Wishing I was back here. . .Hawaii 2011

This was taken on one of my very last days in Hawaii. I spent the afternoon alone, thats right, alone! Under a crisp white umbrella and this beautiful blue sky...honestly, it felt like heaven. Jeff took the boys to the pool and I was more than happy to take advantage of some time alone in PARADISE.

 

I got the most amazing photos as I just laid here, this was my view from my towel!

Did I already say HEAVEN?!

OK, maybe I sat there and had a little fun editing these pics on my iPhone apps! Ill stop and get on with my family! But I cant tell you how good that day felt, I so needed a break like that.

 

Well, naturally the trip started out like this!

Except for 30 mins, Jack slept the entire 5 hours there! whoo-hoo!

This year went a little differently than last. We not only took Jeffs parents (theyve been divorced for years but shared a room anyway)  but also 2 cousins! My nephew Austin and my niece Lauren, both 19. Senna was more than thrilled to have a couple kids more her age along. They has such a great time, made some wonderful memories together. I loved seeing the cousins spend time together these days because now that theyre all growing up, with college and jobs, they rarely get to see each other. Just not like the old days.

 

The Van ride to our Hotel, Jack was still tired! Senna being silly :)

Granny Carol and Logan getting very excited to get to the Hotel!

Jack annoying Logan, who was very hot and hungry and not in any mood!

The trip started out a little crazy because it turns out the hotel DID NOT have our "confirmed rooms" afterall--well should I say, they had the rooms but they kept giving them away as we tried to straighten it out with the managers...but thats a long story! Basically we stood there for 4 hours waiting to get settled! Then once we got rooms, they only had 1 bed in them! so we had to sleep on cots a couple nights until they could move us, AWFUL.

 

So what do you do when you finally get checked-in?

JUMP IN THE POOL!

The view from our room :) FUN!

 Caught Jack in action!

 

Lauren always has a lot of fun with our little guy :)

Well she has a lot of fun with all her cousins! She's very easy going, a joy to take on our vacations.

Easton getting her good!

 

This was the first time Austin was able to join us! He's my younger sisters boy.

 

 We did or best to set up a make-shift hospital for Jack!

You can see we had R2-D2 along! Our portable and plane-friendly oxygen concentrator.  This is what the kids nicknamed it! It was so much easier saying R2 than the oxygen thingy :) Everything went pretty well except for the feeding bag leak halfway into our trip! All the formula/stomach contents spilled on the carpet next to Jacks bed. Its was the worse most rotten smell ever. AND we had to live with it until we checked out 5 days later! Poor kids, gagged everytime they entered our room. Wondering what house cleaning thought--or worse the next family that checked in! ewwwww, sorry.

 

We headed to the famous International Market in Honolulu to pick up some fun trinkets, and to teach Austin how to bargain with the locals! This tree has been here for ages, I remember coming here when I was a kid and seeing it. A lot of names are written on it.

After writing on the tree, the kids added their names to the stones, it will be interesting if it will still be there when we come back (not sure it was OK to write there)

 

We went across the street to the famous Waikiki Beach and found this little guy :) Check him out in action! I could of stayed and watched him all day. It was so amazing to watch him use that board, Jack wasnt even sitting up at the that age! He couldnt of been walking long. Definitely will be a surfer for sure!

The next night was Laurens 19th Birthday, so we walked to Red Lobster to celebrate. We realized that for 3 years in a row weve had Lauren along for our family vacations! And celebrated her birthday with her.

Jack resting with his mom and dad :)

 

Off to the Hotels own Lagoon for some swimming and viewing the fish!

 

Jack wasnt too happy about it since the water here was sooo cold. Not sure why its so much colder than the ocean. But he really didnt enjoy it!

 

He preferred the HOT TUB! Logan being silly with his swim shirt!

 

I love how much he loves her :)

We took our annual trip to Hanauma Bay for some snorkeling, so much fun!

The whole gang except for Jeff's Dad, Bob. He opted to stay back at the pool!

