Part 3

I know you're waiting in anticipation. Here goes.

Day 5: Lamm's went hang gliding.... we explored Waimea and scoped out the Shrimp Station that Shad and Lizzie had read about...


Upon picking up the Lamms, we quickly returned to indulge. Pretty sure this was everyone's favorite meal of the trip. An 11 dollar plate FULL of coconut shrimp and sweet chili dipping sauce goodness.... yum.




I don't think I knew how big my mouth was. Not sure how I feel about that, but it's already in the collage...

Everyone full-- to the brim, but we'd seen Lappert's icecream on the drive in, and I remembered them having my favorite Mint and Chip ever from like 10 years ago. So we had to make a stop. I thought "I'll just get one little scoop." ... she talked me out of that normal little cone into this big waffle cone, and believe it or not, this is the 'single scoop'. We were all sick. In sort of a wonderful, chubby, Hawaiian way.

Heading to the East Side for our luau that night, we stopped at Kipu Falls. This is one of those places I thought was a hidden spot for locals that some friends showed me when I nannied over there. Turns out it's in the Kauai book that Lizzie found on Amazon for the trip. The same book we later saw at Costco. (This explained why every tourist seemed to be on our heels the whole time-- but seriously greatest tourist-book ever. As long as we had it with us we could get anywhere on a moments notice. It's the blue one if you go looking??)

Anyway... here we are on the little "hike" into Kipu Falls. I was seriously closing my eyes and ploughing through.... the grass was so high and thick. Amazing.

We found it. We assessed.

Did you think that was four of the same photo? Look again. I told them to be boys... I thought it was too funny that Ross didn't move an inch. I don't think he took a breath even. But seriously, look at those muskulls. Mission accomplished babe.

Shad and Lizzie... ok so it's mostly Lizzie, but really have you seen a cuter pregnant girl?

Killing time before the luau, Shad was determined to crack open a coconut to drink the milk. I don't think it's what he expected...

Uhhh... some straggler pictures I guess...

That evening... luau... luckily we got out of the food portion when we were still stuffed from shrimp and ice cream, and realized we'd be paying 75 bucks for other people's drinks at the open bar. So we just saw the show that night at Smith's Luau... eh--- not my favorite. But we sat next to some really entertaining drunk people.

Day 6: Mission: Relax. Sleep in, walk to Starbucks for egg sandwiches, head over to the other Marriott beach so the boys can surf. And the girls can lay.

I feel like I should confess that Lizzie and I managed to squeeze a lot of this in. A vacation isn't a vacation to me if there isn't a lot of laying in the sun. It's my mom's fault... she was raised in Hawaii and you can still see her soul warming in some good fresh air and sunshine. And of course the air and sunshine is SO much better in the islands. I can smell it just blogging about it.

Did I mention that this was our rental car? Fun right?

All blog-puffery aside, it was heavenly.


Back to diapers and carpools, and photo-walls and upholstered chairs. The things of this world.


Ok but the snuggles and dimples and i-love-you's and midnight giggles from a very sleepy Mila when she squinted her eyes open for a moment and saw me after 12 days (I just counted that for the first time--- HOLY COW! )---- those are SOOO out of this world. Even the heavenly polynesian one.

Happy to be home.

The End.