January 2009

I have decided to start blogging again. Sorry it has taken me so long. Okay---Hawaii. We were able to go to Hawaii in January. The place were it all began for Travis and I. This was awesome. We left the boys at home with some very awesome friends and it all worked out. The boys probably enjoyed their vacation from us more than we did from them. Travis was the tour guide. He put the trip together for the Evanston Dance Team and did a wonderful job. He took us to see it all. And for us we were able to relive all of the wonderful memories that we made while we lived over there.

Thursday--The first day on the Island we went to Hanauma Bay. WOW! I had forgotten how warm the water is and how beautiful the Island is. I completely lost myself over there. Travis was romantic and happy. He holds a special place in his heart for Hawaii. Anyways, we went snorkeling. It was a blast. We went to the outer part of Hanauma Bay which is about a 40 ft drop into the ocean. It looked like I was swimming in a picture book. The colors were vibrant and the coral was huge. We swam with sea turtles and enjoyed to scenery around the outer bay. It was majestic to say the least. Then we ate dinner at Duke's. It an great place to eat. I tried the opa, something that I hadn't tried before.


Friday--Then off to Pearl Harbor. We have been there 6 or 7 times but each time the experience gives us goose bumps. I can't help but think what those mothers went through losing their sons in a war. It is very educational. It rained a little bit, but other than that is was great. Tricia, Alia and Jada were able to come with us. It was great to see them. Then we took a circle island tour. It was awesome and our bus driver was a local so he helped make the experience great. It rained the entire trip, which was perfect timing for the trip since we were on the bus. We went to the Buddha Temple, L and L for lunch (Travis's favorite) then off to Pali Look Out. We drove up to the macadamia nut farm but it was closed. Typical Hawaiian time. The bus caught on fire and we had to switch buses. It was fun though just being together in a place that we love. If we ever get the chance to move back we would in a second. We met Jason and Tricia at Shorebird for dinner and then we went to a movie. It was fun to go on a date with just the adult's. We haven't done that with Jason and Tricia since we lived in Hawaii.


Saturday-- We got up and went to the swap meet at the Aloha Stadium. It was fun. We drank milk water out of the coconut and ate pineapple that had lui hing mui sweetener on it. It was great weather. Then after the swap meet we met Jason and drove to Mililani to spend a night with the Loder's. We ate Jack in the Box and just hung out talking.


Sunday--We stayed at Tricia's house and the next day Travis and I went around the North Shore of the Island. We had fun eating Matsumoto's and driving down into La'ie. We both were chatting away recalling fond memories. We drove to where we met, lived when we were both single and married, where Travis asked me to marry him, Sunset Beach, La'ie point. We went to Food Land with our Makai card and bought a spam mushabi, Maui Onion chips and a Hawaiian Sun drink. All of these simple things were so awesome to relive. We saw the campus and the beautiful temple. Living there was living in paradise and we both were so thankful to have had such an amazing opportunity. You can
hear the drums on campus from the Polynesian Cultural Center as we reminisced we listened to the drums and saw familiar faces walking around BYUH. Then we drove back up North Shore to Halewia to meet Jason and Tricia for lunch at Cholo's and to go paddle boarding. That was a cool new thing that we had never tried. It was a lot of fun. Hanging out just the couples was also awesome. We don't get to do that very often it was great. Jason and Tricia we are so jealous of your situation.



Monday--We met the girls back in Honolulu to get on the bus and head up to the Dole Plantation and to show them the North Shore. They enjoyed it we took them to all of the different places: Dole, Halewia, Matsumoto's, Pipe Line to watch the surfers, La'ie Point, and the we went to the PCC to end our night visiting the different villages and eating at the yummy luau and then to the night show. It was nice weather and Tricia and the girls were able to come with us. We were able to see our best friend Carol and talk story about the old days. Driving right along the beach passing Kaneohe, then driving into town completed the circle of the island for us.







Tuesday--Our Last Day. We are not
ready to go back to the cold, but we are ready to see our little boys. We got up and hiked the dormant volcano, Diamond Head. The view from the top was beautiful. It took us an hour and then we headed back to Waikiki to soak up some sun. We laid on the beach listening to the waves and enjoying the hot sun.