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You might remember that we had to reschedule a planned trip to Six Flags because of Derek's broken toe.  Well, we were able to fit it in last Thursday, as a last "hurrah" before school started.  And it was so fun!  Lucky for us, our friends the Lee's met us there.  And BONUS of bonuses, my sister-in-law Olivia came to!  What a treat. 

We learned a few things…

 - children who aren't fed can be grumpy even at the funnest of places

 - big wooden roller coasters aren't great for broken toes

 - funnel cakes are really popular at closing time

 - my kids aren't big fans of roller coasters just yet (give 'em time!)

My kids were so brave and went on the Judge Roy Scream with me and Olivia.  At the end of the ride (which was a little scarier than I had remembered) Olivia turned to me and said "Caleb is as white as a sheet".  Apparently even his lips had lost their color.  Poor kid. :)  And Jacob hid his face in my shoulder the whole time. 

I had plenty of thrills…riding my childhood favorite, the Shockwave, with Olivia.  And the newest Six Flags ride called Tony Hawk's Big Spin, with Rebecca.  It's probably my new favorite!  The kids had a blast on the water rides (with Olivia once and Derek once).  They were scared again on the bobsled with me and Liv.  But they loved the whole Looney Tunes section where they ran from ride to ride, with no lines and kid-sized thrills.  Even Samuel got to ride on some of those and loved 'em (he was, by the way, his typical easy self for the 9 hours we were there). 

Liv made me promise that I wouldn't put this picture of her "misting" herself on the blog.  "Of course not" I said! 🙂

Late afternoon – the fatigue and hunger were setting in.  We went an hour too long before feeding the boys – that's the only thing I would have done different.  I was in go-go-go mode and they needed snacks!

Michael and Rebecca Lee / Samuel looking thru one of those picture caricatures that you put your head in.

I love these two pictures of Mike + the kiddos on a ride – Michael, Caeden, Cameron, Jacob, McKenna and Caleb

SO. MUCH. FUN.  But going home, this is how we all felt…

Tonight was the designated time for us to find out who the kids' new teachers would be, and go meet them.  When we walked in to Caleb's new classroom, we shook hands with the teacher and she immediately said to me "You look so familiar".  She is new to our school, and just recently bought a home in our neighborhood.  I assumed that must be where she had seen me.  But we learned that she was raised in Coppell…my hometown.  She graduated from Coppell High…same as me (but she's ten years younger).  As we explored these possibilites, we finally realized the connection and we both screamed.  She lived next door to me during my high school years.  In fact, I remember babysitting for her and her twin sister.  She's now married…and will be my son's Kindergarten teacher.  It's a small, small world.  She's darling and I think Caleb will love her. 

I wish I had been a better babysitter, let me tell you. :)  Be nice to EVERYONE…you never know when they might be teaching your child.

This morning I had Jacob and Caleb put together an Olympic activity.  It was fun!  We had a sprinting race.  A biking time trial.  A biking road race (around the cul-de-sac and back).  A javelin throw.  A wall (fence) climb.  A stunt competition (on the trampoline).  And a double-dunk competition (inside).

Jacob won gold in most events, except in the biking road race, where he gave Caleb a 10-second head start.  And they crossed the finish line with Caleb a wheel ahead.  Caleb was so proud (deservedly – I've never seen him ride so fast), and Jacob was so gracious in defeat.  I was very proud of him for that…because I knew how hard it was for him!  In stunts and dunking they legitimately tied, I'm happy to report.  We did have some issues with spectators wanting to get in the games – so we had to call SECURITY!  Other than that, it was a successful event.

 

There he goes…one minute he's cheering them on, the next he's insisting on participating…

 

Oh…and there's that pesky spectator again… 🙂

On Friday night we headed out to the Mesquite Championship Rodeo with our friends the Crane’s, Emily, Bret and their 4 cute kiddos.  Earlier in the day I was prepping the kids for the “Calf Scramble” – a rodeo event open to children, where they chase a calf to win prizes.  My brother is a former calf scramble winner, and I felt the need to instill in my children a sense of competitive edge. (Big surprise, right?).  But Derek remembered that there was another event open to kids…the “mutton bustin’” competition.  I did not recall anything about it, so we called to get the scoop.  Any child, over the age of 4, but under 55 pounds was eligible to sign up before the rodeo.  They would draw 8 names, and those eight would get to ride a mutton (big ol’ sheep).  We were just determined to get Caleb picked!  And so we practiced.  I was the mutton.

