find joy in the journey

#mauibrowns2015

This summer we had the amazing opportunity to take our entire family to Maui!  Scott and I have been there several times ourselves (Maui 2006 - Maui 2009 - Kauai 2013 - Maui 2014) and we absolutely love it.  It is just so relaxing, peaceful, beautiful . . . paradise.

On our last trip to Maui we sat on our lanai one day taking in the ocean breezes, sweet smells, and sounds of the waves rolling in.  Enjoying a Melona bar too, I'm sure.  Ahhh.  And we talked about how amazing these vacations are.  Wonderful.  So fulfilling.  The break from real life and opportunity to reconnect is just priceless.  But we also felt a little tug in our hearts.  The kids are getting older.  Their lives are getting busier, homework is more involved, schedules are hectic, so many details to pay attention too (not like when they were toddlers and all you had to was feed them, play with duplos or trains, manage a tantrum, and lay them down for a nap) . . . it's a lot to ask someone to assume all of that work for a week while we go vacation.  AND (the bigger reason for the heart pulls) we only have a few years left with these kids.  It's time to turn our focus to family vacations, memories, and those bucket list items before it is too late.

So we decided to take the kids to Hawaii.  

Last August we booked our vacation.  Around that time life threw some wrenches into our plans - ha!  Finances were a bit more of a worry & concern.  But we went forward with our plans and just had to be more frugal and responsible about it.  We already own a villa in Maui - lodging, check!  We had a bunch of airline miles which enabled us to fly the entire family to Maui and we only had to pay for one ticket - yay!.  Our villa has a full kitchen so we made a plan to dine-in as much as possible -- made a trip to Costco, and we packed peanut butter, granola bars, other snacks, and laundry detergent in our luggage.  It worked out perfectly.

As we embarked on vacation Scott jokingly began second guessing our choice to bring the kids.  He thought that our trip hashtag should be #whydidwebringthekids.  He's very protective of his chilling time in Hawaii.  Understandable.

But it was good.  We needed to do this.  The kids are at great ages - 14, 12, 9.  They could swim & play on the beaches & pools and we didn't have to watch them.  They could wander around the resort and up to the room and back by themselves.  (Although there was that one time we lost them at 9pm after an outdoor movie.)  We really have reached a magic time. 

They all did great on the trip.  There was a few issues when it came time to learn how to snorkel.  And Anna tested Scott's patience with her occasional grumpiness (a combination of too much sun and having no friend/sister to play with, I think).  But it was a great trip and when we go back in a few years I'm sure it will be even better.

I took about 800 photos on this trip - yikes! - and I don't foresee myself taking the time to do a vacation play by play.  But an occasional post might pop up randomly here and there as I feel like it.

Yesterday I put together this little video of our trip and it brought back so many fun memories!  And made me miss Maui so much!  It really is the most perfect place on the planet.  

I'm glad we got to share it with our kids and build these memories!

MauiBrown2015 - Part 1 from Shannon on Vimeo.

sunrise to sunset

Number 92 on my 101 in 1001 list is to "watch the sunrise and sunset on a single day."

On one particular day in Maui conditions were perfect so that we were able to accomplish this.

SUNRISE . . . 

We booked ourselves a sunrise whale watching tour on Friday.  It departed at 7:30am and the sun was just coming over the mountains as we pulled out of Lahaina Harbor. Yay!

And then we spent the next 2 hours cruising around checking out the whales.  It was a beautiful morning -- perfect temperature and almost no wind.  Right out of the shoots we saw a calf breech while the mother looked on.

Lots of blowhole sightings, more jumps,

and tail fins.

Like I said, it was a beautiful morning on the water.  A very nice way to start our day.

Also a first for this Maui trip . . . checking out the ginormous Banyan tree across the street from the harbor in Lahaina.

SUNSET . . . 

After spending the day at the pool we got cleaned up and headed over to one of our favorite restaurants -- The Sea House on Napili Bay.  The food is delicious but even better than that is the location.  It sits right on the beach with a sweeping view of the small, quiet bay.  We always make sure to get dinner reservations at 5:30 so that we can have front row sunset viewing.

