Snorkeling, Sand and Sunsets

So, we have now been in Maui for 3 weeks. It is obscene really... but we are still having an amazing time. We really do spend almost every day at the beach... but needless to say today involved a couple of firsts at the beach today!

First off... I FINALLY got to swim with a sea turtle. I mean, I can spot a sea turtle from a nautical mile, but it turns out every time I try to get in and be in the water when one has been spotted, I am perpetually 5 minutes and 50 meters too late. I was starting to take turtle shyness personally. In fact, even today, we arrived at the beach and I plunged into the water and headed straight for the open ocean where I spotted a cluster of snorkelers, only to be vastly disappointed by a mere rainbow of beautiful fishes (tongue in cheek of course)... but I have SEEN the fishes (heck, we actually went to the Aquarium the other day)!! Needless to say, I come sloshing in from my adventure to see Jason and Calla pelting down the beach to where 2 turtles have been hanging out. I am left holding the bag (quite literally, the bag with our money and camera and keys) and the baby, while Calla and Jason plunge in with the turtles. Happily, they return a few minute later and Calla and I were able to go see the turtles AND I was even able to swim with them.

Now, on that note, Calla was wearing her lifejacket during this fiasco... and I did have on the snorkel and mask... so when the turtle started swimming, I literally grabbed Calla by the handle and started swimming after him. Out. Into the sea. Deep.

Now I am a pretty good swimmer... but in my turtle chasing frenzy, I failed to notice just how far I dragged us out. Well, Calla is a brave kid... and happily swam through the chop with me while I pursued the turtle. It was awesome. My kid is awesome. I am happy.

The funny thing is... we actually came close to a boat. Calla immediately became disinterested in the turtle and started asking about the boat.

"Why is that boat there?"
"What is that boat doing?"
"Does that boat have a kitchen?" - to this I say "HUH?" I don't even think Calla has ever been on a boat... what makes her think there is a kitchen.

Anyway, the second first of the day was that we actually went to watch the sunset. Now that we are parents... we are generally quite dull... we get home every night close to suppertime and have been extremely consistent about having the kids upstairs and in bed by 7pm. Since sunset is at 6:33, we have generally just been catching it out the window of our lanai (aka balcony for those who don't speak Hawaiin). Either way, we had early dinner and slipped out across the street to the beach to watch the sunset. As with so many things in Hawaii, it was amazing. Really... wow.

I would like to say it was serene and tranquil scene of us being in the moment... but, Calla was trying to get us to build sandcastles, and Cecilia was tapped in to her inner baby turtle and was perpetually crawling at top speed to the waters edge, ready to launch herself into the sea. Either way, it was beautiful and I could not have been watching it with three more special people.

One last note on sand. After a full day on the beach, I would just like to state that everyone in the house has sand on every inch of their person. I mean, even after all my years of working as a lifeguard in the City of Dartmouth... I never remember being this sandy. Ever. In my toes, my ears, my nostrils. It is completely inappropriate. And for the record, there is no such thing as rinsing of sand in the ocean... I think it actually causes the sand grains to multiply. Sand. Everywhere you don't want it to be!

The Beach - A Mom's Eye View

We have been spending a lot of time on the beach, and it is giving me a new perspective on the whole concept of why the sandy beach is such an amazing place.

First of all, if you are at the beach, there is a good chance that it is hot out. Now, I understand there is a portion of the population who does not actually enjoy the heat... but I am not one of those people. With a poorly functioning thyroid... and the fact that I live in one of the coldest places on earth, I appreciate every drop of sweat that pours from my brow on a hot day. And the best thing about heat on the beach is the cool, delightful water. Jump right in, leap a couple waves and your sweaty discomfort is all but gone.

Additionally, I now go to the beach with pretty much the two cutest kids on earth. That is completely an unbiased opinion of course... These two kids love the beach. They love playing on the sand, running on the sand, digging in the sand, rolling in the sand, being buried in sand... one even likes eating the sand (but we are hoping that might stop).

All that happiness, and they have not even slipped a toe into the water yet.

