Fun with Twins

As soon as I mouthed to Melanie across the chapel "I brought a camera!" we couldn't wait to get our mandatory shots with both of our sets of twins.  I even dressed my girls alike today because I knew she was coming for her nephew's blessing (which was SO much fun for the people running the nursery to have two sets of twins in matching clothes!) Our girls are only about 2 1/2 months apart so we expect them to be good friends someday:) 

Day six as it comes to an end...

We went to the Makiki ward on Sunday.  Their building is beautiful!  It was fun to experience a Hawaii ward (lots of Alooooooooohhhaaaaaaaas all day)

We had been all over the island by this time, including Ben's skydiving fun Saturday morning (I forgot to put it into the previous post and don't feel like editing it now)

 Suiting up to tandem jump from 14,000 feet!

Boarding the plane.  

Ben said it was awesome!  I have a few pictures from his phone I will try to add later (or maybe he will edit this post to give the full account)

We wandered into a Baskin Robbins and they had the old helmet sundaes!  I used to get these as a kid.  I don't know if it's a nationwide Baskin Robbins thing or just Hawaii, but I hadn't seen these helmets in over 20 years, so of course I got a picture and the workers there looked at me funny:)

 We walked on the beach at night our last full day in Hawaii...

Here is the night view.

It's light, but it says K loves B:)

The best part of this trip was that it was just us for an entire week, no work calling, no responsibilities, just B and Me!  It was a nice way to celebrate the last 10 years and especially the last 4 very intense ones.

Day Five: A new baby!

Not ours:)  While we were there that week, our friend's sister who lives in Hawaii with her husband had her baby early!  We were able to spend Saturday with them and delivered a suitcase of baby clothes from her family.  I didn't take any pictures the entire day, ugh... But I stole some from their facebook page:)

Jackson Kekoa Poulter 

The boys (minus Jackson) went surfing while Amber and I hung out at their apartment.  He slept on my stomach the entire time and had super cute long fingers and big feet.  He did not make me in any way want to have more babies, but it was nice to hold the tiny little baby.  

It turns out that Jason is the 2nd counselor in the Bishopric of Jess' ward! Small world...

On to Day 4!

At the PCC, we happened to see a Marriott time share booth.  We both smiled at each other and knew we couldn't pass up the opportunity for more free things!  So we casually walked by and let them talk to us.  We ended up spending Friday at their GORGEOUS resort with tons of "private" lagoons, pools and heated waterfalls.  It included $100 in gift certificates for their restaurants.  Not too shabby.

 I spent the afternoon on their beach, reading

Ben was snorkel man and saw an eel eat something!

Their pool area is super nice as well, but I don't have pictures of that.  There was a waterslide and all the waterfalls were heated.  

On the way back, we decided to "drive" to a secluded beach we read about.  Ben looked up the spot on google maps and decided to go a different way shown than the one we read about.  We had 4 wheel drive which we would need for most of it.  As we started off the main road, it was pretty fun.  However, soon the "road" got more narrow and the steep cliffs on the side next to the dark rocks and the ocean started to look a little scary.  We thought the road would eventually get better after we rounded the point.  It wasn't until we ran into some locals fishing that we learned the road doesn't go all the way around and we would have to turn around!

I got in the back seat as I was already hyperventilating from the ride there and having to turn the Jeep around.  Ben stayed nice and calm, but apparently, he was bit nervous as well.  It was a pretty tight squeeze in some areas, and all you have staring at you are those steep cliffs which would not work out well in our favor if the car slid.  

We are obviously still alive and did not fall off the cliff, but I can tell you it was quite the experience! 

 I am not visible in this picture as I am in the back seat trying to not completely lose my mind!

 Despite the situation, it was a beautiful view!

The Jeep that carried us...We didn't realize until afterward that the 4 wheel drive didn't even work in the car and had been disengaged.  Ben said if he would have known that he wouldn't have even attempted the off road.  

We made it back safe and sound and enjoyed a nice dinner with the remainder of our timeshare gift certificates.  The restaurant had amazing butter with tarragon, garlic and cayenne pepper.  I will be trying to recreate it at home for sure.

On the Third Day...

We made our way up to the Northern part on a very special assignment....

To meet the young man who has caused a young girl to pack up and move across the Pacific.  While we were there, we had some fun at the Polynesian Cultural Center:)

Once the activities and presentations got going, we had a lot of fun there.  We learned to play the Ukulele (and were told to say it ooo-ku-lay-lee), watched all of the different cultures dance, and I even got a tattoo...

:)

Ben learned how to dance like a Tahitian and throw a spear

 At the Luau that evening.  I LOVED the purple rolls but didn't touch the Poi. 

This is a yummy drink of Pina Colada smoothie in a hollowed out pineapple.  If you can see the nice woman in the background, she bought this for us.  We ended up talking to her and her husband during the dinner and she surprised us with one of these which are her favorite.

The show was SO GOOD!  I wish I could have gotten better pictures to do it justice.  We had seats right down in front (thanks to Jess' friend who works at the PCC who got us super discounted tickets!)

The true reason for our trip to the PCC, to meet the nervous looking young man in the polo shirt.  His name is Chris.  He goes to BYU, Hawaii.  He cast a love spell over our friend Jess and she packed up and moved here after she graduated, leaving behind her sad family here in CA.  They haven't met him yet, so we tested him out for them as we were headed to Hawaii anyway.  He is from Tennessee and doesn't know it yet but will be proposing to Jess soon and moving back to CA after he graduates:)  Although it doesn't count for much, we happened to like him.  Hopefully Jess' dad will behave when he meets him in a few months!

I've known her since she was 11(?)  When did she get so grown up?!

This picture was from that morning, but the restaurant can not go without a mention!  Moose McGuilicuty's has the best breakfast ever, hands down.  We went there since I had found a coupon for it (pictured above), but we were nicely surprised with the food.  I had Hawaiin french toast with coconut syrup, Ben the breakfast burrito.  We wish we could have gone there every morning for breakfast, but the scale thanks me for not.

Day 2, Hawaii Style

This was the most anticipated day of our week.  We booked a Hummer tour of Lost t.v. show locations.  When I read the reviews, everyone said it is a must for Lost fans, and they were so right!  It is also a must if you want to see some truly amazing sites in Hawaii on the private ranch. (and 4 wheeling in a Hummer is pretty fun too!)

We had a guide pick us up at our hotel and drive us around in this thing.  He is also a Lost fan, and is paid to know everything about the film locations.  Most of the time was spent on the private ranch where Lost was filmed (as well as Jurassic Park, Godzilla and lots of other movies)

 In the background, you see Chinaman's hat island.  It shows up everywhere in the movies when they are filmed here (even when it is supposed to be another country)

 "The Island"

 This is the exact spot where Jack and Juliette kissed for the first time

 This hut was used as Richard's home when they told his backstory

 These are the logs where Anna Lucia sat with a guy she killed (excuse my bad memory!)

The tower where they hung the nuclear bomb

Trying to get the Dharma van down the hill! The tour guide had some really fun props to take pictures with.

Scary, huh?

Just hanging out with Hurley on his golf course....

Getting attacked by the Smoke Monster

Godzilla's tracks

This is the place the "submarine" was always filmed.  

 The site of many scenes, mostly with Mr Echo

You would have to go back and watch old episodes, but this window is a part of a few different places during the run of Lost, including a drug deal with Mr Echo

We walked all over the ranch, and it was a little surreal as you started to feel like you were walking in a Lost episode.  The best part was the scenery and being able to see parts of Hawaii not found in Waikiki.  It was gorgeous!