Hawaii 2023: August 1 -4: Waipahu, Ohau

1. Travel Day
August 1 was a travel day. We packed up and went from Kauai to Oahu.

2. Monarch Poke Lunch
When we landed we tried to go to Curry House, but when we arrived it was takeout only. Nowhere to sit! We ended up at the same shopping center (Pearl Kai) at a place called Monarch Poke.

Makai got Kalua pig nachos

Dallas got Katsu Sando

and I got the laulau plate lunch.

3. Pearlridge Center
We went across to Pearl Ridge mall . Makai was in desperate need of swim shorts. The ones he packed were small to begin with and miniscule by the time he pounded some musubi! We ended up getting some O’Neill shorts at HIC. We also went to T&C Surf. On the way out we stopped at Brug Bakery, a Japanese bakery, for some breakfast to bring to BJ + Nalani’s house.
Makai got this cool hat at T&C Surf.

4. Koa Ridge
The view out of the bedroom window. BJ and Nalani moved into a brand new house since the last time we saw them. It’s in the Koa Ridge area of Waipahu. They will never have neighbors behind their house because it’s built on the ridge!

5. Hawaiian Coffee
BJ was making extra every morning. So good!

6. Breakfast at the Diner
Just like at home Dallas and Makai figured out a diner to go to and then came and asked me if I wanted to go!
Rise and Shine Cafe in Mililani.

Makai gets a similar breakfast at home, but in Hawaii rice instead of potatoes and spam instead of sausage or bacon.

I’d been eating a lot of heavy things so I got yogurt with fruit.
Dallas got loco moco.

7. A Day in Hale’iwa
We went to with BJ and Kanehoa to Hale’iwa. Our first stop was Hale’iwa Alii Beach. There were so many sea turtles swimming. Some came so close we could have reached out and touched them (but, of course, we didn’t).

8. Matsumoto’s Shave Ice
After the beach we hit up Matsumoto’s. Dallas and BJ couldn’t believe how built up Haleiwa, Hawaii is now! So many shops. The shave ice was a nice treat after the hot beach.

9. Kamehameha Friends BBQ
Donovan lives on the Big Island now, but happened to be in town. Sheri came in from Kauai.
Facetiming with Jay on Maui!
Dallas, Nalani, Sheri, Donovan, BJ

10. Dole Plantation
Our last day staying in Waipahu. I took Makai early to go to the maze at the Dole Pineapple Plantation. We got the obligatory Dole whip, but we’re not fans, sorry!

11. Brush Fire
Coming out we ran into a big brush fire, which explains why we heard so many sirens while we were at Dole. We also saw military helicopters. In hindsight (after the Lahaina fire devastation), this was so scary and sad.

12. Lunch at Aunty Lorrin’s
For lunch we visited Aunty Lorrin, who lives a 5 minute walk from where we’re staying with BJ and Nalani! Good to see Victor, Vivian, Maile and David. Makai had fun playing with their new kitten, Mya. Later on Makai and I were running errands and he was really feeling the vibe at Long’s! In the evening Kuni came over and treated us to Thai dinner!
Victor, Mya, David, Aunty Lorrin, Dallas, Makai, Maile, Vivian

13. Jurassic Tour at Kualoa Ranch
Makai recently watched all of the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World movies so we went on a tour of the filming locations and sets! We also saw locations of other shows and movies. And the ranch was so beautiful!

The tour guide was a local and figured out Dallas was too. She was calling him Uncle, not Brother, be

14. Lunch at Waiahole Poi Factory
We met BJ for one last lunch at Waiahole Poi Factory. Their classmate Hoku D’s family owns the restaurant.
Makai’s kalua pig
Kulolo and Haupia Ice Cream

Hawaii 2023: July 26 – August 1: Waimea, Kauai

Our first stop on our vacation to Hawaii was to Kauai. Our time on Kauai is usually slow-paced and laid back, but this week was very busy. We landed in Lihue, rushed to Waimea, and started cooking for a BBQ that night. Caroline and her family were visiting and our time overlapped only by about 6 hours!

