Granddad caught it on camera--Grandma's in the tree too!

Grandma & Granddad Come to Visit!
They were only here for five full days, but we packed in a lot of fun! In addition to all the touristy things, the girls and grandparents enjoyed just hanging around the house, going on walks through the neighborhood, putting on a mini recital, climbing trees, and playing games on the Wii.

One of the first touristy outings was a Pearl Harbor Memorial Tour hosted by the Navy. It started with a brief talk about the boathouse where we began and the boat we'd be touring in, moved on to a photo gallery and a video presentation about the events at Pearl Harbor in WWII, then we boarded the boat and were taken around to various noteworthy sites. (Sadly, the Arizona Memorial is still undergoing repairs.)

The most iconic sight of the tour: The wreck of the USS Arizona, where it all began, on the right
and the USS Missouri, where the treaty was signed at the end, on the left.

Next up, the Polynesian Culture Center, comprised of six "villages" that featured demonstrations of art, music, clothing, games, and traditional skills from six different Polynesian islands. We also took advantage of the marketplace outside the center and wandered through a few shops and enjoyed Dole Whip--one of our favorite Hawaii treats! We stayed for dinner, and "Ha: Breath of Life," a major theatrical production that involved 100 actors/dancers/singers showcasing the various island cultures while telling the story of one man's life.

The canoe parade featured costumes, music, and dancing
from various Polynesian cultures.

Bug decided to try out a New Zealand weaving technique.

We decided to take the grandparents on a trail Daddy hadn't been on yet either--the Moanalua Valley Road Trail. It's a four-mile round trip on an old carriage road that crosses seven little bridges, has an offshoot trail to the ruins of a mansion from the early 1900s, and ends at a large boulder with a bunch of ancient petroglyphs.

Lion atop the remains of the mansion's lanai

We also spent a morning at Wahiawa Botanical Center, reportedly the best garden on the island. It did not disappoint--lots of trails with some very impressive plants. Here's just a few of the things we found:

Look at this massive seed pod!

Lion was very excited about these umbrella-sized leaves.

This rainbow eucalyptus tree was amazing! 

You can't visit Hawaii without visiting a beach! We decided to spend a morning at Bellows Beach this time. Even on a holiday weekend there was plenty of room for boogie boarding, sand castle building, and going for walks.