Last check in from Maui!

July 8, 2024

Aloha friends and family! We are writing our final trip update with heavy hearts, as all of our kids are safely on their way home. These last two weeks have been filled with so much laughter, fun, and amazing experiences, and we can’t wait to share what we’ve been up to since we last talked!

Our first activity after our last update was our second day of surfing! The waves were awesome, and everyone had the best time. Malon ventured way out into the ocean in search of the perfect wave, while Henry was a natural, catching waves all by himself. After catching waves for a while, Skylar, Finley, Catherine, and Berkley decided to chill on their boards and just chat.

After surfing, we went back to camp to change and have a quick lunch before heading to the WaiHee Ridge hike. During our hike, Dyer showed great teamwork by carrying all of the group’s waters by himself, while Berkley and Finley sprinted up the trail. Ria and Malon hung out at the back and had a great trail talk with us leaders, playing a ton of “would you rather” questions. We returned to camp, had a delicious taco dinner, had Moonup, and went to bed early to prepare for an early morning the next day.

We woke up bright and early on the 4th of July for our Redline Rafting adventure!!!! Everyone was so excited and had all of their 4th of July gear on! Henry, Dyer, and Sam all wore matching American flag bathing suits, while Ethan decided to wear a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles bathing suit he had bought at Walmart! The girls also wore their red, white, and blue bathing suits and had some matching accessories. Ria was a little nervous on the boat at first, but with the help of our guides’ enthusiasm and music choices, she quickly got comfortable and even decided to ride on the side of the boat for a while! We got to stop and see the ‘Elevator’ at Molokini, and Dyer never wanted to leave! As expected, Redline was one of everyone’s top activities of the trip! When we got off the boat, we spent some time at the beach before heading back to camp. Our LODs, Ethan and Cat, cooked up some chicken tenders and French fries for us for dinner, and not a single crumb was left! After a long, fun day, we had Moonup and then hit the hay for another fun day!

Our next day was our second day of windsurfing! Everyone did a great job and mastered their turns on the board. We got to have some independence and sail out farther than last time, which everyone enjoyed. On the way back to shore, Ria caught a ride on our favorite guide Mark’s board! After windsurfing, we headed back to camp to get hyped for the Olympics! If you don’t know, the Olympics is when all three Maui groups come together and compete against each other for bragging rights. We were the white team, so we all dressed in white, and the boys chose to wear their newly purchased tank tops from Walmart. Parker also chose to wear jean shorts that were quite a few sizes too big to really intimidate the other groups. To top it off, we painted a white avatar arrow on Nelson’s head for good measure. We then drove to the park where the Olympics were taking place and anxiously awaited the other two groups’ arrivals. Cat was so excited to see her twin, and even though we were competitors, the whole group welcomed her with open arms and were excited to meet her!

Our first competition was a relay race with multiple different kinds of races. Malon crab-walked for us, Berkley sprinted, and Ethan gave Ria a piggyback ride across the finish line. One of our next competitions was spike ball! Finley and Berkley played together for the girls, and Sam and Henry played together for the boys, really putting in the work and showing us how it’s done! We grilled out with the other groups, played a few more games, and then headed home for treats and Moonup!

The next day was our final full day together, and it was one of the very best days! We started off by fueling up with delicious breakfast burritos, then got in the car to go rainforest rappelling! It was so cool, and the weather was amazing! All of our kids were so brave, with Dyer volunteering to go first out of everyone and Ethan facing his fear of heights! After rappelling, we went to the thrift store to buy our banquet outfits. Honestly, everyone looked ridiculous, but it was so much fun! Ria bought Parker a toddler dress that he could barely fit into but rocked, and the group decided Malon had the best outfit. Somehow, Skylar actually looked good in her outfit of a long skirt and beanie! We then drove to a yummy Mexican restaurant in Paia, where Ethan (in a nightgown and sunglasses) was mistaken for the group’s mother! Of course, we had to end the night with gelato, with Celebration Cake being the most popular flavor. Back at camp, our LODs Parker and Berkley led us in an amazing final Moonup where we reflected on ourselves and our time together.

The next morning was bittersweet. We all woke up later and got to work cleaning camp. Ria and Cat were tent masters, quickly disassembling their tent and packing it up. After, Parker and Ethan helped us cook our last breakfast together, which was bacon and chocolate chip pancakes. With some time to kill, we headed to Whalers Village to do some last-minute souvenir shopping. As it turns out, half the group, Coco, and Nelson, now all have matching sweatshirts! We then headed to the airport to say our final goodbyes. Maui 2C, we are so thankful for our time with you! It has been an incredible two weeks full of huge laughs, beautiful sunsets, and great memories. Family and friends, Mahalo nui for sharing your kids with Moondance and us this summer. We are so grateful to have been able to get to know them. This isn’t goodbye, but see you later!

A HUI HOU!!!

Love, Coco, Nelson, Helen

Cheffin it up!

July 4, 2024

Aloha Friends and Family!!!!

