Spring Break AZ and UT

 

They spent an evening with Eric and Rebecca and Janece.  

Spring Break Shopping success:

Well-spent allowance money on a cockroach lollipop:

Kate has never met a car she can't sleep in:

Spring Break, take 2 at the Capitol for cherry blossoms:

Very cold but visually rewarding evening.

Homemade acai creations:

I asked Kate what I should mention about Spring Break since I was not present for this trip.  She said, "There are many kinds of beautiful and I learned to see Arizona beauty.  Also, it was so fun to be with people I love."

Spring Break Hawai'i

With a tough adjustment going from 400 kids K-12 to 2,500 kids grades 10-12, we incentivized Zac with his own trip back to Kaua'i for spring break if he could pull a strong GPA.  He got straight As!  Off we went, back home to our island ohana.  Landing and driving down the Kaumuali'i Hwy listening to Ron Wiley was one of the most surreal experiences of my life.  It felt like we never left.  It was so vividly green, everything looked a little worn out (buildings, restaurants, landscaping), and there were more Tacomas than I even remembered.  Also, it was such a long flight!  7.5 hours in the air from Salt Lake to Honolulu.  I mentioned to Zac that it feels long when you are an adult and a teenager, but it is infinitely longer traveling with small children!  Zac waited exactly no minutes to eat a poke bowl...at the airport...

Jojo goes to private school on Oahu and just happened to be home for the weekend--the last time before school lets out!  Such fortunate timing!  David picked up Zachary from the airport while I rented our van, and the boys took off for beach time and ice cream for a few hours.  

One year ago to now:


While Zac connected with the "bros," I picked up sunscreen and jumped in the ocean.  True to my experience, I cannot go anywhere on Kaua'i without spotting familiar faces, and ran into several families I know--one from teaching, one from church, and one from Kate's preschool years.  I never felt trapped by the familiarity and small town nature of the island, and it was so lovely to be recognized and hugged.  I know we will make more community here, too, eventually, but I miss it.

We met up with Joy, David and Vicki for dinner the next evening.  Love these ladies.  Love these boys.  Loved the mango rice.  I especially loved how supportive we all were of each other--David talking about his future, everyone asking about Zachary's plans, discussing graduation meet-ups, chatting about Jojo living with Joy's sister while he plays football, etc.  All different faiths, all different plans, all so supportive.

David loves comparing heights.

Zachary's bucket list included bridge jumping, connecting with friends, acai bowls at Aloha Aina, manapua from 7-11, and plenty spam musubi.  And surfing.  So much surfing.

We surfed twice a day most days, leading to rashes and bruising and swelling for me, and reef cuts for Zac.  We caught a beautiful Hanalei day with fun waves, where Zac out-surfed me 5-waves-to-1 and sometimes an even bigger margin.  

Youch.  I even wore leggings surfing as the rashes were nearly unbearable.  It is wild how harsh the sun, sand, and water are on a tourist body (especially one on Accutane)!

We stopped at Tamba and picked up a bunch of Kaua'i-exclusive board shorts, shirts, stickers, and a shaka, then finished off with Wailua Shave Ice.

I got in surfs with Robert at Firsts, Nic at Shotguns and Waiohai, and Hilary at Waiohai.  There is nothing like surfing with your friends, and I was so grateful for all the surfs and all the conversations and that they were so kind to pick right back up again after I abandoned them.  

Meeting up with Julie for acai at Lawai Market.  Then stopping over at Karen and Will's to say hello before they sell their home and go serve their mission in Peru--right by the Amazon!

A perfectly Kaua'i notice posted at the market:

Hilary: life coach, mentor, and best friend of many years.

Nic and Heidi were so gracious to let Zachary and I stay with them for 2 nights before our stay at the Sheraton.  So funny to surf at Sheratons and spend every day of many, many summers there without ever seeing their resort.

Hello, Gavin and Mallorie!  Miss you both.  Gavin is BYU point guard Saunders' doppleganger. 

Stebbedlarks-minus-Brady dinner!  

Another food pit stop: Bubba's burger and furikake fries.

Walking between beaches to retrieve my rental minivan (aka my dream car for Kaua'i that I never owned), I took in all the tropical charm.

So fragrant!

Misty eyed taking this one of bougainvillea, remembering how long it took me and Kate to learn how to pronounce it on our walks when she was 5 and obsessed with learning all the flower names.

Thinking of Caryn Sakahashi and Carol Kimura and their beautiful orchid gardens:

Zachary spent time connecting with Island School friends, saw a few friends from church, and stayed the night on the north shore with his soccer/school buddy Finn.  Before he left, I captured some surf pics/video with him ripping the tiny Waihoai waves.  He feels like he has lost surf skill but he looks fantastic.

Can't believe he's never stepped on vana from this trek he's made 100 times across the reef.

Our second to last night, we learned that the Creers and Rachel were stuck on the other side of Hanakapaia River.  There is no cell phone reception, and with the rainfall and dangerous trail conditions, the website said the shuttle was closed the next day.  I thought they would need a ride, and worried about them all night.  Zac and I got up early, headed out the door to buy food and pick them up, and nearing Kapa'a, we got a phone call from Rach letting us know they were fine and headed back.  It was a cold, rainy night involving exactly 3 electric blankets, a couple tarps, a few water bottles, a 2-minute check in from firemen, and secretive passcodes to get said water bottles, blankets, and tarps. In the am after the group of 50 stranded visitors was able to cross the stream, the county had hot drinks and food waiting for them. I think of the dozens and dozens of times I've crossed that river in the rain without ever seeing it so treachorous.  Sounded like a chilly night!  

Coming back to Utah has been a rough transition for Zachary.  We understand his angst and feel it, too!  We hope the whole family learns to love Utah.  Kaua'i is so unique with a small-town feel that cannot be replaced.  It doesn't have to be replaced.  I feel it with me always.