Back into the swing of life.

Well girls, I am back, and boy oh boy was vacation amazing.  I finally got a chance to download all the pictures off my phone (over 400!) and make them into little collages so I don't totally overwhelm this blog with photos...though I believe there are 83 pictures in all the collages, kinda crazy.  I relived the vacation as I was making these collages, and the moments that seemed like normal life in our 12 day vacation seem more special now as I look back.  I was able to eat every meal with my husband, we went out to dessert nearly every night.  We sat together and watched the sunset.  We watched whales nearly every morning. It was amazing, but yet when every moment is amazing you forget the small things.  I am so glad I have these pictures to look back on and remember just how great those 12 days really were. 

We had a koi pond right outside our condo and I got to test out my waterproof iphone case for the first time in Hawaii.  I am pretty sure the old people watching me from their lanai's thought I was crazy dipping my phone in the pond. 

I am still reading that book in the picture below, it is really good, but aparently I like watching youtube videos, tv, and sleeping more on vacation.

We tried to go to a beach everyday, but ended up taking a few days off because we did other activities where we were outside for too many hours and didn't want to end up burnt.  I only got slightly burnt by my hairline a few days in, but then made sure to put sunscreen on every time and it went away and never peeled, thank goodness.  That yellow dress you see below is from Aeropostale, it is probably popular for girls in junior high and I can't even tell you how many years I have had it, but man is it so fun to wear in Hawaii, flowy and free in the humid warm temps. 

The little elderly gentleman was our friend.  He was out by the ocean every morning watching whales with us and let us borrow his amazing binoculars.  He told us awesome places to go on the island and told us all about the whales. :)  Pretty much everyone on our side of the condos was 70 and older, we loved it.  So quiet.  The other side of the condos had 2 bedrooms so there were a lot more families over there and little children running around and giving me heart attacks as their parents were too far behind them to catch them if they fell over the sea wall! 

Hawaii has the biggest avacados!  They were all this size, it was kinda crazy.  Little birdie kept us company while we ate our filipino lunch.  The right picture is the shaved ice we ate almost every night and the reason I gained 7 pounds in Hawaii. (Granted some of that weight was because I had lost a ton while sick the week before, I kinda looked anorexic for a few days). Anyway that shaved ice has ice cream on the bottom, ice, a ton of sugar syrup, and cream on top. Heaven in a cup. 

I barely have any pictures of Paul smiling from this trip.  I swear he absolutely loved this vacation, but every time he saw me taking pictures he either put his phone in front of his face, frowned, or made a goofy face at me.  The roosters were just chilling where we snorkeled, they are so awesome.  We saw a momma hen and a ton of baby chicks too that were so stinking adorable!  When I was taking the picture of the chickens and roosters someone asked me if I posed them there.  Um yeah, just like I pose my cats sleeping and cuddling together.  I am the animal whisperer. Haha.

This is Big Beach, Paul's absolute favorite beach.  The waves are killer and pull you under.  When I went to Maui with my family my brother and I were boogie boarding here and we got towed under a wave 3 times before we could get out because our boogie boards were tangled together and they are attached to your wrist.  I will not go in the water at this beach again.  That swim suit still has sand stuck in it.  Paul on the other hand went in the water a million times (ok like 6 but still) and he loved it.  Then he decided to lay in the sand.  Look how beautiful his back looked after that fine endeavor.  He washed off in the ocean before we got back in the rental car and you could see the salt dried all over his skin! 

Snorkeling!  I loved having a underwater camera.  We went to another awesome snorkel spot that we had to  walk a bit to so I didn't take my camera.  I wish I would have because I got to swim with a turtle for a few minutes straight! 

No normal faces from my husband, but I still love all these pictures!  I love this man a lot, and this vacation was an amazing escape from work for us! 

It may have been a little harder to love him the morning he decided we should wake up at 3:30 am to go watch the sunrise on the top of a mountain where it was freeeeeezing cold.  I was so tired and I spent the whole time wrapped in the only blanket from the condo which was polar fleece and the wind went straight too.  I don't remember ever being that cold (because when it is cold in washington I have warmer clothes to wear than yoga pants and a sweatshirt).  I couldn't feel my toes by the end (I had flip flops on because I didn't take shoes) and my feet were asleep. Walking back to the car was incredibly difficult! 

The sunset was absolutely gorgeous, I have better pictures on my DSLR (all that Paul took because I was too cold to take my hands out of my blanket), but I haven't gotten those on my computer yet.  Paul had the time of his life up there though so that made it worth it (I think ;) ). 

