Tearful Goodbyes from Hawaii!

July 8, 2023

After the Fourth of July, our next day was spent surfing! The girls absolutely loved our guides Luca and Kohl, and that may or may not have had something to do with how incredibly they all surfed! Sydney and Hope especially were amazing at surfing. They both have incredibly admirable determination in all things that they do, and it is so inspiring and so much fun to see them thrive!

After our second day of surfing, we met someone interesting at an Açaí bowl restaurant. As you may remember, Emma Kate impersonated Addison Rae in the airport on travel day. Well… as I stood in line at the restaurant ready to order, Chloe came over to me, very excited, and said to me “Addison Rae is here”. Of course, I did not believe her. At all. We had just been joking about how Emma Kate was Addison Rae in the airport, so I thought that she was just messing with me. She was not. As I heard the name Addison called out by the hostess and looked over to the serving window, THE Addison Rae came up to get her bowl. It does not suffice to say that I was shocked. What are the odds? Addison was kind enough to take a picture with all of us and was so nice to all of the girls. What a magical experience. Caroline was even shocked into silence by this chance encounter, making us all laugh with her stunned reaction to meeting Addison. Presley even got some pictures of Addison’s mom and some of the girls with her camera! Presley is an amazing girl, and we are so beyond thankful for her rock-solid presence in the group. I personally can’t wait to see her at home and catch up on the rest of the summer! The girls talked about this experience for a long time every day after. All of us seriously could not believe the chances of this happening. Wow.

In the final days with our AMAZING group, we got the chance to go sea kayaking along the Na Pali coast and savor the rest of our time together. At the very start of our journey, we were greeted by a pod of dolphins who we swam alongside and under our kayaks. We were all in awe of how close these playful ocean creatures were to us! Later on along the way we also had the chance to see some sea turtles surfacing for air. The girls absolutely crushed this strenuous journey! The guides were especially impressed by our speed and efficiency and said that we had been the fastest group this summer to reach the private beach we had lunch at! I got the chance to do the 10 miles with Emma Kate as my partner, and I loved getting the chance to have some girl talk and hear more about her life, and her positive attitude, and watch as she fully appreciated the beauty of the coast. Sanders absolutely talked the ear off of our guide Adam while they were partnered together. Most of us remarked that we would have loved to be a fly on the wall for their conversation, and Sanders and Adam both agreed that they should start a podcast together.

Mary Myres and Lillian killed it, and though they said it was the hardest thing they’d ever done, they kept a good attitude the whole time and it was so amazing to see them push through and enjoy the wonderful views. When we made it to our incredible lunch spot, surrounded by the towering cliffs and on a stunning beach, every single one of the girls fell asleep in a group nap in the shade, exhausted from the paddle there and knowing they needed to conserve their energy for the rest of the trip to come.

Our last day was Belle’s 18th birthday!! We celebrated the beginning of the day with some delicious special donuts, and some signs and banners to surprise her! We are so happy that WE got the chance to spend her birthday with her and hope that we made it a special one! Belle, you have one of the kindest hearts that me, Mollie, and Laura have ever been lucky enough to know! We miss you and your goofiness so much and we hope that you have an amazing time celebrating back home!!

For our last day, we filled the time with cleaning up camp, and then we got the chance to go and see Spouting Horn, which is a gorgeous geyser of water that shoots up ocean spray through a hole in the rocky shore, and floating nearby was a giant sea turtle!

After this, we went to a thrift store and picked out some crazy outfits to wear to our banquet dinner at Paco’s Tacos! We had a delicious Mexican meal and reminisced on all the incredible moments that we shared together during these incredible past two weeks.

To all of our girls, WE LOVE AND MISS YOU SO MUCH!!! These two special weeks together have been so incredible and will stay with all of us together. It is amazing to witness how much a group can grow and change together in such a seemingly short time, but we were lucky enough to have an entire group filled with the most special, hilarious, and appreciative girls. This time together has been so precious to each and every one of us, and we all know that the friendships made will be cherished and treasured forever!

