Yeah, yeah, I know. We got back something like 2 and 1/2 weeks ago. I can’t help it. I try and try to get to the blog but so many things get in the way. Here’s a Hawaii re-cap.
Jack was a first class traveler…literally. We used our miles and scored seats in first class making our final flight without a seat for Jack an absolute luxury. It’s an entirely different world up their, ladies and gents, and I like it. Jack was rather accomodating as well and slept half of the flight out there and was otherwise entertained by his airline surprise toys: Mr. Potato Head, a host of little wild animal creatures (elephants are especially exciting these days), a toy train (trains are really, really big these days), stickers, and of course the DVD player. Jack has dismissed his once favorite, Jack’s Big Music Show, and is head over heels in love with that furry red monster, also known as Elmo. He is Elmo obsessed. If Elmo drove a train with an elephant in the back, I imagine it would be all over for him.
We arrived in Hawaii and picked up our rental. Trying to recapture some never before lived glory days, we rented a convertible only to find that they have VERY small trunk space. We did, however, manage to squeeze ourselves in with Jack buckled into his car seat amidst a pile of luggage. This proved to be a very bad idea because about half way to our beach house (and right before we hit a major traffic jam), Jack got car sick…multiple times. We think it was becasue the poor kid had no visuals since he was fine the rest of the trip…once we took out the luggage and moved him to the middle seat rather than the bucket seat behind the driver’s seat.
Our beach house was awesome (one of four) that we shared with the brother of the bride and his wife. You certainly couldn’t beat the view:
That’s a photo from the deck. And that crazy looking tree to the right is a Banyan tree. It’s a smaller version of the one featured in Lost during the first couple of seasons. Remember they hid from the dark smoke thing and polar bear in it? THAT Banyan tree, by the way was just a hop skip and a jump down the road from where we stayed as was the beach where they film the main shipwreck scenes, but we never managed to get ourselves down to see it. All in all we spent a great deal of time hanging out at “home” and the beach down below.
This is the beach we had access to…the morning after we arrived. Jack was still on California time and woke up at 2:30 that morning so we were out “playing” at sunrise. It took him a full week to adjust to the time…making the re-adjustment to California all the more fun.
As I said, we stuck pretty close to “home.” We were staying on the North Shore which is about an hour from Waikiki and Honolulu so we were off the beaten path. There was a small town nearby where we could venture out for our daily dose of shaved ice:
(so yummy!) and Jack’s playground fix:
(you can’t beat the view).
And of course, Jack LOVED the water. He spent the entire week in some form of wetness (both clothed and unclothed). We even had a couple of beach bum moments:
giving me the hope that he will someday learn the art of relaxing by the waves (unlike his father). Generally, however, we were throwing rocks and shells in the “wa wa” for what felt like hours.
Of course the big highlight of the week was the sunset wedding of our good friends, Kent and Cassie. 
Unfortunately, I was not good with the camera that night so this is the only shot I have of them. It was a beautiful ceremony and reception right on site…I even danced the hula!
