Hawaii 2026 - Maui Memories

Grayson had talked about taking the whole family to Hawaii (he'd been a couple times with Kolby and Jami, Keaton attending one of those trips). He got lots of advice and recommendations from family/friends and decided on Maui, June 2026. Below you'll find a video recap/one second style, and a bullet point of memories ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bbD_cqoVfA&t=9s

Maui Memories

• Delta One - fully reclining seats, first class+ service
• Hawaii - Holy Humidity
• Rental Car policies … GB needs to drive out two cars
• Red Convertible, SUV, Jeep, Mustang
• Costco shopping
• Lizards!
• Noisy birds
• Many Monarchs!
• Flowers and greenery. 
• Pineapple growing on property.
• Huge unenclosed showers - but hot water issues (in Mom&Dad's)
• Landon’s announcement - Wedding planned for Friday
• Lots of pool time
• Lots of beach time
• Lots of nap time
• Lots of games/Dalmuti, Blink, SET, Spot It, Pirate
• Long morning walks
• GB running loop. Strava. Keaton run ... Cal too!
• RAIN (then stop), but always damp/humidity. Breezy!
• Lots of loads of laundry/showers
• Snoring
• Rainbows
• Hawaiian Sunscreen - white(zinc) and hard to put on, splotchy results
• Little frog at swimming pool
• Pokémon Go - Comfey, Wiglet, Pink Corsola and Hula Oricorio
• Plantation House brunch (Sunday) Patio/Outdoor seating, don't feed the birds
• New black cap for Mom ... Needed, hair in humidity!
• Big Breakfasts at "home" -- borrowing pans from other apartments
• Costco muffins, croissants, salmon, toasted cheese sandwiches, greek yogurt and fruit
• Colton - temporary membership at local gym
• Road to Hana - Landon, V and K8 ( all day Monday)
• Breakfast at Honolula Store - condensation clean up, Dole whip, Kitty
• Boogie Boarding O beach (Monday)
• Cal - slide slides up foot
• Sand in every crevice (Coop says no more going in the ocean)
• Beach Day "K" (Tuesday) Snorkeling, Monk seal on beach
• Cinnamon Rolls - HUGE
• Deciding what to wear for family pictures. Landon/Val shop for Dad
• Family pictures in the evening - Flemming Beach
• Colton and Haley Pedicure
• Pickleball (four paddles at our place + brought two)
• Banyon Tree Dinner - $1600 + $40 parking
• Colton and Haley, ants, then beetles - Keaton gives them his bed
• Cockroaches - a few dead ones
• Napoli blowhole - cool Pogo postcards (another Grayson)
• Windy road (our own Hana) / Haley carsick (switch to front for ride home)
• T shirts - family photo
• Recreate boys swimming pool photo
• Beach walk - see turtles (Thursday night/Friday Morning)
• Cal and Kate leave Thursday …
• Food Truck night for dinner
• Snorkeling - L&V, K&GB
• Goggles, flippers enjoyed as much in the pool
• "Coop" football
• Landon and Val - massage
• HiChews
• Run out of garbage bags and tide pods in the main (Mom&Dads)
• Beach Wedding
• McDonalds
• Me(JenB)/Morning Pogo…meet up GB … turtles!
• Introduce Coop to turtles
• Labyrinth (again)
• Crabs on the rocks
• Colton and Haley - Early flight
• Coop T-shirt (had to talk him into it)
• Hawaii library card!
• Watching kite surfing
• Arcade (killing time)
• Toy Story 5

I will get some additional posts up with more details on some individual activities, but this is the vacation recap! Maui memories!

Asked and Answered

 We've got an engagement!

Congrats Landon and Valentina!

Four Blackham Boys and a 15k

Grayson has been running many half marathons with his buddies ... this weekend, he proposed a 15k to his sons. Cal was out of town in St. George, and Colton in Oregon, but Landon, Keaton and Coop said okay.  So early Saturday (April 11) they headed out. The race started at 8:00, and they were done by 9:30.

At home, before the race, I asked, who among the four would win. Landon laughed and said "not me" and Keaton shook his head. Gray had already stated he expected the boys to beat him. Coop smiled and said "I guess it will be me then ..." and it was.

Some of the shots captured by the race camera ...

I peeked in via Life360 ...

Coop at enough of a clip that the app thought he was in a car.

Keaton and Gray had Strava tracking them ... always fun to see the route mapped out and get the stats. 

Post-race picture with their medals.

... and a little refueling after the race.

St. Patty's ~ 2026

St. Patricks Day isn't a big celebration day ... but I have aquired some green hats over the years. My Zumba class was the day before (Monday, March 16) but I sent out a group text encouraging wearing green, and we had a couple of Irish Jigs on the playlist. 

I set out the hats, telling Grayson and Cooper than they could/should wear them to work the next day ... Cooper declined, but Gray actually went ahead and did it. He took a picture for me, and then got a little help from AI to make another photo even more festive! 

Got green? No pinchies!