Hawaii

Let me just start out by sharing that this was one of the best if not the best vacation ever. It wasn't necessarily because we did extraordinary things but because for 8 days I didn't have to think, worry, or really do anything. It was so relaxing and wonderful to spend a week with Kameron and my family without the kids. Yup, you heard right, Braden and Carter were not invited. Instead they got to spend the week with Grammy Bo and to them that was a Vacation in and of itself. 

We dropped the boys off Tuesday evening (the 17th) at the High School where my mom works. She was taking tickets at the ball game and they boys were excited to not just watch the game but to help out. The boys had so much fun taking and changing money and stamping the kids hands as they entered the gym. They were having so much fun that they didn't even really say goodbye to us. I was sad, but in the end was happy knowing that they were going to have a great time without us.

Day 1

Early Wednesday Morning (the 18th) we left for Hawaii. We arrived in Honolulu around noon and after getting the rental cars headed towards the North Shore where my dad had rented a house for the week. We couldn't have asked for a better place to stay. We were close but just far enough away from town, Hale'iwa, and near some incredible beaches and our back yard was the ocean...WOW!

 

Looking out from the back of the house.

The house from the back.

Some of us playing on the beach behind our house. 

Dane, Me, Abi, Heidi, Mish & Parker

After we unloaded our stuff and looked around, a few of us went grocery shopping and the rest went to Hukilau beach to surf, boogie board and snorkel.

Ryan was rarely seen without his surf board

I would promise you that they were not skinny dipping, but I wasn't there.

Abi

Ryan and Dane

Day 2

Thursday we went to Waikiki. We went shopping at Ala Moana, ate lunch at "the Yard House", then rented a couple long boards and headed to Queen's beach where Ryan taught everyone how to surf. I did not get to learn as I forgot to pack my swimsuit that day but most everyone else did.

Mish, Abi, my Dad, Me, Kam, Peter & Heather

Hawaii didn't look too good on me.

We finished the night with dinner at PF Chang's and a surprise cake to celebrate my Birthday. I was not expecting it at all.

Day 3

On Friday we went to the Hale'iwa harbor to "swim with the sharks". The boat took us out about 3 miles to a place where they had secured a cage in which we would get into to see the sharks. On the way we saw whales playing near the surface.

Abi, Kris, Heidi, Megan and Ashley

Dane, Kam, Zane and Ryan

When we got to the cage we split into two groups. Kam and I were in the second group. The waves were really big and the boat was rocking all over the place. I was even surprised at how much movement there was once in the water in the cage.

View of the Sharks from the Boat.

The first Group in the Shark Cage

View of the Sharks Under the Water. 

Because of the rocky waters some of us got sick. I felt very nauseous near the end of my time in the water and was very ready to make it back to land. Luckily I didn't lose my lunch like a nameless two in our group.

After our shark adventure we had lunch and headed to one of our favorite spots, Waimea Bay! We spent so much time here  because the waves were really big and super fun to boogie board and body surf on. We were nearly killed by the force of the waves but we were having so much fun it didn't really matter.

The next 5 pictures I captured on burst mode to try and get a moving picture of the 

force of these waves. If you notice, in the first picture, Kam is on the bottom right and 

the second one in from the right is my brother, Dane. By the last picture you can see 

that Dane ended up on top of Kam as the wave began pulling back towards the ocean.

Kam, Kris, Megan, Me and my Dad watching the action.
The waves were big enough that they usually reached or came up past us.

This is a video just as the wave crashed. My sister, Ashley is the one holding the boogie boards and the person washed up next to her is my dad. If you are having trouble seeing the video click here.

Day 4

Saturday we drove down to Kawela Bay, near Turtle Bay, and went swinging from the trees.

Then we continued on to Kailua to Manawili's, which is an hour hike up to a waterfall. The views up near the top were amazing. It was so pretty and lush.

Heather, Abi, Ashely, Me and Peter

Two of my brothers jumped from up high down in to the tiny pool of water. The first video is of Peter and the second is of Zane. When Zane jumped we didn't realize that the countdown was for the girl on the other side of the pool and they ended up jumping at the same time. Luckily they didn't hit. If you're having trouble viewing the video's click here for Peter's jump and here for Zane.

Day 5

Sunday we started the day early by driving into Honolulu to Peal Harbor.  We first did a tour of the submarine and then took a boat out to the USS Arizona.

My dad, Heidi, Abi and Ryan

Dane and Me

After the tour and some lunch we we drove east to Hanauma Bay for some snorkeling. I only saw a few fish but was very excited to see a few sea turtles swimming around. My sister, Megan and her hubby Kris said they saw a blow-fish!

Me and my Dad

Heather, Peter, Me, Abi and my Dad

Mish and Parker under the Water

Day 6

Monday we decided not to have any set plans. We did do some shopping, played pickle ball, went back to Waimea Bay and ate lots and lots of Matsumoto's shave ice and MELONA bars.

While at the store getting the Melona Bars I found these SPAM flavored macadamia nuts. Yuck!

 We also saw several sea turtles on the beach right behind the house.

Day 7

Tuesday we had family pictures taken. It was the funnest photo shoot I've ever been a part of. Mark, our photographer, was amazing and I am so excited to see all of the pictures he took.

Mish, Parker, Kris, Megan, Kam, Me, Dane, Abi, my Dad, Heidi, Zane, Ashley, Ryan, Peter & Heather

Just after taking this picture Hedi stepped in poop! We're not sure if it was dog or other as 

there was a homeless man sleeping just to the left of where we took this on the beach.

At first we were apprehensive about getting in the water with our clothes on...

...but taking the plunge was well worth the end result.

Abi

Since we were wet and it was our last day in Hawaii we did what we loved best: body Surfing at Waimea Bay and ate more Shave Ice at Matsumoto's.

Day 8

Was a sad, sad day. None of us were ready to say goodbye to out little paradise, but alas, we had too. On our way to the airport we did stop for a few minutes at the Dole Pineapple Plantation and got pineapple ice cream. 

Goodbye Hawaii, I will miss you!

Thank you so much Dad and Heidi for this wonderful vacation. You completely spoiled us, but I am so thankful you did 'cause I know Kam and I really needed this time together with each of you and our family. We really do have the BEST family in the whole wide world. Love you!