Hawaii!

Aloha from Hawaii!!  We are on Oahu.  My sister-in-law Robyn scored us her company's beach house for a week.  It's a beautiful 3 bedroom house with an amazing view and a fabulous playroom for the kiddos.  Complete with storage room full of snorkeling equipment, beach chairs, coolers etc.  Awesome.

Day one-We didn't leave the house!  Everyone was jet lagged from the plane ride.  We flew US Airways and let me just say, I'll take the flight to Egypt on EgyptAir of all things over the flight here any day.  Torture.  Small plane.  No room.  Unhappy flight attendants.  Have I mentioned how much I love Southwest?  So, day one we spent recovering.  The kids loved it since the house has an infinity edge pool and hot tub and a boat dock.  

Day Two- Scott, Thomas, Grace, Robyn & her friend Crystal all hiked up to the top of the Diamond Head crater...

Then they hiked to Manoa Falls...   

Mandy & I spent the day shopping and sightseeing at Waikiki Beach!

Day three- We headed to North Shore.  This is what you think of when you think of Hawaii.  Honolulu and the surrounding area is just like any other city.  Actually looks and feels a lot like LA.  Not fun.  So it's best to get out a ways.  Fortunately we are staying out in an area called Hawaii Kai which is sort of like the Rockwall of Honolulu!  On the way to the North Shore we stopped at the Dole Pineapple Plantation.  This is the original farm & produce stand that was opened by James Dole in 1900.  We took the cute little train " The Pineapple Express" and learned how pineapples are grown and how one little produce stand turned into one of the largest food companies in the nation and brought pineapple to rest of the world.  

After the train tour the kids did the World's largest maze...

 Mandy was mad because we didn't have time to locate all 8 sections of the maze.  She's still mad about it today.

After the pineapple fun everyone was hungry so we set out to find Giovanni's shrimp truck.  If you are fans of the new Hawaii 5-0 this is the one they modeled the truck on the show after.  

Next, it was time to hit the beach!!

After the beach we took the leisurely way back to the house and just enjoyed the drive and all the little shaved ice, bakeries, & mom & pop places along the way!

After a nice dinner with a fantastic view we headed home.  Everyone was showered up and settling down and Mandy was the only one left needing a shower so off she went.  I was on the computer about to download the pictures from the day when I heard her scream from the bathroom.  Then again & again.  Not her usual scream, but I'm hurt and terrified kind of scream. Then Jamie Lee Curtis Halloween screaming. I bolted for the bathroom just as she got to the door.  I thought at first that she had gotten the water too hot, but then realized she was scared too.  She was screaming that it hurt so I was searching her for blood when she yelled that it bit her.  Scott headed in the bathroom and came out and I could tell by the look on his face that he'd found something nasty.  She said it bit her on thumb so we grabbed ice & scott said he "thought" it was a centipede but wasn't sure.  Since we are in a tropical climate that is not our home, he called ems to ask what it was/what to do/if she was ok.  He answered several questions and they sent out the paramedics to make sure that she wasn't going into anaphaltic shock.  Two very broad shouldered Samoan paramedics showed up and were absolutely precious with her.  Checked her over, listened to her breathe and stayed till they thought that she wasn't going to have a reaction.  Not to stereotype, but they were exactly what you would picture Honolulu FD to look like!!  We fed the offending tropical centipede to the fishes at the suggestion of our new friends from HFD.  Evidently they are extremely hard to kill and you have to either cut off their heads or let the fish eat them.  We opted for the later.

This photo was taken after Allan had whacked it with the plunger!  It was even longer before.  Never seen anything like it.  The two points on the end are what stings...like a scorpion. I would totally have been screaming my head off too if that thing was in the shower with me, much less actually stung me.  Just sayin.

After we had her calm (which was no small feat) & EMS left, we gave her motrin & a dose of benadryl.  Her hand was very swollen and they said the poison would last a day or so.  Scott went and got her ice cream & Thomas iced it by putting a frozen chicken breast on it!  Her two favorite things--chicken & ice cream...

Her thumb is swollen today, but has gone down as the day wore on.  Not nearly as bad as last night. It now just looks really bruised.

So that is our exciting, never a dull moment in the Milder family, Hawaiian vacation so far.  Will try to update on days 4 & 5 tomorrow!

Mahalo & Hawaiian blessings,
Leslie