It is this pure and unadulterated joy that reminds me just how fabulous the beach really is, because it really grounds a parent in the present. You can't help but allow yourself to get caught up in that moment with your kids... and you feel the fiery hot sand on your palms until you dig down to that next level where it is just cool and moist. You start packing and digging and sifting it in your hands... and you watch the grains slip through your fingers and it truly feels amazing.

Cecilia likes to crawl along the beach to that place where the waves just end... she looks at us with a mischevious grin and just takes off at top crawling speed. She knows we are in hot pursuit, but that when she gets to her destination, we will sit and play in the super soaked sand and wait for the waves to roll on shore and pull the sand back to the sea. She will sit in this spot for an hour... and just enjoy the water lapping around her legs and low back. She lets the wet sand pour through her fingers... and just relishes the coolness of the water and the closeness of her family.

Calla adores running in and jumping waves and splashing around. She knows that if she waits long enough and we have sufficiently baked our skin on the shore, we head to the coolness of the water... and she is totally freaking out because we are FINALLY going to do something fun with her . This is pretty much the best part of her day in Hawaii, and in truth, it is often the best part of my day.

It has called to mind all the times that I used to go swimming back in Nova Scotia with my Mum, my Aunt and my Grandmother (all the matriarchs who have since left me to learn to "Mother" on my own). I absolutely adored those days... Mum and Dodo would hold my hands and lift me over the briny waves... and my aunt would float like a buoy over the waves and we would laugh and have an amazing time... even though the water was frigid. Those were amazing memories and I am blessed to have them.

I hope that Calla (and Cecilia) will have these memories too (with significantly warmer water).

Pina Coladas and the Long and Winding Road...

Of course, the two items in the title are completely unaffiliated... I just wanted to point out to all of you before you start reading, that I am drinking a Pina Colada and typing at the same time!

Fresh Pineapple
Coconut Cream
Bacardi Light Rum
Pineapple Juice
Lots of Ice

Blended

One Straw
Big Glass...

Off and running. 

Anyway, onto the more important part of the blog... sharing our adventure driving the Road to Hana. All I can say is WOW. It truly is beautiful, and Oh So NARROW! 

Red Sand Beach in Hana

Beautiful Backdrop

 In all honesty, there is no way to truly describe the experience and have anyone understand just how lush and beautiful it is. There are painted trees, and hanging vines, and blooming flowers, and crashing ocean, and gorgeous vistas, and hidden waterfalls, and jagged lava rock, and a black sand beach, and a red sand beach, and winding, twisting single lane highway. Really amazing.


Having the windows open and tasting the salt in the air, and feeling the coolness of the rainforest air, it was absolutely stunning.

Oh, there was also a place we stopped for banana bread... really, they said it was the best banana bread on the island, and they were not lying. Yum. Aunty Sandy's. Yum. Might have been the best banana bread ever.

Julie and the trusty steed

Well, other than posting some photos, this is an anticlimactic blog in my perspective. If you don't like driving, or narrow roads... this is not the route for you. If you have a whiny 3,4,5,6 year old... find something to either knock them out, or entertain them. This was an exercise in patience for Jason and Calla and I... there was significant whining almost within the first 20 minutes of the drive. It kept going for nearly 5 hours. Yikes.

The Backdrop to the Boob Shot

Besides the beauty, the trip was mostly uneventful  (like no lost keys or anything). We used the Maui Revealed book to decide where and when to stop... it did not steer us wrong. One short climb that I did alone revealed a girl having her photos taken nude from atop a metal fence overlooking a beautiful town (note photo Left). I guess I surprised them a little... I tried to not notice and simultaneously tell them not to stop on my behalf... but I guess she wasn't an exhibitionist. Jason was a little bummed he was not the first one up the trail on that route.

Eden Anyone?

There was also the black sand beach and lava tube where I kept seeing Sea Turtles all over the place.... and NO ONE else was seeing them. Jason was convincing complete strangers I was hallucinating turtles,  but FINALLY on one the bluffs with several other people listening to my rantings... "LOOK, WHERE THE FOAM IS... UNDER WATER... NEAR THE ROCKS... HE IS ABOUT TO COME UP... OH MY GOD... RIGHT THERE" well, finally, my hallucinations were corroborated and I got to walk away the victor of our marital spat. Yeah, that is about the extent of our marital spats at this point of the vacation!!

