My father-in-law

SuckBangBlow... we were there at around 1pm on Sunday of the last day, so it was really dead. Everyone was already gone, or recovering from Saturday night.

Can you find C & I in this pic? LOL!

Here's where we parked, behind the main Harley shop

Annnd here we are, right before we hit the road back to North Carolina.

The trip was 2 1/2 hours each way. We didn't get lost either! My face and neck got really sun-burned.

Fall Bike Week at Myrtle Beach remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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There are 5 lighthouses on this island, and so I thought I'd visit all of them before we leave... this is the 3rd one I've been to:

Diamondhead Lighthouse

Diamondhead Beach Park

These are from another hike the family and I did in the mountains around Schofield

Football Boy

Modeling Girl

Beach shot taken from Chun's Reef

The kids playing in some BIG winter waves on the North Shore.

Random Photos remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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We have lots of big news here. We're moving back to the mainland in either March or May of 2008!! The reason for the move is LOTS more exciting than just a regular Army PCS move, too!! C went to Special Forces Selection last month, made it all the way through and GOT SELECTED!! So he's on the road to becoming a Special Forces green beret.

Which meansssssss.... we'll be permanently stationed at Ft. Bragg in Fayetteville, NC! We are all really thrilled and excited; both for the new special forces lifestyle and to be living back on the east coast again. We'll be so close to my Dad and Grandparents and close enough for visits to C's parents and my Mom!! Wheeeeeeeeeee!

So... on to some more of the aforementioned "back logged" pictures and stories.

These 10 pictures are from a hike up Koko Head! It's located on the far east side of the island, right next to Hanauma Bay.

This is a look at it from afar. NOT all that attractive, I know. hehe But you don't climb Koko Head for it's beauty. You climb it for BRAGGING RIGHTS!

Bragging rights, eh? Wellll.... To get to the top of the mountain, you have to climb 1,060 steps! Literally. And they're not normal steps... they're made out of railroad ties, and they're spaced far apart, both in width and height.

Here we are at the very bottom step. It's a short-ish walk uphill to get to this point.

There's one gulch that the rail ties form a bridge over... and that was a little unnerving to walk across. You definitely had the feeling that one misstep, and you'd take a pretty big fall. And it was still on an incline...

At the very top, the remains of building that was up there.

Looking down over Hawaii Kai

Me, absolutely enjoying the fantastic view from the top!

The boys, enjoying the same view from a different spot

I walked off the path to the edge, as close to the ocean cliffs as I could get, and took this shot straight down to Hanauma Bay!! Not every day you see it from THIS view!! I wish it had been a sunnier day for more eye-popping photos... but still...

The Boy

The view on our way back down. One section of the stairs is VERY steep... reminded me of sections just like it on the Great Wall of China!! Only no hand rails to use, here!! LOL

We're Moving Back to the Mainland!! remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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2007 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing Competition remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Go BEARS! So far, so good today. hehe

I went back out to the "LOST" beach on Friday to see what I could see, because I know they are taping again for the new season. Nothing new to see, really, but there was a guard out there and you couldn't get anywhere near the set, nor take any pictures at all. So I took a few of the beach and water just because I can never resist.

The Boy is having a fantastic time with Cub Scouts again this year. He's off selling popcorn at a booth sale right now, trying to be den high-seller.

The Girl has her first boyfriend. He is an 8th grader too, and a really skinny little skater dude. LOL His arms are skinnier than hers are. And that's skinny.

Off for the rest of the Bears game!!

Football's Back! remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Me at Pipeline

Lunch was at Jamison's by the Sea! We ate out on the lanai, and it was a perfect afternoon for that.

Dessert was, of COURSE, shave ice at Aoki's!!!! Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, shave ice......

Shanny and I on the "LOST" beach

Shanny Visits Hawaii! remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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So we flew at 7am Saturday morning and came back home 6pm Sunday evening. It was the quickest flight I have ever been on! 20 minutes between the two islands. LOL Time enough to get up in the air, pass out and drink a tiny cup of passion guava juice and then land. Best kind of flight.