On top of that, Aunty Laura and her husband Bill were visiting from St. Charles, IL. Laura’s daughter, Cory, was visiting from Aspen, CO. And her son, Danny, and his family were visiting from Riverside, IL.

If that’s not enough, good family friends Tandy and Chris and their family were visiting from Seattle, WA. And we ran into multiple childhood friends of Dallas’s who just happened to be in town for a few days.

We had a very busy week, but we were very thankful to be able to spend time with so much friends and family!

1. Family BBQ
We ended up being awake for more than 24 hours but it was worth it to see so much family. Especially thankful to meet our new nephew, Luca.


Back: Danny, Caroline, Rory, Niko, Jose, Caroline, Grace, Kathy, Dallas, Makai, Cory, Luca
Front: Bill, John, Laura, Cathy, Dee, George

Makai and Grace were happy to see each other (and started playing video games immediately!)


Niko


Last time we visited Caroline, she was pregnant. Luca was born shortly after. 5 months old.

Dallas happy to meet Luca.

Makai and his dad grilling meat.

Grace had been on Kauai since the end of May – something like 8 weeks! She demands to know who invited all of these annoying boys (John, Rory, Makai). This was also 5 seconds before that ball went over the cliff into the valley.
Aunty Laura and Luca

Makai, John and Rory eating Kathy’s homemade guri-guri.

Dallas and Danny


George, Caroline, Cory, Luca, Caroline

Giant spider!

Danny, Caroline, Rory, and John Hara stayed at The Point at Poipu on Kauai. They were traveling together with Danny’s mom Laura (Fukuda) and her husband Bill Dubois, as well as Danny’s sister, Cory Hara.

It was fun for all of the kids to be able to hang out together. Makai joined Laura, Bill, Rory and John one night at Luau while the rest of us went out to dinner. Makai stayed overnight at the resort and loved swimming with Rory and John in the resort pool. They also all stayed a couple nights in Waimea with Kathy and George.

Aunty Laura (Fukuda) is Grandpa George Crowell’s first cousin!

2. Pooltime at The Point at Poipu
Dallas golfed with his parents and Danny while the rest of us had an all day pool day! Then Makai joined Aunty Laura, Bill, Rory and John for a luau in Kapaa while Dallas and I went to dinner with Danny, Caroline and Cory at Japanese Grandma’s Cafe and drinks at Port Allen Sunset Grill & Bar.

View from Aunty Laura’s room at The Point at Poipu.

First lava flow… and maybe the only one I had!

3. Japanese Grandma’s Cafe

Cory and I both wanted to try the sparkling sake. It was a big bottle – like regular wine size!

Fried wonton taco with poke inside.

Fried rice with tuna on top.

Maki roll.

Hamachi.

Lilikoi gelato.

Dallas, Rachelle, Caroline, Cory, Danny

4. Luau at the Sheraton Kauai Coconut Beach

While we were at dinner, Makai joined Aunty Laura, Bill, Rory and John at a luau! Then Makai stayed overnight at The Point.

5. Kauai Rooster Hat
 Caroline liked Makai’s hat. I dug out these old photos to show how old it is! Later on she ended up finding it at Kukui’ula and buying one each for John and Rory.

6. Leapin’ Lizards!
Made me jump when I saw it move out of the corner of my eye in the bathroom in Waimea!
7. Swimming at The Point at Poipu
Makai stayed overnight at John and Rory’s and did a lot of morning swimming.

8. Salt Pond Beach
Dallas and I met up with them at Salt Pond Beach Park where we saw endangered Hawaiian monk seals on the beach.

9. Waimea Town
Dallas went home to cook. We then hit Shrimp Station and JoJo’s Shave Ice. Makai and John named all the chickens — the biggest one was named Todd, for some reason!

