Hawaii Vacation!

DJ and I enjoyed an amazing week long vacation with his parents in Hawaii on the Island of Oahu last week. I seriously amazed myself at how well I did w/out the kids. Don't get me wrong, I missed them like crazy but I didn't worry and fret about them the whole time but enjoyed absolutely everything we did, well, everything except the driving around Honolulu part of it. DJ was the driver and I was the navigator with the help of the GPS lady (which by the way WAS wrong a time or two. DJ teased the whole time about having to listen to two women giving him directions. (poor guy) We started the exciting trip with the Tsunami scare in Hawaii due to the Earthquake in Chili. Thankfully we were not on the plane to Hawaii yet when we heard the news, and I was actually grateful for the 3 hour layover in Portland where we sat watching the news awaiting the outcome. An hour before we were to board the plane, they announced that the Tsunami never hit and that it would be safe to land. In the back of my mind I was recalling all the times the weather men have been wrong (no offense weather men) but you know how it is?? We left Portland at 5:15 and arrived in Honolulu at 10:30 p.m, picked up our rental car, and made it to our Condo a little before midnight. Needless to say, were were all exhausted and ready to hit the sack! The next morning we got up and went to church and were greeted with "Aloha's" in every meeting. People were so warm and friendly and we enjoyed each meeting in the neatest setting. The chapel was really beautiful but then you went outside to the prettiest garden area where you entered each classroom. Am I allowed to say that I totally enjoyed sitting beside my husband not wrestling little monkeys and just enjoying every meeting to its fullest? It really is a rarety in this stage of my life so I particularly enjoyed that day! That afternoon we ate, rested, walked along the beach, and just relaxed!

Day #2- We visited the Honolulu Zoo, had an upclose encounter with a Hippo, not the cutest animal but fun to see that close up! We probably could've done w/out the zoo but it's always fun to check out the new surroundings, plus the flower's and trees were gorgeous! I always used to make fun of my parents when they would marvel at the mountains, trees, flower's, etc. and use words such as "majestic, grandeur, gorgeous, amazing," but I found myself having many of the same thoughts as we visited the many places on the island. Sorry for making fun of you, mom and dad!! That afternoon we went for a Submarine ride and went 101 feet down to the bottom of the ocean! I thought I would be freaked out but it was so much fun and we saw so many different kinds and colors of fish as well as two sea turtles hanging out on a sunken ship. Our tour guide was the funniest and kept us laughing the whole 45 minutes. I loved the ride out to the Submarine on the Ferry boat but got just a tad sea sick, nothing serious, but it makes me wonder how I would do on a cruise. Anyway, the ocean was the most beautiful blue color and it was fun to view the island from that standpoint.

Ignore my goofy face in this picture but look in the background at the hotel with the rainbow on it. The rainbow is formed with thousands of colorful tiles all down the side of the hotel!

More on our amazing trip to come..........