Volcano Day

 It all stared at  5:30 am when papa woke us up. When we finnly woke up we got dressed and It took about 1 hour to get us out the door becasue granma had to take a shower and get dressed. It takes granma forever to get dresed so about 6:30 we head out the door.

 After We got out the door we head to get malasadas and brekfest/ bathroom break. Papa and grandma had a burrito, abby and J had eggs and bacon, And Clo had fry-rice. When Papa ask us if we liked the malasadas I said yes and sice JJ didt  want his I ate his.  It was the best donut that I ever had.

So after brekfest we head to a look out. The look out lookd like jurasic park it was so junguly and their was a small water fall. Their was a road that was blocked and It said locos only Papa was trying to go down that road. When we were heading up papa said" Would your dad be able to go down that road becasue he was born in hawaii." 

After  we head to a water fall traill. When we got their JJ was't having it becasue some buddy was teasing him. the walk down to the water fall was 20 mins down to the water fall and it tooks us 30 mins to walk back up. Everone was trierd after the walk. 

After we went to the water fall we head to the volcanas. Me and abby and J feal a sleep.  so It was all quite in the car. it took us about 1 hr to get to the vlocanas. When we weant to the volcans it was really windy that all my hair  went flying. When we went to he rangers statons we could not go in side becasue when the volcanas bloow it destrode the rangers statons .

After we head to a black sand beach! it was really cool that the sand was black and not the normle sand.we could have played their a lot longer.

When we were  in the car we had a conversotions about nick names/ story time, and papa was telling us when dad and aunt jed were kid ( Aunt jeds nick name was pummkin/ dads was tiger) So when papa call dad pumkin aunt jed starded crying and saying im  pumiking dad tiger.  Anouther story was when papa told us when he was kid his dad called him Billy so I desied to call him Billy boy. Last story is when dad was a kid one of his aunts would ask him to sleep over and dad would say yes becuase his aunit would give him the tv remote and the bed remout. dad and his aunit would get up relly early and go to fead the chickenes and dad would say yes.

Golf day

 It all stared at 6 am when Abby and gradma went for a walk  Abby found a really cool shell. Then when they got clo back and grandma weant for a morning swim in the ocean .

When they got back they had told me that the saw some turtles when they went for a swim.

 After me and Clo took a shower we head off to the golf coures. When we got their we where 3 hours before our tee time  so we went to hit some gold balls. After we hit the golf balls we whent to go get some food Clo had pork adoba and I had panko fish sanwich.Then this couple walk in and I said to clo " look up Caption kangroo"

 This guy looked just like him.  We went to the club house to check in and we got clo  a new hat. When we got to the tee box their a guy check us in and he said " the 2 of the people infort of you guys does not now how to golf so this might take a while". So the guy went down their and said to them skip number 2 and play best ball so it doesnt take longer than it need to.

Me and clo where doing  a challenge who ever wins the most holes get so pick the other shaved ice. we stop doing that about the 5th hole. On the front 9 their where goats and Clo text John and she asked " could I take home a goat "and Jonh said " only if you can catch I.  On the 16th hole clo had the greates shot ever. She had a 96 yard chip shot and she mabe it in. When she got  up to the green she was looking for her ball and the other guy we are golfing with he was poiting to the hole and clo had the biggest smille on her face. Then rest of the round clo was hitting pritty good. For 18 teen my hip was hurting so it had to watch clo finish the round. When we got back I  asked JJ what he did today he said" went to the pool" and that was all I had out of him and he seams kinda trired anways. Grandama had mac and cheese in the oven. We went to go get shaved ice and clo had Lyeche, mango, pinappele a shaved ice, abby had banana, strabeirred smoothe. J had ranbow shaved ice. after we got back we had mac and cheses and hot dogs for dinner.

 And the big surprise of the day?  This blog entry was written by our guest writer....  Chloe Lalor!

Traveling With Little Ones... Oh My!

 It all began at 3am this morning.  Yes, that is not a typo.  Chloe was yanking me out of bed at 3am.  Thanks Chloe, I love you too.

