Sand and 'Smores

We arrived at the beach after dark. Our first priority was setting up the tent...setting it up far enough away from the water. In the middle of night, the crashing waves seemed to be getting closer and closer, but I figured I was worrying too much. When I got up in the morning, I found the water came fifteen feet from our tent in the middle of night. That was close!
Below, the gang(Nic & Heidi & Ty, Matt & Megan, and Karen) contemplate if the rip-current is too strong. Matt went for a little morning swim and we're glad he made it back...the ocean is pretty strong here. We ended playing football at the waist deep level.

Matt and Megan patiently waiting for Brady to cook their pancakes.
Nic didn't sleep too well because of the waves and slight breeze. He was trying to wake himself up all morning.
Doesn't this look refreshing?So does this.
After the beach we headed up Waimea Canyon and found another hiking trail...try this one, "The Po'omau Trail". Among the vegetation we found these cool upside-down flowers. I thought about bringing some home and putting them in a vase for Karen, but I couldn't figure out how that would work. Ha ha.

The ridge in the center of picture was our destination--the Po'omau Scenic Overlook.

This waterfall below is the last picture I took before my camera battery died. The overlook gives view to three waterfalls from one spot. The other two falls are even better. Karen and I are planning to hike the trail again and go further in. I'll be sure to charge my batteries.

A Sugar High

We've been training together for most of the fall to prepare ourselves for the Old Sugar Mill Run. This past Saturday, the race commenced and we hit the pavement hard for 10 miles. We actually both exceeded our expectations for how we would perform. The competition was fierce...all 50 of them. Karen was the first woman to cross the finish line and actually finished fourth overall with a time of 1 hr 13 minutes (7:18 miles). I tried to take on a 50+ year old for first place, but ended up eating his dust and took second with a time of 1 hr 11 minutes (7:06 miles). Admittedly, the training was fun (don't tell Karen). She's already trying to find some Turkey Trot in Utah for Thanksgiving. I'm still trying to walk normal.

The sweet part about winning is we got these awesome mugs, in case we want some hot chocolate in Hawaii.

Edwards Eerie Edibles

Family tradition dictates the celebration of Halloween with an Edwards Eerie Edibles event. As we understand it, quite a few of the siblings are also embarking on their own Eerie Edibles, but we are the first to post, so you will all have to try and keep up.

Last night, we had a few couples bring a creepy side dish to the main event. We spent the day prepping--cooking and decorating a bit. Brady is exceptionally proud of this idea: the fan rotating with the ghosts. It was a great effect.


The main dish? "Bat blood with Bat Livers and Werewolf Meat" (a.k.a. white chicken chili). We also had "Pumpkin Guts with Bat Turds" (pumpkin rolls with chocolate chips) and the spread seen below. Our favorites (of our ideas) were the "Goblin Foot Fungus" (brocolli) and the "Ghost Snot--2 varieties" (dip).


While we were quite proud of our creative efforts, we were more impressed with everyone else's contributions. Everyone seemed to get it, and came up with fantastic sides:

Mandy and Rusty with their "Coagulated Blood Balls" (meat balls),


Megan and Matt with "Bones" (rolls),


Holly and Mike with their "Mummy Wraps" (crescent rolls) and "Brains with Poop" (caramel apple salad with candy bars),


John and Wendy with their "Bloody Fingers" (sausages),


Heidi and Nic with their "Spidey Nanna" (banana cream pie), and


Brooke and Thomas (and Isaac, who is typically dressed but it's a long story) with "Witches Eyes" (develed eggs) and "Dirt 'n Worms" (Oreo pudding with candy worms).

After eating, we made everyone participate in games. The first was Jeopardy--stealing from Cory and Kristen's success last year. The categories were Kauai Guidebook Adventures, Water Falls (a play on words, not a misprint), Food in Kauai, ESPN, and Halloween. The best moment was when Megan beat one of the guys on an ESPN 400 question. We tactfully left out his name.

Next, we competed to see who could balance a ball between their foreheads the longest, while doing other random activities (twirling, balancing on one foot, etc.). John and Wendy won this competition.

Here's a goofy picture to get a better idea...

Finally, we raced with candy corn. This got boring fast, until the pushing and cheating commenced.

The night was complete with a full moon, howling wind, music from scary Halloween movies, and a lot of laughs. Next year, we might make everyone dress up. We'll see.

Happy Haunting.

Real Mountain Biking

We purchased these bikes a year and a half ago, and we have put many miles on them. Most of the miles have been roads and paved trails. On Saturday, we took them out for some real mountain biking.

The adventure we embarked on was described as "rigorous." Looking back, that makes me a feel a little better. Up and down, around gaping holes, mud, and gravel was the experience that tested my limited biking skills. Along the way, we passed zero pedestrians. However, two trucks full of hunters (and with solid 4WD) did pass. It was very disconcerting to see one hunter--about 3 miles in--sitting on the side of the road, obscured by the greenery, holding a giant shot gun. He had an almost vacant expression, which made seeing him that much more CREEPY.

