The Big Island, Hawaii

I've been meaning to do a post on our recent trip to the Island of Hawaii, aka The Big Island. Let me tell ya, this island is HUGE! I was so surprised! I had gone there for my company retreat. We stayed in a nice resort right on the water and it was beautiful. I am so grateful to be working for this company! One of the days we split into groups and did fun activities. I got to go paddle boarding. The beach we went to had the salt and pepper type of sand.

I was able to learn so much about the Hawaiian culture. I have a better understanding and respect for the Hawaiian people. These people that I work with definitely showed me what it means to have the spirit of Aloha. As you might know from some of my previous posts, I have had a hard time with some of the people here. How they are rude and unthoughtful. Unaccepting and judgmental. Well being able to be apart of this company that is very culture based, I was able to see and experience the true meaning of Aloha. I learn all about the Queen Lili`uokalani and her legacy. How she made this trust to benefit the Hawaiian children and their families. Then a few year before she died, she decided to include all destitute children also. What a generous women. She could see the big picture. She knew what she wanted to have happen in the future. At this time, the US had just conquered Hawaii and overthrew her. They had kept her under house arrest. But no matter what, her people loved her and she showed these people, the outsiders, what Aloha really was. She was a great example. I truly admire her. What a brave women she was.

If you want to read more about her and her legacy here is our website.

http://www.onipaa.org/

Now back to our trip....

Brint got there the next day. We stayed with our cousin's Kenny and Cleona Hiatt. They live right in the heart of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii! It was beautiful. We seriously had so much fun with them. It was so nice to be with family and playing with their adorable 3 boys! Boys are so fun!!! We had a BBQ on the beach the first night we stayed with them. It was gorgeous!

Reeves, Patrick, and Ransom = ADORABLE!

The youngest, Patrick, just melts my heart with those bright blue eyes!  

The next day Brint and I got up and went to Reeves soccer game. He was so cute running around in all his gear. It was a warm morning. I believe they won! After wards, we rented a car and were off to explore the island! We made our way to the Hilo side of the island (which is like 3 hours away!) and had a few stops on the way. We saw LOTS of volcanic rock. It was incredible how much volcanic rock is on that island... well I guess it makes perfect sense since they still have an active volcano that still produces lava from time to time.

We stopped at the Kona Temple! It was small and beautiful!

We made our way south all the way to South Point, which is the furthest south you can go in the US on land. Pretty cool. 

We stop off at one of the famous black sand beaches. The sand was definitely black but not very soft. It was more course and thicker. It looks like Oreo cookie crust. (I kinda wanted to eat it! LOL) There was a turtle relaxing on the beach... I love seeing turtles!

We continued on to our final destination of the trip, the Volcano!!! When we first got there it was raining a little and pretty cold. We walked on a little hike where you could see the steam rising but it wasn't very clear since it was raining so we decided to keeping going to Hilo and then come back at night so we could see the Volcano glowing.

When we got to Hilo we met up with one of Brint's close mission companions and his wife. They have an adorable little girl! We had a little dinner and then got to spend some time with them. I wish we lived closer. It would have been really fun to have people we knew around! They were there for pharmacy school attending at the University of Hawaii Hilo. It was great to see them and for me to get to know them.

So now it's getting close to dusk and we made our way back to the volcano. Can I just tell you.... it was the most incredible experience to see this live volcano! For one, it was freezing up at the top but totally worth seeing!

This is a picture driving up to the top. You can see the steam rising from the earth!

before it got dark.

And here it is.....

Seriously the coolest thing EVER! So glad we had the opportunity to see this and experience another island while we're here in Hawaii.

The final day we spent hanging out with family! Kenny and Cleona rented a big 4x4 truck so we could go to the most beautiful valley on the island called Waipio Valley! SO BEAUTIFUL!

We had so much fun playing with the kids. Brint and the boys made animals in the sand.

Reeves and Ransom riding the dolphin they made! :)

Ransom wrote me a note in the sand... I Love Brea! :)

He's so sweet! I just want to take all three of them home with me!

So behind us was this gorgeous view of valley! We drove through and got a great picture of the waterfall.. I have no idea how tall that fall is but it's beautiful! On our way in that was a young horse walking around and he came up to the truck where I was sitting eating carrots... He stuck he whole nose in wanting a carrot! It was so funny and so cool. I've never fed a horse before. Kenny and Cleona are total country folks and Cleona grew up on a ranch with horses and she is a pro! Kenny too... She had to show me how it's done! 

We were so sad to leave and say goodbye! I just wanted to stay there and move in next door! I'm always so surprised how surprised I am at how much I forget what it's like to have people you love surround you. I mean Brint and I have each other and Duke, but to have extended family around. And to have close friends that care about you, it makes a WORLD of difference. I always feel like my canteen is full after having visitors out or going home to visit family. I feel like they haven't forgotten about us out here. We are so grateful to Kenny and Cleona for allowing us to stay with them for the weekend and for showing us Kona! We miss them and wish wish wish we lived closer! 

We've now been to 5 islands!! Maui, Lani, Ohau, Kauai, and now Big Island. Crazy!! 

I love my dog!!

I feel like I have the best dog in the world! We just love him so much. He has such a funny personality and is always doing something that makes us laugh. Duke always lets us know if we are boring him. He will lay on the floor resting his chin on his paws and give the biggest sigh while staring up at you! We always interpret it as "this is no fun! Why won't you play with me??" then of course we think it's the cutest thing so we'll get up from what we're doing to go over to him or pick up his ball and then the world is right again!

Some of my favorite things that he does I've been able to catch on camera!

This picture is pretty much him in the morning while I'm getting ready for work... he sits between me and the sink and stares at me!!! I always think he's telling me, "Why are you getting dressed, are we going somewhere? Am I going too??" ha ha

Oh Bath time... He's such a good sport when it comes to taking a bath. When we first got him as a puppy he ALWAYS wanted to get in the shower with you. I remember the morning after we got him I got into the shower and he couldn't see me so he sat at the tub crying/whining for me. So I picked him up and stuck him in the tub with me. He loved it! From then on out he always was trying to take showers with us! Now our shower is so small he doesn't like it! So he just puts up with it... :)

The other night I was walking to my side of the bed to lay down and he hurries and jumps up on the bed and OF COURSE sits on my pillow!!!! Are you kidding me!! He looks like he's laughing at me! Like " HA HA, what are you going to do about it?! I'm so funny!!"

This is Duke on a typical day. He is really funny because where he sits or lies down he always is in a position where he can see us. Or if Brint and I are in two different rooms, he'll sit somewhere where he can see both of us! Its so funny. So this is his spot outside our front door where he'll sit. He has a clear shot of the inside of the house from this spot so he can be outside and checking on us at the same time. HA!!

This is by far my favorite thing to see in the rear view mirror. He, like most dogs, loves having his head out the window of the car. His ears fly in the wind and he loves it! I have to force myself not to watch him and watch the road!

All in all, Duke is our pride and joy! He is our center of attention and our baby. Most people don't understand how similar having a dog is like having a child. A dog is probably just easier! But he is our child and I pretty sure he thinks he's a real human boy! Our little furry love bug! :)