Getting to Know Hawaii: Mauna Kea Sunset and Stargazing Tour with Hawaii Forest and Trail

The Need to Knows:

• This Mauna Kea sunset and stargazing tour from Hawaii Forest and Trail takes place at the summit of Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii.  Mauna Kea's summit can be found here:

• The Mauna Kea Visitor Information Station (9,200 feet) is open every day of the year from 9AM to 10PM.  Visitors are asked to leave the summit (13,700 feet) after dark for safety precautions.
• The Hawaii Forest and Trail Mauna Kea Summit and Stars tour costs $199 per person plus tax.  They do offer a military discount of 10%.  More information on the specifics of this tour can be found here.
• Anyone with respiratory issues, heart conditions, children under 16, and pregnant women should not venture past the visitor center due to the summit's high altitude.
• If you're coming to Mauna Kea to watch the sunset and do stargazing, be sure to dress warmly!  It isn't as cold as Haleakala can be for the sunrise, but it's still pretty chilly, especially if you are already acclimated to the tropical climate like Mr. L and I were.  If you go on this specific tour, thankfully Hawaii Forest and Trail will supply you with a parka.  Otherwise, be dressed for temperatures in the 30-50 degree range.
• Gas is NOT available on Mauna Kea.  The closest gas stations are in Hilo, Waikoloa Village, and Waimea, all about 35 miles away, so make sure your tank is full before you leave!
• Restrooms are located at the visitor center and port-a-pottys are located at the summit's observatories.
• To help prevent altitude sickness, make sure you stay well hydrated and be sure to stop frequently while traveling up the volcano to acclimate to the elevation.
• If you plan on scuba diving before you visit Mauna Kea, do NOT go within 24 hours of doing so to avoid decompression illness.
• For more information on visiting Mauna Kea with Hawaii Forest and Trail, be sure to visit their website here.  For more information on visiting Mauna Kea on your own, check out the visitor center's website here.

Cream Cheese with Red Pepper Jelly

First of all, I'd like to go ahead and thank my wonderful mother-in-law for introducing me to this recipe.  When she first mentioned it to me, I must say I was skeptical, but that's only because I'd never had a chance to taste the deliciousness that is red pepper jelly!  It has a really nice, sweet taste but with a red pepper kick that always kept me coming back for more.

After that first sampling, this super yummy appetizer somehow made its way onto the menu of every event we threw afterwards, including my lovely sister-in-law's baby shower (that time green pepper jelly to match her John Deere shower theme!).  Sometimes I even had a 1/4 of a block of cream cheese and a couple of spoonfuls of jelly at home all to myself :)  This has definitely become one of my favorite appetizers and I can't wait until my next excuse to serve it!

Ingredients [serves a crowd]

• 1 jar of red pepper jelly, such as Braswell's Red Pepper Jelly
• 1 block of cream cheese
• 1 box of your favorite crackers

Directions

Unwrap your cream cheese (I prefer it to be straight out of the refrigerator since it'll probably sit for a while) and place it on a pretty, oblong platter.

For the red pepper jelly, you have two options.  You can either buy it already jarred (I prefer the Braswell's brand) or you can make your own.  If you'd like to make your own, here's a recipe from Epicurious that I'll definitely be trying in the future!

Take a few spoonfuls of your red pepper jelly and spread it across the top of your cream cheese block.  I ultimately use about 1/4 of a jar for each block of cream cheese.

Arrange your preferred crackers around your cream cheese and red pepper jelly, add a knife, and serve!

Have you ever heard of or tried red pepper jelly?

Five for Friday Anniversary Edition

Consider this a five for five -- one reason for every year we've been married!  Happy fifth anniversary, Chawwie -- I love you!

1.  I love how sweet of a person you are and how truly kind you are to others.  It's rare to find those qualities in someone and I am so glad I found them in you!

2.  I love how much of a hard worker you are and how dedicated you are to providing for our family.  I also love how much you are loving your new job.  I knew that you would be an incredible asset no matter where you were -- with the Navy or out of it.  I'm glad you're proving me right!

3.  I love when we come together and shine as a team.  We're not experts by any means, but we're putting in the work to become better with each other and improve day after day.  I'm so happy that you're the other half of my team!

4.  I love lazy days and quiet evenings with you (especially by the fireplace!).  I feel like I could spend all the time in the world with you and never run out of things to talk about.  I'm never bored with you and I never will be!

5.  I love daydreaming about our future as a family together.  We've had some rough spots, especially lately, but things are definitely looking up!  I'm so excited to have you by my side to experience it all.

I love you!!!

Getting to Know Hawaii: Kipuka Pu'u Huluhulu

The Need to Knows: 

• The Kipuka Pu'u Huluhulu cinder cone is located at the 28 mile marker on Saddle Road, right at the intersection with the Mauna Kea Access Road.  Its exact location can be found here:

• Pu'u Huluhulu is open daily during daytime hours and is 100% free to visit.
• There is a restroom located at the hunter station at the bottom of the kipuka, but be warned that it is an outhouse (no indoor plumbing here!).  There is no water available nor are there trash cans that I'm aware of.
• The hike to the top of Pu'u Huluhulu takes about 30-45 minutes.
• Please keep in mind that Pu'u Huluhulu is a protected wildlife area.  Make sure any gates you use are closed behind you, that you pack out anything you bring in, and that you stay on the trails.

Ten for Friday

I'm sorry I missed last week!  Hopefully five additional reasons will make it up to you <3

1.  I can't believe we'll have been married for FIVE years in one week.  Ahh!!

2.  Catching up with old friends is always so nice!

3.  It feels like our days are so short during the week between you working and me working in the evenings.  I'm just glad we have the weekends to recharge!

4.  I know you are soooooo ready for furniture because I am too!!

5.  So much for those camp chairs hanging in there, haha.  Our first casualties!

6.  I am definitely ready to get out and explore some of this area.  It looks like there's tons to do!

7.  I'm excited about getting a grill!!  I can't wait to have one of your delicious steaks again :)

8.  Thank you for taking care of me yet again <3  You're so awesome!

9.  Thinking about the future is kind of scary...it'll be fun to see how it all unfolds!

10.  I'm glad we're playing a game together again.  It's been nice!

ily <3

Homemade Strawberry Lemonade

With summer arriving, fresh, delicious produce is constantly hitting the market stands (yay!).  I was fortunate enough to be gifted with a basket of strawberries from my mother-in-law, and I had a few ideas on what I could use them to make.  Homemade strawberry lemonade ultimately won out, and with this recipe from PBS in hand, I set out to make a fresh batch!

The lemonade turned out not too tart, and not too sweet, which is just the way I like it!  With that being said, if you do prefer yours on the sweeter side, I would add a little bit more sugar to the simple syrup mixture you make in the beginning of the recipe.  But for me, this recipe was definitely a winner and I can't wait to keep making it well into the summer months!  :)

Ingredients  [makes around 2 quarts]

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (I used about 8 medium-sized lemons)
• 2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 4 cups of cold water
• Ice

Directions

In a small sauce pot, make a simple syrup by combining the sugar and water and bringing it to a simmer.  Stir to dissolve the sugar and then remove from the heat and let the mixture cool.

Puree the strawberries in a blender until smooth.  Pour the pureed strawberries into a plastic pitcher and add the simple syrup.  Add the lemon juice and stir well.

Add the cold water while continuing to stir.  When you are ready to serve, add lots of ice.  Then enjoy your homemade strawberry lemonade in a mason jar!

What's your favorite kind of lemonade?