Michael and I left last Friday night and drove down to LA. We flew out the next morning to HAWAII! This was my last state, and now my 50 before 30 is done! With a week to spare :)
Our trip was the best time. I'm so grateful we were able to do that. I've spent the last few months planning what to do and how to pay for it all, and it came together and was WONDERFUL. It felt like the perfect time to take a trip together and I just keep thinking about it. The pictures and the video tell it all, and I'll write each day's fun below!
We came home on Friday morning on my birthday. It was so fun to see Shelley and her kids that morning, and we were so excited to see our boys on the drive home. Ali and Westin made our house a party! They were so sweet to decorate and bake my favorite cake and make a delicious dinner. I've never had a better birthday for sure. It all definitely eased the pains of 30... :) Which I know is young. But still, this is a new decade and it feels weird! But I spent the day just so grateful for my family and friends that were so sweet.
Ali and the Boys!
Ali is the best sister/aunt and these boys were so lucky to spend a week with her. We love her so much. She is truly such a good and beautiful person, inside and out. I'll list their fun below too :)
Kauai 2018 Video:
Kauai Days:
Saturday: Phoenix layover, lunch with Michaela, land in Kauai, Walmart run for sunscreen and bug spray, Bubba's burgers by the beach
Monday: Zodiac raft tour along Na Pali coast, snorkeling (with turtles!), lunch on the boat, Kilauea Lighthouse, Jo Jo's Shave Ice, Queen's Bath, Smith Family Luau
Tuesday: Javakai, Kayak along Wailua River, Secret Falls Hike, more kayaking, Fern Grotto, more kayaking, Poipu Beach, Mark's Place for plate meal
Wednesday: Hanalei Bay, Kilauea Fish Market, Ono Ono Shave Ice, Kapaa Shopping, Watch Wind Surfing, Swimming, Laundry, Food trucks and Wailua Shave Ice
Thursday: Tip Top Cafe, Waimea Canyon, Kalalau Valley, Porky's, flight to LA
Friday: Morning with Shelley's fam, drive to Fresno, BIRTHDAY fun with family!
Ali and the Boys' Days:
Saturday: Donut shop and Park
Sunday: Church and Coco
Monday: Chick Fil A and Swimming
Tuesday: Mornings with Mommy, Preschool
Wednesday: Story time
Thursday: Preschool, Sprouts, Baking, Rubio's
Friday: Preschool with friends, Decorating, Birthday fun!
Plus naps and walks and yummy food and books and all that good stuff.
Kauai Pictures:
Layover lunch with Michaela!
Bubba's burgers
Our hotel had lots of torches all over and it was fun to arrive when it was dark.
Beach life!
We felt like we had to try Loco Moco (common Hawaiian breakfast of two eggs over easy on two beef patties with rice and gravy) and Michael's face tells you how we felt about it.
We shared the Macadamia Nut pancakes too though, don't worry.
Church in Kapaa
Hindu Monastery view. I wish I had pictures of the temple but photography isn't allowed there.
Kuilau Ridge Trail
Kuilau Ridge Trail
Kuilau Ridge Trail
Kuilau Ridge Trail
Opaekaa Falls
Opaekaa Falls
Wailua River
Spouting Horn -- it sounds so cool! You can hear it in the video.
Saw this Del Sol and it immediately took me back to my Alaskan summer.
I'd say "Everything in the store changes color in the sun" in my sleep during that experience.
Exploring (getting lost?) on our way to Shipwreck Beach
Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail
Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail -- we saw turtles here! You can see them in the video too.
Maha'ulepu Heritage Trail
Michael cracked a coconut for us, always so resourceful.
On our way back we saw a rooster feasting on it. They are all over the island.
Haupia (whipped coconut milk) on top and Macadamia Nut ice cream in the bottom.
Sea Caves along the Na Pali coast
Na Pali Coast
Inside the sea caves. This was so incredible!
