12 Days of Christmas: Merry Christmas!

We're a little late all around this year. Busy yesterday and didn't get this posted. Art work from Robbie. Tomorrow, will try to order our photo cards. Hope everyone is having fun.

12 Days of Christmas: Home for the Holidays

My Mom stitched and framed this beautiful cross-stitch tapestry for me a few years ago. For reasons I don't remember now, I never brought it over to our home in Hawaii. So Mom hangs it in her living room during the Christmas season and I get to enjoy it while I'm here.

12 Days of Christmas: Santa Sand Sculpture

We went to Rumfire, a restaurant along the water at the Waikiki Sheraton, for dinner last night. I walked by this huge, indoor sand sculpture at least three times before noticing it! I guess I was a little distracted with the boys in tow. The sculpture is at least 6-7 feet tall, and pretty wide all around. The title was "Santa Taking Hula Lessons" or something, but I don't know if that's an accurate description. Looks a wee bit more intimate.

12 Days of Christmas: Holiday Windows

Late last month I picked up a bunch of ornaments to hang within the window frames in the house. My Mom is here and she went to work and made it happen! Just like a professional store front. Looks great from inside and out. Easy, festive way to decorate for the season without a big electric bill looming in January.

12 Day of Christmas: M&M Nutcracker

I passed this silly thing by many a times in the commissary in the past few months, but Saturday night I could no longer resist! You pour a small amount of plain M&Ms through an opening in the back, press a lever, and candies pop out of his mouth. Left alone to play with it, Robbie had a lot of fun. The candies were ultimately eaten, but not at pace you might expect for a 4.5 year old!

12 Days of Christmas: Princess Kaiulani Gingerbread Village

Every year since we got here, I've read of a fantastic holiday gingerbread display in Waikiki. We finally made it! This afternoon after lunch with my in-laws, we walked over to the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani Hotel to check it out. I was expecting it to smell better (no gingerbread/spice smell at all) but otherwise it was magic. The pastry chef is German and he models the scene on a classic European winter village. Two trains, tunnels and overpasses, ice skaters...it was all there. Even a working gondola! The boys loved the trains, of course, but we all felt like kids while looking at it.

12 Days of Christmas: Cinnamon Ornaments Redux

One of my holiday favorites came home in the backpack this week! Three survived transit, one (so far) has not survived display in the kitchen. Robbie was a little heavy-handed with the rolling pin this time around; two are a bit thin. I found a "recipe" in a holiday magazine and was going to see if it's something Robbie might want to do with his cousin Johnny when we visit next week. Recipe makes 60 ornaments. Hmmm, let's use our newly dusted-off math skills to divide the ingredients and create a much smaller amount.

12 Days of Christmas: TSA Bans Snow Globes

This just in - family flying through SoCal sent me this mobile pic. Seasonal signage at the airport says snow globes are banned in carry-on luggage. Bah, humbug! You've got to be crazy to pack one in your check-in luggage, so it doesn't look good for traveling snow globes this season and beyond. Friends, heed my cries and pick 'em up at your destination!

12 Days of Christmas: Clifford Tree Topper

The Kapolei library has to be one of the newest in the state system. It's clean, spacious, not musty...even has Hawaiian quilts hanging on the high ceilings. A very nice place to be. This year they set up a two-story Christmas tree, complete with Scholastic book mega-star Clifford the Big Red Dog on top. I like it! I've been spending a lot of Saturdays there in the last month studying. Going back to school next month! The bad news is I have to take a math placement exam, covering exercises and theories I haven't studied in over 20 years. And it's not like riding a bike—some of that stuff does NOT come back that easy!

