Pictures and Stories of Weekend Adventures

This will be a short post with lots of photos.

On Saturday I had a lovely adventure with my friend Kara. We traveled to Waihee which is sort of North East of where I live in Kula. I went up to the top of this hill before and got out into the parking lot, but I was with the family and we had hungry kids who had to use the bathroom so we couldn't actually hike. Kara wanted to actually hike it with me (she'd done it before) and I was really excited to do my first 'ridge' hike.

HOLY SMOKES.

Every step we took, we got a little higher, the view got a little more expansive and we could see more water, more valley, more mountain. The hike took us through cyprus, eucalyptus, some meadow-y, and some mixed-jungle type forests. So rad!

I just learned I can write "captions". Here we go. This is on the Waihee Ridge trail. This is one of the first look out spots. We were in and among the West Maui Mountains. 

Looking up the valley at Waihee

Look at that! Such steep veins. If you look closely you can see the little river coming through the bed of this valley. The green-ness of this shot kind of reminds me of the Sound of Music. The mountains here still blow my mind- growing up in upstate New York the mountains were far older and worn down. 

Me and Kara, shes one of my adventure pals. We moved to Maui on exactly the same day.

You can see Wailuku over our heads. This shoreline holds Kahalui and Paia, too! This shot looks over toward Haleakala (the East side of the island) 

Fern! Love that spiral, man. So cool! Millions of these little guys just about to fan out on this hike. 

Kara relaxing atop the West Maui Mtns at the trail head after our hike. 

Saw a Wild Peacock on the drive home

Nahko and Medicine for the People! Such a great show- my first time really hanging out at Casanova!

Such an awesome show to top an awesome night. I've never really listened to them much before but the energy and vibes they exploded were so positive and happy. I was pretty impressed by many of their jams and the lyrics were uplifting. I'll be seeing these guys again.

I had a really awesome 'Yin' yoga practice with Mia, one of my favorite teachers at Makawao tonight. She encouraged, as always to set an intention. She suggested we visit gratitude throughout the practice. Many thoughts about my family and friends I'm missing this week were coming to me. How lucky am I to have a healthy body, a roof over my head, food to eat and so many people to care about that love me back. I am so grateful for my life's offerings, my opportunity to move to Maui and all of the support I have back home in Michigan. 

I was so happy to connect with my pham last night over a facetime chat with Ms. Joe and all the folks over at Andrea's for Thanksgiving. I cried a little but it was so great to talk to and see so many faces I've missed so much. Its wonderful and awesome to be in sunny, warm, beautiful Maui but its hard to be away from so many loved ones during this holiday season.

Two years ago today, my grandpa Shiner passed away. Its hard to believe its been two years already. In light of the Thanksgiving and Holiday season upon us, I've been thinking a lot about how grateful I am for my family. In our culture, I feel like we focus a lot on "how much you remind me of your mom!". But, each our elders influence us. I feel so blessed to have moved to Michigan when I was young enough to really strengthen my relationship with all of my grandparents. Each of my grandparents passed a piece of their character and wisdom on to me. 

Today, I am thinking about my Grampa Shiner's love and appreciation of the arts. He and my Grams let me attack my first canvas. I'd admire his works in the pole barn every summer. My first years really exploring my own artistic world were heavily influenced by his- as I grew up on the beach that he painted so many times, I found my own expressions of many of places he painted. I learned from observing his pieces, how to use color. Sometimes colors you wouldn't expect end up belonging.
My gramps didn't just love visual art, he also was a talented musician. He'd sit for hours and play his favorite songs. He'd share his favorite tunes with us through his own hands and through recommendations.

I appreciate the practicality and skills he had with his hands- that my father has passed down to me. He built me and Tisha the most beautiful doll houses that I cannot wait to share with my own children. He and my Grams made the inside like a real home- right down to the cereal boxes and silverware in the drawer. He loved to build things- and because of him and my daddio I know how to secure a 'lock nut' and am not afraid to embark on my own DIY missions. His gorgeous, unique lamps illuminated my late night reading when I was young and hid trinkets because they have the coolest little hidden stash spot in the bottom.
My Gramps would spend hours every day on his crosswords and sodukus. He kept his brain sharp and appreciated people who did the same. He would watch and talk politics. He read every day. I know my gramps was proud that I attended MSU and would be even more proud that I finished. He was proud that all of his grandchildren are intelligent, creative and unique beings. He was such a neat guy and I'm proud to be his grand-daughter.

