Moments with Marilyn

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

We All Agree!

Each member of our family agrees that Maui is our Happy Place!

George got in plenty of reading time in addition to family time.

I loved every minute of Grandma time with Bella.

Matt and Scott enjoyed being the fun uncles! Bella was so comfortable with them that on the flight back to Portland she thought she should sit with the uncles!

In addition to lots of family time, we managed to get in some adventures. Matt and Scott checked one off their bucket lists by biking the Skyline mountain bike trail down from the 10,000 ft. summit of Haleakala. This isn't like the more well known sunrise rides on the road. The start of the trail is comprised of an extremely steep trail consisting of cinders and pumice stone. Matt said that it felt like riding a bike on the moon.

An attendant at the bike rental shop described that section as like riding through a McDonalds ball pit, with the balls being made of lava rock. The rest of the trail was made up of steep exposed dirt road, tight pine forest single track, and some high speed paved switchback road closer to the base.

Here they are at the summit. Notice that we are above the clouds!

I felt a bit nervous as I watched them ride off. A mom is a mom even when she has adult children!

Here's the beginning of the trail.

Success! They both made it with only one spill and luckily that was on a non-rocky part. The fall was into some soft mud, no injuries!

We picked up two very happy young men!

A job well done!

They also got in some boogie boarding!

And some 1st rate snorkeling at Honalua Bay. It was so calm, almost like a lake!

George and I have wanted to go to this bay for several years and we finally made it. I love snorkeling!

We couldn't pass up sampling mango smoothies when we were finished.

During their 'down time' Matt and Scott enjoyed some beautiful sunsets on Kaanapali beach!

Yep, Maui is definitely our HAPPY PLACE!

Monday, March 18, 2019

Road to Hana

Johnny and Monica spent one day driving the amazing Road to Hana.
In August of 2000, the highway was designated as the Hana Millennium Legacy Trail by President Bill Clinton and was listed on the National Register of Historic places in 2001.

Although the distance from Pa'ia (the designated beginning of the road) to Hana is only 64.4 miles, it takes more than 2.5 hours because of the 620 curves and 59 bridges, of which 46 are only one lane wide.

Monica is a very good photographer.

They enjoyed all the stunning vistas.

And beautiful waterfalls!

Johnny had an app for his phone that gave great details about the trip. They found a lava tunnel that George and I have never seen. Definitely want to see it next time though!

I'm so glad that they were able to hike up to the bamboo forest. As I've said before, it's like hiking through a wind chime!

I know they enjoyed this time to be together.

And where was Isabella? She was having fun with Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncles Matt and Scott! She has never been away from her parents for that long before and I was a bit worried but she was great. Every now and then she would say, "Mommy and Daddy are going for a drive and they'll be back later." No worries!

Isabella, Grandma, and Grandpa had a wonderful day together! We spent most of it in the pool or on the beach! We were all as happy as can be!

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Isabella - "I LOVE Hawaii!"

Isabella loved everything about Hawaii!

The swimming pool

The beach

Marriott's Pirate Ship Play Area

Mango Smoothies

Shaved Ice

A toast to Maui....

The playground

This photo is a perfect example of the only time she was mad....when we told her it was time to get out of the pool.

We tried the 'Ok Bella, we are leaving. Good bye Bella' method. Surely she would get out when we all did. Nope. She just swam away. It didn't seem to phase her that she was the ONLY person in the pool!

So many times I was reminded of the song, "my belle ami", which says, "You are the child of the sun and the sky and the deep blue sea."

Isabella is definitely a child of the deep blue sea...or the deep blue pool!

We got back to Boise on Wednesday morning and John and Monica say that it was Friday before she stopped asking to go back to the hotel!

Our little Island Girl! I'm looking forward to many more trips with you!

It's All About Ohana!

Just in case you haven't watched enough Hawaii 5-0 or traveled to Hawaii enough to know - OHANA means FAMILY! Our Lewis Ohana 2019 vacation trip was almost perfect! If Mary and Mark and their little cutie had been there it would have been! Next time when the little guy is older, I hope they will be there too.