At the end of April, we were able to take a trip to Oahu! This came about for a couple of reasons and it wasn't anticipated, so it was kinda of like a really fun bonus! We had a place that we needed to use up on the North Shore, so we went there for about a week and then went down to Honolulu for a few days before heading home.
Day #1: April 28- Travel
Our first day, the flight was good and when we landed and got our car situated and everything it started POURING. Like so much rain. We went and got some food from L&L BBQ and then went to Costco to stock up on some food. We also ran to WalMart and got a few things, including a little booster seat for Amelia because it was cheaper to buy our own than rent one from the car rental place (and they were all gone anyway). Then as we were driving to Hau'ula, we realized we didn't have check in information for the place we were staying. We bought it at a charity auction, so it wasn't through AirBnb or anything and that made it pretty much impossible to contact anyone on such short notice. By this time it was around 10 PM in Utah and the only way we could get ahold of the guy was through email. Rusty and I just kept driving and talked about some back up options which would have all been fine but I was tired and didn't want to have to pack up again the next day. We prayed a bunch (pretty much the whole way down there) that it would work out even though it was our fault for not getting this information earlier, and when we got there Rusty went and checked the door and it was unlocked and everything was all ready for us! SUCH A TENDER MERCY.
Day #2: April 29
Today was our first day in Hawaii! We woke up so early because of the time change that the girls and I went down to the beach because you can just walk to it from the house. It was pitch black, and I had a bit of an accident. I was climbing down some rocks and turned around to get Lia and then a rock fell down and got my leg pretty good. It was a tender mercy though because I had a very distinct impression to move my foot and if I hadn't then it would have landed right on top of my foot and crushed it pretty bad. Rusty called and then he and Henry met us down at the beach. We found some cool things, including a really strange looking slug thing called a Sea Hare Slug.
Sea Hare Slug
Sunrise
Cool inlet
Crab
View from our porch
We got ready and went to Turtle Bay to go snorkeling. It is a beautiful beach and the snorkeling was pretty good too! It was fun because the kids are old enough now we can go out and snorkel together!
For dinner we went to Seven Brothers! It was delicious!
Day #3: April 30- Waimea Falls and Waimea Bay.
This morning, Rusty stayed home with the kids so I could go to the temple and do a session. After the temple we all went back to the beach we can walk to and hung out there for a little while. It was so fun to go to a session there, that temple is really beautiful and our room was so small. It was an older room and it was really lovely.
After the beach we went to Waimea Falls. We hiked to the falls through the park and we were able to go through some really cool station things along the way, learning about the history and culture of the people there. When we got to the falls we got in and went swimming!
My tired baby girl
We went to dinner at a fancy place called Halweia Joe's and the food was delicious but the views were just as great!
After dinner we went to Waimea Bay to go swimming while we swam during the sun set. The waves were pretty strong and we were having the best time floating back and forth in the waves and snorkeling a little bit. There wasn't much to see, but it was so fun to play in the waves!
Day #4: May 1- PCC and Luau
Anytime we would tell somebody that we were going to Oahu they always asked if we were doing the PCC. Honestly, I don't think I would have chosen to do it because I'd rather spend more time at the beach than at something like that, but everyone recommended it so highly that we did it. And Rusty had wanted to do it for a long time. Oh my word this place was INCREDIBLE. Who knew? Well, actually a lot of people knew it was just me that didn't know. It was such a special experience. The day before Rusty and I decided to upgrade our tickets to the Ambassador package, and it was totally worth it. We had a private tour guide with us throughout the whole thing and it was just spectacular. To start, they did a really awesome show on floats on a river while singing and dancing!
After the show, we started going around to different areas where each one was for different countries to visit. Some real highlights were watching them climb a coconut tree, riding on a boat around the river, and participating in some dances and games!
Boat called Iosepa, that was made just like the boats that voyagers used a long time ago. It is just like Moana's boat. They made it all ready and then actually took it out for a trip! So cool.
After a wonderful day we ended it with a luau and then a trip to walk around temple grounds before watching a play. The luau was fun! We have done luaus before, but people said that this one was worth checking out. It was a good one and they did some really awesome shows with it too! They even invited the kids to go up and dance. The girls loved it, but Henry... not so much. For me the highlight was the coconut drink. SO GOOD. Then, to kill time after the luau before the play the PCC offered a few options. We chose the one that would take us through BYU Hawaii and then give us a little time to walk around temple grounds. Because we had already done the visitors center, it was just fun to go back and hang out for a little until it was time to go back for the play. Those temple grounds are stunning! To end, we went back to the play. I honestly didn't really know what to expect but this was incredible. It was so cool how they wove the cultures of different locations together into one story.
