H.A.W.A.I.I.

Oh....How I love Hawaii.

I was so sad to leave, that place is amazing.

We went with Ryan's parents and Ryan's aunt Jan and Uncle Stan.

We went to Honolulu for our first time....

hopefully in the future we can go see the the other islands too.

The weather was so nice, it was a perfect 80 degrees everyday.

We had soooo much fun.....

but, there was some unexpected moments too.

Ryan's uncle Stan had been having some medical problems, but the doctors said he would be okay to still go on the vacation. When we got there, he seemed to be doing okay, he just got tired and had to rest alot. All he wanted to see in Hawaii was Pearl Harbor, so we made sure we did that right away to make sure he had enough energy. The day after we went to Pearl Harbor, he fell while getting ready and Jan ran him to the hospital. There, we found out he wasn't doing good. He was in the hospital for the remainder of the trip. We thought he would get better, but by the end of our trip, he was just going more down hill. He passed away while in the hospital in

Hawaii. It was so very sad. That wasn't exactly how we imagined our trip to end, it was very unexpected. But we all think there wasn't a better way to go....on vacation in Hawaii.

And he got to see Pearl Harbor, the one place he wanted to see most.

Day one:

Packing for HAWAII !!

Ellie wants to come with us.

Diamond Head.

When we got to Hawaii,
we just HAD to check out Waikiki Beach....

Day two:
Polynesian culture center

This guy....was so funny.....

and look...he climbs palm trees. That's cool.

Our new Friends.

The Canoe parade of all the different cultures.

I want to learn how to hula....it looks fun.

So, the tree going over the river...it's one confused tree.

The trunk starts on one end, crosses over the river and into the ground on the opposite side.

On that side, the truck then comes out of the ground, loops around, and now is growing along side the top or the arch.

haha...did you get that?

Anyways....ELVIS has been here.

He sang by this tree in 'Blue Hawaii'

(well, that is what they told us.)

The whole gang.

This was our first Luau, and it was a blast.

We got REAL flower lays!

We're a good looking bunch!

I can't believe how many cultural dance shows you see in Hawaii.

Every where you turn, you see hula dancers.

Even just walking on the street, there would be shows.

And the fashion....

you see lots of Hawaiian flower shirts of every color,

everyone is wearing seashell necklaces or flower lays,

and most of the girls are wearing floral swimsuit cover ups (I got one!)

styles that will never fade away in Hawaii....

but hey...it's fun! I loved it!

The roasted pig.

RAW fish....

we tried raw fish!

It actually tasted different then I thought it would,

not "fishy" at all.

But still, not good.

Day three:

BEACH DAY AT WAIKIKI !!

ahhh.....THIS is the life!

I would have to say, laying out is one of my MOST FAVORITE things to do.

It's heaven to me....just relaxing and getting my tan on.

Sunset Dinner Cruise (a.k.a Booze cruise)

It wasn't as "romantic" as I expected, and it was kinda cheesy....

the boat was like from the 70's and had a funny smell. ha ha!

But, the food was kinda good and at least we got a pretty picture of the sunset.

Day four:

PEARL HARBOR

The Punch Bowl cemetery.

This is where all the people who died from the bombing at Pearl Harbor are buried.

Hawaiian Palace.

Ryan's $5 dollar hot dog.

He says it was the best Hot dog he has ever had.

On the boat to see the Arizona Memorial.

Over 1700 men are entombed inside the ship,

this is a memorial for all thoes brave men.

I think it is so crazy that you can see parts of the ship sticking outside of the water....

and that the bodies are still entombed inside.

Below: This ancor was from the Arizonia.

We couldn't get enought of the beach....we went daily.

Waikiki

Dinner at Jimmy Buffetts

Day five:

SNOKELING AT HUNAMA BAY

Isn't he so cute....

even with his snokel and fins!

I know....we are looking good!

Day six:

Swimming with the SHARKS!!

The shark cage!

Just a bit nervous....

it's not everyday that you have the chance to swim with sharks.

Crazy eyes.

They push the cage about 20 feet away from the boat....

That's my foot!! AND that's a SHARK!!

(insert jaws theme here.)

Galapago sharks: 10-12 ft long

The only thing between us and DOZENS of sharks are a couple of bars and plexi glass.

CRAZY!

We're alive!

I can now say, I'VE SWAM WITH SHARKS!

That's a good conversation starter.

So true.

Palm trees = warm weather = paradise.

haha! Okay, we had many highlighs on our trip.