Signing off with love,

Mollie, Anna and Laura

Zipping through the Rainforest!

July 5, 2023

Travel day…!

This morning began with us breaking down camp. It went swimmingly, even though we did have to bribe the girls with muffins to get them to break down their tents on time! Travel day was amazing! During this trip, the girls pretended that Emma Kate was Addison Rae with her hood up and glasses on as we flew from island to island. I don’t know if people believed it, but they definitely knew that Addison Rae was possibly on the plane and had a 9-girl security team. Once we landed on Kauai and made it to our campsite, we taught the girls how to set up their tents before they ran down to the beach to take some pictures and enjoy the view that our incredible beachfront property provides.

The next morning the girls were woken up by some very loud roosters that were right up against the girls’ tents. What woke me, Mollie, and Laura up were their screams in response to the chickens getting too close, and the threats against the chicken’s lives for waking them up. As the rest of the group prepared their breakfast, Hope joined me on the beach to watch the only seen here pink and purple sunrise as we journaled and had some amazing conversation together about her life and her future. I love her outlook on life and the way she can find meaning in the small things that others often overlook.

Once we got going, we surprised the girls with a cliff jump at Hoopi’i falls! The hike to the cliff jumping spot was breathtakingly beautiful. We were surrounded by a lush tropical rainforest, with trees coated in hundreds of red and white flowers and vines and tall grass. We slid and slipped down a couple muddy inclines, walked along the edge of a gentle river, and enjoyed the scenery and unique trees as we made our way to the cliff jumping location. Once we got there, Sanders was the first to take the leap off the cliff! Sanders is always open to trying new things without hesitation, other than the time it takes to ask the appropriate safety questions for her and the group’s well-being. All the girls took the leap into the beautiful blue green basin at the bottom of the waterfall, enjoying the lazy river flowing that took us to the spot where we exited the water.

After we finished jumping a couple times, Chloe told me that she had never been cliff jumping before! I absolutely love the courage she showed by doing this activity, showing no fear and only excitement for this new adventure and chance to try something new and a little out of her comfort zone. After cliff jumping, we had a little bit of time before our next activity, so we stopped at a local pineapple shop only to find that it was closed. But this did not deter us at all, we ended up having lunch at this beautiful spot while enjoying a game of mafia and the sandwiches we made that morning. While we played this game, Chloe, Lillian, and Sanders ran off and tried to catch a chicken for about 45 minutes, and luckily for us and the chickens their attempts were not fruitful.

Lillian is definitely one of our more adventurous and outgoing campers. She is always laughing and finding beauty in all of the small moments, always finding some small adventure or excursion she can take her friends with her to do during every thing we do while cracking jokes.

After our lunch we made our way to our next activity of zip lining! This was hands down the girl’s favorite day so far, and the zip lining was beyond incredible. We were zip lining between the mountains where scenes from Raiders of the lost arc and Jurassic Park were filmed, with the stunning cascading mountains that look like those lining the Nepali coast enclosing us on one side and the ocean extending beyond the other. Below us were lush and beautiful trees and winding rivers, and we got the chance to zipping over and through all of it, sometimes even flipping upside down. Sydney had never been zipping before, and she was not only eager to push past her nervousness, but she was also the first camper to go down the zip line, and she absolutely loved it! Sydney is an adventurous, genuine, funny, incredible girl who is an inspiration to me, my co-leaders, and the group. She loves doing new things, and even when it gets hard you would never hear it from her. During zip lining, when we suggested that she should go first, she jumped at the chance to do so! We always love seeing a camper do an activity for the first time. Getting the chance to see her so excited for the experience and then get so much out of it was amazing, and we are so happy to see her so grateful to be here and to be getting so much out of this trip.

Before our last zip line, we got the chance to do a small zip line and drop into a beautiful little basin with a waterfall and tropical plants surrounding us. The girls convinced our guide Kayman, who was very nervous about it, to jump in off the dock with them, making all of us laugh with his strange scream as he jumped in.