Spotted nearby - the Saffron Finch

OK, so we've had numerous failed attempts to hang a bird feeder in our yard (couldn't keep them high enough out of reach of young hands) but I haven't given up bird watching. After a quick run to the grocery store on Tuesday, I spotted these small, yellow birds in the open area across the street. I've seen them a few times, but never where I could take a picture. Yesterday I gave it a try...parked in the driveway and ran in and grabbed the first camera I found in the kitchen. Ran out and started snapping. They scurried away from me, but I was able to get a few shots before they flew off completely. I checked a bird book we have in the house, and according to "A Pocket Guide to Hawai'i's Birds," they are saffron finches. In the category of "Cardinals and Cousins," the guide says they are an immigrant from South America, frequently found on the Big Island, around Kona and the airport. Hmmm...

12 Days of Christmas: Reindeer Paper Bag Puppet

The first Christmas craft came home in the backpack last Thursday afternoon — a reindeer puppet, complete with googly eyes and big red bow. Googly eyes have sure gotten fancy. These have shaded lids and eyelashes. The puppet is not in use yet, right now I'm enjoying it taped to the kitchen cupboard door. Something else I'm enjoying right now is the Eddie Aikau big wave surfing contest. Running today and the waves at Waimea are huge! Not literally there at the bay, but enjoying the live coverage on cable.

While the boys were sleeping...

I can't boast that I'm a morning person, but I will say I tend to get up early and function pretty well when I do. Noel, on the other hand, likes to sleep in and doesn't get up early unless necessary. It should surprise no one that while on vacation, I like to sneak out of the hotel room early and wander around while the boys - and most of the world - are sleeping. That could actually be the subject of a whole other blog...

On our last day on Kauai I set my alarm for 6:25 and headed out, camera in hand. I wandered through the hotel grounds, past the pool attendants scrubbing down the pool tiles for the day, and found another monk seal on the beach. This time, surrounded by no one. He had been there a while. He apparently rolled over on the first set of safe-distance ropes set up by the hotel staff, prompting them to set up another. So if he looks in distress here laying on ropes, rest assured he's not. I also did not disturb him, he rolled over, opened his eyes, and I got the shot. But he went right back to sleep.

Past the monk seal, I wandered further down Poipu Beach, where I watched a dozen turtles feed in the waters 10 feet from shore. Yes! So close. Fun to watch, ridiculously hard to photograph. I wasn't entirely alone, there were some roosters (it was Kauai, after all), surfers, and a few other early-risers, but it was still a nice, quiet morning. I headed back to the hotel after an hour or so, found Noel getting ready for a court appearance and the boys stirring. Had breakfast in the room, packed up, and checked out.

Monk Seal on Poipu Beach

Two Sundays ago, we were enjoying this seal resting on the beach in Poipu. Here's one more from our impromptu photo session.

12 Days of Christmas: Holiday Ornament classes!

Late last month I taught a beading class at Bead It! Kaimuki and next week I'll be teaching one more closer to home in Kapolei. This time miniature snowflake ornaments - one of my favorite patterns that I make in different colors for friends and family each year. Made with Swarovski bicone crystals and matching seed beads, this one is quick to stitch and quite addicting. And the color possibilities are endless! I put up a small tree on my kitchen counter and add these and other beaded ornaments to it, but they're fun on full size trees as well.

12 Days of Christmas: Hallmark Ornaments

It's time for the 12 days of Christmas! OK, not so much for the readers, but for the author. I had fun with holiday posts last year so I'm bringing 'em back, starting with recent holiday activity! Every year I buy the Hallmark Keepsake Winnie the Pooh ornaments. I know, I know, I'm embarrassing myself here. I can't explain why I like them or why I continue to buy them even though they are ridiculously overpriced. But I do. I used to get them 50% off the day after Christmas, standing in line with others before the stores open, trying to get the good deals. Once I started making better money, I started "treating" myself to all of them as early as November - at full price. This has continued, even though I stopped working after baby #2 arrived. But in the last few years, that's pretty much all the mall shopping I do. And yes, it's all for me.

I dreamed a dream of monk seals...