Upon arrival, we signed the kids up and waited.  But I was a little worried after seeing how many kids were being entered.  Caleb had his heart set on riding that mutton!  When we went to see the names of who was chosen, we were THRILLED to see Caleb’s name and McKenna’s name (the Crane’s second oldest).  What are the odds?!

So right after the National Anthem we headed to the “bull pen” where the kids were prepped.  We signed waivers (didn’t even flinch, although maybe we should have?!).  The kids were fitted for helmets and chest gear.  They went through 7 helmets before finding one that fit my poor Caleb. And then it was time.  The parents were escorted out onto the field to watch.  The dads were in the stands with the other kids. 

Caleb was lifted up and over the fence into the stall.

And then the gate opened, and….and…and he was falling off before I could even snap the picture!  Apparently I don’t simulate a very good mutton, because our practicing did NOT help!

But just look at that face!  He may not be the most talented mutton rider, but he sure is the cutest!

McKenna rode next, and I was too busy watching to get a picture!  It all happened so fast.  But she held on for a long time…until the sheep just stopped and decided to roll over onto her!  Quite a sight!  She was a little shaken, but you’d never know it…she was very calm and collected about the whole thing. 

We were so proud of these guys and so thrilled that they got to do it.  And they got trophies and bandanas and belt buckles to show for it!

After some bull ridin’ and some barrel racin’, it was time for the Calf Scramble.  And while all the kids participated (all except Samuel and 3-mo-old Gavin), it was Jacob that really had his eye on the prize. 

Alas, it was an older boy who won the prize, but Jacob excitedly told us that he touched the calf, at least! And this little guy loved all the animals too…

It was a FUN night.

To ease the sting of not getting to go to Six Flags, I bought the kids Diet Coke and Mentos, and let them make geysers in the backyard.  I have to admit, it was pretty fun!

Please watch carefully…

On Wednesday morning, he was changing the baby's diaper for me.  And he proceeded to trip over the baby's trashcan, try to catch himself, and his left foot ended up getting caught on the leg of the crib.  I heard him tumble and ran in to see what happened, and found him face down not moving.  I thought he had had a heart attack!  But then he was writhing in pain and we could both tell by looking at his toe that he had broken it.  NO FUN.

An ER visit insued, with them setting it after they x-rayed it and gave him a numbing shot.  He had a visit with the orthopedist yesterday and he's going to be in the boot and on crutches for a few weeks.  Double NO FUN.

To add to the pain, we had "big" plans for Thursday and Friday of this week.  Derek was taking off and we were taking the kids to Six Flag, golf, and the rodeo.  It was our mini-vacation with the kids for the summer…an alternative to a destination vacation.  Six Flags is postponed.  Derek took the kids to the driving range and putting green this morning, but he sat in a chair.  And the rodeo is still on, but Derek will not be doing any bull riding, I can assure you.

And to top it off, his training for the "Hotter than ****" Bike Race, at the end of August, has come to an abrupt halt.  He's bummed about that.

Derek accused me of being "morbid" when I took this picture/We think they gave him the "right" boot by accident – he's thrilled about that, let me tell you!

That night after THE HIKE, we decided to go out for dinner.  It was our last official night in Kauai and it was our anniversary, so we didn't just want to go to sleep (actually we DID just want to go to sleep…we were exhausted and sore, but felt we should celebrate anyway!).  So we went back to shower and change, and headed for a beautiful restaurant (La Cascata) in the Princeville Hotel (have I mentioned how posh and upscale this hotel is?).  The hotel has a beautiful balcony with a view of the sunset and the bay.  I was excited to get a picture of Derek and I there (especially since I was going to be wearing my new "Hawaii" blouse that I had bought just for the occasion).  We get out on the balcony, pose…and realize we had forgotten to put the battery in the camera!!  AAAHHRRGGGHHH!  So, Matt took some photos of us with his IPhone!  It's better than nothing, for sure…and thankfully I could lighten them up in Photoshop. 

