It snowed at the summit of Mauna Kea, and we were bound and determined to go experience it! Since it was Christmas Eve we only had Sacrament Meeting. After that, we went home, changed, grabbed snacks and warm clothes, then headed mauka! The Adams tagged along (because we are learning that fun things are more fun with them) and drove up to the Visitor Information Station (VIS). Because the summit of Mauna Kea is at 14,000 feet, and there is about 40% less oxygen than at sea level, we have to stop at the VIS which is at 9,200 feet to acclimate. They strongly recommend that children under 16 don't go to the summit, as their bodies can't handle it as well. They will frequently see kids coming down the mountain unconscious with altitude sickness because they weren't careful.
We weren't really sure how this was going to go, but we were willing to take our time and do what we needed to make this a possibility for our children to experience. We stopped at the VIS for 1.5 hours where we hiked around and climbed a cinder cone to help get them acclimated. After much deliberation, we decided to leave Jamee, Sariah, and Mavi at the VIS while the rest of us took our time to get to the top. We talked to the kids before we drove up about the signs to watch for regarding altitude sickness (nausea, headache, lightheadedness, exhaustion, fatigue, dizziness, etc.) and if they even began to start feeling any of them, we would turn around for their safety. We drove slow, and checked in with them about every five minutes. There was a moment when Everett said he thought he was starting to get a headache. We pulled over and had him drink some water, and he said he was feeling better. After about five minutes we drove a little further. We stopped a couple times before getting to the top, letting them acclimate more slowly.
We finally reached the top and It. Was. Cold. My car said it was 32 degrees where just a few hours earlier in Hilo it read 83. But there was a biting wind that was piercing that definitely made it feel colder than 32 degrees. We got there just before sunset and it was so exciting to see the landscape covered in snow while seeing the clouds way below us.
We got out and threw a couple snowballs, but mostly just spent the time in the heat of the car. It felt good blasting the heat instead of the AC for a bit!
Sean, in true Sean fashion, brought up a snowboard and his boots, and got in a few good runs. He hadn't boarded in about eight or ten years, and the first slope he went down was fairly icy, so he took it pretty slow. He hiked back up, which took awhile with the steep slope and low oxygen! But then went down again. It was sooo cool being able to watch him do that. I've never seen him snowboard before!
The last time he went down, he was told of another hill. It was on the other side of the pu'u (hill) so it was nice powder. The road worked that I could drive down and get him at the bottom. So, after loading up a couple 5 gallon buckets with snow to take to the kids at the VIS, we loaded up and drove down to get him. He said it was a really great run and he wished he could do it again! (Did I mention that he did all of this in shorts? He's crazy.)
We headed back to the VIS, picked up Jamee and the kids, then headed to Adams for Christmas Eve Dinner. As soon as we got there, we built a small snowman with the snow we had brought from the top. It was fun to be able to do that!
For dinner we had hamburgers and they were so yummy. We didn't eat until about 8:30 or 9, then headed home. I think the kids were finally in bed by about 11? Ha. It was definitely a late Christmas Eve, but such a memorable one!
This is the very first Christmas in our 12 years of marriage that it was just our family for Christmas morning. Historically, we've traded off between Janeways and Harstons for the holiday, and even once we were in Hawaii, Brad and Lorraine were here our first Christmas, and Natalie was here our second.
I have to admit that this Christmas was one of my favorites. It was low-key, but the magic was alive and well. The joy and excitement in the kids' faces were so beautiful and genuine. We let the kids wake up and open their stockings on their own, then at 7:00, Sean and I got up and joined them. But when we got out of our room, this photo is how we found them. They were all listening to Brayden read "Harold and the Purple Crown."
Favorite Gifts:
- Brayden: Drone from G&G Janeway
- Asher: Rock tumbler from G&G Janeway
- Everett: Remote control car from G&G Janeway
- Maverick: Remote control car from G&G Janeway (are you sensing a theme here?)
- Family: Dash and Dot Coding Robots from G&G Harston/Sean and me, and a swimming pool and fake snow from Aunty Caiti.
- Honorable mMentions: "Made by Dad: 67 Blueprints for Making Cool Stuff" and a gift card to a restaurant in town from Uncle Kyle, and books that teach you about engineering and building things, including a pinball machine and the Golden Gate Bridge.
We were definitely spoiled this year!
After the morning of opening gifts and the kids eating their cereal for breakfast (and throughout the entire day), I went into the laundry room to squeeze in a quick workout. I was mid workout when Asher came in front of me and started flexing. He is working on his handstands, pull-ups, and upper body strength so he can be better at gymnastics. He comes and checks his progress every so often ;) I grabbed my phone and jumped in behind him to mess with him. He wasn't amused. But I had fun anyway!
Christmas afternoon, Dez and Logan came over and had Christmas dinner with us. We had tacos! They were so yummy. We love hanging out with them so much. We sure are going to miss them when they leave! We played games, chatted, ate food, and had fun.
Overall, it was an incredible Christmas. Everyone was grateful. Everyone was happy. Everyone was spoiled. And we were together.
We are so grateful for the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and for what that means in our lives. We are grateful for the knowledge of the atonment and the Plan of Salvation that allows us an eternal perspective in our lives, and guides us every step of this journey called life.
