When we first left on the trip, I was thinking that six days is sorta long and that I'd probably feel ready to just be at home by then. I confess, I was wrong. Tomorrow is day 5, and I could honestly stay another week! It's been a mixture of exhausting and fulfilling at the same time.
Today was another North Shore day. Which is where my heart is. I absolutely love the North Shore. If you come to Oahu and only stay in Honolulu or Waikiki, then you haven't truly experienced Hawaii. I love the whole mood of the North Shore. I love driving on Kamm Highway along the ocean, seeing the surfers, smelling the breeze, stopping at Ted's Bakery and the pineapple stands, and seeing all the locals in their slow-paced element.
Before we left this morning, Tucker and Dane went out for some more snorkeling. They loved it and Tucker was thrilled that he saw some turtles! He wasn't so thrilled that he saw jellyfish though.
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Once we were out the door, our first stop of the day was the LDS Temple in Laie. It was perfect weather.
This temple has a great visitor's center. There is this beautiful statue of Christ there. The kids were fascinated by it. Jacob asked if he could give Him a hug!
This visitor's center was recently re-done. My favorite part was this little beach scene! Each hut had a television in it and a computer touch screen where you can choose a topic of video you want to watch. It looked so real and cute, the kids could hardly contain themselves from going in and playing!
This table had a Book of Mormon for each language into which it has been translated!
There was also an area where you could watch each of the Apostles and President Hinckley testify of our Savior.
Next stop was BYU-Hawaii! We ate at the Seasider (snack bar on campus) and walked around a bit. It always brings back great memories to be there. There is something about the smell in the air in the halls there that particularly brings back my days as a custodian on campus (a mix of trash cans and humid ocean air)!
Beth and I coincidentally both attended BYU-Hawaii at separate times in our college days (how was that already 10 years ago? not possible!). So its extra fun to be here together! Its wierd to see all the "kids" on campus and realize we don't look like them anymore. Somehow we've morphed into official "moms"!
We stopped by the "linoleum house" where I lived. No one was home, so I didn't get to go inside. Go here to see me in this same spot 10 years ago!
Next we wanted to go to the beach again, so we went down to Hukilau. It was REALLY windy. So windy that the sand was pelting our legs (and eyes). Lexi hid under a blanket the whole time. But the kids (and adults!) still had fun playing in the sand. Tucker caught a few great body-surfing waves, too!
This was how I kept Peyton happy and free of sand in her eyes!
Tucker is a human fish. For the first time since I've known him, he got a little hesitant to go back in the water....because he saw ANOTHER jellyfish here. (but he still went back in)
"that was a perfect wave!"
There may be nothing in the world that looks or smells more beautiful than the Plumeria flower!!!
Tomorrow is the swap meet, more swimming and relaxing! Aloha!
9 comments:
i am so impressed that you are doing a post everyday. i wish i could have done that for when we went to tahiti. you are so good jamie!
it looks like you guys are having so much fun. i love all of your pictures you are taking. keep them coming!
Ummm, I'm not sure if you realize this or not, but you have 2 earings in your ear...did the honor code people on campus catch you? LOVE the pics!!! The linoleum house looks, well, the same! I love how serious about the "perfect wave" Tucker was in the pic. I felt the same way when I went back this summer. We stayed for a week and I could have stayed for another...in fact I was planning on moving back! I regain my senses about 2 weeks after I get home.
Tiffany
I am with you on staying longer. Its like once you pack your whole family up you have to take as much stuff for two days or 10 so live it up! Was it really 10 years ago I came to visit you there! So crazy:)
You guys look like your having a blast! I love the pictures - nice to see since I've never been! I loved the flashback friday picture of you in the same spot. :)
Tucker as a fish, doesn't surprise me! The pics of him are exactly how I remember him growing up in Bear Lake!
what a relief to have pey walking for this trip. not that she can keep up but at least she can stand for pictures. =) I feel confused when I look at you in bathing suits and I look outside and it is snowing =( Im in front of a heater and bundled up crocheting! SICK Its like you are posting pictures from a different planet! Doesn't seem humanly possible.
Sounds so wonderful!
what a fun day. We have NOT been back to Oahu or BYU-H since we graduated. That makes me so sad! Hopefully some day before our kids are grown we can afford to take a trip back.
Keep havin' fun and sharing the good times with us!
That is just SO cool, you guys are having such an amazing trip! You and Tucker need to make a point to take another Hawaii vacation someday, JUST the two of you, to the Big Island, and some of the other smaller ones, it's like being in another world completely, SOOOOOOO slow-paced and relaxing. It's like when you came to visit us in Tokyo, the city is so awesome and diverse, but once you get out into the country-side, there is such a quiet, untouched, beauty, it feels like you are in another Asian country. Really peaceful. You are having a super great "family" trip, and it sounds like you know exactly where to go for it. Next trip, go "off-trail" with your hubby. :)
About the length of stay, my aunt there used to say between 2 and 3 weeks is perfect for Hawaiian family trips. (if anyone can ever swing that!) 10 days is too short, beyond 3 weeks is too long, so somewhere in the middle is perfect to get the full effect of leaving reality behind and getting Hawaii truly in your blood. :) Can you get time-shares for that long? I have no idea about those things. I hope you have more than a blast for your last few days, you are super-mom for doing this AND blogging about it! (seriously, Tucker needs to take you on a MAJOR second Honeymoon, an ultra-relaxing one, after this!) hehe ;)
I just had a chance to catch up on your trip! It looks like you all have been having a great time. I would rather be where you are, so keep the posts coming!
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