Monday, August 18, 2014

Family Vacation in Review

Hello again....
what was it I said about posting more regularly?
I have an excuse, but will share my excuse in another post a little later.

Meanwhile...this is what I have been up to...
our first family vacation....to Hawaii!!!
Here we are heading for the airport...
preparing for our 10 1/2 hour flight to Honolulu...
yes, we happened to travel on the same day the hurricane hit

we made it....rough landing...but it was all good!
Aloha!
 our first stop on day one was the beach...
 started out as a cloudy day....leftover from the hurricane
 that did not deter Collin from sand castle building...
 the kids found a coconut on the beach, which we kept as a "pet" for the duration of our trip....
by the time we got to Bellows Beach, the sun was out...

and the water was so warm!
 stopped at the scenic overlook on the way back to Waikiki Beach

 visited the Pearl Harbor Memorial on day two...
the Arizona Memorial was amazing...
day three brought a hike to the top of Diamond Head...


 almost there....

woohoo....I made it...
one hot and sweaty group...
it was much easier on the way down...
chillaxing with our shaved ice after the hike...

we spent our afternoons by the pool...
as well as playing at the beach...
 family dinner at Duke's...
 my one true love...
Caroline, Grace, and Katherine...

world's largest Hawaiian shirt....of course the kids had to get inside it... 
most of the kids.....
 day four hiking Manoa Falls....
 the hike was beautiful....
 one more hot and sweaty crew....
 drove over to the blow hole after our hike...
 at the lookout...
 all the kids snorkeling at Hanauma Bay....

a highlight of the trip was attending a luau on the night before we left...
everyone enjoyed their fruity drinks with umbrellas...Teddy sporting his Aloha casual look...
 my beautiful step-daughters Laura and Grace...
 Katherine and Jack...
 my one true love....he made this entire trip possible for our family
Katherine and Laura...
 yes...that is Katherine on stage dancing...lol
 
Grace and Caroline....precious...

Our trip could not have been more perfect!
We are truly blessed to have a such a beautifully blended family,
where we laugh and love and truly have fun together!

here we are heading home....life is so good!
We are blessed...
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