We ordered appetizers -- Tenderloin Bruschetta and the Maui Beach Balls (yummy!). For dinner I had the macadamia crusted mahi mahi, and Scott had the Maui Mac n' Cheese (lobster, crab, & mahimahi). Both were so fantastic.  Then for dessert I ordered the Toasted Coconut Creme Brulee and Scott just about died & went to heaven with his Macadamia Tart

From sunrise to sunset it was a pretty amazing day!

the road to hana

Ahh, the road to Hana.  On our first two trips to Maui we purposefully avoided the road to Hana.  Why?  Well, Scott doesn't like driving around just to look at things while on vacation.  And the fact that there were Road to Hana signs, brochures, and guided CD's posted all over the island it seemed only logical that we should avoid the activity that everyone else was doing.  Right?  Right.

But on our 3rd trip we I decided that we should cave in and just do it.  Cross it off the list!

So, on Monday morning we hopped in the car, stopped in Pa'ia for sandwiches and made our way down the road to Hana.

TWIN FALLS

Our first stop was Twin Falls.  Of course!  (Scott grew up in Twin Falls, Idaho.  This one was just a tad different.)  There was a 1.5 mile round trip hike to the falls with some smaller waterfalls along the way.

This was taken early on in the drive so at this point everything was super exciting.

I loved that the trail had us walking along this irrigation channel  (a little fuzzy, but you get the idea)

And now, a bunch of photos with a waterfall!

This waterfall is actually named Caveman Falls.  The first waterfall (with my goofy face) is Twin Falls, which really doesn't make any sense to me.  We're just going with it.

Looking at it from a distance . . . . so lush and green.

And heading back on the trail

WA'ANAPANAPA

Our next stop was Wa'anapanapa State Park.  Come on, try to say that out loud.  I know you want to!

WA--ANA--PA--NA--PA

This park holds Maui's famous black sand beach - Pa'iloa Beach. I loved the stark contrast between the black beach and lava rock and the bright green foliage.  My camera just wanted to eat it up!

The beach wasn't really made of sand, but rather tiny black pebbles.  Scott was really excited to see this beach.  He collected a small handful of the sand/pebbles to bring home (hope that was legal).  And while shopping later in the week we bought a photo print of this beach to hang in his office.  He thought it looked very manly.

There was also a freshwater cave at the park, which we checked out, but it wasn't as impressive as we had hoped.

PIPIWAI TRAIL

Our last stop was at Kipahulu, Haleakala National Park -- which is actually a few miles past Hana.  There is a trail here that came highly recommended by my parents and friend Jenn.  We arrived at 2pm, a little bit later than we had wanted, so we had to take the 4 mile round-trip hike in super speed so we could get back to the car for the 3 hour drive home.  We didn't want to be driving on those tiny, windy (and sometimes one-lane) roads in the dark.  :)

It was a beautiful hike with waterfalls,

a huge banyan tree,

bridges, cascading pools, a stream, and the most unique path through the middle of a bamboo forest.

And at the very end we reached the towering Waimoku Falls.  The water falls 400 feet down a sheer lava rock wall.  The hike takes you to the base of the waterfall, in a tight space, so there was no way for me to get a shot of the whole thing.

This hike was most definitely our favorite part of the road to Hana. 

Our second favorite was the scenic drive home

BACK SIDE OF HALEAKALA

We decided to take the advice of family/friends again and drive the "back" way home from Hana.  Most people will drive to Hana, and then turn around and go back the way they came.  Honestly, the thought of going back the same way sounded like torture to us -- all those one lane bridges and everyone trying to head home at the same time.  Ack!  

The back way home has it's own challenges -- 4 miles of unpaved roads and some one-lane blind corners on mountain cliffs (honk your horn!).  But we were up for that adventure.

