Aloha Bushia

There was so much we were going to do when our first visitor arrived....beaches and hiking and shopping and museums and much, much more.  Well the first visitor has come and gone.  Bushia was here for a month and there was so much we didn't do!  Luckily, she'll be back for more.  Here are some highlights of the things we did do.

Lunch at Nico's on the pier.  Make that twice....

 Many scenic drives were taken and of course we stopped at some look out points.  Bushia has been my guinea pig and has spent lots of time riding around in the car.  I'm still looking for all the hot spots that visitors must see and do.

This is the Pali lookout along the Pali Highway from Honolulu to Kailua.

 One day, we drove out to the Leeward side of Oahu.  Our first stop was the Ko'Olina resort community.  This happened to be the weekend they were taping Live with Kelly at the Disney Aulani Resort.  And yes, we did see Kelly and her hubby Mark.  There are four man-made lagoons in this area, and as you can tell, we parked and played at one of the less popular ones....not directly in front of a resort.  It is a beautifully landscaped property with a marina, walking paths, lunch spots, and beaches.  This area is the perfect spot for swimming, essentially wave free, and for snorkeling.  The boys and I snorkeled for the first time in Waikiki this past weekend and I was pleasantly surprised at how well they did.  They, and I, LOVED it!  We will definitely be back out that way to test the snorkeling there.

One day, Bushia and I took the boys (Caleb and Jonah) to try out a new hiking trail.  I had read that it was fairly kid friendly and allowed for beautiful views.  Obviously.  It was perfect for our group.  No stairs, semi-paved path, and a gorgeous view at the top.

We stopped for a break along the way.

 Most of the hike was right along the ocean on the windward coast which provided a nice, cool, continuous breeze.

 The hike begins and ends with views along the southern coast.  In the background of the picture below you can see Koko Head which we have hiked before.  Quite the different experience!

 Unfortunately, this last week it has been raining like crazy!  We did manage to sneak in a little beach time this past weekend and we also spent some time at the Aquarium in Waikiki.

Throw in a few board games and puzzles, and lots of games on the computer, I think it's safe to say we had a great visit!  Bushia was even here to witness Baby Jonah learning how to crawl, pulling to stand on his own, and his first climbing of the stairs. 

Good times, fun times.