Kokee Cabin

The Klindt's invited us to stay with them in the Baldwin Cabin at Kokee Park. I didn't know what the cabin looked like, but when we pulled up all my kids yelled, "We know this place!" That's because Jason and I had fallen in love with this place a few years back while exploring in the park. We even took pictures of the kids with the beautiful hydrangeas surrounding the cabin.

The cabin is very old (I wish I had the history) and was built by the prominent Baldwin family. The cabin has a lot of character. Inside, much of the furniture looks original and there are some beautiful pieces. There is even an old piano and an amazing book collection that must be worth a lot. The walls are covered with old black and white photos of members of the Baldwin family. So, of course, I was very excited when I realized this was the cabin where we would be staying. The weather was fantastic and in the morning we woke to a nice, crisp mountain breeze blowing through the windows as we cuddled under our down comforters. It was a mountain cabin dream that was real.

After dropping our stuff off at the cabin and settling in a bit. We headed to the reservior for some trout fishing. We found a great spot to set up...right where the stream flowed in and the trout were so abundant that the kids had caught their limit in about 15-20 minutes. That was without using their poles, but just nets. I was really glad, because Jason hadn't arrived yet and I wasn't sure if I would be of much help to the kids since I don't fish.





Aidan and Jason relaxing at the cabin


My sweet Aidan brought me this bouquet of flowers after a bike ride with his Dad. The kids enjoyed the different flowers we found in the park where the weather is cooler.


Aidan with the beautiful hydrangea


Sadie thought every flower was beautiful


The grass had just been cut and the kids used the grass clippings to make barricades for their nerf gun wars.



We went to Sugi Grove to catch crayfish...Ronnystyle. Ronny has been catching crayfish there since she was a little girl. She uses hot dogs for the bait and a rock for the weight. She made a line for all the kids to use to catch the crayfish with.






While the kids played I spent some time under this plum tree napping, reading, and just relaxing...it was wonderful!


The boys had fun playing football




Before heading home we took a short hike to a lookout of the canyon. Then Sadie and I dropped the boys off for a super fun mountain bike ride. It was mostly downhill with lots of jumps and ditches to clear. They were SO excited when we picked them up at the bottom. Cole said, "That's my kind of bike ride...downhill and fast!"

Princess Party

Sadie's friend, Francesca, had a Princess Birthday Party. It was one of the highlights of Sadie's summer. We had fun getting her dressed up and it took Sadie days to decide which dress she would wear to the party.

First Day of Summer!

The boys finished school today. It makes me so sad to see another school year come to an end. It means my kids are getting older. But I tried very hard to be happy about it and just think about all the great experiences we had this school year and how much progress the kids made. We spent a fun afternoon swimming and boogie boarding at Waiohai Beach, one of our favorite spots. It was a great way to start the summer. This morning while Cole and Aidan were still at school, I spent some time on my blog. I went a little overboard actually, but I was enjoying myself. We have so much fun as a family. Tonight the boys are at a hip hop dance performance with their friends...so I'm at it again...blogging away.

Last night at family council we talked about our summer and we asked the kids what kind of summer adventures they wanted to have. It's fun to make plans...even if you can't carry all of them out. We also talked about some of the changes that will be taking place. Like our new baby that we are expecting in July. We talked about how the baby will need lots of love and attention. It will be a change...it's been a few years since we've had a baby around. But we are all very excited! I still feel there isn't anything more wonderful than having a new baby in your home.
It's such a special time and I know the kids will enjoy it.

We also talked about another change...our plans to move back to Logan. Yes, we are planning to move AGAIN! It's what we, the Murray Ohana do, we move. You would think that we just LOVE to move. Maybe we do. We actually made the decision a while ago, or did we decide? We've had our plane tickets for some time, as well as season passes to Beaver Mountain. We had to get the passes too since the boys talk about snowboarding so much. But, once again, I've had a hard time coming to grips with our decision. We all have mixed emotions. We are so very excited to spend more time with our family...we just don't want to leave Kauai and our ohana here. The only thing that makes this decision okay for us is that we feel we will be back sometime and I don't doubt this because we have now moved to Kauai three times, yes, THREE TIMES. We also still have a lot here with plans of maybe one day building? Who knows?

As I sit at the beach watching my children play in the ocean, as I look out my windows at the palm trees swaying in the breeze, as I smell the sweet flowers from our plumeria trees, as I take my morning walk along the ocean I ask myself, "How can we leave Kauai, again?"

I know there will be beauty and fun no matter where we go, but leaving Kauai will be difficult...it always is. We have made such wonderful friends here. We love our life here. So I've been avoiding the subject...but last night I decided we should start talking about it and making plans. It's time.

We leave Kauai on Aug. 18th and arrive in SLC on Aug. 19th. Sadie and Cole are enrolled at Edith Bowen Lab School for this coming school year. A spot hasn't opened for Aidan yet, but we are hoping one does before school starts. We are all looking forward to a fun-filled summer on Kauai. And we look forward to many more good times in Logan with our family. So here's to change and to moving! Then, again, we can still change our minds!

Memorial Weekend

We had a memorable memorial weekend. We remembered loved ones who have passed. We talked about our cousin Chris and Uncle Vern, who just recently passed away. We remembered Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Karren and even read out of the book Aunt Joanne made of the talk's given at Great Grandma Karren's funeral. I love that book!

We remembered and we also made some memories of our own.

Our good friends the Klindt's invited us to their beach house directly accross from Hanalei Bay. While we were there we read a New York Times article about Hanalei Bay being the best beach in the US... Jason kept joking that it was too bad we couldn't be there. I have to agree it's hard to beat the beauty and magic of Hanalei Bay.

These were the views from our deck.



Jason made Sadie a cute playhouse and a little girl and a dog out of sticks and coconut husks found along the beach. She had a lot of fun playing with them.


Lunch Time




Cole and Aidan had a blast playing with Nainoa and Brandon.




We also played at Major's Bay. Cole made this awesome shade.







Eating at Shenanigans

ultimate ice breaker

I have decided that I LOVE having a zipline. The other night we had the missionaries over for dinner and we invited a family over too that Jason and I had only met once. They just started attending our church. Anyway, I was a little nervous about how the night would go since my kids had never met them or their kids. As I was upstairs still getting things ready for dinner I heard them pull up. Then minutes later I heard everyone laughing and having a great time...playing on the zipline. It was the perfect ice breaker and the kids had a great night getting to know each other.

PMRF Open House

The Pacific Missile Range Facility had an open house and had all kinds of aircraft flown in from military bases all over Hawaii. We took the kids and got to tour the aircraft and talk to the pilots and ask them questions. The kids loved it...especially the C-17!

Mother's Day Feasts

I've gained a LOT of weight this pregnancy...a lot more than my previous pregnancies. Jason has been feeding me well. He often brings me a big breakfast in bed and has been cooking up some amazing meals. Let me just tell you what he cooked up for Mother's Day.....

For Breakfast he prepared my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE....crepes topped with fresh fruit, syrup, and whipped cream. Not only did he have the usual bananas and fresh strawberries, but there were peaches, blueberries, and pineapple as well and of course....coconut syrup! And we still made it to church on time!





Then for lunch he grilled....ALL MY FAVORITES AGAIN! Opah (my very favorite fish) steak, potatoes, asparagus, and garlic bread...all seasoned and cooked to perfection. YUMMMMMM! Yes, we Murrays eat well when Jason is in charge. If only he could cook for us ALL the time!