Hawaii 2014 day one and two

Getting to Hawaii seemed to get more and more complicated even though our reservations had been made months ago.  Several times I told the DR that we were either really supposed to go - or really not supposed to go.   It seemed as if every little gremlin got loose to mess with out world. But we finally made it out the door with the worst packing job of supplies this head nurse has every personally done.  The DR had one thing after another at his day job and I had more than a few problems crop up including my Sophie acting very ill that morning and trying to figure out what to do for her when we were already supposed to be gone. So leaving Oldest with the task of getting her into the vet, we headed out to take care of both Oldest and Middle's broken cell phones.  Yes- two broken cell phones at the same time right before we were taking off for two whole weeks.  After a lengthly  stop at the phone store, we left phones there to be finished up and headed a tiny bit late to watch Middle play soccer in a major downpour. Not victorious but we saw lots of improvement. And we actually won the 2nd half and didn't let them score.  Next we had to go back and get the phones, get them to Middle and send her home with them while we headed to take care of a few more errands and realizing  that somewhere we had dropped and lost an item that the DR's brother needed.  Nothing we could do about it at that point. We took Grandpup Scout back to her patients and picked up Outpatient and we went to Braza grill for a quick and late dinner.  So good to spend one on one time with him. He then took us to the hotel we were staying in for the night and headed off in my Acadia.  The hotel room was very nice and we were bummed we hadn't got there much earlier.  Huge jetted tub with a giant tv and other amenities..  Too bad the alarm was set for 3:30 am to get the shuttle to the airport.  I had pulled the all-night shift to prep for the trip so by the time the alarm sounded, I had slept for three hours in two whole days. Brain was a bit fuzzy..  Got to the airport and boarded a plane to LAX.  Rather obnoxious passenger in front of us and telling enough stories that one couldn't be sure what was truth and what was truth in his mind only.  Two hour layover then boarded a flight to Lihui.  We have come about 5 weeks earlier the we have come before and were unprepared for how very warm and humid it is right now.  Locals tell us that the trade winds have quit blowing which has set up the current temp situation. Hope they come back soon.
M&P arrived about 6 hours later and finally after our longest drought without them we have been reunited in paradise. Taking them to see our view and unloading their luggage was high on the priority list followed quickly by getting some dinner.. Bubba's Burgers on the menu tonight.  Some shopping for a few basics, some visiting and some sleep.

More Moab- Fiery Furnace

Last year, we had hoped to go on the Fiery Furnace Hike-  which is either a guided hike or on your own- but you can't just go into that area- if you are on your own hike, you still have to sign in and have permission to be in there.   The guided hike is a 3 hour adventure, and it costs a little bit-  but it was worth it.  We learned some interesting stuff, and our group (big surprise) asked our ranger some great questions.

Youngest started off back by her parents- and ended up talking the ranger's ear off at the front.  He rewarded her by letting her lead the hike into his favorite place- Surprise Arch.

It is hard to capture the grandeur of the formations- but rest assured it was amazing.

Little Miss Youngest Tour Guide

Youngest and "Ranger Rick"  (not his real name-  but that is what "someone" was calling him)-  he was a pretty nice guy- and we even saw him when we went out for dinner that night. It was interesting to hear how he came to be a ranger giving tours.  Most of us agreed we would love to go back and hike it again.

Best Laid Plans- October Replay

So much for my plans to post more frequently :).  I am sorry, but I also know how very busy I am- so something has to give.


Moab:

Youngest's Last minute Class Party.  Went very well if I do say so myself.

Pumpkins, pumpkins, and more pumpkins.

Youngest had a Rapunzel/ Tangled theme going (can you see the long hair coming out of the tower window?)

Middle is sort of in love with owls right now

Oldest went for a flaming face

Dear Oldest-  if you are going to pull stupid faces, I WILL post them on my blog AND facebook.

Girlies before leaving to go Trick or Treating.  It is Middle's last year-  I have a prejudice against kids older than Middle School going.  And I am okay with that.

Rapunzel meets the Mafia

the 80's meet the 50's

Where oh Where have the Looney Larsens gone?

Where have the patients been?  We have been running around like crazy with hockey, soccer, piano, TaVaci, work, school, and church jobs; and threw a trip to Moab in there, just to spice it up.

This year we were able to add one of the DR's sister's, her hubby and her daughter who is bestest cousin friends with Middle.  Sis J and her hubby and two of her boys camped in front of us- and Sis E and hers rented a cabin.  I think they had fun, despite all the hiking we did.  We missed having the older kids with us-  but LOL's brother had his white coat ceremony the same weekend. And- if Outpatient wasn't going- I guess the other older cousins didn't want to go either.  (one is on a mission now- so he had to miss it too)

We got there a day later - so we had a day less of vacation time- so it felt too fast.  We re-did some things, but added a new adventure.  Hiking up to Delicate Arch was harder for me this time-  I was in worse shape from not working out much, and weighing more, but the DR has lost about 28 pounds and it was easier for him.

