Thanksgiving in Hawaii :)

 

"Nine years ago, I wish that someone could give me a small glimpse of my future and show me this moment right now. That would put a lot of peace and calm into my life, and I wouldn't be able to believe it." I said this to John as we unloaded our suitcases from the rental car to our hotel in Waikiki, Oahu. I couldn't believe that my kids were now old enough for us to take a real trip to this gorgeous island, and enjoy it! 

This is a trip John and I have been dreaming about since the kids were babies. Everything fell into place this fall with reasonable airline tickets and an invitation from family friends who have lived on the island for years. All the island have something magical about them; however,  James' obsession with WW2 and Pearl Harbor cemented the choice that Oahu would be the right island to visit this time around. 

The days leading up to our departure are always hectic, and I always find myself exhausted as I step onto the plane. We left right after school on a Thursday, taking a 6 PM flight, arriving to paradise in the dark. 

Waking up the next morning to palm trees and blue water, we honestly couldn't believe where we were. 

Walking around Waikiki that first morning was surreal. It was instant summer. 

We spent the first morning driving up the South East side of the island, stopping at various scenic points on the way. The kids were instantly enchanted by the ocean. 

We forced the kids to hike up to Makapuu lighthouse. I am always reminded on hikes that John and I are actually the only ones who enjoy hiking. Nonetheless, the view at the top was worth the effort. 

Next we ventured on to the town of Kailua, stopping to get a snack at an organic smoothie/acai bowl shop. When we walked into the little shop, the owner chatted with us, excited to share her creations and products; however, we learned after a few minutes that she was actually closed but opened her shop up again to make us all acai bowls. She had such a laid back, friendly spirit.  Upon chatting, we discovered that her sister just moved to Tualatin, Oregon (a mere 10 minutes from our house!) what a small world! 

I don't think I'll ever have another acai bowl as delicious and fresh as this one from place!

Caleb really enjoyed his peanut butter chocolate bowl. 

Next we ventured on to Lanikai beach. It's one of the most photographed beaches with the Mokulua islands off in the distant. The kids had their first taste of ocean waters, and we all were addicted to the turquoise waves and white sand instantly. 

As night fell, we headed back to our hotel to enjoy "happy hour" on the pool deck. The kids actually came to anticipate the nightly ritual, full of fun tropical drinks, snacks and nighttime pool fun with the many other kids at our hotel. John and I liked soaking in the hot tub with a Mai Tai or Blue Hawaii, a far stretch from our typical week day nights in Oregon. :) 

Day 1 started our vacation on a high note. 

Day 2 was James' day. James has been fascinated by WW2 for the past few years, and we chose to visit this island partially because of Pearl Harbor. He knows way more than I do, and he even made a slideshow to educate us all on what we would be seeing before our trip. 

James was excited and ready to go. We embarked on a whole afternoon tour. 

This beautiful banyan tree was near our hotel. 

I thought it looked fake it was so perfect.

"Vacation James" is set and ready for a day at Pearl Harbor

Riding the tour bus to Pearl Harbor was a fun part of the day. Our local tour guide, Nani Poplao was quite the "JaHawiian" character. He had a very cool, fun personality and explained a lot about the island on our tour. 

On the way we passed the old royal palace. Hawaii was the only state to have a monarchy for a while. 

There were so many things to see at Pearl Harbor. We learned so much. 

We had to take a ferry out to see the USS Arizona. 

It was a somber place, but beautifully crafted to promote reflection and honor. 

After all these years, oil is still leaking from the bowels of the boat. 

Overall, James had a great day. I'd say we all did. 

Sunday we drove around the south side of the island, stopping at Pail lookout. It was beginning to rain but as we looked out, we were amazed by a beautiful rainbow. 

No wonder they call Hawaii the "rainbow state."

Next we stopped at a macadamia nut farm. This little touristy place had Kona coffee and nut samples. They also had chickens running around the property.  A crate of shelled macadamia nuts presented a challenge to my kids of  cracking them open with a rock; at first they had fun feeding them to the chickens. However, when we left, we had quite the pile of nuts...not for the chickens, but for us! 

 

After the nut farm, we drove on and stopped at a landmark called "China Man's Hat." This rock formation was not only a beautiful spectacle, but also a fun beach to find coral and explore. 

Across the street was Kualoa Ranch, our main attraction of the highly, highly recommended by our friend's Kristin and Dave who live on the island. Dave and their 5 year old daughter Shelby met us at the ranch and together we zipped around the lush jungle together, exploring areas where movies, such as Jurassic Park, was filmed.  

To say we got dirty was an understatement. 

  

We were coated in a layer of dust and grim. 

But getting dirty was worth it! We saw the most beautiful sights and stopped at key locations where filming of the movie took place. It truly was "other worldly."