That island is so different from Oahu!! Hundreds of thousands LESS people, and ZERO over-developed areas. The zoning codes for that island state that NO building can be taller than a coconut tree. They specifically wanted to avoid turning into Oahu or Waikiki. So there is very little to actually see as you drive around, other than the natural beauty of everything. And the towns are SO small and quaint!!

So when you are leaving the baggage claim area, this sign greets you:

And then you step thru the doors under the sign to this view!

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt Resort & Spa, which is HUUUGGGEEE and gorgeous. And it is right next door to, or shares property with the Poipu Bay Golf Course. Dad... this is the prettiest golf course I have ever seen. There wasn't a tournament going on, but they are proud of the events they host, that's for sure. Tiger Woods and Greg Norman stuff all around. They say it's the home of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf. We ate dinner at the clubhouse restaurant.

The view from our room balcony

E and I on that balcony

One of the waterfalls there on the beachfront side of the resort. Maybe you can see E and one of the kids she was there to help out with

Scenes from around the property

Some of the swimming areas- the pools were unbelievable. Some were salt water lagoons w/ sand, and some were fresh water that just looked like lagoons

Waimea Canyon- Mark Twain dubbed this the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. The canyon measures 10 miles long, 1 mile wide, and more than 3,500-feet deep. I showed up just after sunrise... I hear that it looks different in the late afternoon to sunset times.

Kalalau Lookout... this is the very end of the road on the western side of the island. Located in Koke'e State Park... it was raining when I finally got up there... the white mist covered most everything. I wish I had had more time to see it on a dry day, because I think that is probably the prettiest spot on the island that you could drive to.

Just a pretty shot out to the ocean. Hard to tell where the water ends and the sky begins!

Another beautiful coastal view

Wailua Falls... there's a road that takes you right out to these falls! Another long and winding and bumpy road. In the Hanama'ulu area.

Gorgeous coastal shots... driving north up the East coast... this was somewhere near Kapa'a

Hanalei Valley

Maniniholo Dry Cave - this thing was huge!! The beach just in front of it: Tunnels Beach & Ha'ena Beach Park

Inside the cave

The view from the inside out

Kaua'i is all about keeping the island calm, peaceful and uncrowded. So another thing they do to keep crowds at a minimum (along with no tall buildings and no big shopping centers) is keep traffic moving REALLY SLOW! All along the North Shore, there are one-lane bridges. So you have to stop and yield right of way to the other cars as you move along the coast. I took this pic out the front window of the car so you could see... they're wooden bridges!

Kilauea Lighthouse...I am so glad I found my way to this! So pretty.

E on the beach right before we left

After we flew back to Oahu... we walked out to our car that was parked on the topmost floor of the airport's parking garage. And it was nearly sunset, and the view of Honolulu/Waikiki/Diamondhead was soooooo pretty!!

And E stood up on the concrete wall and wanted her picture taken... cute!

Kaua'i - The Garden Isle - Our trip! remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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The hurricane, Flossie, has been getting downgraded each day this week... and today I think it's a tropical storm. Lots of wind and weird rain from it, but that's it.

These brush fires, on the other hand, are out of control! They started on Sunday on the windward side of the Wai'anae mountain range... so they're on "my" side of the mountains, but the tradewinds are blowing the other way, so it's really strange to have the fires so close, and yet not be able to even smell it.

I spent some time yesterday, taking pictures of the area. All roads to the North Shore are closed except for one... so traffic is much heavier than normal around here, as well.

This is the view straight down the road out of the housing area that we live in.

Same view, zoomed in closer.

Then I went out at dusk... same from straight out the end of the road.

And again at night. This one doesn't look like much, really, but the height of the flames really was amazing. That is still a good distance away, and the flames looked high.

I had to turn the flash off on the camera, and consequently had to hold REALLY still to get any kind of a non-blurry shot. But the winds were so strong because of the hurricane! This was as steady as it got, last night. I think it kind of looks like a lava flow!

Hopefully they're able to finally put that out soon. Too bad we're not getting MORE rain from Flossie to help. So far 7.8 square miles have burned, and it keeps getting closer and closer to the Army base that C works on. The Star Bulletin says that the fire has spread to the Army property, but that housing isn't in danger yet.