Here's Cub relaxing at the pool in Poipu. He just woke up from a nap taken in my arms. While sleeping, we explored the adjacent beach a bit and took pictures of the monk seal. He missed it all, but one wonders what his subconscious picks up. Once awake (shown here) he pondered another round in the pool. We love hotel pools! And this resort didn't disappoint.

No Black Friday for me

I'm not shopping today, but I do need to get serious about gifts. I've got a bunch of things to make and need to start the production line. Might need to take a few extra minutes to get organized — earlier in the week, Cub got his hands on my beading workstation and upended my bead mat. The results are represented in this picture. The real scene wasn't so pretty. Lucky for me, most of the loose pieces were projected back on the table and not the floor and all needles (best that I can tell) are accounted for. Yet another reason to give thanks!

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your day be full of friends, family, and good food and may your cornucopia be filled with high fiber snacks like apples and pears. Or at least that's the message I think they are telling preschoolers these days.

Quick weekend on Kauai

We're back home after two days/two nights in Poipu on Kauai. Quick but fun, and as always, left us asking, "Why aren't we staying longer?" and "When can we get back here?" We stayed at the fantastic Marriott property Waiohai Beach Club, adjacent to the public Poipu Beach. Monk seals frequent the area and hang out on the beach for hours, like this one here.

Nation prepares for pumpkin shortage?

Did you hear the news? On Thursday, the Libby's company alerted the public to a potential canned pumpkin shortage. Oh the horror! Flooding in the Midwest damaged the crops, and officials are worried there won't be enough for all the pies on Turkey Day. Upon hearing this I checked my cupboard...and cheered! I had a can left over from who knows when, and it's good until 2011. Whew. When folks 'round here hear talk of a shortage on anything, they hoard. Don't get me started about the rice "shortage" of '07. OK, go ahead, get me started. I found it hysterical. I saw one woman exiting the commissary with an entire shopping cart full of rice. Literally! It ended up there was less available to be shipped here for a few weeks and never a true shortage. But the store shelves emptied anyway.

Hawaiian songbird at the Pearl NEX

Early last week I read about an interesting free concert: Raiatea Helm, well-known and admired Hawaiian singer (from Molokai) performing at the Pearl Navy Exchange. I marked my calendar and we made our way there Saturday evening. I thought she might perform in the Atrium outside the store, but when we got there, were told when asked that she'd be upstairs in the electronics department. A concert first for me! Her image was splashed across all of the demo TVs. She sounded great and signed for the fans after her short set. For the second year, she has partnered with Hawaiian Host (yes, the chocolate mac nut treats) for the holidays. A CD with a couple of her tracks is included with purchase of a box of chocolates. Double yum!

Good times for art-loving Mom

The fall and winter holidays offer endless artistic inspiration for kids and teachers alike - and this preschooler's Mom loves it! We had some fun and interesting pieces show up in the backpack for Halloween. Now here come the Thanksgiving turkeys. I'm getting excited about upcoming travel / holiday plans. We'll be on Kauai for a few days this month, then the boys and I head to California for Christmas for the first time in three or four years.

Halloween fun...at the Lego store

On Saturday night, we headed out to dinner with Noel's parents at the Ala Moana Mall. The mall was hosting trick or treating, so I figured it would be fun there (versus our neighborhood, which is kind of slow). Dinner ran later than expected and we sort of missed the trick or treating window, but that was probably for the best. Robbie wouldn't wear his ghost costume for more than two seconds, and we didn't even attempt to get Cub in anything as he was just being fussy. So we headed down to the Lego store and for these kids, it was better than candy! Robbie zeroed in on the "make your own figurines" bar and made the Lego people below. Cub is above, digging into the "Pick a brick" wall. It's at least 10 feet high, and 12-16 bins across. You can buy individual Lego pieces in bulk.

Happy Halloween!

