Aloha from Hawaii and New Hampshire!

Hello Everyone,

One cannot help but feel rejuvenated by warm sunshine and gentle Hawaiian breezes. After surviving the last week of school (complete with indoor recesses thanks to 4 days of rain), report cards, and the general mayhem that only a teacher can understand, I left New Hampshire at 5:00 AM to fly out of Boston's Logan Airport. The 11 hour flight took me to Denver and then on to Honolulu, landing at 3:00 PM Hawaii time, 9:00PM New Hampshire time. My daughter, Sarah, and her fiance, Greg greeted me at the airport. My younger daughter, Suzanne, also arrived on a different flight 3 hours later. We are staying for the next two weeks with Greg's family at their gorgeous home in Hawaii Kai, a beautiful community about 25 minutes out of Waikiki.

After breakfast, we took a long hike up into the hills in Hawaii Kai. Hiking in Hawaii is not unlike hiking in NH, however the hills lead to steep ridges that have drop-offs on both sides. Needless to say, wandering off the trail is not the best idea. When we reached the top, we had a spectacular panoramic view of the entire eastern part of Oahu, well worth the climb!

This afternoon Sarah, Debbie (Greg's mom), Suzanne, and I drove to Kualoa Ranch to check out the site where they are planning to have their wedding in July, 2010. It is truly an amazing spot, 40+ acres of rainforest, gardens, beach, and unbelievable views. Just what you'd picture for a Hawaiian wedding, it just took my breath away!

Tonight we are having a barbecue to celebrate - Sarah just received a contract for a first grade teaching position for next year at a school in Kailua! How exciting is that?