hilo and mauna kea

the boiling pots...

more of the boiling pots…  the river that runs in to rainbow falls.

driving towards mauna kea

there she is...

the 'ohelo berry tree..  so cool!  i LOVE this 'ohelo jam, but the berries are the food of the endangered nene birds (several years ago, there were only 30 birds left…. and we saw 8!!), and the berries only grow near the volcanoes.  so, they can only pick the berries by permit and when there is an overgrowth!

devastation trail.  that hill in the background was the result of kilauea iki's eruption in the 50's. 

more of the berries.

kilauea iki crater.  d hiked down to the bottom.  

more of the crater.  david walked along the middle of it!

looking out from the crater rim.

walking back along the devastation trail.

more devestation

david at the bottom of the kilauea iki crater.

he found some nice folks to take his picture!

the aforementioned nene birds...

rainbow falls.

there was a HUGE cave behind the falls.  so amazing!  

the boiling pots are right above the falls.

mauna kea.

at 9200 feet, looking at the stars.  we saw jupiter and the moon through some cool telescopes!

more of the kilauea crater at night…  amazing glow!  (and our amazing hubris!)

while david hiked the kilauea iki crater, i checked out the volcano winery, 5 minutes away.  it was so cool!  they grow most of their own berries!  

we cosmic bowled on top of the crater.  who knew??

finally, a clear shot of mauna kea, with SNOW on it no less!, on our last day!!

so, today, i have a sick boy at home.  let's talk about failing as a parent…  he came in to my room last night, and i assumed he had wet the bed.  i told him to change his clothes and climb in to his other bed. i would deal with it in the morning (we have waterproof pads on all the beds so i can sleep easier!).  this morning, he told me he had thrown up and i just didn't understand.  and then he slept in it all night.  i felt SO BAD.  in fact, so bad doesn't even cover it.  poor sweet boy.

so, he's home from school.  currently trying to keep down a popsicle.  and i am nesting…  i am considering cleaning the couch cushions today….  i am working through laundry and the carseat cover first…  and cleaning up the play room!  hmmm… time for baby to come???