Festive pancakes

I thought the boys would like a few pieces of candy corn on the morning pancakes. Wrong! They ignored them. I guess M&Ms in Halloween colors would have been a better bet. Second Furlough Friday today; the boys are currently enjoying "The Ghost Who Was Afraid of Halloween" (Super Why!). My task today? Make costumes for the boys. Robbie has said all week he wants to be a ghost. Then last night he got it into his head he wants to be a red ghost. Uhhh, no.

Just around the corner...

Halloween! Coming soon. And these cards would be coming soon to family...if they were in the mail already. I made a few greeting cards using scrapbook stickers and plain note cards. Had Robbie do a few by placing the stickers all around (not these, I got a little anal and took over). Even tried to get him to sign his name, but that didn't last very long. When you're a preschooler, you can only be asked to sign your name a few times before it gets really old. Come to think of it, I've had to write a few checks for a few bills this week, and I guess signing your name as an adult gets old, too. Cards are packaged and sealed and ready to go, just need to fix the right postage on them and they're off. Odds are slim they're make it to the Mainland by Saturday, but we tried!

I'm such a sucker

OK, so for whatever reason, the paper didn't come today and I've opened and closed the front door a few more times than normal while looking for it. On the most recent pass, I check on our door resident. And check it out! He's got all his legs, plus a stubby second antenna. Here I thought he'd been a victim of the ground keepers. I still left him there. Unless it's confirmed he bites, he's not bothering me.

Critter cam!

We found this guy hanging on our front door this morning. Haven't seen one like him in a while, not sure if it's seasonal or weather related. Almost always on an external door or window when spotted though. He was on the door when Robbie went off to the bus, still in the exact same spot a few hours later even though we've gone in and out of the house a few times. From bottom leg to tip of his one antenna, he's about a centimeter shy of the length of my iPhone. In addition to a missing antenna, he's down one front leg. I feel a bit sorry for him so will let him be.

Sunday afternoon in the park

My sister and family came over to my Mom's house on the Sunday I was back in the Bay Area. We made a run with my niece and nephew to the park I grew up playing in and around. It's changed a bit since then, with a nice skateboard section and updated (read: a little safer!) playground equipment, but the heart of it stays the same: large pond with ducks and the usual paths carved through the grassy areas. After a little while on the swings, we thought it was going to start raining so we packed up and made a quick getaway. I snapped this picture of my Mom, holding my nephew's hand with one arm, and holding on to the leash of her beloved dog Max, with the other. When I told her I took a few pictures of her from behind, she looked aghast (I think this would be a universal reaction, no?). But I reassured her the composition looked really good and was actually quite flattering!

Furlough Friday is on

The court has spoken and let the Furlough Fridays stand...for now. I believe the judge made a good call to postpone his actual decision for a few weeks. If he indeed overturns the Fridays, then schools and parents will have more time to prepare. In a statement which will no doubt leave Noel stunned and asking for a DNA test, Robbie declared this morning that he wanted to go to school. Life is confusing, son. No school for you. Instead we're taking a road trip to get out of the house and see some of the island we don't get to often. This shot is from my Mom's garden earlier this week. The day lilies were thriving!

News and notes from the island

Here's another aerial shot from the plane on Tuesday. Minutes earlier the pilot had gone on to say that no more electronic devices were allowed, etc. But then I look up out of my window to see the Leeward side coming into view, with a great shot of the Ko Olina coves from the air and I couldn't help myself. So I guess I shouldn't be posting these as they were taken against FAA regulations, but worth it! I had my iPhone in my purse under my seat, but the DSLR camera was out of reach in the overhead bin. Hard lesson learned!
If you place this picture side by side to the left of the earlier pic posted, they should more or less match up. If you look hard, you can see the man made coves and the Ko Olina hotel properties. (Not having the iPhone in my hand made me miss a really great shot. Doh!) That bizarre rectangle butting into the coast is not a cove, rather an industrial port. From our neighborhood, we can see the industrial port and the ocean beyond it, but the coves are just out of view. TheBoat no longer runs due to budget cuts, but when Noel was commuting on it, that's where we drove to catch it and later pick him up. If I were more industrious, I could also draw a line to show you where the Oahu Railway train runs in this area, but sorry, no time for that just now!
The first "Furlough Friday" is scheduled for tomorrow, but word is that a Federal judge is going to rule this afternoon on whether or not it will be a go. A group of parents got together to challenge the days off. So I will watch the news this evening to see if I need to get Robbie up for the bus in the morning. On a lighter note, the first humpback whale sighting of the season was yesterday, in waters off West Maui.

