To celebrate end of Medical School and surviving . . . no, THRIVING with 3 kids 4 and under Justin and I went away to HAWAII!!! If you ask him, he'll say I've been begging him to go there for the almost 6 yrs of our marriage. I think I asked very politely. :) I went to school at BYU Hawaii from August 2002-December 2003 and haven't been back since then. While I was there I was so busy doing school and playing volleyball/traveling with the team that I didn't really have tons of extra time to relax and enjoy what Hawaii has to offer. We stayed in Waikiki for 4 nights and then headed to the North Shore for 6 nights. I am so glad we got to go. It was amazing. I love that place. Enjoy the blog journey of watching our skin get darker and our cheeks rounder. :)
Justin's parents were up for a family wedding and so they just took the kids home with them the night before we flew out. We haven't ever left the kids overnight, except for 36 hours last year on our anniversary. I am not a super paranoid mom, so I wasn't scared to leave them, but I was nervous for those who were taking care of them! :) They are a busy bunch and a lot of work, so I really want to thank Justin's family for being willing and being fun and patient with our kiddos.Anyway, I had to get a picture of our family before we left. Just in case. And so I could bring it with me on the trip and remember that I am a mom still... HA! I can't say I didn't cry. I bawled as I said goodbye and watched the van drive away. I can't really describe why. It felt like my identity was driving away in the car. That is who I am and what I do right now, so it was weird to see it driving away. I mean, I know I am more than my kids, but the bulk of my life is for them right now. So it was sad to say goodbye, but thinking about the 30 meals I didn't have to think about, make, and try to feed to them helped me through that sadness. :) Ahhhhh.....
Throughout the trip we would call and say hi and every time the kids asked if I was still crying. Nope!! Funny.
Aloha!!!WE'VE ARRIVED!! This scene makes me think about all of the times we flew into Hawaii and that delicious, humid, flowery scent that hits you when you step off the plane. Mmmmmm...Love it. I have to say, flying without kids is THE BEST!
This was the first funny thing I saw there in the airport. :)
Ha ha.
Justin relaxing and reading his scriptures in the Hawaiian sunrise.This is the life.
Hawaii and Edmonton were 4 hours different so we were way off time wise. That first morning we got up, read, exercised, ate breakfast, and were ready for the beach by 8:30. That's all I need. 4 more hours in my day. :)
Tuesday morning we did the touristy surf in Waikiki thing. We even bought the pictures! It was great! I wasn't going to do it, but then thought I would regret it, so I mustered up the courage, set my wimp aside, and went for it. It was great! And I was good! My California Girl came out in me and I surfed the waves quite a bit. Justin didn't do so bad either... :)
Tubular! What a hunk.
There is our instructors head right behind my board. Yep, he pushed us off. I must have looked really uncoordinated. He was kind of babying me and taking shortcuts with me. I wanted to say, "listen bud, I play sports and am pretty good at them. I'm not a girly girl and I can do it just like everyone else!" Whoa. It was funny how impressed he was by the end. Kinda shocked I even got up at all. I knew i could. :) So cocky, hey? I'd rather call it confident.
Mmmm Hmm. :) A natural. Okay, give me a few years...actually there's a good chance I'll never do this again.
The worst part about being so good :) is that the farther you ride the wave the farther you have to paddle back. Ouch. All I can say is my arms were SO tired by the end. Yeah, I was that...out of shape...
This was our instructor, Kevin. He was turning 50 this year. 50?!! He looked 30. That's what surf and sun will do for you. And Hawaiian/Filipino heritage. :) Anyway, without him pushing us off, there was no way we would have caught any waves! And poor Justin. You need a rash guard next time. Ouch.
Shaka Bra!
Our view.
And this is when I realized it was just us...for real...for 10 more days...ahhhhh. So relaxing.
Waikiki Beach with Diamond Head in the back. Little did we know a few hours from now his back/my legs would be killing us...burned to a crisp. I REALLY thought I lotioned his back. He asked me to and I did it! And my legs...well, I never used to worry about my legs, but I forget that I am not a California girl anymore with access to the sun and it's delicious rays year round. I am a pasty borderline see through Canadian now whom the sun loves to destroy if there is no protection. The backs of my legs burned so bad...and I just peeled last week. Weird.
Wednesday morning we ate at the Shorebird Restaurant's breakfast buffet. Beautiful setting and a great breakfast. We didn't eat again until dinner.
THIS was our view. :) Love it.
Horrible picture, but it proves we were there!
Thursday we went to Pearl Harbor to see the Arizona memorial and the Battleship Missouri.
Here is the Bowfin Submarine. Pretty cool. Also, each of those pillars told a story of all of the U.S. subs that have been lost at see or lost in battle. The stories were interesting and we kind of wished we had more time to be able to read them all.
Me and some Navy dudes. My only regret is that I didn't salute or something in this photo. :) I told Justin I wanted to take a picture with these guys. He asked right away. A little embarrassing, but a wish granted. :)
Watch out.
