Palaces, Luaus, and volcanos

 I love to take tours with anything to do with history.  This was one of my favorite days in Hawaii.  Hawaii is the only state in the U.S. where you can find a palace.  Before Hawaii became a state, it was controlled by kings and queens.  The "Summer Palace" was more like a home, but the Iolani Palace was very beautiful.  I loved the woodwork in the palace and it was just a neat tour to take. 

How can you go to Hawaii and not attend a Luau?  They had lots of activities before dinner.  You could get tattoos, make leis and headbands, learn to hula dance, and even watch a Samoan climb a coconut tree.  The food wasn't bad and I did enjoy the seaweed more then I thought I would.  The show was great and like the Polynesian Cultural Center, I really enjoyed the fire dancers. 

Ahh, Diamond Head!  This was a beautiful day.  Diamond Head had been closed all week and finally opened the day before we had to fly home.  It was crowded, but it was a great hike.  Nothing too bad, but very enjoyable until you got to the cave.  Normally I guess it only takes a few minutes to get through the cave, but because there were so many people, we were stuck in the cave for about 30 minutes.  Now I have never felt clausterphobic, but I did in this cave.  It was so small for the amount of people that were in it, it felt like a sauna, and I had serious doubts about going on.  I decided I had gone this far, I needed to go the rest.  I stuck it out and it was way worth it.  The view was amazing.  Definitely a great experience. 

Polynesian Cultural Center --Laie Hawaii

This was the day I was waiting for.  I was so excited.  I had heard so many good things about the cultural center and couldn't wait to go.  Well, it started raining hard the night before and the next day it was pouring.  How unfair!  I wasn't going to let some rain ruin my day, so I bought an umbrella, took my rain jacket, and waited for my bus.  The rain was off and on through out the day, but I had a great tour guide that did his best to keep us out of the rain and helped us to have a great experience.  I loved the shows, I loved the hands on activities, the food was fantastic, and I thought our Samoa guide was excellent. 

The evening ended with a show called, "The Breath of Life".  This went through all the Polynesian islands and showed us the things which made each island unique but similar as well.  It ended with fire dancers from Samoa and it left me speechless.  Well, as I said before it had rained off and on through out the day.  When the show was over and I left the covered theater, I had seen how much it had been raining.  As I made my way to the bus, I had to walk through water up past my ankles.  The bus was suppose to bring us back to the hotel by 11 pm.  Well, we were stuck before the bridge back.  We couldn't go forward or backward and the rain was raining even harder.  Water was up to the knees of the firemen as they helped cars get off the bridge.  Finally after a few hours, we were able to pass.  I finally got to the hotel about 1:30 am.  It was a long exhausting day, but even with all the drama of the rain, it was well worth it.   

The beach and more......

Below is where we stayed at.  We stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village.  Now, you may have seen this hotel on TV if you ever watch shows that are set in Honolulu or Waikiki.  You usually notice it as the big tower with the very large rainbow on it.  The Hilton probably has about 5 towers.  We actually stayed in the Rainbow tower.  It was a very nice hotel, except the bed was not so good.  I woke up every morning between 3 - 4 am.  I thought at first that maybe it was the time change that was affecting me so much, though that might have been some of it, the bed was just not comfortable.  Besides that, I was very happy with our hotel.  The people were nice, it was right on the beach, and there was lots to see from it.  We had a very nice view of the beach which you can see from the pictures that I have added.

Before Jeremy had to work, he was able to get a few activities in.  One evening we decided to go on a Sunset Cruise.  Now we have been on these kind of cruises before, but each one we go on is very different.  This one was a buffet and it had some entertainment on it.  Kind of like a mini luau.  We were hoping to spot some whales before it got too dark, but not a single one did we see.(This time of year is suppose to be big to see whales, but we never saw one.)