Our final zip line was the longest one, around 4,000 feet, in the Superman pose on our stomachs! This one was especially amazing, and though it made all of the girls very nervous to go down horizontally, each and every one of them did it and was so grateful to have done so. Mary Myres especially gave our guide Kayman a hard time before she went down, making sure he quadruple checked her equipment before she went down.

This day was amazing, and the consensus was that it was probably the best day we have had yet. Everyone had so much fun. Back at camp, Presley and Caroline set up some spike ball and got a tournament going while we waited for our cook crew to cook some delicious Mediterranean bowls prepared by our leaders of the day. Caroline is a wonderful person to be around. She can find the light and humor in any situation and we love to have her here with us. She is a leader in this group, with not only her outgoing personality but also with her influence over others and her kind heart.

On our next day we began with our first surfing lesson! Even though the girls said that zip lining was their favorite activity yesterday, and though it still is the second favorite, surfing took the cake after today. The girls absolutely loved surfing! Mary Myres even said that she wants to get a surfboard at home and get really good at it. Chloe, on her very first wave, popped up immediately and surfed all the way to shore! I stood there shocked because I have not seen anyone do that before, but it was so amazing to see the huge, proud smile on her face as she did. Belle also was a total natural on the waves! Her consistent, glowing, kind, and bubbly attitude and personality constantly make Mollie, Laura and I so happy and grateful to have her on this trip. Belle has a smile on her face for every single activity we do, and she is always open to trying new things.

Every single girl surfed with what looked like seasoned skill, and they were beyond excited for our next surfing day! Sydney was especially good at surfing! After surfing and a little bit of shopping in the nearby Hanalei shopping center, we headed back to our campsite for a chill afternoon before the fourth! We filled our afternoon with some tanning, boogey boarding, and some special Fourth of July hair wraps! We all enjoyed relaxing on the beach, reading books both for pleasure and for summer reading, swimming in the ocean, and hanging out together enjoying one of our last days together. Presley did my hair wrap on the beach, and loved getting the chance to sit and talk with her about what it is like to be the oldest of 5 kids, which is a very unique responsibility and a huge part of both of our lives. She is so wise and loving, and I love hearing her talk about her family and how much she loves them. Presley is always asking the others in the group questions about themselves and their lives, and in doing so creates the closeness and deeper friendships that Moondance trips can be lucky enough to get.

Later that night while Laura was getting our groceries, we had an impromptu dance party and got silly on the beach, not caring who was watching, even as the other Hawaiian Islands group pulled up in their van and totally judged us for going crazy.

After this, we went to the soccer fields across the street from our campsite and got the chance to play some pickup soccer with the groups that were already there! Chloe and Hope joined Mollie and I in the game, and though Chloe had never played and Hope had not played since she was little, they both crushed it and had a blast!

That night ended with a special moonup where the girls read a beautiful quote about the importance of a positive attitude in order to psych themselves up for our 7.5 mile hike the next day. Emma Kate especially gave an inspiring talk to the girls after we finished about how lucky we all are to even be doing these difficult activities. She inspired not only me, but everyone sitting in that circle, talking about how grateful we should be to walk, to breathe, to push ourselves, and that because of this fact we should always do the difficult things with positivity and gratefulness for the gift that we often forget about. Sydney also spoke wisely about what motivates her, getting many nods and agreements from all the girls. She has a way of connecting with everyone and speaking her thoughts and feelings in ways that can somehow relate to everyone and get across feelings that others may not be so able to verbalize.

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY TO EVERYONE AT HOME!! Though are girls were a little sad at first to be missing an epic holiday that is most of their favorites, and today we are doing our more difficult 7.5 mile Nuaolo trail hike (which is incredible), we have some special plans for the girls to celebrate this holiday! This hike uncovers one of the most beautiful views of the Nepali coast (aside from our sea kayaking views in the days to come) and Waimea canyon, and there is definitely an attitude of “this is going to be really hard, especially on the fourth, but we can do anything with a good attitude and motivation and lets make the most of it” in the girls, and that good attitude is owed to Emma Kates inspiration and effect on the group.