 

Jack and I waiting our turn to watch the mandatory "dont touch the sea life" video!

Easton. I bought a cheap FUGI underwater camera so I could take some of the fish snorkeling.

ACKKKK! thats me--HEY, NO ONE looks good with these things in their mouths!

 

BUT I did get some amazing photos! You cant tell by looking at these pics BUT the second one down was more than 2 ft long! I loved every minute down there. I would of loaded a video clip but it wouldnt load here, too big of a file because its in HD I guess.

Not the greatest camera but it definitely served its purpose. I got some great shots of the fish and my kiddos :) all without worrying whether Ill get my NICE cameras wet!

We also got some NIGHT swimming in too!

 

NO, I didnt let my kids actually swim out into the dark sea but they had a great time in the waves.

 

The older kids sat on the beach every night talking about older kid stuff! and playing "words with friends with us back at the hotel!

 

The girls being adorable girls! OH how nice it would be to wear such fun shorts again :)

 

Back for more swimming, He-He, LOGAN, pull-up your swim trunks please!!!

 

Jack doing a very silly dance to entertain us all!

Granny tickles good!

This was the scene every morning as we walked across the street for breakfast!

WE LOVE this place!

Jeff with his Dad, Bob. Round Table pizza was  the cheapest place we could find with as many people we had! They both opted for CJ's, NY style sandwiches next door though :)

One day we rented a 12 passenger van and took it for a drive to explore the island! We were looking for Turtle Beach, but kinds got lost, really lost.

But even when youre lost, you get hungry! My beautiful boys :)

Me and my Easton. 

Drink your COKE Jack! Its mighty HOT outside!

But on our way to look for the Turtles, we found this beach!  Waimea Beach on the Northshore.

One HAPPY boy!!

Ill do anything to get out of that Van!

Not sure if you can see these people jumping off the cliff there!

 

Easton getting swallowed up in the rough waves!

HELP! those waves look harmless but they can really take you under! The girls are enjoying this!

Logan trying to stay upright :)

Cant you just hear the laughter?! Love it!

MOVE JACK, youre in the danger zone!

He did get a mouth full of sand!

Awww, and it ends well!

I love when I catch a moments like this :)

Being silly as usual!

My BIG handsome boy!

Jack and Daddy having a great time running from the waves,

I probably snapped 50 shots of these 2 :)

GOT to get cleaned up before we get in the van kiddos!

BUT Its COLD!

Its really COLD!!

So in search of the Turtles, we were directed to this beach--NO TURTLES! But boy am I glad we came anyways because the sand was the softest we had ever felt!

  

Just a beautiful Beach, Sunset Beach, also on the North Shore.

Even your feet are cute Jack!

I had Jack pose with this "RESCUE" board, it fits perfectly!

Jack looked so cute standing there...my handsome surfer dude :)

The waves a were a bit calmer there too.

WE FOUND THE TURTLES!

Finally!

They rope them off so youre not to touch them. They had a crazy Turtle lady there to be sure of it!

Senna wearing her glasses because not more than a few days into our trip, she got PINK EYE! She had to see a Dr. while we were there. Not fun to have to give up her contacts and wear glasses for several days, she was NOT happy about it either!

 

This picture looks like a painting! Too bad I took it with my Canon G12 and not my Canon SLR, not as sharp but its still stunning!

 

They looked very much like all the rocks on the beach!

Our last night in Hawaii, I forced had all the kids to stand by their name in the sand

They were hungry and wasnt in any mood for photos, so I was being annoying mom!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.

Waiting to get into The Tropics again, love that place! Right on the beach, watching the sunset go down, just beautiful.

FUN WITH DAD!

The girls were chasing all the kids around :)

Same photo as above but I wanted you to see it close up, so sweet of Jack looking up at Lauren :)

Until next year HAWAII...I hope anyways!

(I should of warned you on all the pics, but I had 1500 to choose from!

definitely the annoying camera woman!)