We covered ourselves with sunscreen and got an early start for Poipu. Stopped at Walmart for a hat for Elanor (and me) and more wooden plates for Mom. (Note to mom, you may only get 3 plates. I suppose I'll have to come back!)

Got a great parking spot at Poipu but did not take a picture of it. After testing out 2 spots on the beach, we settled on a third. The wind was to our back and there was a great, safe place for the girls to get in the water and play in the sand. We buried them but they didn't stay down for long. Heads on the sand… always a fun thing to see. The folks walking by laughed. 

Not that far down the point from us were these rocks. Elanor has water shoes but Lola and I do not which is just fine. We didn't go too far. Note to parents: no danger of being washed out to sea at this spot. The girls sort of wanted to go farther and I said 'no'. 

Both girls are all about getting in the water, head and all! Neither of the girls seem to mind the fact that this water is on the cold-ish side. Steve says it's not cold at all. Men and kids must be impervious to the cold. I got in up to my waist today and felt fulfilled. It is warmer after you've been in once and I've sort of promised to get all the way in tomorrow. 

I took a movie with my iPhone. I do so love technology! It was so bright I could hardly see the screen but got a good movie. Someday, when these girls are my age, I hope they can still pull this up and remember this trip! 

We got on the road at 8:30 this morning and headed to Waimea Canyon. Steve and I have been to the canyon before several times and we figured that the girls should at least see it. They have come all this way after all. That said, it's a 2 hour drive each way and I wasn't completely sure they would love the day. But they did!

We were blessed with another dry day, even at high altitude. We have pants and jackets and cameras in hand when we got out and over-looked…

A very nice man volunteered to take our picture. Lots of wind. Luckily my hair was mostly glued in place.

I like these unposed photos taken from behind. A person's personality comes through in a way that it doesn't when they are smiling at the camera. It's unguarded.

This is the Grand Canyon of Hawaii and near the rainiest spot on the planet. It's nice to have enough sun to see your shadow.

We went to another overlook where you can sometimes se the ocean. Not today. It was wetter and colder and less clear. I cajoled a big smile out of Elanor.

Lola will offer a smile for the camera in a flash…

I am the mother of boys and girls in general sort of crack me up. Lola and Elanor are different but mesh very well. I'm enjoying being around little girls. They see the world differently than do boys. For one thing, not every stick is a weapon.

On the way off the mountain we stopped at this cool place…

You park off the road. The water was flowing and it was an amazing spot for a phot. Lola said that in this photo it looked like I had photoshopped in a different background. An astute observation.

I got these shots while the girls were digging up a bit of red dirt. Isn't that a great backdrop?!

We got down in time to eat lunch in Waimea. Got ice cream, stamps, boxes, and found a ladies room. All good things. Then it was off to Spouting Horn. We didn't get a great photo. We had time to stop at Poipu Beach. We were unprepared for the beach and it was late in the day so we stopped knowing we'd be there for only about 30 minutes. The girls were very happy.

Tomorrow is a Poipu day. We'll go prepared to spend several hours. And depending on how well we apply sunscreen, we'll go back on Thursday, and Saturday morning. It's an hour's drive each way but the beach is so worth it.

Now, just a note to crack up the adults… Steve and I are each reading a Stephaie Plum novel on the beach. Years ago Steve ran out of something to read on a trip and I gave in one of these. Darned if they are a fun beach read even for a guy. Every book is basically the same and who cares if there is sand in the book. If I could eat wheat I'd be craving donuts…

After I finished the last post the girls and I went for a walk. We left Steve slaving over the stove. He is such a good guy! Gotta share these photos because the sun was shining and the parents of the girls are going to want to see them…

This fountain is by the Princeville shopping center… Great with the blue sky behind.

A very nice lady stopped to take fountain photos and she took our picture. We were not exactly dressed for the photo op but I'm happy to have this picture of me and the girls together.

Seriously, don't these girls know how to pose for a picture!

Dinner was great. We had cookies after. Popcorn soon because we have just turned on Adventures in Babysitting – a classic from the 1980s.

Almost forgot… we took shadow photos:

We slept in. No, wait—the plan was to sleep in. But we went to bed before 9:00 PM and the girls were up before 6:00 AM. They were really nice and let us sleep but we were up with sun before 7:00.

It took a while to get on the road even if we did get up early. It's not exactly like herding cats, but it takes us a while to pull it together to get on the road. It's not the girls' fault, I am one of the cats to be herded.

