Hawaii: Laie Temple

Today was our last full day in paradise and we wanted to see some sights and spend some time at the temple while we were here! We decided to rent a car and spend the day checking out the North Shore. We had taken the drive on Tuesday when we went to the Polynesian Cultural Center, but wanted to go again just to see the breathtaking mountain ranges. So we left pretty early in the morning and took our time going to the temple just so we could stop along the way and take pictures.

 

 

We also made a stop to get pictures of Chinamans Hat. It was one of Mike's favorite things and he wanted to paddleboard out to it one day.

 

 

The rest of the drive we enjoyed watching the waves crash along the shoreline and gazing upon the green mountain ranges. They actually filmed Lost in one of these mountain valleys, and since it's Mikes favorite TV series we stopped to grab some pictures of that too.

 

 

 

I think next to our very own Rocky Mountains, this is one of our new favorite mountain ranges. They were seriously so pretty! After a quick breakfast we made it to the temple nice and early. I was glad to be able to attend a session there with my sweetheart. What a beautiful place!

 

 

 

We enjoyed a walk around the grounds after and then headed back to our awesome little rental car for our next adventure. We drove along the North shore scoping out beaches and spent the afternoon in the ocean at Waimea Bay.

 

 

Later in the afternoon we rented a stand up paddle board and ventured up a river which lets out into the ocean. The guy at the little shop we rented from told us that if we went up the river we would probably see some turtles. We decided to rent one board because it would be cheaper and more fun to double. I layed on the board and Mr. Stannix stood above me with his feet on either side and off we went. I think the guy was doubtful that we would be able to make it without falling off, but we're awesome like that. Half way up the river Mike spotted a turtle. I couldn't see it right away because of my angle to the water. It was the HUGEST turtle I have ever seen! When it swam beside us under the water it was the size of half our board and definitely the width if not more. We followed it around the river for quite some time. It's no wonder they like it there, the river is warm and more shallow. I couldn't see the bottom however and was a bit scared to fall off. Thankfully we rock at paddle boarding and didn't fall off once. I grabbed some pictures on our waterproof camera but will have to get it developed before I post any here. Our rental came with a free snowcone (or shaved ice) from the shop next door. It was super yummy! We enjoyed it on the sea wall overlooking the sailboats. Just as the sun started going down we rinsed off and changed for dinner. We caught the sunset on a quiet beach near the bay. It was beautiful! I love watching the sun sink into the ocean at days end, especially with my sweetheart!

 

 

 

 

When the sun had finished sinking into the ocean we made our way to Mililani for a late dinner with Elder Manoa. We ate at Zippy's and got a taste of some local food. I guess it's where all of the locals eat and one of the first places Elder Manoa went when he got off his mission. They are all over Hawaii and the place was busy. We ate and visited until it got super late. I again enjoyed some more mission stories. We said goodbye at the door, and visited some more outside. We then said goodbye and visited at the corner before heading to our cars and going our separate ways. It was a good way to spend our last evening on the Island. I'm pretty sure Mike wants a Honda Fit now to zip around the city. We fly home tomorrow night and I can't wait to hold, hug and smooch our kiddos!

Hawaii: Sailing

This morning we got to Skype the children. I love technology and adore hearing those little voices of there's! We miss them so so much. Today we took the bus to the Aloha Stadium to walk through the flea market and pick up some souveniers for a few dollars less than what they sell for here on the strip of Waikiki. We skipped breakfast to make good time, ended up missing our viewing at the Arizona monument, and decided five days of vacationing is sufficient. Afterwards I was so hungry that I was practically crying as we wondered around for our bus home. Me and being hungry don't do well together. Thankfully I have a patient husband! The market was fun though! I love looking around and checking out little places like that. Ever since going to Costa Rica in grade twelve I have been addicted to traveling and shopping for nick-nacks.  

 

We got back to our hotel just in time to take a dip in the pool and grab a slice of pizza. Mr. Stannix knew better than to ask what kind I wanted and just made that difficult decision for me! Then we headed out to meet up for a sailboat ride. The boat was a little bigger than I was imagining, but it turned out to be super fun!

 

Just after we got out into the deep blue ocean we got to see a few dolphins playing around in the surf. The views were spectacular! This is Diamond Head crater, which we are planning to hike while we are here.

 

I do adore that Mr. Stannix of mine! It's been a fun vacation so far.

 

Mr. Stannix looked pretty handsome in his white shirt! I liked admiring him from my seat on the boat as we pulled into shore.

 

We couldn't have asked for better sailing weather. I love boat rides and the wind rushing through my hair. I love the smell of the ocean air and the light the sun casts around us at dusk.

After sailing we decided to cool off with a dip in the pool. We had a lot of fun together and washed away the worries from earlier that day. Just as we got out, Mike suggested a shower. I was about to tease him about walking passed the shower when his big strong arm shoved me back into the pool. So funny! It was so out of character and surprising, made me smile. Then we cleaned up and went out for dinner. We like to order two different things and share half of it with each other. I love being married to my best friend.  

