First Day of 2nd Grade

After an amazing summer, Helen was ready to don a green shirt and head to 2nd grade. (Goodbye to the red shirts of kindergarten and first grade!) I remember 2nd grade as one of my favorites, and I suspect that this will be one of Helen’s favorites too. This will be a year with lots of reading time, math problems, field trips, and dancing... Yes, dancing. Recognizing that the work is more focused this year, Mrs. P told us at back-to-school night that she builds in regular breaks to expend energy, whether it’s walking around building, or putting on some music to boogie.

Road Trip Back From LA w/ Chula

Road Trip Back From LA w/ Chula, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

I love starting school after Labor Day because we can fully enjoy the long weekend. Just hours after we returned from the Big Island, we jumped in our car and headed to Los Angeles for our annual fall pilgrimage. We picked up Chula from boarding on the way home and made it through the entire “Wind in the Willows” on audiotape.

Tar Pit Pals

Tar Pit Pals, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

There were no shortage of Ru outings over the long weekend, and it was great to have Mae join us for an overnight sleepover, and a trip to LACMA and the Tar Pits. Later we got to commiserate with her brokenhearted parents who just returned from dropping Jarred off at college in New York. How can it be that our first Ru sibling has flown the coop?

Ru-Cruise 2011

Ru-Cruise 2011, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

We attempted a whale watching expedition, but choppy waters dictated a mellower excursion, so we opted for a Port of LA Harbor Cruise. It was a gorgeous day, and we were as captivated by the industrial beauty of a busy port as we were by the dolphins.

Ping Pong Trio

Ping Pong Trio, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

We’ve become big fans of Abbot Kinney, so it was great to spend some time on an urban cruise through a commercial district where the front landscaping can be comprised of a ping pong table!

They Dazzled us with Science

They Dazzled us with Science, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

While the adults caught up, the kids did what they do best – imaginative play, dressing up, and general goofing around. What a perfect pre-curser to a busy fall schedule.

Big Island Luau

Over the years, Kauai has been our Hawaiian island of choice. But when the opportunity presented itself for a family summer vacation, we decided to try something different, and the Big Island more than fit that bill. We were awed by the diversity of landscape, and we absolutely loved staying at the gorgeous Fairmont Orchid. In this photo we are getting ready to enter the Fairmont’s Luau – “Gathering of the Kings”. It was on par with other luau experiences, with the exception being their excellent food. You have to love an event with an entire ceviche table!

Helen at the Hotel Waterfall

Helen by the Fairmont Waterfall, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

This was a vacation of many activities, but Helen’s absolute favorite was the day she spent at the Fairmont’s “keiki” program where she got to go net fishing with a group of boys. Meanwhile, Chris and I got to try out the “spa without walls” (thanks to my generous former co-workers). The best real estate at the resort is dedicated to massage tables, and we were even greeted by sea turtles before the de-stressing began.

Enjoying the Surf at Dusk

Enjoying the Surf at Dusk, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

Helen would have been very happy to never leave the beach...

Who's Your Hula Daddy?

Enjoying the View at Hula Daddy's, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

But that wasn’t an option, especially with Kona Coffee to discover! Our visit to the Hula Daddy plantation was divine, and even Helen enjoyed it on scientific merits. We picked our own beans and checked out the roasting area, and we left with our stash of liquid gold as the Hula Daddy motto rang in our heads, “because life is too short for bad coffee”.

Helen Tries Her First Malasada

Helen Tries Her First Malasada, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

As if we weren’t already wired from the Kona Coffee, we simply had to try the malasadas. Think square jelly doughnut – only the filling is piped in to order. Although there are many flavors to choose from, could there be any other choice but guava?

Night Swimming

Night Swimming at Fairmont Orchid, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

Helen was quite taken by the idea of 24/7 pool access, so she and Chris were able to fit in one good night swim.

Big Island Adventure Team

Big Island Adventure Team, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

And in other water adventures, we went old school by “Flumin’ da Ditch” which entails cruising down an old sugar cane irrigation canal by kayak.