HENRY WAS SO STOKED HAHAHAHAH
The play!
Day #5: May 2- Kailua Beach!
Today we went and tried out Kailua Beach! We debated for a while going to Shark's Cove, but we decided to head down to Kailua and save Shark's Cove for tomorrow when we go to Laniakea Beach too. We threw the body boards in the car and headed down South about an hour. This beach is one of the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. The waves were a little strong, but the lifeguard said that it was safe to go out but we were right out with the kids. It was such a blast to be out body boarding and boogie boarding. We had the best time!
Chinaman's Hat
I tried to get some pictures of Henry, but he was off so quickly and never came back in haha!
Day #6: May 3- Laniakea Beach and Sharks Cove
Gratitude and caution were kind of the name of the game today. To start, we headed straight to Laniakea Beach to see the turtles. We got there around 11:30, which was supposed to be a good time to see the turtles. Truthfully, we weren't planning on spending a lot of time here because we mostly wanted to spend our time at Shark's Cove, but when we parked and got over there we saw a huge group of people just staring at the ocean. I asked someone if they saw a turtle and she said they were watching one, so we watched for a little. We saw the head a few times and the shell once, but we've been much closer to turtles in the past and it just seemed like our time would be better spent elsewhere. So we got back in the car after only a few minutes and drove to Shark's Cove.
We got to Shark's Cove and had a beast of a time finding parking. Eventually we did and then got down there and set up for snorkeling. We had heard so many good things about snorkeling here, but I think we must have gone at high tide when it's only safe to go at low tide. Or vice versa? I don't know but as silly as it sounds we had a close call. The girls and I were went out to go snorkeling and the waves came in pretty strong. They kept throwing us back towards shore, which normally would be fine but there were lots of big rocks that were right in the way. We kept getting thrown onto those rocks harder and harder, and then we also couldn't get above the water enough to get air. It was really scary for me and the girls, and I just kept panicking thinking about how I was going to get the girls out of there. Eventually we got out and then we calmed down for a minute and then snorkeled in the really safe pond like area haha. BUT the snorkeling was actually amazing! We were really grateful to be safe and to end the day seeing some really great fish!
Day #7: May 4- Church
The ward here in Hau'ula starts at 8! Sheesh. But, we're still struggling a bit with the time change so we're usually up by 6:30 anyway. We got up and went to church and then went walking on the beach. We weren't going to go swimming because it's Sunday, and the kids knew that. Henry has always had this draw to the ocean and it has been impossible for it to stay away. It proved true today too. As we walked he got closer and closer to the water, and then started walking in just a very shallow spot, and then deeper. Eventually he was just all of the way in haha. The girls wanted to do it too so we let them go in the water with their clothes too, and they were all having so much fun I ran in after them. That is such a great memory for me.
Day #8: May 5- Diamond Head, Waikiki Beach
Bailey got put in a sweater and she HATED it. THE SHAME IN HER EYES
I did this puzzle and there was a piece missing! RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. I HATE that.
Waikiki!
We had some time to kill before we could check in, and it was really hot after the hike, so we went into Waikiki and went to the aquarium! It was really cool to see some white tip reef sharks there, and some giant groupers! They were doing some reconstruction so some exhibits were closed, and it is a pretty small aquarium to begin with, so it didn't take us that much time to see everything and then move on to go get some food. We ate at Duke's Waikiki, and OH MY WORD IT WAS SO DELICIOUS. I got the fish tacos and I could have died, but everything that we got was so good.
After our lunch, we got to check into our hotel! This place was directly across the street from Waikiki Beach and even though it cost a little bit more, it was definitely worth it for the location. I've never been right across the street from a warm beach where you're actually swimming, and it is amazing. The whole commute with wet and sandy and tired kids doesn't exist and it was so great. We also got to go and walk on the beach a lot, and once we even left the kids in the apartment and Rusty and I went for a morning walk together. Our first night we of course went down to go swimming, and these nice people were leaving so they gave us their inner tubes. The kids loved it so much! In a very perfect way, we stayed down as the sun set and then came home.
May 6: Surfing at Waikiki Beach finish
Today, we walked over and rented some surf boards and just spent the day surfing at Waikiki! Rusty and Henry were stoked about the surfing, and I thought it was going to be fun, but when I got out there I could see these sea turtles around me and it was so much cooler than I thought! In fact, I made Rusty mad a few times because he would give my board a push so I could stand up easier and I'd get distracted if I saw a turtle and miss the wave and not stand up. Oopsies. But SEA TURTLES. It was a glorious day and we all had the absolute best time.
