All Good Things must come to an End

Our last day of vacation. I caught this photo from the pool deck ( I'm guessing 3 or 4th floor of our hotel) of Mark and Julie going for one last walk to Waikiki Beach. After we drove around the island. We stopped at the Dole Pineapple Plantation. I took a picture of these cute Hawaiian kids. This is after I was joking around about how the Japanese take pictures of everything, even other peoples kids. Teach me to joke about stuff. We stopped at the Temple, which is undergoing renovations. Then we went to our favorite restaurant in all of the islands - the Crouching Lion. It was closed last year when we were there, but some good soul reopened it. It was so awesome and we had a great view.

Tide Pools and Shells

After Hanauma Bay we stopped at a beach with Lava Rock that makes for the nicest little Tide Pools. We searched for shells. Julie and I found these pretty black shells. They were so tiny. We're holding them looking for more shells and Julie says she could feel a leg moving. Anyway, there was a little hermit crab living in that shell! No sooner did she say that and out pops some legs out of one in my had. There is something so relaxing about looking around at shells.

Next Stop: Hanauma Bay

Hanauma Bay has to be one of the prettiest places, both in the water and out. We were so lucky - the weather was perfect and there wasn't a crowd. We snorkeled and saw some beautiful fish. Julie and I got cold and went to the beach, plus poor Julie had this blister on her toe that was as big as Toledo! The salt water sure didn't do that any good. Mark and Don swam out to sea and saw way more fish. It's just a good thing I wasn't aware they were out as far as they were or I'd have had a nervous breakdown. It was a beautiful day!

Bringing "sexy" back

Here is Don showing some leg next to the "sexy" minivan we rented. He told me I'd definitely be in line for one of those after our rental. Not quite. Still not a lover of the minivan. No offense to those of you who own and love them! Just not my thing.

Getting Stranded by "Reliable" Transportation

After our visit to Pearl Harbor, the Shuttle company we hired would not come and pick us up. We called a company called "Reliable" ha ha, and they were busy so they sent another company. We got to Pearl Harbor and had to pay in full and then the driver told us to call half an hour before we were ready to go and he'd pick us up. Don calls and the driver said he had come by and we weren't there so he left. Well, the company is trying to find us another driver, which by this time Pearl Harbor is closed and everyone is gone, when Mark decides to check out the public transportation bus. It was a good thing, or we might still be sitting at Pearl Harbor. Here is a shot of Mark and Julie being good sports on the Bus, expecially while we were driving through the "hood" in Downtown Honolulu. Wouldn't want to get off of the bus in some of those parts!

In the Aloha Spirit

Well, just got back from another wonderful trip to my happy place. The ONLY reason I came home is because we went without Jordie and Jace, and I had to come back to them. We went with our dear friends, Mark and Julie Creer, and had a ball. The weather was perfect the crowds were light, and the company was awesome. It was great!

We went to Pearl Harbor and saw the USS Arizona Memorial, and went aboard the USS Missouri - the ship were the treaty to end WWII was signed.

Check out Jodi firing away at enemy aircraft while Don was captain of the ship.