Then we went inside for a beautiful dinner with great food.  And we laughed and laughed some more. But we also "hobbled" everywhere…all four of us were sore and our muscles tight!  We were definitely a slow-moving bunch that night.

On our last day there (Friday, July 18) we had to be out of our room by 10 am.  But our flight didn't leave until 9 pm.  So we packed up and headed out to do some shopping.  Sadly, Dana was sick.  The lack of water the day before, we think, led to an infection, and she was miserable.  We were so sad about that.  She rested in bed, and was able to get on an antibiotic.  So the three of us (Derek, Matt and I) went in to Hanalei to eat lunch, grab a smoothie at a juice bar, and shop.  Our favorite little shop was a place called Ola's and we spent the better part of an hour in there…twice.  We also had a traditional Hawaiian "shave ice" – it's a snow cone piled on to ice cream!  We took Matt back "home" and Derek and I went one more time to the beach to enjoy the sun and surf.  Then we took the very long and painful all-night flight back to LA and then to Austin. 

Despite our fatigue though, nothing was sweeter than seeing the boys faces waiting for us, jumping up and down, as we came down an escalator at the airport.  THAT is priceless.

Hawaii really was the vacation of a lifetime for us.  The Hicken's were perfect travel companions – so easy and pleasant to be with.  I can't wait to go back – and take the kids.  Next time I hope to stay longer and relax a little more between adventures!

Today is my dad and stepmom's 20th wedding anniversary!  20 YEARS!! 

It is thanks to their generosity that we were allowed the privilege of going to Kauai without children! They took them for that week.  And my kids were so loved, and so cared for, and I didn't have to worry once about them.  My dad made, prior to their arrival, rubber band guns for the big boys (does he know them or what?).  They put them in a 'sports camp' at their local country club, and the kids LOVED it.  And then they were worn out every afternoon (Dad and Christy are brilliant, I tell ya!). 

We are so thankful for them and grateful that they've had 20 great years together.  We wish them 20+ more!

Here are some of the shots from the boys' stay in Austin…

(Charlie's Angels, beware)

  This is Samuel's new BFF, Sophie

These boxes were the "targets"

Thursday, July 17th (our official 10-year anniversary)

This was the BIG day…the day we had built up to all week. We were going to hike the Na Pali Coast. The beautiful north shore of Kauai – uninhabited and protected by law. It's rugged mountain cliffs, sea caves, breathtaking beaches and tourquoise waters are the big draw. The official hike on the Kalalau Trail is 11 miles long and is the only land accessibility to the Na Pali Coast. On-line information (obtained AFTER our trip) describes this hike's official status as "strenuous" and it is rated 9 out of 10 for difficulty by the Sierra Club. BUT, we were only doing the first 4 miles – how bad could it be! Signs also indicated that it takes 2 hours to get to the beach (first 2 miles) and another 2 hours to get to the Hanakapi'ai Falls (another 2 miles). We didn't believe the signs. We are robust, athletic, and fast hiking adults who did not believe the average-jo-signage. Here is some more info I obtained on-line:

Extreme inclines and declines throughout entire 11 miles. Narrow footpaths on high cliffs. Loose rocks underfoot and from eroding cliffs above. Trail is slippery when muddy. Strong sun. Heavy backpacks can cause overexertion. Filter all water. Strong currents and flash flooding can occur at river crossings.

And – it was raining that day. Sometimes a sprinkle, sometimes sunny, sometimes a downright shower. But this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We packed some sandwiches and a couple of water bottles (5 to be exact), and drove down to the "end of the road" where the hike starts. We took these pictures in front of the trail head signs…but we DID NOT read them. Notice the recommendation for water (2 Liters per person!).

