Kauai Luau - February 6

We couldn't come to Kauai without seeing a real live luau.  We found one with great reviews and it turned out to be one of the great highlights of our time on the island.  The Smith Family Luau.  The Smith Family has been tilling their land for generations, and have beautified their space with every type of flower, tree, and vegetation that is natural to the island of Hawaii.

Kauai Trip Day 5 - February 6

Princeville Resort is utterly beautiful.  We are surrounded by the magestic mountains of nature.  We woke up to a breezy morning with fog settling on the mountain and the waterfalls ebbing and flowing with the nights' rainfall right before our eyes.  We began our day eating a fancy breakfast buffet out on the balcony overlooking Hanalei Bay.  Birds were chirping and flying onto our table.  It was chilly but crisp and perfect sweatshirt weather.  After a slow morning we went down to explore the beaches below the resort.  Nate spent time with his sharpie drawings relaxing on a lawn chair listening to the beach waves, while I read my book next to him.  We enjoyed the sand in our toes and the breeze in our hair.  We ventured along the coast through Hanalei Bay.  We had to hike over and under tree roots all along the edge of the jungle beach shore.  We remembered doing this same hike along the coast as newlyweds.  We also remember swimming across the river that feeds Hanalei Bay.  Looking at that river today it seemed so incredibly dangerous.  It could sweep us out to see or under the current so easy.  Maybe the current and tide is up with this rainy weather, or maybe the river has changed over the last 15 years.  We decided not to attempt that swim this time. 

Kauai Day Four - February 5

Day Four of Kauai happened to be a rainy one.  But the rain is what keeps this island greener than green.  So that made it ok.  We began with some exercise and our breakfast buffet.  Then we enjoyed a nice drive around the island.  Lots of traffic, but great scenery as we got to experience the coast all the way around.  During our drive we decided to catch up on Hawaiian history and culture to better understand the place we were experiencing.  We began to learn about the Hawaiian Queen and how the US unrightfully took her power and overthrew the Hawaiian government.  The Hawaiian Islands were essentially taken over wrongfully.  It was a fascinating story full of corruption.  It sounds like a few years back President Clinton apologized officially to the Hawaiians for this wrongful takeover and attempted to give soveriegn land back to the Hawaiians.  It became a very messy story, but fascinating.

We stopped at the Bistro Lighthouse for dinner in Kaleuea, a town full of history.  We studied the history of this town, which began with Hawaiians on a sugar plantation.  They sought laborers from all countries, including China, Japan, Polynesia, Guam, and many others.  It became a hodgepodge of cultures all mixed together with the Hawaiians.  The Queen came to Kaleuea and honorably hammered in the first stake of the new railroad.  It is an important town.

After dinner, we headed up to Princeville Resort, the same resort we stayed at on our Honeymoon fifteen years earlier.  It looked the same but different.  We were young and inexperienced and likely did not take the time to notice much.  There is so much to see and notice now!

Kauai Day Three - February 4

Day Three in Kauai began with some great exercise classes at the Grand Hyatt Fitness Center.  Nate enjoyed his Pentonx Bike Virtual classes and I enjoyed Zumba and Barre like never before.  The dancing was so much fun and knowing that I would never see any of those people again, I danced my heart out with little worry. It was great to just let myself go and enjoy the music and flow with it.  Afterward, the Hawaiian instructor asked me if I had done much Zumba and I told her no.  She suggested that I should look  into becoming an instructor because I was so good.  What a confidence boost!  I plan to take more classes at the Y and maybe look into becoming an instructor one day!

Following our exercise, we enjoyed another buffet breakfast and then headed out to the pool.  We spent most of the day at the pool, with fun beverages and sunshine.  The pool had a waterslide and lazy river that we enjoyed much!  We made some friends, Bea and Bill, who were on their honeymoon and spent several hours talking and hanging out and sharing stories at the pool.

Following our pool time, we got showered and headed out to explore Waimea Canyon, apparently the second largest Grand Canyon in the United States.  Could something like that possibly fit on a little island in the middle of the Pacific?  We took a side highway up the canyon, and every lookout that we stopped at was less than fascinating.  We began to wonder if this really was worth the trip.  Finally, the side highway connected with the main canyon highway.  We almost turned around to head back south, but decided to go up north up the canyon a little further.  We made it to a large lookout point with a parking lot and signs.  As we headed up the stairs to the lookout we were overcome with amazement.  The most beautiful scene was before us.  The most magnificent green mountains huge stood before us with the largest and deepest valley below.  An amazing landmark that we almost missed!  The beauty of this earth is beyond amazement and miraculous.

Kauai Day Two - February 3

Day two of our fantastic trip we were awake early to watch the sun rise over the water.  The most beautiful morning.  We could see the stars so clearly in the sky as the dark transformed lighter and lighter into day.  The miracle of this earth is fascinating.  We enjoyed a late morning breakfast buffet and spent the day out on the beach.  The waves were super strong and massive, almost dangerous.  It was a lot of fun to jump the waves and try to ride them before they crashed.  If you missed the right moment, the waves would grab hold of you and shove you up the beach.  I got water up my nose several times as the waves swooped me off my feet.  But oh so fun!  The beach is my happy place, no doubt.  We just spent time reading and relaxing out in the sun.  There is a saltwater lagoon that we spent time in afterward to wash off the sand that was stuck everywhere.  Refreshing!

For dinner we went out to Paco's Tacos over by a golf course overlooking the sea.  Fantastic food, great ambiance and a live Hawaiian singer with his guitar and ukulele.

Anniversary Trip to Kauai - February 2

It's happening!  We are headed to Kauai!  After 15 years, we are headed back to the place we called our honeymoon :-).  The kids are all situated.  We have Kaylee, Nathan, and Owen staying at Grandma's house in Kendallville.  We have Jaxton with Mike & Kim Routsong and cousins.  Cooper is staying with Jordan & Lauren; and Dawson is staying with Melissa & John Owen and Jace.  They have school all week, so we are hoping things are not too complicated for those they are staying with.  Hopefully no one gets sick or there are not snow days :-).

We got the three sent to Grandma's Saturday night.  We left early, around 3:30am, and left the other 3 sleeping at home.  They will be picked up by their respective relatives throughout the morning.  We flew from Fort Wayne to Charlotte, and then to Phoenix where we caught a quick bite to eat at the AMEX Centurion Lounge.  From Phoenix we headed straight to Lihue, Kauai and landed around 3pm Hawaii time, 5 hours earlier than Indiana.

The plane ride was long and sleepy, but here we are!  We were greeted by roosters and chickens everywhere we looked :-).  Apparently they are protected here.  We also enjoyed a silver convertible to enjoy in the sun.  We headed to our hotel, the Grand Hyatt located at Poipu on Shipwreck Beach.  A beautiful place to relax and regroup.

Day 1 we ate dinner at the Tidepools Restaurant which is located surrounded by tidepools and large fish.  We were right on the water.  Food was just alright, and overpriced, but the ambiance was fantastic.  Glad to be here with Nate and to try to relax our minds from out normal craziness.