Hawaii Day 10

Today we got up and flew home to the cold and snowy town of Spokane.  Good-bye Hawaii.  We love you! We will miss Tanner and Emilie so much!  This was the best Christmas ever.

Drinking Roy Rogers in the Delta Sky Club in Seattle

 

Hawaii Day 9

Kirt got up early and took Garret to the airport.  He is flying to Arizona for his high school basketball team's tournament.  When he got back, we went to the west side of the island and hiked to Ka'ena point.  Then we went to Makua Beach. The hike was really dry and in the sun.  It was also the longest hike we have done, a little over 5 miles.  Luckily it was flat.  Poor Emilie got really hot and tired, but she was a trooper.

There were huge waves

At the point there were cool tide pools

We saw a seal in one of the tide pools!

These birds called laysan albatross are a protected species and live at Ka'ena point.  They don't move much and just stare at you.  They are kind of creepy.

Makua Beach

Tanner was being the sand monster

He was trying to sneak up on Katie

Hawaii Day 8

Tanner had a shoot around and breakfast this morning so we couldn't open presents until 10ish so we got up and went to Waikiki Beach at 8:30.  I didn't think that there would be very many people because it was early Christmas morning but the beach was packed!! I was so surprised.  We sat and watched the surfers.  Then we went to Tanner and Emilie's and had Christmas breakfast of egg casserole, orange julius, and cinnamon rolls.  Emilie made the cinnamon rolls from scratch.  They were so yummy.  We opened presents.  The kids really only got stocking stuffers but they were OK with that because they got a trip to Hawaii.  Then we went to Tanner's basketball game.  We went to the beach after the game. 

Duke Paoa Kahanamoku Statue on Waikiki Beach

So many surfers!

Our Christmas fire and tiny Christmas tree

Tanner got a snorkel mask from his brother-in-law Hayden.

Tanner wearing he and Emilie's stockings.  Silly kid

They got 3rd in the Diamond Head Classic!

Waialae Beach

My favorite part of the whole trip was just listening to the 4 kids talk and laugh with each other.  I'm so grateful that they are such good friends. They were hilarious playing spike ball.  Tanner has named their baby "Theybron" and Garret kept referring to everyone as their relationship to Theybron (Katie, Theybron's aunt).

 

Hawaii Day 7

We went paddle boarding on the Anahulu River.  Emilie wasn't feeling well so she stayed home today.  We paddle boarded up the river about a mile and then back. It was weird to be on a tropical river and not have to worry about crocodiles.  

Then we went to Waimae Falls.  It was beautiful but kind of annoying because it was very commercialed.  You had to pay to go in and then you had to wear a life jacket to swim in the waterfall pool.

They filled parts of Lost at Waimae! Kirt was so excited.

The Murray's told us we had to stop at the Paalaa Kai Bakery and get some snow puffies.  Unfortunately we were not impressed. 

We went back to Tanner's house to do Christmas Eve.  We went swimming, had calzones, and watched a Christmas movie.  It was definitely different, but great to be together. 

Night view from Tanner's apartment