Our trip to Hawaii, Part I

Our family reunion in Kauai, Hawaii was a couple of years in the making and a couple of weeks too short. Next time (optimism!) we are staying at least 10 days.

It was fun to be together as a family and see the ones who live far away and we rarely see. Our days were filled with beach time, fresh tropical fruit and family dinners. 

I wondered how the long flight (with layovers) would go, but the kids did amazingly well and we miraculously had meltdown-free plane rides. The hard part was coming home. Our week went by at lightning speed and we couldn't believe it was already time to leave. Ellie is trying to figure out what to do without her best-friend cousin by her side at all times and Clay and I are having beach culture withdrawals. 

Here is the first round of pictures from the trip:

On our way to the resort, we drove through this beautiful tree-lined road. Kauai had me at "hello."

 This is where we stayed. Thanks for the hook-up, Mike and Jen! It was awesome. 

(Partial) family pic. Why am I awkwardly holding my bag over my skirt? Oh, because Camden had the blowout of the century and it ended up as a basketball-sized spot on my skirt. Moving on.

On our way to the beach, we stopped to take pictures of these two admiring their
Plumerias and Hibiscus flowers.

So happy to be at the beach. 

Ellie started out being a little timid in the water . . . 

But in no time, she was fearless. She is the small speck next to her cousin in the red hat.

The little man was a fan of the beach too and took long naps in his little sun hut. 

We went to a couple of lookouts. This one was good, but just wait for the next one . . . 

These two, of course, were inseparable the entire trip. Whenever we went back to our own units, They would constantly ask where the other one was. Life was a breeze with these two entertaining each other and Camden being happy as a Hawaiian clam. Thus the vacation withdrawal. :) 

This was the most beautiful view I have ever seen -- just as my brother-in-law promised. Kauai has some breathtaking scenery. No wonder they filmed Jurassic Park and Pirates there!

 I'll leave you with this Hawaiian sunset until the next (and last) round of pics.