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| Bed head. |
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| Working on the car. |
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| Sleeping at mom's work |
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| Trying on my wedding dress. |
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| A rare photo of Austin and I together - at the Jazz Game. |
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| Some Afternoon Tea. |
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Photo Dump.
I like to call this post a "photo dump." It features adorable photos that don't really have a story but are too cute not to share. Enjoy!
Parade of Homes.
After years and years I finally convinced Austin to go to the Utah Valley Parade of Homes with me and it did not disappoint. I loved walking through all of the houses and dissecting exactly what I loved and didn't love about each one. I've learned I love huge windows, open spaces, white kitchens, and exposed bricks. I think Austin and I are going to have a hard time when we build our custom house. We are both very opinionated when it comes to housing decisions....
I also won some tickets to the Salt Lake Parade of Homes a few weeks later and took Kennadi on a little date. She is just about as opinionated as I am when it comes to houses. It must run in her blood....
I also won some tickets to the Salt Lake Parade of Homes a few weeks later and took Kennadi on a little date. She is just about as opinionated as I am when it comes to houses. It must run in her blood....
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Hawaii | Part 4.
The last day of Hawaii was spent at Pearl Harbor. Pearl Harbor was one of the things I remembered most about my previous trip so I couldn't wait to get back! And It did not disappoint. There is always a sense of reverence whenever you get to the harbor. We started out with a video on the significance and history of Pearl Harbor. We then boarded a boat that transported us to the USS Arizona Memorial. It is eerie to see the oil still floating on the ocean's surface and to read all the names of those whose grave you are standing on. After viewing the memorial, we toured the USS Missouri, a retired battleship. After touring it I realized I could never be a sailor, I would get claustrophobic and lost on the boat so easily!
After Pearl Harbor, we soaked up the last couple of hours of Paradise before we headed to the airport for our red eye flight home. This was my first ever red eye flight and it was miserable. I hardly slept, I was cramped, and it made for a long night. I was excited to land and so excited to see my girls again! Poor Austin had to go straight to work after a miserable flight. Let's just say we went to bed super early that night and I took multiple cat naps throughout the day.
I loved our week in Paradise and dream about going back constantly.
After Pearl Harbor, we soaked up the last couple of hours of Paradise before we headed to the airport for our red eye flight home. This was my first ever red eye flight and it was miserable. I hardly slept, I was cramped, and it made for a long night. I was excited to land and so excited to see my girls again! Poor Austin had to go straight to work after a miserable flight. Let's just say we went to bed super early that night and I took multiple cat naps throughout the day.
I loved our week in Paradise and dream about going back constantly.
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| Pearl Harbor |
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| USS Arizona Memorial |
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| USS Arizona Memorial |
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| USS Missouri |
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| Not pumped for the Red Eye home... |
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| The girls loved the souveniers |
Hawaii | Part 3.
After a late night at the Polynesian Culture Center, we were pretty crazy and had another early morning as we embarked on another hike. How we managed to convince my family to do so many hikes, I will never know. No physical activities like a hike is complete without some yummy, non-healthy food. We made a stop at Leonards first and had some of their famous Malasadas. They were so good. Austin and I ordered a huge box by ourselves and you best believe we ate them all! We then drove to Diamond Head to start the hike. The reviews for this hike said it was an easy hike so we didn't think much of it. But this hike had about a billion stairs to climb and my legs were on fire before we reached the top #I'mOutOfShape This hike was cool because you had to go through old military bunkers, tunnels and observation decks before you reached the summit. The summit made the burning legs worth it though. The top offered 360 degree views of the island and the ocean. It was simply breathtaking.
After the hike, Austin and my dad went golfing. I had to promise Austin golf in order to get him on board for the vacation. They choose a beautiful golf course with ocean views during some holes. Myself, my mom, and Madison stayed back and spent the rest of the day by the pool or beach. I felt like I was living the dream.
The next morning we decided we were going to make our way around the whole island and stop at as many beaches as possible. First stop was Hanauma Bay, known for their amazing snorkeling. We showed up before the reef was technically open so we got in free, holla! The snorkeling was pretty good, but I still enjoyed Sharks Cove better. My legs got scraped pretty good from the reef, but I saw some pretty cool fish so it made the pain bearable. After snorkeling, we stopped by the blowholes and then went to breakfast. We stopped at Kimo and Boots in Kailua and they had the worlds best Banana pancakes. They were so fluffy and light and then had macadamia nut sauce spread over them. I'm drooling just thinking about it! This is another must stop eatery for anyone visiting Oahu. It was so delicious! Once our bellies were full, we stopped at Lanikai Beach for some sunbathing and boogie boarding. Then we ventured to Temple Beach in Laie which was perfect for boogie boarding and the beach was practically abandoned. Finally, we made stops at Sunset Beach again and the Dole Pineapple Plantation. No one can eat too many dole whips and fresh pineapple.