Have Head Lamps, Will Kayak

The Ditch Narrows, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

We paddled/floated down 2 miles of the 40 mile system – about half of which is covered, so tunnels were a big part of the adventure. Some of the tunnels had Chinese characters from the original work crews who built them.

Helen Wades in Cold Ditch Water

Helen Wades in Cold Ditch Water, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

It turns out that the water stays very cold, as Helen found out when we disembarked to see a waterfall. We loved eating wild strawberry guavas along the way, although the locals were less enamored since the trees are prolific to the point of having weed status.

Pololu Overlook

Kelly at Pololu Overlook, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

After our fab flume ride, we drove to the end of the road on the north west side of the island. As soon as you exit your car, you are treated to this spectacular view, which serves as a quick lure to hike down to the black sand beach below.

Helen Hikes

Helen Hikes to the Beach, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

Helen was a great hiker throughout the trip, and we know it won’t be too long before we are struggling to keep up with her.

Ayers Family at Pololu Beach

Ayers Family at Pololu Beach, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

As we got closer to the beach, we were rewarded with the longer, notched coastline view.

Beach Stones

Beach Stone Portrait, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

And finally – the beach. While the trail was crowded, the beach was eerily vacant. The only signs of life were the stacked rocks from prior visitors. Our late afternoon arrival made for beautiful light and shadows.

Akaka Falls

Mom/Daughter at Akaka Falls, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

All too soon it was time to leave the Fairmont, and head for Volcanoes National Park. This gave us the opportunity to cross the dryer, and amazingly expansive middle part of the island, which has more in common with cowboys than surfers. Upon reaching the east side of the island we checked out a couple of waterfalls – the three-tiered Uma Uma, and the plunge-erific Akaka Falls, shown behind Helen and me.

Where Lava and Little Girls Run Free

Where Lava and Little Girls Run Free, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

We rented a great cottage in the quaint town of Volcano, which gave us a relaxed day to explore the park. We read up quite a bit on the park, but nothing really prepares you to absorb the magnitude of Mother Natures’ fiery temper. The rippled ground seemed never-ending, and it was amazing to see sights like this where lava flows wiped out the old Chain of Craters Road.

Chain of Craters Road Overlook

Overlook on Chain of Craters Road, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

On the new Chain of Craters Road, there are overlooks to see where lava flows have poured right into the ocean (to the right of us, in black). We didn’t stay long at this overlook because the wind was ferocious. In general, strong wind was/is a constant presence on the Big Island.

Holei Sea Arch

Holei Sea Arch, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

The Chain of Craters Road ends at the ocean where you can see the stunning Holei Sea Arch. I’m glad we saw it, because this is a coastline on the move.

New Coastline

New Coastline Since 2007, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

In 2007, a huge chunk of the coastline fell into the ocean. Our visit coincided with an unusually strong surf and we could feel the ground move with every big wave that slammed into the cliff where we were standing.

Petroglyph Trail

A few of the 15,000 Petroglyphs, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

Another cool stop was the Petroglyph trail. This hike was relatively short, but strenuous due to the “bouldering” nature of the terrain. In spite of twisting her ankle, Helen stuck with it got to see many of the amazing images that still exist in this area.

Thurston Lava Tube

Standing Where Lava has Flowed, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

Back in the main part of the park is the Thurston Lava Tube. We weren’t sure what was more strange – walking through a conduit for lava flows, or, the fact that this lava tube was in the middle of a rain forest.

Kilauea Volcano at Night

Kilauea Volcano at Night, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

We missed by three weeks seeing above-ground-flows (that happened on 8/3/11), however, we did go back to a Kilauea viewing area later at night and were able to see the red glow from this active volcano.

Honolulu Chinatown

Honolulu Chinatown, a photo by Chris & Kelly on Flickr.

It’s always hard to end a good trip, so there may have been subconscious reasons for us missing our plane on the way home! We ended up spending an unexpected night in Honolulu, thereby adding another Hawaiian island to our list. We didn’t have enough time to make it to Pearl Harbor, but the bus did take us to Chinatown where we had an excellent dinner and walk-about before our final “Aloha”.