That Hawaii vacation sure put me into full vacation, relaxing, forget about everything else going on mode...for those 10 days on the island & for 2 weeks after we got home! Ooopps hehe!! It's really hard to come back to reality when you've been in paradise for a while! So on our first really rainy day in 2 weeks, I am spending it updating my blog!
Hawaii recap:
We went for 10 beautiful, amazing, memorable days with to celebrate my parents 40th Wedding Anniversary! They took us and my sister and her husband. My sister and I got to go with my parents 15 years ago for their 25th Anniversary, so it was our 2nd time going back (my sister and mine), but my parents 4th time! Jack & Jason were Hawaii virgins on this trip, but I know Jack and I at least will be back for certain - we just LOVE it there!! My mom has always had a HUGE LOVE for Hawaii and the islands since she first went in either...1971 or 1972?! (I think..it was at least close to those years) and the "island bug" bit her hard - hence their 4th time going back! Well the last time I was there I was 10 and I do remember good parts of it, but a lot I remember because of pictures and from the retelling of stories. This time...I was bit, and bit HARD!! I know and completely understand why my mom is truly in love with the islands! I'm happy she has passed on this "disease" to me hehe!! It was so special to take this trip with my parents to celebrate their marriage - as Jack and I certainly admire them and the years of love & life lessons they've learned and shared with us! Also, being able to share the experience of Hawaii with Jack this time was so special to me - it's like I was bringing him into a special family "tradition"! We are a lot like my parents as far as marriage - meeting in high school, getting married young, learning many life lessons at an early time in marriage, and as far as personalities go...let's just say my mom and I are quite the pair...but Jack & my dad...holy cow! hehe! The son he never had haha, two pea's in a pod!!! So all of that makes me feel that celebrating many years of marriage with family, like my parents did with Cindy & me, and now our husbands too, gives us something we too want to work towards - and Hawaii we know will be a part of that future!
Day of Arrival - 1/2 day - Duke's for happy hour & dinner
Day 1 - Exploring downtown Waikiki/International Marketplace (all walking distance from hotel), dinner @ Roy's
Day 2 - Pearl Harbor, USS Missouri, National Cemetery of the Pacific, happy hour and dinner @ hotel, fireworks after
Day 3 - North Shore - Haleiwa, Dole Pineapple Plantation, Romy's Shrimp experience, dinner @ House Without a Key
Day 4 - Hike Diamond Head (at 7am), Beach/pool day, dinner @ Hau Tree Lanai
Day 5 - 4th of July = Aloha Tower & Marketplace & Cruise to see fireworks
Day 6 - Polynesian Cultural Center & Luau
Day 7 - Kualoa Ranch - ATV's, movie set tour, horseback riding, cruise, beach
Day 8 - Hanuma Bay, Kailua Beach (bug bit me hardest here!), lunch @ Buzz's, dinner @ Duke's
Day 9 - Pool, shopping in downtown Waikiki, Duke's for happy hour, dinner @ our hotel
Day of Departure - 1/2 day - Pool/beach, quick shopping, 8 hour plane ride home...
We kept busy - but hey, you only go to Hawaii once ever couple decades, haha, you gotta pack it in to see the beauty of the island!!! I wouldn't have wanted my vacation any other way!!
Jack & I are forever thankful to my parents for taking us with them to celebrate their 40 years of wedded bliss & to let us share in so many wonderful memories with them!! Thanks Mom & Dad - you truly are the best!!!!!!!!!! xoxoxoxoxo
No comments:
Post a Comment