Hoppy Easter weekend

What a festive and fun Easter weekend we had. The boys had their annual spring training for karate down in Waipio Valley, and their instructors couldn't have picked a more idyllic setting for the boys to train in. They were able to learn in a beautiful, spiritual place, with the blessings of three pule (prayers) performed for their safety beforehand.

Getting ready to caravan down into the valley with the other members from all around the island

Hard to believe they all started karate about age 6-7 and now they're 15, 13 and 9.

Osu!

Training on the hot black sand, with the river flowing around them to enter the ocean. As their Hanshi instructed them, "It's gonna be hot out there. But we can train ourselves to be impervious to pain!" :-D (Funny, only because it did involve my own pain.)

Priceless facial expression from Keni & Ry

We had hoped to hang in the valley for a bit and let the boys swim in the river and ocean, but Keni and Riki had incoming family from Japan they had to meet (their group was staying at the Hilton, so we dropped off the boys there). Fortunately, there was a few minutes of pool time for Ryan and Keni to sneak in before their family arrived.

They're down there! ;-)

The day prior to Waipio/Waikoloa, I was able to help chaperone a field trip with Ryan's class to the Paleaku Botanical gardens.

These were not your typical botanical Hawaiian garden, as evidenced by this Native American labyrinthine path. There was also a 'galaxy garden' that was fairly interesting that Carl Sagan helped design.

Easter morning was spent (for me anyway), on a long(ish) run, followed by some very delinquent gardening (I replanted some spinach we pulled from the valley that another parent showed us) and a late brunch/egg hunt at my parent's casa.

The absence of Keni & Riki at this year's family egg hunt would have been much stronger had he not had the companionship of his two younger cousins, who made it fun (especially since it was Olivia's very first egg hunt). And she did great!

This past weekend was also bustling and fun- Sat was Olivia's first birthday at the most gorgeous venue ever (sweeping 180 degree ocean views from about 1,000 feet up in elevation from the Honaunau Rodeo Arena), and Sun was a long run, followed by a friend's birthday at the Beach Tree on the beach of the Four Seasons (where our boys all got to swim before dinner at sunset). I loved the friends and family time the last two weekends, but am equally excited to hopefully, finally hit our not-so-new TJ Maxx this weekend on the other side of the island! I love me so TJ time, and mama's closet is getting bare!

Happy Spring!