Hawaii Highlights...

After this post I promise no more Hawaii talk but I really wanted to share my whole trip...every single detail...from the moment we got on the plane. Just kidding. I'll do highlights only. (We have 442 pictures total...too overwhelming so instead of flickr you can check out John's pictures on his myspace right here...there's only 25)

Our trip to Maui was a whole bunch of firsts for us...first time in Hawaii...first time ziplining...first time snorkeling (for me)...definitely our first time riding bikes down a volcano.

I was nervous (but excited) about pretty much everything we planned to do. John took this picture as we were riding up the mountain before ziplining. I made an impromptu nervous face for some giggles. It worked, he did some giggling when he saw this...



Before we started ziplining, one of the tour guides told our group,"If you're up for some adventure we'll be your buffet." I'm going to steal that line.

Check out the view from up there...



This is John and me at Warren and Annabelle's in Lahaina. This place was FUN. Our package included dinner, 2 drinks each, dessert and a comedy magic show. You should definitely make reservations if you're going to be in Maui.



Warren is the owner (he performs too) and Annabelle is a friendly ghost. Warren wasn't there when we were there but the two magicians who were there were hysterical.

We got to see where the government faked the landing on the moon (in black and white)...



Don't get mad, I'm only joking...it's just the top of Haleakala. I think this place is so amazing that it looks fake. The whole crater up there is the size of Manhattan. I've already posted about the bike ride down Haleakala. If you missed it go ahead and scroll down.

We got to see some pretty amazing things when we went hiking. This is the Dragon's Teeth...



The Dragon's Teeth was formed when a volcano erupted and lava was flowing into the ocean. The wind and waves forced the lava back up and it cooled into these teeth like formations.

To get down to the Dragon's Teeth we had to do our most precarious hiking...we had to walk down a golf course.

Here's the Nakalele blowhole...





The Olivine Pools...





We went to a black sand beach...



and a red sand beach...



We sunset dinner sailed...



We snorkeled...



Our last morning there we went for one final snorkel and saw a giant sea turtle. Sorry to be cliche but it was truly a perfect end to a perfect trip. Our trip to Maui was the most fantastic, unbelievable trip John and I have ever taken. We will both remember it vividly forever.

Top 10 Monday

Since I've been back from Hawaii I've had the aloha and vacation spirit inside of me. I love it. I hope it stays forever...especially when I go back to work in August.

Even though I'm not back to work yet (I'm a teacher) I've had my aloha spirit tested but I've still maintained. I don't think it's been tested ten times since we've been back but here's the top ways so far...(I'm going to throw some Hawaii pictures in too...they help to show why I have the aloha spirit).



(This was taken at Black Rock on the beach in front of our hotel. Every night at sunset a guy lights the torches and then dives in.)

5. I was the only person on the plane back from Maui who didn't get any sleep...and the lady next to me was the ditziest lady ever born.

She had a bunch of charms on her flip flops and one of the keys fell off. I handed it to her and said it fell off her shoe and in a Minnie Mouse voice she said,"I don't think so," then proceeded to make fun of me to her daughter.

Ditsy rude lady. I was annoyed so I tackled her.

4. I need four new tires by Saturday.



(There he goes.)

3. I had a pain in my belly yesterday for 8 hours and after googling my symptoms I was convinced I had appendicitis. John thought it was a pulled muscle. He put Icy-Hot on it.

2. I came close to heat exhaustion when I was outside with John while he was working on our crazy air conditioner. It was seriously at least 112 degrees when we were out there.

1. Our air conditioner stopped working the day we got home.



(This was on our sunset dinner sail on our last night.)

So I guess my aloha spirit has only been tested five times. Not bad. Don't you just love how you feel when you come home from a great vacation? Me too.

Update: I think the Icy-Hot worked. Thanks Johnny.

Fit Friday

Exercising Aloha style is my new favorite way to work out. All last week we never "worked out" but we got our exercise in every day.

Here's a cardio day...





I consider this next day to be a toning day. I pedaled only a handful of times but I was so nervous that I had a Kung Fu grip the entire time...and my bootie was really sore. I don't really think the bootie part can go into the category of toning but I wanted you to know.



Meditation day...



Every day was a lifting day...



Aw, Aloha style exercising...I already miss you so much...I want you back.

Aloha!

I'm back! To sum up my vacation in one word...disaster...NOT! (I haven't used "not" in forever) It was sooooooooooo the opposite of a disastrous vacation. I don't think anyone has ever had as much fun in Maui as John and I did. I don't think that's an exaggeration.

Remember that line in Vacation where Chevy Chase says,"We're all gonna have so much beeping fun we'll need plastic surgery to remove our beep smiles"? That was us!

I loved every moment. Except maybe riding bikes down the volcano. I'm super happy we did it because it was an amazing experience. However, I was a little terrified of zooming down a steep mountain trying to avoid losing control while also trying to avoid getting hit by a car.



This picture was taken after the steepest, curviest parts of the trip were over but we still had several miles to go.

Our tour guide told us that most couples take about two hours to get down Haleakala and that's because they stop at garage sales and at restaurants for lunch. It took us three hours...we didn't stop at garage sales...or at a restaurant.

Check out the very top of the volcano...






Our tour guide Remy took us down a few thousand feet and dropped us off.




So I haven't decided how I want to share the rest of our trip. If I went through everything I would have posts until Christmas. I'm going to put our pictures on our Flickr page. I'll let you know once I get that done so you can check them out if you want.

I have so many stories to share. For now I'll just say that our trip was so fantastic that I cried when we were leaving and I feel like sending the island of Maui a big card that says, "Mahalo".

I'm out...

After all the talk it's finally here...we're flying to Maui TODAY! Don't worry Mom, we have someone watching the house.

I had big plans of writing some posts and scheduling them to pop up throughout the week but sadly that didn't happen. This will be my last one until we get back from our vacation.

I'm leaving you with some bathing suit images of John and me from the 4th of July...(well, mine is a partial bathing suit shot)





Have a great week!

Thanks Mom...

My mom sent me some birthday cash with the explicit instructions of using it for Hawaii clothes. I decided I needed another swimsuit. Now I have three different kinds. A bikini, tankini and now a one piece...



I love this suit because there's times when I would like the girls nice and covered. There's also times when I would like to NOT show my belly. If I feel so inclined I can remove the straps. How cool is that?

Thanks Mom! I LOVE my new suit!!!

Update on my lack of color situation: I've decided to continue to sport the ghostiness. Everyone going to Maui next week, prepare to be blinded.