This moment, was one of them.

On one of the bus tours, Ryan's parents heard there was tons of little shimp shacks along the north shore where you could get fresh shimp and prawns, that tasted AMAZING.
So, we find the one with the longest line....that HAS to be the shack with the best food, right?! We waited in a mile long line, in the HOT sun. It took us 45 minutes just to order. Not only that, after we orderd, we waited another 20 minutes for them to prepare the food. We ordered the shimp, just to be safe. But, Ryan's mom....she got prawns, she thought they were just like shimp....just a little bit bigger.

This......was her meal!

WHOLE PRAWNS.....with the shell, legs, claws, and EYEBALLS still attacted!

In order to eat them, you have to break open the shell and eat the inside. We saw on lady, put the whole head in her month and suck out all the juices! ewww! The best part about this expirence was Ryan's mom! Her reaction was so funny, we laughed till it hurt! She refused to eat any of it, but somehow Ryan's dad talked her into trying a little. She tried to crack it open.....and all these juices squired all over her. That was enough, she threw it down and refused to even look at it! I almost died from laughing!

haha.....it's like a little finger puppet.

Well, I guess it's not that bad.

If you don't mind you food STARING at you!!

Gross! Yeah, the food was NOT amazing.

Hawaii has the BEST pineapples ever!

If I could only eat ONE thing while I was in Hawaii.....it would be the pineapple.

So....did you know that pineapple grow from a plant from the ground?

I always imagined they grew on trees, like banana's....or something.

I never knew, I guess you learn somehing everyday.

The Dole plantaion.

That guy waving his arms in the back is my cute father-in-law.

Dole whips.

One word: AMAZING.

It's like a overloand of pineapple goodness....

like I said, I love the stuff!

Eucalyptus tree.

It looks like the trunk was painted, but that's just the way it grows.

Cool, huh?

Day six:

ROAD TRIP AROUND THE ISLAND.

I love the the mountains in Hawaii, they are so pretty.

Apparently so does Steven Spielberg and Adam Sandler.

This scene has been in two movies.

These mountains are the ones filmed in Jurassic Park.

And, it's kinda hard to see, but there is a pier along the bottom of the picture.

That is the pier on '50 first dates', it's right by Lucy's house in the movie.

China man's hat.

Also seen in '50 first dates.'

The Laie Hawaii Temple.

I love to see the temple.....

We didn't get to go inside the temple,

it has been closed for 2 years due to remodeling :(

But, what we could see, we loved.

We hope to go inside one day.

Did you know....for girls,

when you wear you flower on the right side, that means you are taken.

The left side means you are single.

I am very much taken :)

Sharks cove.

Do not jump off the big rock....

So....Ryan jumps,

Yep, that's my husband.

Ryan's new favorite hobby: SURFING!!

We found the perfect beach along the North shore! It was our favorite.

It had great waves for Ryan to learn on and it wasn't at all crowded, unlike Waikiki.

It takes us like 5 minutes to just find a spot at Waikik, on the north shore, we pratically had the whole beach to ourselves.

Isn't he so hansome.

I am so lucky.

What a poser I am! haha!

I also got a boogie board....I know, I am like a kid.

But it was fun to jump in the waves with it!

Ryan is good at everything!

He got up surfing without any instructors,

he learned all by himself!

While I was getting my tan....

I decorated the sand.

TA-DA!

Day eight:

Parasailing

and the last day :(

All ready to go.

We went up 700 ft, wow!

It wasn't as scary as I imagined....it felt like we were just floating.

A nice dip in the COLD water.

Good thing there wasn't any sharks around.

Last time at Waikiki.

I will miss you.

Polly want a cracker....er, I mean....

Polly want a orange?

Who watches 'Dirty Jobs'?

I do, I do!

We don't have cable...and it's one of the only shows on TV that is interesting.

And it just so happens,

that I watched an eposide on Red Dirt shirts just before we came!

They color the shirts with dirt!

We love you Hawaii! We will miss you dearly.

Our flight home was a red eye flight, we didn't get on the plane till 9:15 pm.

We left sunny 80 degree weather and come home to cold, rainy 43 degree weather.

Right when we stepped off the plan, we missed Hawaii.

It was a little bit weird, 6 of us left to Hawaii,

and only 3 came back home.

The funeral was a week later.

The only good thing about a funeral is you get to be with your family, it brings everyone together. It was a lovely funeral and he will never be forgotten.