Day 6: Happy Four Year Anniversary!
This day was Tanner's and my four year anniversary! We decided to spend this day doing what I wanted to do the whole trip! Have a full day of beach and pool! It was so nice. We woke up, relaxed for a while. Got ready to go to the Disney resort pool, we walked over there and realized that we needed writs bands to actually swim in those pools. So we turned back and went to our beach and pool. Tanner was so nice and let me read my book by the pool which I was dying to do the whole trip. It was so nice to hear Tanner and Layla playing in the pool while I got to lay and read. We spend a few hours together at the beach/pool until lunch time. We ate hot dogs by the pool and then headed up to put Layla down for a nap.
Then, Tanner and I laid on the balcony and read and talked and enjoyed our anniversary day together in Hawaii.
Aubrey and Chance got back from there day out going to a shark dive and they were going to watch Layla so Tanner and I could go snorkeling together in the lagoon by our condo. We got in our swimming suits and headed down there quickly before we need to head over to get our massages. Tanner is the best for making this day so special for him and I. We got to snorkel and see so many different colorful fish, got massages, went and got some smoothies and watched the sunset on the beach ( and got to watch Layla play too) and then went to Roy's and ate sushi, still got to put Layla to bed and got to spend the last little bit of our anniversary in the hot tub.
I am so grateful to have been able to have Aubrey and Chance there so that Tanner and I could enjoy so much on our anniversary together.
This was my favorite day because it was when I got to spend some great quality time with my husband and daughter and got to re- realize how much I love my husband and that he is my best friend and how he just understands and gets me. He is such a kind and giving person. I am trying to be more like him in that way. He is so generous! He tries to put what I want above what he wants all the time.
I love getting to have one on one time with him! I also love getting to see Layla try new things and interact with people. This was the perfect last full day in Hawaii.
Day 5:
We wanted to start our day earlier today so that we could drive to the north shore. We spent the morning shopping and getting shaved ice at Motsumotos and eating lunch at food trucks before we headed to the Polynesian Cultural Center. We were very lucky that Aubrey had a friend who worked at the PCC so that we could get discount tickets for entrance, the luau and the night show.
We got to the PCC and we went to see the 3D movie first. It was so fun to get to see shot of the different islands that you wouldn't normally get to see. Layla was the best in the movie because the seats moved and mist was shot out at us. Layla was scared for like half a second then her hands went up in the air when the car moved and she started to laugh when the mist squirt in her face. That might have been my favorite part of the movie.
After that we walked over to wear they were having a little river parade of all the islands and some of their costumes and dances were so fun to see. It was especially interesting to learn a little bit about each island while we sat and watched the floats go by with them doing their dances. After this we were not exactly sure where to start. So, we started to walk. We finally got to the Hawaii island part and they were in the middle of one of their demonstration and we snuck in and watched the rest. They sang some songs and showed us some instruments, told stories about their queen and did a hula. Then when that was done we got to learn how to hula. It was so much fun! We even tried to get Layla to learn. She did a little but of the spinning and jumping. After that we looked at some of the houses and tried poi. It is not thing I like but it is much better when it is used in rolls that we ate at the Luau. It is much to grainy, sticky for me. Tanner didn't mind eating it.
We started to walk to Fuji but no one was there really so we just walked around the different villages. Then we found another show that was starting in Tahiti. This one was so much fun to watch the guys were very funny. It was the same guy my family had when we went 10 years before. He knows how to entertain. They talked about coconut leave weaving, climbing coconut trees, fire and so much about life there. After that we got to weave fish by ourselves. We were given headbands and not taught how to do that one but we still enjoyed getting to wear them. We walked over to try and start fire from rubbing a big stick and a little stick together. I just got heat but Tanner and Chance both got smoke. It takes a lot pressure and strength to make fire that way. It was so much fun to try though. I was proud of Tanner when he was able to get the smoke. I love getting to see him get things to work after trying to figure out how they work!
At this point it was already time to walk over to the Luau. Our time went by so quickly there. We headed over to eat and get our picture taken with the lei's they made for us. It was a buffet style dinner and it was delicious. We got to try new things and we liked all of them. Tanner and I aren't picky and will try anything but I am more likely not to like something then him.
During the Luau they had dancers Tanner and I even got to go up and dance for our anniversary since it was the next day. It was so much fun getting to be the only couple in the 1-5 year anniversary.
After dinner layla and I walked out to stand by the river before headed over to the show. Layla decided that she wanted to throw a tantrum and hit and scratched my face. It was sad and I started to tear up a little. One it hurt a little but as a mom it does hurt my feelings when my gets so angry with me. I am learning but sometimes being a mom is hard.
The night show was in a huge stadium. It was about the breath of life. I really enjoyed the whole story and how they put it together. With a toddler it was a little long but it was still so interesting to see all the different dances. Even the funny ones where they put the fire out with their skirts. Layla luckily fell asleep in Chance's arms. Layla really likes her uncle Chance.
When the show was over we headed to the car to change Layla into her pajamas, fed her a bottle and head home. As we were in the stroller changing her it started to down pour. It was our first real rain we got caught in. We finally got everything in the car, and us and got Layla changed and fed and then we headed home.
Tanner and I had a great talk in the car ride home. It is drives like that at night that I love most with Tanner because he is my best friend and we get to talk about everything! We realize a lot that we don't listen to the radio or even have it on because we like to talk to each other and never actually listen to the radio.
We finally got back to the condo and were very tired and went right to bed!
Day 4:
Our fourth day in Hawaii was a Sunday. We spent the morning relaxing on the balcony listening to church music and getting ready for our day out and church.
We decided to go to one of the wards that was on the north side of the island by the Laie Temple. It was a ward that started at noon. Just before church started since we got there early we decided to walk to the front of the temple to see it. We spent a little time there and then walked over to one of the ward buildings since there were two for church. The ward had some wonderful speakers that talked about the sacrament and about being involved members. Their high counselor that spoke was a funny and very interesting guy to listen too. Layla did very well in church. After church we walked back over to the temple and took pictures, walked through the visitors center, talked to the sister missionaries and the men changed their clothes.
The temple is so white and the ground are beautiful. It is crazy to think that was one of the first temples to be build in this latter day.
After our time at the temple we went to some of the spots that we were told we needed to go too. Such as the fruit stands on the side of the road, Teds bakery and then we went to Waimea Falls for a nice walk to end our Sunday.
We did get to enjoy at the fruit stand some local fruits like dragon fruit, fresh coconut, pineapple, star fruit, and mango. We even took a drink out of a coconut. Not the milk but just the juice in the middle.
Ted bakery, sadly we weren't very impressed with it. It was just a normal bakery. We must be really lucky to have great bakers in our life that their stuff wasn't that good. It was not bad but not AMAZING. haha
The walk through the botanical gardens to the water fall was amazing. Layla did not want to ride in her stroller so we walked slowly through the park/gardens. Then we made it to the waterfall. Tanner and I did not get in the water but Chance and Aubrey did go walk in just to try out the water. It was really a great Sunday.
We then headed back to the condo and I made fried rice for dinner and we just talked and enjoyed each others company.