After the hike, Austin and my dad went golfing. I had to promise Austin golf in order to get him on board for the vacation. They choose a beautiful golf course with ocean views during some holes. Myself, my mom, and Madison stayed back and spent the rest of the day by the pool or beach. I felt like I was living the dream.
The next morning we decided we were going to make our way around the whole island and stop at as many beaches as possible. First stop was Hanauma Bay, known for their amazing snorkeling. We showed up before the reef was technically open so we got in free, holla! The snorkeling was pretty good, but I still enjoyed Sharks Cove better. My legs got scraped pretty good from the reef, but I saw some pretty cool fish so it made the pain bearable. After snorkeling, we stopped by the blowholes and then went to breakfast. We stopped at Kimo and Boots in Kailua and they had the worlds best Banana pancakes. They were so fluffy and light and then had macadamia nut sauce spread over them. I'm drooling just thinking about it! This is another must stop eatery for anyone visiting Oahu. It was so delicious! Once our bellies were full, we stopped at Lanikai Beach for some sunbathing and boogie boarding. Then we ventured to Temple Beach in Laie which was perfect for boogie boarding and the beach was practically abandoned. Finally, we made stops at Sunset Beach again and the Dole Pineapple Plantation. No one can eat too many dole whips and fresh pineapple.
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| Fresh Malasadas from Leonards |
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| Only one of the billion staircases you have to climb during Diamond Head Hike |
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| Bunker During Diamond Head Hike |
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| Views from Diamond Head Summit |
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| We Made it! |
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| Walking the beach at sunset |
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| Hanauma Bay |
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| Blowholes |
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| Lanikai Beach -- look at the water! |
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| Boogie Boarding at temple beach |
Hawaii | Part 2.
We started the next day with an early morning hike. We hiked around 2 miles round trip to Manoa Falls. This hike was so picturesque. You feel like you stepped into Jurassic Park as you climb through the dense, green jungle. It was just clearing up from a rainstorm so the lingering mist was an added bonus. It was such a beautiful hike, If you are ever in Oahu, I would highly recommend it. Our next stop was the famous Swap Meet. You can find any souvenir imaginable here! We wandered too many shops and probably bought too many things. Austin was pumped to purchase a bunch of hawaiian sea salt and I got some shirts for the girls and I. After the hike, we figured we deserved some rest and relaxation so we spent the afternoon soaking up rays from the pool and at the beach. Once we got bored at one pool, we moved our stuff to another pool. And this cycle continued. The pools and beach at the resort were awesome. That evening we ate at one of the fancier, beach side restaurants at the hotel and then walked the beach during sunset.There is nothing prettier than a Hawaiian sunset. Nothing.
The next day we decided to hit the cute little town of Laie. As we drove up towards the north end of the island, we stopped by the Byodo-In Temple. This is a beautiful Japanese style temple but it was in an unusual location -- the middle of a cemetery. We walked around the site, banged the peace bell, and went to see Buddah. After that temple, our next stop was the LDS Temple. I absolutely love this temple and the temple grounds. It is so peaceful and beautiful. We stopped by the visitor center, walked through the grounds, and then went to our next stop - Seven Brothers Burgers! This was one of my favorite food destinations during our trip. The burgers were huge and so delicious and addicting. I wish it wasn't an hour from our hotel, or I would have had one every day.
After lunch, we went to the Polynesian Culture Center. I loved learning about the different cultures and traditions. We rode canoes, learned how to hula dance, made fires, got tattoos, and saw some amazing performances. That night we stuffed our faces at a traditional luau and watched a night show complete with fire dancers. It was pretty amazing.
The next day we decided to hit the cute little town of Laie. As we drove up towards the north end of the island, we stopped by the Byodo-In Temple. This is a beautiful Japanese style temple but it was in an unusual location -- the middle of a cemetery. We walked around the site, banged the peace bell, and went to see Buddah. After that temple, our next stop was the LDS Temple. I absolutely love this temple and the temple grounds. It is so peaceful and beautiful. We stopped by the visitor center, walked through the grounds, and then went to our next stop - Seven Brothers Burgers! This was one of my favorite food destinations during our trip. The burgers were huge and so delicious and addicting. I wish it wasn't an hour from our hotel, or I would have had one every day.
After lunch, we went to the Polynesian Culture Center. I loved learning about the different cultures and traditions. We rode canoes, learned how to hula dance, made fires, got tattoos, and saw some amazing performances. That night we stuffed our faces at a traditional luau and watched a night show complete with fire dancers. It was pretty amazing.
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| Manoa Falls Hike -- so pretty! |
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| Hiking Crew |
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| Arch during the Manoa Falls Hike |
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| Manoa Falls |
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| Byodo-In Temple |
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| Nap Break |
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| Laie Temple |
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| PCC - Austin's fierce tattoo |
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| PCC -- Austin making fire |
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| PCC Luau |
Hawaii | Part 1.
