09 Aug - First Day of School

Time to start school. We're back at Navy Hale Keiki again and Zach is starting Pre-K and Andy his kindergarten year in a kindergarten/1st grade class.

It's been a great summer, but Fall is just around the corner. With school comes football, pumpkins, turkeys and temps down in the high 70s.

Excited and ready to go!

Walking in in front of the school mural

Zach in his new hideout - Ms. Gross's class

and Andy in Ms. Boyce's

01 Aug - Birthday Surf

I felt like I was getting a little old, turning 34 and all, but figured some nice surf and rainbows would make me feel better.

Not too much to ask, apparently.

31 Jul - Beach Day at Three Tables

The North Shore in the summer is probably one of my favorite spots in the world. Beautiful weather, beautiful water and surface conditions like a swimming pool. Can't be beat.

Little trip up to Three Tables which is just around the corner from Waimea Bay

There is nothing you can say to them, but they'll regret the time spent playing in the sand when they could have been in that water. They'll know when they look at these pictures years from now. It's just a shame, but there are some concepts that won't resonate with a 4 and 5 year old.

Zach standing out on one of the three tables. I'll spare you the video where we were knocked down by a "wave". More scared than hurt. I did not look like Daddy of the year with the little one way out on a rock in the ocean crying his eyes out.

Lunch on the way home overlooking Haleiwa Harbor

22-25 Jul Family Returns for Time with Uncle Stick

Kim and the boys came back for a few days with Uncle Stick

Happy reunion at the airport. It had been a bit over a year since they've seen each other.

Playing in the bouncy house

Some soccer on the neighborhood fields

Wrasslin'

Pizza night

This is Bill checking the Lieutenant Commander selection board results. And the result? Navy's newest LCDR Select. Congrats Bill! Maybe this look is a bit sarcastic, no?

A goodbye lunch at the Shorebird restaurant in Waikiki. Possibly an old squadron haunt.

Bye bye Uncle Stick, thanks for coming!

18-22 Jul - Off to San Antonio

Next stop for Kim and the boys was San Antonio to visit Nana, Pops, Great-Grandma, Aunt Denise, and Uncle Chuck. Loads of family to visit!

We realize we're missing some pictures from this leg of the trip so we'll update when we're in receipt.

Zach gets his cowboy on

Trip to the wild animal park

Kim had the opportunity to meet up with two friends who now live in San Antonio. This is Ashley from PA school with her son Emerson.

And Veronika from Montgomery with her boys

Highlight of the trip for the boys was visiting with everyone's pets. This is Zach with Skipper.

16-25 Jul - Uncle Stick Visit to Hawaii

As Kim and the keikis were off on the mainland, my brother Bill, aka Uncle Stick (to the boys), aka SB (to those at work), came to visit. Bill has been to Hawaii about three dozen times, but there will still things to do and it had been a long time since we had the chance to catch up in person.

Waterborne activities, particularly the type best done without children featured prominently.

Example #1 - Diving with sharks. I'm pretty sure you're actually swimming with sharks every trip to the beach in Hawaii, but you just don't know it. Best actually, but in this case we took a trip off Haleiwa and swam with some Galapagos sharks.

Example #2 - Surfing at Pops in Waikiki. Nice day, not much in the way of surf.

#3 - Hiking down a cliff to a spot called Dragon's Nostrils and swimming in the tide pools.


#4 Racing from Chun's Reef to Waimea Bay in North Shore Swim Series race 3.

And last playing 45 holes of golf. Here on the Kanehoe Klipper #13.

14-17 Jul - Kim and the Boys Vacation to Denver

Kim and the boys trucked off for their first mainland visit since moving to Hawaii. First stop was Denver to see Aunt Jackie, Grandma and Grandpa.

Exciting trip out to the Georgetown Loop Railroad for a steam train ride

Aunt Jackie points points the way

Steam engine #12 was used by the Kahului Railroad Company to haul pineapple and sugar in Hawaii until the 1960s before being sent back to the mainland for the museum

Excited train riders. Fueling the Thomas passion.

Trip to the Butterfly Pavilion for all things insects. Zach also got to hold a tarantula.

Spider assembly

Enjoying mountain views