Aloha-Hawaii

Every where I go I just want to say Aloha. Lame I know but when you say it everywhere for a solid week I guess it just becomes one of those things. Josh and I were so lucky to be given the opportunity to go to Hawaii with my awesome parents-in-law for a week. We stayed on the island of Oahu and a block from Waikiki beach. It was absolutely one of the most incredible vacations I have ever got to go on. We relaxed and did enough where I felt I saw most of the island. It was just beautiful.
Our first day we spent relaxing on the beach, once Josh was nice and lobsterish-looking we decided to head out and go shopping. We hit up the International Market Place. I was in bartering heaven. I learned to get things, 2 for $5. I think I wore my father in law out with my shopping.

The next day we were up at 5:30am to start out at Pearl Harbor. I was in awe. They first sit you in a theater for a movie with the real footage from 1941, then take you out to the memorial. I teared up quite a bit as I come from a navy family. This was so huge for me. It was amazing how quite and peaceful it is there. But then again it is an underwater cemetery. Following Pear Harbor we went over to the Aloha Stadium for some serious bartering and shopping..aka the "swap meet". The whole stadium is surrounded with kiosks. We walked around the whole stadium. Again I think I wore my father in law out as he informed me he had never done that before. ;-) After the swap meet, we headed to Laie, to the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC). That place is unreal. It was such a blast learning about the different islands. The luau was funny in the sense that our main entertainer made you feel like you were at a Las Vegas show instead of a Hawaiian luau. At one point in the show the host called all the couples up that were celebrating an anniversary or a honeymoon there to come up and slow dance. I refused as Josh and I were celebrating our one year anniversary, but my in-laws insisted, so we went up in front of tons and tons of people and slow danced. Okay so it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but still it was a little awkward.



The day following we headed back to Laie to see the temple and then off to snorkel at a place called Sharks Cove. Unfortunately for all you lucky souls, I didn't get any pictures of us with our snorkel gear. I however had a bit of an issue with the snorkeling since I had never done it before. I had a few anxiety attacks and called it quits. Josh decided the next morning we would work on my breathing techniques in the pool before we go snorkeling again.
Just one of our gorgeous sunsets we got to see every night.

So the next day I practiced in the pool until I felt comfortable that I could snorkel just fine in sharks cove. Before heading to Sharks cove for the second time, we planned to do two things, one Josh and I were on a mission to find "Dog the Bounty Hunters" main office. We found it. De Kine Bonds. I was so excited, and sad that we didn't get to see him, but it was still surreal that we found the office and got a few souvenirs at the gift shop round the corner. Following that we had decided to attend a session in the Hawaii temple. It was so beautiful. There was a man at the front desk who gave us quite a history lesson on the temple.


One of the amazing scenery's we were able to see as we circled round the island on our way to the temple. After the temple, we hit up Sharks Cove where I am thrilled to say that I snorkeled like a pro...well almost. We first went out pretty far and got close to this cave and I pretty much freaked out and jumped on Josh's back. After that I was pretty calm. It was so unreal, I saw so many incredible fish and swam with sea turtles.


As for our last day there, we went to church and then visited a military cemetery, which they call the Punch Bowl. The peacefulness that resides there was just unreal. At the top of it there is an overlook of Honolulu and Waikiki.

This was me after the walk back down the hill from the overlook...me tired..HA!

For people who have wanted to see my belly, here it is...27 weeks


On the way to the airport my last memory of Hawaii. Thanks to my in-laws for such an amazing trip. I couldn't ask for anything better!