We look and feel our best at 3am.

  Now, you can do the math.  We left the house at 8:30 and so that is 5 1/2 hours of overexcited and very loud children.  As you can probably ascertain, I was ready to pull out all the hair left on my head.

In fact, here's a little sample of this morning...  Abby doing an impression of Papa.

3 cups of coffee and a couple of tranquilizers later...  we were on the road to the airport.

Had Forgotten How Much Fun The Airport Is With Kids

Oh man, it has been a long, long time since we went through SeaTac airport with kids.  Now I remember why a vasectomy was in order after Jessica.  This is a completely different experience from when Sonja and I travel.  

I didn't even know there was a play area at the airport.  But after an hour there, I knew it intimately.

We took them to the Centurion Lounge and all three kids decided that this is the way to go.  No hanging around with the "common folk" downstairs.

Free food?  Why yes, I'll have another ice cream!

6 1/2 Hour Flight Went Pretty Well

At least for us it did.  Don't know about the people around us.  Found out that if you fall asleep early on a flight, your kids don't bother you at all.

And when we arrived in Kona, we had told them that this was our favorite airport in the entire world.  Getting off the airplane, the excitement was palpable.

By the time we got all the luggage, picked up the rental truck and headed to the Airbnb, it was pretty late.  Food was definitely the first order of business.  Of course, it had to be local food.  None of that over cooked, over treated, over used mainland food.  Nah, we wanted local food!  So, Abby and JJ had bacon and eggs.

Tomorrow?  Why, to the beach of course!  What else would you do in Hawaii?   Aloha!

I Think Chloe Is Excited To Go

 One of the absolute joys of my life is the interactions I have with my grandkids.  A quick message or a smile from one of them and my whole day is a good one.

Chloe texts me regularly and the last few days you can feel her excitement as the big day nears.

And, although Sonja and I have been to Hawaii many times in the past, this trip is different.  This one feels special.  

Reminds Us Of 1993...

... when we took our kids and their cousin Ashley to Hawaii.

Of course, this was one of those trips on Oahu where we spent most of our time sitting around kitchen tables with Sonja's family.  Not saying that in a bad way.  It was wonderful.  Just not what you'd find in the Hawaii brochures at the travel agency.

And I think they were just as excited to see us.

2017

This will not be Chloe and Abby's first trip to Hawaii.  That was in December, 2017.  Chloe was 6 years old and Abby not old enough to remember much about that trip.

And as I look back through these photos I'm beginning to sense how much fun this 2024 trip will be.  Especially with a 5-year old.

And, of course, they spent their fair share of time sitting around a kitchen table.

OK, I guess we need to admit it.  Sonja and I are pretty darn excited too!  

Do You Remember 1983?

 1983?  Sure, I remember it albeit a bit fuzzy.  It was over 40 years ago.  

Back when Sonja looked like this...  

And, I looked like this...

In 1983, John's grandmother and grandfather (the original Papa) took him on a trip to Hawaii.

For over 40 years, whenever you ask John a question about that trip to Hawaii he seems to recall explicit details.  He can remember where they went, what they did and also the feelings from that long ago time.

His grandparents were able to give John the gift of a lifetime of memories.  I'm sure that whenever he thinks of his Papa in heaven, the trip to Hawaii is embedded in those memories.

It was his grandparents gift to him.

And now, we get to give the same gift to John's kids... our grandchildren.   Chloe, Abby and John Jr (JJ) will be traveling with us next week to the Big Island of Hawaii.  We gave them this gift as a Christmas present and they have been anxiously counting the days ever since.

Well, the wait is almost over.  Next Wednesday, April 3rd, we will load up the car with kids, luggage and golf clubs and head to the airport for the 6 hour flight to Kona.

We'll blog this trip so that 40 years from now, they will remember.  Also, as I approach 70, in a year and a half when I start drooling, I'll remember too.  

I don't know who's more excited.  The grandkids or the grandparents.  Either way it's going to be a fantastic trip.  If we survive 6 hours on a plane with 3 kids!!!