The original plan was to go to a semi-formal restaurant after the ride. However, we all were so dirty we decided that going back to our friend's house instead to have pizza and take a dip in their bay was a better plan. 

I loved seeing their four children. Their daughter Kaileigh was only 5 weeks old!

We certainly have a lot of kids between all of us! 

Monday we made our way to the Dole Plantation. The weather, the price and the time commitment had us forgo the activities offered (the Pineapple Express train, the maze...) and simply enjoy a Dole Whip while trying to avoid the drizzle. 

Our main activity of the day was experiencing the Cultural Center. A whole activity community had us exploring the various cultures of Polynesian villages, which culminated in a wonderful Luau feast and show in the evening (complete with fire dancers!) 

It was a full day. The weather was a bit drizzly and grey, but the kids still had so much fun trying their hand at spear throwing and fishing with a bamboo pole. 

Although it poured on us during the Luau, we made the best of it. 

Luckily, the eating took place inside a beautiful dining hall. 

The food was fantastic. I got everyone to try poi. 

Levi took a picture of this flower. He said it looked exactly like a bird! 

The kids enjoyed trying their skill fishing with bamboo poles and spear throwing. 

(I think the fish in the pond have learned to avoid the poles. There were so many fish clustered around, looking at the poles, but not one dared to bite. Nonetheless, the boys were determined.) 

It was a long day and the kids fell into a deep sleep on the drive home. 

Tuesday, the sky looked like rain again. We knew we'd be taking more of a risk of stormy weather if we traveled to the North Shore, but that was our plan for the day, and we decided to forge ahead. 

The North shore had promised huge waves, and also a great snorkeling spot, Shark's Cove.

We bought our own supply of gear with us (it took up one whole suitcase); we needed to use it, and this was our chance, now or never.  We made a day of the North Shore.

Once we convinced the kids to enter the water, they were very enthusiastic about what they saw. "Levi! Levi! Come here! This is the biggest fish I've ever seen!" yelled Caleb from across the cove. Fellow snorkelers chuckled at his enthusiasm. 

Snorkeling ended when the downpour started. 

We found refuge at a popular bakery for lunch (Ted's) and ate outside under cover. 

The rain didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon, so we decided to take the road home (but stopped briefly to enjoy some authentic Hawaiian Ice) 

Wednesday is the day I want to bottle up in my mind forever. 

It was one of those moments that dreams are made of and God's goodness on my life was tangible. 

 Our friend gave us access to inexpensive boogie board rentals and to a private beach through his military status. Lanokai beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the world with its white sand and turquoise water. 

The waves were truly addictive. Once the kids learned how to catch a wave, they were unstoppable.  There were a few wipeouts; but the promise of a bigger, better ride had everyone going out for more and more. Evelyn especially just couldn't get enough.  She turned out to be quite the surfer girl. 

That morning, we spent time walking down Waikiki Beach. It was packed. Tourists lined the shoreline and sun beat down on us all. 

The famous surfer, Duke

Boogie Boarding in the afternoon was such a piece of paradise. 

That evening, we showered...and scrubbed...and lathered. But the sand from the day's adventure seemed to be stuck in our hair. It took several days to be free from sand particles. 

That night we met up with some friends (two families!) who just happened to be vacationing in Waikiki at the very same time! Our kids all go to the same school and we've known them for years.  We had dinner at a food hall with live music and then chatted under the Christmas tree (And Christmas palm trees) outside. We didn't want the night to end! The temperature was perfect and so was the company.

All the way from Portland, Oregon. 

Our final day was Thanksgiving. Waking up, Evelyn is a creature of habit and wanted to lounge in bed and watch the Macy Parade. John and I took this opportunity to have a quiet breakfast by ourselves downstairs and then bring up breakfast in bed to the kids. 

We spent the morning by the pool and then in the afternoon we drove to our friend Kristin and Dave's house. They had prepared a wonderful meal cooked the Hawaiian way, underground. The pork roast was so tender and juicy; cooking underground seems to be the way to go!

Kristin and I were able to sit on her deck over looking Kaneohe Bay for awhile after dinner. 

The kids enjoyed the view too while eating their pumpkin pie. 

Their 5 year old daughter and Evelyn got along quite well. Evelyn had her entertained by cracking open a coconut in their backyard. 

And I got to see their newest addition. :) 

Their hospitality truly was "Aloha." 

You just can't beat a backyard view like this. 

That night we walked around Waikiki and got into the Christmas spirit. 

The next morning was our final moments before taking off for home. The advice from a local had us saving some of our bread from breakfast to take to the dock and feed the fish. 

We didn't see anything to extraordinary come to the surface; however, as we were walking back, a magnificent monk seal found its way to the shore to sun itself. We were all grateful to be able to see him before we left Hawaii. 

The seal was an extra added bonus to end our amazing trip in Oahu.