Another Picture from Oahu Trip

I scanned in the picture we took at the front of the Haunted Lagoon at the Polynesian Culture Center. It was soooo fun and sooo scary!

From Left to Right: Our friends Rob and LiPing, Kyler, Richard, Me, Kealani and her Mom.

Husking Coconuts

For my school project in my Hawaiian Ethnobotany Class I need to make haupia from scratch (kind of a coconut pudding custard). I had to make the starch from the pia root and then I had to get milk from coconuts. My friend Tina helped me with the coconuts. She must be really strong or I must be really weak. It was hilarious trying to husk the coconut myself. After watching me struggle and make a couple of dents in the coconut Tina asked to take over (she probably didn't want to be there all night!). We (well mainly Tina) did seven coconuts to come up with two cups of milk. First you husk them, then crack them open (I couldn't even do that), then you grate the meat. Then you take the husk fibers, roll the meat in them and ring it like a towel to get the milk. It took us about 2 1/2 hours from start to finish (including getting the coconuts).

Here is a video of Tina husking away.

Oahu Trip

We went to Oahu Halloween weekend for two reasons. #1 we went to the 1st birthday party of Jordan and Jayden. #2 We wanted to go through the Laie temple during the open house. We had lots of fun. Our friends Rob and LiPing met us over there. We also spent time with Seneca Alberdi (she is going to school at BYU -Hawaii). The other fun thing we got to do was experience the Haunted Lagoon! Oh my gosh, it was way scary. I screamed all the way through. There were actual people under the water (way gross water) and they would come up and grab you as you drifted through on your raft. Richard and Kyler swam with the sharks and we did a little sight seeing - including stopping for shave ice at Matsumoto's.