Hawaii: Polynesian Cultural Center

Today was probably one of my most favorite so far! Last night we stumbled across a booth in the mall for the Polynesian Cultural Center. We had booked tickets a few weeks ago, but decided to add on transportation to save us the hassle of the city buses and transfers. I am SO GLAD we did. We lucked into an awesome tour guide who really made our experience great! The bus picked us up at 10:00am here in Waikiki. We were greeted by our tour guide, Nisi, who immediately made every single person on that bus feel warm and welcome. We got to know each other a little bit to start off and the whole way there Nisi taught us things, showed us the sights and prepared us well for our visit. We got to see some movie filming sights, important landmarks, and a gorgeous mountain range. He taught us a few words in some different languages including some polynesian greetings. Little did we know that the whole bus ride he was prepping us for the activities and adventures ahead. He made sure we were familiar with our "Ohana" or bus family so that we could help each other out while we were there and make sure we all arrived back at the bus later that night. He had us remember three things before we left the bus. First, our stall number which was 21. Second, the time we were to be on the bus. And third, the number 150, which would be how much our cab ride would cost if we missed the bus. Since it was his last day at the center we got a discounted BBQ lunch and tour with him. You could tell he had been doing this for a while as he had everything worked out to a T.

We started out our visit at the center by going on a canoe ride to the end of the center. Nisi said this would help us avoid crowds and hit up the important and popular events. When we looked over at another boat he said, "What do we call those people? Tourists!" He was super efficient and super good at what he does!

The sights were beautiful! I love the water and trees here!

As we rode around on the canoe he told us about the different polynesian islands and reviewed their greetings with us. One of our first stops was this canoe.

Next up we learned how to hula to a cute little island song played on the Ukulele. Everyone was participating and laughing and looking good as we pretended we knew how to hula. It was nice being a part of such a warm, friendly group. We then met up in the shade, which Nisi refers to as the air conditioning, and made our way to the next place where we learned how to make music using bamboo sticks.

We did some spear throwing and basket weaving and then headed to the dances, which are popular. He coached us on where to sit to make an early escape and made sure we understood to leave after the green color performed so that we could get good seats at our next exhibit. The dances were great and full of culture. It was so great to learn about the polynesians, such a great people.

 

 

My heart totally ached for our guide as I watched him soak in his last day. He was trying to soak in the moment at each exhibit. He watched his friends teach us as if it was his last day living and you could instantly tell he was going to miss it here! He performed a dance with his people, the Tongans, who all dressed in red. While they were dancing one of the little paddle boys fell off the back of the boat as they were steering. Everyone cracked up. The other paddler kept laughing and teasing as the boy got back on, all in good fun of course. Just near the end of the dance, Nisi noticed this boy laughing and pushed him in the water too! They had two wet paddlers and the whole crowd was cracking up. Later he informed us that when it's your last day, usually you are the one to get pushed in, so he had to get the upperhand.

 

 

 

"Cousin Nisi" had us leave early to beat the crowds to the tongan drumming. He had us sit near the front so that we could make an early exit. The drumming performance was hilarious and totally enhanced by three random performers from the crowd. It was a total comedy act and I could have peed my pants laughing. It rains pretty randomly in Hawaii, even when the sky is blue it can be sprinkling rain. Just near the end of the performance we experienced this. Our guide was super prepared though and we left early to gather in a near by hut and learn about how they make clothing with a hammer and the inner bark of a tree.

 

Our second last exhibit was coconut husking. Again, a super comedic performance done by a Samoan boy with traditional tatooes from his knees to his hip. At the end of his performance we got to see a boy climb a tree and retrieve a coconut.

 

Then he started pretending he was a calendar boy and posing for each month. This was February.

 

Our final stop was in a big hut where we learned about the traditional Samoan tatoo and how the boys get them done when they come of age. They use a hammer, homemade dye, and a needle made of grass or something like that. For a few hours a day over a two week period the boy is held down by four men while they hammer the design into his skin. Crazy! At the conclusion of our tour Nisi asked to get a picture with all of us since we were his last group. He then presented us with kissing fish made from cocnut leaves weaved together. He talked to us about how respect is an important aspect of his culture and how it is something one should earn and not demand. That really hit home for me! Even with our children, we need to be living in such a way that we are earning their respect and not demanding it. Mike and I are going to work that into a family motto somewhere pretty soon.

 

He then walked each of us to our different dinner destinations and gave us all a hug goodbye. Thanks to him we had a super amazing experience at the center! I highly recommend it to anyone who visits the islands! We finished off our evening with a delicious buffet and the show. The dancers were amazing and the fire throwing was unreal! We returned to our hotel crazy tired, but the experience was so worth it.

Hawaii: Hanauma Bay

We started our morning off bright and early with breakfast at Denny's. I have a sweet tooth and this skillet caramel banana french toast definitely hit the spot!

