It's the Little Things: ~Aloha~

So, Hawaii. Where to start. A couple years ago we (Mom, Josh and myself) were in North Carolina with my Uncle Ron for Christmas. It was a really great trip. I'd flown to DC and Josh and I drove down and then back up in time to spend a day or two and New Years Eve in DC and then I flew home. After I'd been home for about a month I called my brother to ask him what his thoughts were in going to Hawaii for my 30th birthday and Christmas. Our Mom had always said she wanted to go to Hawaii or someplace warm for Christmas. This way we could celebrate my 30th together and then be there for Christmas. Mom and Dad gave their stamps of approval as well as my Uncle. So, Hawaii. It's been almost two in the making. It didn't seem real until I was on the plane. I can't say that I even had a countdown (which is unusual for me) until basically the last day before I left. I packed last minute (which isn't unusual for me) with my weeks in the making list by my side. My flight left early and my dear friend Diane and her hubby picked me up for airport run.

Forgive the sort of photo dump...we are a family of picture taking...this post will have pre-leaving through the first full day in Hawaii.

This was Ezme the morning I was leaving. She didn't want me to go without her...

Several months before I left I'd seen a story about this student who'd created a no-water aquarium display to instill peace and tranquility to travelers in the airport. I was excited that I'd be able to see it when I was leaving as it is behind the security checkpoint. It was beautiful.

Once on the plane I got a little giddy. It was a long flight, but I kept busy...and then we had to fill out the Department of Agriculture forms for Hawaii before we could land. No biggie...except as I was writing my age I realized this is the last time ever I would be able to write that I was in my 20's. Turning 30 doesn't scare me...just another year, but I still had to capture my last recorded on paper age in my 20's.

Welcome to Hawaii complementary Mai Tai...thank you Alaskan Airlines! I was the only one of the whole lot of us that got this perk.

Landing in Kona. I was amazed and in awe by this airport. Mostly outdoors. Glorious.

Hula dancers welcoming people.

Cool statue.

Originally we were only scheduled to have a rental for two days as I had slacked and not gotten anything reserved before everything was booked. Thankfully, we ended up having the vehicle the whole time we were there...and a big vehicle it was that I drove all over the island. 7 passenger, large Ford Explorer anyone?! Once I got used to the size and discovered that there were sensors that would beep when I got near something as I was backing up I didn't mind driving it at all. It traveled well and came in handy when we were on some rough roads.

View from the condo we rented on my first evening there.

Before Mom, Dad and Josh got in I went and picked up a few groceries.
Bob's Red Mill (Oregon based) products across the ocean!

Cute birds coming out of the grocery store.

After sunset I headed back to the airport to get most of the rest of the group. My uncle had missed one of his connections because another flight was delayed because of weather, so he wouldn't be joining us until the next day.

I sometimes like to make faces....Dad caught this one. Cute, eh?!

Josh arriving!

Morning at the condo. The first time Mom, Dad and Josh got to see the view we had.

Plumeria...we had a bowl of dropped Plumeria blossoms on the counter all week. It was sad when we had to dump them.

Good morning from our wonderful lanai. It was amazing.

My Dad named this dove Oliver. He visited every day (or his twin did, or his cousin did, or his sister did...but it was Oliver no matter what...)

Waiting for Uncle Ron to arrive!

He made it!! Woohoo!

We went to lunch at a Thai place. Josh tried to teach Mom how to use chop sticks. Cracked me up.

Down by the water...Dad, me, Mom.

Josh, Dad, me, Mom.

Brother and sister! It's been a year since I last saw him, and will sadly probably be a year before I see him again...

Brother and sister!

Sea urchin...we think.

Brother, Dad and me.

With the Uncle!

There were these weird black crabs that were on the rock wall and on the rocks in the ocean and they'd jump...creepy.

Several clinging to a rock...all sizes of them.

Hibiscus. There were so many colors of them. I wish I'd gotten pictures of them all.

Fan Palm Tree.

Sea turtle. We couldn't decide if this guy was alive or not. He wasn't moving, though.

Exploring...

As Mom took this picture I was asking Josh if he'd take a picture of me. I had told him I'd meet him part way between the rock I was on and where he was rather than tossing him my camera. I didn't want it to fall in the water. We did the hand off of camera and I turned to go back to the rock. When I turned around he'd accidentally dropped my camera in the water...sad day.