Flashback...

Was it really just a year ago today that I was leaving Kauai and moving back to Utah?! Why did I ever get on that plane? I don't think I will ever forget that day. Saying goodbye to our friends in our driveway, locking up our house, and heading to the airport at the crack of dawn. Having to reshuffle oversize bags (hey I really did need 3 checked bags and 3 carry ons), and then barely making our first flight because Tessa's fake hand that holds her jewelry getting us stuck in security because it looks like a human body part made out of bomb materials. Perfect.




I remember landing in Honolulu and looking over at Tess thinking we were insane for leaving and seriously considering getting on a flight to go back to Kauai. But eventually we boarded our flight to LA and I felt my heart breaking the further and further away we got from Hawaii.



In the LA airport I looked over and the girls were just dragging their bags through the airport, with brown Jess lugging around a big wooden surfboard. We looked like we were marching to our own funerals, I mean really feeling the Christmas excitement at this point.



I remember looking out the plane from LA to Salt Lake and seeing the snow covered mountains, looking down at my flip flops and shorts and short sleeves. When we landed and walked through the jetway to the airport my eyes welled up with tears I was so cold and shocked. Don't get me wrong, I was excited to see my family just not excited to be in Utah.



They brought me Cafe Rio but I was just temporarily excited to see my house and my nice bed. I don't think I moved from laying in front of the fireplace for a week.

My poor family, I think they were a little disappointed I wasn't so happy to see them and be home. Christmas was fun, but after Christmas morning I was ready to board the next plane and head on back to what had become my home! Although my Christmas pajamas did show off my tan quite nice. Ever heard of the song, "One of these things is not like the others?"




Was this really my life? Did I used to be this beautifully browned? This was the day before we left, spending every last second on the beach before going home to start packing up. It seems like a lifetime ago, yet it seems like yesterday.



For those of you who tell me to "get over it" and "move on" I am telling you thanks for your advice, but I'm sure it could be better used by someone who cares. You try moving from Hawaii to Utah and see how much you love it! I will trade my own room, my big bed, and all the luxuries I have here for a Hawaii zip code again.

So Mele Kalikimaka to everyone. The song has been playing in my head continually this Christmas season.



Ahh the memories. I will never forget that day...

This is why I never blog...

Case in point: I just spent over an hour trying to find a new layout that I liked. I'm super sick of this one. My intentions were to quickly change it and do a post of the last 10 months or so... boy was I wrong! I am too picky and too much of a perfectionist and they all looked a little off or too "mom-ish/homemaker/grown up" ( no offense, I'm just saying...) or too juvenile. So I ended up with the same layout, and no new post. Maybe in another 9 months I will get another sudden urge to update my blog!

Update: Don't worry I found one to tide me over. Maybe I am having such a hard time finding one I like because everyone is LOVING the new fall ones while I am desperately searching for the sun, sand and surf. You know how people always say they have something in the back of their mind? Well Hawaii is constantly in the front of my mind and always in my heart. Ugh get me out of Utah where the leaves are crunching and everything is orange and dead! I'm afraid this is only the beginning of a long, long winter...

To leave you with a little piece of paradise...

New Favorite

So this is my all time new favorite song. Absolutely love it!

Jason Mraz - New Music - More Music Videos

I'm sorry but I totally love this song too and think it is hilarious!

The All-American Rejects - New Music - More Music Videos

Luau's and Ziplines

The Luau
Every since we got here we have all wanted to go to a luau. We were so excited when we found out Ikaika's dad was the emcee for the luau at the Hyatt in Poipu. Me, blond Jess and Tessa all went with Ikaika to the luau and we had tons of fun!







Ikaika's dad decided to pull the three of us girls on stage to learn how to hula, but little did he know we were already pro's at it...Ha! It was so fun being by the ocean, hanging out with friends, good entertainment and eating good food! (Okay except for the poi... I still don't understand why people like that!) It was so weird though to think oh hey it's almost Christmas. I think the only thing that made me remember it was December was the big Christmas tree in the hotel. But hey I'm not complaining, I will take the sun and the beach any day over the snow!

Billy our emcee (I forget his Hawaiian name...)


Ikaika, Tessa, Billy, Jess, and me


Thanks again Billy for such a fun night!


Our Jungle Adventure
So we found out that the Princeville Ranch was offering a special for locals for $29 for any of their tours. which is over $100 off the regular price. Tourism sure is feeling a hit right now so they were trying to get locals to come on their tours. Me and Tessa had our Hawaii id's (I had to get one when my purse was stolen) and we really wanted to go so this worked out perfect! We got Ikaika and Nouveau to come with us and we were excited for a fun day!

Me and Tessa ready to start our adventure!


Me and Nouveau


Tessa and Kaiks


Me on one of the ziplines


Me and Tessa after the suspension bridge


Nouvs, Kaiks, Me and Tess


Me and Tessa on our jungle adventure


The whole gang on our party bus


We have not had the greatest weather so it was fun to find something to do on a yucky overcast day! Just been trying to pack our days full with everything these last couple of weeks and this was a way fun day!