--------------
On to the first day of school pictures... 8th grade for E, and 3rd grade for N

A few soccer pics of The Boy... during this game, one of the referees told our coach that N shouldn't play with the mohawk anymore because "it is a safety hazard". !!!!! What the....?? Like, if some kid happened to fall on N's HEAD... they'd get cut and bleed out right there on the field?!? Come onnnnn...

Here is he, making a great save as goalkeeper!

-----------------
Hawaiian Airlines is running a Hurricane Flossie sale right now... $19 per seat one way to any neighbor island. So for $38 round trip... I'm thinking of planning a quick little family trip to Kauai for next weekend. The travel window they give is pretty darn small, tho! I'm dying to see the other neighbor islands before we leave here!

Fires, Earthquake and Hurricane! Poor Hawaii remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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E's 13th Birthday Party remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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So he did. And we've colored it almost every day with temporary hair gel colors. He was especially patriotic on the 4th of July and got a TON of attention when we went out that evening! One woman even stopped and asked if she could take his picture.

And here's beautiful E... just because. =o)

Who got a mohawk?! remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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E and N have been doing really well in their events all season long... generally improving upon their times and jumping distances each meet. It would be cool if I could create some nifty chart graphic showing the numbers and events... but in the interest of time... I'll just type them out here. After the pictures tho...

That will leave the BEST NEWS for last! So don't leave this post early. =o)

N running the 50 meter dash

N finishing up the 100 meter dash

E getting set up on the starting block for her 100 meter dash

E mid-air during her running long jump

N mid-jump!

I am a team assistant coach, and I ended up working the long jump pit all day, at each meet... conferring w/ the Official

E getting ready for her championship 200 meter run

Alright.... on to their times for anyone interested in the details. =o)

There are 4 meets... so I'll list the event followed by 4 times... the first time comes from the first meet, etc. (All times in seconds).

E 100 meter
15.7; 15.6; 16.04; scratch

E 200 meter
34.6; 34.43; 33.05; 33.2

E Long Jump
9'10"; 11'7"; 12'1"; 12'8"

N 50 meter
9.8; 10.5; 10.23; 10.16

N 100 meter
21.2; 20.7; 20.1; 19.8

N Long Jump
7'0"; 7'11"; 8'4"; 8'4"

At each of the meets, both kids have finished really well for their long jumps. Not too high for their runs... but this is the first time for them... so it's understandable.

So today (July 7th) was the Championship State Meet. The top 3 finishers not only medalled, but qualified for a trip to Nationals in California in two weeks!

So the great news is that N came in 3rd place for his long jump!! I just got off the phone with the head coach, and he's not sure if N's age group gets to go to Nationals to compete, or if they're too young. I probably won't find that out until Monday. So for the whole state of Hawaii... he's the third best long jumper! =o)

I really wish E could have had the same honors... her jump has REALLY improved over the past month and a half!!! We were really trying for her to jump 13 feet today... but it didn't quite happen. But still... 12'8" is AWESOME and it gave her a 4th place finish today. SO CLOSE to medalling and winning the trip.

Hawaii Jr. Olympics Track Season Completed! remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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So no decision could really be made until I'd actually ridden a few Harleys, so I could see if I really wanted to make the change, right? So we rode our Hondas to the Harley shop yesterday, looked around and pretty quickly see THE coolest Sportster I'd ever laid my eyes on.

Whoever owned it before changed everything on it. The only thing that is stock is the engine and the frame. LMAO Everything on it has been modded and upgraded. Custom paint job, it's been lowered, etc etc.

So I started the day never having EVER ridden a Harley myself... and now I own one. We traded in one of the Hondas... C's CBR1000rr.

The artwork is part of the custom paint job... they're not stickers. =o)

So this is a 2001 Sportster 1200. It's a rigid hardtail... meaning zero shocks or suspension!! When I hit bumps, I bounce up off the seat and when I land, my glasses need straightening and I have to reseat myself. hehehehe

We've ridden both yesterday and today, now. C on his Harley, me on this one. The clutch is much stiffer than I'm used to w/ the sportbike, so that'll take more getting used to. Having the forward controls for the feet is very WRONG feeling to me, too. Still getting used to putting my feet up and forward.

