ALOHA!! Hawaii Day 1

 We made it!! It took MANY miracles, 80,000 credit card points, and a dear selfless husband for starters, but Maddie and I were able to visit Mom on her mission in Hawaii!!!  Originally, Brian and I were trying to go, then we thought of letting Maddie join us, when she said THAT was all she wanted for a senior family trip, and then, between cost and watching children, Brian said, the day the tickets went on sale, that he would stay home with the family while we went.  That way, we could stay with Mom (in a huge master suite of our own, due to her being short a roommate!), pay only $80 total for our plane tickets (thanks to special sign on deals with a travel card), and leave without worrying too much whether Jane would have the same diaper for 5 days straight.  After a super-early morning, and whole day of flying through LAX airport, Mom picked us up with handmade leis, and took us right up to Pali point where those green carpeted giant peaks right along the shoreline just take your breath away! Immediately, we seemed to be in a special place--an open air airport, the fragrance of flowers (or roast pig!) always in the air, and open friendliness everywhere.  As if being in our early morning travel clothes wasn't enough, the wind really swept through our hair to welcome us right in to the laidback, worry free atmosphere! (a nearby tourguide was telling his group, "Ladies, stop trying to fix your hair! It's part of the adventure!")

 

We got a kick out of these "wild cats" that roam freely around, and the "Jungle Fowl" (chickens!) that are protected by law!

 

 We also visited a Macadamia Nut farm, had cafe rio style pork salad at North ShoreTacos, then caught our first sunset swimming at Sunset Beach!! We had fun visits from hilarious neighbor missionaries, met Mom's sweet roommates, and feasted on Coconut Pumpkin pie from Ted's Bakery!! Ahhhhh!!

Loved seeing the temple any time we'd go anywhere, so close to Mom's house!