HAWAII 10/21 AND 10/22

I decided to do something big this year. I've been living waiting for big things to happen rather than making them happen. So I planned and went to Hawaii with Mom, Dad and LaDessa. It was an amazing trip, and one that I will be continuing as often as I can until I'm married. Why not?! I need something to look forward to that brings me joy amongst a life of doing the same each week, week after week. I turn 33 in 16 days and I want experiences like this to enrich my life now and in the years to follow.

We took 1,300+ pictures between 3 cameras...now down to 1,053 after I spent 3 days going through the pictures, deleting some and organizing the photos so all pictures flowed in order...I will have to just blog with my favorites and post the trip in multiple posts by days.

At the Airport for mom's first flight EVER, and here she is starting
off the trip already hiding her face for the picture with LaDessa.

Me and Dad across the table from Mom and LaDessa the morning of 11/21

Honolulu Hawaii: This is what you see when you
head out to go to get your luggage

Me with my underwear showing as usual :(

Me with Mom trying to be happy for a picture :) Dad was long gone at this
point as fast as he was moving he was probably already waiting at the
luggage retrieval. So we took in the moment and got a few pictures.

Eating at the Famous "Bubba Gump Shrimp" The waiter actually
had us answer Forest Gump movie trivia while we waited for our food.
He was really impressed with our movie knowledge.

This was the coveted Fish and Chips. Mom and I ordered things that
were OK and then we tasted LaDessa's fish and chips and could have
cried that we had picked the wrong food!

My onion rings were actually really good, just really thick

Just outside of "Bubba's" which was at the Mall in Honolulu,
where it looked out on the ocean and you could see
some of the great views of Honolulu

LaDessa got a great shot of our backsides looking out over the ocean

Me and Dessa

Wow my feet look big in Forest's shoes

LaDessa and I's view from our hotel room at the Aqua Bamboo and Spa
hotel in the heart of Honolulu. We had no idea when taking these that
mom and dad looked out their window and had mostly the view of
a brick wall. Should have gone up a floor for a better view for them.

Don't let her know you have the camera and you get fun photo's like this...

Paybacks come when you go out on the balcony to see their crappy
view and she locks you out. Good thing we had a camera so we
could do something on the balcony in the hot humid heat. Yes that
is the lovely brick wall behind us that was mom and dad's room view.

It was so bright I'm squinting and sweating by now! Bonus was
they had chairs on their deck to sit on while we waited to get back in.

On our way to the Laia Temple and the Polynesian Cultural Center.
Leaving the city means gorgeous greenery like this from the car window
and the ocean on the other side to follow all the way up the highway.

Green Mountains and big billowy clouds

We got lucky and got tickets for the first day that the Laia Temple
opened for the open house tours. So here is mom and LaDessa
in the parking lot of the Temple10/22. Yes LaDessa is holding on to
mom so she will be in the picture. I recognized Eubanks the Weatherman
from channel 5 news as we were heading into the tents which was really
cool. He and his wife are there serving over the visitor center at the Temple.

Side view of the Temple

Front view

Making sure dad got into pictures and not just taking pictures

Taken from the middle of the fountain that continues
a ways down from the Temple entrance

One of my favorites of the Temple

Me in front of the Temple

Me and Dessa

Unaware of our picture being taken. Heading over to the Visitor Center

The Birds of Prey were all around the visitor center

Flowers by the fountain

At the end of the fountain looking at the road that ends at the ocean

This tree started my fascination of the tree's in Hawaii,
they are very beautiful and unique

Polynesian Cultural Center, at the island boat parade

The Island of Hawaii

The Island of Tahiti

Samoa, the funniest and best act at the PCC.
He is starting fire with a coconut and no matches.

Now he is making coconut milk from the coconut. The look
on his face doesn't show how funny and great he was.

The hot tree climber

More of the talented hot tree climber

Oh ya more of him

The tree that was in Blue Hawaii with Elvis Presley. It has grown
from one side of the river across and rooted to the other side of the shore

Our lovely tour guide Stephanie from Australia! She was so
helpful with mom when she wasn't as fast as the others in our group

Standing in line for LaDessa to get a paint tattoo

Getting a picture of the tattoo to show her mom

I can't remember what this was called but I learned it in
young women years ago so it was fun to do it again.
Roberto and Yin next to us were in our group and tagged
along with us through our tour and ate with us at dinner

On our canoe ride to head to the restaurant for dinner

Mom and Dad on the canoe ride

Me with a statue

Mom and dad at dinner in the restaurant that was buffet
and extremely GOOD!

Me and Dessa stuffed

The night show

My favorite part of the night show: the fire twirlers

Me and Dessa after the show with the main sweaty performer
He even warned us that he was wet and I wasn't sure if I should
touch him so I did and then let go cause it was wet and...awkward