Hawaii 2016 Part 3

 Our last two days in Hawaii we squeezed in some more beach and snorkel time. Friday Zach's Dad and Big Brother Sonny and his daughter Zeza came to stay at our hotel. Friday night we all surprised Zach's cousin Maile and her family at a business they run. That turned into a fun reunion dinner at Zach's Auntie Debbie and Uncle Boe's home. They were so gracious and it was so fun getting to know then all a little bit more.

 

Saturday was our last day. It was sad but full.  While I ran to the beach one last time, Zach was a sweetheart and packed up our room. Once we checked out we headed into town to see the Kona Hawaii Temple. Like every other temple, it was peaceful and beautiful. 

Uncle Sonny and Zeza took us to a open market to help us pick out souvenirs for the kids. They had a wedding to go to so we parted ways, it sure was nice spending some time with them. 

 Next stop was Mars. Just kidding but I bet it would feel somewhat similar to Mount Mauna Kea. It is desolate up there, and hard to get to. The road up is bumpy and steep but the view is incredible. Just hanging out with the clouds, just an ordinary day.

 

 

 After Mauna Kea we headed to take Zach's Dad home and prepare for our flight home. It was sad to watch Zach say goodbye to his Dad. The love there is strong and it was really nice to see. 

Zach's Brother Sonny and Zeza surprised us at the airport to say goodbye it really was nice of them, I know Zach loved getting to see his brother one last time.

That was it for us. Such a great trip. I was able to see from whom and where Zach came from and getting to know Zach's Dad better really helped me know my husband better. Getting to spend alone time was good for our marriage and good for my soul for sure. We took the red eye home and it was a bumpy flight and I might have sent up a few prayers for safety. (I hate flying) I just kept thinking about my kidos, I couldn't wait to go see them and show them all the fun stuff we got in Hawaii for them. Just a quick shout out, trip made possible by the amazing and talented Grandparents in Vegas. My Dad and Stepmom took the girls for a night and day and then of course my mom used a week of her vacation time to watch my kids. She really is the best!!

Hawaii 2016 Part 2

Wednesday was our last day in Hilo and we were lazy. We slept in way too long and didn't head out till the afternoon. We said goodbye to Zach's Dad and decided to set out to the town of Volcano where there are active volcano sites. It was another rainy drive but beautiful to see the Hawaiian countryside. We got to learn about volcanos at the visitor center and the active crater was super cool. It was an eerie feeling being out in the great lava field though, it felt what the end of the world might feel like.

 

 Just a giant hole in the earth spewing lava, no big deal right!! Actually, it was pretty memorizing and scary at the same time.

After visiting the lava fields we headed to the other side of the island to check into our hotel. It is about a 2 hour drive and we didn't get there until pretty late. The resort was deserted when we finally got there but that didn't stop us from wandering around the grounds. We found a large sea turtle and of course a bunch of other water creatures during our midnight exploration.

 Our room came complete with matching robes and slippers, I had to wear it at least once. Our room was lovely and the view of the ocean was perfect.

Thursday would end up being the only day we spent by ourselves and it was exactly what we needed. We had breakfast together with a beautiful view. After breakfast I headed to my spa appointment and Zach went back to the room for a nap.

 

 

 My cute spa dress. Nothing like a relaxing massage to start the day out right.

 After the massage we did exactly what I had been waiting for all week. Beach, sun, hubby, books, crossword puzzle and a pina colada(or two). Dream come true. We also spent a little time in the water snorkeling.

After relaxing at the beach we headed to dinner at a Steak house and had the best meal we had eaten in a long time. After Dinner we watched a Tahitian Dance performance and shopped around for souvenirs. 

To end the day we took a late night dip in the spa and pool which we had all to ourselves. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day. Zach and I should have more days like this one for sure, it was such a reminder of just how much we love each other and need alone time together.

Hawaii 2016 Part 1

Zach and I celebrated 10 years of marriage on November 5, 2015. We also celebrated 10 years of no vacation without kids. We certainly deserved to spend time with just the two of us so we booked a trip to Hawaii for April. Seven days and nights on the Big Island of Hawaii was just what we needed. It happens that Zach's Dad also lives there so we decided to stay with him for half the trip and then a resort on the other side of the island for the second half of the trip.

 We took the red eye to Hawaii and were pretty happy to be flying sans children.

 Five minutes after we left the Hilo, HI airport I had to get out of the car, I couldn't believe how green everything was, it looked like a jungle and the air was amazing!

 First thing we did was drive straight to Rainbow Falls. I am not exaggerating when I say just how excited Zach was to be back on the Big Island and especially excited to show me around.

 Random bridge that Zach said he jumped off of as a kid. This guy was crazy!

 We drove to where the lava from the most recent volcano eruption crossed over the road and stopped just short of one very lucky guy's house. It was pretty cool. Lava rock is everywhere on the island.

 Lava tube or tree park, I don't remember the name but it is where the lava climbs up the tree and the tree burns inside and leaves the lava upright in the shape of the tree. Again, pretty cool.

 No pretty beaches on the Hilo side of the island. Just lots of lava rock and pounding waves. Sure was beautiful!

 

 Day three still in Hilo was super rainy. We tried to go see Akaka Falls but it was so foggy we could hardly see it. It was pretty but the guys got soaked. I decided that we needed to go find some clear skies and so we headed to Kona for the rest of the day.

 This picture is the best we could get of Akaka Falls.

 The sunshine felt great after three rainy days. Zach and his Dad had fun swimming in the ocean and I had fun soaking up the sun. I did go in the water for a bit, it was nothing like swimming in the freezing California Pacific waters, it was warm and clear.

 The Sunset was stunning, the weather perfect. A lovely ending to a busy day.

 It really was nice to see Zach and his Dad together. I know it meant the world to Zach that he was able to spend so much time with his Dad on this trip.