Back again...

We're back again, and I'm starting to integrate into the real world again. Before I post about the trip, here are a few updates:
- Dawson walks about 85% of the time now, very cute! He also learned 4 new words while I was gone, tries to say Isaac, and can go down stairs. I think I'll take him to the Biada's more often!
- My garden that I was so proud of is overgrown. Every one of my tomato plants fell over while I was gone, I'm going to have to make my own tomato cages next year if I'm going to have such healthy, huge tomato plants. Eventually I'll figure this gardening thing out.
- Isaac is 100% in underpants 24/7, and sleeps in a bed (Common, he's only 3 1/2) I was worried we were going to have to buy a third crib.

So.... the trip. It was awesome. It's frustrating, because it really was so awesome I can't put it into words. It was one, long, marathon date for David and I.

First of all, we loved being in a group. Our group consisted of: 5 retired couples, 1 single lady, and 3 younger couples. We had some walking issues, and diabetes, but they all worked it out just fine. We loved the older people so much, and they made us laugh so hard! They were always looking out for me, one lady gave me her battery powered hand fan to use on the trip, it saved my life at the Polynesian Cultural Center! We played cards with them, ate meals with them, went to the shows together, we loved them! One of the younger couples was David's best friend from High School, Ryan Jensen. I learned on this trip that Dave had even been on a date with Ryan's wife Monica, and I heard some other good stories as well. I loved getting to know them better, they are great people. Our other young couple was named Spencer and Amy Clements. They are both 30, and we became really good friends with them on the trip. They went on 3 of the shore excursions with us, and I don't know if Dave and I have laughed that hard in a long time! Between laughing uncontrollably, and walking a little crooked because of the ship moving, we think people must have thought we were totally drunk. Little did they know, we didn't spend one penny on alcohol to make fools of ourselves. Just a few jokes.

One of my favorite stories of the trip is about one of our older couples on the trip, who shall remain unnamed at the moment to prevent embarrassment. They are from Providence, and they have known David for a long time! They are very cute, I'll post a picture of them holding hands. They got called up to be in the "Almost Newlyweds" game. I wish I could have been there, I don't even know where on the ship we were at that moment. They were asked some very uncomfortable questions such as: Where is the strangest place you have made whoopie?, What is your wifes bra size?, and What is the funniest thing your spouse has done naked? You have to understand, they are only a few years away from 80, and very proper. I think it could be one of their most embarrassing moments in all their years.

Second of all, we loved being together without our kids. We held hands, snuggled, and went on a hundred dates together. We went to every show, karaoke, dinner, comedy act, everything we could on this cruise ship that we could never have done with kids (While the Biada family was back in Utah scrambling after 2 kids, we were sipping Pina Colada at the comedy act... Thanks guys) On our shore excursions we tried to do all the crazy things we can't do with kids: steep, difficult hikes, swimming in huge waves, even a nude beach ;). We loved spending time together, and it made it so refreshing to come home and REALLY enjoy our kids.

Third of all, this was really an incredible trip. We spent 3 days in Oahu, one of which we spent at the Polynesian Cultural Center, and 7 days on the cruise ship. We ate so much food, it's embarrassing. We saw some of the most beautiful sites in the world. We loved this trip, it was so fun.

Here was our Itinerary:

Friday- Arrive in Oahu, eat dinner, shop, and early bedtime
Saturday- Temple and Polynesian Cultural Center
Sunday- Church, Board the cruise ship and explore
Monday- Kauai
Tuesday- Kauai
Wednesday- Hilo
Thursday- Kona
Friday- Maui
Saturday- Maui
Sunday- Cruise ended, Pearl Harbor, Waikiki, Fly home

Now for the pictures....

Here we are in the Bamboo Forest in Maui

This is called a Mountain Apple I think. I was excited to find it because it reminds me of a certain fruit that I saw in a movie that I have always wondered where to find. It only makes sense it would be in Hawaii. Let me tell you, it ISN'T delicious.The seven sacred pools in Maui
Red Sand Beach in Maui. We learned after a very steep hike that it was a nude beach. Luckily the 3 naked guys were laying out, so I just turned AWAY from the beach.

When we were on one of our bus tours, the driver pulled over so we could see the pineapple field. The manager drove up right then, and picked us 3 pineapples. He cut them and served them to us right on the spot. I'm not a huge pineapple fan, but this fresh pineapple was to die for!
We both Karaoke-ed. I entered in the Karaoke Idol contest.... I lost!
This is Rainbow Falls on the Big Island.

Kissing under a waterfall. Don't say ewwww, saw awwww!
The old "belly shot". This is up on the Napali Coastline in Kauai, does it look familiar too?
Waimea Canyon in Kauai. Mark Twain nicknamed it "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific"
This is the picture I was most excited about. I couldn't wait to show Isaac that we got our picture taken with "Dum Dum" I told Isaac I didn't bring him any "gum-gum" and Isaac wanted to know what Dum Dum said. Unfortunately this Dum Dum didn't talk.
This is the Queen's Bath in Kauai. You can't tell from the picture, but it is quite a bit higher than the ocean. Every 15 minutes or so, a big wave hits, and some water comes into the pool. There are some pretty fish in there too.
This is our whole group at the Kona Temple. It is a beautiful temple, but very small.This is the cute Providence couple that was in the Almost newlywed game. Aren't they cute?