10. Egret!?I saw this in the yard!

11. Bon Dance at Waimea Higashi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple
Later on we went to the bon dance festival. Dallas ran into multiple childhood friends, some of whom he hadn’t seen for decades!

Festival Food: Akule
(got an extra one to bring home for George! Aunty Jane, working the counter, talked me into banana bread and coffee cake too!)


Festival Food: Andagi (Okinawan Donuts)


Festival Foods: Flying Saucer


Festival Food: Pronto Pop (corn dog)



Dallas was surprised to see his childhood friend, Kari. She lives in LA now! Her parents still live in Waimea and her dad told us a lot about the Bon Dance.

We found out Tandy was in town, but Dallas was surprised to see his childhood friend Lad and his sister Rona at the dance too!


Makai and John – John wanted to know when the ninjas were going to jump out!

Bon Dance begins! The leader at the temple came from Japan via Honolulu. This was the first Bon Dance since before covid!

We found out the next day that the woman in white is Janice’s grand daughter, Dana!

12. Family Monopoly Game
Dallas and his mom found their family Monopoly set and figured it is close to 70 years old. The hotels and houses are made of wood.

13. Day at Home
We did laundry. I sat sat on the porch alternating between looking at a book and looking at the ocean. Makai helped grandpa with yard work and running errands. Dallas and Kathy prepped for a party later.

14. Makai, Meet Makai
Makai and I went to get lunch at Porky’s and the guy that took our order was named Makai!

Grilled Cheese with Kalua Pig

Kalua Pig Bowl

15. Friends BBQ
We had a big barbecue with friends and it was great to spend time with people we had not seen for a long time!!!

On one of our past trips, Dallas made chimichurri, which is not a common thing to eat in Hawaii. Aunty Nancy requested he make it again. Janice made homemade pronto pops (corndogs) and the kids loved them. Rory ate 4 in a row! Janice’s grand daughter, Dana, handmade ti leaf and plumeria leis. And funny story, we discovered I’d taken a photo of her the night before dancing at the Bon Dance!

At one point, we realized every one of the kids at the party were hapa haole so we took a photo of them all together.

Dallas invited Ladd and Rona, who we’d run into the night before at the Bon Dance. Kathy was so bummed out she didn’t get to see them because she skipped the dance. She was so shocked and excited to see them at her front door!

Caroline and I, both from Wisconsin, talked with Såfina for a while. She is going to Lakeland University in the fall for Physical Therapy and to play volleyball. I hope we get to see her and her family more since she will only be 2 hours away from Chicago!


Rory running after Janice’s wontons!


Janice’s grand daughter, Dana, hand made these ti leaf and plumeria leis!

Makai, John, Rory

Janice made homemade pronto pops (corn dogs). Rory ate 4 in a row!

Dallas, Ladd, Uncle Bob, Swede, Marissa, Uncle Bob’s brother Warren, Safina, Aunty Nancy

Xavier, Janice, Kathy, Dana (Janice’s grand daughter)

Chris, Kai, Kanoa, Tandy, Rory

Danny, Tandy, Kanoa, Kai, Chris, Safina, Nancy, Caroline, Warren, Marissa, Bob, Dallas, Ladd, Swede, George, George, Linda, Rona

All the hapa kids! Back: Safina, Swede, Kai. Front: Makai, Rory, John, Kanoa

All the hapa kids! Back: Safina, Swede, Kai. Front: Makai, Rory, John, Kanoa

Make a funny face!

Childhood friends reunited: Tandy, Dallas, Rona, Ladd, Marissa


Aunty Nancy, Uncle Bob, Ladd, Rona

Kanoa and Rory

16. Sleepover
John and Rory stayed over 2 nights in Waimea!

17. Mini Golfing 
Kathy took Rory, John and Makai mini golfing at Kukuiolono. Chris, Kai and Kanoa joined them!

18. Shopping at Kukui’ula
With Dallas and Danny golfing with George, and Kathy taking the boys mini golfing, Caroline and I had free time to go shopping!Lappert’s in Hanapepe closed and there was a rumor that the one in Poipu did too, but luckily that was untrue!