Oh, and this motor is not rubber mounted. So not only do I not have any shocks... the motor is not contained in ANY way, so the vibrations are really strong. Like my hands and feet feel like they're going to vibrate off the ends if I don't keep readjusting. LOL!

So there we go! I feel like a TOTAL bad ass on this... a little like Jesse James even with those straight bars. hehehe

I ran out of gas sitting at a traffic light today, and switched it over to the reserve like I knew what I was doing! No gas guage, no gas light... I'm going to have to figure out how many miles I can go before the reserve becomes necessary. No clock either! LOL

And NO saddle bags. =:D There are mounts for bags, but I don't plan on using them. =o)

Happy Birthday to Me! My early present..... remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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I took some pics that I just love of him at the pool last week! I hope you can see them in enough detail!

I did take pictures of E then, too, but they're all of her in a bikini... so ya know. =o)

N has been super busy the last 3-4 weeks with swimming lessons, boy scouts, school and track practices.... so when it comes time to do homework.....

Yep! Fell asleep with the pencil in his hand, still. And he stayed like that for almost 2 hours. LMAO

So yesterday was Mother's Day and the kids presented me with their hand made gifts! And then they baked a CAKE!

A Red VELVET cake. With white icing.

So I ate two pieces yesterday. =o)

Then E got the big "present" yesterday... she got her hair done. Her poor hair was looking SO awful... the ugly home dye job was grown out with about 2 1/2 inches of roots showing. And her modeling photo shoot is in two weeks... so it just so happened that her hair appointment fell on Mother's Day.

We had them take her back to her natural color. Everyone who's used to seeing her will be shocked by how dark it is, but we've been coloring the brown out for a few years now. Time to let it get back to natural and healthy again. It took FOUR HOURS to do the job. I had no idea we'd be in there that long.

But...... here she is.

She loves it. LOL

And Rocker Boy!

The last picture I leave you with today is 19 years old. =o) I cannot BELIEVE this picture still exists out there... but a girl I graduated high school with scanned it and sent it to me! Inconceivable! It's from Senior Slave Day... 1988.

I put it up on the computer screen and asked each of the kids, separately... "Look at THAT person!" and they each said something like, "Is that you??!"

More Kid Stuff - Nice Weather in Hawaii Finally remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Before C left for Thailand he helped us shop for the perfect tent, and The Boy was unbelievably excited about it! He was shocked and amazed that I could actually put it up by myself. LMAO

So there's our little tent. It was perfect for the two of us and our stuff.

It was soooooooo windy out there, every second of the time. Not breezy, but gusting wind. Shoes would blow across the ground if not properly secured. Sneakers... not just flip flops.

Anyway, I have a GREAT sunburn going! I put sun screen everywhere except my chest and across the back of my shoulders. So at least it's not all over my body. The only burn N got was on his upper and lower eyelids... where I couldn't get any sunscreen at all.

It is hilarious how much STUFF some families take on a campout!! Huge house-sized tents, 12" thick air mattresses, sometimes TWO piled on top of each other, grills and charcoal and boogie boards and suitcases and propane gas coffee makers and portable picnic tables and house brooms and dozens of other things.

The Boy and I took a 2-man tent, two sleeping bags, a box of non-perishable food for me, a cooler with all my food and water, a backpack w/ his clothes, a pack w/ my clothes and a bag w/ my shower toiletries and towels.

The kids eating breakfast that was cooked over a small propane skillet. LOL!

The eating part, for me, turned out to be WAY easy. I took all of my own food, packed into a 50 Qt. cooler, and I took more than enough. A couple of the women asked what I was eating, and commented, "Ewww, you eat healthy, don't you?" It's always the most obese people who say things like that, too. Hmmmm. I baked a big loaf of my whole wheat flax banana bread and ate that alot. I took a couple of ground turkey burger patties w/ an egg white and oatmeal oats mixed into it. That got a few wondering comments from people. hehe

Here's the view out of our tent door! The beach is just on the other side of that ridge straight ahead.

This is my favorite shot from the weekend. Who knew a silhouette picture could be so good? =o)

The beach and water were gorgeous. It felt amazingly good to float around in the waves after being out in the hot sun all day.

The boys did mini golf as part of their requirements to earn the golfing beltloop. It was a fun little course.