We are so glad that we did because we got to see a whole other part of Maui.  So different from the lush beaches & forests we had encountered for most of the day, but beautiful all the same.  And less traffic!

 If we ever did the road to Hana again we would definitely drive this road to the Pipiwai Trail (our favorite part) and then turn around and come back the same way.  We didn't find as much on the north and east side of the island that excited us, so cutting out those miles (hours) seems the smartest thing to do.

We rounded the corner back towards Lahaina just as the sun was setting.  I was getting pretty good at being a front seat photographer!

The road to Hana is very curvy and I tend to get car-sick.  I had some Dramamine pills in my hand to purchase at the Hana Picnic Company in Pa'ia when the girl working there recommended the natural brand.  I took her advice (considering that Dramamine can make you sleepy) and they worked wonderfully!  I didn't get queasy, light-headed, or sick the entire day.  I also used them when we went on a whale watching boat and I was perfectly fine.

Anyways, just thought I would share this tip -- Hyland's motion sickness tablets . 

our home on Maui

We are back from Maui.  Trying to navigate our re-entry into real life and taking care of the stuff that builds up when you are on vacation.  This week is ending up a bit busier than I had anticipated, but that's just life for you, right?  It can't be lounge chairs, massages, and lava flow drinks every day of the week now can it.  :)

We felt pretty spoiled that we have been to Hawaii two years in a row.  That is not our usual routine, things just happened that way.  Last year we went to Kauai.  And while it was a great, relaxing vacation and something new & different to explore . . . . we couldn't help but miss our home in Maui.

When we pulled up to the hotel entrance at 12:15am (2:15am body time) we both let out a happy sigh.  We were home.

Why do we love this place so?

For so many reasons - the sights, the smells, the food, the breeze, the sunshine.  As soon as we step on this island our pace slows, the aches in my back & shoulders melt away, we breathe easier, our minds are calm . . . . It is pretty much heaven on earth.

Here are just a few of the things we look forward to each time we return.

We have a few restaurants that are our favorite -- Hula Grill is one of them.  Delicious, fresh food and a good sunset view from Ka'anapali Beach.  We made reservations here our first night on the island.

Then the sunset begins

After our meal we always walk on the beach.  This is the Sheraton resort at Black Rock -- we stayed here on our first trip to Maui in 2006.

It is so quiet and peaceful with the lapping of the waves on the shore and the colors (golds, oranges, rich grey-purple-blues) are just magical.

One of our favorite parts of vacation is eating out and we love trying out new places while sticking to a few tried & trues.  I try to order a different kind of fish each night -- Mahi Mahi, Ahi, snapper, mongchong, scallops, etc.  I figure this is the best place to eat seafood -- it's fresh and they know how to cook it!

There are lots of great dining options in Lahaina Harbor too.  When we make early dinner reservations we are guaranteed to get tables like this.

So we can enjoy sunsets like this

and devour crab cakes like this

On our Maui trips we like to plan 2-3 activities for the week, but for the most part we plant ourselves at the pool or beach for the day and just relax.  And read.  And order virgin Lava Flows from the poolside bar.

One day we rented a beach cabana on Ka'anapali Beach by Black Rock and spent the entire day there.  Reading, watching the huge waves, the snorkelers, and people jumping off the rock . . . 

And after they put away the cabanas at 5pm, we sat in the sand and watched the torch lighting ceremony and sunset hand in hand.

Sometimes we'll claim our spot by the pool at 9am, enjoy the whole day, and when everyone else gives up because of the wind we are still there, wrapped up in pool towels to watch the sunset.

We love our resort.  

We love the manicured grounds, the beautiful & equipped rooms (kitchens & laundry), the amenities & services, and the beach that is just steps away.

But the thing we love best about our Maui vacations is just being together.  Time to re-connect, re-charge, relax, and make memories together.  It's pretty darn great.

(sunset on Napili Bay)

 

you and I

On our trip to Kauai this spring the inflight movie was "Parental Guidance."  It is about a pair of grandparents who come to watch their grandchildren for a week while the mom and dad are away on a business/leisure trip.  It was so fitting!  