Mainland run...in reverse

I'm home now and getting back in the swing of things. Went to the Bay Area for a long weekend to attend the National Kidney Association's Annual Authors Luncheon. A fabulous event! More on that later. Also was able to see many friends, as well as spend a lot of time with family. Although my boys were missed, the days flew by filled with good times that were truly good for the soul and spirit.
I sat on the left side of the plane that brought me back to HNL yesterday, which offered this view of Leeward Oahu. The large mass of homes in the center of the photo above the freeway (H1) is where we live. To the left and out of the frame is Ko Olina. Below the freeway (in view) is commercial development in Kapolei (stores and gas stations, etc.) as well as more housing. The plane was flying east over the coastline, in its final descent to the airport.

Riding the Pineapple Express*

So the week went well with the two boys home. Pretty much a normal week with errands, shopping, playing with our train set, and late afternoon playground runs. We picked up a new tricycle for Cub, but he's not that into it yet. On Saturday I wanted to treat the boys to a train ride at the Dole Plantation (it was really for me, celebrating that we made it through the week!). I was buying tickets and forgot to ask for the kama 'aina rate (local rate) but the ticket agent asked me and gave me the discount without even asking for ID. Nice! But then as we were about to board, one of the staffers pulls us aside and asks to take our picture. Oh, I thought, so we don't look so local after all. Instead of getting out of it, I went ahead and roped Robbie in and smiled. I wasn't even thinking of the pic as we got off the train, they actually spot you and come up with the print. I looked and was surprised. A very good smile on Robbie and I didn't look like the frazzled mom I had expected to. Had I known this, I probably would have moved closer to the train as the photographer asked, stood up straighter, and tried to get Cub to look at the camera (and maybe smile, but looking and smiling is asking for a lot!). We'll take what we can get! The picture ($15) ended up being more than the train ride for the three of us ($12.75) but going with that day's theme of "treats," I figured why not. I also like the continuity of Robbie holding the red train in the pic this time.

* We rode the train years ago (pre-Cub) when Robbie was a year or two old. I didn't remember it being called the Pineapple Express then, but I'm sure it was. I guess they don't have rights to the name...the plantation administrators had to be appalled by the movie of the same name!

Waiting for the train ride

Cub's 2nd birthday was Saturday. On Sunday we celebrated with a ride on the Hawaiian Railway - a train ride that starts in Ewa and runs through Kapolei, KoOlina, and up to Kahe Point. We snapped a few quick shots of the boys just before the train pulled out of the station. Robbie was completely excited. We couldn't figure out why the birthday boy was making this face. (You can click on the pictures in the following posts for a larger image.)

Waiting for the train ride (2)

Next shot on the camera roll...Cub's expressions had Noel and I laughing to the point of almost crying. Note him clutching a James train from the Thomas the Tank Engine set.

Waiting for the train ride (3)

Here we were getting rather excited and making a lot of "woo-hoo" type sounds. Cub still wasn't into it.

