Times

It's been an interesting week ~ the kitten broke his leg, had surgery and is in a cast for 4 weeks, and Josh is in the Santa Maria Times. Well, Josh is in the local paper again. A reporter and photographer came to the house yesterday for about an hour to get the story.

http://www.santamariatimes.com/news/local/education/article_d4dfe4a0-c097-11df-b925-001cc4c03286.html

Wanna trade?

Japan shirt - good trade

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Josh at home with his team jacket

Some of Josh's Pan Pac wear

Team USA traded with Japan, Australia, and Canada.  Josh traded with some of the Japanese swimmers and scored some pretty sick gear. 

This is the end of our blog.  Bill and I had a great time in Maui and cannot wait to go back.  To quote Josh about his time in Maui:  "That was sick."  Well said, Josh.

Crush & friends

Hangin' out with my husband in the ocean ~ snorkeling was one of the highlights of our trip. He had the best eyes to identify some of these fish.

Let the record show that at night there DID appear to be many albino dolphins.  When it is pitch dark, a white cap can APPEAR to be an albino dolphin.  See the albino dolphin next to the standard colored dolphin?  Who's to say Tammy did not see an albino dolphin out of 1000's of white caps?

Picasso Triggerfish (Hawaiian name: Humuhumunukunukuapua'a)

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Bill & Tammy, snorkeling with "Crush", the sea turtle.  He was the coolest.

Raccoon Butterflyfish (Hawaiin name: Kikakapu)

Trumpetfish (Hawaiian name: Nunu)

"Crush", the sea turtle, and his little friends.  Josh touched him and "Crush" didn't mind at all.

The Great White North

It just wouldn't be right if we did not acknowledge our friendly neighbors to the north.  These parents were uniformly coordinated nearly every day of the meet.  Here's to you, my brown toast friends:

It's the Great White North!

Have you ever had Pork Lau Lau?  Bill highly suggests NOT eating this or anything with the words 'taro leaves' or 'poi' in it.  If you enjoy the taste of "worse-than-spinach-with-vinegar-poured-over-the-top", then go ahead and get the poi:

Some kind of mashed poi found in Safeway

Maui Flora

The flowers and trees of Maui were so beautiful and the resorts were landscaped so perfectly.  If only you could smell how yummy some of these flowers were...

Hala Tree ~ grow up to 20 feet tall with a branched main trunk, long narrow leaves, and prop roots. The leaves (lauhala) have been used for weaving and most varieties have spines though some may be spineless or variegated. This tree is relatively slow growing, very hardy, salt tolerant and likes sandy soils and wet feet. Native throughout the Pacific, this tree is is a beautiful specimen by itself or a shade tree (though the leaf litter can be an issue). 

Trumpet Lily tree near the bottom of Haleakala

Maui Gold pineapple ~ the BEST and most delicious

Angel's Trumpet flower ~ grows in white or peach

6' tall red stuff

Anthurium

Red Ginger

Red Ginger in Safeway grocery store

Yellow Hibiscus

Tahitian Gardenia

Leis hanging in a Safeway refrigerated case

Protea

I don't know what these are, but they sure look interesting...

Hallowed Ground

We had a 3.5 hour layover in Honolulu on the way home today, and wanted to spend it somewhere other than the Honolulu airport.  After a short taxi ride, we stopped at the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor.  If you have never been to Hawaii but plan to go, this MUST be on your list of activities.  From the time we got our tickets for the boat ride over to the memorial and started our walk to the dock, I was speechless and highly emotional.  Tingles in my spine and tears on my cheek.  Here are photos from the day - for the words to accompany these photos, you simply have to experience this yourself.

We also saw the SBX docked at Pearl...all my missile defense brothers will know this means Sea-Based-Band Radar.  Lots of folks on the tour were asking the workers what that big ball was over there...they could have just asked me.  Here is what it looks like.  For a detailed description, please provide your security clearance paperwork and we can arrange a discussion.

Team USA is # 1

Teammates after winning gold ~ Josh is top row, 2nd from left

The meet conlcuded last night with Team USA finishing in first place.  Michael Phelps was the surprise guest to present the Top Male and Top Female Athlete Awards as well as the 1st Place team award. 

Team USA wins the gold ~ (Phelps in white shirt & ball cap facing team)

Thanks to Coach Mike Ashmore for a great year, and for teaching Josh to dream of bigger things.  We know you guys are not done dreaming.  This experience was outstanding for all of us.  Tammy and I had a great unplanned vacation out the deal, and Josh had an "awesome" and "amazing" and otherwise stellar experience being a contributing member of the USA National Youth Team.