Funny sign.

Lunch at Living Foods

19. Red Salt
We went out to eat with Danny and Caroline at Red Salt in the Koa Kea Resort in Poipu. This was our first time to Red Salt. I didn’t love my entree and it was very expensive. Also felt like we were sitting in a hotel lobby. Our view was people getting in and out of the pool. For the price would expect a more luxe setting and exceptional food.



Driving from Poipu to Waimea

20. Waffles
Rory and John stayed overnight. Makai got up early and made everyone waffles.

21. Legos
Makai and John and Rory played Legos with Dallas’s old Legos many of the days of the week!

22. Salt Pond
We met Caroline and Danny at Salt Pond Beach Park. The two Monk Seals were not on the beach any more, but there was one in the water that just kept circling. Every time it came by everyone had to get out of the water!

23. Waimea Town
Afterwards we had lunch at Shrimp Station and Island Taco and JoJo’s again!

24. More swimming!
Makai went to swim at Caroline and Danny’s condo. The kids were tired from a long day!

23. Stevenson’s Library
Dallas and I had dinner at Stevenson’s Library with Tandy, Chris, Kari and Jeff.
Jeff and Kari, Dallas and Rachelle, Tandy and Chris

24. Grandpa’s Pidgin Lesson


Long Weekend in Green Bay and Door County

Dallas had to go to Door County, WI for work so Makai and I tagged along on a mini vacation.

Our hotel is in Green Bay, a block away from Lambeau Field. When we arrived, we checked into the hotel and then we had dinner at Hinterland Brewery a few blocks away. There was a neighborhood night market at the Titletown development where Hinterland is. It was so nice. We walked around with a beer and looked at all the stands, and listened to the band. They are developing so much in this area!

Dallas had to go to work early in the morning. Makai and I had breakfast at the hotel. He LOVED it!

I wanted to take Makai to The Farm in Sturgeon Bay. I knew he would love it. To make it even more fun, cousins Tessa and Margo joined us!Baby chicks and a guinea fowl.

Feeding bottles of milk to baby pigs!

Tessa trying to feed some corn to a cow. Open wide!

Oh no! Trapped in a well!

Lost looking for the rabbits. … I mean… nature hike.
Found them!

Found the horses too!

Last but not least, kittens! Makai loved this kitten sooo much! After the farm we had lunch at PC Junction, where a train delivers your food. Too bad there was an hour wait in that part of the restaurant. Still a good place for lunch though.

We headed back to De Pere to drop Tessa and Margo off at home. Then Makai and I changed and picked Dallas up at work in Sturgeon Bay. This is a random sign we saw.

After picking Dallas up, we headed up Door County more to Sister Bay. Our friends from Chicago, Andy, Simonie, James and Reid moved there from Chicago. They were having a party and invited us, since we were nearby. We couldn’t stay late because Dallas had to work in the morning and we had a long drive back to Green Bay, but it was so great to see them. I loved their amazing house, so close to downtown, but also right on the lake.

Our hotel was a block from Lambeau Field! The Packers were practicing at Training Camp on Ray Nitschke Field. Makai and I met Jeff, Charlotte and Margo to watch.
#23 Cornerback Jaire Alexander was our guy. His bag was right in front of us and he would come and get things out of it. He practiced right in front of us the whole time. We didn’t see Rodgers because he was practicing on another part of the field, but we did get to see Jordan Love.

It was fun to spend time with family. When we got hot we went to get some drinks and visited some of the sponsored activities tents. Ahman Green, Jarrett Bush, and Evan Smith were the former players signing autographs.

After training camp we had some lunch and Kelly met up with us. Then we went to Lambeau Field for a stadium tour. It was so cool to be up in a suite and down on the field. Makai loved the echo! We also got to go through the tunnel all the players go through!

After spending most of our money at the Packers Pro Shop, Kelly took us for shave ice at Ice Clouds!