Last time we caught up we had just finished our delicious açaí bowls after a beautiful morning surfing. With everyone feeling refreshed, we thought the best way to keep up the energy was to explore a new beach. Once we arrived, we enjoyed some time in the waves and a few rounds of hacky sac until Finley gathered the gang to bury Coco in the sand. The team worked extremely quick to dig a hole and had her fully submerged in the ground within minutes! After everyone got a good laugh watching Coco struggle out of the sand, we left the beach anxiously awaiting our next meal: burrito bowls! Before cooking, a few brave souls tried the hot pepper from our salsa container… Most ran to their water bottles within seconds but Parker handled the spice like a champ! Once we got cooking, our LODs, Catherine and Ethan, helped us prepare the night’s spread: chicken, sautéed veggies, guac, and more! This meal was definitely a favorite and left everyone full and ready for a deep night of sleep.

The next day we got to sleep in a little and take our time making breakfast. Finley and Sam helped us fry some eggs and sausage pattys for some diy bfast bagel sandwiches! These fueled our beach clean up day and held us over until we picnicked before hitting the town Paia. Here many of the girls found the comfiest sweatshirts at Ripcurl and the boys acquired some funny souvenirs. After a little exploring, we decided to eat dinner at Paia fish market, which everyone loved! To top off our town expedition we stopped at Tobi’s for shaved ice. We had Moonup once back at the campsite and went to bed ready for our big day the next morning.

After a restful night with many camped out in enos under the stars, we woke up ready to help out at Maui Cultural Lands. After the wildfires in Lahaina, MCL aims to preserve ancestral land by weeding out invasive species and preserving native vegetation. Not only does the organization allow native plants to thrive, it helps prevent future fires by eliminating the brush that fueled previous fires. We are so grateful Moondance has given the students and us a relationship with Ekolu, MCL’s supervisor, for he has opened our eyes on the importance of land conservation in Maui and the impact his work has on the community. Before embarking on our MCL opportunity, Ethan was up extra early so we taught him how to work the Coleman and cook some chocolate chip pancakes while the rest of the group got a few extra minutes of sleep. After a delicious and filling breakfast, we met up with Ekolu at MCL and Henry and Berkley, our LODs, helped pass out some tools. Throughout the activity, we pulled weeds but also got to know another group on the Island, Maui Hero Project. Many of the students in this group were from Lahaina and our conversations with them and Ekolu helped us all gain a larger perspective on the importance of the work we were doing.

The hard work everyone put in at MCL called for some chill time while we cheffed up some bacon and turkey grilled cheeses. After hanging out in the shade at the campsite, we drove to our cooking class with an oceanside view all the way there. We started the class by going over a few knife skills, which Ria showed off effortlessly with her onion cutting! We did a quick tour of the farm with our outfitter Jakke learning all about the importance of fresh, organic produce. We saw a few pigs by a neighboring farm and Henry immediately decided he wants one as a pet when he gets home. Back in the kitchen, Malon plated some banana ice cream with chocolate chips and macadamia nuts while Catherine and Skylar f lipped taro tortillas. Parker shaved, cut, and de-seeded a few papayas for a delicious coleslaw that tasted amazing alone and on the tacos. After sampling the venison, pork, and beef tacos, we decided the group fav was beef! To top of the night we had homemade limeade on the roof right before the sunset where Sam, Henry, and Nelson had a photoshoot. On the drive home, the sunset created pink clouds overlooking the beach, setting the tone for a beautiful Moonup.

The next morning we woke up bright and early ready to head back to the beach for paddle boarding. Before leaving, Dyer and Henry impressed us all with a ukulele concert, starting off with the classic Riptide by Vance Joy. Some originals are currently in the making so we will be sure to update you all on the progress! Eager to get back into the water, our group paddled out to sea at record speed, according to our guide Brandon. Once everyone was past the reef, paddle wars were instigated when Ethan pushed Berkeley off her board. Sam successfully managed to knock off all the leaders while Skylar successfully maintained her balance and stayed completely dry the entire time! We had a blast and the day’s excitement only continued as we headed to Walmart to pick out some Fourth of July fits. We are all pumped to pull out our new hats, jorts, and glow sticks when we celebrate! We had a quick pit stop at camp for lunch and then headed back to the beach! Finley led the girls in a game of mermaids in the ocean while the boys decided to explore some of the rocks along the coast. After a few hours of sunshine we decided to go back to camp and start making dinner. Malon made the cheesiest garlic bread that pairs perfectly with our spicy vodka pasta that night! He and Skylar then lead us in a very meaningful Moonup where we shared our weirdest fears and some moments that impacted our lives.

Next up will have more surfing and Redline rafting, which we are all so excited for! We have had the best first week and are so grateful to have spent many beautiful days by the water and dive deeper into Hawaiian culture! Family of MAU C, thanks again for sharing your kids with us. We have had the best time getting to know them! Can’t wait to be in touch soon — a hui hou!