Our trail hike was more than amazing! The girls had an incredibly positive attitude the entire time, and when we finished, they would not stop saying how rewarding it was and how happy they were that they did it! Emma Kate’s positive attitude and conversation with our guide Sarah almost had her in tears, and after the hike she remarked to   Mollie, Laura, and I that most adults that she leads through the hike do not have the same outlook and wisdom that Emma Kate so clearly and openly possesses.

I had a really fun conversation with Chloe and Sydney on the way up, we talked extensively about the universe, space, and time, and all of our favorite conspiracy theories which we all love talking about! Presley and Lillian’s positive attitude and energy after the hike was so inspiring to see and accompanied by the best grilled cheese we have ever tasted that Caroline bought after the hike, the day has been perfect. Caroline and Mary Myres burst into the coffee shop at the bottom of the hike cheering with huge smiles of their faces, and it was wonderful to see how much they and every single one of the girls appreciated how amazing this hike was.

After the hike, we went to a lookout over Waimea Canyon, and the incredible size and beauty left many of the girls speechless. Tonight we are surprising the girls with hot dogs and hamburgers on the beach and a nighttime firework show to finish up the fourth, and overall and incredible and rewarding day.

Talk Soon!!

Anna Carroll

Having the best time diving!

July 1, 2023

Our next days began with our first shore dive in the ocean! We set up our gear on the beach and walked into the water to begin the first dive and practice most of the surface and underwater skills. During this dive we got to see some amazing red pencil coral, sea urchins, and other reef fish that the girls loved. They all said that the second dive was better though, as it had less skills to practice and more looking at the beautiful underwater world. After this dive, we got to shop around the local stores and see many beautiful locally handmade items ranging from jewelry to clothes. The girls also got to get some hula lessons from a kind woman who had a music stand set up at the shops. They got all decked out in hula skirts and leis and got some quick lessons on how to dance to two songs in Hawaiian tradition. 

That night, we had a delicious dinner of watermelon and grilled chicken salad back at camp. The girls have really taken to cooking our meals well and the food we are making is delicious! Later that night, we had moon-up and went to bed early to get ready for our boat dive the next day. 

The next day, we woke up early and got to Jack’s Diving Locker for our open water dive! The boat ride over to our dive site was so much fun, all the girls loved asking our captain, Gary, tons of questions and talking to him about his life. For our first dive, the girls did some skills practice and got to reach new depths, up to 54 feet! Each girl absolutely killed their compass navigation skills. On this first dive, Sanders and our guide Casey got to see an octopus! 

After this, we had a delicious sandwich lunch on the boat and got some sun. We all lay on the front of the boat after our lunch, and thankfully this time nobody (Emma Kate) accidentally ate our guide Shannon’s lunch, thank goodness. Emma Kate is one of the strongest, most positive, kindest people my co-leaders and I are lucky enough to know. Her determination and sunshine personality are of epic proportions, and everyone here is so happy to now know her. 

I always love talking to Chloe, and today on the boat was no exception. Not only is she always smiling, but she is always listening and giving out compliments to everyone at random moments, always when needed. With everyone in this group, it seems like we can always talk about nothing and everything together, always positive. She always remembers what the other girls say, especially when they open up, and reminds them how amazing they are.

After lunch, the girls got to lead their own dive! The guides left the responsibility of choosing who would lead the dive up to the girls, and they decided that Sanders and Hope would lead them on this underwater adventure! Sanders and Hope totally took charge, using their training to plan a safe and fun dive for everyone. They chose to lead in a flower petal formation, with hope holding the compass leading the way there, and Sanders in charge of the slate leading the way back. Sanders is definitely a leader in this group, and though she might not always see that quality in herself, we are amazed by her and her generous and wise soul. Hope is so good at making the best out of every single moment, and in doing so she inspires others to do the same. She shows them how to take an extra moment to appreciate where we are and what we are doing, which is a pivotal part of moondance trips. She fully embodies the “live in the moment” philosophy. 

