Thanksgiving was a thanksgiving day

Thanksgiving Day Celebration at our home was especially fun and full of thanks this year as we had two very full tables and one counter.  Here two of the late dessert eaters are concluding their triple or quadruple option selection of desserts.  (we ate well).  Niece Kate was one of our guests and extremely popular with our younger set.

The youngest, Bentley, son of Melissa and Corey, was admirably patient with the interest expressed by these two and many others. Bentley did real well with all the commotion - and there was some - surprise surprise surprise.

Patt's brothers and a friend, Joe, from church and Melissa.  Joe and his wife have become regulars at our Thanksgiving gathering.

 Art, providing horse rides for Isaac and Luke, both boys enjoyed them as Art did in providing them.

One thing I noticed was that Melissa took full advantage of willing arms in holding Bentley.  Oh how I remember those early days of parenthood and being so glad for a little relief.

And speaking of relief.  Can you tell who is enjoying the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade from New York City the most?  Look closely at the couch. Yes indeed, that is Laura.  Shortly after this photo was taken I took the kids outside and Laura continued to enjoy the parade.

And no I did not see very much football at all, just a little of the Lions - Packers game.  I do need to do a blog about football watching with the kids.  They are avid students, especially … well more to come.

"Hey Lydia, they have McDonalds here"

Things are settling down, jet lag quite wonderfully is being managed far better by the kids than by me when I make similar trips.  (Well, I do not cry quite as loudly as Luke, but I whine more according to Patt.)  Really the kids are sleeping well if at the wrong hours of the day.  of course we are having ample opportunity to expose them to sunlight and heavy outside activity which I think is helping.

And we are actually starting to do real things like run errands.   Yesterday for example, when I learned …"Hey Lydia, they have McDonalds here",  I heard Isaac say.  (No truer observation ever made.)  Isaac, Lydia and I were on the way to Lowe's on an errand in the convertible with the top down and stopped at a stop light (I know surprise surprise surprise being in Raleigh and all) and at said intersection there was a McDonalds which afforded the statement. I supported his observation with the comment that "actually we have a lot of them".

As could be expected, we are enjoying the basement and the kids do like their Mom to read to them.

We did spend an afternoon raking leaves and sweeping the deck.  Regular workhorses these kids were too, staying hard at the task at hand.

The yard only looks big due to perspective of the photo but to a small child I reckon it is.

and there were enough leaves at the end of the task to cover small children and allow for jumping into the pile as Julianna is mid flight.

Another afternoon was a trip to the library.  John Paul is only stationary as he is preparing for his next move.  He was not reading nor considering whether or not to read the book.  He did not consider long.

Lydia signing up for a library card. Patt arranged for the kids to get cards and my goodness but whoa boy are we now special with our own card — even a key fob thingee too.  

 And Julianna signing up for hers.  The librarian there has the patience of several saints.

And Laura can wrestle kids while finding books about tigers — There apparently and obviously are times when only Mom will do with the little ones and the library happened to be one of them. 

Lydia and Isaac were ready for some serious reading with Grandmama and she was ready to read.

--which Patt also does in the basement — 

We have also done some bicycle riding in the cul-de-sac.  Not the fleet of bikes, three of the five bikes belong to Mark who has loaned them to me, we got two more from a church yard sale.  I have forgotten which were which so lucky Mark will one day have even more.

Transitioning right on up to Washington DC and back

Yesterday Patt and I continued the transition with a little side trip up to Washington DC for a visit to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum located next to Dulles Airport.  We figured an up and back day trip would be a nice way to start off Patt's reduced work schedule.

The display of airplanes is awesome.  Catwalks allow you to see them suspended form the ceiling, and the collection is impressive from vintage WW II fighters to a Russian MIG, one of the Wright Brother's planes, the Enola Gay,

 the Discovery Space Shuttle — (which by the way is huge.  just absolutely very large and impressive to stand next to), and much much more all very well presented.
 

Oh and back in Dulles Terminal C — well ...we met this crowd !!  Just in from halfway around the world.  Laura, plus grandchildren plus two friends who traveled with them (who are en-route to Atlanta) .

We proceeded to set up camp in a wide space in the hall where we would not obstruct too much traffic nor create too much other passenger angst.  (Note the artistic touch of the reflection of the donut shop, and photographer self portrait in the window over our campsite).(noticed that myself this morning when looking at the photo and tired to figure out what was in the window.)

We were in the long hall connecting D to C Terminals as careful reading of the overhead banner board above will indicate.

 The travelers reported great traveling experience, and our reunion was a joyful time for all.

The hallway was large enough to provide a good play space for kids just off of a 12 hour flight and they played so nicely.

they are very familiar with a luggage carrousel — it is obvious they have seen one of these before.  The row of them at RDU did not impress.  Julianna is wearing Patt's sweater over her backpack. Each of the kids has their own travel pack.

Got to our house about midnight our time - mid-day theirs — we ate a heavy snack, they explored the house, played with toys, and finally (and thankfully says a grandfather who has not seen the  New Year's Eve Ball drop since who knows when) went to bed about 2 AM.  About 4 AM Patt brought me this one and said he is yours.  

I took him to the living room, we read, then did puzzles till 4, when I, sensing a moment of sleepiness in Luke, tucked him next to me and we both fell asleep.  Luke actually stayed here till 1 PM.  Me — I didn't  and am looking forward to better sleep tonight- and missing the ball drop.  But very very happy to have a house full and more transitioning.

Transitions — yes there's gonna be some transitions around here

Long years ago, deep into the early years of our county's founding Patt left the little town of Apex, moved to the big City to make her fortune with a consulting company in a big brick office building.  Patt's office was in a cube like space with no window, no personality, and well, it was just an office like office like you would expect.  

