Day: January 5, 2013

Leilani sat in the Plumeria tree at Hoku and read while Andy went shopping. I think this was the “My Secret Unicorn” book that she loves, and probably the first chapter book that she read entirely by herself:

It’s pretty amazing how much time we took for little outings in the first 2 weeks back, during Andy’s lunch break or after work. This time was Wailua beach, which has little tidepools in the rocks now:

This is the table Leilani made during her summer camp–the Kaua’i Arts Academy at Island School (the other tables were also done by kids at her summer camp).

It’s at the rebuilt pavilion at the south Lydgate park (near the playbridge). We were there for potluck, but we were the only ones. It was windy so we ate in the pavillion on Leilani’s table:

Our food here is beautiful as ever:

An anole in our orange tree:

Done and said by Leilani: “Goodnight iPad, sleep tight, see you in the morning.”

Leilani does pottery once a week with Renee, but I think she like’s Renee’s chickens just as much. Here the Silkies are raising different chicks–even though they’re not chicks anymore:

And more beautiful sunrises:

Another short outing to take advantage of life on Kaua’i. This time we went further to Kalapaki beach near Lihue (and to think that’s the tallest building on Kaua’i):

It’s a great beach for easy waves, and Leilani learned to body board here–and loved it:

Then we went exploring to a new beach we’d never been to before, Ninini (“running waters”) just outside the port area. You have to drive through the public access roads at the Marriott hotel (follow the signs), and then hike down a little path behind the derelict building that used to be the Whaler’s brew pub. It’s a small beach, not for swimming at all, but it’s always fun to be out exploring and getting some new shots of Kaua’i:

The ugly “ruins” of an unfinished condo project really mar the view of sunset. What were the developers thinking and why hasn’t the county planning department condemned this eyesore.

After being away for a month everything on Kauai was all new again and seemed more beautiful than ever… Our sunrises, the nearby beaches, the food, even the raindrops…

We took Leilani to the closest beach to swim at, the little rock pool behind the Lae Nani condos on the north end of Wailua Bay:

We arrived home right in time for halloween. Not Sonja, who went straight to bed…

Leilani didn’t have much time to pick out a costume, so she took one of her princess dresses and her fancy tiara:

Andy did decorate the carport, and Leilani waited to hand out candy…

But then she wrote a sign, abandoned the bowl, and went trick-or-treating with her freinds and Andy. Our friends told us about Waialeale Estates (off of Kawaihau Rd) and it had tons of decorations and was packed with kids.

It really is a great Halloween neighborhood. They even had a whole cul-de-sac blocked off and full of decorations, activities. and treats for the kids:

Needless to say, Leilani fell asleep as soon as she got home.

Leilani and I had a stop-over in San Francisco. The flight was delayed, but we met Lily, Rich, Jay and Elijah for a brief dinner.

The next morning we were at the airport very early and loked at the art.