Well, that is all for now, hope you are having as much fun as I am!! 

Calla taking the path less taken

Jason and Cecilia having a break in the shade

Surfing USA - Wow am I Old!

Well, we did it. We went surfing. It was awesome. Jason and I tag team parented with the kids. I went for the first 2 hours, then with a totally cool high five... we traded boards/kids.

Please note, that is Jason in the photo... and yes, he is inches from the snorkeling dude... and the snorkeling dude just barely ducks out of your way... secretly hoping you are about to lose your wedding band because just under the surface he is wielding a metal detector that has detected him almost 200 wedding rings in the last 2 years!!

I admit, I felt very old/flabby/boring/uncool when I showed up for my lesson. I was extremely nervous when my lesson partner showed up... a 56 year old balding dude named "Dave" from Oklahoma. Does Oklahoma even have an ocean? I was extremely worried the old guy would be better than me, with his pasty skin and his extremely dense chest hair. Happily, I was able to hold my own for the duration of the class.

My instructor, "Dylan" referred to me as "Brrraoo" (you know, "Bro" or "Brother"). I wasn't sure whether to be flattered or insulted, but eventually I realized he was just unable to retain my name in his mind. Nevertheless, I did enjoy his truly easygoing surfer style. I tried not to correct him when I would return to him after a failed surf attempt and he would say... "Whoa Brraooo, that ride was totally wicked!! Totally better than the one before". Like, Hello, I did not even stand up that time... I just paddled, missed the wave, and came back. Don't get me wrong, I really like my instructor, he was a stereotypical surfer dude and I appreciated his ongoing praise of my skills. A girl likes flattery... ALWAYS.

Needless to say, the area we surfed in was extremely rocky/corally (probably not a word... but you get the picture) and SHALLOW. It was also extremely busy and we were attempting to surf next to about 30 other newbie with instructors. Several times we would literally play bumper boards... at one point, a teenage girl actually had her hands touching down on my board while still standing on hers and I was doing my best not to totally wipe out and take the both of us out (ha ha, I think I am finally using that term in its original form).
 
Those lessons were a couple days ago, but my carefully aged to perfection body has informed me that throwing myself into a surfing lessons, and reliving my lifeguarding days is no longer a valid option. Don't get me wrong, I still have some muscles in my body, and every one of them has been screaming at me since Monday morning. In fact, my shoulders were aching so much on Tuesday morning, I almost couldn't get Cecilia out of the playpen in the morning.

Since the lesson, we have been taking it easy with fun days on the beach, playing in the condo pool,  and zipping up the coast for some sightseeing. Hoping to rent a board and get out again soon. In the meantime, a pic of Jason proving that Crossfit does keep you nimble enough to throw your 3 year old in the air after surfing lessons,   and a gratuitous shot of the my little Monkey, who learned how to climb onto the pool chair and open the Camera bag while I am photographing to other two...

"Look what I found Mama - is this important or breakable?"

Of Craters and Keychains

One of the premiere activities on Maui, the Haleakala Crater sunrise has been toted to be one of the top things to do on the island.

Jason and I roused the children at 3:30am to pack up and drive the crazy switchback road in the pitch dark to see the 6:09am sunrise. Well, we were only off on our timing by about 9 minutes. No matter how much you try,  between the elevation gain, the crazy drop offs on the side of the road, and the 180 degree turns, you just can't go any faster.

Nevertheless, by inappropriately parking in the No Parking Zone... quickly throwing the extra layers on the kids, we were able to dash to the crater face to view the sun making its first peek through the clouds in a truly biblical fashion. We made it!!

A quick trip to the loo and the car and we were going to head off on a hike with the kids to view the islands and check out all the interesting sights and enjoy the splendour of the volcano.

In the 50 meters between the bathroom and the car, I lost the keys. Really. I did it. It was all me. I had them... and then they were gone.

Common theory is that I flushed them down the toilet, but I want to continue to believe that someone picked them up and did something with them. Anyway, after an hour of searching everywhere (and ignoring the breathtaking vista)... we finally called the Car Rental dude and he offered to bring us a spare key (begrudgingly I am sure... this drive is not one executed by locals that often). And to boot, there was a bike race going on up the highway... which drastically slowed down what could be already deemed a slog up the hill.