Plumeria!!! I love you! THIS is Hawaii. Oh, I can smell it again.
In going to the museum and memorial, I learned a lot about the attack, the set up of the harbor, and what a surprise it was. It made me really grateful for those men who really do sacrifice their lives and time every day to defend our country. We were there a few days before Memorial Day. All I can say is thank you.
I missed this flag. :) I love Canada's too, but it's weird to me that seeing this flag flying is not the norm anymore. God Bless America, including Canada. Lands that I love. :)
This is an odd picture to me. Do you smile when you are on the Arizona? I am somber and sad at the thousands of lives lost, but happy and grateful. I went through this debate at every picture. Maybe a closed mouth smile was more appropriate...
The wall. Just looking at the individual names, several were family members, made me think of their mothers and how all of their loved one's were affected. :( Again. I'm sorry and thank you.
I thought this was really neat. They have a special place on the Arizona where divers take the cremated remains of shipmates who somehow escaped the attack on December 7th but who were stationed on the ship at that time. I think if I survived that I would feel like why me? why am I alive when 1,177 of my buddies aren't. Now they can rest with them.
The Arizona is leaking out large fist sized globs of oil now. I remember when I came here when I was 13ish there was an oily haze on the water, but not big globs. The ship is deteriorating and so the oil is leaking out faster.
More oil and a man's hat. It was SO windy that it blew it right off his head!! Sad! We saw them trying to fish another one out with a net right after this one went in.
Again, smile?
The Mighty Mo from the Arizona.
There was a retiring ceremony for a Submarine Captain. It was really cool to watch and I felt so patriotic and grateful and proud of him and his family, and I don't even know him!! :)
On the Battleship Missouri. See the oil trail drifting from the Arizona? Crazy.
Whose guns are bigger?? You tell me. :)
THE spot where WWII officially ended. Maybe this is the daughter of a history teacher coming out in me, but it was really cool to be there and see that! What a good day.
The floorplan of my future home. All the kids in one bedroom. :)
All 18 of them. We were both amazed at how the battleship was like a little city on water. It had everything!
Watch out.
I hope he never has to prove this statement, but Justin would be THE PERFECT soldier. He is extremely disciplined, smart, coordinated and fit. He takes care of himself, puts his clothes away and works best on a tight schedule in an ordered atmosphere. He also is an excellent potato peeler. I can't promise anything honey, but I'll try and do better to run a tight ship.
The guns...they are HUGE!
Arizona from the Missouri.
BIG ship.
The Oklahoma is known as the forgotten ship and I think it is sad and true. They only recently got this memorial. These were the guys whose ship was hit and it capsized. They heard tapping in the ship for 3 days and tried and tried buy couldn't get to them all. I can't imagine. I am glad that they at least have this memorial here to acknowledge their sacrifice.
Our tour bus took us to Punchbowl Cemetary. So many headstones. They were getting ready for the Memorial Day programs in a few days.
After our Pearl Harbor morning we went to do the Diamond Head hike. I hadn't ever done this. We talked to an activity planner/self-proclaimed local and he said it was about a 20 minute walk from our hotel to the base of the hike. LIAR!!!! It took us almost a hot sweaty hour to get there, walking fast, UPHILL, and then we got to do the hike to the top. Another steepish hot and sweaty hike. Then we got to walk all the way home! We totally would have driven if we had to do it all again...SO tired by the end of this day. Nothing against walking, but man that was too much for one day! But the hike was awesome and the view so worth it. This picture was halfway up. This guy took our camera, posed us and snapped the shot. Do you think he was looking for a tip? Whoops...
Just ONE of the many sets of stairs we had to climb. A 30 week prego lady did it. She said she didn't know what she was getting herself into! I bet she had her baby that night.
Isn't it BEAUTIFUL?!!!! Look at that lighthouse in the bottom left. And those reefs. Wow. Color. SO MUCH COLOR! My Edmontonian eyes could barely handle it! They are only exposed to brown and white for large amounts of time.
Me and Waikiki, just hanging out.
This is where I should be living. On top of Diamond Head? Just as windy as Lethbridge with a better view!
The worst part about being so good :) is that the farther you ride the wave the farther you have to paddle back. Ouch. All I can say is my arms were SO tired by the end. Yeah, I was that...out of shape...
This was our instructor, Kevin. He was turning 50 this year. 50?!! He looked 30. That's what surf and sun will do for you. And Hawaiian/Filipino heritage. :) Anyway, without him pushing us off, there was no way we would have caught any waves! And poor Justin. You need a rash guard next time. Ouch. 
Shaka Bra!
Our view.
And this is when I realized it was just us...for real...for 10 more days...ahhhhh. So relaxing.
Waikiki Beach with Diamond Head in the back. Little did we know a few hours from now his back/my legs would be killing us...burned to a crisp. I REALLY thought I lotioned his back. He asked me to and I did it! And my legs...well, I never used to worry about my legs, but I forget that I am not a California girl anymore with access to the sun and it's delicious rays year round. I am a pasty borderline see through Canadian now whom the sun loves to destroy if there is no protection. The backs of my legs burned so bad...and I just peeled last week. Weird.