We had wanted to do the Fiery Furnace hike last year- but it was booked solid- so that was a main agenda item for this year.  It did not disappoint.  The hiking was not as physically strenuous as hiking up to Delicate, but it was a little more technical.  Some tight places, and some gaping ravines.  I did fine- although I was a little nervous on one ledge.  Heavenly Father has some beautiful country.

The hike needs a post of its own- so I will get my pictures downloaded and hopefully get back to blogging a little more frequently. 

I am so grateful for the family I married into.  They are really great people- while not being perfect, and they are great to spend time like that with.

Moab- Day Three & Four

Saturday, we decided just one more short trip to Arches.  Those who missed out on the first walk through Park Ave could go plus any who wanted to go again.  I was a designated driver.  DR, Outpatient, O, and Middle missed out the first time, and Youngest and Oldest wanted to go again.

Our first trip was a lot cooler because the sun was not directly overhead.  But they found some cool things we hadn't seen the first time.  Like a Love Puddle.

Then we headed up to the Devil's Playground to go see Landscape Arch.  There are a lot more Arches to see in that area- but we were not up to that big hike that day.  I think we had to loop the parking lot three or four times before we finally found a parking space.

The nicest part about that walk was that most of it was in shade.  And we visited with a group of college students who were a mixed bag of loyalties. BYU, USU, and UVU.  Then we headed back to the trucks-  there was some amazing scenery!

We opted to call it good for Arches for this trip and headed back to the trailer for lunch.  The DR and other Cougar fans in our group tried to go to the Brewery to watch the game but someone else already had the Husker game on- they were going to stay anyway and watch after those people left, but after hearing the score- decided not to bother.

That afternoon, we drove out to Dead Horse Point- which is a State Park.  There was a film crew there, and it was tempting to ask them what they were filming.  But we restrained ourselves.  The canyon was very hazy- but massive.  We were a little late to catch the sun light in the canyon, but it was still beautiful, but hazy- I guess from a fire somewhere.

We left as it was starting to get dark and just barely managed to get pictures of Youngest by the two county signs in the park.  You may wonder why we did that.  Well- in 4th grade, they study the State of Utah and memorize the Counties and put on a big program with a power-point with pictures of the kids visiting around the state.  She got two counties just by running across the road (She also got a picture with Delicate Arch- as you might have noticed in the last post).  They are a little blurry because it really was a bit too dark.

We had a good dinner and then some watched movies, or just chilled.

Sunday, Outpatient and O headed out early, then we cleaned up camp and headed home.  We went a different way home, which ended up being about the same time-wise (hauling a big trailer is so much fun :P)-  but it used way more fuel going home- so I don't know what the DR will decide when we go back again.

We stopped for lunch, and had awesome bbq. We rolled into the neighborhood around 5:30- Tired, but everybody seemed to really like the trip- other than the "no swimming".

We learned a lot, and will do things a little differently next time, but all in all- it was a great vacation.

Moab- Day Two

Friday morning- just a repeat of Thursday- later start, but then we had everybody in tow and off we went.  Oldest was still feeling a little cruddy- especially if we didn't keep him on pain killers-  he had a headache, chills, and a sore throat, but he didn't want to stay behind.

We headed back to Arches and went to see Double Arches (really seemed like three with the open top),

Turret,

and North and South Windows


 as well as stopping for many of the other formations- like the petrified dunes.

   We had lunch on the truck tailgates since Arches is severely lacking in picnic areas.  We hiked all over and took tons of pictures. 

Then, by 4:00 we headed up to Delicate Arch. It was an interesting climb, and since we forgot to dope up Oldest, he started feeling really bad just about the time we got to the top of the hike. 

see the tiny people under the arch?  That would be Outpatient and O-

And those tiny people on the left side of the arch are the bulk of the Looney Bin inhabitants. Minus Oldest and Myself-

I did fine- heights-wise up until that point, which was when there was a drop on either side of me- then I was more than happy to just sit with Oldest and take pictures from there.  The DR came and took my camera for a few shots and J took some closer as well.  We decided not to sit there until full sunset- which was good since we didn't think to bring flash lights or anything, and I couldn't believe how many people we passed on the way down- most of them were no how no way going to make it in time for the sunset, but they didn't seem to care.

We headed back to camp and had dinner, then Outpatient was working on a project, we all had showers after our warm hike, and some watched movies-  I think I passed out for a while (not really, just fell asleep)

It was a great day.