When we were driving about a month ago, Hunnie and I were discussing trips. Well, because we just moved to a home in a city that costs a billion trillion dollars, we decided to just go camping sometime in the summer.
"But," I added, "I am going to pray that someone will share their time share with us and we will get a surprise vacation."
The next week: the staff at our church got an email (yay, a cool pastor perk!)... It said something like this: "We have a vacation home that we rented for two weeks in Hawaii. We can only for the first week, so if you are available Jan 1-8, you can take the second week!" Wait, really???!!! Well, I had prayed it, and so I figured that God was saying "Yes!"...we got some Christmas money, we had some time to take off...and we booked tickets THAT DAY!
I had pretty much convinced the kids that they had to wait to go to Hawaii when they were old enough to get married and could go there on a Honeymoon (that's what we did after all.) So, they were so surprised and jumping-off-the-walls excited!!!
We are here now, and while Squirrel Girl does her packet of school work, I am sitting here writing this. ( Because I have been in "jail"- remember, and now can't write in the evenings. :(...And because a certain small person takes all my energy and words and brain power.)
But this trip and the timing of it- just what we have all needed! We have eaten tasty food, soaked in the hot tub, and enjoyed the sunshine and the beaches every day!!
So far here's what we have done: we quickly threw on our suits when we arrived and romped off to a beach where my kiddos boogie boarded, my little guy rolled happily in the sand and we saw some sea critters. The next day, we did some major snorkeling and loved it. We saw many turtles which pleased us all! The next day, we hit the beach again... see a pattern forming here? Although it is beautiful, it is not exactly restful...we have three kids. Three loud and needy kids.
On Monday we gave in to my "No media" rule and popped in a movie in our rental van so we could take a little road trip! Down, down we drove to see the Painted Church and the Sacred Site of Refuge. Farther south still, we went until we reached Punaluu Bakery and devoured these sugary little treats. Farther south still, with the blue ocean sparkling along the way, we journeyed to Black Sand Beach to hang out with a bunch of turtles sunning themselves. Then, on to become Jr Rangers at Volcano National Park. We saw the steam vents, the huge Cauldera, and the Thurston Lava Tube. Then, it was off to have dinner and see the beauty of Rainbow Falls.
Next day: back to the beach! Oh, and Daddy and Lulu had a fishing date!! (But, didn't catch me anything for dinner- so we had to eat out.)
Next day: Snorkeling-- and boy was it awesome. All the crazy, colorful fish and up close tortugas and one monster-sized Grandpa turtle, plus some tide pools to play in!
Tomorrow's agenda: Parasailing and Surfing... that's what Levi picked for his date with me!! We've been watching You-tube videos, so I think we are ready to join the locals and shred some waves, dude.
We are so thankful. SO, SO thankful.
"But," I added, "I am going to pray that someone will share their time share with us and we will get a surprise vacation."
The next week: the staff at our church got an email (yay, a cool pastor perk!)... It said something like this: "We have a vacation home that we rented for two weeks in Hawaii. We can only for the first week, so if you are available Jan 1-8, you can take the second week!" Wait, really???!!! Well, I had prayed it, and so I figured that God was saying "Yes!"...we got some Christmas money, we had some time to take off...and we booked tickets THAT DAY!
I had pretty much convinced the kids that they had to wait to go to Hawaii when they were old enough to get married and could go there on a Honeymoon (that's what we did after all.) So, they were so surprised and jumping-off-the-walls excited!!!
We are here now, and while Squirrel Girl does her packet of school work, I am sitting here writing this. ( Because I have been in "jail"- remember, and now can't write in the evenings. :(...And because a certain small person takes all my energy and words and brain power.)
But this trip and the timing of it- just what we have all needed! We have eaten tasty food, soaked in the hot tub, and enjoyed the sunshine and the beaches every day!!
So far here's what we have done: we quickly threw on our suits when we arrived and romped off to a beach where my kiddos boogie boarded, my little guy rolled happily in the sand and we saw some sea critters. The next day, we did some major snorkeling and loved it. We saw many turtles which pleased us all! The next day, we hit the beach again... see a pattern forming here? Although it is beautiful, it is not exactly restful...we have three kids. Three loud and needy kids.
On Monday we gave in to my "No media" rule and popped in a movie in our rental van so we could take a little road trip! Down, down we drove to see the Painted Church and the Sacred Site of Refuge. Farther south still, we went until we reached Punaluu Bakery and devoured these sugary little treats. Farther south still, with the blue ocean sparkling along the way, we journeyed to Black Sand Beach to hang out with a bunch of turtles sunning themselves. Then, on to become Jr Rangers at Volcano National Park. We saw the steam vents, the huge Cauldera, and the Thurston Lava Tube. Then, it was off to have dinner and see the beauty of Rainbow Falls.
Next day: back to the beach! Oh, and Daddy and Lulu had a fishing date!! (But, didn't catch me anything for dinner- so we had to eat out.)
Next day: Snorkeling-- and boy was it awesome. All the crazy, colorful fish and up close tortugas and one monster-sized Grandpa turtle, plus some tide pools to play in!
Tomorrow's agenda: Parasailing and Surfing... that's what Levi picked for his date with me!! We've been watching You-tube videos, so I think we are ready to join the locals and shred some waves, dude.
We are so thankful. SO, SO thankful.