We are now back on the mainland after a week long trip to Maui with my family. I always hate it when vacations end :( If I had a magic power, it would be the ability to apparate (like Harry Potter), and I would come here at least once a week. It was paradise!!

In no particular order, here are some highlights of our trip!

A beautiful Hawaii sunset

At Black Rock beach before our morning snorkel

Dave with an itty bitty hermit crab he found in a tide pool

Lovely close up of my face... I do not tan, but I sure do freckle and after a week in the sun the freckles were out in full force!

Skyping with my brother who is on a mission in Brazil

Spending Mother's Day with my mom!

Dave jumping into the largest of the Olivine Pools

Don't worry - we're not dead, we're sleeping :)

Riding the foam like a pro - the waves were pretty small this year, but still big enough to boogie board

Having an awesome time at the beach!!

Put on Your Tiki Face

Aloha! Yesterday my parents, my sister, Dave, and I arrived in Maui!! I've been looking forward to this trip for a loooong time and am so excited to be here. It's going to be a nice post-graduation, pre-PhD program treat, and we plan to enjoy every minute of it. I'm going to read 2 books, attempt to surf, play 100+ games of boggle on Dave's smart phone, go to bed at 9:00 and wake up at 5:00 because I don't adjust well to time changes, build something in the sand, eat a pineapple, not worry about how the ocean makes my hair crazy, and do my best to stay sunburn free!

Family Trip to Maui

In March Dave and I took separate vacations - Dave went home to Texas for Don's wedding, and I went to Maui with my family. We would have LOVED to make both of these trips together, but due to work and school it just didn't work out.

This trip was the epitome of relaxation - every day we would wake up, eat, go to the snorkel beach, come home to hot tub, eat, go to the sandy beach, hot tub, eat, go to the wave beach, hot tub, eat, play games, watch a movie, sleep, and then repeat. It was awesome.

Dave's absence was filled by my niece Anne. I always swore I'd never want to have a baby at the beach, but she did awesome and it was fun to have her along. And even when she was a little cranky, how could you ever get upset with someone so cute??

My awesome brother Derek doing his best tiki man impression

  Riding the waves - Nat didn't quite make this one (she was on the purple board)

In the banyan tree in Lahaina

The girls in the hot tub

The palm tree trimmers outside our condo - not a job I'd want!

At the free hula show we discovered while shopping for groceries

Love you family!

Olivine Pools

Our one deviation from the normal beach-eat-sleep routine was a trip to the Olivine Pools - natural tide pools formed by lava rocks that jut out into the ocean.

Assuming a low profile while getting up the nerve to jump. Large waves occasionally crash over the lava barriers and those rocks will tear through your shorts, swimsuit, and skin - ouch! A rogue wave took me out a few years ago so my nervousness is justified!

Jumping!

In the personal "hot tub" with Derek

My dad with his girls

Did you rub it all in honey?

While mom and I were sitting on the beach waiting for the boys to get back from snorkeling, we watched a little girl put sunscreen on her dad's back. When he asked her, "Did you rub it all in honey? Did you get my shoulders?" it was all I could do to contain my laughter.

He sure is going to have an awesome burn pattern!

Aloha!

Last week we were able to travel to Maui to spend spring break with my family at the beach! It was a great, much-needed vacation for both of us. The trip was a little like Groundhogs Day - we would snorkel in the morning, sit by the pool, read, boogie board in the afternoon, play games at night, then wake up and do it all over again the next day.

Snorkeling at Black Rock. Dave was normally the first one in and the last one out of the water. He loves diving down to search for creatures hiding in the rocks. This year we saw several eels, but no turtles :(

Warming up in the hot tub after snorkeling. (Derek is the body floating face down in the water in front of my dad)

Mom trying to force Derek to take a breath.

Riding some waves!

This is probably one of my favorite photos from the trip - Dave was soooo happy to have his picture taken.

Eating out at Leilani's Restaurant - one of our favorite places. We we able to see some whales spouting from our table and enjoyed being near the water for the sunset.

Thanks for the fun trip family!