View from the train

Like the Sugar Cane Train on Maui, the Oahu train has roots in the sugar cane plantation era. During the 90 minute train ride, we got the historical overview of how the train came to be (a narrator is on board), when and where it ran and was used, as well as some other fun facts. The train starts in Ewa and reaches its destination (Kahe Point) in about 40 minutes. We sit for about 10 minutes along the coast before the train heads back to Ewa. No turning around or repositioning the trains cars...we just went back.
Here's the gorgeous view of the Waianae Coast from that final stop before heading back to Ewa. On the mauka side (not pictured) you would see Kahe Point. Sadly, a good portion of the trip is not this scenic. As we ride past Kapolei, it's pretty empty except for recent commercial developments like the new Costco. Through the KoOlina properties, we ride alongside the golf course. Past KoOlina, the train is wedged between the coastline and Farrington Highway and we finally see the ocean. The boys ended up having a lot of fun. Even the grandparents were up for more rides in the future!

Art imitates...life?

I've been pondering a functional re-org of our house and we've been trying a new sleeping arrangement for the boys. Basically seeing if they can sleep together in the same room so we can use our third bedroom as a dedicated guest room and office. I had concerns that they would keep each other up or otherwise disrupt the sleeping pattern. We've had a few hiccups but so far, so good. The other night Cub went down pretty quickly but Robbie was restless (and loud!) so I moved him to another room. He didn't like that! When he got up the next morning, he wanted to know if he could sleep with Cub that night, and when he got home from school, he reminded me again. So I guess it's working.

Sometime last week this drawing came home in his backpack. It has some inaccuracies! They do not share the same bed, rather they each have their own mattress. And we don't have a cat. Not sure where that one came from! When Noel saw it, he said, "So that's why my allergies have been bad recently!" I'm also unclear as to what the yellow box with the vertical stripes is. Best guess is the window with horizontal blinds. Nice eye for detail, kiddo!

Next week public schools are off. Officially called "Fall Intercession." Fall break! I don't remember Fall break as a kid! They do get the traditional 5-day weekend at Thanksgiving and a lengthy Christmas break, so this is not to make up for that. And in addition, due to state budget cuts, the teachers voted last week to add 17 "Furlough Fridays" to the calendar instead of teacher layoffs and other cuts. We have a lot of 3- and 4- day weekends in our future.

Future Park Ranger?

I am drinking in the PBS Series "America's Best Idea" like a fine, fine wine! OK, truth be told, it has been on three nights, and I've caught no more than 30 minutes each night, but oh so inspiring! A lot of Tivo to catch up on. I also watched Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan on BookTV Saturday discussing the series and the companion book. The episodes run this week and again in January for, as they clearly state, folks to watch when they are deciding where to go on their next vacation. No kidding! One look at Arcadia in Maine and I'd want to hop on a plane next summer for sure. Here's our own future parks lover (just like the Grandpa he's named for), in full, goofy kid form at Yellowstone this summer. This was after he ran through the boardwalk surrounding the nearby thermal pools. Note the dusty knees from when he stopped to get a closer look.

Poolside fun

We crashed the ongoing party at KoOlina last weekend. We went over for the morning to be with friends and hung out in and around the fabulous property pools. We barely got Robbie out. Even while we had lunch he just sat there, similar to the shot attached. This week I went out and bought him a pair of goggles. We are hoping that the pool experience makes him more comfortable in water and if he has goggles on, he'll experiment more with his face in the water. Initial test runs in the bath tub went OK. Baby steps!

Arizona Memorial replica

Last of the can art display from the mall. Here's a replica of the Arizona Memorial. My favorite! Somewhat easy to stack yet nice touch with the soft curving of the top edges. And a nod for the best use of bottled water. I had to laugh recently - friends were visiting last week and went to Pearl Harbor. They asked about Noel's various jobs as a Marine and whether or not he ever drove the boat that ferries visitors over to the Memorial. No, he wore a lot of hats as a JAG, but never that one!
In a related note, read in the paper over the weekend that the Arizona Memorial Visitor's Center was hosting a special 45 minute preview of Ken Burns' latest PBS project, "America's Best Idea." (Hours and hours - in HD - on the history and geography of the national parks? I can barely breathe thinking about it!) Wasn't able to make it to the sneak peek, but I'm anxiously awaiting the series starting next Monday. They aired a shorter preview on the local PBS station two weeks ago and it looks amazing.