But in this movie, the mom is super nervous about leaving her kids with her parents and she can't bring herself to leave.  So the husband leaves to attend to business and she stays and frets over every little thing (schedules, meals, discipline, etc.).  Each day she tries to leave, but just can't bring herself to do it.  

Finally, on day 3 or 4, her wise mother grabs her by the shoulders and says "Go.  Go be with your husband.  Some day all of the children leave and it will just be you and him."

Ahhh, I loved that sentiment! You need to invest in your relationship.  Because someday, really, it will be just you and him and hopefully you still like each other!

I'm so glad that we took the time to getaway, just the two of us.  It was such a great trip.  We just enjoyed ourselves so much and felt so connected in our relationship as parents, partners, and friends.

Taking these trips and spending this time together is an investment we are committed to making so that when we reach the "you and I" stage (about 11 years from now) we are still just as connected and still best of friends.

I sure love this man.  He treats me well.

(enjoy the video)

sunset dinner at the makana terrace

Betcha thought I was done blogging about Kauai, didn't you?

Well I couldn't leave out the amazing sunset dinner that we had our last night on the island.  We ate at the Makana Terrace at the St. Regis Resort.  We made a 5:30 reservation to ensure prime sunset viewing on the terrace.  Sure enough, we were the first ones there for dinner seating and got the table of our dreams with a front row view.

The view to the side and behind us . . . .

a panoramic mash-up . . . 

Just gorgeous.  And the weather couldn't have been any better.  We settled in for a long, slow dinner (2+ hours) and enjoyed every single second of it.  Paddleboarders and sailboats on the bay, green tropical mountains, the sun's slow descent, the golden light, excellent service & food, quiet voices and the tinking of silverware on dishes, and frequent romantic glances and contented sighs.  

This Makana Terrace Roll (spicy tuna, tempura shrimp, avocado, spicy mayo) blew our minds.  Our favorite food item on the whole trip.

His (above) and hers.  When we are in Hawaii I try to eat seafood every dinner out because it is just so fresh and so good. This trip I had some Ahi, Ono, Mahi Mahi, and Mong Chong.

Beautiful.

the sun is shining and we have a date with a lounge chair

Sunday . . . rain

Monday . . . rain

Tuesday . . . rain

Wednesday . . . 

We woke up to this view out our window and, oh man, I was just plain giddy!  

It's a pool day!  Yes!  We ate breakfast, gathered up our things and made our way to the pool where we claimed our spot . . . . (at 8am)

And didn't move for 7 hours.

There were books to read, lava flows to drink, and relaxation to be had.  We ordered lunch from the poolside waitress and just acted like bums all day long.  It was perfect.

Friday was another pool day and we pretty much repeated this same set-up.

Our resort was located up on a cliff so we didn't have direct beach access.  But there was a dirt path off to one side that you could walk down to a small beach.  We decided to check it out one day.

I loved this portion of the beach with the black rocks on the sand.  

I spy a chicken

And that big rock is just screaming for a Little Mermaid pose.  Don't you think? 

The big moment of the day . . . . As we were leaving the beach I found my first ever heart-shaped rock!  I was so excited and Scott didn't quite understand why.  Until I explained to him that I have always wanted to find a heart-shaped rock.  It's just one of those cool, rare treasures that come in moments of serendipity.

The next day we spent the morning at Tunnels Beach and I found another heart-shaped rock!  (And a piece of clear/white sea glass -- now that is a rare find).  I was feeling pretty darn lucky!

Tunnels beach was gorgeous.  Crystal clear water, shallow enough to wade out a long distance . . . and this amazing backdrop of massive lush green mountains.  

It appears that snorkeling is the thing to do there, but we weren't in the snorkeling mood this trip so we just sat on the beach and enjoyed the view.  I loved sitting right at the water's edge and letting the waves lap up over my legs.  Ahhhh, absolute paradise!

