Aloha Grandma J

We owe a huge mahalo to Grandma J for coming out to Kauai and spending four weeks with us!!! Thank you so much for all your help around the house and especially with the boys!

Monk Time

During Grandma J's visit, we saw a monk seal hanging out on our beach here on base!

 

Hawaiian Monk Seal

The monk seals are highly protected on the island because of their endangered status so we are supposed to keep our distance, but Lucas wanted to get a look at this guy ;-)



Also during Grandma J's visit we got to visit Kauai's Hindu Monastery. "Kauai Aadheenam, also known as Kauai's Hindu Monastery, is a traditional South-Indian style monastery-temple complex...
This powerful spiritual sanctuary was founded in 1970 by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001). It is the home of Bodhinatha and his order of 21 swamis, yogis and sadhakas from six nations. The monastery is the headquarters and theological seminary of Saiva Siddhanta Church. It is also home to Himalayan Academy, Hinduism Today magazine and Hindu Heritage Endowment.

Two traditional Saivite Hindu temples are located on the monastery's 363 acres, Kadavul Temple and the San Marga Iraivan Temple, a rare, all-granite Chola-style temple currently being carved in Bangalore, India, and assembled on Kauai."

This picture does not even do the view justice! It was one of the most picturesque spots I have seen on the island!

Lucas at one month old at the monastery

October Catch Up

I'm trying really hard to get caught up on my blog posts for the holidays!

Here are a few random snapshots from the month of October (so if you've been following along on Facebook, Lucas might look a little bit bigger now ;-)

2 1/2 weeks old

Daddy feeding Lucas

First trip to Shenanigans

A glimpse of a dimple!

Noah had lost all of his hair by this point, but Lucas is still going strong!

 

 



Ladies' man already :-D

Noah's reward for doing well at the dentist

Brotherly love

Skinny legs! (they didn't last long ;-)

Our silly buddy!

Noah loves his "fireman" boots!

The Fletcher boys

North Shore with Grandma J

We were blessed to have Grandma J come stay with us for four weeks during her work sabbatical!

Even though she had visited us on Kauai before, we had never had the chance to take her to the North Shore until this trip.

Our first stop was The Tavern at the Princeville Golf Course, which is Ely's favorite lunch spot on the island and has an amazing view

 

Grandma J & Noah

Noah decided he wanted to be the photographer, so the next two photos are his skills :)

Jerri & I 

Our family of 4

 

 

 Manini-holo Dry Cave





 "This dry cave is one of several sea caves located in the area. The cave, which is about 300 yards deep, used to be much larger but the 1957 tsunami partially filled it with sand. Legend states that Manini-holo, chief fisherman of the Menehune (little people) dug this cave in search of the supernatural beast, akua, who had been stealing their fish. In actuality, the ocean used to be much higher and these caves were formed from thousands of years of ocean waves beating against the lava and etching away the rock."

Waikanaloa Cave



 "Sea caves are formed by thousands of years of ocean waves pounding against the lava and eventually etching out a cavern. At one time, the ocean was up to this point. The water in these wet caves is fed by springs seeping through the porous lava and is extremely cold. No swimming is allowed. Scuba divers have reported no fresh or salt water life exisits in these caves. Legend states that these caves were built by Pele, the volcano goddess, for her lover. But when they filled with water, she abandoned them."

Ke'e Beach



"Located literally at the end of the road, Ke'e Beach is probably the most visited beach on Kauai. The famed Kalalau Trail begins at the western end of the beach. Several movies and min-series have been filmed here such as The Thorn Birds and Castaway Cowboys. Ke'e's inviting lagoon is teaming with fish and perfect for snokeling. Beware, however of the Puka Ulua, an opening on the left side from the lagoon to the sea. Currents can be very strong here. People often fish for the large, prized Ulua fish in this area. A short walk towards Ha'ena provides a panoramic view of the Na Pali Coast."

The northern end of the Na Pali Coast



"Historians believe this rugged yet beautiful coastline was the first area of Kauai to be settled by the ancient Hawaiians. As inhospitable as these cliffs appear, they provided the settlers with all the basics of life: freshwater from the mountain streams, native vegetation and fertile ground in the valleys, and unparalleled fishing in the vast ocean. These sea cliffs begin at Ke'e Beach and continue around the north and west portion of Kauai, ending at Polihale Beach. They extend upwards of 1000 feet and made up of a series of "hanging" and traditional valleys and cliffs. A "hanging" valley is one that ends abruptly at a sea cliff rather than gently stretching out into the ocean. They are formed when the ocean's waves cut away at the lava rock quicker than the interior streams can scour out the valley floor. Many movies,such as The Thorn Birds and portions of South Pacific, have been filmed along this coast using the dramatic background of these steep cliffs. Numerous sea caves, small beaches and high waterfalls add to the beauty and uniqueness of the landscape."

 

The Na Pali is what makes it impossible to circumnavigate Kauai.  We live at the opposite end of the Na Pali Coast, so in order for us to get to the North Shore (by car) we have to make the 2 hour drive counterclockwise all the way around the island!

Halloween 2013



Grandma J was here for Halloween again this year, so she got to accompany us to the Corn Maze in Poipu! They had a map for the maze, and Daddy made it his goal to get us through the maze as fast as possible.

 

In the corn maze...Grandma J must have been really excited ;-)





Noah didn't own any close-toed shoes except for rain boots, so that's what he wore!

Noah standing in front of our pumpkin. He picked out the design but didn't actually want to help carve it. Oddly enough, the kid who loves to play in dirt didn't want to touch the slimy seeds!

Our pirate family ready to go Trick or Treating

Lucas was not a fan of this hat!

Big Brother loves to jump into photos with Lucas

Lucas's 1st Halloween!

Fall Festival

The Child Development Center (CDC) where Noah goes to school had a fall festival (since they can't have an actual Halloween party in a public/government school) right before Halloween.  Each classroom made costumes that the kids wore to "parade" around the base in, and they stopped at several of the buildings to collect treats and candy. Parents were invited for the parade so Grandma J, Lucas, and I all got to parade around with Noah :)

When we showed up at Noah's classroom, this is what he was wearing: 

Definite blackmail pictures for the future :-D

 

 

Lucas was ready for the costume parade! Noah wore this same skeleton outfit for his first Halloween :)

Unfortunately, Mommy didn't realize we would be going all around the base so we had to strip him down during the actual parade because it was so warm outside.

Noah dressed in his sailor outfit :-)

 His classroom was in the middle of a unit on boats, so the costumes tied in perfectly

Noah & Mommy

Noah and Kawena (pronounced Ka-Vannah)

She's the only girl in his classroom and they are good buddies 

 Before this picture was taken, Noah was trying to hold her hand but since she was holding her mom's hand, she didn't want to hold Noah's hand.  So his comment to her was, "Don't be shy!" He might need some work on his skills with the ladies ;-)

The Pre-K class made elephant masks :)

Noah with his classmates and his teacher Miss Allison

Micah, Noah, Julius, Miss Allison, Kawena, Logan and Finnegan (in the very front)



None of the kids really wanted to cooperate for a group picture :)

The CDC also had a few activities set up on the playground for the kids

Here is Noah fishing for a goody bag (I was in charge of working this "booth")