Na Pali Coast
Na Pali Coast
Na Pali Coast
Na Pali Coast
Kilauea Lighthouse -- the most northern point of Hawaii
Jo Jo's Shave Ice
Queen's Bath
Queen's Bath swimming
Queen's Bath
Queen's Bath
Queen's Bath
Hike out of Queen's Bath
Hike Out of Queen's Bath
Smith Family Gardens
Smith Family Gardens
Smith Family Luau
Smith Family Luau
Acai Bowl at Javakai
Surfer Girl Sandwich at Javakai -- this was our favorite meal
Rooster visitor
It's so funny to see them wild everywhere on the island
Hiking to Secret Falls
Secret Falls
It was so intense under those falls!
Michael's favorite lizard. He was pretty cute.
Kayaking after Secret Falls -- the only way to get to the trail is by water.
Fern Grotto
Wailua Falls lookout
Mark's Place for a traditional Plate Lunch (dinner in this case). It was raining right before this, and everyone said to get the beef stew and the teriyaki chicken so it felt fun to eat a warm meal outside in the chilly weather. Except we both wanted all the teriyaki chicken :)
Monk Seal on Poipu Beach
Hanalei Bay
This panorama is weird with the water, but this is Puff the Magic Dragon (who lived by the sea in a land called Hanalei). His face is on the left and he wraps all the way around the bay to his tail on the right.
Puff the Magic Dragon's head
This tree was so tall and had SO many huge avocados.
Ono Ono Shave Ice, Kauai Sunrise
This guy didn't even look real
Hurricane Olivia (turned tropical storm) sent some wind our way and we had fun watching wind and kite surfers.
Parmesan Fries with Pesto Aioli
Last night of Shave Ice... so we didn't even share. And that was a mistake. :)
Nihau Island in the distance
Porky's -- Kalua Pork on a Pork Sausage with Pineapple
Waimea Canyon
Waimea Canyon -- this far exceeded our expectations. Such a beautiful view and so colorful in person.
Birthday Fun:
These cuties worked hard to make our place a party!
Ali has this picture of me in the room we shared growing up full of balloons to welcome her home from Girls Camp,
with my arms up like this. So tried to recreate it with Westin and I love it so much.
Bennett seemed so much bigger when we got home and then I realized it was because he was wearing Westin's clothes.
And filling them out just fine haha. Ali said after her first load of laundry it was all a gamble from then on!
Westin yelled, "This is the best Birthday EVER!" And I just love little kids and their love of life.
We felt so funny leaving them for a full week for the first time,
but it was such a good thing all around.
The best sister there ever was.
Hawaiian presents! Michael picked out a ukelele for Westin and I instantly knew he'd found the perfect gift.
We also got Bennett a stuffed turtle and a turtle book, and he loved them both. I love these two boys and their
distinct personalities.
Sometimes he gives a little Coco yell before strumming a song and it's my favorite.
That cake... I've been anxiously waiting to eat it since August! I craved it so much I almost caved and made it before my birthday but I held strong and it was so delicious. Westin and Bennett were Ali's little baking assistants.
Guys, a birthday miracle! Michael went out to mix up our compost pile and out popped Mr. T, who apparently had been hibernating deep underneath it for the last few weeks. We were all laughing so hard. He met Marcell the Shell and I think they're both happy to have each other around. We've decided to just give them free reign of the yard rather than keep them cornered off, so we'll see if they end up (actually) finding freedom or not.
Bennett was alll about that birthday cake.
Westin has said, "I love you for bringing me a guitar!" at many random times since Friday.
Bennett is so happy the real turtles are back around.
Ali and the Boys:
They walked to Todd Beamer Park a few times and Westin is still talking about eating donuts there :)
Nursery regression -- he cries when he's in there even if someone goes with him. Oh Benny.
Coco on Sundays
So patient during big brother's swimming lesson!
Swim time! Westin seems to like his new teacher and the new little friend he does weekly lessons with.
Mornings with Mommy
Miss Vicki is so sweet with the kids at Mornings with Mommy
Mail Trips
He looks so old here and it breaks my heart.
Story time is back on too!
Peach parfait on toast. Ali always has fun new healthy foods to try!
Bennett is all about it.
I love having them hold each other's hands in parking lots and other random times.
Music class at preschool
Sweet brothers
Westin was first outside for church today and he yelled "Everybody come here! There's a Hot Air Balloon outside! I'm serious!" And so there was. SO close too. It was so fun to see and he couldn't wait to tell daddy all about it!
Phew! That's the end of the biggest info and photo dump ever. Good, good week over here.
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