TSUNAMI!!!!!!!!!!!

We were in the car at a gas station by 5:30 AM.

We stopped at a grocery store to get water bottles.

We waited in line for gas for about 20 minutes!

I guess you can't see it very well,

but there were about a dozen cars lined up in both directions for gas!

The stores were running out of water and other food staples.

We parked in the lot of a shopping center. There were about 20 cars in the lot when we got there at 6:45 AM. When we left at 2:30 PM, the lot was filled with more than 50 cars. Across the island, the cars were lined up along the side of the road because there was no where else to park. Lots of people had blankets or chairs to sit in on the grass.

This is the family Mom met from Sweden.

Black Sand Beach

Black Sand?

Ahhhh, that's better!

A black sand beach on the west side of the Big Island.

We didn't go in the water because the surf was really rough, but seeing the sand was awesome!

The Big Island

A Maui mountain peeking through the clouds!

Boo is ready to go! We have (so far) packed or unpacked 8 times on this trip!

This Big Island "Kona Side" scenery!

Hawaii graffiti!

(This one says "I Love Amy)

We are on the Big Island!

Ice Cream!

We went out for ice cream in Lahaina!

We arrived on the Big Island yesterday afternoon. It looks like something from "Mission to Mars"! There is black rock (volcanic ash) all over the place! Apparently this side of the island is very dry and black. The other side is lush and green due to it's 150" of rain each year (not the best spot to vacation unless you want to carry an umbrella with you all the time!)

On the way to the resort we were listening to the local radio station and they announced that a 3.2 magnitude earthquake struck off of the coast of Hilo (the other side of this island). Experts don't expect it to trigger any tsunamis. Can you imagine our eyeballs bugging out of our heads at that! The "Careful! Donkey and Goat Crossing" sign, shocked our eyeballs back into their sockets!

This place is unlike any other place in the US (and probably most of the world!) There are 5 geographical areas - desert, tropical rainforest, beach, mountain (snow included) and volcanos, all on this one island!

Pictures!

Whatcha doin' that for?

Oh, you're taking my picture, I guess I'll smile!

Boogie Boarding

Brian Surfing

Alyssa surfing

Yes ... We fell off the face of the earth! (with no Internet access) (thank goodness for Dad's IPhone)

Well....

Well, rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated by those who are hoping to get their hands on my room and my millions (unfortunately for them, I don't have a life insurance policy AND my room is slated to be rented out and the proceeds would go to charity ;)

ANYWAYS -

I did go surfing with Brian this morning! (No crutches, braces, or plaster around me, so I figure I did REALLY well for me!) I am currently transferring the 352 pictures Mom and the girls took off my camera, so you will get to see the 352 times I fell!

(Oh yeah and for all of you who are wondering, Mom did not have a heart attack, and is sending Emily out tomorrow!)

ANYWHO -

We are going out to lunch for the second time this week

(food is really expensive on the island, especially eating out!)

so I will post pictures of our adventures in seafood!

The next post will include pictures!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Daddy turned -- (not allowed to say) on Friday!

He enjoyed opening all of his gifts, including Hawaiian Macadamia Nut Chocolate Clusters!

A Hawaiian coffee cup

... and from Boo, M'n'M's!

These are her favorite candy, so she thought Daddy should have some too! When we asked her what she wanted to give Dad for his birthday, she walked over to the candy rack, grabbed two bags of M'n'M's and said,

"Daddy's and Boo's!"

Hawaii Pictures

A picture I snapped on our way to our resort I like to call it ...

"Sunset Over Maui"

(original, I know)

The view from the girl's bedroom

Hawaii Two

Mom in the kitchen, doing dishes in Hawaii is MUCH better than doing dishes at home!

Jenny, Joshua, and Leah splashing in the waves!

Mom singing to Boo. Boo doesn't like the sand, water, or wind ... YET!

Daddy being cool!

ALOHA! (and pictures!)

Almost all of our stuff!

At Lambert Airport (STL) at 4:00 AM!

Dad and Josh on the plane to Dallas

Brian, Leah, and Emily at the Dallas airport at 9:30 AM

Leah was very interested in the safety procedures

Brian and Emily on the plane to Maui!

(Brian had an asthma attack half way through the flight, we were about to leave CA and fly over the ocean for 4 hours. They said we couldn't use his nebulizer, so he used his inhaler and Mom was thinking we would need to land the plane before we are in the middle of the ocean. After 10 minutes, they said he could use the nebulizer if he had to, but we would need an AC/DC adapter, and we didn't have one. It turns out one of the pilots did bring an adapter. Luckily, we didn't need to use it!)

We're Here

We arrived at the Maui airport at 8 PM (after getting up at 3 AM). It took an hour and a half to get to our hotel, but the drive was along the beach and we saw whales! We are leaving now for a walk on the beach. Will update with pictures later today!

Last Post Before Take Off

OK, I still haven't gotten the pictures off my camera, but I will soon. We are leaving 3:30 AM or so tomorrow morning to catch our flight. We will arrive in Maui at 4:00 PM local time, or 8:00 PM Missouri time. OUCH! Ten or so of those hours will be spent in a plane.

We have packed everything, including an entire lunchbox full of medications, since 8 of the 9 of us are on antibiotics (I finally succumbed to the illness, but it is only a sinus infection, but since the pressurized cabins of a plane are nothing like the pressure outside, I am a little nervous about how that will go!) Getting on and off the plane and through the airport is the biggest foreseeable issue. The buddy system is definitely going to get a work out tomorrow! (I figure if it kept millions of kids from drowning at summer camp, it should keep the 9 of us together through three airports!)

Well, got to go finish the last minute details (like blow drying my hair and finding my tennis shoes). ALOHA!

P.S. - If you would like to comment, click the comment button under my commentary and there will be an area for you type your comment. Pretty self explanatory!

HAWAII HERE WE COME!

We are getting ready to leave for Hawaii, and so I decided that our blog must reflect what is on our minds! I will be uploading pictures of our travel preparations soon! (I just have to figure out the best way to take the pictures off my new camera and edit them before putting them up here)! So, I will be back soon ;)

Various Events

As I sit here and eat my Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia Frozen Yogurt, I decided that instead of studying for my upcoming Humanities CLEP, I will upload some pictures of what has been happening lately!

Boo's beloved Minnie hat!

A crocheted quilt/afghan Emily recently made.

SNOW!