Lois's Hawaiian Celebration, Part 2

Included in these three guys's idea of a dream vacation in Hawaii is to GOLF, GOLF GOLF.

And that they did on the Ko Olina Marriott Golf Course - three 18-hole days.

Craig, Scott and Roger

And I have to relate how Glynn and Chyrrl "took one for the team."

If one of the couples in our group would come to a 1 1/2 hour presentation by Marriott 

about their vacation properties, then the golf was discounted for one of the days.

Glynn and Chyrrl did that and got through it without signing up for any time shares. 

And Glynn actually kept the Marriott people overtime, 

filling them in on how he became acquainted with JW Marriott when he was back east 

on his LDS mission as a young man AND all about his dairy farm, etc.

And Glynn didn't even golf, but he did drive the cart one of the days.

There's only one Glynn!

Craig, Glynn and Roger 

Warming up on the driving range

Great view from number 4 tee box

Roger was here in two shots on this par 4, and tapped in for a birdie.

Scenic 18th hole!

Golfer selfie

Wednesday morning, Craig and Susie, Scott (who hadn't been there before) 

and Chyrrl and Glynn went to Pearl Harbor to see the Memorial. 

Then the men golfed in the afternoon and the girls went shopping.

That night we ate in the on-property restaurant, Chuck's Steak and Seafood.

Lois's free Happy Birthday dessert of choice - macadamia nut ice cream!

Thursday was Thanksgiving.

I am quite secure in saying that no one cooks a more delicious Thanksgiving dinner than Lois Stratford! 

She has been cooking it every year since she was 12 years old when her mother died.

Thanksgivings at Lois's are a tradition that includes anywhere from 20 some kids, grandkids, great-grandkids and sometimes other shirt-tail relatives and friends, to up to 50 or 60 people!

And, oh what a feast we have!

She serves roast turkey (always fresh turkey from Wight's Turkey Farm), stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, 

corn that she has frozen the previous summer, candied yams (hers are THE best), set salad, cut-up veggies with a couple of different dips, a green salad, cranberries, sauerkraut (I always bring that when we come - a tradition from my family), her homemade rolls (batches and batches that she has made and frozen just before the big day), her homemade jam and pickles and her homemade pumpkin, apple, lemon, maybe chocolate, banana cream and coconut pies AND her homemade peanut brittle and peanut clusters. . . 

Oh, and her corn pops and/or caramel corn and homemade caramels. 

She lets her guests bring some of that, but, mostly, she does the cooking, and to say that we have been spoiled 

and that expectations run high in this Stratford Clan for a delicious Thanksgiving Feast -

would be a total understatement. 

We knew we needed to make reservations for Thanksgiving dinner with a group of eleven.

Ko Olina only had limited options, especially because this family likes to eat their Thanksgiving dinner 

around lunchtime instead of dinnertime. 

We chose our favorite restaurant in Ko Olina (actually, one of our favorite anywhere!), Roy's, 

because they offered a prix fix turkey dinner on Thanksgiving.

A Thanksgiving buffet might have been better, but we weren't aware of any in the area.

This is the setting of Roy's, overlooking the golf course.

The meal definitely was not of the caliber of Grandma's cooking, 

Roy's specializes in Asian Fusion cuisine,

but everyone was a good sport, and the best part about it, we didn't have to prepare it!

Grandma got a long-deserved break!

There were lots of moans and groans from the grandkids back home who missed Grandma's delicious food,

but, the way she's going, there's always next year!

first course, pumpkin soup

turkey, stuffing, yams, potatoes and gravy and cranberries

pumpkin cheesecake tarts for dessert

Of course they brought Grandma a special Happy Birthday treat!

After dinner, most everyone wanted to drive to check out Honolulu and one of the carloads stayed to shop. 

It was a bit rainy, but that never really gets in the way in Hawaii.

Waikiki Beach

Roger's resemblance to the Hawaiian surfer is remarkable, don't you think?

Later that evening, back at Ko Olina, 
Roger and I shared some delicious sushi in a small restaurant near our resort.

It was definitely not a traditional Thanksgiving, 

but a memorable one 
and the best part is that we were together with loved ones.

Just two days left of this dream vacation!

Some of us swam, lounged in the sun, 
went for walks and just thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful property.

I think Shellie and Todd took these pics of one of the turtles 
that can be spotted in the waters around the point.

panoramic view from our balcony

The Virgin pina coladas were delish!

The six of us went back to Roy's for dinner to have a gourmet meal.

Roger and I have developed a real culinary curiosity through the years with our travel 
and we take delight in new and delicious tastes.
This place delivers.

They brought a free appetizer of edamame.

spiced baby ribs

marinated butterfish

mixed plate

famous chocolate decadence brownie - to die for!

Back at the resort

Are you sick of the Hawaiian sunsets yet?

Alas!

Our last day arrived. Chyrrl, Susie, Sherie and I booked a massage.

Afterwards, we met for lunch at Longboards, 

the on-property casual restaurant near the beach.

Susie and I both felt almost drunk when we came out from our massages - 

we had the same masseuse and she was good!

The rest of the afternoon, everyone did their thing.

Being a shade-seeker, I stayed up on our balcony and read for awhile, 

then joined everyone on the beach and we all watched our last gorgeous Hawaiian sunset.

On this last day, with everyone down by the beach, Roger asked his mom, 

"Which one of your kids do you think is having the most fun?"

Lois didn't miss a beat.

"Me!" she said.

We got up at 4 am Sunday morning for our flight out of Honolulu.

Grandma deserved a lovely lei to wear home, don't you think?

We were up in the air about an hour when the pilot announced that we were turning back to Honolulu 
with a mechanical problem, which we did, 
which took them over an hour to fix, 
which caused us to miss our connecting flight to SLC from LA. 
They overnighted us, then we flew home the next morning.

But all of that still couldn't put a damper 
on our glorious Thanksgiving Holiday!

Thank you, beautiful Lois, 

Beloved Mom, Grandma, Great-Grandma and Great-Great Grandma, 

for an indescribably wonderful treat - 

a Fantasy Stratford Celebration!