Hello! Hello! This is my last vacation post (well...sort of). Tomorrow, will be all of my #shayeveryday2014 pictures (many of which were taken on our vacation) and then on Friday, my big Shade of Shay highlighting all of the stuff I took on this trip (books, shoes, clothes, travel necessities, plus tips and tricks for beach traveling with your family).
After a week in Maui, we said goodbye to my parents and as they headed back to Dallas, the Shull four headed to the island of Lana'i. I've been to the islands of Maui, Oahu and Hawaii, so I was anxious to check out Lana'i.
We're loaded up on a shuttle taking us to the dock. At this point, Andrew and I are pretty nervous because I basically get seasick in the bathtub. I do.not.like.boats. Cruise ships are different because I can't feel them move...but I hate boats. And here I am...about to board one.
On board our boat. It was smaller than I had hoped for.
Andrew has been my hubby for 10 years. He knows me so well. Earlier that morning, he bought me Dramamine and a family sized box of Wheat Thins. The only thing that makes me feel better when I'm on a boat is a cracker. He even told me several times that he was really concerned for me. There are only two ways to Lana'i...flying there or taking a 45 minute boat ride...and we were going to boat there and fly out 4 days later.
So...with only 31 people on board, we headed off to Lana'i. And about 10 minutes into our trip, Andrew started getting seasick for the first time in his entire life. What?!?! I'm the one who gets to puke on this boat! He has to be the one who cares for our kids! He cannot be sick. But he was.
After 30 minutes, the boat people said the weather was so glorious (a.k.a. windy) that they were going to cut off the engines and put up the sails. I might have kind of lost my mind at this point.
Why do we need sails when we have an engine?
Why would anyone want to "sail" when there is an option of quickly getting from point A to point B?
I was sitting still with Smith asleep (of course) in my lap and Kensington leaning against me saying "mommy, my tummy kind of hurts"...and my dear "I never get seasick" husband puking off the back of the boat.
Two hours later. Yes. Two hours instead of 45 minutes, we arrived in Lana'i. Thank you Jesus that for the very first time in my entire life, I did not puke on a boat. I seriously would have had to hand my children off to strangers so that their father and I could have been sick together off the backside of that dumb sail boat.
The only plus side to this boat ride is that I saw a whale. Next time, I would rather just visit Sea World.
The three of us after just arriving at our hotel in Lana'i. We were so thankful to be on land!
"I never get seasick." Famous last words.
While we were checking in, the Director of Guest Services on this tiny little remote island looked at us and I immediately recognized her as one of my friends from junior high and high school. Isn't that crazy?!? Emily and I grew up together and there she was living on Lana'i and working at our resort. I knew from FB that she lived in Hawaii but I did not know where...such a small world!
Because Lana'i is so small, there is really only one hotel/resort and that's the Four Seasons. They have a location on the beach and one in the mountains and we stayed by the beach. It was so nice!
Kids at this resort are given an unlimited supply of fish food to feed the fish that swim all over the resort. My kids loved that!
We went to have lunch after we checked in and there were dozens of dolphins swimming and jumping right next to the resort. I have never seen so many dolphins at one time outside of captivity. The waitress at the resort told us that they come up and do that every day...and sure enough, we saw them daily. People were swimming right up to them out in the ocean. It was really cool to see!
The dolphins reminded me of when Kensington was two and she and Andrew swam with the dolphins :).
Lunch with my man...and apparently, it was "green day".
Smith had been playing outside our hotel room and brought back in flowers for his mama (they were on the ground and scattered everywhere, Kensington said he started collecting them for me). Love this boy.
The resort put these sponge letters in our bathroom :)
My very favorite part about Lana'i was the pine trees! On Lana'i, they have more pine trees than palm trees. We went into Lana'i City every evening for dinner and looking around and since it's up in the mountains and you can't see the ocean, you really don't know you're in Hawaii with all of those gorgeous trees. I loved it!
Sunset in the pines.
And then the next morning, I'm back by the pool lookin' at dolphins :).
We love the ocean!
Lunch poolside.
Between swimming, I read...in the morning at the beach and the afternoon at the pool. I read three books during our stay in Hawaii.
As usual, around 3:30, we came back to our room and got cleaned up and rested before dinner. I was watching something on Net Flix and Kensington fell asleep on my lap. Love her.
Then, I moved to a chair and lamp to read and looked around at all of my sleeping beauties. One on each bed and one on the floor. Smith had been playing with a truck and bam...he was asleep.
Our last full day on Lana'i! We spent it in the pool!
For dinner, we headed back into Lana'i City for some shopping, strolling and eating.
Beautiful evening for cartwheels :)
I love those pine trees (and my handsome hubby!).
We had several people recommend a little pizza place in Lana'i City, so our last night on vacation, we dined on yummy pizza.
I just love spending time on vacation with my family. It doesn't matter where we go...when I'm with my hubby and my kiddos without the distractions of the world, it is so nice.
Andrew and I really soaked up the kids this trip. We know that they're growing up so fast and before long, we're going to be eating pizza across from teenagers. I asked Kensington what her favorite part of Hawaii was and she said swimming and when I asked Smith, he said it was when I would hold him in the pool and take him into the "deep" water. I'm so glad that I put my book down and held him in the pool as often as I did...I had no idea that he would think that was the best part of his vacation.
Hawaii was just one adventure down for us in 2014...right now, we're almost done building our new house and will (finally) be moving in within a month, Kensington starts kindergarten in the fall and then we will be bringing Ashby London home. All fun adventures and all terrifying at the same time. I am so blessed to share my life with these three people.
On the foodie blog today...Pizza Burritos.
Yes. And they're so simple too!
Yum!
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