May 7: Hanauma Bay!!
Today was a very exciting day! We finally got to go to Hanauma Bay! I have wanted to go to there for a long time and the snorkeling really was amazing! Della wanted to bring her little giraffe with her and take him on a field trip to show him Hawaii. We saw SO MANY AMAZING THINGS!!! I loved every second of it. And the kids were loving it so much that we had a hard time to get them out of the water. It was a wonderful day. I feel like I keep saying wonderful, incredible, or amazing but HONESTLY I JUST LOVE HAWAII AND IT ALL IS REALLY AMAZING. This was a great day and a great place!
Rusty surprised us with a show to the Cirque de Solei in Oahu!! And we got front row seats which was extra special and exciting. We've never seen one of their shows and oh my gosh it was shocking and unbelievable and SO good! The kids all loved it too, especially Della. This show was a big hit for us!
May 8: Pearl Harbor finish
Today was our last day in Hawaii, and every time we have to go home part of me wonders why we don't live here and just stay here forever. Rusty and I went across the street to Waikiki and went for a walk without the kids and just sat and talked for a while, which was really nice. Then we went back to the hotel and got everything packed and ready to fly home. Our last day was planned to go see Pearl Harbor.
We learned about Pearl Harbor a little bit before we came here, but it was pretty surface level. It was really such a surreal experience to be here and see this in person. It was also very somber. The memorial was striking and even though our kids are little, they could tell that it was something important. I'm glad we did that first, because the rest of the things to see were a lot more upbeat and I think it would have been hard to come back down to being calm for the kids for this memorial. I'm so grateful for the people that were doing their duty and protecting our country and were lost in this horrible event.
After we were done, like I said, things became a lot more upbeat. To make sure we had time for everything (who knew there were so many things to see at Pearl Harbor?!) we first headed out to the USS Missouri. Now, this for me, was an absolute bombshell. Probably not an appropriate pun, but here we are. I had NO idea how amazing the USS Missouri was. It was my favorite part of the day, excluding the somber beauty of the memorial, and I learned so much. I won't put all the facts on this, but it is truly amazing. The two things that I still think about months later (I'm writing this in February) are: 1. This deck is where the treaty was signed that ended WWII. I stood there in the spot, saw the picture of it happening while I was standing in the spot, and it was such an important place for such a needed event. So cool. 2. I heard the coolest story about a kamikaze pilot. This Japanese pilot flew into the ship, causing an explosion and a fire, and throwing his dead body up on the deck. In what I think was the most honorable move, the captain said that they were going to provide this man with a proper burial. The members of the crew were, understandably, upset and did not want to do that. But the captain said that now that he is dead, he is no longer your enemy. The crew all came together and made a makeshift Japanese flag, and gave him a full and honorable military burial at sea. In later years, the pilot's family came to the USS Missouri and thanked the US for their honor and respect and humanity.
We got some hot dogs, looked at the museum, and then went through the submarine. I think the submarine was the highlight for my kids! They thought it was so cool to get to go inside one.
May 10 came around again. This is the harder day for me in between this and Beckie's birthday; there just seems to be nothing to celebrate or remember this day. But we went to the temple today for Beckie's day and our anniversary. It is such a sweet reminder to do sealings when I'm thinking about missing Beck. We invited my parents and Emilie and Dave to go, but nobody else could come so it was just me and Rusty. It was nice! Later we went and did a quick ride up to Snake Creek.
We brought the side by side back home from the cabin because it needed some work. This is the first time that we've had the side by side here and it was so cool to be able to use it to explore! We went up Snake Creek a couple of times, usually going to our one favorite lookout and just hanging out for a little bit.
Della's lacrosse ended! I think she enjoyed it, but I don't think she loves it and I'm not sure if she'll choose to do it again. But it was fun to watch her while she was doing it! And it was sure fun to watch her progress and gain more confidence. She made so many friends on her team; she seems to make friends everywhere she goes! As tradition, we did the parent vs player game and it was a blast!
We went up Snake Creek again, this time with me and Henry on dirt bikes and Rusty and the girls driving in the side by side. We went to our favorite lookout place again and let the kids be free. They were complaining about how there weren't any trails for them to walk on, so I told them to make their own. That made them whine even more, which made me and Rusty annoyed because they are pansies so we told them they had to go touch a tree before they could get back in the side by side. It was QUITE the ordeal. Amelia said it was the hardest day of her life.
