Happy 14th Birthday Abby!

Happy 14th Birthday, Abby!

You are such a sweet, laid-back, and easygoing person. You’re still really kind to your sister 90% of the time, and you can handle your brothers like a pro. You absolutely adore your dogs and bunny, and it’s clear how much you care for them. I’ve also noticed how much you’ve gotten into babysitting lately, and you’re already getting more and more jobs! Everyone who hires you loves you, and the kids always ask for you to come back. The parents even mention how you clean up the house—this part still confuses me, but I’m glad you're cleaning up at other people’s houses!

Your best friend is Kaylee, and I’m pretty sure you two would live together if we’d let you. As you’ve gotten older, you’ve really enjoyed having your own space in your room. Sometimes, I have to remind you that we want to hang out with you too! In true teen girl fashion, you love naps, chatting with your friends on FaceTime or the phone, shopping, and sleepovers.

You continue to be one of the easiest teenagers to get along with, and we really enjoy spending time with you. You’re creative, crafty, a mini tornado of mess around the house, and, of course, a total goofball at times. We hope 14 is a fabulous year for you, filled with all the fun and adventure you deserve!

For your party you wanted to go to Beatrice Roll a Rena for skate night. We all had a great time.

The funny thing is, I’m pretty sure they’re still renting out the same skates they were using in the '90s when I used to frequent the skating rink!

(Kaylee, Sydney, Abby, Maggie, Harlow, Blair)

Snow Day

Snow day, cold day, ice day… oh, to be a kid again and get these days off! Now, all it means is that getting to work is going to be more of a hassle than usual. We had freezing rain that coated everything, making it super slick outside. Abby and Emmy decided to collect some snow from the yard and make snow ice cream. It seemed a bit risky to me, considering we have two dogs and plenty of wild animals around, but I guess it didn’t kill anyone!

Scout was too cold to go out even in her coat.

 

It's Hard to Leave Paradise

On our final day, we enjoyed breakfast on the beach in town. Steph and Lester had made appointments to get vacation tattoos, while Robb and I had booked a charter boat to take us to a prime snorkeling spot.

It was absolutely beautiful out on the water. We were the youngest people on the boat by about 20 years, but it didn’t matter—we were having the time of our lives. They took us to a fantastic snorkeling spot, and after a couple of days of practice, I finally got the hang of my snorkeling mask. I no longer felt like I was suffocating or having a panic attack the second I put it on!

We had two hours to explore while the boat anchored nearby. They gave us cards with pictures of different fish and coral to identify while we were out there. The snorkeling was incredible! I saw so many amazing fish—it felt like swimming through a tropical fish tank. There were tangs, angelfish, pufferfish, and that was just the start. One of the most surprising things I saw was a striped eel, which freaked me out a little. I called it a sea snake, and that made the guide laugh!

Robb and I made the most of our two hours, swimming side by side and pointing out all the cool things we saw. This was definitely one of my favorite parts of the trip. On our way back, the guide pointed out the island that inspired the movie Moana and shared other interesting facts about the area. One thing that surprised me was learning that Hawaii has very few native birds because the mongoose and weasels they introduced have been killing them off.

We had to try Hawiian Ice

Our last night in paradise.

It was time to fly back to reality—and to cold Nebraska. Robb is very social on the plane, as you can probably tell. We didn’t get to sit together on the flight home, so this is how Robb spent his time. As for me, I’m not really a social person, and I definitely don’t like talking to strangers. But for some reason, on planes, I tend to make friends with whoever’s sitting next to me. When Robb asked me why I’m so chatty with strangers, I told him, “I figure I’ll need them if we crash.” He just shook his head and smiled.

If the flight there felt long, the flight home felt like an eternity. We were lucky that all of our flights were on time and that we made every connection. As we were flying into Omaha, a big snowstorm was predicted for the following day, so we pretty much sneaked in just under the wire before flights started getting canceled.

 

Best 40th Birthday Gift Ever

I had always said that I wanted to take a special vacation for my 40th birthday, and who better to celebrate with than Robb, of course, along with my best friend and sister, Steph, and Lester. While Steph and I may have had some true “beat-down” fights over clothes when we were in high school, I can’t imagine my life without her now. She’s not just my sister; she’s my best friend. I would do anything for her, and I know she would do the same for me. I’m truly lucky to have her in my life!

