Be Joyful Always: January 2012

Aaron Celebrated his 38th Birthday this year...

We all thought Aaron was 39 but he is only 38!! He's a young one... We celebrated with the kids so early with dinner (no open lanes at the bowling alley...), a few gifts, & a Dairy Queen Cake.

As for His REAL Birthday???

We spent that one in Maui!!!

Thank you to sweet, Jessica (& Jenn) for keeping our kiddos.

Saturday, January 14

We landed in Maui at 7:30 pm (we gained 3 hours). Rental a "Real Beaut!!" ~ Dodge Challenger is not our favorite -Note to those traveling to Maui - get a COMPACT car. Parking spaces are SMALL!

We stayed at the Honua Kai Resort.

It was GORGEOUS!!

(Click on Picture to visit their websites)

(Click on Picture for more photos of rooms.)

Sunday, January 15th ~ Happy B-day Aaron!!

Breakfast at Duke's Beach House (click for website/menu) then a day at the pool & Beach!!

High winds made dinner a little chilly at The Lahaina Fish Co.

(click photo for Restaurant website)

Monday, January 16th

High winds also prevented a submarine tour so we went back to the beach and into Lahaina for a little souvenir shopping.

(click photo for more about Lahaina)

Lahaina has a really cool & HUGE tree called the Banyan Tree.

(click photo for details)

(Look behind Aaron,all those trunks connect ~ that is all ONE tree)

Aaron found a restaurant off the beaten path for dinner ~ The Sea House Restaurant.

(click photo for details)

Tuesday January 17th

Aaron took a Scuba Diving lesson that began in a pool & ended in the OCEAN!! He is hooked!! He saw beautiful schools of fish, eels (ick), turtles, & NO sharks (thank heavens). He came back to tell me all about it & that he set up another dive for later in the week. I always feel bad that my fear gets the best of me. Aaron usually asks/begs me to do it, I say no, & he doesn't go either. I was SO HAPPY he was willing to do it without me this time.

Dinner was at one of our favorites ~ Bubba Gumps.

Wednesday, January 18th

We took a tour of West Maui & Molokai by HELICOPTER.

Once back in Utah, I asked Aaron what his favorite part of the trip was, he quickly said the Helicopter tour.

(click photo for details)

(if you look closely you will see a big whale laying on the surface of the water)

(Lahaina High School Football field - this picture was for Mackay)

In Whalers Village we ate dinner at the Hula Grill.

(click for menu)

Thursday, January 19th

We took a Submarine about 140 feet deep in the ocean. Who needs to scuba dive when you can see it all from a submarine and no one gets wet, scared, or eaten by a shark?

(click photo for more info)

Lunch at another favorite ~ Cheeseburger in Paradise.

(click photo for website)

Dinner was at Royal Lahaina Luau

(click photos for details)

Friday, January 20th

Aaron went scuba diving again while I enjoyed the sunshine.

We went back to Whaler's Village for dinner at Leilani's.

I was suffering from end of vacation depression. Mackay gets a little anxiety when we go on trips. He constantly asks how many days we have left - even in the beginning of the vacation. I now can relate. It gave me a stomach ache knowing I had to leave the next day.

Saturday, January 21st

Our flight back to Utah wasn't until 6:30 PM, but check-out from the hotel was at noon. So we visited random beaches - you can do that in Maui, just pull over and be at a random beach... :)

We also visited the Maui Ocean Center Aquarium as well.

(click photo for more details)

This diver was wearing a microphone and what telling us all about the fish she was swimming with... Sting Rays - Sharks - CRAZY!!!! Note the bag of food she is holding... Double CRAZY!!!

I took one look at this fish & knew exactly how he was feeling, because I was feeling the same way... Grumpy!! I was leaving Paradise... :(

We flew back to Honolulu & got on a flight at 10:00 pm for Utah!! We arrived at 6:30 am Sunday morning.

We were sad to leave Paradise... but we were welcomed home to a sweet & responsible (& a little groggy) niece/babysitter, a beautifully clean house, & three sleeping children. It may not be very sunny here but really... being with my husband & my kids... that is real Paradise... I just WISH it was sunnier here. :)