We went to the Gazebo for lunch one day.  This restraunt is super popular for their breakfast and we went last time we were in Maui.  We went for lunch at 11 and I asked Paul if it would still be busy from breakfast, he said no, um, he was wrong.  We had to wait like 45 minutes for a table.  At least my awesome husband let me go sit in some chairs while he waited in line behind these super gossipy girls that didn't stop talking ever.  The food did not dissapoint though!  The fried rice has peppers, sausage, mushrooms and other stuff I can't remember but it was so so good.  Oh and this was a half order! The picture on the bottom left is the view from the restaurant. 

Big beach again.  Paul had just gotten out of the water and pulled me in close for a hug.  Ok, the ocean's in Maui are warm compared to ones in Washington, and you can actually get used to the water temperature but if you have been laying in the sun and are super warm your husband will feel freeeeeeezing cold when he hugs you.  I love that I caught a picture of it all though!  I didn't even know I was clicking the button the whole time. :)  I had to keep putting Paul's hat over my head to keep my face from burning.  That hat definitely needs to be washed now after how much Paul and I wore it in Maui! 

There were probably 5 people out in that crazy white water surfing.  We were at a place called Jaws where the "small" waves are 35 feet tall!  It was so awesome. 

I fell down at breakfast and got these great scabs on my legs.  Lets just say scabs hurt in salty water when you get in and out, wet and dry.  I was a little bit of a baby about them.  Oops. Oh and I caught up on Downtown Abbey on the ipad in Hawaii, I wish it aired more than once a week!!

Paul liked to swim a lot when we were at the beach, I thought the water was too cold so I would sit on my towel and draw pictures in the sand.  Sand art by the ocean is relaxing and fun!

We stayed at the most wonderful bed and breakfast.  It probably even seemed more wonderful because the night before we had stayed in a hotel where we didn't get much sleep.  It was our most expensive night of the stay and the beach front rooms were right by the main road and we heard cars and street sweepers all night long.  Awful.  I shouldn't be able to say that about Maui, but that night was not a good one.  Needless to say that hotel did not get a good yelp review and this bed and breakfast got a raving good one.  Our host Eva made an amazing breakfast of fresh fruit, bagels, yogurt, cereal, and coffee and her doggies are amazing and Paul and I decided we wanted a Cavalier King Charles because of her dogs.  We did a little research and found out they cost $2000 to $2500 and promptly decided we did not need this kind of dog.  They are so sweet, low energy dogs and love to cuddle. Bummer. 

We had to check out of our Bed and Breakfast by 11am and we didn't have to turn in our rental car til 2pm. We went on a mini hike about half hour from the airport and it was so beautiful! 

There were kitties and roosters on the hike and we tried to be their friends. The kitty actually let both of us pet her and Paul loves this picture of her yawning.  The rooster on the other hand kept running away!

Flight back to the States, Maui, we didn't want to leave you.  At least Hawaiian Airlines provides hot free in flight meals.  Oh and lots of soda, perfect to have before facing reality and trying to lose all the weight I had gained! 

I worked 40 hours the first 4 days we were back.  I was so tired after it was over.  Then I had two days off.  I don't even really remember what I did those days, I was so burnt out from the last two shifts I had worked (and frustrated with the unit I had worked in and their lack of organization) so I was laying on the couch and taking care of myself. Paul and I went to PF changs on Wednesday because we had a $50 gift card.  So fun to eat out without paying for it!  We watched the Lorax and shoe shopped (for Paul).  I made crafts.  I chilled, it was wonderful. 

We lived for three days off of an empty fridge.  Hot pockets, frozen soup I had from the freezer, and pancakes.  On Sunday after work and growth group, we were both really tired, we spent half an hour shopping at Safeway.  We bought a TON of food (more than is in the cart).  

I made sure to relax after work, drink tea, playing on the ipad, playing with my kitties, and trying to forget about my awful days at work.  I had two of my most busy days at work Thursday and Friday where I didn't get any 15 minute breaks or lunch breaks, but they were still great days.  I love working with supporting coworkers and helping each other out. 

Today I hung out with my friend Sara all morning, we went out to Thai for lunch then I came home and cleaned and rearranged my house.  I made the living room more cozy by adding a rocking chair and a basket of blankets, it makes me happy.  I did 4 loads of laundry, vacuumed, mopped, and picked up. I sure do love a clean house!  

Now my husband just got home and I should go hang out with him.  Have an awesome weekend ladies!