Plus! He served in WWII and spent some time in the South Pacific, JUST LIKE ME. He'd be happy to know I'm out in Hawaii and following my dreams. Learning about all these new places and exploring all that I can.

Love you Gramps. Aloha out to the universe, the heavens and all that you are.

Two more days of work til my THREE DAY WEEKEND

Aloha pumehana,

Betty

Pictures And Stories Tomorrow

Tomorrow I'll post a lot of pictures from this weekend and fill ya in about my adventures. My eyes and body are telling me its time to give them rest so I'm listening.

I did a yogurt, chocolate & honey mask again today. Feels so good and the extras taste better than any chocolate dessert I've ever made. So awesome.

In other quick news, I bought the best christmas cards ever and I cannot wait to send them out. So excited.

Aloha pumehana,

Betty

Ma-Ma-Ma-Marrriage

Today when the boys woke up, they were talking all about kissing and getting married--- again.

This is the 5 yr olds favorite topic lately, super funny. So, they asked if they could marry me and what order they could marry me in and if the 7 month old could marry me too. They asked if I was already married and if maybe I could just marry their dad. Sometimes, when I come home the five year old will ask if I found a husband that day.


They have no concept of marriage, at all.


So, I told them "YES! I am getting married today at sundown. I still have to find my husband though."

They thought this was hilarious and were determined to become my husbands. We returned to our morning routine and I thought this convo had come and gone.

Dinner time rolls around and we're eating our delicious soup and home fries. "BETSY! ITS SUNDOWN!" "OH MY GOSH BETSY'S GETTING MARRIED TONIGHT, MOM!!!!"

"Oh no! I haven't found a husband yet! What will I do?!"

"You have 100 seconds to find him! The clouds are pink!!!!"

So, their mom and I joked about me going down to the side of the road to quickly find someone or calling one of my friends. The boys kindly offered to marry me but I had to decline, as I have a sore throat so THE MOST IMPORTANT part of a marriage- THE KISS- could SPREAD GERMS. Totally uncool, marriage will have to wait for another day.

The dudes continued to ask me questions about when and where I'd be getting married and if they'd be allowed to go. I told them that when I get married, I'll invite them. The 5 year old said, "Well I think we'll get married so I'll definitely be there." He also told me that "definitely shouldn't get married in Michigan" because then "YOUR PARENTS COULD BE THERE AND THEN THEY'D SEE YOU KISS SOMEONE! How embarrassing" HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Time for bed

Aloha pumehana,
 Betty

Butternut Squash and All about the Babydays

I spent most of my day playing with the seven month old today. It is so incredibly awesome to learn about the human experience by watching him interact with his world and move through his day.

HIGHLIGHTS:

He has learned to crawl but has pretty much no interest in using this as a mode of transport. He crawls for a few feet but then he tries to get his feet under him. He straightens his right leg, his left leg. He rolls over and starts again. Super determined to get onto two feet. I'm pretty sure its because his legs are significantly stronger than his arms/core- he has spent some time in a little jumper seat workin' out those limbs. We have been working on keeping him on the floor for the past two weeks trying to strengthen the rest of his body but even though he is looking more and more like an upper body builder and his muscles are toning, he is still determined to use his legs to get around. The only time he really crawls and 'gets into it' is when he is tying to get somewhere to climb.
This baby is a climber. No kidding, he is constantly putting one hand over the other and pulling himself up on the mini trampolines, the two steps down/up from the dining room to the living room, the mantel, couches of all varieties, legs, bodies- he doesn't care as long as he can use it to get himself 'up'. Today when I was watching him crawl around he got over to the stairs up to the dining room- they go all the way across the room so there is no real way to 'block' them, so we put yoga mats on them and watch him like a hawk- anyway I thought he was doin' his typical thing trying to stand up by putting his hands on the the bottom step. Nope, continued observation showed that he was in full on problem solving mode: HOW DO I CLIMB HIGHER?????!!!! He started by lifting his knee up, like he does when he crawls- only while on two feet holding on to the stair,  and then putting it down. He did this for a while and then he scratched that and started trying to reach for the second stair with one arm. He realized that if he did this at the very same time as he lifted his leg, he could kinda hoist himself up. Unfortunately, because he is a baby and barely started crawling two weeks ago I decided to stop his exploration and move him back toward the center of the room because I really didn't want him to eat it- hes just a baaaaby!
So after he was really bummed that I stopped his exploration I took him outside. We walked around the yard and said good morning to all the trees and the sunshine. I love doing this with him- he gets so smiley and wide eyed outside. Babies are the best because they don't think I'm when I do these things- they just get excited. He crawled around on a blanket and hit the ground, felt the grass while shouting "GAAAA" "GAAAAA". I assured him, "Yes, that is green grass." about a thousand times in different ways. Then he just stared in awe at the fern tree- its a really cool tree. Then we went inside, which obviously made him fussy because he is Maui Outdoors Baby but I gave him a bottle and that soothed him.
After he had a little bottle I prepped some butternut squash and some oatmeal- the newest food we've been introducing him to this week. The first time he ate the squash, he wasn't so sure about it- but I think he was just really tired which makes it really hard to sit up and eat especially for an infant. Today, he was stoked. Totally stoked. He was gobbling it up and doing the whole body smile dance (which he also does for sweet potatoes) and HE WAS LICKING HIS LIPS. I've never seen a baby smack and lick their lips until today but it very well may be the cutest thing I've ever seen. He is just learning how to move his lips so it was super funny and awkward but he didn't let very much of that delicious butternut squash go to waste. I just love hangin' out with him.

I could detail more about the little bundle of joy but I'm sure not everyone loves babies as much as I do. Plus, I'm getting a little sleepy and I'm gonna try to get more rest than I have been in the past few days.

Aloha pumehana,

Betty

Just one quick thing before I go to bed

Today during dinner the oldest boy shouted "STOP! Everyone quiet!"

We were listening to Christmas music on Pandora.

"EVERYONE, SHH! I need to hear this song!"

He closes his eyes and gets lost in the moment.

HARK, The Herald Angels Sing was playing. Its now his favorite song. He told me that instead of "Happy Birthday" he'd like his friends to sing him "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" for his birthday (in February). He asked his mom to look up the lyrics and he learned them. All of them.

We listened to it again. He absolutely loves it. Its the funniest and cutest thing ever.

I've been subbing in his class (5-7 yr olds) this week. I get to cuddle and help them fall asleep just like in preschool. Just for a shorter amount of time. Today, as a bonus I also got to see them perform a fairy tale play! It was so cute! My dude was an 'elder' in a village.

Grateful and blessed everyday.

Aloha pumehana,

Betsy

JUNGLE FEVER

So I worked extra, extra a lot last week and was rewarded with two whole days off in a row! Its hard to get two days off when you work 45 hours a week :/ So after an overtime (45+ hours last week) a full weekend off was a well deserved treat. Truly.
I never thought that I- who all throughout college made it a point to schedule classes for three day weekends until my second senior year- would typically only have Sundays off. Some sort of payback for all those nice mornings I slept in. Woof. Either way- 45 hours is a lot and so I usually work 6 days a week.

To treat myself- I hollered over to my adventure buddies Suz and Brad and figured out that the weekend plan was HANA! HANA! HANA!!!!! They had called up April down in Lahaina and she was on board too. JUNGLE ADVENTURE TIME.

I have been trying to get to Hana the entire time I've been here. The aforementioned time constraints make this 2-day trip pretty tough to plan. But I FINALLY FREAKIN DID IT AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY ALL THAT I HOPED AND SOME!

SO RAD!

The best way to tell this story is through pictures.

It all started with some croissants from La Provence. The most incredible and flaky chocolate and almond croissants made fresh all day by an Up Country Frenchman. I also had some of the plain. I couldn't decide what kind to bring to everyone so I just got them all.  The yummiest croissants I've ever tasted in my entire life. No questions asked.