Okay, so on our previous 2 trips to Maui we were always being asked the question, "Are you honeymooning?"  Well it was day 4 of our Kauai trip when I realized . . . . no one has asked us if we're honeymooning?!  Does that mean we're looking old?  We're not as cute as we used to be?  Boo-hoo-hoo!  It was a slight moment of crisis.  

As we were leaving Tunnels Beach, on day 5, I told Scott that I really wanted to get a picture of the two of us together.  So we set down our bags, carefully tried to balance the iphone on top of some flip flops, set the TimerCam app, and hoped for the best.  We were in the middle of this odd balancing act when a woman walking by asked if she could take the picture for us.  Yes, thank you!!  

In our exchange of thank you's she asked . . . "Are you two honeymooning?"

YES!!!

Well, no.  But yes!  Someone asked us the magic question!!  Oh, I was so relieved.  Phew.

She happened to be honeymooning.  And a BYU grad.  She commented on Scott's BYU visor.

After lunch we hopped on our resort's little shuttle to go to the St. Regis Resort and enjoy their beach.  The Westin and St. Regis are both in the Starwood family so we get to share stuff.  While we didn't have a beach at our place, it was nice that we could make the 2 mile jaunt down the road and enjoy theirs.

Along with lounge chairs and umbrellas.

looking out at Hanalei Bay 

And beachside drink service, of course.  You know what we ordered.

And that, my friends, is how we vacation at the beach.

remember the time we drank from a coconut in kauai?

This is a memory that I'm sure Scott and I will pull out of the vault from time to time over our marriage.  And the answer to this question will always be, 

"Ya.  That was not so awesome."

Now, the image of drinking from a coconut . . . doesn't that just seem like the picture of paradise?  I have never done it and I like good photo-ops so I told Scott that we needed to stop at one of the coconut stands on the side of the road.  

He happily fulfilled my request.  But, I was unaware that he had tasted fresh coconut milk in his past and had already discovered that it was not-so-awesome.  He kept his comments to himself because he could see how excited I was about this experience.

Such a handsome guy.  

And that lady in the truck -- she knows how to use a machete.

I got my cute picture.  And we sipped . . . 

. . . and ruled that it was not so awesome.  Certainly not good enough to drink more than just a taste.  And the coconut meat -- slimy and chewy.  I think I'll stick with my dried coconut from Costco.

Lesson learned.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

And here's one more of Scott, because today is his birthday!

And it's a pretty awesome day because it is also the day we met, 15 years ago.

Wailua Falls

I'm so glad that we survived the waterfall so that we could spend this day together.

princeville golf course

This, an America's Top 100 Golf Course, sat right next to our resort in Kauai.  Just gorgeous.  

On our 3rd rainy day we decided that it was time to play golf.  Well, Scott played golf.  And I rode along in the cart (for an extra $25 fee) acting as photographer, providing company, and enjoying the beautiful scenery.  (We joked that I was his ParMate - click on the link, it's totally a thing in Vegas.)

view from the clubhouse

warming up at the driving range

We got set up with a golf cart.  Scott was stoked to see that the rental clubs were Titleist.  His brand.  It was also equipped with coolers full of water bottles and ice and the golf cart featured a sweet GPS unit.

And from there we set out for an afternoon of one incredible sight after another.  

It seemed like each hole provided a new visual treasure - ocean views, waterfalls, lush greenery, sweeping landscapes. . . . .

At every turn we found ourselves saying, "Wow, this is so pretty!"  "So gorgeous!"  "Amazing!"

At the end of this post I have a little video that highlights several of the best panoramic views we came across.  As well as some chickens.

It really felt like we were getting two activities for the price of one.  Golf + a jungle/botanical tour.  So much beautiful vegetation. 

It was a great day!  And I'm glad that we spent it together rather than splitting up to do our own activities (like me staying back to read in our villa, or going to a spa).