As fate would have it, not terribly long after joining said big consulting firm, the firm bought an old,  small. wooden house near the big brick building and Patt got a large office on the ground floor complete with personality and well that was several eons ago.  

People moved into that old house office and people left and came and went and came and moved around but Patt just stayed right there. And then Patt became a part time employee and realized that among other things no one had been in the office longer than she had. 

WELL THAT IS CHANGING.— Patt is going even more part time — her replacement has been hired, and 

See that recycling bin, Friday evening I helped Patt move out which included loading up two of these things,

And this is her new office back in the brick building, similar to and the near the location of her original office where she started with the company.  

The old office is now ready for the new occupant.   Yes indeed, a pretty big transition for Patt this week.

But that is just getting started.  That van in front of our house just hints at a transition that is on the way.  We have visitors coming and that is their van.  Stay tuned for some serious TRANSITIONS.  

Gonna be a few changes around here the next couple of days.  yes indeed.  yes indeed.

As Matt has said "their Show is going on the road"      …………  It is gonna be a transition for sure and we are excited.

Waikiki Beach and some visitors

Mark and I moved on to Waikiki Beach, which as you probably have heard is quite nice, crowded, tourists speaking many languages, and lots of opportunities to buy some sort of souvenir — there is no shortage of stores selling Hawaii / beach stuff — and apparently people buy it too.  

 View from the pool/bar deck at the hotel where we ate a couple of times.  Rough duty, but as they say….

 and the view from our hotel.  Swimming was nice - but not as nice as some of the earlier beaches we went to on the North Shore, just a little larger, and with lots of friends and neighbors.

 Yeah, it was pretty.  The views are worth selling.

We had visitors, who stayed for the afternoon of playing in the pool — (they have been to a beach).

 We adjourned to our room for a picnic on the patio /deck of our room.  Had a delightful, meal, discussion, and general all round good time at dinner of sandwiches from Subway.

 Later just before bedtime, a little Sports Center to catch up on the news.  And then we had sleeping bags and pillows and campers on the floor of the room.

 Got back to Schofield, went for a walk, back home to watch tape delay of the Alabama-LSU game with a partner (unfortunately he did not stay as long as I would have liked- Big E as I call him is such a joy.)

 And as I was preparing this final entry of here early on a Sunday morning prior to our departure for the mainland and fall weather, (Mark and I remained a little jet laged and early risers as a result)

 We were joined by other early risers of the household— and we had companions for the morning- which is very very nice.

Shark's Bay swimming

That is Shark's Bay — we did not swim in there though it did look inviting and people do.  It was just a little rough as we approached from the extreme left in photo below and the lava flow rocks a little sharp.  We did however swim and see a lot in the little (well not so little) pool formed by the lava.

 This is part of it,  the outer pools are quite deep in places and the gap in the middle where the ocean streams in with waves can have a very strong current- like turn you over, push you away, and cause you to grab for something to hold to and try to dodge the rocks.

 Here is a wider view - at the extreme right was a cave through which the ocean also poured with each wave.

 These photos were taken from up on a hill over looking the pool where we parked.

 and we entered from this end.  Swimming most of the way across that pool as it was easier than walking.

The big kids were great adventurers, (anyone surprised at that?) (Eric was attending his pretty school-for a birthday celebration with his 3 year old peers)

 Hanging onto the side of the rock edge of the pool.  Watching the tropical fish around the coral and rocks was a real treat.  Dozens and dozens of them - all types and colors and shapes.

 And one real big sting ray gliding through under us.  Emphasis on the under us.  Estimated size is four feet across and six feet head to tail tip.  And he was our frequent partner gliding into and out of view often. (photos in the pool by Julie- — pretty good- huh?).  The ray never ceased to cause my heart to quicken just a bit whenever I saw him and I pulled up my feet each time too.

And I would definitely add this place to a go back to list on a list of places and things to do.  Of course that descriptions fits a lot of stuff we have been doing around here.

another hike — and some "RON-EEE -MO"

Ka'ena Point State Park is the northwestern most point on Oahu Island.  It is accessible only by hiking along the coast as there are no roads to the point (google earth it).  We hiked along the northern edge of the approach to the point and the coast line was quite dramatic. 

There were "bridges" over the wash or the waves where the volcanic rock had broken or eroded away.

There were layers of lava flows that had differential erosion from the wave creating overhangs and cliffs.

 The hills rose steeply along the shore and the kids had great fun climbing them, here is Caroline atop one rise — we did not climb the mountains in the background despite a couple of interesting looking trails.

and some Will found just about to much space to roam in along the drift piles of the old volcano between the mountain and the sea.

There was a lot of variety along the shore, from rocky to sandy, cliffs, and coral.

 and watching the waves move in and out along the rocky shore was certainly interesting.

 There was just a lot to see — the wind, the sound of the waves crashing, and sea spray occasionally made for a really nice atmosphere.

 And we were not alone out here, we did see another group of three people and as we were leaving some fishermen were arriving to set up their evening efforts.

 it was one of those really nice days.

We spied an old chair — talk about something out of place - down on the shore line and having already tired of throwing rocks into the sea, now had a ready target.  We all joined into the fray of throwing rocks — note especially the little kid in the red shirt at the end of the line in the photo.

 Eric, was the most enthusastic of us all, throwing repeatedly and yelling loudly with each effort "RON-EEEE- MO!! !!!! .  (an abbreviated pronunciation of Geronimo)  (the photo below is an actual action photo as a rock has just left Eric's throwing hand and he is still in mid-yell.)