Hawaii-Kauai-Helicopter Tour

Ryan talked Andrea into taking a helicopter ride, but not just any helicopter ride-

One without doors!

Andrea sat in between the pilot & Ryan & we could see the instruments the entire flight-not that we could read them, but ...

We saw many places where movies were filmed; this river is the beginning scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark

A waterfall from Jurassic Park

The "Grand Canyon" of Kauai-Waimea Canyon

The Napali Coast

More scenery & awesome waterfalls

This is Mt. Wai'ale'ale-the wettest place on EARTH!! This is called the "weeping wall" & has 27 waterfalls

Wailua Falls-opening scene of Fantasy Island

Andrea was extremely scared to go on this helicopter ride, so at the end, we had to capture this:

"Yes, I did it!"

It was an awesome tour & it was a great way to end our vacation

Hawaii-Oahu

Ryan & Andrea were able to leave the kids & go to Hawaii! Andrea's brother, Michael came along & this was our first stop-Oahu.

Waikiki Beach

We walked around Pearl Harbor while waiting for the ferry to the memorial. Ryan & Michael are on this battleship gun.

The USS Arizona Memorial was especially neat for Andrea. Her great-uncle was one of the survivors.

The Dole Plantation, where we sampled pineapple,

and walked through some pineapple gardens

The smallest (and cutest!) pineapple we have ever seen!

Waimea Bay Beach

The Laie, Hawaii Temple

We went to the Polynesian Cultural Center and the LDS Temple. The PCC had 6 different villages that you could walk through & do different activities & see different shows.

They had this spear tossing activity in Tonga


At 2:30 all the villages close so everyone can attend the canoe pageant

These were some of the floats during the canoe pageant

In the Aotearoa village, we learned to play a game

Andrea was called on stage to learn a coconut dance in the Samoa village

Michael also got called on stage to start a fire, dance, & show his manlihood!

Waiting for the show to start

This is near the end of the "Breath of Life" show

Utah Trip, Part One

Andrea drove the kids to Utah at the end of June. They have had so much fun!

The girls have loved swinging in Grandma Connie's hammocks.

Andrea's brother, Charlie gave them motorcycle rides.

They have had fun with a hopscotch slip & slide-

-and playing with cousins.

Andrea & her brother, Michael, & her sister, Patti took the kids to Liberty Park.

Michael pushed them on the tire swing.

It was fun for Andrea to reminisce & take a ride on the swings too!

The kids LOVED all the rides!!

We had such a great time!