Then later in the day a dad played football with a bunch of the boys. N loved every bit of that action.

Then dinner that night was TACOS! N was so hungry he built a huge two-in-one taco... a full hard taco put inside of a full soft taco!

When it got dark, we built a huge campfire, made smores, sang songs, told jokes and stories and then the boys went nuts in the dark w/ glow sticks.

So we're home earlier than expected today, on Sunday. We woke up at 6am to a HUGE pouring, driving rain... and the wind just made it go sideways.... so we packed up and left camp before we really had to. So now, I've emptied the van out, re-pitched the tent in the yard so that it can dry out to be put away properly, showered, lubed up my sunburn and am now looking at pictures.

WHEWWWWWWWWW!

Camping on the Beach in Hawaii remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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You decide which is which. =o)

For the modeling, she is required to wear no demin, makeup AND heels every time. This is the only time she leaves the house looking this way. Just so's ya know.

===========================

Oh, I forgot, I do have one bit of new news. As of today, I am officially the assistant track coach for our base. LOL!!!!!!!!! How did that happen?!?! I dont know... the coach just came out and asked! So I'm thinking this could help w/ MY running... if I run along w/ the kids sometimes. I don't know. He said because so many track and field events run simultaneously at track meets, that he would need help on the field w/ our team while he was doing other events w/ our team. And to help keep general law and order during practices. LOL!

The Many Faces of E remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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WLC (Warrior Leader's Course) was 30 days from February to March. Less than a week after graduating WLC, his unit decided he was going to go to BNCOC real quick (Basic Non-Commissioned Officer's Course). So he did that for the last week of March and first week of April. He graduated BNCOC first in his class, with "Superior" marks in every column, two days ago on April 5th.

Yesterday, April 6th, he flew to Thailand for his next deployment! No pictures from any of that... we were up at 4am yesterday morning so that I could drive him to his meeting point for Thailand. It was dark and we were all sleepy. LOL

I have no idea what level of communication he'll have once over there. They will be in a very rural area, sleeping on the floor of some old school building it sounds like. He took his cell phone and laptop just in case.

I only have 3 new pictures for today... more soon, tho, I'll bet. E starts her modelling classes today! For today's class we had to buy her strappy heels for runway work. I wish I could be a fly on the wall for THAT class. hehehe A fly with a camera!

Anyway.... I recently got bangs cut into my hair. I'm still not sure I like it. Keep waiting for it to grow on me. And I finally got new glasses. I am the king of keeping old glasses WAAAAAAAY TOO LONG... until the prescription is long outdated AND they're horribly out of style. So this is me leaping back into trendiness.

I don't know how well you can see them, I guess... but they're purple frames with rectangular lenses!! I never noticed this on people before I was told I had to get new glasses... but all the available glasses are rectangles now! The whole wall was covered in them, and at first I hated them and wanted something more like my old ones. But I do like these now. At least they're not bent and broken like the old ones.

OH! And they're made of titanium. So they twist and bend and warp all without breaking! I wish all of my glasses had been made of this stuff!

Here are a couple pictures of Bruiser the rat. I took these so that I can start to find him a new home. He's at the end of his rope in THIS house. He has started barking nearly all the time and is impossible to potty train!

Here Goes April! remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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N has been really active w/ his Cub Scout pack since he joined this group last month, in January. The first big event he participated in with them was the Pinewood Derby race. He and C built a car really quick before C left for WLC. It weighed 4.84 lbs (5 lbs was max allowable) and it fit the length specifications perfectly. =o)

There were a lot of boys involved in the races, so they ran in heats of 3 cars each, and each car raced 3 times... once in each of the three slots on the track. N's car came in 2nd place all three times in his heat. LOL So he didn't make finals.

But he loved the whole thing, and his car!!

He won a certificate for "Shiniest Car" and a participation plaque for being there.

Then last week was the Boy Scouts' annual Blue and Gold banquet... celebrating the Boy Scouts' birthday. I found out the day of the event that we were supposed to bake and decorate a cake! So I baked it while N was in school, and we decorated it in blue and yellow after school. Our cake was awarded a certificate for "Best Wolf Scout Design".