The first day Jeremy went to work, it was kind of a rainy, windy, gloomy day.  I was hoping to hang out at the beach a bit, (which I did the day before)but it just wasn't a beach day.  I decided to go to downtown Waikiki and hang out at the shops.  I did go on the beach for a bit, but just to look around.  It was not a day for sun.  I liked all the shops down there.  They were fun to look at.  The rain held out for most of the day, but on my way back to the hotel, I got caught in it.  By the time I got back though, Jeremy got back just in time to go to dinner.

Hawaii--Island of Oahu

Jeremy has to travel a lot for work.  Most of the time, he travels around the southern states such as, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi.  He often volunteers for places that nobody wants to go, like St. Louis, Missouri in the winter.  Other times he has to go to places like Texas, Philadelphia, Virginia, and once he even had to go to LA for a bit.  I sometimes go with him.  Not too often, but every once in awhile I do.  Well, this time it was Hawaii.  Wow!  Now isn't that something??  Well, I just couldn't let him suffer in the tropics by himself.  I had to go with him.  We went ahead and went a few days earlier so Jeremy could see some sights before he had to work.  Then I was off by myself, enjoying the warmth of the island.  So, while everyone in Alabama was shoveling the snow, I was reading a book on the beach. 

I had a good time.  And even though Jeremy had to work most of the time, I think he had some fun as well.  So the next few posts, I thought I would put in some things that I got to see and do.  I even learned a few things and that is always good when you go on vacation. 

Jeremy loves to go to swap meets or flea markets.  I hate them, but I figured since Jeremy only had a few days, I wouldn't fight him too much on this and we would go to Oahu's largest swap meet.  Great right.  I go all the way to Hawaii to attend a swap meet.  Well, it wasn't the kind of swap meet that Jeremy likes.  It was all the souvenir things that you can buy in Waikiki but tons cheaper.  So, I had a good time, but Jeremy was a little disappointed.  What was cool though about where this swap meet was is that it was very close to Pearl Harbor, so we got to go.  We learned some things about why the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and we also were able to see the USS Arizona underneath the water.  It was a time to pander and to contimplate.  As I listened to the movie before we went to the memorial, I thought how we are still fighting the same fight just with someone else.  It was a very humbling experience.

I am not always one to take pictures of too many landscapes and such.  I often like to have people in my pictures, but I found myself in awe of all the different forms of nature to be seen.  I couldn't help myself, but snap pictures of all the interesting plants and animals.  Here are some of the things that I took pictures of.  Through the next few posts I will put more of the beautiful forms of nature that I saw. 

Cookies for Santa, Pajama Elves, the "Big Day"....and even a "White Christmas"

The shopping is done, the festivities are pretty much ready, and it is time to start the Christmas traditions.  We always make cookies for Santa on Christmas Eve.  Some we give to neighbors, some we eat, and the kids usually pick 2 cookies that they really like to give to Santa.  I think the kids did a great job.

These are the chosen ones.  Just for Santa.  I hope he comes hungry. 

After dinner, it is time to talk about what Christmas really means and how important the Savior is and what he has done for us.  Sometimes we watch a movie, sometimes we go through a box of symbols of Christmas, this year we read the story of "The Three Trees".  After we talk about the Savior, the kids get to open one present.  ( They try so hard to convince us to open a second one, but of course we just stick to the one,)  Now I don't know if the Pajama Elves come to your house, but every year they come to our house.  Every year the kids think they are going to catch the sneaky little elves, but they never do.  This year they came during dinner.  Hunter must have heard something, 'cause he decided to look out the door after dinner, and what do you know?? Three boxes and in each box a pair of pajamas.  Sneaky little elves.  Right before the kids go to bed, I always like to read " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas".  The kids then looked on Jeremy's phone to see an update of where Santa was at that time and then off to bed they went and dreamt of Sugar Plums dancing in their heads.