Needless to say, we enjoyed the views of the Haleakala Crater for a total of 7 hours... with two kids and two adults and 4 croissants and a baggy full of macadamia nuts. Oh, and they don't sell food at the top of the mountain.

Well, with my tail between my legs, I have professed to have flushed the keys. Not sure how I did it, but I am still hoping the keys will turn up at some point just to prove that I am not as clumsy as that.

Happily, we acquired many photos of one of the most beautiful places on earth... Enjoy.

Parents to Sherpas to Beach Bums

Let me speak frankly.

Traveling with children leaves a little something to be desired.

Gone are the days of hopping on an airplane and enjoying the opportunity to doze ad hoc... to comfortably sip a beverage of my choosing... to watch mindless television on a tiny screen.

Instead, all efforts to get myself, my husband and my baggage... no wait, I mean... CHILDREN (and then baggage) onto the plane, feels hasty, nerve wracking, and cumbersome. There is nothing smooth or awe inspiring about it; just my husband and I loaded up like poorly trained sherpas who have clearly brought too much stuff, and allowed novices (aka the kids) to attempt the proverbial climb.

Either way, traveling with a 3.5 year old and a 10 month old is a lot like traveling with... well, a 3.5 year old and a 10 month old. I can't complain. However, please note that Gravol does not work on all children... and babies who don't get their own seats only want to sleep when their "person"al pillow is in the most cramped and uncomfortable position of all time.

Fast forward to the good parts (where I shall skip the chaos of acquiring our condo key... and the first night where we only had 4 hours of sleep)... we are taking every advantage of the most beautiful heat and sunshine on earth.

Our Sherpa powers have been further put to the test with our daily trips to the beach (when in Maui right?) Laden to the nostrils with beach gear and blankets, towels and toys, sunblock and sunhats, we elegantly trudge our way across beautiful sandy beaches to the location of choice to sunbathe, sandcastle (that's right, just turned a noun into a verb), snorkel and soak in the rays.
Interesting point of note, although we almost arrive with 2 bags of stuff, our departure from our day at the beach results in having nothing in the bags... and every little item being somehow carried in our hands. The bags are meanwhile just as heavy as when we started... simply because they are entirely filled with sand. I wonder if that happens to real sherpas?

Well, all joking aside, this time with our family has been nothing but fun and joy. My kids are still adorable and my husband looks like a superhero in a swimsuit!!

Bring on the sunshine.

Maternity Leave... It's a Vacation Right?

I started 2009 with a bang. I gave birth to my first daughter, Calla at 2:30 in the afternoon on New Year's Day. The ongoing joke for me as a new mom was that Maternity Leave was going to be like a year long vacation.

Ha. 

Well... the body forgets pain and the mind forgets crying babies... needless to say, our second beautiful girl came into the family picture in October 2011. The somewhat traumatic arrival of Cecilia Grace marked the beginning of yet another year long vacation in the throes of parenting a newborn.

Well, 9 months has passed since she has "graced" our home, and I decided it was high time to put this one year vacation theory to good use. It has taken a little while to get the whole thing rolling, but needless to say, the vacation has arrived. In less than one week, we will be boarding a plane, children and all, and heading to Hawaii to finish off my Maternity/Parental Leave in style...

For 7+ weeks.

49 days if you prefer.

I admit, I couldn't do it without my husband, Jason. Or Cecilia for that matter, without her, parenting leave this time around wouldn't have happened.

Anyway, just thought I would bring you all up to speed on how this is all coming to fruition. Careful spending, careful saving, and an abundance of unused Vacation time on my part has facilitated this adventure. Not to mention the generous support of the Canadian government for funding Jason's parental leave.

So, without further ado, we shall be packing up our buckets and swimsuits; sunblock and rashguards and hitting the Hawaiin beaches... endeavouring to reach that mythical state of Aloha.

If you care to join us on our adventure, I will try to keep the blog updated with our photos and tales of adventure as often as I can.

If it is any consolation to all of you back home in Canada... you will mostly all still be experiencing the awesomeness of Indian Summer... (except Calgary, who knows when the snow might show up on your doorstep... literally).

Aloha.
Julie