Here's N w/ a bunch of the cakes in the background:

He worked hard over the past four weeks and completed the Wolf Trail in that time so that he could move up with the rest of the Den! So he earned his Wolf rank patch and will now start working on the Bear Trail. He also earned the soccer beltloop & sports pin, basketball beltloop & sports pin, computers beltloop and some other community service type pin, but I can't remember what it was.

Each time a boy scout gets promoted and earns the next rank patch, the boy also pins his Mom w/ a small pin of the same rank that he just earned. I guess this acknowledges Mom's help and participation in his earning the rank. So here's N pinning me w/ the Wolf rank:

So I have two pins now... Wolf and Bobcat. =o)

I took my camera to E's basketball game last weekend, but the seating was horrible for pictures because the bleachers were faceing huge, open windows w/ sunlight streaming in. So I only got one good picture that didn't just show her silouette.

She got her hair cut the other day, on Sunday. She didn't really lose much length, but did get bangs cut in. She took in a picture of Ashleigh Simpson, and this is the result.

I have an appointment today to get my hair cut. Not really sure what I'll get done. LOL

What the kids are up to remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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I have to start off by saying they weren't filming when we went out there, but I still had a GREAT TIME! hehehehe I am dumbfounded at how close to my home they film the beach scenes!

This site resizes the pictures to be much smaller than the originals... I hope you can see everything well enough.

They have the whole area fenced off when the cast and crew aren't out there. And there are No Photography signs posted.. and no trespassing signs too. So I felt sorta like a sneaky criminal... but it's worth it. RIGHT??

Actually there was one man out there, sitting in a metal folding chair. LMAO We didn't talk to him, but I truly think his job is to sit there and make sure no one vandalizes the set when it's not in use! And to enforce the no photography rule. DARNIT!!

But here we go!

Me on the beach with the Lost set in the background to the right. It's behind that orange plastic net/fence thing. And maybe you can see the blue tarp? We had to get creative with some of the pictures we took.

Here is the church Mr. Echo built!!

The little graveyard where they buried the people who died during the plane crash and shortly after the crash was right next to the church. I took a picture of it, but it's NOTHING to look at. You can tell they haven't used it as a scene in the show for a LONG time.

Here's another scenic shot, taken with the Lost set behind the photographer. It's a view the Lost castaways see when looking out at the ocean from their beach.

Here's a close-up of the set area... sort of. I was still a good distance away, and zoomed in as best I could.

The man who was guarding the area got up as we walked by. So I had to be SNEAKY in taking pictures. So I only got two.... I got that big tree that's behind the yellow crime scene tape stuff in between me and the man... so I snapped two quick pictures.

Even tho it's behind the orange net fence, you can see this shanty/shack really well... how the wall if it is a piece of the airplane!

And last shot.... This is the road that the cast and crew go down to get to the set. When they are filming, there is a sign out and a guard there, keeping people like ME from going down there. LMAO!

I got "Lost" today =o) remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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My Dad was able to visit us just after Christmas time! Well, technically, he arrived at 10pm Christmas night! LOL And he stayed for a week, so I have a bunch of cool touristy pictures again for you. In fact, I took hundreds of pictures while he was here, so it's really, realllllllly hard for me to choose my favorite 20 or so. But I have to, right?

Picture #1! Dad and E standing above Waimea Bay. You can't really tell from the photo, but the reason there are so few people at the beach, and even fewer in the water, is because it's winter time here and we have a pretty constant high surf warning going on.

We made sure to visit the USS Arizona Memorial... the obligatory group shot with the sign. LOL

The view of the Memorial from the ferry boat (I cannot say the words "ferry boat" without thinking of McDreamy [Grey's Anatomy]. LMAO Please tell me I'm not the only one here!!)

Inside the Memorial, with the wall of names engraved in marble

The Tears of the Arizona.... the oil that still, to this day, leaks from the sunken ship. =o(

The whole visit out there was really emotional. They have so much of the history of individual men preserved in the museum there that you really feel as if you knew the men lost that day. Everyone's own personal history affects how they feel there too.... C had just returned from his year in Iraq and I felt especially thankful that he had come home safely.

Dad and kids at the USS Bowfin... the submarine that's docked there in Pearl Harbor for touring.

