All-Occasion Card and Hawaiian Trip Update #3

Here I am...back again with Update #3 from my Close To My Heart Hawaiian vacation. Before I start that, I wanted to be sure and show another card I made with this month's Stamp of the Month ("Potential") and a quick reminder on how you can get it for $5 and how you can join CTMH this month for $99 (and get over $450 in product for that). 

1. Stamp of the Month: If you spend $50, this set is yours for only $5 (a $17.95 value). You also have the option to purchase it for $17.95. Either way, it's only available during the month of March.  You can order it through me (801.360.9896, pedermom@aol.com) or through my website. Once your spend $50, you will be prompted to add it, or if you are purchasing it for the $17.95 price, enter item #S1202.

2.  Over $450 for $99: If you sign up to be a Close To My Heart Consultant in March, you get the $99 Art Philosophy Close To My Heart/Cricut Collection FREE No kidding. Signing up as New Consultant with Close To My Heart is one of the smartest decisions I've ever made.  Our $99 New Consultant Kit is full of about $300 worth of product, add that to the FREE Art Philosophy Collection (valued at almost $150), and you get over $450 worth of outstanding product for only $99 when you sign up to be a Consultant during March.

"So," you're asking, "How do I do that?"

Easy, Peasy, Lemon Squeasy:

1. Go to my website at www.ctmh.com/leavealegacy and click on "Your Opportunities" and go from there.
2. You will need to purchase the basic "New Consultant" kit for $99 (which is about a $300 value).  The website will walk you through this step-by-step
3. After you sign up, I'll contact you and help you get going.

Now onto update #3 (the last and final update will be in my next post)

Day #5 (Thursday, March 8, 2012): Kauai:
This was, by far, hands down, our favorite day of the cruise.  It had been raining in Kauai for days when we arrived and the island was experiencing a lot of flooding.  Because of this, not only were streets and homes flooded, but the rivers were very full and running swiftly. Things were also very muddy. Since our plans for the day included a big kayaking and hiking excursion with many of the Close To My Heart travelers, we were all in for quite an adventure.

We arrived at the kayak place to find the whole lot flooded. This should have been a clue!  We got some quick instruction on what to do and boarded our kayaks to head down the first part of our adventure...a 4 mile kayak trip down the Wailua River. It was absolutely gorgeous and it was almost perfect.  I say almost because we did have one little mishap.  Dawson and I tipped our kayak over and had to right it and climb back in.  It was ALL DAWSON'S FAULT! I swear. :)  It really wasn't too bad, other than the fact that our camera (don't worry, not my expensive Canon, just a little point-and-shoot that we had brought along) was ruined by the water. We had to rely on others' photos for memories of this adventure.

After our kayak, we put the kayaks on the shore as we began a 2 mile hike through the rain forest to reach Secret Falls, where we planned to have lunch.   The hike was CRAZY!  At some points we had mud past our ankles we were wading through. In my opinion, this made the day even more fun. We laughed and sloshed our way through the rain forest until we arrived at Secret Falls. It was GORGEOUS!  We ate our lunch and then a few of us decided to get in the pool at the bottom of the falls. The falls were out of control and spraying us like crazy just while we were sitting on the banks eating, but Dawson and I decided we needed to experience this adventure fully and that we would regret it if we didn't get it...so in we went. I mean really, what did we have to lose? We had already taken an 'unexpected' dip in the river, right?

Then it was the reverse hike, trudging several miles back through the mud and hills of the rain forest to return to our kayaks.  When we arrived, we hopped back in and paddled the reverse route back to the dock.  No tipping, no mishaps, just lots of paddlin' fun! We even raced a few other kayakers and won! Yes, of course I had to mention that. Dawson and I were pretty proud of our post-kayak-flipping skills.

We got back to the ship wet, filthy, and exhausted but we were both still talking about how much fun we had. This is an adventure that Dawson and I will be talking about for years.

Maybe this should have been a clue...

everyone is boarding their kayaks and getting ready to head out on the river

Dawson: just boarding our kayak

still "hanging loose" before we hit the river and our 'tip'

 

Eating lunch at the falls (yes, my mouth is VERY full...I had worked up quite an appetite)

Beautiful "Secret Falls"

coming back into the dock

Day #6: (Friday, March 9): Kauai:
Compared to the day before, this one was a walk in the park....literally. Dawson and I walked into town and did a little shopping and stopped by a beach front park (Nawiliwili Park).  You can see in the photos how terribly muddy the water was from all the rain and flooding.   We returned to the ship and spent the afternoon with all of the CTMH travelers in a fun business meeting. We got a sneak peek at things to come with the company, played some fun games, and took photos.  CTMH provided a 'good-bye' reception for us all that evening.

There are chickens EVERYWHERE in Hawaii, but I think we saw the most of them running around on Kauai

CTMH cruise earners.  Can you find me? Look up near the top on the left. I'm the first green shirt coming down from the top of the stairs.

Well, that about does it for Installment #3.  The last and final installment is coming up next post.  Have a wonderful day!