Fresh outta the Packers Pro Shop!

For dinner we went to T. Bacon’s BBQ.

Then we met Kelly and Margo at the Marcus Cinema to watch Thor: Love and Thunder.

The next morning we ventured downtown for breakfast at The Creamery, which was super good and cute.

Makai had been DYING to go in the hotel pool, so I took him down for a bit.

We met Kelly, Charlotte and Margo at Bay Beach, which gave Kelly and I a lot of flashbacks to when we used to go when we were kids!

Makai stayed overnight at Kelly and Jeff’s house. Dallas and I looked up some nice places for dinner and actually ended up going back to Lambeau to a restaurant called 1919 Kitchen & Tap. The food was good but the service was terrible! I also tried their old fashioned.

The next morning Dallas had to go to work for a while. I went to Kelly and Jeff’s and hung out til he was done. Then he picked us up and we headed back to Chicago.

Oh, and KC was hanging out with Jazz the cat and Maggie the dog (and Rachel, Scott and Otis) while we were away!

Kauai in July 7.19 – 7.26

7.19.21Our flight from Honolulu to Lihue was at 9:30 am. We were at the airport a little early and it was the first time we could take advantage of one of the free lounges that is a benefit on a credit card we had. There were free food and drinks and a relaxing place to sit with chargers for devices.

The flight was short. Slam your POG. Read 2 pages of a book. Land.

I liked how all the airport covid notices had a Hawaiian flare.

Makai and George came to pick us up at the airport. Just before they went to Burger King and split a sausage and pancake plate. I think Makai has only been to Burger King on Kauai!

At baggage claim:
Dallas: There they are.
Me (no glasses): Where?
Dallas: That tall boy with the red mask!

Makai ran to us and gave me a big hug! He swore he was only missing KC but in the backseat of the car on the ride to Waimea he kept moving my arm to put it around him. Every time I took it back he moved it back to hug him.

We took a walk down to grandpa and grandma’s house.

Grace found this egg!

Something died, we think?, by the door nearest the driveway. Dallas said it smelled really bad and wouldn’t let us go near. We had to go in this door by the kitchen.

There were sooooo many photos and things inside. All the koa furniture. Dallas’s grandpa meeting J. Edgar Hoover for an FBI course he took. George told us this shirt was from a Kauai Police shooting club that met in Kalaheo. He remembered going to parties they had.

This flag was given to Dallas’s grandpa. We ended up giving it to Quincy later on in the trip and he was very thankful. He said he wanted to frame it.

Dallas helped with some things around the house and yard. He trimmed the African tulip tree for his mom.

Makai and Grace have developed a complicated relationship. He is 7 and she is 6. They both want to be the boss. They will go off and play nicely but then they’ll wake up the whole valley with their arguing. Or wrestling in the grass. They bicker constantly. They are basically siblings.

For dinner we have kalua pig and rice, which Makai loved. He and Grace had been eating a diet of chicken nuggets and frozen waffles and not much else! Grace wanted to try Makai’s pork meat. She said it was soooo good that she wants it for breakfast and eats a whole plate of it!

At night Makai and Kathy have been sleeping on the beds in Dallas and Jordan’s room and Grace has been sleeping on a mattress on the floor. Makai begged me to sleep with me just one night (ended up being the whole week). Dallas slept in his bed with Kathy and Grace in the room too.


7.20.21
I woke up a few times in the night but ended up sleeping until 8:30am. I’m adjusting. Dallas is not. He woke up at 3am! When I got up I ran to Big Save and got a few groceries.

Dallas, Makai, Grace, George and Kathy all wanted to golf at Kukuiolono, the 9 hole golf course in Kalaheo. George and Kathy had been taking the kids there for weeks on off times to learn to golf. It’s only $5-$10 per person to play! They also met Mr. Ragasa (known to Makai and Grace as “Uncle Larry”).

