The “Trip”

By Patty Wilber

I turned 60 last month.  Jim turns 60 this month, and our 35th wedding anniversary is right in between.  To help us celebrate our “momentous” birthdays, our children told us they had arranged a trip for us, Oct. 8th to 11th.

They gave us zero details, except a general packing list. We were to wait to the day of our departure for further details. It was hard to be patient and we spent a lot of time speculating!

Here is the clue that came via the photo sharing screen Maegan got me for my birthday at 1:13 pm on the day of departure. Along with a text that our ride was on the way…

The Clue

Hmm.  That is Amara (left) and Leilani (right) in what looks suspiciously like an AIRPORT!

Well, so does that mean that we are flying somewhere????   And will we see those grand girls??? I started getting choked up in case it was just an airport clue and not a grandkids clue…

At 1:45 our ride arrived.  Jim hurried up to meet it (because we were pretty excited) and there was no one in the car…

He came back to the house to see if there was another clue on the screen or something.  I went up, and Mark (our son) and Maegan (daughter) and the two grand daughters got out!

Turned out that instead of us going anywhere, they came to us!! HOLY COW!

Mark was here the 8th to the 11th and Maegan and the girls will be here until the 17th!

Fortunately, they also thought to go shopping before coming and unloaded a LOT of food that we have been eating all week!

We have been having a tons of fun.

We have been riding horses, of courses!  Both girls have been riding every day and Leilani helps me feed!

Lucy and Leilani. Lucy’s trot is a little too big to be comfortable for a 4 yr old, but Lucy is definitely laid back enough!

Amara on Lucy.

Penny (the horse), Amara (left) and Leilani (right). Amara wears her helmet even if she is not getting read to ride, you know, just in case.

Judith’s Beauty and Leilani. Leilani says “She’s sooo beautiful!”

Mark leading Cometa with Leilani in her leopard outfit, up. Mary Ann S. lent us her kid’s saddle, which has been great.  Cometa has a nice trot and he is laid back enough that he sort of lets Leilani steer when they are in the round pen!

In addition to the horses, we have been to McCall’s Pumpkin Patch, the Balloon Fiesta, the Botanical Garden and Aquarium, and Explora.  The Zoo is still on tap.

We went to McCall’s during the day, which was great for the kids.  McCall’s had climbing structures, big slides, a castle with princesses, a zip line, the pumpkin patch and lots, lots more.  It was kind of like a private fall fair, and many of the activities were free (or included in the price of admission, which was $20, I think–the kids paid for us since we were on our “trip!”).  We did pay a little extra to shoot paint balls, launch apples out of an an air cannon, and we bought the pumpkins we picked in the field. It was really, really fun.

Zip line!

Leilani’s winning pumpkin!

We went to the to Balloon Fiesta  for the very last session and unfortunately, there was too much wind to launch, but some pilots did inflate their balloons, for which we were grateful.

Mark, Maegan and Amara, Jim and Leilani and the Creamland Balloon!

The Botanical Gardens and Aquarium never  disappoint!.

Riding the giant ant! While dressed as leopards, of course.

The aquarium.

At the Explora, there were a number of activities that involved water.  In Hawaii, clothing for little kids is often optional, so Amara figured she would just disrobe and get into the flow of this one!

We have a couple more days left, and this is one birthday present we will never forget!