Sunday, February 1, 2015

maui day 1: Saturday

I'm in paradise! Im sitting on the balcony of our hotel watching the ocean waves while jon is relaxing for a minute. Our hotel upgraded our room to an ocean view for our big 10yr. anniversary. The hotel is on 22 acres of hawaiin gardens, and right against the ocean. its unbelievable!

day 1:
left home at 4am, arrived in hawaii just before noon hawaiin time. Here we are flying over San Francisco at sunrise. It was beautiful.



 And here is Hawaii welcoming us with all it's glory. Flying over Hawaii is a site to see. Beautiful vistas.





 Jon captured this picture below from his window seat. See our plane's shadow below?!



The airport took a long time, baggage and renting a car took nearly 2.5 hours. We were starving. We ate Mcdonalds breakfast in the SLC airport at about 5am but that was it until about 5pm Utah time. The San Francisco flight was very quick we didn't even think to grab a bite to eat and then the hawaii flight only offers drinks. Luckily we packed a couple nutrigrain bars. We were excited to eat once in hawaii but after waiting so long in lines, Costco's food court just around the corner was a welcoming site! Then it was off to Walmart (thanks crystal for those suggestions) to pick up some simple breakfast and picnic lunch food. A local told us to buy souvenirs for the kids at walmart too, so we did. Smart!! We picked up our snorkel rentals from Boss Frogs and made it to our hotel. It's amazing here.

This tiny Gecko was waiting in our bathroom for us. He was a fast little guy but we managed to catch him and put him outside. Had to take a picture for the kids! They'd have loved to catch him with us.


 Views from our hotel room. We walk right out the door and here's the hammock overlooking the ocean.







day 1: Right next to our balcony is the big luau at night with fire dancers and hula girls. We watched it last night just after playing in the ocean together. Playing in the waves with your husband=the best time ever btw! We walk out our door and there is a big hammock tied to coconut trees, overlooking the ocean 10 ft away with hibiscus growing all around and birds chirping in the air. This is what dreams are made of. The sights, the scent of the ocean in the air, and lush hawaiin gardens all around, the sound of the waves crashing against the black rock, all while laying next to my sweetheart in a hammock!! "The Bachelor" ain't got nothin' on us. Love is in the air here Folks.

Dinner-A friend recommended coconuts fish cafe to eat. we ordered fish tacos, seafood chowder and onion rings. It was all to die for and Jons already dreaming of going back. It was very moderately priced From $7-17 which is low for hawaiI.

Afterward we cuddled at the infinity pool overlooking the ocean. They have these lawn chairs that are all along the ocean. They are the lay down kind, with cushions and these big cabana coveRs over top. Tiki torches are the main light source at night and we were the only ones in the pool or hot tub. Pretty much everyone needs to save their money and get to maui. Romance is in the air Over here ya'll.

maui day 2: sunday


*walk/jog along wailea coast
*spot our first whales
*snorkle at Wailea in 2 spots
*snorkle makena landing and makena big Beach
*Swam in the middle of 2 large sea turtles and saw lots of fish!
*superbowl at the hotel restaurant,fish tacos and our favorite drink, maui mango soda
*sat in the hammock

We woke up early this morning and went for a morning jog/walk on the walking trail along wailea coast. the view as we walk out of our room is stunning. waves crashing against the ocean
We got up at the sunrise this morning and were out by 645 to walk/run the parkway. the sun rose and we walked past wailea beach, and others a few miles east past the Marriott. It was stunning views. We saw lots of whales spouting.

We climbed rocks and stopped a lot along the way to walk the beaches and take in all the Vistas. 

We went back to the room and got our swim suits on. The water was choppy so we were just going to swim in the ocean but grabbed snorkel gear at the last minute. We are so glad we did. We snorkled a couple spots off wailea beach and saw fish. It was so excitinG. By 9am we had already had the best 1st full day in hawaii! 

We got in the car and decided to drive and find other beaches. We went to mKenna landing. We hid our car keys in the black rock and got in. Once in the water we swam to the right and we stayed fairly close to the shoreline. we saw lots of beautiful fish and then jon spotted something quite large and dark. He pointed it out to me and I was a tad bit startled but then quickly realized it was a giant sea turtle. I swam down to be with it. It was fairly close to the water surface so I didn't have to swim really far down to be next to it. It was amazing. My first thought was to ask him how old he was, because I promised my oldest I would. He responded 150 dude. He was beautifuL. WatchING the ocean flow and current sway him back and forward, and then to feel that same motion myself was surreal. I felt one with the ocean. You can't help but feel so insignificant and yet so alive in the ocean. 

Sunday, August 31, 2014

The Wonders of Catching Snails.

You and your exploring, I tell ya. It slays me. I can't get enough watching you make discoveries, the excitement, the playing in nature, to me it's the perfect part of childhood and I never want you to get too old for it. You are a girlie-girl at heart but you are a total tom-boy just like your sister too. Bugs, grasshoppers, SNAILS, you love catching them all. You look all over for those little wonders and are pretty darn excited when you catch one. I loved watching you explore tonight and play baseball with daddy at Grandma and Pop's house. You spent the night with your brothers and sister and then we came for dinner on Sunday to get you guys. You had played all day in the back yard. Grandma said you spent most of the day up in trees, preparing a "wedding" for Grandma's dogs with your sister, and on the tree swing. What a joy it is for us as your parents and grandparents to watch your childhood unfold. And what a beautiful childhood it is!