The hike to the beach was great.  It was raining, so it was muddy, but the view of the coast and the adventure of the trail made for a one-of-a-kind hike.

We crossed a river at the end (I slipped on a rock and fell in) which was lucky since our legs were covered in mud. But then our socks and shoes were soaked. We then sat on some rocks and enjoyed our lunch. We enjoyed walking on the beach, exploring the sea cave and Matt climbed on a rock for a better perspective (we thought he was a goner with that wave).

Next we had to decide if we would continue on to the "falls"…another 2 hours or so. Derek's top item on his Hawaii priority list was to see/swim under a waterfall. We all knew it. It could not be denied (although I was really praying that he would feel the beach was sufficient). It was unanimous…we would press on. So up we climbed, thru the jungle, over the slippery rocks, through the bamboo forests, in the mud, across the river (several times), etc.

It was amazing. It was hard. It was intense. Our muscles were tired by the time we got to the falls, but it was SPECTACULAR. Breathtaking. So BIG. You can't even capture it on film. Streaming down this cliff into a small pool of water. We guess-timated it to be between 200 and 250 feet tall. We weren't able to capture the whole thing…only the top or bottom…with our cameras. The pool was cold! Derek and Matt swam in it…Dana and I were soaked enough and didn't want to hike back cold on top of it. But Derek got his waterfall, and that made me happy.

But there was only one problem. Actually there were two:

1. We finished our last drops of water at the falls.

2. We had another 3 and 1/2 hour to hike back.

(These were taken with the water camera:)

I don't know if I've ever been so tired in my entire life. Every muscle was screaming at me. The first hour or two back were ok…mind over matter. But the last hour to hour & 1/2 was BRUTAL. You had to laugh or cry. I did both. At one point I thought we were only about 10-15 minutes out, but Matt (with his high-tech watch) informed me that we had about 45 more minutes. I thought they were going to have to leave me there and send a helicopter to rescue me. It was THAT bad. Our feet were soaked and cold. We were soaked. We were covered in mud. We were thirsty. To make things worse, I fell three times on slippery rocks…flat on my back or on my tucus. After one fall, Matt tried to help me up and I just wanted to lay there. On the slippery rocks. Then the clouds parted and the light shone through and I was convinced that heaven was coming for me! Of course, my comrades got a picture:

But we made it…safe and sound, alive and well, back to the beginning and to our car.

So let's recap…our 10-year anniversary was:

ADVENTUROUS

GRUELING

MEMORABLE

and,

and,

hold on – give me just a minute,

WORTH EVERY MINUTE!?!

(Oh, and we went to dinner that night…more on that tomorrow)

On the way to Hawaii, I read (once again) one of my favorite books:  These is My Words, by Nancy Turner.  I was bringing it to give to Dana as a gift, but decided to crack it open for myself one more time before she got there.  I am never disappointed when I read about Sarah Agnes Prine.  She is a gem.

Then I read The Host by Stephanie Meyer (she is the vampire series author).  It was a body-snatcher sci-fi type book, but has her signature emotional tug to it.  It’s not on my new favorites list, but it was definitely entertaining, and summer worthy.

I’m embarrassed to tell you that I’m currently trying to muddle through the memoir of Barbara Walters, Audition.  With my journalism background, I really enjoy reading about the “back story” of her many, many interviews with celebrities, politicians, and world leaders.  But I find that she is whiny about her personal life, and I don’t like whine.  A very sweet neighbor sent it over before my vacation thinking that I would enjoy it, so I feel determined to give it back to her read, however painful. Thankfully, I’m a fast reader. 🙂

In the meantime, I’m also reading a book about the lives of the women who have led our Church’s women’s organization (Relief Society).  It’s fascinating and inspiring, and I love reading about these women’s stories.  Some of them endured a great many trials, but led lives of great integrity and courage.  A super book!

I have on order from barnesandnoble.com, a book called The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  It comes highly recommended and I’m excited to get it.

And my dad has encouraged me to read a book called The Shack by William P. Young.  Looking forward to this one too!  Lots more reading to do before summer is over.