Tickens

I am on vacation. Why write? you ask.

Well, my kids are napping hard in my bedroom. My husband is off playing in the Jeep 4x4 rental, and I'm surfing the net on our lanai.

I'm using a fancy word like lanai because I'm in Hawaii, or How-ah-yah, as my Grandpa Gene used to call it.

Here are some observations from the trip so far:

1. Long flights with small children aren't as bad as the anticipation of long flights with small children. Either that or I had a stroke three hours into the second flight and can't remember the details. Let's just say, there's a lot of repetition involved. "Who wants to go to the bathroom with mommy?" So far we are the family from the farthest point east. We haven't met anyone from EST yet.

2. Kauai is called the Garden Island because it's so lush and green. And apparently because it rains every single day at the highest point on the island. However, I think it should be renamed The Chicken Island because wild chickens are everywhere. When I say everywhere, I mean they're on my lanai sometimes, too. And we aren't on the ground level.

3. Chickens, even the guys who crow at 5:00 a.m., are the coolest thing if you're three years old. Or two. So if you have a two-year-old, or a three-year-old, or a forty-year-old, you may want to consider Kauai as your next vacation destination. Griffin turned two the day we left home and the chickens (or tickens as he calls them) are so far his favorite part of the trip.

4. Kauai is also the Family Island. This is probably due to the fact that there is no nightlife to speak of, and the chickens will wake you up by 6:00 if you managed to sleep through the screaming at 5:00. Perfect schedule for children! We've noticed there are more families with babies and small kids here than anywhere else we've gone.

5. I'm an idiot for living in the midwest. I have this thought whenever I go anywhere lush and tropical.

6. My body is not nearly as deformed as I think it is. There are all sorts of bodies in bikinis on the beach and mine just blends in with theirs. So I donned my bikini today and tried to ignore the jiggles. Probably it could have blended more with a better tan, but eh.

7. I hate touring. I don't like to sightsee. I'd be happy staying in this resort or venturing two miles out every single day. My husband likes to sightsee and go exploring. We're like The Odd Couple.

8. I will probably be digging sand out of crevices for weeks to come. That's ok. It's been worth it.

- H