Painting with Glenn

We had the greatest opportunity to take painting lessons from Glenn Ichimura. He paints at the Anchor Cove shopping center at Tropic Isle Music and we loved his artwork, he truly is amazing! He offered to give us lessons and we took him up on the offer without a second thought! Needless to say I was a little bit worried, having never painted before and being a perfectionist, not a great combo. But it was the greatest!

After day 1...



Watching the pro



Tessa hard at work



Help me fix it Glenn!





My finished painting!!



Thanks again Glenn for giving us a little piece of Kauai to take home with us! It was the greatest experience and we'll never forget it!

The Cole-Conner Ohana and the Alvarez Ohana

We have met some of the greatest people while we have been here! Everyone has been so great and has just welcomed us into their homes. Everyone has truly shown us the aloha spirit.

It hasn't felt like Christmas at all here just because I'm so used to snow all the family traditions, but Julie invited us over to their house to make gingerbread houses. Luckily the 4 of us were able to all go and we had such a great time!

Julie and Kahnah



Me and Kahylie Rose with our finished house



Our village of gingerbread houses



Me and Juls



And of course Bryden. The sweetest little guy.



Thanks again Juls! You are the greatest!!

Okay so from day one of church we all fell in love with who we called the "pretty lady". Later we found out her name was Lisa and her husband was Steve. They are the greatest family and have the funnest group of kids! They invited us over for dinner one week and it was so fun being at their house.

Jacob, Natalia, Isaiah, Nikela, Lisa, Steve, Micah and Josiah





Steve and Lisa



Me and Micah... Love that kid!



Jess with Jacob and Josiah



Thanks again Alvarez's! We absolutely love your family!

Christmas Cards and Nursery Keiki

Well we decided to send out Christmas cards this year. While the Jessica's moms were both here we had them take pictures for us down in Poipu. Nothing says Mele Kalikimaka like the sun and the sand!

The winning pic...



Hau'oli Makahiki Hou!



Since we have been here they have had us helping in the nursery with Auntie Sylvia. She is the sweetest lady and we absolutely love the little kids in there. They seem to have managed to wrap themselves around our fingers.

Me with Rees



Me with Isaac (He made my necklace for me...)



Micah



Isaac... Always playing with Noah's Ark



Nalu.. Love his hair!



Auntie Sylvia

The Last Few Weeks...

I have been slacking off so I'm going to just tell a little about my last few days off and some of our latest adventures.

Polihale Beach

Me and Tessa had a day off together and our friends Danny and Cathy were off as well. We all piled into Danny's truck and headed down to Polihale. It is at the end of the road on the west side of the island and is probably in my top 5 of the coolest places I have ever been. You have to drive down a long dirt road to get to the beach and I think we made record time thanks to Danny's driving... The beach is so pretty and the backdrop is the Na Pali coast. I have to keep asking myself do I really live here?! The beach is so peaceful and not too many people were there. We laid out blankets and took naps in the sun. After we headed to the other side of the island to hike down to Opaekaa Falls. What a perfect way to spend a day off!





Waimea Canyon

A couple Sundays ago after church we met up with everyone to go to Waimea Canyon. Well I thought we were going to take a picnic, hang out at the grassy state park and drive around to see the sites. Needless to say I wore a comfy skirt. Turns out the guys had other things in mind and we ended up hiking down to a waterfall. The canyon is beautiful! They say it is the Grand Canyon of the Pacific but I have never been to the Grand Canyon so I have nothing to compare it to.

Me with Tessa and Blond





The girls with Kaika and Mark Thompson (aka Shawn)



This picture does not even do this drop off justice. We were so high up and the drop down was unbelievable!



Thanksgiving

First off I just have to say that I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have had to live here! I have fallen in love with this island and it will be hard to leave it when it is time to go home. The only thing that would keep me from staying here forever is my family back home. This was my first Thanksgiving ever that I didn't spend with my family and it was kind of different. It started off laying on the beach trying to soak up some sun. (Rough, I know). I had to work for a few hours in the afternoon because the cruise ship was in port, but I couldn't complain after spending all morning on the beach. Blond Jessica's family was here for Thanksgiving so her family came over and helped out with making the dinner. Also our friend Chad came over to join the crowd for dinner. We had a fun time. We had a couple new things, like purple sweet potatoes (which I didn't even know existed..)but I have to admit I was really missing my mom's homemade apple pie and my grandma's relish. Thanksgiving just didn't feel complete without that!

The Dunn Family



Jenna, Jess, Me and Tessa




Me and Tessa enjoying Thanksgiving dinner on the floor (Our table only seats 4)



I would have to say Thanksgiving away from home was a success.


Friends

My friend Haylie was here last week and it was so much fun to spend some time with her. She is such a sweetheart and I loved seeing her!



We also lucked out because when her family left they left all their food with us. Our fridge is now restocked and we have food in our cupboards! Thanks again Haylie, you are the greatest!


Well I am out of time but I will update more when I get a second! A hui ho!