Part II of our wonderful time in Maui… Hang on, it’s a long post. If you missed Part I, check it out here.

 

We spent one morning exploring Old Lahaina town, known for it’s shopping and huge banyan tree right in the middle of town.

 

Jeff teaching Ben how to throw up the “hang loose” sign. It is funny, because since we’ve been back, both Ben and Grace still do it. This morning at breakfast, they requested we listen to this song, and half way into it, Grace, in her tiny voice, squeals, “Shaka!”

 

Climbing the banyan tree

 

We played an impromptu game of hide n seek

 

Found you!

 

Classic Ben right here… He means well. I KNOW he loves his sister, but often his love for her changes his well intentioned hug into a headlock.

 

Obligatory self timer family photo.

 

And, of course… ice cream for lunch isn’t a bad idea at all.

 

 

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We headed North on another morning to take in part of the drive up to Hana. Jeff and I SO wanted to do the whole thing, but we had heard it was about a 4-5 hour trip, after stopping for several hikes to waterfalls, so we thought it was best, with two young children to just do a mini drive and stop for one hike.

We decided on Twin Falls.  It was a short hike and not far up the road.

 

Pretty flowers along the way

 

I must admit, that I was in “hiker” mode on this particular day, paving the way ahead, with G-mama strapped to my back in the ergo, a little annoyed at the fact that the hike was in fact, a gravel road, and lined with a couple of port a potties from the start. I think I was expecting to blast through the Hawaiian jungle with a machete in hand, clearing the way for my family behind.

I get like this sometimes. A woman with a mission. My pace was quick and sadly, I forgot about the fact that we were also hiking with our 4 year old as well, whose strides are a LOT slower than mine.

When we arrived at the waterfall, once again, I let the crazy unshaven armpits girl get the best of me. Jeff looked at me like I was crazy, when I suggested we keep going… “maybe, a bit off the beaten path, I bet there’s another waterfall up the trail…” Hopeful, it would be a bit more majestic. A bit more quiet, since we arrived at our waterfall at the same time several other tour groups were getting there as well. This place definitely wasn’t quiet.

I surrendered in when I realized our two kids were hot and sweaty and ready for a snack. And soon thereafter, realized, that I did in fact, LOVE the sight in front of me.

 

 

We enjoyed our snacks, while I chomped at the bit to take my swim. **FYI: swimming in a waterfall has always been on my bucket list and I have only done it once before, while on our honeymoon in Kauai.

 

I waded in with Ben and we swam out as far as my feet could touch with him, while I watched him reach out his arm and touch the streams in front of us. His smile was as wide as it could be. “We’re swimming in a waterfall,” he yelled!

And, then of course… I dropped him off with Jeff and Grace under the cliff and I took my swim back out, breath held, diving under and surfacing above, right below it.

I have told Jeff before, “There is nothing like jumping into a FRESH body of water.” The exhilaration you feel when you plunge into a lake. The way the coldness takes your breath away for a second. The feeling of diving down into the streams of this waterfall. Running into the big, blue Pacific ocean. There is a wildness about it.

Nothing in the world like it.

 

Kids splashing around in the wading pools nearby

 

The view from our hike into the waterfall.

 

Thought you might enjoy some out-takes of our two lovelies…

 

“Hmmm… let me get my arm around you, my sweet sweet little sis.”

 

“Yeah, that’s right… it’s headlock time again!”

 

 

 

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And, one last image for this post and I will say goodnight…

The colors of a rainbow…  so pretty in the sky

Are also on the faces…  of people going by

I see friends shaking hands…  saying how do you do

They’re really sayin…  I love you.

~Louis Armstrong

We had such an amazing time on the island of Maui a few weeks back! So restful and relaxing… I have a million images from our trip, so I thought I would post periodically in snippets, when I have a moment, to share some of the beauty we beheld there and all of the adventures we had together. We were truly blessed to get to go and are already talking about returning in the future.

I’ll start with some images from the local Farmer’s Market we visited several times throughout our visit. It happened to be right up the street from our condo, so we headed there to grab yummy fresh fruits and vegetables, which was perfect, since most of our meals we prepared ourselves in the kitchen of our condo. How can you go wrong eating fresh papaya and sipping cocoa brown Kona coffee on the lanai overlooking the ocean every morning for breakfast?

 

The kids had fun getting henna tattoos on their feet.

Stopping off for some Hawaiian shaved ice.

 

 

After one of our visits to the Farmer’s Market, we headed North for a hike down to the Nakalele blowhole.  Such beautiful scenery on the way down.

There was a cool heart formation formed out of the rocks there.

The road back to town… loved the red dirt and the beauty of the Maui hills.

More images to come… stay tuned!