Kauai 2017!

We just returned this past Monday night from 9 days in beautiful Kauai. I feel that Kauai is one of the most beautiful places in the world (Kauai, Switzerland, and our Seattle condo view being top three! hahaha). We helped Kelly celebrate her 40th birthday while in Kauai with some delicious dinners, drinks, sun, beach, pool, canoeing, fishing, BBQ-ing, hula, shopping, Starbucks, boogie boards, snorkeling, shell searching and collecting, eating Uncrustables and Caramacs (I by myself ate nearly 3 boxes), fireworks, slathering on sunblock day after day...vacation life...

Na Pali coast view from the lookout by Waimea Canyon (Pu'u lookout?)

Rock throwers

"rock climbers"

Waimea Canyon

July 2012 and July 2017 at Waimea Canyon

July 2012 and July 2017 at the lookout

July 2012 and July 2017 at the lookout. We have talked about returning to Kauai every 5 years or so to continue then-and-now photos. The kids will be giant! (as may we! hahaha)

Poipu Beach by our hotel, Kiahuna Plantation. Nice and pleasant watching the kids run from the waves and dive for shells (Adrienne being master shell collector).

Kauai Costco. Carting around 4 kids and some healthy/unhealthy food. These Uncrustables are so delicious.

Cute little surprise at the top of the stairs, drawing

Moloa'a Juice Stand on the way up north. See below...

My friend had told me I had to get the Date with Fate. It was so good. I tried to recreate it at home and it was pretty successful except our papaya and mango aren't nearly as ripe and sweet as in Hawaii, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Third night burgers

I liked seeing these cool leaves

Ke'e Beach. Great snorkeling here. Really calm and shallow.

All I remember is being so hungry and hot here

After picking up some hermit crabs and snails at the tide pools, Olin sat outside and played with them for about 45 minutes by himself.

Ready for action

Happy after ice cream at Poipu Shopping Center.

Hula at Poipu Shopping Center. Strangely, it was nothing like 5 years ago! It was very tame, and very cute, but there was none of the flash and excitement of the hula and fire dancers last time..

Nora (3), Jojo (10), Adrienne (11 almost 12), Danielle (13), Trey (5), Olin (5), Christian (8)

40!

Boarder

Chubby hand clasping treasures

The big reveal

Flash of gecko red on the chin

Family!

Happy with Babz. That's the only spelling we do now for Dae. "Babz" is labeled on his coffee maker. He is "Babz" in my phone. He played Hangman with Leelee on our trip and put down a 4 letter word of a person, and Leelee's first guess was "Babz"! (he was right)

Beach combing. Dae got 2 of these nice Hawaiian aloha shirts from Kauai Costco for something like $13.99. He has worn them the entire trip, as we both like to wear things immediately after purchase.

On the fishing boat. Look at Olin and Babz' hair in the wind

Fish on! (tilapia) We fished at Waita reservoir. It was hot, but fun.

They were extremely excited to catch their first fish ever.

Peacock bass! We caught a total of 7-8 fish. Catch & release.

I like this picture

Kids taking care of their catch.

Touching the row of sandpaper teeth

Tilapia

So excited to hold his own fish, and yet unsure at the same time

I couldn't not take a photo with this nice Hawaiian lighting! Sure does illuminate the skin. hehe.

I love mom and dad and "ric" and "nilo" (their names backward, kind of)

Sittin' in the lawn

Hawaiian cousins. Joshua (11), Caleb (9), Christian (8), Olin (5), Elizabeth (5). There are some pretty interesting height dynamics in play here.

Fishing pier

Plantation railway. My kids clearly don't like screeching noises.

This is how papayas grow. Weird, right?

Funny donkey. Feeding the goat was the funniest. Kelly got a video.

Great shot of gecko that Kelly captured.

40th Bday!

The whole gang's here, dressed to impress

At Hawaiian village of the canoeing place

Pretty Wailua (?) river. Adrienne did a good job of manning the front end of the canoe.

Ice cream. I loved all things lilikoi this trip.

Underwater photos from Ke'e Beach: