Life of Larisa or LOL

Untapped potential.  That's all I could think after our recent walk through West Loch Community Shoreline Park.  Sometimes our exploration of O'ahu takes us off the hiking trails and on more low key adventures like a two mile walking tour of a shoreline park in Ewa.   Often times I hear of certain attractions through other Moms in our circle of friends, sometimes through online sources such as Instagram or Yelp, and then other times you pass neighborhoods and wonder---what's inside? West Loch has always been an interesting area to me, a set of mainland style houses in a community that is not gated but is definitely it's own entity with lava rock walls surrounding it and a guard shack upon entering.  Curiosity piqued. On Monday, we were in Camping de-tox mode.  We needed to get out of the house for a bit however, so an exploration of West Loch Shoreline Park seemed like the perfect low key outdoor experience.  And it was!  This cute l...

There's no better way to celebrate the end of school and the start of summer and the Fourth of July long weekend than heading outdoors for some hiking and beach camping fun.  Every summer we manage to dedicate a weekend to "roughing it" at a campground just past Kahuku on O'ahu's northern shores.  This year we ended up reserving a camp site a few minutes up the road from our standard spot.  For two nights and three days, the Malaekahana State Recreation Area in La'ie was our home away from home.  We set up our tent, prepared our campfire and settled in for a relaxing couple of days with our favorite camping buddies.  This campout was BOYS ONLY ( except the two moms ).  One thirteen year old, one eleven year old, and one five year boy plus parents made up the camping crew. So we were active all day long.   Surfing, boogie boarding, body-surfing, beach combing, sand castle building, kite flying, rope swinging, camp fire lighting, meat eating...

Summer break is officially here for our family.  My oldest just completed three years of Middle School and had his "Aloha Ceremony" earlier this week.  My youngest just completed two years of pre-school and received his "Certificate of Graduation".  My two boys are in a summer of transition!  Next month they will be in the final days of freedom before heading off to High School and Kindergarten.  So we are enjoying the here and now before homework, school schedules, and extra curricular activities swallow up our time.  Our first hike of summer---Kolowalu Trail, is in the back of Manoa Valley.  The trail head starts down a private access road (more like a driveway) at Alani and Woodlawn Drive.  Those who are familiar with the Manoa trail Pu'u Pia, will know the area and that Kolowalu branches off to the right of the trail that leads you up to the summit of Pu'u Pia.  Since I have done Pu'u Pia twice---once with a Firefighter escort out an...