I just LOVE taking beach shots, and I had a few taken during a misty sunset that are so pretty. This is my favorite of them: (That's C and N you see)

Dad, C and the kids at Turtle Beach, looking at beached sea turtles, waiting for sunset

Everyone's heard of the amazing winter surf here on the North Shore... well 3 days during Dad's visit, we drove up to check out the waves. The best day was also the worst for traffic. I live literally 5 miles from the North Shore, but it was a 2 hour drive to get there! EVERYONE wanted to see the waves.

And boy do I love crashing wave pictures!! Can you tell how big the waves actually were in these?

We took Dad hiking to the top of Diamondhead crater... you've all seen dozens of pictures that I've previously posted... but this one is cool. =o) That's Honolulu and Waikiki Dad's looking down on back there.

We did find a place that I'd never been to before, called The Spitting Cave of Portlock!! It's funny to find a spot on the island that is SO beautiful and breath-taking... and I'd never known it existed.

Dad with an amazing house sit right in the cliffs!

A sea lion that was swimming around the mouth of the cave. Look at that water!! Isn't it insanely gorgeous?? There was also a whale further out in the water, but I never could get a good picture of him... he didn't let me know when it was time for a breath!

There's my dare devil husband... he climbed all the way down to the mouth of the cave. Anyone who knows him is thinking, "Well of course he did!"

Yes, and there he is, taking our children down the other side of the cliffs. A little less dangerous... but still plenty worrisome to ME.

Here's a good shot of the "From Here to Eternity" beach! I'd never climbed out on the rocky cliffs overlooking it before... but Dad and I did!

And I'll leave you for now with a fantastic beach view.... This is Lanikai Beach, and it's the last one Dad and I went to before he went home. =o)

My Dad Visits Hawaii! remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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I didn't take any pictures of the actual party... too busy partying myself I guess. LOL But here's a few from the day.

C at the Barefoot Bar getting another Guinness:

The beach that day... this is Waikiki

The view from our hotel room

The Boy medic'ing dad... determining if he has a fever or not

This was Sunday... the kids had spent the night at friends houses while we were at the beach party, and then we spent Sunday walking around malls and Sams Club. I felt like they did!

Alpha Co's Beach Party Weekend remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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Today (12/15/06) was the day that C had a bronze star pinned on him! It was during the batallion award ceremony that was held in their new company building on base. I had originally thought that I would be up there pinning the star on him myself, but it didn't work out that way.

He was the only soldier of his rank to earn this award... all of the others were higher ups; mostly officers. I was so proud!! But here is the important part... the pictures!

The actual pinning on of the star:

Alpha Company after their own award ceremony... at their Engineer's castle on base:

Tomorrow is Alpha Co's post-deployment beach party down in Waikiki. They're supplying the food and adult beverages and C and I are staying the night in a hotel down there. It promises to be a great time. =o) I'm sure more pictures will follow... ones much less formal and stern. hehehe

2006 BTN Award Ceremony remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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These are the banners I hung outside of our house here. I later found out that other people took pictures of them, too! LOL

Here's the dress I chose to wear for the ceremony. E took this of me before we left the house that night. It was really strange to be getting all dressed up and hair done and everything at 1am. LOL! But it was WORTH IT and I'm so glad I did... not very many other wives did.

I know this is dark... all of the shots of the unit in formation were too far away for the flash to work. But here's just one so you can get an idea, maybe, of what it was like. We were in a gymnasium, spread across two basketball courts.

The first big hug

E getting her first hug

And N getting his

Here you can sort of see the posters that we made

Today's Thursday and it's C's first day back to work. The unit will spend the next 5 days or so in-processing and "reintegrating". LOL

December 15th is a big batallion award ceremony and C will be given a Bronze Star!! He was the only non-officer soldier to receive one during the whole year. And the Lt. Col. said he "would be honored" if I would be up on the stage to pin it on C myself. So that will be an exciting day. I got a new dress for that occasion too. =o)

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I mentioned it a long time ago in one of these blog posts, but don't forget that I changed my email address!! It is no longer bikergirl_brazen........... if you don't have the new one and want it... leave a comment here! =o)

C is Back Home in Hawaii!! remains copyright of the author Brazen, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.

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