This year the kids woke us up really early.  5 AM.  I couldn't believe it.  We tried to stall until about 5:45 and then we couldn't stall anymore.  We had to get up and join the kids down stairs.  Now, I don't know if you know much about Alabama, but usually it doesn't snow too much.  Every once in awhile some flurries, but nothing big.  Who would have ever thought we would wake up to a "White Christmas".  Growing up in Las Vegas, I remember I use to wish for that and my parents would say it is nice to wish, but it probably won't happen.  How lucky the kids were to wake up to all this snow.  It snowed all day, more in the night, and even more the next day.  (Now that Christmas is over though, I think it should go away,  I know longer wish for snow)  The kids had so much fun in it.  They haven't played in the snow since we left Virginia, so it was a real treat for them.

That is pretty much Christmas in a nutshell!

The kids had a great Christmas.  They got things they asked Santa for and maybe a few things they never thought to ask Santa for.  They played, played, played all day long.  By the end, we were all exhausted and grateful for all the things we had and for being with each other.  We even had "Roast Beast" with the neighbors.  Oh, what a day!

I wanted to add this picture.  Hunter got this Paper Jam Electric Guitar from Santa.  He has played for 2 days straight.  Jeremy finally got tired of  hearing it and gave him some earphones to plug into it.  Hunter has been asking for a guitar for awhile.  Since the real thing is a little pricey right now, Santa gave him this for now.  He sometimes wears his sunglasses, sometimes jumps in the air while playing it, sometimes he even might sing a little.  He is so funny. He is our little Rock Star. 

Christmas Festival

Every year our stake has a big Christmas festival.  This festival is enjoyed by all around Huntsville and other areas near by.  It is enjoyed by members and non-members.  The community looks forward to it every year.  Prior to the festival, they collect nativity sets from all who will let the stake borrow them.  There are hundreds and they are all unique.  Some are from other cultures, some are very childlike, and some are very elegant.  They have very big ones and very small ones.  They even have a set that is distributed throughout the sets where the children can look for each piece like a scavenger hunt.  They display these through out the cultural hall along with Christmas quilts that many have sewn and Christmas trees decorated.  They even have a live nativity where you go from room to room watching as the story plays out.  They transform the rooms and hallway and it really looks as much as you can in a church, like being there.  It is very quiet going through this live nativity and very reverent.  The whole church is decorated with decorated fireplaces throughout and foyers decorated very home like.  They have a choir that sings at different times (which you should acquire tickets earlier because it is reserved seating).  They also take a family picture, if you would like.  This is ours.  Not too bad.  It was a very nice night.  The choir sounded beautiful and amazing with many added orchestra instruments involved as well.  What a great way to start the Christmas festivities.

Santa Claus

Every year, as with most of you, we take our kids to see Santa.  This is a most necessary event.  It is very important that the kids put in their order to Santa personally.  Sometimes their list is long, but I try to tell them to pick just a couple of things and to remember that even though Santa is listening, he doesn't always get what you most desire, but to be grateful for what you do get.  Here is what they ordered from Santa:

Megan asked for Legos, a puppet, and a ZuZu Pet,

 Emilee asked for a MP3 player and a doll (14 in. that you can dress),

 and Hunter asked for a Spider-Man Web Shooter.

Well, I hope they get what they wish for and that all of you have a very

 Merry Christmas!!

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is a great time of year to be with your family and friends.  Like many, we do not live near my family.  For so long, we did and I have many wonderful memories of Thanksgiving Day.  It is so fun to visit all day long, play games, and just hang out.  The food itself is overwhelming and there is so much and so many favorites that you look forward to all year long.  Because of all this food is the reason why I didn't cook Thanksgiving in my own home this year.  I am sorry to say, but it is way too much for just us, especially when your kids eat like little tiny birds.  Last year, my dad was in town, so it was worth cooking a great meal and smelling the turkey all day long.  This year it was just us, so we decided to head up to Nashville and eat at the Golden Corral.  Now, you laugh, but we were together, no cooking, and best of all no clean up. 

 There is a park that we like to go to in Nashville.  It has lots of fun things to do, wide open spaces to run, and some trails to hike through.  After we ate, we went to the park and played for the rest of the day.  It was fun.  We had a good time and even though we couldn't be with my extended family, at least we had a great dinner and time to spend with one another and that is something to be grateful for.