As soon as I started working at the hotel, I knew I wanted to go to Hawaii and take advantage of the cheap hotel rooms. It is soo hard to find discounted rooms in Hawaii and I searched daily for anything available. By some miracle, I found 2 rooms available at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Oahu. I booked those rooms as soon as I found them and then called Austin and notified him of our pending Hawaii trip. I promised golf plus it is Hawaii so I figured he couldn't get too angry I booked without running it past him first. I asked my mom and dad if they wanted the second room and they quickly snagged it up. It was too good of a deal to pass up. Unfortunately, I had to book the rooms a whole year out. It was painful waiting for the vacation to approach but on the flip side, it gave us plenty of time to plan!
Austin's mom was sweet enough to watch the girls for us. She is the real MVP. I kept asking Kennadi if she wanted to go to Hawaii with us, and she kept telling me no. She was too excited to hang out with grandma for a whole week. I think it is natural to worry about the girls when we are away, but it sure made it easier knowing they were in good hands.
Austin, Madison, and I flew out on Monday. My mom and dad were on a different flight and we landed about the same time. We met up at the baggage claim, grabbed a rental car, and embarked on our week in paradise. We kept the first day super low key. We checked into our amazing resort and explored everything it had to offer. The resort is located right on Waikiki Beach and our rooms overlooked the ocean. It was so peaceful to sit on our balcony, hear the waves crashing, watch the surfers, and feel the ocean breeze. The resort was also home to 4 pools, water slides, a secluded lagoon, and a bunch of restaurants and shops. Because I am a Hilton Team Member, I got 50% off most of the food places, so we grabbed quite a few snacks there. Cheap rooms, Cheap food. What more could I need?
The next morning we woke up super early. Luckily it didn't feel super early because of the time change. We wanted to be at Sharks Cove early in the morning to go snorkeling. I read that this is one of the best snorkeling spots on the beach and they weren't wrong. The snorkeling was amazing. We had the whole cove to ourselves for most of the morning, which was a huge bonus. There was a good variety of fishes, and a large quantity of them as well. It was really rocky so we had to be aware so we didn't get scrapes and bruises, but it was so worth it. It was one of the highlights of the trip for me. After snorkeling, we kept exploring the North Shore. We stopped and had lunch at Ted's Bakery and had some of their famous chocolate haupia pie which wasn't too shabby. We tried boogie boarding at Sunset Beach, had the famous Matsumato Shaved Ice in Haleiwa, and then ventured to the Dole Pineapple Plantation. At the plantation we took a train ride through the plantation and ran through one of the largest mazes (Austin and I dominated my parents and Madison FYI). We finished the day off at Ko'olina. Madison insisted we visit Disney's Aulani and it wasn't disappointing. It is a huge resort and lets be real, I'll probably never be able to afford staying there so it was fun to visit.
Austin's mom was sweet enough to watch the girls for us. She is the real MVP. I kept asking Kennadi if she wanted to go to Hawaii with us, and she kept telling me no. She was too excited to hang out with grandma for a whole week. I think it is natural to worry about the girls when we are away, but it sure made it easier knowing they were in good hands.
Austin, Madison, and I flew out on Monday. My mom and dad were on a different flight and we landed about the same time. We met up at the baggage claim, grabbed a rental car, and embarked on our week in paradise. We kept the first day super low key. We checked into our amazing resort and explored everything it had to offer. The resort is located right on Waikiki Beach and our rooms overlooked the ocean. It was so peaceful to sit on our balcony, hear the waves crashing, watch the surfers, and feel the ocean breeze. The resort was also home to 4 pools, water slides, a secluded lagoon, and a bunch of restaurants and shops. Because I am a Hilton Team Member, I got 50% off most of the food places, so we grabbed quite a few snacks there. Cheap rooms, Cheap food. What more could I need?
The next morning we woke up super early. Luckily it didn't feel super early because of the time change. We wanted to be at Sharks Cove early in the morning to go snorkeling. I read that this is one of the best snorkeling spots on the beach and they weren't wrong. The snorkeling was amazing. We had the whole cove to ourselves for most of the morning, which was a huge bonus. There was a good variety of fishes, and a large quantity of them as well. It was really rocky so we had to be aware so we didn't get scrapes and bruises, but it was so worth it. It was one of the highlights of the trip for me. After snorkeling, we kept exploring the North Shore. We stopped and had lunch at Ted's Bakery and had some of their famous chocolate haupia pie which wasn't too shabby. We tried boogie boarding at Sunset Beach, had the famous Matsumato Shaved Ice in Haleiwa, and then ventured to the Dole Pineapple Plantation. At the plantation we took a train ride through the plantation and ran through one of the largest mazes (Austin and I dominated my parents and Madison FYI). We finished the day off at Ko'olina. Madison insisted we visit Disney's Aulani and it wasn't disappointing. It is a huge resort and lets be real, I'll probably never be able to afford staying there so it was fun to visit.
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| Stroll down Waikiki Beach |
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| Sharks Cove |
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| Sunset Beach |
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| Matsumoto Shave Ice |
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| Matsumoto Shave Ice |
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| Dole Pineapple Plantation |
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| Pink Pineapple! |
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