Remember when I was first diagnosed with DCIS? And I said that some of the things I thought were important no longer were? And money was one of them? Well, old habits die hard. I (and my brother too) inherited the Stromberg Frugal Gene from our father. I can't help it! It's biology! But I am trying to be a little less uptight about money. Case in point: Lisa really really really REALLY wants to go on a helicopter ride while we're here. It's supposed to be phenomenal. It's also phenomenally priced. How much? Well, you can rent a mini van for a week for about half what it costs for a family of 6 to take a 55 minute helicopter ride. So I sort of said no. But we met a family today who also had four young kids and said the helicopter ride was awesome. It brought tears to the woman's eyes. Well. I am trying to be a better Jami. Live life to its fullest and all. So I called a company, got some money knocked off the total AND a free DVD of our experience, and we are going on a ride tomorrow morning! I wish I were taping Lisa when I told her. She was a like a 6 year old on Christmas morning. I hope it is worth the money. Actually, I just hope I relax about the money and have a good time. And I also hope we don't crash.
Lisa and I are well-suited in this regard. I hold back on spending money and she thinks it grows on trees. If we were partnered with someone just like each of us, Lisa would be bankrupt and I would be sitting on a pile of money and no fun a la Ebenezer Scrooge. She does make me give myself permission to just go for it once in awhile. And I have seen Lisa actually cutting coupons.
Today was sort of a lazy day. We started by taking an inner tube tour down some renovated sugar cane irrigation ditches. It was pretty fun - there were 5 tunnels and a few small rapids. We also learned about how Hawaii becoming a state pretty much did in its sugar cane industry, because overnight the plantation owners had to start paying the laborers minimum wage, and it became very difficult to compete with developing countries like the Phillipines.
We spent part of the afternoon lounging by the pool, drinks in hand. Then we drove down to Popoi on the south shore and went snorkeling. It is really neat seeing all of the colorful fish in their natural environment, but the water was pretty rough and at one point a stranger had to help rescue Morgan, who panicked when her tube got water in it. I wonder why more people don't drown in the ocean, because in think it's a crazy body of water.
On the way home we stopped at Walmart, of all places, to stock up on groceries. Since we let each kid pick out some candy, I'm sure they will say that was the highlight of their day! Oh well, we try.
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