On our anniversary we did something new this year! We just took off in the middle of the day and went mountain biking! It was so much fun and so low key and it made us so happy. What a great day! Happy 14 years!
Della has been doing her gymnastics and loving it! It was time for her performance, the show case, and she did so great! She also had a pretty good crowd there to watch her. We're so proud of her.
One thing that I feel sad my kids are missing from doing homeschool is the tradition end of year field day. Man I loved those days. They were the best! Well we joined a new group called My Hen and they set up one and it was so fun!
Amelia and I made cookies! She's the best little sous chef in the world!
We went to the zoo with the Cowleys! It was so fun to go and see these animals for the last time here, because the next time we'll see them we will be in Tanzania! It had been a long time since we've been to the zoo, and it is always a fun thing!
We went to Wicked and I just will never get tired of seeing this play. It is soul stirring every time.
The sheepdog festival. This is a new one for us. Apparently it is a world class competition held at Soldier Hollow every year, and I thought it would be really cool to go and watch it. We even showed the kids Babe while we were at the cabin to get them ready haha. The truth is watching them do their thing and get the sheep to go where they wanted them to go was fascinating and really just incredible. The rest of the festival was unnecessary and expensive. I will say that something that I had never seen before, nor thought I would ever see, is was dogs herding ducks. It was just as chaotic as it sounds and it was hilarious. At the end the Cowleys showed us Yeti Bowls. LIFE CHANGING.
Cabin fun. Some of my favorite times at the cabin are when we don't actually go do things or have things planned, we just hang out and find things to do. We all rode dirt bikes and the girls did some performances for me on the deck.
We looked at some land in Huntsville with a house, and we were considering it pretty seriously. I was nervous about a few things like it being in a gated community, having so much snow and we were up on a hill, and the amount of land that came with it. It would be a lot to keep up on. But it was in an HOA that technically had outlawed dirt bikes. It hadn't been a problem for this family, but it was technically against the rules. That was too much for us to look past and we gave it up.
We did the wax museum again this year! Henry picked George Washington, Della chose Sally Ride, and Amelia chose Queen Elizabeth II. They practiced so hard for these presentations; I am so proud of them! They all had their entire presentation memorized, and they actually knew what they were saying! They learned so much about these people, and so did I. It was also so fun to hear everyone else's presentations!-Della was really brave and volunteered to go first and get it over with. She did a great job, but they were emptying out port a potties over by the pavilion and it smelled so bad. After her presentation we moved over to a different area haha. The fact that she could keep her concentration with that going on is pretty incredible haha!
We went to dinner at the Mammadov's house for the first time as a whole family. They made delicious lamb and some Azeri side dishes which was really fun- and very delicious! Then we had tea at the end of the meal just like they always do, but they brought out this really old Turkish tea set. This thing was beautiful! It was a great night with great friends!
We did a girl day and boys at the track day! Henry and Rusty went to the track and raced and the girls and I got dressed up, went to breakfast at Cafe Galleria and then headed over to the Dainty Pear to look around. Then we got our nails and toenails done!
Henry's Highlights:
- "I’m creative a lot. I’m mister creative!" - when told he couldn't watch TV because I wanted him to be creative
- "I want another Nutella burrito" - couldn't remember the word "crepe"
- We were talking about Rusty going to Hawaii more than me. Henry said, "How dare he go to Hawaii withouT you?!
- Me: "He didn't even know me yet, we weren't married."
- Henry: "Once is a crime, two is a catastrophe!"
- "Smells like hell"
- Henry saw some creepy snails and came running in yelling "MOMMY DADDY! MOMMY! DADDY! MOMMY DADDY!"
- On trip to Hawaii: "Luggage is not my favorite companion."
- "Cars don't have nipples!"
- Della while practicing her wax museum speech of Sally Ride: I was picken for…
- "This is the hardest time of my life." "I’m not a brave person." - when I made her climb up a hill on a hike and touch a tree.
- "Dad's having so many of those candies!"
- "I'm at your butt sniffing your butt."
- Me: Why?
- "That's how dogs say hello."
- Me: "Are you a dog?"
- "No."
- Me: "Then why are you doing that?"
- "Because your butt is very stinky. You have a lot of farts and toots and poops."
Extra Pictures:
I got to stay in bed one morning while Rusty took the kids! So happy!
Just eating some celery and peanut butter from the jar when some people from our ward walked by. Rusty made fun of me mercilessly for being so white trash haha
Trying to sleep with Amelia
Hike to the top of our hill by our house
Jessica had emergency surgery!
Girls trying on Larissa's shoes
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