Wednesday morning we ate at the Shorebird Restaurant's breakfast buffet. Beautiful setting and a great breakfast. We didn't eat again until dinner.
THIS was our view. :) Love it.
Horrible picture, but it proves we were there!
Thursday we went to Pearl Harbor to see the Arizona memorial and the Battleship Missouri.
Here is the Bowfin Submarine. Pretty cool. Also, each of those pillars told a story of all of the U.S. subs that have been lost at see or lost in battle. The stories were interesting and we kind of wished we had more time to be able to read them all.
Me and some Navy dudes. My only regret is that I didn't salute or something in this photo. :) I told Justin I wanted to take a picture with these guys. He asked right away. A little embarrassing, but a wish granted. :)
Watch out.
Plumeria!!! I love you! THIS is Hawaii. Oh, I can smell it again.
In going to the museum and memorial, I learned a lot about the attack, the set up of the harbor, and what a surprise it was. It made me really grateful for those men who really do sacrifice their lives and time every day to defend our country. We were there a few days before Memorial Day. All I can say is thank you.
I missed this flag. :) I love Canada's too, but it's weird to me that seeing this flag flying is not the norm anymore. God Bless America, including Canada. Lands that I love. :)
This is an odd picture to me. Do you smile when you are on the Arizona? I am somber and sad at the thousands of lives lost, but happy and grateful. I went through this debate at every picture. Maybe a closed mouth smile was more appropriate...
The wall. Just looking at the individual names, several were family members, made me think of their mothers and how all of their loved one's were affected. :( Again. I'm sorry and thank you.
I thought this was really neat. They have a special place on the Arizona where divers take the cremated remains of shipmates who somehow escaped the attack on December 7th but who were stationed on the ship at that time. I think if I survived that I would feel like why me? why am I alive when 1,177 of my buddies aren't. Now they can rest with them.
The Arizona is leaking out large fist sized globs of oil now. I remember when I came here when I was 13ish there was an oily haze on the water, but not big globs. The ship is deteriorating and so the oil is leaking out faster.
More oil and a man's hat. It was SO windy that it blew it right off his head!! Sad! We saw them trying to fish another one out with a net right after this one went in.
Again, smile?
The Mighty Mo from the Arizona.
There was a retiring ceremony for a Submarine Captain. It was really cool to watch and I felt so patriotic and grateful and proud of him and his family, and I don't even know him!! :)
On the Battleship Missouri. See the oil trail drifting from the Arizona? Crazy.
Whose guns are bigger?? You tell me. :)
THE spot where WWII officially ended. Maybe this is the daughter of a history teacher coming out in me, but it was really cool to be there and see that! What a good day.
The floorplan of my future home. All the kids in one bedroom. :)All 18 of them. We were both amazed at how the battleship was like a little city on water. It had everything!
Watch out.
I hope he never has to prove this statement, but Justin would be THE PERFECT soldier. He is extremely disciplined, smart, coordinated and fit. He takes care of himself, puts his clothes away and works best on a tight schedule in an ordered atmosphere. He also is an excellent potato peeler. I can't promise anything honey, but I'll try and do better to run a tight ship.
The guns...they are HUGE!
Arizona from the Missouri.
BIG ship.
The Oklahoma is known as the forgotten ship and I think it is sad and true. They only recently got this memorial. These were the guys whose ship was hit and it capsized. They heard tapping in the ship for 3 days and tried and tried buy couldn't get to them all. I can't imagine. I am glad that they at least have this memorial here to acknowledge their sacrifice.
Our tour bus took us to Punchbowl Cemetary. So many headstones. They were getting ready for the Memorial Day programs in a few days.
After our Pearl Harbor morning we went to do the Diamond Head hike. I hadn't ever done this. We talked to an activity planner/self-proclaimed local and he said it was about a 20 minute walk from our hotel to the base of the hike. LIAR!!!! It took us almost a hot sweaty hour to get there, walking fast, UPHILL, and then we got to do the hike to the top. Another steepish hot and sweaty hike. Then we got to walk all the way home! We totally would have driven if we had to do it all again...SO tired by the end of this day. Nothing against walking, but man that was too much for one day! But the hike was awesome and the view so worth it. This picture was halfway up. This guy took our camera, posed us and snapped the shot. Do you think he was looking for a tip? Whoops...
Just ONE of the many sets of stairs we had to climb. A 30 week prego lady did it. She said she didn't know what she was getting herself into! I bet she had her baby that night.
Isn't it BEAUTIFUL?!!!! Look at that lighthouse in the bottom left. And those reefs. Wow. Color. SO MUCH COLOR! My Edmontonian eyes could barely handle it! They are only exposed to brown and white for large amounts of time.
Me and Waikiki, just hanging out.
This is where I should be living. On top of Diamond Head? Just as windy as Lethbridge with a better view!--IF YOU WANT TO SEE NORTH SHORE...KEEP READING--
