The Maher's: Early 10 year Anniversary celebration

We try to do something somewhat "epic" for our anniversary every 5 years. In June we will be married 10 years (my how the time flies). In June we will also be camping for a full week in the middle of nowhere, also known as Tropic Reservoir, so we decided to celebrate early with a quick trip to Hawaii. I have never been, Josh spent a couple of summers there as a kid, but hadn't been back so we knew it was somewhere we wanted to go.
My expectations were HIGH because...well it's Hawaii. I had several ideas in my head of how it was going to go...I was going to eat Kalua Pork everyday for lunch, there were going to be tons of Tongan, Samoan, and other South Pacific Islander's surfing everywhere and at church they would be wearing those cool black skirts. I was going to need at least two kinds of sunscreen because it was going to be so sunny. There would be miles of beautiful sandy beaches. Whales would be swimming off in the distance from the North Shore. The temple would look like it was rising on a mountain top from the jungle. You know the basic Hawaiian experience.
Well, it was a great break away from the daily routine of being the mom, but it didn't exactly match my expectations! The reality went a little more like this: I spent 3 days packing my stuff and 3 kids' stuff for a week away from the house, I cleaned my house obsessively (just in case we died and people had to come clean-out my house..wouldn't want people's last thoughts of me that I was a slob!), woke up at 3am to be to the airport at 0early:30. Spent about 3 hours of our 6 hour flight strapped into my seat in the most consistent rumbling of turbulents I (and the flight crew) had ever experienced.

It's really amazing that Honolulu is such a big city.

But...Finally we arrived to (what seemed like) an entire Island under road construction, where there wasn't any construction, there should have been to fix the crazy potholes! We had a very basic map, but didn't bother to purchase a detailed one (which we should have) or we could be like everyone else and have a data package on our phones...but we don't. Luckily, the island is round so if you just keep going, eventually you'll make it to your destination (okay it wasn't that bad, but it felt like it)! And as we waited in traffic everywhere I looked there were old tired Asian people, just trying to make it through another day. Not hip Tongan's on surfboards as my mind had previously imagined!

We got to our condo and it was actually super awesome. So glad we stayed ocean front!

Here's the view from our door.

For the next 5 days it was cloudy and very rainy on some occasions, luckily though still warm.

We kayaked out to this little island, as long as I could see the bottom, I was okay, it was pretty scary when it got so deep it was just dark blue underneath! We saw a sea turtle, which was great.

Josh is a fish, he especially loves to swim and play in the waves in the ocean.

His head bobbing out on the left and our travel partners are kayaking on the left.

My parents had also never been to Hawaii so they took the chance to tag along

(I think they got more than they bargained for..more on that in a minute).

After a failed attempt at the above mentioned Kalua Pork (only served on Fridays) We hiked to this waterfall. We didn't exactly know what we were getting ourselves (or our elderly travel companions) into. Side note: to get here we had to drive a short distance on a windy

one lane road that went both directions...scary!

This hike was through THE JUNGLE, check out how this vine wrapped around this tree.

Here we are near the top, notice the blue ocean way in the background,

that was right about where we were staying.

And finally after lots of tricky footing through roots, mossy rocks, a stream, and lots of built in steps we finally reached the waterfall. Here's Josh making his plan of where he is NOT going to jump from. This pool was DEEP probably about 20 feet. There was a guy jumping from the left side above where you can see in this picture, probably a 40 foot jump. Then there was an option from about 30 feet up where Josh is pointing to. He chose the 12 foot option from where the upper guy is standing....I didn't get my shorts wet :) and our travel partners...at this point were relieved we had finally made it and wondering how they were going to get back in one piece.

A short time later, trying to cross a river without getting wet, finally paid off in the worst way and Mom took a spill which after more tricky footing and another hour or so finally resulted in...

This...the realization that at 60+ getting a piggy back ride is your best option for the rest of the journey.

Poor lady was asking for epidural strength medication by then....she had to settle for a Diet Coke!

The next day we went to Pearl Harbor

Ford island in the background along with the Arizona memorial

and the harbor where the fleet was docked during the attack.

Just as we entered the Missouri ship area I walked around the corner and was super embarrassed because I walked in on these two...it took a good 5 seconds for me to realize it was a statue.

The coolest part of the whole ship was when this real, modern aircraft carrier cruised by through the harbor and we saw all of the Sailor's holding their salute for at least 15 minutes as they came to port.