Aloha

Aloha, (right now you are saying Aloha back to me, because that's how they do it in Hawaii) Alright a very sad day has come.... we've returned from Hawaii :( (sad, but tan face). Now i have noticed that no one has really felt the need to post pics from their new apartments/condos ( rachel, Andy, and Stefany) so i will be forced to give you a total and complete blog about the most amazing place on earth from "The Sarah Point of View"

First off I should really start be explaining that the evil spirits came together the day before our heavenly trip to take both Ashton and I down. I have not thrown up due to the flu in a decade, I just don't throw up. In fact I said that to Becca that evening...."I'll be fine, I don't throw up". Both Ashton and I were running to the toilet all through the night and the early morning... but no need to fear we bucked up and made it to our flight. On another note I would just like to say that those people who are bulimic really are crazy. The fact that one would make themselves do that is ridiculous, especially if they had eaten popcorn the night before... as I did... not awesome! Anyway the flight was 6 of the worst hours of my life... but when i saw the water and felt the sun, I didn't care one bit if my breath smelled bad and I was still blowing popcorn shells out of my nose.... I was in paradise!!!

The first day consisted of Becca and myself trying to find beaches, that was exciting and also very simple considering its an island. Now i would just like to address the swimsuit issue facing the world today. If i were running for president I would create a law banning bikinis being produced over the size 10. For some reason no one else seems to feel this is an issue. Some.... I mean many seem to think no matter your size or weight, feel free to show us what only your husband should see. I was amazed, Becca and I ( who are hot already) in our little Tankinis felt particularly thin the duration of this trip... so i guess thanks ladies for bringing stretch marks back to cool again!

The ocean waves are an amazing thing, they look calming and beautiful from the sand but in the water my friends its another story. Becca and I spent much of an afternoon at Sunset Beach! In fact some of my very favorite moments in life occured watching Becca get thrown onto the sand with her legs spread eagle. It reminded me of that part in Mary Poppins at the begining when the other nannies are waiting in line and then all that wind comes and sends that one lady in the air and her legs were spread. Well that was Becca accept in water. Thank goodness the ocean is one giant toilet because had it not been i would have had to find a change of pants very quickly. Ah yes we spent a lot of that time being tossed to and fro in the Pacific Ocean. We found that if you stood in the shallow area that a seeming small waves would send you rocketing onto the sand. . In case any of you have forgotten a few things about sand let me refresh your memory 1. Sand is not soft, and when your entire body, including face is being dragged along it you have a sudden appriciation for beached whales and the struggles they go through. 2. Sand no matter what you do or how you try to prevent it, will in fact make home in every crevis of your body/ swim suit. Each time i would stand up from being thrashed onto the beach i would try to remove it from all areas of my body... huh nice try why? you ask because of 3. Sand doesn't come off anything, wet or dry sand attaches itself and then all together now... NEVER COMES OFF!! legs, arms, hair, feet you name it and if sand touches it you've got a good few hours of exfoliating! One of my favorites is the perpectual sandy feet. Even if you go to the foot bath/ shower and wash the sand on your feet, it always seems to find its way back, which is why sand and I fell in love on this trip. I can honestly say that sand has in fact been the most commited relationship i've ever had, and even though we are apart i will love it always!

One day we had the chance to go to Hanauma Bay, which costs $5 per person just to get in, but is so so worth it. Thanks to Mark we had snorkel gear and didn't have to rent the equipment for $15 each. Becca and I ventured out and i was amazed at the fish we saw. You swim right over the coral and you see the most amazing colored fish. I honestly felt like i was a disney character and began singing under the sea. There really is another world going on in the water that we dont see, and its amazing. Ashton and Mark finally arrived after many many hours and we were lucky enough to see a sea turtle feeding on the coral. It was one of the coolest things i have ever seen. The fish and other sea creatures didn't mind us swiming right over them. Ashton of course would feel the need to pick up things off the ocean floor, such as little crabs and hold them, i found no need to hold things that could potentially clamp onto me! Becca and I got a lot of color that day, maybe a little too much and by the end of the day we really wanted to be out of the sun... I ever thought i'd say that! But I loved Hanauma Bay and would highly recomend!!

Really quickly lets discuss Cirque Du Soleil, which i will be calling.... "The ids who didn't have friends in High School". This was the craziest cracked out show i have ever seen. Becca, Mark and I are pretty sure it was brought to us by the crack smoking makers of the classic kids show Zoobalee Zoo. Now dont get me wrong i thoroughly enjoyed myself. But Seriously if you can hang upside down on a pole only holding on by your toes... then you need to find a new hobby. Their talents were amazingly freaky at one point one man ( in spandex i might add) was balancing another man (also in spandex) upside down on his head... now who thinks that up??? and then how do you practice that???? Even though its a freak filled show if it comes to town i'd go, but i probably wouldn't waste a night that could be filled with sand and water!

