Missin' Hawaii

Ok the cold is finally getting to me. In Utah it hasn't even been that bad. This is probably the mildest winter in the past 9 years I have been here. But at last, today, I have had enough. I realized I never posted any photos from our amazing trip before Ledger was born. We went to the Big Island of Hawaii. It was the best vacation I have ever been on. There, I said it, Cabo was wonderful, but Hawaii was the best. And someday hopefully Australia will top it!

The Forrest

Something that is so great about the Big Island is there are so many different types of landscape. Forrest, mountains, beach, snow, heat, adventure, calm peacefulness, oh how I miss Hawaii.

Waterfall in the jungle

These trees were not actually trees but the roots of tree high above. They grew all tangled together and could easily have hidden tribes of people in them.

Another breathtaking waterfall

It was fall when we went but all the flowers bloomed just the same.

Grasslands

These little guys were all over the fence near our resort. Cory caught one and gave to me to hold.

VOLCANO! One of the funnest things we did was hiked through a lava tube late at night. We were the only people in the whole park and definitely the only ones going through the tube at that time of the night. I admit, I was scared. I was afraid there might be some bum living in it somewhere or that we were going to get robbed or something. I am so glad we went through and hiked out through the jungle on the other side. The moon was beautiful and bright. Coming down through the leaves, it was magical.

Sea turtles on a black sand beach. I was as close as this image reflects. The turtles were every where. We saw them on the beaches, when we were out in the water snorkeling, and even when we got caught in the rain looking at some sites.

Black sand beach.

Tera and Steve on our ride to the green sand beach. It was supposed to be a long, somewhat hard "hike" to the green sand beach. Thank GOODNESS some nice guy picked us up in his truck. Being pregnant with Ledger, I would have never made it. About half way there I was thinking maybe the ride was going to be too long.Green sand!
The green sand beach was this little hidden cove that no one was at. It was a sunny day and the water was rough. The sand sparkled like tiny green jewels.

Cory knows I use to drive a mustang so when the rental car company asked if he wanted to upgrade, he did. Here we are with Shaylee and Justin crusin' around the Island in our Mustang convertible.

YUMMY! The bathroom was open to our bedroom so I snapped this quick shot of Cory shaving. By this time we both were sporting a nice tan.

The resorts decor
Cory and Tera are literally eating the fruit right off the tree just outside our rooms.
For going to listen to a presentation we got tickets to a luau. It's part of owning a timeshare and totally worth giving up an hour of my time to get free tickets. The luau was really good and a great way to end our trip.They had to put up nets in case, you know, he almost lights someone on fire.