Beach, beach and more beach

Yes, I've been an absentee blogger as of late.  I think that's a good sign.  It's a result of us hitting our stride here in Hawaii which I feel like we hit at about a month in.  We have our routines.  Our fave local eating spots.  A church we love.  We know our way around.  We add in a new adventure each week and of course venture out of the city every weekend.  

Bellows Beach.  The winward side.  Beautiful
 white sand.  Big waves.  The kids are not big fans.

Of the MANY cute bathing suit options
at Wally World back home... Ariella
chose the giraffe with sunglasses.  A
lesson in letting go for this type A mom.

A fun sea urchin find at Magic Island.  We've learned which ones
you can touch and which you can't.  

 Across the street anda  bit of  stroll down the beach boardwalk gets us to the Hale Koa beachfront hotel.  Its for military or DOD employees only and we have access to their HUGE, warm, saltwater pool.  Its become at least a weekly afair.  And we have fun with our underwater camera.

Josiah wont look at the camera.  Don't worry, he's not drowning.

  The super cool thing about Hawaii is that all beaches are public.  Even if there is a resort or something on it, it still has to be open to the public.  We could go to a different beach each day and never hit the same one.

Ala Moana park just a short jaunt away

Josiah is much more of a "play in the sand" kind of kid.  He
enjoys the water in short stints

Man made Lagoon the kids prefer just across the
 street at the Hilton

This is our "everyday" beach.  Its right across the street.
That's diamond head in the background.  We swam with sea
turtles twice right off this beach!

She's really starting to look the part.

Ko'Olina Lagoon #2.  Most people just set up at #4 bc its right next
to the parking lot.  But if you're willing to walk down the lovely
paved boardwalk to #2 it's way less crowded, no resort chairs and
lovely thatched umbrellas free for anyone to use.

24 Hours of Travel. Oh my!

Our gear for 3 months.  Super proud of our packing.

Those two smaller suitcases are empty, for bringing home

presents and souvenirs and such!

4:30am was the time we needed to get the children up Tuesday, May 17th, to start our journey to Hawaii.  Jason's mother suggested he and I don grass skirts and play hula music to wake the children. Oh I WISH I were that cool of a mom!  If y'all have that kind of energy and creativity at 4:30am, kudos to you.  I am NOT a morning person.  I'm a, "kids, you're sleeping in your clothes so I can easily haul you out of bed and throw you in the car with minimal fighting to change you," kind of person.  And so that, my friends, is how it went down.

This little boy was SO excited every time he saw

a plane take off!  Such joy!

After the 4:30am wake-up, the following ensued:

A drowsy drive to the bus station.

1.5hr bus ride to Logan

security, breakfast and boarding

5.5hr flight to Phoenix

1hr layover

6.5hr flight to Oahu
Car rental
Navigating big city
Trip to Walmart
Finding and checking into condo
Finally sleeping at 10:30pm Hawaiian time (4:30am EST)

By the time we deplaned in Oahu it was 6pm Hawaiian time (which is 12am Maine time).  We had been awake and traveling for 19.5 hours with a 7yo and a 3yo.  Each had managed about an hour nap on one of the flights.  Let me tell you, it was purely by the grace of God that I was still energetic, joyful, and patient.  I was determined to make it an adventurous, exciting experience.  With lots of prayer and by the power of the holy spirit, It was!  The kids were ABSOLUTELY amazing.  Only one toddler meltdown was had and thankfully it was o our layover, NOT on a plane.  And only a few minor whines or arguments were had between the littles.  I mean seriously!  Can you even imagine!?  Rock stars I tell you!

Our first view of our home fro the next 3 months!

It took a while to get a rental car.  The kids were getting loopy and goofy, running around the rent-a-car lobby... It's 1am their time by now.  Thankfully no one else was there.  I just went with it.

And, another God provision... we asked if we could possibly get a larger vehicle for the same rate we are allowed by the government.  We got one of those little Mazda minivans! It is PERFECTION.  Enough room for all our luggage/gear in the back or a 3rd row seat if we ever need to transport friends, sliding side doors and still compact enough for easy city driving and parking in tight spaces!

But we still weren't done!  We had to navigate the city (on VERY tired brains) and find a Wal-mart to get carseats and a few groceries for the morning.  We managed to find it, but all started going downhill quickly.  Our sweet little boy was SO DONE.. it was 2am his time.  He was sleepy and running into things as he walked and had a meltdown because he wanted the BLUE car-seat... like sat in it and refused to move, was pulled kicking and screaming from it... meltdown.  Daddy's nerves were done (the poor man had to work in the morning!) and Ella was just wired and excited and enthralled that the Walmart had an escalator!  Again, by the shear power of the Holy Spirit, (because if you know me, you know I am not, by my own nature, the gal that easily stays patient and positive) Mommy was the glue that held the crumbling pieces together.  Oh we were a sight to see!  I laugh now thinking about it!  

This is the first thing we saw when we

stepped off the plane!

We walked through the dark city, hauling our loot back to our parking spot, passing homeless people setting up for the night in parks and doorways and I had a very real, "We are not in Kansas anymore Toto" moment.  

We still had to find the condo, get the keys, find our parking spot in the parking garage and haul our luggage to the 18th floor.  Praise the Lord.  We made it.  The Condo was beautiful, exactly as pictured and the beds were OH SO comfy!  

I think the kids got to bed at 10:30pm Hawaiian time, which would be 4:30am Maine time.  Which means they were awake for 24 hours, with an hour nap each.  Crazy!  Then Ella woke up at 3am!  But that's another story...