Here is the video I mentioned.  Watching it back, though, I noticed that I come off maybe a little too excited / awe-struck in the last clip.  It's somewhat reminiscent of the youtube guy and the giant double rainbow. . . . Not that bad, but I was pretty enthralled with nature.  Kauai will do that to you.

zip-line in kauai

Long before this Kauai trip -- in fact, way back on our last Maui trip -- I decided that the next time we came to Hawaii I needed to go zip-lining.  I even added it to my 101 in 1001 list -- #72.

After a rainy Sunday, and more rain in the forecast for Monday we realized that if we wanted to do things, they were just gonna have to happen in the rain.  Zip-lining it is!

And you know what?  I loved it!  I think I had a smile plastered across my face the entire time!  

Even though we were getting poured on.  I think the rain lasted through the first 3 lines and then let up.

We crossed 9 zip-lines, zig-zagging across a cattle ranch and taking in the beautiful Kauai landscape.  Nearly every line ran across or parallel to a stream.  And we got to cross this suspension bridge.  It was pretty wobbly.  So of course, when Scott began walking behind me he had to bounce and shake it up and down.  Of course.

In the left photo I'm yelling, "Scott Brown, stop it right now!" And in the right photo I'm smiling.

He realized that he wasn't capable of walking across without bouncing so he sat down on one of the slats and waited for me to make it to safety.  And got his bum all dirty.

It's a pretty cute bum.

Scott's technique involved a run and jump approach.

The thing that surprised me the most in this zip-lining experience was that you don't get that drop-in-your-stomach feeling.  I thought for sure there would be one when you stepped off the platform.  But it's all very smooth sailing from launch to landing.  You can just sit back and enjoy the beautiful scenery!

On this zip-line course the big daddy, the finale is a 1200 foot long dual zip line named King Kong.  You launch from a 26 foot tall tower and the line goes on forever.

So this zip-line has a camera that takes a series of photos right after launch.  Some people choose to hold hands for as long as they can.  Others will launch backwards to get their face in the photo, and then you turn around for the rest of the ride.  And others could care less about the camera and are solely focused on the race.  Because there is a winner and a loser.

I convinced Scott to do the backward launch so we could get a photo and then he would be free to speed down the zip-line and cream me.  I'm totally fine with that.  I'm not a competitive person.  When we took a look at the photos at the end of the day, well . . . . you take a look.

Where is Scott's face?!  His excuse . . . he says he didn't know he was supposed to lean his head out to the side.  Anyways, I think it is a hilarious series of photos (there are 9 in total).  Me, gleefully riding down the zip-line with a HUGE grin on my face.  Scott, lost in his world with no time to worry about things like cameras.

We give the zip-line 2 thumbs up.  It was such a fun experience and a great way to spend a rainy day in Kauai.  Here is a cute video that I made from our day at Princeville Ranch Adventures.  You should watch it.  It is so cute!  Just ask me.  If you watch it then you too will know just how cute it is.

On this rainy day we were also able to complete #93 on my 101 in 1001 list -- Kiss in the rain.

7 days in paradise

We are back from Kauai.  Rested.  Relaxed.  Re-connected.  And with tan lines.

It was a wonderful trip.  And I'm excited to tell you all about it.  But it might take me a little while and will probably come in small fragments here and there.  It's a little busy round these parts.  Scott's company is moving into a new building this week and I have a couple fun events I'm in charge of this week.  Not to mention the flurry of activity that comes when the end of the school year approaches (5 more weeks!).

For now, here are a few photo vignettes from our first day on the island.  

Currently craving // Melona ice cream bars. Seriously.  I need to find a mainland distributor pronto.

instafriday // kauai

Much relaxation, reading, adventures, connecting, laughing, eating, enjoying, tanning, and lava flow drinking happening around here. Aloha!

the islands are calling

We're just a couple weeks away from our trip to Kauai.  And let me tell you . . . . I can. not. wait.

Relaxation . . . ocean air . . . reading books . . . adventures . . . lava flow drinks . . . sleeping in

The last time we went to Hawaii was in September 2009.  So it's been 3 1/2 years.  That's a drought for us.  Especially when you consider that we OWN a vacation unit there!  But, 2 years of business school and traveling every other weekend made it impossible to fit in this kind of vacation.  The time has finally arrived.