My runner-up in the canned art display

Here's my second-favorite display: Shave ice! And my favorite flavor, too. Red! Yes, sadly a color and not an actual flavor. Cherry and strawberry are pretty much interchangeable in all that sugary, thick syrup, and they taste the same to me. To achieve the deep red color for the display, they wrapped each can in red cellophane. Coincidentally, we went to Matsumoto's on the North Shore yesterday with friends in town. I think it will be my last for a while. Either that or I try Aoki's next door. I ordered cherry and lime, and the lime was a yellow-green color, very unappetizing to the eye. And it didn't taste that great either. My friend sat down right outside when open seats became available before I had time to warn her about the smell. Each time I've been there it stinks of a sewage backup. Yes, right out front. Gross. My kids were a little restless so I didn't make a fuss and move but thinking back that wasn't one of my best decisions.

Canned food drive with an artistic twist

We rarely plan our mall outings around shopping; normally we plan a monorail ride and then walk around a bit while we're there. (The monorail connects two areas of a sprawling shopping complex that costs $0.50 per adult, one way, lasts just a few minutes, and offers a unique view of Pearl Harbor. But it's really just the ride the boys like.) Late last month we stumbled upon a large art installation timed in conjunction with a canned food drive. Here's Robbie's favorite. I like the use of white balloons to complete the replica of a steam train. Pretty clever.

Pizza night!

Sometime back in February or March zpizza opened at the Ward Centre. I remember it - fondly - from its early origins during my college days, but had no idea that it had gone on to become a relatively big franchise. We finally got there earlier this summer and it's even better than I remember. The staff is super friendly as well, going beyond the call of duty to help us out as we rolled in with a toddler and a preschooler in tow.

Hands-down beats Boston Pizza here, who claim to be the best pizza on the island. Even better news for us, there will be a new zpizza location coming in a yet-to-be-completed shopping and dining complex near KoOlina.

Photo Trek at Waimea Valley

A few Sundays ago, I joined a small group of local photographers on a day trek with professional photographer George Lepp. Lighthaus Camera hosted the day and bused us out to Waimea Valley on the North Shore. The theme for the day can be summed up quickly: HDR - Bracket, bracket, bracket! Lepp has embraced the hot photographic trend and was eager for all of us to try it. Sure you can take a zillion images, but you need to later run the images through Photoshop or other similar apps to really see what you can get. And I haven't yet, which should surprise no one. This shot is from my phone, proof that I made the short yet tiring hike to the falls that day. Sadly it's not that far and completely paved, but always seems longer than they sell it.
They promised lunch in the deal and I was a little worried. I'm not a picky eater; I simply do not like a lot of "normal" stuff. I had visions of cheap, deli meat sandwiches slathered in mayo and mustard. Yuck, yuck, yuck. (I guess I'm outing myself in my hatred of mayo here. It's beyond dislike. The stuff makes me sick.) But I was very pleasantly surprised. The organizers let us have our pick off the menu at the Waimea Valley snack bar. For a snack bar, it was surprisingly good. I bypassed the standard plate lunches and instead opted for the Vegan Taro Burger figuring this might not be something I can easily get elsewhere. It was pretty good - moist taro patty on a soft taro bun. I looked around at the folks having the Kailua pulled pork and teriyaki chicken plate lunches and they looked pretty good too. If you're planning a trip to Waimea Valley, I can recommend eating there without any hesitation.

One more try with the thermal pool pics...

More images highlighting the unique colors and markings surrounding the thermal pools in Yellowstone. I spent a good chunk of time (when not trying to keep tabs on Robbie) studying the ground for interesting pictures of the patterns. Yes, that's a good vacation for me. :) I think the deep oranges are caused by sulphur. There really is an amazing range of colors, for some reason I liked best the shots highlighting mainly the earth-tones.