We finally reached the trail head we were aiming for. I was so ready to get off my bike and let my trembling quads have a break! Unfortunately, there were many hunters, and they warned us about not wearing hunter orange. We decided that they were probably right, and we also did not want to risk stowing our bikes in the state that is often cited for some of the highest rates of petty theft.
On the way back, we took some pictures of the other side of Waimea Canyon. The hike we were planning to take would have given us more stellar views, but that will have to wait until we invest in neon t-shirts.

We did find a great trail after all. It followed a stream, and was so rarely used that the entire way was covered with grass. On the way, I realized just how much I love the peace and calm of being outdoors with no one around except us! (No, do not start any other family rumors from this. Sorry to disappoint, Ang and Paul.) Mostly, I am realizing that this rural lifestyle really works for me!

The hike was a nice break, but the dreaded hills were still waiting on the way back. Brady was tough and stayed on his bike the entire time. I wimped out (multiple times), and just ran/walked my bike up parts of the never-ending inclines. Lame.

Needless to say, it drove me a little crazy that I could not keep up with Brady. On Tuesday, I went out on my bike after work and biked as hard as I could just to clear my guilty conscience. It felt great.

You, too, can have flabby arms

When we moved here, I noticed immediately that it was nearly impossible to get mildew-free results after a shower scrub. Things grow fast here, with the climate as it is. Living in UT and CA, I never had a problem with shower growth, and I kind of got on my high horse when people told me they were frustrated with bathroom cleaning. I figured they really were not actually scrubbing their showers every week, and thus the slimy shower.

Every week for the past 5 months, Brady and I spent the longest amount of cleaning time in our shower with various cleaners and a scrub brush. We have been especially frustrated with mildew in the grout, which did not respond to any amount of scrubbing. We have tried to look at the bright side, figuring it was at least a great shoulder and arm workout. We still kept looking for other cleaners, but have always been sceptical and disappointed with the "magical" results advertised.

Well, believe in magic. One Saturday, we were picking up an order at Home Depot, and ventured across the commercial cleaners section. I looked down, and noticed that for $2.45, I could try Zep Commercial Mildew and Mold Stain Remover. I decided it was worth a few dollars to try again with a new cleaner.

In the directions, it says to apply and come back to scrub after two minutes. I sprayed, worked on the sink, and disheartedly opened the shower curtain back up to...NO BLACK in my grout. No scrubbing or anything!!!! I could not believe it, and screamed for Brady to come. He, of course, thought I must have seen a cane spider in the shower, and came running.

It is not too good to be true. I seriously spend 5 min scrubbing my shower (compared to almost an hour!), and most of that is simply rinsing down the walls.

I am plenty happy to find other ways to work out my arms. Maybe it's time to try surfing again.

Mahalo

...means "thank-you." Thanks to everyone for your prayers, thoughts, kindness, and support.

It is tempting to erase the last couple blog entries, but that seems silly now. For any of you confused viewers, the adoption did not work out due to circumstances beyond our control. We are recovering, and doing pretty well. At this point, it is time to look at the bright side.

So, how was our vacation to CA? Well, here were a few highlights:

1. Hanging with the CA Edwards. We loved Blake's long hair, his presents, and his personality. We adore Rachel's high heeled shoes, bear hugs, and the way she said "Uuuuke" for Luke. We loved Ellie's bright eyes. Mostly, we loved hanging out with Kristen and Cory. They were very gracious, and even let us put 1,000 miles on their car.

2. Staying in Hangtown, USA. We were able to stay in the Cary House Hotel, a "charming" establishment in Placerville built in 1857. It is considered to the be the second most haunted hotel in America, according to the Travel Channel. It's elevator is the second oldest west of the Mississippi, built in 1926. Mark Twain even frequented the hotel in 1888.

3. We met up with my dad's mission companion and BYU roommate, and had a grand stay with them. They had a gorgeous library and piano room--two of my ultimate dreams. They were also very friendly, and we hope to have a lasting relationship.

4. We were able to eat at many fine establishments not found on Kauai, such as Macaroni Grill, Olive Garden, and Round Table Pizza.

5. We had lots of phone calls from family and friends. It was a good time to "catch up."

6. We had the opportunity of sleeping on 5 different beds! You can't get that at home. We could sleep on 2 different beds here, and possibly the Pack-n-Play if absolutely necessary.

7. We went to Lake Tahoe. Granted, we were there about 45 min, and most of that time was spent looking for a restroom. It was beautiful, though, and a great outlet for our anxiety. We loved hearing the sound of the water, and realized how addicted we are to living near the ocean.