Number 61 on my 101 in 1001 list is to make a photobook of our Maui trip.  Definitely need to get to that one in a big way.  You know I love Blurb so I'll be making it over there.  I think this photo needs to go on the cover

Maybe with a little text action

Perfect.

Ooo, I just got a great idea.  I'll need to make a matching photo book for this next trip!  They can be all coordinating and cool-like.  I like it when things match.

*****************

If you're looking to make a photobook (spring break, vacation, etc.) Blurb is offering 15% off all purchases in the month of April.  Use the promo code APRIL15

what i did on my maui vacation: soak in the sun

(last maui post, I promise.  I think.)

We enjoyed several fun activities on our vacation, ate a lot of great food, enjoyed the sights . . . . but at the core of our maui vacation, what we really went there to do was sit by the pool and do absolutely nothing.  

We found a good balance by doing an activity one day, then sitting by the beach/pool the next day.  With a book in hand, the ocean breeze in our hair, and the sun shining brightly down . . . . just utterly and totally relaxing. 

this is how we vacation from Shannon on Vimeo.

ya, that last little comment.  I forgot to put sunscreen on my ears the first couple days and ended up with a black spot on one ear.  I'm not so sure that's a good thing.

And speaking of books, during our vacation I read

• The Hunger Games.  Loved it!  A real page turner, intense, really interesting premise to the whole book.  Highly, highly recommend it.
• The Wednesday Sisters.  Also very much enjoyed this book (a gift from Sheila & Jenn for my birthday).  My review is here.
• Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.  When I picked it up in the store and read the first page I laughed out loud.  But by page 30 the zombie element got really really old, so I gave up.  It's essentially the same story line, text, and dialog as the classic Pride and Prejudice . . . they've just added some zombies and knife fighting to spice it up.  If you're curious to check it out on your own, I'm happy to lend my copy.
• Catching Fire.  The sequel to Hunger Games.  When P&P&Z tanked I had to go to Barnes and Nobles to find a replacement.  I only got through half of the book on the flight home but it is equally as exciting and intriguing as the first book.  Now I just need to find some time to finish it!

So it was a great vacation, we are so grateful to my mom for taking the time to watch our kids for 8 days so we could get tan, and we're already making plans to go back in a couple years.  Maybe this time with the kids.  :)

what i did on my maui vacation: sweet indulgence

alternate title - what i did on my maui vacation: burn out my corneas

in other words . . . . stare into the sunset each and every day.

We had gorgeous sunsets and we indulged in viewing them every evening.  I was in heaven!  On our last trip I was always disappointed at sunset time because the sky was full of clouds, obscuring our view of that fiery orb descending every so slowly behind the ocean horizon.  But this time, I got what I wanted.

And we quickly discovered that 5 or 5:30 was the perfect time to go to dinner and snag one of the primo sunset view tables.  Here's a few of our views . . . . 

dinner at The Hula Grill in Whaler's village.  A divine macadamia nut brownie ice cream sandwich for dessert.

dinner at Mala.  Just past sunset . . . I wanted to share this picture so you could see how close we were seated to the water's edge.  I took this picture from my seat.  Once, I even felt a sprinkling of ocean water hit my ankle.

after dinner at Cheeseburger in Paradise in Lahaina.  I stepped outside while Scott paid the bill and had my jaw drop at this gift of a view.

one day while taking a walk on our beach

And remember the sunset dinner on Napili Bay that I mentioned in yesterday's post.  Here's what we got to enjoy:

What a gorgeous setting.  And the great food at The Sea House made it an all around five-star evening.  

Now, for the record making part of dinner.  We enjoyed ourselves so much that we ended up ordering . . .

. . . 4 desserts.  Pineapple Tiramisu, Lava Cake, bowl of Tahitian Vanilla ice cream, and Bananas Foster.

Not much else to say here except, "yum!"