Mary Myers, Lillian, and I especially enjoyed doing some backflips underwater. Mary Myers and Lillian are too much fun to be with. Their storytelling, humor, and awareness of the group are so amazing to see, and we can already see the growth they are experiencing on this trip as friends together and with the group overall. I love talking to Mary Myers so much, I love the way she looks at life and hearing her viewpoints on things. She is a chill, positive, amazing girl. Lillian is not only kind, but also generous and open to everyone in the group. We love her wonderful spirit and endless positivity and sense of humor.

Caroline’s underwater camera took the best pictures during our dives. She took some amazing pictures that everyone is so excited to get after the trip! Caroline has such an amazing sense of humor and outlook on life. She is always positive, a great listener, and a thoughtful friend to every girl on this trip. 

During this dive, we got to see some super cool animals including yellow trumpetfish, snappers, and a sand field of long skinny fish that poked their heads out of the ground and swayed with the currents. The boat ride back was relaxing after the long and strenuous day, and we all enjoyed ripping off our wetsuits and jumping into the ocean without them after being in them for so long. We all sat around the boat enjoying the beautiful view and reminiscing on our final day of scuba. 

After a van ride back to camp filled with sleepy girls and some deep naps, we made some delicious Mexican bowls in our little kitchen. Lillian, Sydney, Belle, Sanders, Caroline, and I ran the cook crew with diligence and dedication to making a good meal for everyone, which it was. We enjoyed cooking while listening to some music, and ended up making the best meal yet after an amazing, rewarding day that ended with every single girl certified open water divers! 

Sydney is so kind and amazing to have here. She is a gentle and kind leader in this group and is wise beyond her and our years in many ways. She, like hope, always gets the group to be aware and thankful for where we are and we as leaders love to see that more than anything. Belle is a bubble of joy and positivity, an essential member of our group in so many ways. She is always having fun and bringing everyone along with her and keeping the mood and spirits high.  Her sweet personality and never-ending kindness make us so grateful that she is here with us for these weeks. 

The next day, after a quick breakfast, the girls are all French braiding their hair in the back of the van and preparing to embark on a beautiful waterfall hike and a hike to the green sands beach. The driving today is a little heavy with us making almost a complete round trip around the big island, but the incredible views along the way and the amazing aux and song suggestions make it more than worth it. The endless rolling hills, the farms with their accompanying animals, and never-ending wooden fences decorate the landscape on one side while the ocean extends to the horizon on the other, and the girls are always taking turns between looking out the window and talking laughing and making jokes. 

Presley is so much fun to be around. I especially love talking to her about what it’s like to be the oldest of 5 kids, I have never met another person who shares that immense responsibility and understands what it’s like, so I know that in the future we now both have a shoulder to lean on and a person who gets it to share silly stories with. She is such a joyful presence on this trip, and we are all so grateful to have her here. 

After a quick stop at Akaka falls for some pictures, we went to Green Sands beach for an amazing hike to the beach. This hike gave us some of the most beautiful views we have seen yet, beginning with a black and white rock beach and some stunning coastlines. As we walked along, we ended up getting a free ride from one of the trucks that brought people to the beach after Mollie asked if it was ok. Our whole group hopped in and had a very bumpy ride for the remainder of the distance to the incredible green sands beach. The sand was literally green. We 

got lucky enough to see two sea turtles resting in the bay while we took some amazing pictures and enjoyed the ridiculously beautiful view and unique rock cliffs surrounding us!

Tomorrow, we begin our travel day to Kauai! All the girls are SO excited to get to Kauai and get started on all our new activities! This past week has been beyond incredible, and we cannot wait for more! 

With love,

Anna

Shoutouts! 

Emma Kate- hi fam!! I’m having the BEST time!! I can’t wait to tell y’all about our adventures and all my new besties!! I miss y’all!! Send my love to everybody at home (especially Betsy)!!  Happy 50th momma and happy 4OJ!! Love y’all!! 

Presley- Hi fam!! I’m having SO much fun here!!! I hope y’all are having fun in Denver! I can’t wait to hear all about it and I can’t wait to tell y’all about all the fun we are having!! I miss all of y’all!! I love y’all!! 

