Our Two Graduates...

Kyle and Nate graduated last month. Nate earned a marketing degree from La Tech and has moved back home with us until he gets on his feet with a JOB. (He is looking and interviewing now.) Kyle graduated high school and will start Louisiana Tech in Sept. We are so proud of both of them.

News Alert: Kent Francis turns 70 today!!!

A love letter to my dad on his birthday

You've been a reliable constant in my life-all my life.

Thank you for your wisdom and advice.

I love that my boys look up to you, their "Grandpa".

I appreciate when you encourage me in my parenting and

tell me what a good mom you think I am. (Even when I think otherwise.)

How special you make me feel-even now that I am 45 when

you tell me I am still your "little girl".

Thanks for all your love and generosity to me and my family.

All my love,

Kathy

Kaua'i Critters from our trip in March

Two sea turtles or Honu that we saw when we were snorkeling in Hanalei Bay. This was a highligh of our trip for me.

Fish we saw when snorkeling.

A cardinal specific to the Hawaiian islands on our balcony.

Dove and cardinal on our balcony in Hanalei.

Mountain goats in Waimea Canyon.

Nene or Hawaiian Geese at Kilauea Wildlife Refuge.

Sign at Kilauea Lighthouse

Mom feeding the birds--We also called her the Hanalei Bird Woman. These birds loved her!!!

Peacock at the luau.

Spinner Dolphin showing off near the Napali Coast.

Roosters were EVERYWHERE.

Koi at the Mariott

More Koi

Flora of Kauai

Here are some pictures of some of the beautiful plants and flowers we saw in Kauai. I will try to identify the ones I know...Photos credit to Dick, Mom and Dad!!!

Above is the Queen Emma Lilly.

Bird of Paradise above.

A lily I think above.

Maybe this identifying wasn't a good idea--I've been looking in my Flowers of Hawai'i book and I don't know what the above one is either...

Who knows???

Geranium--that one I know.

Wild orchid.

Hibiscus

Hibiscus

Not sure maybe Oleander

Queen Emma Lilly

Hibiscus





Okay so I better keep my day job, as my dad would say. I am not a BOTANIST!!! I really did love the flowers in Kauai

Fun in Kauai--tubing in irrigation ditch of sugar plantation

We had a grand time mountain tubing in March when we went to Kauai on vacation with my parents. One of the highlights was tubing in the irrigations ditches of the old Lihue Plantation. they took us in a four wheel drive vehicles high in to the mountains above Lihue and floated down the ditches for 3 hours. We wore helmets with lights on them and gloves. The water was frigid but we didn't care. The irrigation ditches were made by the Chinese laborers in the 1800s. We saw giant bamboo trees that were huge and floated through five tunnels that were very dark and exciting because we bumped from wall to wall. One tunnel was almost one mile long. Afterwards, we had a nice picnic lunch and travelled back to civilization in an open air vehicle through fields with wild boars in them. Our guide saw one, but I missed it. Our guide told us that it was the wettest spot on earth since it rains 350 days out of the year. Dad, Dick and I went on this adventure together, and Karen had some relaxation time by the pool.

READY for action!!!



Before the adventure. Dad and Dick are in the next picture and Dick and I are in the last picture. The next post is a youtube video that I found of the very tour we took. It was a great time!!!

Mountain Tubing in Kauai

Having fun at the Kauai Marriott

Hawaiian weather station.
Dick and I eating "hula pie" What a treat!!!

Mom resting poolside.

Gorgeous pool.

Dad and Mom in their rocking chairs. We had so much fun all week with them. It was a vacation to remember for life.

Napali Coast Tour on Holo Holo Katamaran

Here are some pictures of the unforgettable time we had in Kauai. We went on a Katamaran tour of the Napali Coast on the Northwest shore. It is truly spectacular and can only be seen by boat, air or hiking. This is where many movies have been made including Jurassic Park and King Kong. The water is really that BLUE.

Napali Coast


Dad and Karen took this picture of Dick and me. I was pretty seasick.

I love the way the clouds made it look mysterious.

A humpback whale juvenile came right up to our katamaran. It was really neat. We saw so many whales that I lost count. This baby was curious of the boat and the mom had to come and push her back away from us.

Spinner dolphins!!! They were really fun to watch. We saw a pod of about 100.

They jump out of the water and spin, just for fun. Our tour guide said that we were lucky to see so many. They put on a show for us.

Old Sugar Cane factory.

Dad on the boat. He took some great pictures.

Our trip to Kauai last month!!!

Karen and Kent acting silly with a 28 XL Aloha shirt!
Dick and I on Poipu beach, out to dinner for our anniversary. Mom and Dad took us out for our 15th wedding anniversary-it was so good.

Our view of Hanalei Bay from our deck. On a clear day you can see several waterfalls off the cliffs and surfers in the bay.

Dad and I found some yummy shave ice!

Krewe of Highland Parade today

Throw me something Mister! Sam and Stephen catch the Mardi Gras Beads.

It was a beautiful day here in Louisiana.

Sam is loaded down with beads. Some of the floats threw Moon pies and hot dogs.

It was great fun.

Julia, Victoria, and Brianna enjoy the festivities.

Carla and Darryl

Mardi Gras 2 years ago....

And today. My have Stephen and Sam grown up.