Gone, but haven't forgotten!

Yes, it's been several weeks, hasn't it? I love the freedom to blog only when I really want to. Sometimes I consider some sort of blogging schedule, but that never lasts. I think I'm much more of a 'whenever the spirit moves' kind of person. Although sometimes I wish I was much more disciplined than I AM!

Well, it's really hard to know where even to begin this post, because I've been away. And I do mean AWAY.

We talked about it for years. Dreamed about it. Debated it. Discussed it. Talked to our kids about it. Saved for it. And finally, while taking Dave Ramsay's Financial Peace University course over a year ago, we decided to GO FOR IT!  Enough talk. Time for action.

Last March we put the down payment on a vacation rental by owner, a beach house on the Windward side of Oahu, Hawaii and booked flights for our entire family (7 of us) to spend a week together FAR AWAY FROM HOME during Feb 2014. Where it's warm. In the Winter. That's important to us Canadians! 

The week finally arrived. 

And it was wonderful
Not perfect, but wonderful, nevertheless
It was cloudy
It rained
But it was always WARM! (or hot when the sun came out)
It got sunny
The water changed colors..aquamarine, shades of blue
The beaches and waves were breathtaking

We loved our beach house with the ocean literally steps from the deck/lanai

We loved the sound of the waves rushing at the shoreline
We watched the sunrise and enjoyed leisurely breakfasts
We sat on the deck
We played cards
We watched the Olympics
We wore summer clothes

We forgot about Old Man Winter

They observed sharks from inside a metal cage, lowered into the ocean
They had a blast at Pounders Beach, body surfing and boogie boarding
I closed my eyes and tried not to worry. Just trust. Hard to do sometimes

We snorkelled
We followed a sea turtle
I was THIS close
It was so exciting
A highlight for me
We hiked
They hiked where I would NEVER hike
They have good risk assessment skills, or so they tell me

We suffered some mosquito bites (nasty!)
We indulged and enjoyed good food and drink
Which included the tastiest, creamiest coconut ice cream and cream pies 
And garlic shrimp. from Giovanni's famed shrimp truck
We lounged
We swam
We laughed
We toured the Island (mostly the N. Shore of Oahu--love, love, LOVE)

We saw little reptilian creatures running up posts and on bushes

Cockroaches showed up..ew.....they are big. they are crunchy.
Chickens here, there, and wherever they decided to meander
Pineapples, mangos, papayas..  so fresh and juicy.
Now it's over, just like that.
It was like a dream
It WAS a dream
Come true

Thankful me.