Baby Sitting and the Napali Coast.

Today we went to the Waiohai to spend the day on the beach and in the pool with the kids. It is the perfect place for vacationing. The resort is so beautiful and the beach and pool are perfect for swimming and within just a few yards of each other. The kids played and played back and forth and never got tired of it. Jon and Ryan went out paddle boarding. It was the funniest thing to watch. Jon says it is harder than it looks to keep your balance. Uh-huh Jon really?

Lynn, Suze, Wally and I took care of the children all afternoon while Jon, Mandy, Ryan, Whitney,Matthew, Lindsay, Dan and Chelsea went on the Napali Coast cruise. The kids took naps, played games and watched movies with us. Only one time did Owen slip away from me and pour a bottle of shampoo all over his head and all over the carpet. What a job cleaning that up was! What makes kids think of things like that anyway? The cruise was a great success and they saw about 50 turtles on the beach at Kalalau and the whales were putting on a show out by Niihau. I was jealous when I heard that. I need to take a whale watch before we go home. When everyone got home we had barbecued hamburgers and were a little sad because we knew tomorrow morning everyone would be leaving. What a fast week this has been.

Happy 43rd Anniversary Wally!

We all went kayaking up the Wailua River today. All except Suze and the 3 youngest grand kids that is. Wally and I had taken a river boat cruise up to the Fern Grotto before but didn't know about this adventure. I was so excited. We had been canoeing in Canada and we did just fine there. Kayaking is so totally different! Poor Wally, I drove him nuts. Every time I would paddle I would turn the kayak to the right. Couldn't go straight for the life of me. He was ready to throw me overboard! Imagine that. He kept saying just let me do all the work. Keep your paddle out of the water. Our guide, a cute young girl, stayed behind the group to make sure we all made it and of course, Wally and I were always last and way behind everyone else. Ouch.
It was a 2 1/2 mile paddle up river to the trail to Secret Falls and then a 1.2 mile hike in to the (not so secret ) falls. So round trip it was a 7.4 mile adventure. Half way up the hike to the falls there were 2 rope swings out over the river. Everyone had a blast swinging out and dropping in. Mandy caught her finger in the rope though and really did a number on it. By the end of the day it was swollen and bruised and she could hardly move it.

Here is our beautiful anniversary picture! Not too bad for 43 years is it? I'm so glad we got to go kayaking and hiking up to the falls. We had no idea it was up there and it was a wonderful way to spend the day. Really it was!!

Tuesday and District Meeting.

We told the elders last week we probably wouldn't be at meeting today because our family was going to be here and we were going to spend time with them. They were a little shocked but managed to get hold of themselves. We shocked them even more by being at our meeting anyway. All the boys were going to go scubaing today and the ladies and kids were going up to Hanalei to see the lighthouse and the beach at the other end of the island. We had been there and we had 2 other afternoon appointments so we decided to stay and do our missionary work. We were going to go back to Poipu for the evening but everyone was tired so we ended up staying here in Kekaha and we will see them tomorrow. We are going Kayaking up the Wailua River. That will be interesting. I am excited, Wally not so much. I wonder why?

Waimea Canyon.

Here Jon and the girls are looking out over the Kalalau Valley. It is so beautiful and a very ancient, spiritual place. We took this short hike because the girls wanted to hike and not just look. The sky was so blue and it was so clear you could see forever. Can you see how the ocean meets the sky? Isn't it amazing?

We took a trip up the Waimea Canyon today. The weather was perfect. It was good trip to take today be cause there are 3 or 4 look outs on the way up and it wasn't too long in between each one for the little ones. At each stop they could get out and run around and laugh and play. On the way up Emma kept saying I want to hike. Where are the hikes? Let's not just look. On the 3rd stop this guy was dressed in native costume and you could have you picture taken with him for a "tip." We gave him $5 and took a few. He had a headdress he wanted Owen to wear but he wouldn't have anything to do with that! When he saw the mask he kept saying "pumpkin man." LOL. Here is the standard family picture. What a great way to spend our P-day! Come on over and we will have a picture taken with you at this same spot. This is the Little Grand Canyon of the Pacific.

Merry Christmas 2011.

We had a wonderful Christmas Day today. The Kershaws came down to Kekaha for Sacrament Meeting. 17 people including 7 little ones here by 9:00 a.m. was a miracle in itself! What a wonderful meeting. Scripture and readings mixed with musical numbers in between. Bishop Akita called and asked if anyone in our family could play "Away In a Manger." I asked Mandy if anyone of them could play. She was the only one who could. She said she would play if she could practice a little. She used a Primary Song Book and played beautifully. It was great to have one of ours participate. She was very nervous but everything went well. It was fun to have our friends here meet some of our family. We hope the ward members get to meet others as time goes on. Merry Christmas to everyone at home from Wally and Me! We love you and miss you but will see you sooner than we all think. Time flies doesn't it?

Congratulations Evan and Reenie!

Evan and Reenie got married in a small ceremony today at 3:30 out by the old Banyan tree. It was a beautiful wedding and the weather couldn't have been more perfect. At 5:30 they held a reception for family and friends at the Kekaha Center. It was a noisy and joyous occasion. Of course, it was filled with fun, music and food. The most surprising part of the evening was, after the toasts to the happy couple, when Evan bore his testimony of the gospel and his faith in Jesus Christ to all his guests. I can't tell you all how inspiring Evan is to everyone. We are so blessed to be a part of his journey to baptism.

They Finally All Arrived!

When all the Kershaw's got to the airport this morning at 6:00 a.m. to start their Christmas trip to Kauai half of them got bumped off the airline. It seems they over booked by nine passengers. Poor Lynn and Suze were so upset because the airline originally wanted to split up families and have children on the plane without their parents. Anyway, it all worked out and kids and parents came together and got here at about 1:20 p.m. That was 1/2 an hour ahead of schedule. Yea, for a good tail wind. It was so good to see everyone. My how the little ones have grown. Lynn and Suze, Ryan and Whitney got in about 10:30 p.m. They were so exhausted. They had to waste 9 hours in L. A. before getting on their flight. Three mini vans and 13 big suitcases later we all headed down so they could check into the Waiohai and get settled. Tomorrow will be a good day for resting by the pool and down at the beach right outside their condo door.