Aloha: Jamaica Mistaica

What a roller coaster! And by that I mean maybe more like the old Tower of Terror... started out great and up high and ended with a crash.

This morning we slept in for the first time, although we were still awake quite early. After showers and a quick breakfast at Happy’s (the Hale Koa quick service joint by the pool) we were at the beach and on a mission. Mission for what, you wonder? For Esther! My former coworker is staying next door and was soaking up some sunshine. There was no way I was going to miss the chance for us to rendezvous in Hawai’i of all places! It didn’t take that long to find her, which surprised me since the beach was very popular at her resort. So that was really fun!

Ooh, first before breakfast we went to our beautiful open-air lobby area to check out the local artists selling their creations. Last year I bought a turtle necklace that I absolutely love, so I was really hoping the same man would be there again. To my delight, he was! This year I chose a pineapple necklace. We also did something uncharacteristic of us, and we got a personalized miniature surfboard with Katura’s name on it. It came out really cute when it was finished!

Alright so we said good bye to Esther and decided to walk to the Army Museum located next to Hale Koa. I was ready for the air conditioning and checking out the gift shop. And of course.... it was closed. Dang it!

Our plan adjusted and the new one was simple. Go to the room, change what we were wearing, and Hit the beach!! Shawn grabbed us towels and drinks on the way while Katura and I found our spot. We spent quite a long time out there, with Shawn getting in some snorkeling time while Katura and I started digging a big hole with her new and old sand toys. We girls did hit the water for a little bit until a couple of big waves caused my little girl to want to return to her sand project. Later I went out and swam pretty far, until I realized I am not the greatest swimmer and should get closer to shore. Eventually we did all get in the ocean together and our Turtle had fun!

Proper parenting in Hawai'i, right??

Awkward Family Selfie alert!

Don't mind me, just hanging out in the water in Hawaii. No big deal....

We had a hole and hill big enough that you could slide right in!

Next we grabbed lunch and went back to the room to eat that and attempt to get our baby to sleep. Sure enough 30 minutes before we needed to walk to the luau she finally fell asleep. Not ideal, but what can ya do?

We got to the garden area for pre-luau entertainment and it started the downhill crash of our day. Katura wanted to be a toddler. She’s one. She doesn’t understand lingering and watching things. She wanted to run everywhere and wear her parents out. We found saviors in the female performers who were out entertaining people before hand. Katura got to play with those ball things and have a flower bracelet made for her. She really just wanted to walk to the pit with the pig in it and collect things she was finding on the ground.

This is a photo of an exhausted mom with the flowers her daughter just gave her.
Exhausted being the key word here.

Finally the seating area opened and we made our way to the front, center table. We were frazzled. The high chair they brought me had a broken buckle, so there was no way she was going to stay in it. Shawn took Katura back to the garden area to run around. They tried twice to return to the table before Shawn gave up, took the room key and left.

So I watched the luau all by myself. And as much as I missed them and it sucked that Shawn missed it, it sounds like he made the right choice. The couple across from me could see I was having a hard time, so they talked to me up until show time, which I appreciated.

The show was great. It was nice to be able to see it all without any heads in my way! I loved all the fast dancing and seeing the girls we had befriended up on stage. My food was really good as well. I had the vegetarian plate, with some really good tofu, carrots and cauliflower. The dessert cake was so moist and delicious!! And the piña colada? It was much needed. Katura did get to have some of the fruit punch before she left at least. When we entered we got complimentary beverages and shell leis. So at least she got to sort of particulate. I was really sad during the show, wishing she could have behaved and seen all of the dancing. She would have loved it.

I came back to the room around 8:45 and my little baby was completely passed out and snoring. She’s so sweet when she’s asleep. I swear she really IS a good girl. She is just trying to be an independent girl now, too.

~ ALOHA ~