Today I share the highs and lows of our lodging and food situation during month of island hopping across Hawai’i.

Lodging

Highs

We found a guesthouse a little over a mile away from our friends in rural Hawai’i in the town of Pepe’ekeo. The neighborhood was perfect for us! There was sprawling acreage and an ocean view, and it was only 15-20 minutes away from the town center of Hilo.

We found the guesthouse using Furnished Finders, which is a site for professionals seeking housing for longer-term stays. Our house cost about $2,200 per month. I appreciated how affordable it was.

The boys did great sharing a room together, and … Read More

Today I’m going to reflect on what our Family Dynamic was like during our 2.5 months of living on the Big Island. Spending more time together (and hopefully growing closer) as a family is one of the primary reasons we wanted to go on a Family Gap Year.

Family Dynamic

Highs

We went from low low to high high over the course of these past 2.5 months!

First and foremost: We are not meant to be a homeschooling family. We knew this about ourselves before the trip, but we didn’t really have a choice, based on the fact that we were going to be changing locations so frequently throughout the … Read More

One Sunday afternoon, we pulled off the main road and followed a smaller winding road into a neighborhood. We parked where the road dead-ended, got out, and clambered down the forested trail.

We had found an old sugar mill that had been converted into a beach and river park. There was a sign that read: “Don’t change Hawai’i; let Hawai’i change you.”

Hawai’i sure has changed us!

These past 2.5 months on the Big Island have been life changing and life clarifying. In so many ways. How can I even begin to enumerate them all?

My Children’s Courage Has Blossomed (and Our Has, Too!)

This trip has pushed my children … Read More