Live from Honolulu, Oahu!

Yes, my friends, we left California early this morning, and boarded the American for a vacation in Hawaii. We took all of our children with us, packed books, clothes, and toys, and got ready for a sunny adventure.

The older children are at an age that they need no help in getting themselves entertained. I had packed enough snacks and coloring pages for them to spend the whole time on their own without bothering us. Charlton was a different story. However, between Elijah and me, we were able to spend our five hour flight without loosing our patience. Here he is in one of his better moods:

We got to our hotel in no time at all. We were all excited to see that our hotel was next to the beach, and that the beach was AWESOME! I got more excited as we entered out hotel room noticing that Elijah and I have our own room adjoining that of our kids. Here are some fun pictures of my kids relaxing after our flight:

We didn't feel like relaxing a whole lot, since the beach was calling us. Our hotel, Outrigger, Reef on the Beach, was located right on the beach, with three restaurants on each side, and a big swimming pool, hot tub, and spa services right before the entrance. We put our swim suits on and ran toward adventure. The older children didn't even wait for us to find a spot to put our clothes. They headed toward the water with accelerated speed. Elijah took care of Charlton, and I settled on the warm sand for a serene experience. The sun was bright, the water warm, and the children well behaved. After an hour at the beach, Charlton was ready for a nap, and Elijah offered to take him up and let me do some more sunbathing and reading. It didn't take long to convince me. The children and I stayed out for another couple of hours, and we still couldn't get enough of the palm trees, the beach, the soft sand, the whole experience.

On our way to our hotel, the children begged to spend some time at the hot tub. Who could say 'no'?
For waking up at four this morning, we all seemed to be doing great. The children had a lot of fun diving into the swimming pool, swimming, and then hopping back in the hot tub.

This whole day seems never ending, and we still feel energetic, and I believe it has something to do with this great weather and relaxed atmosphere.

It's hard to believe we are in Hawaii, but the landscape is unmistakably tropical. We have to end our day, but the fun is just beginning.