Paradise Pt. 2
...We went straight from Waimea Bay to Pipeline beach and hug out there from 10:40am-1:00pm. It has the best waves and bluest water! Every one of us had SO MUCH FUN on this day together!
We had spent 6 hours at a beach by lunchtime and it was the perfect day already. We needed a small break out of the sun so we took a 30 minute drive to grab more dole whip, to get gas and ingredients for a candy salad that we would end up making later in the week.
We were ready to get back into the water so we drove straight to Sharks cove to snorkel and it was INCREDIBLE on this day! The water was calm and so clear and all 5 of us swam with the prettiest turtle. We were all in a deeper part of the cove and all kinda in a big circle and the turtle came right in the center of us all and swam so close to us before leaving. It was spectacular! I wish I could have stayed in that moment forever! We snorkelled for 1.5 hours and saw a huge parrot fish, an eel, schools and schools of fish and bright tropical fish everywhere you looked! It was truly unreal.
We came home, showered and headed to California Pizza Kitchen for a nice sit down dinner and non stop cold ice pop! It was hard to find GF menus in the small north shore area and we'd already done the few select places there. We were all sunburnt and had spent the entire day in the water so a 30 minute drive with air conditioning was calling us.
We finished the day off with some skins vs. shirts basketball. They were laughing so much trying to guard Brian who was a total slip-n-slide with sweat and I think I heard "Eww Dad! You're so slimy!!" 1000 times. It was hilarious.
This had been the most beautiful day FILLED with ocean water.
Saturday came so fast. We woke up early intentionally to try to get a little more on Calgary time schedule. The waves were so big this morning at Three Tables beach and the sound of them crashing is what I'll miss the most during the night and early morning hours. We went to the temple this morning and the boys even went in and did baptisms. Bentley had asked if they could do that while we were there and so we tried to make it happen. We didn't have an appointment but they were so good to our boys and squeezed them in. Penny and I explored the temple grounds together and just hung out. It was such a nice quiet time with my girl.
The boys were in there for about an hour. They both said it was really cool. They said it was much smaller than the Calgary one and that the whole process was way more chill (the true Hawaii-Aloha way.) They said everyone was so relaxed and "way less strict". I love that specifically about Hawaii. If you're ever struggling with your testimony, go to Hawaii. Something about the church there is just... right. They're not hung up on temporal things. They call it the "Aloha way" and it is definitely different in the most beautiful way! Loves pours out of them life a waterfall falling from a big cliff. There is just something different about it and Im so glad the boys experienced that in the temple too.
We stopped at a fresh fruit stand and devoured mangos, strawberries, kiwi, "ice cream bananas", and pineapple. It was melt in your mouth yummy!
We asked the kids which beaches they'd like to go to one more time before checking out on Sunday and then planned our day around that! We drove to Haleiwa first to eat!
We had a mix of 7 Brothers and Jax Pizza for lunch on the shared patio and then straight to Ka'ena Point. I left my camera in the car and just sat in the moment with our kids and Brian. Nothing is better than being in the ocean, literally nothing!
We stayed at Ka'ena Point beach for 1.5 hours. Bentley said it was his absolute favourite beach. I can see why. It really is unbelievable. Bentley had mastered wave riding here and had SO MUCH sand in his hair from it!
He swam beside a turtle while snorkelling around on his own. Penny collected coral and played make belief in the water and after the most refreshing swim, Carter, Brian and I relaxed/slept on the hot sand. My soul was filled beyond measure!
We went straight to pipeline after this beach. Carter and Brian went out into the biggest waves we'd seen yet! One of the waves even ate Carter's boogie board and ripped the string in half that was attached to his wrist and the board. Bentley cooked the shore waves on the sand and poor Penny sat on the beach fully panicking about Brian and Carter being in the big waves, she was just so worried for them no matter how much I tried to give her confidence that they'd be ok. She calmed down once they came back safe and everything was fine. All the fun for her resumed immediately!
