So this last week was amazing!!! We were so incredibly blessed to get away from the cold and snow, and take a little family vacation to Maui, Hawaii. We were there for a week and I already want to go back. It was just a slice of heaven :)
The kids are getting older and so that makes traveling so much easier and more enjoyable. We knew this was going to be our last family vacation (with everyone there) for a while because Spencer has just turned 18 and he plans to serve a 2 year mission for our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saint's) as soon as he graduates and then head off to college. So of course, we tried to make this last one super memorable. We had planned a cruise last summer and after it was cancelled tried over Christmas, but of course, it was cancelled as well. So Hawaii it was, and boy did we have fun!!!
Of course, we did a whole lot of beach time!! We visited 5 different beaches and the kids had so much fun in the sand and the surf. They even tried snorkeling and saw fish and some turtles ;) We also hiked a lot along cliffs, to a blow hole, and some natural pools. I have to say, I was falling asleep at 8 each night, as they were so happy to just keep doing more and wore me out each day ;)
And our big adventure of the trip was a Zip Line tour through the jungle. And oh my, it was fun!!! This kids are so adventurous, they were going off the platforms, spinning, backwards, and even upside down. It was a favorite for everyone. And as you can see, there are two extra's in this picture. Those are my parents and I am so happy they came along with us. My dad was in Maui for a summer when he was 18 picking pineapples and hadn't been back since. It was so fun to watch him relive so many memories and share them with my kids!!!!
What a wonderful trip!! And now we are back, and after doing a mountain of laundry yesterday, I am pretty much all caught up. Which is good, because today is another Celebration!!! Today is my Sweetheart's birthday and I am making his favorite pecan pies ;) Happy Birthday Jacob!!!
Oh, and one last high note from our trip, which actually happened on the way back. Remember how I said my son is getting ready to
serve a mission, well somewhere over the ocean, he got his call. He had checked his email before we left Hawaii and nothing. Then he checked it when we landed at our layover in San Francisco and he had that email we have all been waiting for :) We found a semi-quiet spot in the airport, zoomed in our family and friends, and opened the email. He will be serving in the Frankfurt Germany mission, and starts his training in the
Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah on July 14th. Just wow!!! We are so proud of his decision to serve and know he will be a wonderful missionary. So ya, so glad to get that last family vacation in (we already had a summer one planned with friends on July 15th, to funny!!!) before he goes.
So I am off to see if I can do a little sewing before the birthday celebrations begin.
Thanks all for popping in and sharing a more family oriented post with me :)
I hope you have a very Happy Quilting Day!!!
Beautiful! Great place to vacation!
ReplyDeleteWonderful happy times for all of you. That is so nice to play on a nice beach in a bathing suit for sure.
ReplyDeleteA rude entry back to the states. brrr
My husband and I love Maui. I recognized some of the scenery (I have a photo of that tree. Amazing!)
ReplyDeleteTell your son, Congratulations! It is such a wonderful experience to serve a mission. My oldest son served in the Philippines and my daughter served in Portugal. They loved it.
Glad your beautiful family got to enjoy a wonderful vacation! Your son will enjoy Germany!!! I am not RLDS but think most teens would benefit so much from doing a mission trip!!! They would learn to appreciate what they have been given and the opportunity to help others.
ReplyDelete