Since we didn’t have a rental car, I dropped them off so I could go and do my own thing. I decided to visit Little Fish Cafe. It used to be located in Hanapepe and I’ve been several times. Now it’s in Poipu. They told me they also have a location in Lawai.

I basically spent the entire time that everyone else golfed driving to and standing in line at Little Fish. I got this breakfast bowl and it was amazing. I don’t know if it was worth the super long wait in a line of tourists, but I am happy to support a local business.

I went back to meet everyone at Kukuiolono and to eat lunch and Apple maps took me on this really strange back way to get there. Good thing I was in the pick up truck. I was going to go in and have a drink while everyone finished up with golf, but I lost my mask. Maybe it flew out the truck window? I literally only needed it to walk 5 feet from the restaurant door to the table. They didn’t have any to give me and wouldn’t let me in. I found Mr. Ragasa in the parking lot and he had a spare in his glove compartment!

This is a guava margarita with li hing mui powder on the rim.

I had literally just eaten Little Fish, so I was just going to get ceviche (listed as Mexican poke) on the menu, but they were all out.

Makai got a quesadilla with rice and beans. When the waitress came back over he asked for MORE rice and beans! We ended up taking some of them home.

At home we had some relaxation time. Later on Makai and Grace did water balloons and pulled each other around in the wagon.

For dinner, Dallas and George grilled steak and we saw a rainbow! Makai slept in my room again! We decided the other room is the insomniac / late night room, since Grace and Kathy stay up so late and Dallas can’t sleep at night.


7.21.21
Makai woke up and yelled “BEACH DAY!!!!” in my face.We ate breakfast and went to Salt Pond.

It was overcast and the tide was low which made the water in the protected area VERY shallow. There was no one at the beach for a long time!

Gracie ate Funyuns from a sand toy!

The kids played in the sand as much as the water and we also checked out the tide pools a lot!

It rained for just a few minutes. We ended up going home at around 11:30.

At 1pm I took Grace and Makai to meet Aunty Kathy at Port Allen Grill for lunch. The kids had “fried chicken” off the menu but it was actually wings! And the fries were wedges! Gracie hated it! I had a broiled ono sandwich and it was ONO! We also shared 2 ice creams for dessert.

Next to our table there was a Tahitian gardenia and Aunty Kathy told Grace and Makai to each pick one to smell. They were very fragrant! We put one in each of Grace’s barrettes in her hair. She loved it. Makai complained on the way home that the smell was making his head hurt.

While we were eating, Doris Hanson stopped by our table to say “hi” to Aunty Kathy. I found out later on that she was Dallas’s preschool teacher!

At home we relaxed in the afternoon. We wrote some postacards too.

For dinner we had ahi sashimi and grilled burgers.


7.22.21Kathy and George went to Lihue to look at a new washing machine because theirs is broken but the new machine was on backorder for 5 weeks. We got up and went to the laudromat and did 4 loads of laundry. Luckily the laundromat is just down the hill in Waimea.

While the clothes were washing, Makai and I walked around to do a few errands. We mailed our postcards. We also went to Big Save, where papayay was $1.99 for a half. At our breakfast at the Royal Hawaiian it was $13 for 3 slices!

When we came home we realized we were locked out! Dallas locked the wrong lock on the door. We were able to lift Grace into a window. She thought that she was able to do it because she practices gymnastics!

Dallas and I packed a lunch and took Grace and Makai to Kokee. Makai was so excited and kept calling it Chicken Mountain before we got there, but much to our shock, there weren’t really that many chickens running around! The last time Grace and Makai visited Kokee all they did was chase chickens the entire time.

Makai at the Kokee Museum. After a few hours we drove back down.

The car had low tire pressure so we were a bit worried about that. George checked it and it was not holding air. Dallas and I went to Ace in Kalaheo and got some repair kits to try. We had salmon for dinner.

Grace has the longest eyelashes of anyone I knew…. until I met her brother!