Before we left, we walked over to the biggest pipeline waves and watched the surfers and body boarders. It was so crazy to see them! The waves honestly looked like they must have been 20 feet high and when they crashed down it sounded EXACTLY like thunder cracking in the sky! It was just unreal and so so loud! Later we googled how big the waves were that day and the biggest one was apparently 9 feet (LOL!) We laughed in shock. In the winter this place is known for their 50 foot waves! I could not imagine if that was only 9 feet baby waves! Now we have to come back in December to experience this ;)
We did the North Shore food trucks for dinner (7 Brothers for the kids and Giovani's Shrimp Truck for Brian and I) and finished the night off snorkelling one last time at Sharks Cove at sunset.
We came home, showered and packed up life into 4 suitcases. All of us not wanting to leave the ocean but excited to sleep in our own beds in a clean home with no bugs!
The final day came at a cruel pace. Brian and I woke up at 6am local time and sat together on the balcony watching the sunrise. This moment with Brian was one of my favourite ones. The waves were big crashing up onto the tables in the ocean. The beach was completely empty and calm. The kids were all still asleep. It was quiet and calm with my best friend, my heart was calm and my head was quiet. It was a beautiful moment with him. I love you Bri.
I already miss the peace that the ocean just freely offers up. I could watch and listen to it all day, every day, for the rest of forever.
We finished packing up and checked out! The only thing I wasn't sad about leaving was the beetle-bugs and the gross floors, and kitchen and squeaky spring beds with springs that poked into your body all night. But at least there was clean white sheets and crisp white towels so let's remember that better moment!
We went to church at 9:30am in Haleiwa. Funny how we don't usually go to church on vacation but in Hawaii, we all always want to go. Something about it thats better, it just is lol
We went straight from church to the other side of the island. We were going to do the aquarium but it didn't work out with timing, they close pretty early on Sundays I guess. We cleaned out the rental van and had what felt like 50 pounds of sand vacuumed out of it. We headed to Waikiki for brunch at a fun place called Lulu's. It was a restaurant/bar type atmosphere on the second floor open to the world with ocean views. 10/10 delicious! We finally made our candy salad in car to enjoy!
We headed over to Ala Moana mall which turned into a total dumpster fire and had us leaving with fast pace steps and heated heads. The kids bickered and poked and prodded each other for over an hour and I had enough. I hate when the vibe turns sour, it's hard to reset. We ended trying to turn it around by driving another 30 minutes to the Lanai lookout where we all took some space and time to reflect. It was beautiful and so peaceful.
We tossed rocks into the ever roaring ocean and sat in silence. Since we were trying to stay dry for the day, because we were flying home later that night, we took the long way around and ended up driving the entire island on our final day here.
It was amazing to see the jungle side and go through a tunnel directly through a mountain. Bentley had 8500 questions. One after another about every topic on earth! From fact to fiction and even hypothetical. Non stop questions! Brian was answering them and his brain must have been mush lol
We looked at the perfect world around us and just relaxed. We ended up driving all the way around to electric beach for the sunset. It was beautiful and calm and the perfect bookend to an unforgettable vacation.
We pulled into the airport at 7:50pm and returned our rental van. Our flight left Honolulu at 10:50pm local time (2:50am Calgary time). It was a 5 hour flight to our layover in Vancouver where we had 5 hours to kill. We were all so tired but we did it. We finished the final leg of our trip with a 1 hour and 9 minute flight home to Calgary and landed at 3:30pm Calgary time. It took us 12 hours to get home. Our kids did great.
Kobe got to stay with my parents (his favourite place o earth!) Thanks Mom & Dad for watching him for the week.. sorry he ate your chocolate bunny (such a Kobe thing to find and eat lol).
Dad Reed picked us up from the airport which was such a nice way to arrive and go straight into the car to go home. Such a treat!! Thank you Dad!!
We have so much laundry, basketball practise right away and needed to buy groceries for school the next day but we felt relaxed and refilled.
This much needed holiday has filled our buckets. We all miss the ocean already. This time spent together will be cherished all the days of my life. Making memories is the best part of life and we have so many great ones. I am so grateful for this family God has given Brian and I. There is no other way I'd like to spend my life so Im glad God's plan was the same as mine on this one.
I even made this pretty little souvenir that now sits in our office filled with shells that the kids found and all the beaches we spent time at and sand from "our beach" filling the bottom. I love it so much and cherish all the big memories those tiny shells hold.
And so, for now, we will try to bring home the "Aloha way" of life. To love others endlessly, to slow down in a busy paced life and to cherish family. This holiday was pure magic and we're gonna remember it forever!