Our last suppers with...

The Palmer and Chinh Ohanas! So this will be my last post about the east coast, even though I could write a book about all the wonderful people we met out on the east. But it's only fitting that I will end by writing about the Palmers, who always showered us with generosity & aloha and made us feel like we were in the islands,

and the Chinhs, who are such a wonderful family and they were still doing nice things for us up until the time we left the east. Gina kindly gave us a ride to the airport because we sold our Rodeo. She was always doing thoughtful things for us and I wish I could have reciprocated more! Gina is a dear friend - she inspires me to be a better person. She's such a dedicated mother; she's always teaching, learning and serving. She has so many creative talents, and is a fabulous cook. I love how assertive and articulate she is, and wish I could be more like that. She is very insightful and while she has strong convictions, she is very open- and fair-minded.

The night we got together with the Palmers, we our sides and cheeks hurt from laughing so much. Tua mimicked a Polynesian comedian's act he found on the internet and had us rolling! He's hilarious. We talked with him and Dana into the night, reminiced about our childhoods (bottlecaps, garbage pail kids...) and Tua brought out his favorite childhood marbles... Nizhoni laid them out aritistically on the table and I had to take a picture! Of course, I also had to take pictures of the delicious food: bbq chicken, pasta salad, fresh fruit, Hawaiian sweet bread rolls, fresh green beans and onions, rice and chocolate cake... We miss you guys!!

Our night with the Chinhs was so nice and relaxing, full of sweet hugs between the kids. It was close to when we were leaving and didn't really have any food in our fridge so it was so nice to eat such delicious fish tacos. I love the way both Gina and Dana cook! Gina made us homemade peach ice cream - such a treat - with a white cake topped with coconut! Of course, I took a picture of that too. This is a tangent, but the reason I like to take pictures of food is because people work so hard to make something so delicious and pleasing to look at and then it is gone! I like to remember all that went into it. : ) I love all the sweet hugs!! We love and miss you guys!