Livin' in Hawaii

"Hey, Rach, after I finish my Masters and before we buy a house...wouldn't it be sweet to live in Hawaii for a short time? It's always been on my bucket list." 

January 2017: Purchased ✈️ tickets to Hawaii. 

I love my Carson-the sky is always the limit. 💛

--->Here we are. We made it! (We will be in Hawaii for a month!) Finn was amazing on the flight and he hasn't stopped giggling and smiling since we have been here! I think he is sold on this beautiful place. (He has always been our water baby.) We are renting an upstairs apartment in a residential neighborhood in Laie, Hawaii.

 

Finn recently started this thing where he stops whatever he is doing to smile and wave at complete strangers who pass by. The neat thing is, the people here are especially receptive to his friendliness. I am blown away by the goodness...He has already been invited to one birthday party since we have been here 😂 ...or this morning, Finn and I went to play on the beach and we met this friendly woman and her grandkids. Her husband came to drop off McDonalds breakfast for her and the kids. Without any hesitation, she opened her bag and handed me some of her food as she encouraged us to join them. She kept saying, "Food is better when you share it." She prayed over the food and blessed us, "her new friends." Wow. I left the beach wanting to be more like these people around me--young and old--treating ALL people with genuine kindness and love. 💛 

Alaska: Heaven on Earth

^^These boys ALWAYS came back with a skiff full of fish! By the end of the week, they caught 89 Salmon total!

^^Our new friend, Goddard, the deer. By the end of the week, these two LOVED each other.

^^Love how he always whips out his little pointer finger

^^we were sitting in our skiff talking...suddenly, our fishing poles started to dance...we each had a fish on our lines and then, out of nowhere, a HUGE whale's tail emerged from the ocean right next to our skiff....we excitedly freaked out...lost both fish...reeled in and followed it for about 30 minutes. This is the best iphone picture I could get...

^^Cars caught a 10.9 lb Silver 

^^The largest fish caught this week by Ian and his cousins. 24 lbs.

^^a 9 lb Silver 

^^So...this happened on our flight home. Melts my heart. Finn loves to read! 

We just got back from another AAAAMMMAAAZZZING trip to Alaska. (check out our other trips: HERE  and HERE ) My Grandparents kind of started a tradition (coming to Silver King Lodge on Grant Island to fish) many years back...it is one of our family's favorite places to come. After my Grandpa passed away two years ago, there was an even bigger pull to come here...it has become a healing and almost sacred little island for our entire family--especially for my Grandma. It is a little heaven on earth-->away from reality, nurturing cherished relationships, soaking in the gorgeous Alaskan landscape, and creating lasting memories fishing. Carson flew up on Monday with Tanner, his brother,  and due to the miraculous working of various people... Finn and I were able to meet up with them on Wednesday. After two flights, a shuttle run, and a boat ride...we made it. (Finn, you are a champion traveler, my dear. I would be lying if I told you I wasn't nervous to do an entire day of crazy-traveling alone with a 9 month old baby but Finn was a dream!!!) We made it! 

Because we didn't want Finn out on the skiffs, my experience was more unique this year. Instead of living on a skiff + fishing out in the middle of the ocean the entire week, I spent more time on the island with Finn: hiking, feeding the deer, greeting the other fishers, getting to know the staff, etc. ...I was always fortunate enough to be able to get out once a day for a few hours...man, it is a riot to be out on the water, catching fish with people you love! I also loved being able to see Tanner and Carson enjoying an ideal brother's trip! (Overall, we (they) caught nearly 200 lbs of fish.)

Of course, the evenings were spent eating dinner and playing games, per usual. At the end of the week, when the rest of the group flew back home, Carson, Tanner, Finn, and I hitched a ride on the Tin Man to Clover Pass and went to Church with the staff. We then stayed a night in Ketchikan in an old, somewhat creepy hotel. It was fun to see a different side of Ketchikan. We are already counting down the days until we will be lucky enough to go again! 

Anyone want to come over for dinner??....we will be having Salmon for months :) 

On our way home (in the airport!).....Finn's First Steps Walking!!!!!!

Maholo Kauai

Queen's Bath. It is a MUST in Kauai. It is a remote, beautiful place to snorkel/swim ^^

Napali Coast. Quite possibly one of my favorite things (aside from beach time!) It is gloriously green, lush, and has the most immaculate look-outs at every turn.

Two miles in on the Napali Coast. The beach is full of rock towers.

Kapaa Chapel.

Church was a highlight. The sunshine, the music, the words, the spirit. I am touched by all of the good people in the world--> so many people just trying to be better today than they were yesterday.

Finn is a little fish. He LOVES the water. 

Above pictures are from our resort, The Coast Resort at the Beach Boy. 

Secret Beach. We discovered the hidden, famous "Secret Beach"--> One thing we quickly discovered upon hiking down into the beautiful cove...clothing is optional. We, coincidentally, ran out of diapers at this point so Finn joined in on the nudeness and LOVED every second of the Hawaiian breeze on his wrinkly little bum! 

Waimea Canyon

It is pouring rain one minute and sunny skies the next 

Fresh fruit is a must! Also, the cold, firm, soft insides of coconuts are perfect for teething babies!

Snorkeling was easily one of our top favorite things to do. 

Aloha! We just recently returned from our trip to the Hawaiian "Garden Island", Kauai. After a chain of miraculous events, we found ourselves packed and flying to Hawaii with Finn in tow. It was Finn and I's first time going to this island....wow, it is g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s. The greens, the blues...ah, the colors are so vibrant. We were literally in the jungles from Jurassic Park. The trees tower over the one main road on the island and the lush vegetation runs wild. We ate pineapples until our tongues were numb, hiked many miles in the rain, soaked up the sunshine, swam amongst schools of fish, and enjoyed great company (our good friends the Madsens). Finn was a champ and made for such a darling assistant--we kept things spontaneous and low-key--just soaking in God's beautiful world with the boys I love most.