We hit the road a little after 8:30. Because I live in Kula and Suz & Brad live in Keokea we decided to go the 'back way' to Hana. Which I found aboslutely stunning. This is one of the newest lava flows on Maui. Notice the brown-ness and new growth. Brand new soil brand new land. Geologic history IN THE MAKING.

Pictured here is a fairly new wind farm. Suz has driven this way within the past year and said she hadn't seen it. Here is proof that wind farming is gorgeous in the land with the land for the land. So beautiful! 

 A picture of the road and more of the new-green landscape. You cant feel it, obviously, but all of this grass is dense and pretty dry. It seems like the perfect thing that could grow within 1000 years of a lava flow.

 More landscape. This picture describes exactly what the end of our trip was not. Both were breathtaking in their own ways. This picture had to be included though to show the drastic change of scenery from the beginning to the end. A lot of people don't take the 'back way' to Hana and some don't even close the loop- I'm so happy we did because this part of the trip was one of my favorites. 

 Suess trees at the first beach we stopped at. It was past Kanio and Ulupalakua. There were some fisherman here and I learned that it isn't a good swimming beach. Suz and April told us that the water get super deep super fast, its always pretty rough and there could be sharks!

 This is a little tree-dude I met at the Kipuhulu National Forest. I just liked him. It was the beginning of an awesome hike and I felt like he was welcoming me into the forest and reminded of a Sesame Street Martian. Yah? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO33o0se_Aw)

This is a Banyan Tree. They are a super Jungley tree and have vines that turn into roots and trunk-contributors.
I love these trees.
I almost knocked the standing man out of his branch because I jumped on a part of a branch he was standing on just about 30 seconds after I took this photo. Oops. I really couldn't tell. And he was totally fine. 

KIPAHULU. I improperly tagged these photos as Wainapanapa on Instagram and I'm so embarassed. Total noob mistake.

Check out these rock formations, though! LAVA! RUNNING WATER! It makes for beautiful landforms. If you can't tell, when it rains this would flood and turn into a raging river.

 Me with Waimoku falls. Nerdin' out so hard over nature. Here, I'm still hundreds of feet away from that MONSTER of a waterfall. SO MASSIVE. MASSIVE. MASSSSSIIIIVE. There were guava trees and coffee plants everywhere here.

 And again. Dweeb. 

 THIS PICTURE IS SO FUNNY BRADS HEAD IS HUGE
Also, this is where we had our snack. Private little tributary waterfall. 

 BAMBOO FOREST. They get dark!

 Me being a dork in the Bamboo.

 We finally got to Hana (way earlier in the day) and I hilariously didn't take many pictures at all when I was actually IN Hana. Nearly a full moon on Hana Bay beach with the adventure buds near some bumpin' bass at a public pavilion.

WOMP WOMP HANA MOON WAAHHMP

RED SANDS BEACH
This was a hop skip and a jump from our hotel. Just down the beach from here, little horseys gallop around and get pet by people leaving the Travassa spa all day. Happy hana horseys. http://www.travaasa.com/hana/hanaphotos/

April really built up this beach, she told us it was the prettiest beach she'd ever seen- she's well traveled and has lived in Hawaii for a while. I was hopin' the beach would live up to her lead-up and it went beyond meeting my expectations. The little reef and the wave pool and the huge red cliff. Red sand.

Woah.

Here is us above red sands.

 Suz Brad and April above Red Sands

 Me freakin' out. I just swam at the most incredible beach I've ever seen! It kind of reminded me of the red bedrock basalt beach on Superior. I'll have to look up the name. But way different. 

 Smiley little coral that April found. I love it.

 This is at Wainapanapa. So awesome. We hiked on some gnarly volcano flow. Big black pokey crazy lava flow. You can actually see how the lava hardened. The waves were MASSIVE and created little pools. Some of the pools were deceiving because they looked safe and then a gigantic wave would crash into it- we found one that had dry sides (suggesting that it hadn't been smashed into lately) and we hung out for a bit. I loved it. I saw my first sea urchin. I didn't touch it. 