We had the chance to explore a coffee farm, and I couldn’t help but feel a little jealous when I read about how Kona Joe Coffee came to be. The founder was an orthopedic surgeon who, after getting tired of the chaos of his job, decided to make a big change. He moved to Hawaii, got married, and learned how to grow, manufacture, and produce coffee. Inspired by his story, I even tried to convince Dr. Hartwig to start his own coffee farm, offering to come work for him, but unfortunately, he didn’t think it was a great idea.

It was fascinating to see how they trellised the coffee plants using wire to keep the spindly stems upright. I’m thinking it might be a great idea to try something similar with our tomato plants!

We had to try the product of course.

Once we got back to the house, we packed up and set out to hike to the beach area near our place. The location was particularly interesting because it was right next to Hawaii’s last remaining fishing village. The village was a tight-knit community where everyone shared resources, and nothing was sold for profit until everyone’s basic needs were met. It was such a fascinating concept of communal living. They had information about the village posted on the church, and there was also a fruit and vegetable stand where villagers could take what they needed for free, while outsiders could purchase what was available.

What struck me most was the contrast between the village and the multimillion-dollar vacation home where we were staying. It bordered some of the poorest areas on the island, and I couldn’t help but wonder how the locals felt about it. Were they resentful of the wealth surrounding them, or did they appreciate the tourism dollars that visitors brought in?

Another thing that really shocked me was the trash situation on the island. There’s no local trash collection service, so all the waste has to be shipped off the island. People have to drive their trash to a transfer station and pay to dispose of it, which has led some of the local residents—especially those in poverty—to simply pile trash up in their yards. It was heart-wrenching to see old cars and piles of garbage scattered around. There were times when I would see an old, wrecked car just filled with trash, sitting unused by someone’s home. It was such a stark contrast to the natural beauty of the place.

The fishing village also had its own school, which allowed the kids to help out with fishing during peak seasons. It was clear that the community was incredibly resourceful, but it also highlighted the challenges that came with living in such an isolated and economically strained environment.

We followed a path toward the beach, but it wound through people’s backyards, and some had signs warning against trespassing. As we walked, Steph and I came across two tombstones, which definitely made us feel a little uneasy.

The hike was brutal, but the view was worth it when we got there.

I found a palm tree growing out of a coconut, and let me tell you, I wanted to take it home so badly! I must have told Robb a dozen times that I wanted to bring something back with me. But in our research before the trip, we learned that you’re strongly discouraged from taking anything from Hawaii. Not only is it unlikely to pass inspection, but we also read that you’re cursed for life if you take anything off the island. So, despite my desire to sneak something into my suitcase, I had to leave it all behind.

These are the homes that were right next to the expensive vacation homes. Many of the homes didn't have glass in the windows. They had sheets hanging over the windows and cardboard as doors.

 

Volcano Erupting

A few days before we left for our trip, one of the volcanoes on the Big Island started erupting—something that’s apparently pretty rare, according to the locals. We decided to visit Volcano National Park in the evening so we could catch a glimpse of the glowing embers. The view was incredible. As we made our way up to the park, the air grew warmer, and the sky was lit with an eerie red glow from the eruption. At the start, the lava had been shooting high into the air, forcing nearby residents to evacuate, but by the time we arrived, the eruption was more controlled. You could see areas where the lava was boiling and shooting up in dramatic bursts. What made the experience even more powerful was how spiritual it felt for the people of Hawaii. They discouraged the use of flashlights or camera lights out of respect, and as we got closer, you could hear groups of people chanting in their native language.

 

I Love Plants

Steph and I are probably more into plants than most, so we were super excited to visit the Botanical Gardens. They had some of the most unique flowers I’ve ever seen, and it was incredible to see my tropical plants thriving in their natural environment. What’s so fascinating about the Big Island is how drastically the landscape changes from one side to the other. On the Kona side, it’s almost desert-like, dry and arid, while just across the island on the Hilo side, it’s lush and rainforest-like. It’s like two completely different worlds on the same island!

These orchids were growing on the trunks of trees in the moss.

I have this plant at home and it is a picky, picky plant. I guess it would like to live in Hawaii instead of Nebraska. I can't blame it!

Another delicious supper that night. Robb found a beer from a local brewery that he really liked.

Fruity drinks for the girls. I do mean fruit. Every drink we got while we were there came garnished with fresh fruit.