It was much clearer today! We spent the morning in Lihue and I took this photo on the drive. We went shopping at Hilo Hattie's—THE place for Hawaiian souvenirs. And, yes, the girls opened an oyster and, yes, they are each going home with a nice pink pearl necklace. The girls and I had fun looking at just about everything while Steve went to Radio Shack for a speaker cable that we left at home. 

We were back at the condo for lunch and then we headed to Anini Beach (my first time there). When the sun was out it was nice and warm but it was really, really windy today. The girls didn't mind but I about froze.

The girls messed around a bit with the boogey board but this is not a beach for boogeying.

Note to parents: See the waves out there in the distance? That's where the shore break is. From the beach to there the water is shallow and there just aren't waves of any height even with wind gusts up to 30 mph.

The girls spent a lot of time digging in the sand.

They dug a long pit that filled with water. By the time we left the tide was rolling into their pond. On the way home we stopped for cookies (regular and gluten free) and smoothies. And now Steve is cooking dinner and the girls and I are chilling. We may do some jewelry making soon! Or not. We're sort of tired. Movie and popcorn are on the agenda for tonight. I'm hoping that we can stay awake until at least 9:30! 

We went back to the shopping center and got coconut body wash and shampoo so that we will all smell like the islands. Yummy! Then we went to the Nani Kauai Gallery. Oh my. It was sort of expensive—but wonderful! Steve and I tend to buy paintings in Hawaii. We've done it for years and never regretted a purchase. As we walked into the gallery I saw this 12" x 12" painting by Jennifer Prince and that was that.

Today is our anniversary! I didn't realize we would be in Hawaii for our 34th wedding anniversary until I was on the plane and Steve didn't remember until I said something this morning. We're not that wound up about dates but we agreed that it was an excellent excuse to buy art. 

Steve and I like to support artists. We don't have a huge house or tons of money, but we do what we can to buy original art. Some day our children will inherit what we've bought and luckily they, and their wives, share our tastes.

After lunch I went to class and was happy to see the work that the ladies had done on their blocks. I am perpetually amazed at the unlimited ways people color the same block. Some of the following are more complete than others but every one is an expression of its maker:

The next one is made to go with a specific pieced quilt. It's subtle and should be lovely when it is complete. Those light petals on the flower do show up way better than I thought they would! And the fabric for the bird is a good choice – and I wasn't sure it would be. The more I teach, the more I accept that I am not the sole arbiter of what is a good choice of fabric. I might not ever make this block but I like the way it's going. And that's true for all the rest of the blocks in the class.

Steve and the girls went to Anini Beach while I was in class. The water was clear enough that they were able to wade in. (FYI: We were advised by the natives that when the water is brown, don't go in. Sharks and bacteria. Enough said.)

The girls gathered bits of coral and some shells and played in the sand. (Note to parents, the water was less than 3' deep but they got all the way in, heads too. They are ocean swimmers!!! It was a very protected beach and they were in no danger of being swept away.) They also dug in the sand and made sand castles.

The girls dug those pits! I suspect that we'll be on the beach at least part of every day next week, rain or shine. Mostly rain. Right now we're back at the condo. Steve is cooking and the girls are journaling and we're watching Forest Gump on the ABC Family Channel. (How has Elanor never seen Forest Gump?!) .

I really do think that we are going to be busy to max every day.They don't seem to be undone by gray skies and rain. Steve and I are coming from drought-stricken Texas, rain is sort of nice. It's all good. Tomorrow is another day!

Steve and the girls got to Princeville on time – no problems traveling. The road was open! After dinner (Steve made a great pasta dish) it was early to bed. This morning,Sunday,is our first day of vacation. I still have a 4 hour class this afternoon but that's going to be fun and Steve and the girls have plans.

My class starts at noon so we went for a walk to the shopping center after breakfast. The walk skirts the golf course and the girls enjoyed it.

And they turned around for a pose. These girls are the very best at picture posing. My boys never, ever posed for a picture:

There were a few moments when we saw bits of blue sky. And then there was light rain, heavy rain, no rain. But it's warm enough that being wet in the rain is not that bad. And it is Hawaii!

It was probably good that most of the shops were closed. We're going back soon in the car to visit Island Soap and Candle. I think we need some coconut body wash. We did get some groceries… steak to grill for dinner. Food is expensive but cooking in the condo is a lot less expensive than eating out and it works better for the girls.

I know I'll be taking more feet photos. It's fun to have Steve's toes in the picture… so manly.

We're back, drying out, eating toast, the girls are working on their scrap book journals and it's not even 10:00 in the morning! But I wanted to post these photos so that the parents can see their girls. Aloha!