Adventuring

We have been going on lots of adventures. Boy it's been fun. It's kind of crazy to think that we've explored more areas upcountry in the last 2 weeks than we had in YEARS where our routine was going to work, watching tv, and going to the mall. My how life changes when perspective changes, huh?

We took a trip up Olinda Road to the Makawao Forest Reserve. We ended up only staying about half an hour because someone who shall not be named had a potty accident. 

Me and Mr. Handsome in the forest

Eucalyptus trees lining Olinda Road - it smelled SO GOOD

Our afternoon walk in the forest - the kids can't wait to go back and explore more!

We've been having a lot of Kona winds lately, and one day after Peter was pau with work we decided to head down to Kuau cove for a beach afternoon. It was so incredibly perfect. The water was crystal clear! 

Cruz is fearless. He walked all the way out to the reef!

Crystal Clear Waters

Kai Boy with his airplane

Ry swimming - shot from above - she is in about 2 feet of water, but it's so clear that you can't even tell!

Me and Cruz have been going on walks to the post office several times a week. It's about 1.5 miles round trip and we've been having fun spotting spider webs, raindrops, and lizards.

The other day we headed to Keokea park (one of the kids' favorites) and we drove into the clouds. The kids were amazed. This is the clouds in the trees.

Peter and I have also been falling in love all over again with plantation homes. We spot them all over, talk about them, envision one being ours someday. This one is right next to Keokea Park (it's part of a church).

 We've also been enjoying cruising up tiny little streets in random places and just checking things out. The day that we went to Keokea Park and we were in the clouds, the sun started to set and the clouds looked like they were lit on fire. We headed up Polipoli Road and looked at all the big multi-million dollar estates. This old house caught my eye because it was on a piece of flat land and the way the sun was hitting the roof and the old truck was just amazing. We pulled over to take pictures - doesn't it look like a piece of Tuscany or something?

Tractor and old home on the hill

Amazing sunset

A couple of weeks ago I also took the kids to explore the Puunene Sugar Mill a bit. It's the last mill still in operation and I just really felt that we needed to explore a little. Who knows if it will someday shut down. I always feel such a connection to it. It was a Sunday so there wasn't much security. They were doing something with all these giant gears in the back. The kids LOVED it. 

Beautiful Ry

Cruz is showing you his Moke face

Yep... Kai Boy was in little boy heaven. All those gears!

Sugar Cane Smoke Stacks

Puunene Meat Market - I wonder if they'll ever use this building again? It's so cool!

A little vintage treatment.. hehe

 And in some of the biggest news of the year, we are now free of diapers!!! I told Cruz I was done. I had a week of no photo shoots and let him go pantsless. We all cheered when he went in the potty. And now he is diaper free. We are free! YES! He is doing so amazing. He gives himself plenty of time to make it to the bathroom and hasn't had any accidents in the last 5 days. Good job Cruz!!