Belle- what’s up fam!!!! I miss y’all but I’m having so much fun in Hawaii. I hope y’all have fun at the lake, if u see Harper tell her I miss our shenanigans. Give Tilley a kiss for me and tell my friends happy FOJ and not to forget about me! 

Mary Myres- what’s going on pope fam. I hope y’all have fun in Wyoming and can’t wait to see  y’all when I get back. I’m having a blast in Hawaii and making great friends. See y’all soon.  Love y’all. PS make sure Olivia and Virginia dont forget me at the airport 

Chloe- Heyyoooo Fam!!! I can’t wait to give you all a big squeeze of a hug when I get home. I  just wanna let you know I’m having SO MUCH fun in Hawaii!!! I can’t wait to show you all the  pics and vids!!! Love you all so much!! Tell Mia and Izzy I say hi too!!! Miss all of you so  much!!! Love ya. PS make sure I have clean sheet night when I get home 😉 

Lillian- Hey fam!! I miss you guys but I am having the best time ever in Hawaii and making  such great friends. I hope y’all have a great Fourth of July and I can’t wait to hear all about it and  whats been going on at home when I get back. I hope Henry had a blast on his Moondance and  I’ll see you guys soon!!!! Love y’all!! 🙂 

Hope – HIIII what is up!! I miss you guys like crazy but hope you are having fun in Highlands  with the rest of the fam – happy FOJ! Hawaii is INSANE, and I’m having an absolute blast. We  have seen so many cool things on our dives (I’m certified now, eeeek!!) and the island itself is  STUNNING. I’ve made so many new amazing friends and we are already planning when to meet  up later. I love you guys so so so much and can’t wait to tell you all about it! PS – how is Don?

Sydney- Hey Mom and Dad!! I really miss you guys a whole bunch and I’m having a lot of fun  here in Hawaii! I’ve met some really cool people and I love the ocean and the land it’s so  beautiful! Tell Stephen I rlly miss and love him and give Luci a big kiss for me! Miss y’all and  don’t be late at the airport! <3 

Caroline- hi guys I miss y’all but I am having so much fun and I have the best group. I don’t ever want to get my phone back I love not having it. Me and Lilly are throwing an away our phones  when I get back I’ve decided. Also tell Lilly to have so much fun in Nola and not to get arrested  or die. Scuba was so fun and I want all of y’all to get certified y’all would love it. Also I think  we should reconsider going to Andrews wedding lol it’s so pretty here. Ok bye love y’all have  fun in Montana and camp and tell nick hi ok bye now. 

Sanders- Hi Mom, Dad, Pearce, Will, Addison, Boo, and Scout!! Please text Addi and tell him I  love him so much! I love each of y’all so so much and I am having the best time ever!! I pinky  promise each thing I’m buying here is so worth it btw, sorry not sorry! I high key should’ve  brought a pair of shorts that aren’t blue… especially considering like half my shirts are blue lol!  Please make sure everyone is happy as a lil clam!! Btw I told the gals that I’m working on  putting myself first sometimes and they’re holding me accountable, we have a pretty awesome  group tbh. I love love love each and everyone of y’all (pls don’t let me run out of money :))

Night Snorkel and Smiles!

June 29, 2023

The girls all arrived at the airport, and we all hung out until it was time to leave! night one

already showed us how good this trip was going to be with all the girls immediately getting

along, laughing and talking through the entire van ride to our campsite. We had a delicious

dinner of pizza which we ate on the porch outside of jacks diving locker. It was so fun to get to

know all the girls as this trip is just beginning, but we can already tell how special every single

girl in this group is!