 Suzy the bad ass buying a coconut from her favorite coconut salesman. 

Us, the coconut, and the surroundings. This guy feeds lots of coconuts to his chickens. Unlike many of the coconut stands, he doesn't have big flashy signs and he doesn't sell smiles or jokes- just coconuts. So funny. So real. 

 We at the meat too using a coconut spoon. 

 The waterfall we hiked back to on the side of the road. SO COOL. We swam here. So rad. A little chilly but totally refreshing after a hike up a wild mountainside/river

 We're just about to jump in.

 After we were in and hikin' back down.

 Suzy jumped off this cliff with the GoPro. No one got a picture and I was too scared to jump. Lots of unexpected rocks in these lava river pool things.

Someday I'll have the gutz.

 Trying to snap a pic of a rainbow eucalyptus. One of my new favorite trees. They don't even look real in real life. They look painted. Lovely smell and beautiful skin. 

 Sun rays beaming down on us after we got back to civilization. 

 Cool pic of SuSu cruisin down Hana Hwy

I'm so tired I must sleep and I'm working and subbing tomorrow. WOOF.

Aloha pumehana,

Bets

I shall write

Today before the dudes went to school they hopped in the hot tub for twenty minutes. I don't think I was EVER up early enough to make my bed, get dressed, eat breakfast, put my laundry away, brush my teeth, get into a hot tub, take a shower, get re-dressed, read books for a little while, put my socks and shoes on and then go to school. Its pretty crazy- but they totally did it and they want to do it again tomorrow. Its kinda fun to supervise hot-tub time. They swim around and shoot water guns and wear goggles and 'dive for things'. "WATCH BETS! WATCH! I can go to the middle! I can float on my back! I can go in and out of the floatie without help! WATCH! I can squirt the tree!" Usually they hot tub and then shower at night but this is a great motivation for them to get ready quickly and happily so I'm all for it.

Let see I went to yoga and realized that this week, last week or next week is my two year yoga birthday! Its hard to believe that at one point uktanasana and downward dog used to be incredibly uncomfortable. My body wasn't moving with my breath. My mind and body didn't know what transitions or alignment should feel like and so I ignored them and just 'moved' how I was 'supposed to' and because of that my soul practically wasn't even on the mat.
Today during practice when Trish was explaining how to get into crow pose, my eyes traveled around the room and saw so many alert eyes. Fully aware. It reminded me of a passage in Light on Life that Iyengar discusses the quiet, serene, focused, intelligent awareness you feel in your brain and body through asana. He likened this awareness to that of a deer, fully in-tune with its body and surroundings. When I looked to my left, I saw a girl perched on her feet- watching and listening to Trish's demonstration fully engrossed and fully 'in the zone'. She was kind of like a little deer.
I just inspired myself. Someday I will paint a picture with some deer and a few other woodland creatures doing yoga in the woods. I think it'd be very cute and funny.

After class I went and got a croissant at La Provence (http://www.laprovencekula.com/) Holy smokes. I was craving a croissant two days ago after yoga but they were closed so I went to the Kula Bistro and got a heaven-muffin instead. I've never had croissants quite like these before. The Kula dad took the boys there to get pastries for all of us a two weeks ago on a Saturday morning but holy smokes. HOLY MOLY. HOLY COW. He didn't get chocolate croissants. It was the fluffiest, flakiest, best textured most delicious croissant I've ever had in my life. And it had chocolate too. I bought a plain one to eat with my chili for lunch.

The eldest boy is about to loose his first tooth so we've been preparing the tooth fairy to arrive. He has  a little bag for the tooth to go under his pillow. The Kula mama printed out THE CUTEST little mini tooth fairy notes. I made a dollar bill into a ring for her to leave and the Kula mama got a little crystal animal for under the pillow too. Hes so excited. I think it'll fall out tomorrow.

Lets see. We had "Noodles" for dinner tonight. The oldest boy is totally obsessed with Panda Express's chow mein so I tried to replicate it. Except, theirs is really boring so I added a lot of veggies and some flavor. The three year old came into the kitchen just as I was finishing making it and I asked him if he wanted to 'sample' it with me. After he finished his 'sample' he handed me the little dish and said, "Yum! Thats good can I have another sample!" Mission accomplished. The five year old was pleased too. It really did turn out just like theirs but 'homemade'. It was pretty yummy.