8. We learned about generosity. Some people really are not inherently selfish, and if they are, they are doing a fantastic job hiding it. We had a foster family involved who opened up their home indefinitely to us. They were also trying to adopt a child, and received no compensation for their willingness to help us. They did not even know us! What a beautiful sacrifice they were willing to make!

9. We got some shopping exursions in. Brady purchased a few pairs of pants, and I got some new shirts. We also got our traditional "Pumpkin Spice" candle. Yummy.

10. We saw Fall! Seasons do not change so much around here, so it was fun to see bright red trees, crunch in some leaves, and enjoy the crisp temperatures of northern CA.

11. We were parents for two days. It was awesome--no sleep, a red bum, and spit up. Bring it on.

12. Due to changed travel arrangments, we were able to visit with Eric and Jillian in Hawaii for all of 24 hours! We were happy to see them, and the time we had together.

Our vacation was filled with new adventures. We are happy to be home. We feel a little like we need a vacation from this vacation!

Distractions

It is apparent from our 33 comments last post (whoo-hoo...the key to comments=mystery!) that you all think we are holding out on you. We have no pictures yet, because there is no little boy, yet.

Most of you know that we filed for adoption last year. About a month ago, we were contacted by the agency and told that there was a girl who wanted to have us adopt her little boy. She was due September 11th. We found out about 2 weeks before her due date, and frantically prepared. We were ready (enough) on that day, and since then, have been saying things like, "This could be our last day together as just a couple!" We've had lots of days like that, now, but can't feel sorry for ourselves, because we aren't the ones who are now 10 months pregnant!

We are leaving tonight to meet her, and prepare for the birth. We are so excited, and of course anxious! We will post pictures as soon as possible, with the details of the placement.


This weekend, we decided that we really should do something a little more exciting than "just" going to the beach to get our minds off of everything. We took off with our friend Nic to go to the west shore, and visit the highest swamp in the world.



There were points on the hike where we looked over the boardwalk (which cut through the swamp) into the surrounding pools of water and wondered if we were going to see faces looking back, but for the most part, we thought the scenary was excellent. We weren't feeling bad for Shrek. There were great views at the end, right before the heavy fog rolled over to make the adventure more mysterious.








Hopefully, this really is our last child-less weekend!!!

Two Days Late

...but a little more prepared.

Tunnels Hike

We have started a list of "to dos" while we are here, and we've been knocking off a few adventures recently. Saturday, we went for the "Tunnels Adventure" as it is named in the guidebook. It is under the adventure section because it isn't really a hike...it's more like sludging through mud and blazing trails. In fact, we were all under the impression that the man who wrote this book never actually went on the hike, and received his information from outsiders. Case in point: he claims that the first 100 meters have the most mud. Well, this is what we looked like after that...

Ew, but pretty fun, right? As you can see from the ground, we are slipping on mud, but it is manageable. After this point, however, it was so muddy and slick that we rarely took the camera out for fear it would be the last time we saw it. We were usually more than ankle deep in mud, with times that the mud was halfway up our calves.

A few miles in, we came to the part of the hike where we needed to find the first tunnel. There were five paths that led off the original trail. We took every single trail, scrambling through bushes and all sorts of tropical plants, and finally found it at the last possible option.

We invite people to come with us on our hikes, but this was the first time people took us up on it. These guys work with Brady. They are by far the most hard-core outdoorsy people I have ever met. Seriously. Their wives are moving out in a few weeks, but in the meantime, they go surfing in the morning before work, and hiking every day after work. They mean business.


Here is the entrance to the tunnel. If you look hard, you can see a tiny speck of light (not the pail on the left). The tunnel is a mile long, and was dug out to transport water for the sugar cane plantations. It is a completely straight shot, and that tiny speck of light stays small for a while! We purchased head lamps (like Dad Edwards!), so we had plenty of light to navigate through.

After making our way out at the turn after the light (and crawling on our bellies through mud to get out), this sight was our reward. We all decided to clean up by taking a swim. Brrr...

The second tunnel was tricky to find, and in fact, everyone we've talked to here that has done the hike has not done the second tunnel. It was trickier to navigate, too, with shoring to climb over, and waist-deep water. (There is something disconcerting about walking through a tunnel that is a mile long that requires shoring! Especially when the shoring is disintegrating in your hands!) The waterfall was worth the trek, though. It cascaded through the cliffs in three different directions.

Looking at these pictures makes me think that it might have been worth it. Then, I think of the way back. All told, the hike took us almost 10 hours, and it was rough. I lost my shoes in the mud a ridiculous number of times, and was pretty chilly and banged up from the foliage. There were parts that were too steep (with long drop-offs) for the muddy conditions, and I think that we were probably not the smartest to go over them anyway.

I like to think that I can hack it, and we all did. However, if you all are interested in this adventure, we might just hand you a map and tell you to enjoy your day. We might even buy you granola bars. We'll swap stories with you the next day, when you are too wasted to do anything else.

An adventure? You betcha.