Veterans Oasis Park

We recently heard about this new park in south Chandler called Veterans Oasis Park. It's only about 2 miles northeast of my house. They have a nice big lake that they just started stocking with catfish, bass, perch, carp, and soon trout (as soon as it cools off a little more). I don't believe the facility is fully completed yet, but they have some nice trails and picnic areas around the lake, and the Chandler city web site shows plans for a hummingbird and butterfly habitat. Right now, the plants around the lake are mostly new and smaller, but I have a feeling as soon as they get some growth and color, it's going to be an amazing spot for some pictures. Here's a quick snapshot from the hilltop viewing area looking west.

I saw a Rainbow this morning...

...but it wasn't outside...

I'm talking, of course, about the most amazing vacuum ever made: the Rainbow. Sure, it's not actually mine, but luckily (and thankfully), I get to borrow it from Mom and Dad from time to time. How old is this thing anyway? I'm not really sure, but the darn thing just keeps going and going, and I think it does a better job each and every time I use it! And you should all know by now that a blog post from me usually comes with a picture, so here it is, right after it finished the job...

The infamous Rainbow

It's FALL, but it's still Hot!

We are definitely ready for some FALL weather! Any time now! Everyone came over yesterday for enchiladas and some Wii games. As soon as it cools off a little bit, I'll take some pictures of the plants in the yard...they have really grown and are in full bloom.

This first picture of Mike and Holly was taken a several weeks ago during another Wii session!

Not your normal steak

Through the first-ever Arizona Restaurant Week, some of the valley's best restaurants were participating in special promotions for a three-course meal...making the cost much less than half of the normal price. Mike, Holly, Allison, and I chose Ruth's Chris Steak House in Scottsdale, and while I figured it might not be right to take a picture in the restaurant, we did take a couple outside.

No splashing in the pool area

Dad and Mom are in Las Vegas for the next couple days, and while I don't have any new pictures or news to post, I figured I'd try posting a short clip from my digital camera (thanks, Holly) of Mike and I *trying* to have some sort of splashing contest in our condo pool in Hawaii. Thankfully, no one else was in the pool. Oh, and I apparently lost...

The Big Island of Hawaii: A Quick Trip Review

Mike, Holly, Allison, and I are back from an amazing trip to the Big Island of Hawaii. We traveled over 1000 miles around the island in our rental car, but still had plenty of time to relax on the beach. I've included a quick review of our days below:

Day 1 (8/29): With the lava fields surrounding the Kona airport, it almost seemed like we landed on the moon. As soon as we arrived at our condo at the Outrigger Fairway Villas in Waikoloa, we ate at the Queens Marketplace before a quick walk down to the beach.

Waiting at the Phoenix airport

Driving to our condo

Our condo at the Waikoloa Outrigger Fairway Villas

View from our condo balcony

Day 2 (8/30): We went to Kona to get groceries for the week at Wal-Mart. Later, while Allison and I went horseback riding at Parker Ranch, Mike and Holly went to Waipio Lookout. For dinner, we cooked steaks at the condo and then went to the beach for sunset.

Mike and Holly enjoying a quick lunch on the balcony

Horseback riding at Parket Ranch

Cooking steaks for dinner

An "A-Bay" sunset

Day 3 (8/31): We drove to the north side of the island to Pololu Lookout and hiked part of the way down (it was steep and long).

Pololu Lookout

Donkeys with a view at Pololu Lookout

On our way back from Pololu Lookout

We spent a few hours at the beach in the afternoon

Day 4 (9/1): We drove to the visitor center at 9200 feet in elevation on Mauna Kea (mountain is over 13700 feet tall) and had dinner at Roy's that night.

Driving into the clouds at Mauna Kea

Above the clouds at Mauna Kea

Another A-Bay sunset

Dinner at Roy's

Day 5 (9/2): In the morning, we stopped at the Kona Marketplace on our way to the black sand beach and Kilauea volcano.

Steam vent at Kilauea volcano. As rainfall makes its way throught the dirt, the magma below heats it up and it comes back up as steam.

A Kilauea vent from the Jaggar Museum

Thurston lava tube

Trail near the Thurston lava tube

Lava flowing into the ocean off in the distance

Day 6 (9/3): We went north a few miles to the beach at the Mauna Kea resort. It's voted one of the top beaches in the United States.

A lizard near the pool early in the morning

Mauna Kea beach

Day 7 (9/4): We drove to Hilo where Mike and Holly took a helicopter ride over towards Kilaeua volcano. Allison and I hung around downtown Hilo and also ate at Cafe Pesto. We then went to see a couple waterfalls near Hilo.

Akaka Falls State Park

Another beautiful sunset at A-Bay

Day 8 (9/5): We just had a lazy day and hung around the resort area and the beach.

Petroglyphs near our condo

A-Bay

Day 9 (9/6): On our last day, we drove down to South Point (southermost point in the United States) and hiked over to the green sand beach. Later that evening, we headed for the airport at Kona for our overnight flight back to Phoenix.

Last morning at A-Bay

South Point

We all had a blast! The Big Island is highly recommended! And note that these pictures were just a few that I took with my camera. Others from other cameras are sure to follow sometime soon.