Maui

Road to Hana – There were so many adventurous secret hikes. Swam under waterfalls. Climbing over boulders, getting waterfall’d out! Stopped Brian from swimming with dead body. Offered weed by sketchy people. Getting all the way to Hana and then having to turn around because we ran out of daylight. Food trucks in Hana were good. Panang Curry and Drunken Noodles. Best Ice cream – Coconut Glens Ice Cream (coconut milk ice cream)

Day 2 – We went to to the blowhole and it was so worth walking all the way down to it. So many people came in flipflops that they were smart not to venture down. I tell you... Keens are the very best hiking sandle. We went into Lahaina and got an Acai Bowl,  looked through some unique art galleries (I liked the Vladimir Kush gallery the most) and of course had to see the Banyan tree. That is my most vivid memory from when I came to Maui last back in the 90's. One of the nicest walks we went on was Honolua Bay because you walk to the beach through an amazing dense forest. Julia's - ate best banana bread in the world. Th coconut candy is also amazing!! 

Favorite shopping – Karen Lei’s Gallery – like a local craft fair.

Day 3 – We went to the Maui Swap Meet which is nothing like the swap meet on Oahu, we got the girls some souvenirs and a wooden owl that makes sound. I should have bought the matching monkey because you blow into his butt to make the monkey sound. The girls would have loved that! I got a  breakfast crepe. And then we went snorkeling at Makenna Beach.

Day 4

Aloha Oe'

Day 1
-6am flight out of SLC
-Arrived in Honolulu 11:30am
-Checked into the Castle Maile Sky Court Waikiki
-Walked the strip and ate at Yummy's in the International Marketplace

I still can't believe that I forgot all of Sadie's hairbows at my parents house the night before. Good thing she had a few cute hats. Sadie was so great on the airplane ride. She was super excited and making the happiest baby noises until she knocked off. 

Day 2
-Sadie woke up at 5am so we got to enjoy an early morning  walk around Waikiki
-We went to the Swap Meet at Aloha Stadium and Brian bought 5 Hawaiian t-shirts and a khaki small brim hat, I bought a Kariza Dress and lots of bracelets, and Sadie got a yellow sundress and a shell nightlight
-And then we were off to Pearl Harbor. We caught one of the last tours about to the memorial and took it all in. Such a somber place. 


Day 3
-There was a traffic jam on the road to the north shore so we ended up at Kualoa Ranch which I had never been to and did the movie tour on a bus. They showed us where parts of Jurassic Park was filmed and I just rmember having the hardest time feeding Sadie because we were bumping all around on the roads.
-We of course had to go to the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) and ran into some of my favorite cousins while we were there. We also saw some old ward friends from Idaho Falls. What a small world! The last time Brian and I were there we were dating and he came to visit me while I was going to school at BYU-H. Kind of crazy to think how much can change in just a few short years! 

Polynesian Cultural Center

I think every mother and daughter should get matching tattoos.

We went to the luau that night and ate ourselves silly, the food was that good.

Day 4
-Brian found a really beuatiful hike called Manoa Falls. We somehow forgot to pack food for Sadie and had to ask some other hikers if they had a granola bar or something we could mush up for Sadie. I guess that is what happens with your first child. We were still getting the whole feeding thing down since Sadie just stopped nursing days before we left.
-Pali Lookout was super windy and super pretty. 
-Went to the best beach ever at Kailua, put a bid on this sweet home. This beach was so flippin amazing! The community surrounding it was totally where I woudl want to live and raise a family. We saw the row team out in the ocean practicing. It was also the first time Sadie had ever been in the ocean so it will always hold a special place in my heart! 
-Met up with old ward friends for dinner at Blue Water Shrimp & Seafood Co in Waikiki. 

I had to wait until she was dead asleep to paint her nails.

Sadie didn't care for the sand or the water. Typical baby I guess.

Day 5
-Revisited the Swap Meet (Sadie had turned my two bracelets into baby toys and had broke most of the beads)
-Valley of the Temples - I wrote a school report on this place back in the day.
-Laie to visit Kelly's old stomping ground (BYU-H, Quiet House, The Point)
-Hailewa - the best town ever! Whenever we wanted to get our pictures developed when we were in college we would catch the bus to Hailewa. So weird that I am one of those old people that will tell my kids that we used to have to get picture developed!! Haha! The ringing of the bell supposedly brings you happiness, blessings, and a long life so of course we all had to do it.

This is the view off of the balcony at the Quiet House where I stayed when I went to school. I forgot how breathtaking the view was! No one was there and the door was literally wide open so we gave ourselves a little tour. EEEkkk I was soooo lucky I tell you to have lived there!! 

This is the Laie Point. It was a little too stormy to jump off. I actually never jumped off when I went to school there either. I guess I kind of value  my life ;) 

Haleiwa - Oh my sweet bald baby!!
We ate at a Thai restaurant and one of the coolest things was the bathroom pass. You'd take this spoon hung up on the wall and it would allow you to walk through the kitchen where the meals were being prepared on the way to the bathroom. There was this little old Chinese woman in the back peeling carrots. I love how laid back it is there.

Day 6
-Waikiki Aquarium
-Ate at Cheesecake Factory
-Swam at Hawaiian Hilton Pool
-Ala Moana Mall to see where I used to work

We stayed at the shark exhibit for a long time. I am not sure if Brian is more scared or just fascinated by sharks.

There was a seal swimming around here somewhere.

We had never ate at the Cheesecake Factory and we loved it. Brian got "Peppered Fried Steak" and I got the "Kalua Pig Pizza". For dessert we had the chocolate coconut cream cheesecake.

Delish!

Day 7
-Mariners Ridge hike with brother Brian
-Saw Dolphins, Turtle, Sting Ray at Kahala resort
-Met up again with brother for ice cream and walk on the strip - Brian is a security guard on Oahu where he was escaping the law back in Utah. Hawaii is a very laid back place! 
Day 8
-Went to BYU & PCC again
-Attempted to eat at Hukilau Cafe (not serving breakfast when we got there)
-So ate at Giovanni's instead
-Ted's Bakery
-Playing on the beach and snorkeling at Waimea Bay
We got there at 11:30 and they had stopped serving breakfast. Oh well. An excuse to go back I guess :) Brian and Sadie were wondering when I was going to stop taking pictures.

We got the Shrimp Scampi and Lemon Butter shrimp. Next time we will try the spicy stuff.

I so want to move here!

Sadie made sure the towel didn't fly away.

Day 9
-Hanauma Bay
-Ala Moana Mall for lunch
-Left paradise at 8:48pm

We are already ready to go back!