7.23.21Kathy asked me to stay at the house from 9am – 2pm to wait for the washing machine repair man. Dallas and George went golfing at Poipu Bay. Kathy took Grace to Lihue to go shopping and to take the tire to Costco to fix. Which, she found out it couldn’t be replaced and they would have to ORDER a new one – 6 weeks. 6 weeks for everything!

Makai wanted to watch the new Space Jam movie and I said only if we watch it outside where I could also see the ocean.

We waited all day and the repair man never showed up or called.

We didn’t have a car, but at 3pm we gave up and walked to Waimea. We had fresh coconut and pineapple from the fruit stand.

We did some shopping and we had shave ice from Jo Jo’s Shave Ice.

Me: Why did the chicken cross the road?
Makai: To get to the bushes!

Trying to watch the Olympics Parade of Nations.

Love this photo of Dallas, Caroline and Jordan.

Makai is still sleeping in my bed.


7.24 Salt Pond in the mornings has been our routine since Makai was a baby. The drive is 15 minutes or less, no one is there early in the morning, and the tide is low making the baby beach extra shallow.

We saw a lot of ghost crabs!

After a few hours, we dropped Dallas back home and had an adventure of our own.

We went to Hanapepe!

Grace and Makai loved the Hanapepe Swinging Bridge! They went back and forth on it 3 times!

We walked around a few shops but several of my favorites were closed because of the pandemic.

Makai remembered Talk Story bookstore and asked if we could go there. He remembered the kids section and showed Grace where it was! Makai asked the store owner about the shop cat. She was hiding, sleeping in a basket behind the counter. There was a sign that said “I am THE BOSS. All proceeds go to me.” Grace asked the shop owner if the cat put that sign up! The owner’s wife published a book and illustrated some stickers featuring the Talk Story cat!

We saw this giant pikachu in a car outside the bookstore! I told the kids we could get a treat at the bakery in Hanapepe, but they were sold out of everything except coffee! We ended up going to McDonald’s and getting McFlurrys! And the kids also disliked how I kept saying ELE ELE. ELE ELE. ELE ELE.

Makai and Grace and Grandpa and Grandma.

Getting ready for a party with friends. I was expecting his signature margarita, but George made me an aperol spritz!

Bob, George, Nancy, Linko, Dallas

Eleanor, Janice, Kathy, Mr. Regasa, Kathy

Janice, Kathy, Xavier, Dee

Dallas and his dad smoked pork and made blue cheese slaw for sandwiches. Dallas’s mom made a fruit salsa. Of course Aunty Nancy made Portuguese meat!

Beautiful full moon that night! The full moon tonight was soooo bright. Plus so nice to look at the stars without Chicago light pollution.


7.25.21In the morning we went to the laundromat again.

I took Makai to Poipu Shopping Center. We looked around the shops and then ate lunch at Keoki’s Paradise.

Makai had POG and I had a lava flow.

Makai had a cheeseburger and I had panko and macadamia nut crusted ono fish.

There was a local musician playing named JoJo Tram. He played popular and local music. He kept asking for requests and no one gave any so I went up and requested Manao Company and Kapena. I can’t think of a trip to Kauai when I haven’t gone to Keoki’s one or two times.

In March, Kauai got a statue of Kaua?i King Kaumuali?i, the last reigning king of Kauai. Makai and I stopped on the way home to check it out. Fun fact: Dallas and his dad both have the middle name Kaumu, after the king.

Makai noticed that across the field there’s a great view of the black sand at Waimea Beach. This is also basically looking at Captain Cook’s landing site.


7.26Today Dallas, Makai and I leave to go to Oahu. Makai and his first cousin Grace have been on Kauai for a month. They are the closest of the Crowell cousins and when they play nice it’s great. But they’ve become like siblings and what these photos don’t show is the frequent arguing and competitiveness and bossing around. They’re similarly aged and both first born, both very stubborn. This has been a great experience for Makai, to live with another kid and learn what that’s about. He doesn’t realize it now, but he will miss her a TON!