I have some food to talk about food, I was able to experience two of the greatest items of food that have ever happened to me. 1. Shaved ice, funny story, see even before i went to Hawaii many people had told me about the amazing shaved ice stands. Now, was thinking about the kind that are at Hoopfest, they're good but really its just overpriced snow with some sugar water over it, but since everyone raved about it I though i'd give it a try. So, becca and I went in search of the famouse shaved ice, we knew it was in the city of Haleiwa, which for the record is my favorite city on Oahu. Its on the North Shore and it has the most amazing feel to it, its exactly how you would picture a small Hawaiian town. Anyway we saw this place we had heard of and also saw a place next to it that had a line out the door. We chose to go to the one with no line, i hate waiting for food. This place was called Aeoke's... oh my gosh... oh my gosh they were amazing. We were both in Heaven. The special thing about these were they put vanilla ice cream in the bottom... brilliant. Seriously if i had one of those everyday for the rest of my life, i'd be a very very happy girl. We later found out the one with the line is supposedly the favorite of the island, its calleed Mosemoto's, they drizzle condensed milk on the top. Ashton loved it, but Becca, Mark and I all agreed that the first place was better. Now the 2nd greatest food on earth... Kua Aina, sounds weird right... wrong its a burger place with pretty much any combination burger you could imagine. They were the best burgers any of us have ever had, i had a pineapple burger and you could not beat that fresh pineapple. There are sadly on 3 in the world, Honolulu, Haliewa and Hong Kong, so if anyone is in China... i'd hit that up if i were you. We ended up eating there 3 nights in a row and in fact we all voted to eat it for our last meal in Hawaii!!! Good bye food i'll miss you but my thighs wont!

Sorry its so long

The Polenesian Cultural Center was amazing. Seeing and learnig about the different cultures was awesome. We were able to go the Luau and eat big, fish and chicken. We all stuffed ourselves with amazing food. Walking around a few of the workers asked if we were from Utah, which is so funny because i can always tell when people are mormon but i never actually thought people could tell that we were. I think Becca's Shade shirt gave it away. We met some BYU Hawaii students and they actually invited us to a school dance that evening. I would have loved to attend and find a hot Hawaiin man that would have convinced me to stay, but it turns out it cost $2 to and we were way too cheap to pay to dance... i dance for free almost everyday. Then we saw the night show, this was so amazing, there were fire dancers and singing it was fabulous. I thought it was so cool that the church does this. We also got to see the Temple, which was so beautiful, and we found out that they are shutting it down for 1 1/2 years for major reconstruction so i'm glad I was able to see it.

A few other places i love.... The Swapp Meet, there i was able to purchase a turquoise coral necklase that i had been wanting for years. Ashton purchased a 4lb back of sea salt and then put it in my bad that i carred around all day... i'll be sending him the bill for the scoleosis that i now have, thanks. Wiameya Bay was so fun, the first day it was calmer then Sunset Beach so we could play in the water a little easier. The next we went it had record high waves so I tried boogie boarding, big emphasis on try, because I got worked! Earlier that day they had seen a shark in that bay. Pearl Harbor was also amazing. Mom and Dad would have loved it. First we watched a 20 minute video, to learn a little more about what happened that day. Considering all i really knew about it was that Josh Hartnett died and Ben Affleck had to raise his child. I had no idea that the water was so shallow and some of the boat is actually still above water. Another cool thing was that some of the soldiers that were on that boat but didn't die have the option of having their ashes put back into the ship after they die. They have a wall with the name of all the men killed, I looked to see if there was a Hendrickson or a Denton, there wasn't but there was a Rodgers. It was a great history lesson!! It was cool how everyone was peaceful and quite there as to keep it holy and to respect it. It was a great experience

Well I think that's about it! Thanks for hanging in there and reading my novel ( by the way i'm writing a biography which will be released on a later date) about the greatest place on earth. I can't wait to go back, in fact we for sure need to have a family reunion there. I would do whatever it takes to return, for me its not a matter of if I return... but when. Returning home to the cold in Utah was not amazing, and waking up at 7 feeling like its 4 in the morning was also not awesome, but all i have to do is close my eyes and remember the pure joy the existed in Oahu. Aloha and Mahala