Our second day began with scuba diving! All the girls began the day a bit apprehensive,

but every single one is so excited to begin our first day with the pool dive! Chloe and Sanders

were our first leaders of the day, and absolutely crushed running their first moon-up and leading

the group by example. They were wonderful examples of going out of their way to help others,

and carry not only their weight but also the weight of others. After our pool day, we played a

little bit of beach volleyball, and then went down to the stunning beach. At the beach, we spent

sometime swimming and hanging out in the ocean, laying on the beach, and playing games in

the water. Mary Myers, Sanders, Hope, Chloe, Sydney, and I played colors in the water, trying to

guess songs and movies and dunking each other in the water. After this afternoon, we surprised

the girls with a local food stop at Lava Java where we had a delicious dinner by the beach.

After this we went down to the harbor and surprised the girls with a manta ray night snorkel!

The boat ride there was so much fun, and all the girls sat up on the front of the boat taking

pictures, enjoying the incredible view, and hanging out with our wonderful guides. As we pulled

up to the bay, our captain David saw some birds on a buoy outside the bay, and we got to drive

over and look at the white footed and brown footed boobies just hanging out.

After this, we got prepped and ready for the night snorkel. Unfortunately, we did not get to

see any manta rays on our dive, but this did not take away from the experience for any of the

girls. They all still remarked how amazing they thought it was, and how it was even so cool

seeing the Hawaiian long fins that ate up all the plankton under our board. Presley, Lillian,

Emma-Kate, Mollie, Sanders, and I passed the time by singing any songs that could come to

mind.

After everyone was getting out of the water, Sanders and I got the chance to swim out a little

further with our guide Ben and swim with some incredibly beautiful bioluminescent plankton!

As we looked up at the stars above, in the best place to see the stars in the world, we could look

down into the deep black of the ocean at night and watch the glowing plankton swish around our

flippers. After some amazing hot-water showers, we headed back to the harbor. The boat ride

back was amazing! Laura, Caroline, and Hope and I sat on the rim at the front and watched the

starts get brighter and brighter as we enjoyed the night sea air. Chloe, Hope, and Belle went up to

the top of the boat for the ride home.

Chloe and Sanders were our first leaders of the day, and absolutely crushed running their first

moonup, with great insightful and silly questions and a great quote that they saw at our campsite,

“Be the voice, not the echo”. Emma Kate always has everyone laughing and entertained with her

vlogs and amazing storytelling abilities, especially at dinner. During dinner, we played a fun

game of paranoia with complimentary questions being asked.

Caroline’s quiet, yet strong and sweet presences is amazing to have in this group! She is

always there, supporting everyone and asking insightful questions. Belle is such a joy to be

around, everyone looks up to her and her kindness radiates throughout the group. Also, Belle

hopes that there are no thunderstorms at home in Augusta for Tilley! Mary Myers and Lillian are

having a great time, they love their new cute Hawaiian necklaces and learning how to scuba

dive! Lillian is so much fun to talk to. Her goofiness and excitement for everything we

do, even the tougher things, makes us so grateful to have her on this trip. Hope is wonderful to

talk to. I love her philosophical mindset, willingness to look deeper and find meaning in the

small things, and amazing sense of humor! She says that her dad is more of the philosophical

one, but I see so much of that in her. Also, hope wants to give a BIG happy 12th birthday to

Auggie!! Presley has a contagious positive attitude. Her bright personality and beautiful smile

are always a highlight of everyone’s day.

Caroline, Hope, and Chloe had a rock paper scissors match with a man in the car behind us at one point, that hope won. All the girls absolutely LOVE the Hawaiian brand chips here, so

parents, expect some requests for those at home! They have all also been working to make a

music playlist for this trip with all their and our favorite songs, and all of the new ones we

discover together along the way! So far, it is a pretty interesting mix, but the wide range of

genres cover the best of everything! The girls have loved shopping at the local ABC stores for

all the small things we need, and they also have an uncanny talent for sniffing out the local

coffee shops. Until next time!

Love,

Mollie, Anna, and Laura

Safely Arrived in Hawaii!

June 26, 2023

Hello Hawaiian Island Families!

We heard from our leaders and the group has landed safely in Hawaii! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure.

Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips but we will be posting up to three trip updates throughout the next couple of weeks! This will allow you to follow along with the trip and the students will also give a special shout out mid-way through! You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to this summer!

-Moondance HQ