We finally took advantage of the opportunity to visit our friends in Hawaii. The Alexanders have been there almost three years now. It's hard to believe! Steve is being deployed in a couple of months, he'll be gone a year, and when he gets back they will be moving somewhere new. It was now or never. So we used our tax return (and the generosity of our moms being willing to stay with our kids) and booked a trip to Oahu. We planned on taking Ila, but about a week before I thought more about how she'd be waking up at 3 am Hawaii time and decided to leave her home. It was hard being away from her for a week, but not as hard as I was expecting.
We got there and hit the ground running. We headed right to the beach. An amazing, GORGEOUS beach on an AFB down there. It was a Saturday so we got to spend our time with the entire Alexander family. I miss them all so much! They have the greatest kids. Their youngest, Brigham, is Colby's age. He is maybe the sweetest 7 year old boy I know. We were buddies the whole time. Anytime we were walking anywhere he'd walk by me and hold my hand. Saturday night was some good game night time.
Jason, Caleb, and Steve
Because it makes me smile:
Sunday was church and more games. Janae, the kids, and I went on a walk through their little neighborhood up to where we could get an ocean view. I tried to take a picture but it was too dark and a little cloudy. Their side of the island rains quite a bit and isn't as hot as other parts. It would just rain off and on all day ever day in little spurts. In fact, it started raining on our walk and we took cover under the closest front porch.
Monday through Wednesday were jam packed while Steve had work off. We started Monday off by hiking up Koko head. It was tough, but I'm glad I did it. There is a 360 view once you reach the top. An hour or so up and only 15 or so minutes to get down. We went to Waikiki so Jason could begin his surfing lessons. Janae and I hung out in the water being idiots. It was fun. Anything with Janae is fun, I guess. But Waikiki is my least favorite beach. It is packed liked sardines. Plus they were doing some kind of construction on the beach just adjacent to us, so there were constant construction sounds. Not so relaxing. But it was still Hawaii, so it was fantastic. That night we went to the mall close to their house because Brigham had artwork hanging there from school, but we couldn't find it and then found out they took it down the night before. While we were there I learned what, "Like a boss," and "Cool story bro," mean from Aly. The things kids are saying these days.
Jason's first wave.
Tuesday we went up to the north shore. Our first stop was the Hukilau Cafe for some coconut pancakes. Then we went to the temple. Janae had to go home after that to take one of the kids to the doctor. So Jason, Steve, and I went to Waimea Bay so I could cliff jump. It was a quick little stop, 4 or 5 jumps and away we went again. It wasn't really the kind of beach you hang out on. The sand is so deep. The next day, and the day after, my calves were KILLING me from walking maybe 100 yards in the sand. Then we went to Haliewa to have some shave ice (Hawaiian style) and then Jason and Steve went surfing while I laid on the beach. We went to Janae and Steve's friends' for dinner. John and Nina. John is from Houston and Nina is from China. She was in the Bejing Dance Academy growing up. If you had ever read Mao's Last Dancer, that was her life. She teaches a dance class at BYU Hawaii. They did an interview with her. It's almost 30 minutes, so watch if you want to, but I want to have it here to remember. She made us some authentic Chinese food.
Wednesday Steve and Jason got up early and went surfing, so Janae and I hung out and Janae was able to do some homework. (She's getting her degree online, which she kind enough to ignore for almost the entire time we were there.) When the boys got back we went and got a late lunch at this Vietnamese restaurant. It is one of my favorite kind of foods now. The challenge is finding something similar in Boise. Hm. Then after the kids got home from school we went back to Bellows for some more boogie boarding. It was kind of cold, so Janae and I sat on the beach. I don't think there is anything I love more than spending time with Janae, so it really didn't matter what we were doing as long as I could be with her and talk. We talked about how when they moved back to the states all the girls were going to be in love with Caleb, this tan kid from Hawaii who knew how to surf. That turned into us wondering what the kids are calling good looking people these days. Janae's guess was dreamboat. (Hah!) Foxy? Fine? Mother? (Right, Jen?) Boss? Caleb and Sarah weren't much help, they couldn't think of anything besides "hot." Caleb remembered something on the way home, but I can't remember it now. Janae came up with "oso," which means delicious in Hawaiian. I think she could start a nationwide sensation with that one.
Thursday Steve had to go back to work. We went back to Waikiki because there are just better waves there for learning to surf. Jason surfed and Janae and I shopped at the Swap Meet in Waikiki. We had cheeseburgers at a placed called Teddys on Waikiki that Jason and I remembered going to when we were there 8 years ago. We went back to Janae's so she could check on her kids and so we could pick up Nina and go meet Steve and John for dinner. We went to an Indian restaurant in Waikiki that was TO DIE FOR!!!! Mmmmm....we waited about 2 hours (on a Thursday night!) for a table, but it was totally worth it. It was this tiny little restaurant that seats maybe 30 and they aren't in any hurry to get anyone out to open up tables. This day was really sparse on the pictures. That night Steve had to go to bed for work, but Janae, Jason, and I stayed up playing games again, since it was our last night. We ended up listening to the Muppets Pandora station. There are some things that you try to tell other people, but it just doesn't come across right, you know? Well, the games that night and listening to The Muppets Radio was one of my favorite parts of the whole trip. A Little Mermaid song came on and Ariel says, "Sure, she's got everything," and Janae thought I said, "Dang, she's got everything," and we laughed and laughed and laughed about it. I'd try to repeat it and couldn't get the words out because it would make me laugh all over again.
Friday Janae took us back up to the North Shore because we wanted to watch some pro surfers and get Shave Ice again. I don't know why everyone doesn't put ice cream in the bottom of snow cones. In fact, I would say it baffles me, they are soooo delicious. On our way back to their house we decided to stop at Turtle Bay, it is a resort but the beach is open to the public. There's a law in Hawaii that all beaches have to be open to the public, pretty awesome. (But I wouldn't really recommend the beach, it's also pretty packed and it's small, unless you go around the side where we went, and then it is so rocky you didn't even want to go in the water.) Janae and I sat on the beach and got tossed around by the waves. Then it was time to make sure everything was packed and say bye to the fam.
Janae told me that as we were walking into the airport Brigham said, "I miss them already." Then we got on the plane and I cried. I missed my kids and was so happy when we saw them the following morning (we flew through the night), but I hate having to live so far from the Alexanders.
We love you Janae and Steve, thank you for your incredible hospitality. I have lots to learn from you guys on how to give guests the royal treatment. On our way to the airport Steve said something along the lines of, "Just think, in heaven we won't have to ever say goodbye again." It is something I look forward to.
