazing way to see the island.  Here I am getting ready to take off!

Mom flying high through the sky!

We flew up to about 5,000 feet.  So amazing to still be 'outside' and flying that high.  Definitely a surreal experience!

Looking out over the sugar cane fields and toward Mt. Waialeale (this mountain gets more rain than anywhere else on Earth!)

Over Waimea Canyon - the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific"

And finally up the Napali Coast!

These beaches are where they are filming portions of the 4th Pirates of the Caribbean!

So much fun!  We didn't even get scared once... the boys were so proud :)

Another favorite part of my trip... a visit to the coffee plantation!

I am a coffee addict... I bought about 5 lbs to bring home with me :) 

My gorgeous Mommy :)

These were my favorite flowers.  There was such variety on the island, but these ones were just perfect... and felt like velvet.

This one was pretty cool too... I have never seen such a fuzzy flower!

I have to say this is probably my favorite photo of the entire vacation.  To me it captures the simplistic beauty of Kauai.  This is Evan strolling toward the shore to check out the monster waves...

They look kind of big...

The waves won... after being rolled around in the sand and water he gave up... no snorkeling here :)

Ev took this photo of me... I did lots of walking on the beach.  Just soaking up the feel of the sand, the sound of the waves, and the smell of the salt.  I'm such a beach bum...

This little guy joined us for a picnic on the beach... I fed him an apple core :)

The Napali Coast!

Our last full day on the beach.  Trying to soak it all in!  Dwyatt had to swim all bandaged up... such a funny sight!

Last sunset.  Enjoyed with a margarita and the love of my life.  Nothing beats times like that.

On our last day we explored Hanalei town some more.  This adorable church is on the edge of town, and attracts many visitors.  It's easy to see why, there couldn't be a more beautiful setting to praise the Lord!

Family photo... oh good memories...

This trip was filled with such joy and so many great memories.  I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to enjoy such a beautiful place.

Kauai - Part 1

Since I have so many photos I want to share, I am not going to write a whole bunch... I'll just explain the stories behind my photos :) 

This was the view from the beach at our condos... Bali Hai :)

Sea Urchin we found on our favorite beach...

 Kauai is populated, over populated actually, with chickens.  They are everywhere!  Even on the beach where the will dig through your beach bag if left unattended...

 We went fishing!  It sounded like tons of fun... until Mom and I spent the entire day being seasick... ugh...

 But at least Ev caught a big fish!  He made for some very good dinners :)

 My favorite boys... mahalo.

 Kayaking up the Wailua river.  We were able to just go on our own and avoid the crowded tours, such a great day!

 After kayaking a couple miles, we left the kayaks on the bank and hiked a couple miles to a waterfall.  Kauai has to have the most perfect weather on Earth.  Never hot, never cold, just perfect :)

 Waterfall!

 The water was so cold, and I didn't really want to get all wet before hiking back through the forest, but Dwyatt kept saying, "You only get to do this once... don't you want to remember this?"  So glad we did... this is one of my favorite memories from the trip!  :)

 Stick fighting in the rainforest... at least they're entertaining...

 So while kayaking back toward Wailua we found this great cliff for jumping!  We decided as a family that the 5 of us would all go jump off and it would make a great family photo.  So after finding someone to take the photos, and climbing up the cliff, and all counting together...1...2...3... We jumped.  Well, most of us jumped... Mom got scared at the last minute.  Probably made for an even better memory :)

 Bali Hai at sunset.

 Dwyatt and I enjoyed many evenings on the beach :)

 We also visited Queen's Bath one day.  Queen's Bath is this natural pool formed in these black rocks that is fed by the waves, but protected from all the current so it's safe to swim in...  However, if you climb over the rocks and down by the water's edge...note where my Dad is... apparently it can be very dangerous! 

 But there were tons of sea turtles swimming around the rocks, so we had to go check them out :)  Later we were able to snorkel with the turtles at another beach!

 What's a beach vacation without a few mai-tais??

 So here are the photos of the kiteboarding adventure... Dwyatt has been learning to kiteboard all summer and has been determined to take all his stuff to Kauai.  One day the wind was perfect so he decided to give it a try...

 He made it!  Looking pretty darn good in this picture :)

 Not so good in this one... he later crashed into the reef, scraped up his entire right side and broke his left hand which resulted in surgery.  He is still in a cast today!  What am I going to do with this daredevil??

 Scuba diving!!  This was Evan's first time diving and it was so much fun!  We saw all kinds of fish, including the Hawaiian Humuhumunukunukuapua'a :)  We also saw some eels, sea turtles, sea urchins, and plenty of coral.

 Ev & I getting ready...

 Ev, you look so cool... :)

 This is kind of a random picture, but we were walking around a shopping center looking for souvenirs and I saw this tree with bananas growing on it!  Who has bananas growing on trees in a parking lot?!?!?  Apparently Hawaii does...

 Oh the scooters... Evan absolutely loved this thing.  Great way to see the island & tons of fun!

Ok that's it for part 1... I'll post more really soon!