As soon as we finished breakfast we walked a few blocks down to catch the city bus to the popular Hanauma Bay for a day of snorkeling. The ride was long, but scenic. I love the different houses and estates along the way. Mostly I loved looking out the window and watching the waves roll in to shore. I love the ocean.

Hanauma Bay is actually a nature preserve. They don't sell food down on the beach to help keep things clean. Once we got through admission we decided to walk down to the bay instead of taking the tram. It was a beautiful day, and the view was breathtaking.

Excuse all the selfies...

I couldn't believe how busy the place already was at 8:00 in the morning. I am glad Mr. Stannix did his research and got us there nice and early!

Just one more selfie...

Snorkeling was a lot of fun! It took me a bit to get into it. I always have a hard time breathing through those things once my ears get in the water. I would make an awful scuba diver. Mike super enjoyed it though! He was a hard guy to keep up to. We had fun swimming with the fishes and observing what goes on beneath the water. We got some pictures on our waterproof camera, but we have to get the film developed when we get back. Once the waves started picking up and the water got rough, we decided to call it a day. It was a great experience!

Hawaii: Home Made

We kept our Sunday pretty low-key being that it's the Sabbath and all. We slept in as much as we could and then walked up to the aquarium. It was nice just to relax and watch all of the colorful fish swim around!

After we finished up there we caught our bus to church. We attended a ward at the Hawaii tabernacle. What a gorgeous looking building. So neat that you have to go outside to get from classroom to classroom. As we were sitting down some sisters were setting up chairs in the front. I figured it must be for the primary presentation since it's about that time of year, and sure enough I was right. Nothing like watching a bunch of kids sing and share their testimonies when you miss your own little munchkins! It was very well done.

After church an old mission companion of Mike's came to pick us up at our hotel. We spent the rest of the afternoon and well into the evening with Elder Manoa and his family and are so grateful for their hospitality! It was so great to have a home cooked meal and enjoy good company. Elder Manoa's sister served in Guam with a lady that Mike home teaches! Small world!

I had fun listening to the boys swap mission stories and catch up. I've always been told that of all of Mike's mission companions I am most like Elder Manoa. They got along well in the mission and it was so great to hear about their experiences together.

Hawaii: Parasailing

Today was a full day! We Skyped the kids for quite a while this morning and they told us all about winning races at the cornbust. They are having a blast and well taken care of. We were up super early since the clocks are four hours behind our time. It was nice to get an early start to the day.

Parasailing was first up on our awesome schedule. Did I mention yet that Mr. Stannix did up our schedule in an excel document? A true accountant. Anyways, we were picked up right outside our hotel and brought to the marina. We enjoyed a nice breezy boat ride, followed by an awesome round of parasailing. It was so neat to be up so high above the waves, almost peaceful. Mike only got scared near the end when we reached 600ft.  

When we were finished we opted out of the free ride back and decided to walk along the endless beaches for the day. The weather is so beautiful here, and the ocean is the perfect temperature.

After passing a few surf stands, I had to rent a board! Although the backs of my knees are sunburnt, I can cross suring off my bucket list. It was so fun I probably could have spent the entire afternoon out on the water catching wave after wave. It was not as easy as it looks, but not as hard as people say. I was able to catch on by myself and am hoping to have one more go at it before we leave!

 

 

After we had our fill of the ocean (and our faces were a little burnt) we checked out the international market. I passed by a booth last night and wanted to get something for Camilla. It was worth the money just to watch this guy paint each letter on the paper. Such skill and talent! I grinned ear to ear as I watched in amazement.

After dinner we walked around the beach some more, checking out the sights and shows. These awesome torches line the beach and some hotels and bars. I thought it was pretty neat!

We also happened upon this show outside the mall. I fell in love with the spindly tree and lanterns. The guy had a great voice and who doesn't love some good Ukulele music?

Now we are set to relax our sunburnt legs for the rest of the evening in our hotel room. It's been a long day!

Off with a Bang

Our vacation has started off with a lot of excitement. Yesterday after my parents left with the children I realized my wallet was in the diaper bag still. They were too far away already and it made no sense to turn back around. This morning we packed up our suit cases and my awesome sister drove us to the airport. As we were clearing security I panicked and asked Mr. Stannix if he packed our shaving kit (my contacts, glasses, toothbrushes etc.) to which he responded "No". I definitely didn't pack it. We called my sister and asked her to grab it for us and bring it back. Thankfully we don't live far from the airport. When she arrived at our house she informed us that it was nowhere to be found. We sat in the airport laughing and wondering which one of us ended up packing it. Turns out Mike did, but after his big exam he was having a hard time remembering. Anyways, we've arrived safe and sound!

I love flying! It's so magical being up above the clouds, seeing the little plots of land and watching the ocean go on forever. It's been a super long day. We could barely keep our eyes open at dinner seeing as it's two in the morning our time.

We miss our kids terribly. On our second flight there was a baby chattering away and my heart suddenly ached for Joe. I'm hoping we keep busy enough that I won't have too much time to think about it!