Now I'm sitting here, ready for bed.

Aloha pumehana,

Bets

Lots of pictures of adventure times and the Taken by Wonder fort!

This is the outside of the Taken By Wonder fort. You can't even see half of it- this was the first day I had my iPhone so I really didn't know that panoramas were an option. Sowwwy- it was super cool all the way across, I promise. 

When you first walked in, there was a little foyer area (complete with a little nook to climb into). Turning to the left, this is what you saw. At first, it seems creepy. But, after exploring thoroughly this just becomes 'history' and 'artifacts' that the 'ancestors' left behind. All part of the wondrous mystery. 

SO COOL. All of these threads were metallic and there were a ton of different colors. The hanging chair was a motif found in several parts of the fort. I'm still trying to wrap my head around all of the little details. It must have taken a lonnnnng time to get this chair hanging- the suspended chairs, man. I'm still understanding it all. 

"To sleep perchance to dream" This was one of the many little bed nooks. If you know me at all, I love bed nooks. 

 "How why where who when ask questions" This was a super cool room. I wish I would have gotten a picture of the rest of it. It was full of cool books and old games and had a super old two-way radio that the dudes loved. On the other side of this window there was a room with a TON of books on the floor and a cargo net to climb to the second story above them. 

 This is the dude who made my second walk around so enjoyable. He was playing all sorts of jazzy, classical, smooth and all-around fantastic piano music. You can see the penny fountail and the "ABC's" of the code hanging above the window.

 This room was very aromatic. Lots of hanging plants. I think some of them were eucalyptus.

These few pictures do NO JUSTICE to the fort. There were SO MANY rooms that I didn't capture. So many little hiding spots that I couldn't properly photograph and lots that I felt that you just had to experience. The entire magical fort was a whole sensory experience and everyone seemed to be very inspired walking through. Such an incredible exhibit.

 This was artwork by the same man who built the fort. I took this picture with Katy Joe in mind because of the cool wolf. I love all of these pieces though. 

This piece is thought provoking as well. Please note that Hawaii is located at the center of the world. A lot of people on Maui feel that the islands and specifically Maui is a strong and unique energy center for the planet. It draws you in. This piece makes me ponder life on earth and life as a part of the universe.

 Suzy explaining endemic and indigenous trees in front of Eucalyptus forest. Eucalyptus is non native BUT THEY ARE SO AROMATIC AND WONDERFUL. 

 This is the first red wood tree I ever sat under in awe. 

 This is SuSu and Brad approaching the abandon National Park Ranger Cabin. Creepy and unsafe but totally rad. 

 This is Suzy and Brad adding our beer bottle to the collection at the end of the cabin. See, creeeeepppyyy. 

 Are the trees big or are the people small?

The people are normal sized and the trees are massive. This is what being in a redwood forest feels like. Gnomey and very humbling. Magical. Such an incredible hike.

 Gazing over to the West Maui Mountains in all their majestic wonder. Cloud covered and hazy, its still mind boggling to me that I call this place home. 

 Me and the goats! We walked through their pasture and they looked at us funny but we were quick and we didn't leave anything but footprints. 

 Das hikers!!! I love these guys.. Great adventure time and game night folk. 

 OMG. Just holy smokes. I just cant even. I think that you can see Kahoolawe and Molokini in this picture but its pretty small right now. When you click on it, there might be some islands on the left hand side.

 These horses inhabit Poli Poli road. This is a public road and private pasture, so if you're ever hikin' or drivin' through please shut the gate behind you or the horseys and cows will break loose. 

Today I so responsibly acted like an adult and caught up with some business on my break instead of going to yoga. Then I played with the baby dude and also painted with the older dudes. I made chili and bread and I wore long sleeves for the first time all day. It was socks and boots weather- I didn't mind. It feels a little more like fall :)

Time for some letters and shower and bed!

Aloha pumehana,

Bets