Love,
Helen, Coco, Nelson and the rest of MAU C

Family Shoutouts!
“I miss you and can’t wait to see you soon” — Ethan

“I really like swimming and miss you” — Catherine

“I miss you guys and happy late birthday mom” — Berkley <3 “I miss y’all and can’t wait to see y’all soon” — Skylar “Happy Bithday Ma, miss da fam and dogs” — Sam “Happy Birthday Mom, I love you and can’t wait to see you and the dog” — Henry “Happy B-Day Russ buss — miss y’all — miss Buck. It’s bulking season, love you mom I got my hygiene stuff” — Dyer “I miss you guys so much. Love you and the grandparents and Milo, tell Mila I say hey” — Ria “I miss y’all so much! I hope mom is doing great with Teddy and that he learned to pee outside. Hope dad is good <3” — Parker “I’ll see you soon copes” — Malon “I miss y’all so much see you soon, thank you for this trip! — Finley

Update from Maui!

July 1, 2024

ALOHA FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!

We are so excited to share about our first couple days in magestic Maui! We’ve had such an action packed couple of days so let’s hop to it!

We started off with us leaders anxiously awaiting our 11 kids arrival at OGG! Skylar was the first to arrive with a huge smile on her face, and being the first member to welcome the rest of the group. Airport day can get boring when no one is arriving, so Berkeley started to teach us the game MAO, which has quickly become a group favorite. Once we gathered our awesome 11,we left the airport and headed to set up camp. After setting up camp, we ate pizza with a sunset view and rushed into our bathing suits to just feel the water before it actually got dark. After along day, we had our very first Moonup where Berkeley and Dyer were crowned our first LOD sand then went to sleep!

The next morning, our LODs cheffed up some delish breakfast burritos to prep us for our first activity – ZIPLINING!!! Once we arrived, we suited up in our harnesses and helmets and got ready to ride. Parker was fearless and volunteered to be the very first zipliner of our group, showing us all how it’s done. Malon especially took a liking to our guides and jammed out to Freebird with him during the chill time in between rides. Berkeley and Catherine decided to make it a competition by seeing who could scream the loudest during the ride, and everyone decided it was a tie. We had so much fun flying down the lines, especially Ethan as he went the fastest of anyone down our very last line. After ziplining, we changed into our bathing suits to get some beach time! Finley and Berkeley loved just feeling the sand, taking the time to make drip castles before the waves destroyed them. Soon they got bored of that and convinced the whole group to participate in burying Malon in the sand. After, we took time at the beach to teach the 7 LNT (leave no trace) principles, and quickly, Ethan and Dyer became our LNT police, patrolling everyone. After we left the beach, we came back to camp, ate dinner, Mooned up, and went to bed.

We woke up early the next day to some excitement! Our campsite is full of chickens and we woke up to Ethan catching a chicken! We got a quick breakfast and then headed to sea kayaking with an old Moondance leader, Griff. We had the best time and Ria got so excited when she got to snorkel up close with a turtle. After an exhausting activity, we headed back to camp to eat a huge brunch of M&M pancakes, which Malon was flipping like a pro. On the way to our next activity, Pono, Ethan was belting his heart out to our jams in the van. Once we got to Pono Farms, we got straight to business harvesting and cleaning carrots. Henry was our master carrot harvester, really digging and getting every last one. Berkeley, Finley, and Dyer took advantage of the hose while carrot cleaning and sprayed each other with it. After all the work was done, it was time to play on the waterslide. Parker and the leaders used their creativity and made a new arm cover for his finger with two different gloves and electric tape, which ended up working and keeping everything dry! After Pono, we went home, ate dinner, and then had a great Moonup led by Ria and Malon where we talked about advice we’d give to our younger selves.

The next day, we were supposed to have a later morning, but everyone woke up super early to hangout. Henry and Sam helped make bacon for the group, which was quickly devoured. After eating breakfast, we played a couple games of family where Berkeley quickly gathered up a huge family of everyone minus Sam who no one could guess as Kim K. After, we headed to windsurfing where everyone looked like a natural. Skylar quickly bonded with one of our guides and had a great time chatting! Catherine quickly mastered the sail 360, and Ethan was quickly sailing, leaving the rest of us in the dust. When it was time to sail back home, Malon ended up catching a ride back with one of the instructors. Once we got back to camp, we made pizza-dillas and decided to play a couple of group games. Dyer won Dude Don’t Touch My Rock by hiding in the corner, but the group got revenge when they kept killing his off first in Mafia. Next we had a Moo Off, where Parker won with his imitation of an angry asparagus. Our LODs, Parker and Skylar cheffed up some delicious teriyaki meatballs, veggies and rice and then led us in an awesome Moonup.

The next morning, we had a quick grab and go breakfast so we could make it to surfing. We got geared up and ready to throw Shakas! Sam and Henry caught the hang of surfing quickly and were competing to catch the same wave but Sam ended up getting it and having an awesome ride! Ethan and Dyer spent a lot of the time mastering tandem surfing, and Ria had fun catching all of her rides sitting down. After surfing, we went to Hi Tech and some people got awesome souvenirs including Dyer’s poncho! We’re now all hanging out, getting açaí and getting ready to go to the beach! It’s been such an incredible first few days and we are looking forward to what the next days bring!! Talk soon!!!!

Love,

Maui 2C!

Safe Arrival in Maui!

June 26, 2024

Hello Maui families,

We have heard from our leaders last night that the group has landed safely in Maui. 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 trip updates throughout the next two weeks! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!

–Moondance HQ