Hawaii 2019 Day 9: Going to Oahu

For most of the day we hung around the house in Waimea. Very relaxing. After lunch I took Makai to JoJo’s Shave ice. It’s so close and we hadn’t gotten shave ice there yet. Makai wanted to order “rainbow like on the sign.”

We saw this super cool gecko while we were there! Makai thought it was funny that the gecko was sitting on a bench at JoJo’s licking (probably) melted shave ice! He’d been watching the geckos for the whole trip, but mostly we saw them scrambling around the house. At night we could see their shadows on the windows outside as the ran and grabbed the bugs that the light was attracting. Makai also liked to watch the birds that were eating melted shave ice!

In the afternoon we took a flight from Lihue to Honolulu. The day before, Makai was adamant that he DID NOT want to leave Kauai or grandma and grandma, but on our travel day he was  SO EXCITED he was bouncing off the walls. On the plane he chugged POG, as is mandatory.

After landing in Honolulu, we got our rental car and headed to Waimanolo. We were staying with Billy, Ging, Damien (9), Hoku (7) and Ka’eo. Makai fell right in with these boys and loved our stay… but not immediately. The boys were all riding around on little ATVs and Makai jumped on the back and promptly fell off the second someone stepped on the gas. I heard his head hit the ground like a watermelon. He was ok, but shooken up. Billy and Ging grilled shoyu chicken, corn on the cob and asparagus. Makai warmed back up. The kids were ripping open coconuts from the coconut tree. They also showed Makai how to pick flowers off the plumeria tree and I was showered with flowers from all the boys!

Hawaii Day 15: Celebrating Cinco de Mayo, Boys’ Day and 12 Years Together

FullSizeRenderFullSizeRender-2Cinco de Mayo and Boys Day! We had breakfast and then Aunty Jane came over. She had a fun gift for Makai for Boys Day: Let’s Fish fishing game! Makai played with Aunty Jane and Grandma C. Grandma C was a ringer, taking a lot of joy from beating Makai Boy at the game!

FullSizeRender-1Dallas found some old photo albums and we had a look.

img_4845.jpgimg_5029.jpgI took Makai to the Post Office and Big Save. Look how big the local avocados were! I couldn’t believe it. When we tasted them they were so rich and buttery. The best avocados I’ve had!

img_4869.jpgI also got some local guava jam and local honey.

img_4871.jpgOh, and the local paper. We were at Salt Pond the day before this genius decided to punch out an endangered and pregnant seal. It was the talk of the island.

img_4854.jpgimg_4858.jpgimg_4860.jpgimg_4862.jpgimg_4856.jpgimg_4866.jpgWe also went to JoJo’s Shave Ice. Makai was super interested in how the shave ice was made and how it looked, but he wouldn’t even take one bite of it! I took it back to the house and all the rest of us shared it! It was huge!

IMG_4898Dallas and I met on Kauai 12 years ago that week, so we made plans to go out and celebrate.

img_4929.jpgMeanwhile, George and Kathy took Makai to Aunty Nancy and Uncle Bob’s house so he could play with Swede and Safina and their dog.

img_4907.jpgimg_4903.jpgimg_4900.jpgimg_4905.jpgFirst we went to Seaview Terrance for some cocktails. The view was so beautiful and relaxing. There was a Hawaiian musician. I had a Li Hing Mui Margarita (Cinco de Mayo!) and a Mai Tai and Dallas had a few local beers. I could have sat outside there all night, it was so nice!

img_4934.jpgFor dinner we went to Stevenson’s Library. We’d been there before to celebrate Liz and Jordan’s wedding, but had never eaten. The sushi was sooooo good. And we had so much! Kanpachi sushimi, sake and ika and tako and anago nigiri and two types of maki rolls. Also, hamachi kama. Yumyumyum.

After dinner we had some drinks at the bar. We tried to play pool, but we couldn’t get in the queue. It was Kauai, so the bar closed at 10 p.m. We tried to shut the bar down, but we couldn’t even make it that late! Nice, relaxing, early night!