Maui and mom

Over the summer mom was having issues with what she thought was a sinus problem but after lots of tests and MRIs they found a brain tumor :(. They scheduled surgery for right after Thanksgiving and because of all the testing they were unable to come for their regular fall trip.
My sister suggested that we crash there Maui trip on mom and dad’s expense and surprisingly they were up for that!!! This discussion happened in early October and their trip was scheduled for mid November through Thanksgiving, so we quickly had to find airfare and a place to stay. It all came together and off we went!!!
Shortly after we arrived mom and dad made an announcement that she wasn’t having her surgery because it was too risky. We were all silent but then they told us that wasn’t true and Mom’s symptoms had gone away so she really wasn’t having the surgery! How rude...not the best joke!  But, what a relief for all of us (aunt Sue and uncle Rich were there too). Unfortunately, a few days later her symptoms came back. They still did not think surgery was a good idea based on what was happening and recommended an MRI to check to see if it had grown.
Even with all the ups and downs, we still managed to enjoy Maui! We headed over to Lahaina one day for lunch and enjoyed the waves at Fleming beach. 

We also spent lots of time at little beach (clothing optional-this was a little bit uncomfortable for the Rinehardt’s, but I think after playing in the waves the kids hardly noticed). 

Reggie Bodysurfing

Grandma was the bird whisperer and the kids were trying to feed them like she was:

We snorkeled with the turtles at secret beach which was wonderfully amazing (the new masks are so much better!) and hiked into the Haleakala crater. I don’t think the kids were really impressed with the view until we actually hiked in a good 1/2 hour. 

The kids enjoyed all the amenities at the Maui sunset.... tennis, shuffleboard and the the pool. We found a great dinner happy hour place and enjoyed celebrating Reggie‘s birthday dinner a little early! 

And lastly, we went to a luau. We had never been so it was good to experience but I’m not sure that I would do it again.

 The weather was just about perfect. Very different than when Ryan and I go in March though. The sun was a lot weaker and it was quite a bit cooler. I’m very glad that I bought a jacket at Costco when we arrived (there were many people eyeing it at the luau because it got very chilly there!). It was a wonderful family trip and we all have lots of great memories. Thank you again mom and dad!!!  Wade made a video that was awesome...here's the link:  https://youtu.be/DtEQuz33c4I
I had planned to fly to Washington to be there for my moms surgery and since that’s where my ticket had me going, I had to go!!! The rest of the family headed back to California and Grandma Peggy came the next day and spent the week with them! That was helpful for Ryan since he had to work. And I came home with all kinds of little surprises that Peggy had done in her boredom (like washing the windows) while the kids were at school, thank you for that!
In Washington, we had cookie day with aunt Pam and made several different varieties of cookies (molasses and shortbread are my favorite) and I made some toffee which turned out fabulous!  Just what we needed after stuffing our faces in Maui.  Later we enjoyed a wonderful turkey dinner prepared by Wade!  The rest of my time there was very relaxing, mom and dad hosted the Seahawks game and we had game night with mom and dad’s friends. It was a really nice, slow paced time for me ☺️.

 Mom had her MRI and the tumor stayed stable so they are just going to continue to monitor and check every few months, praise the Lord! 

Rat

Elsa continues to make our lives interesting.  I heard a ruckus in the middle of the night, but didn't want to get up and deal with it (Ryan was traveling), so I told the kids in the morning to be on the lookout for a critter.  I took the kids to school and this was my welcome back:

Elsa was sitting in the kitchen, looking up and when I followed her eyes, boom!  I thought I'd just get a towel and throw it on top of the rat, but I underestimated its speed.  Elsa had no sense of urgency whatsoever as it was running to the other side of the house.  I knew we had traps, so I YouTubed how to set it.  Just about that time, Laura came over to walk and I was telling her of the dilemma and as I was setting the trap it scurried out from behind the armoire and there was nothing but shrieking from Laura.  It did give me an idea though...see my success below.  Probably should be on YouTube as a way to get rid of a rat!