February 26, 2016

Vacationing with Kids - our Hawaiian Adventures



It's been 5 months since we ventured to Hawaii with our littles, but I just had to take the time to stop and write about it.

It was truly one of the best vacations we have ever been on, surprising right considering our littles were with us?! Maybe it's because my parents were with us and we travel really well together? Or maybe it's because they watched our boys alot while the husband and I went adventuring? Or maybe it's because the boys had such a wonderful time? Or maybe it's something about the sun and what it does to my spirits? Needless to say, the time we all had together was incredible, and the quality time Peter and I had together was so needed for my soul and such a beautiful blessing! I love that man so much.

We traveled just the four of us, and our flight left around 5 PM and we arrived in Oahu around 8 PM. Ryan did great on his first flight and Jack was truly squealing with excitement. It was like he had forgotten that he had flown before, and I'm not surprised since his last flight was a year before. The boys did great, or maybe they didn't, but now that I'm five months removed, with an international flight under my belt, it's all relative, I suppose. But this I know, I can handle the straight shot, six hour flight to Hawaii anytime. That feels easy!! Anyhow, my parents were there to pick us up which was a huge blessing. And the boys went to bed pretty soon after we arrived.

We stayed in a condo at the Ko Olina Resort and I have to say now, resort living with kids is AMAZING! I would highly recommend it, which is just ironic because the pre kid me would have scoffed at that comment, in fact I did. I mean who wants to stay somewhere with pools, sandy beaches, restaurants, a gym, even a Starbucks and a shop right outside your front door? I mean you basically would never have to leave the resort, let alone rent a car! How boring right? Well let's just say, I get it now.

It was such an incredible blessing to have everything at our fingertips. I didn't have to worry about nap times or covering the boys in sunscreen all day or keeping them out of the sun or food for them, as someone could just take them up to the room. And not having to leave the resort for any of this was amazing! To be able to head to the gym in the AM, while Peter got the boys breakfast, and to be able to put Ryan down for a nap in the AM, while someone took Jack to the pool, and to be able to head out for an adventure with my husband really early in the AM while my parents looked after the boys was such a blessing. And to be able to get a drink with my husband in the PM while my parents watched the boys and to be able to spend some time swimming in the ocean or going down the slide just the two of us was such a blessing! And it was so nice to not leave the resort unless we wanted to.

And you better believe we wanted to. We would wake up around 5 AM and start our day. I know, I know, super early right, but the boys were going to bed at like 5 or 6. I think the first few nights we were there Ryan went to bed at like 4. We went to Waimea Falls, hiked to Ka'ena Point and Diamond Head, visited Pearl Harbor Museum, drove around the island, swam in the ocean, the pool, made the most of the water slide, visited the gym, ate ice cream and shaved ice, and then worked out some more to make up for the ice cream!

The year before we had ventured to Maui when Jack was nearly a year and a half, and we rented two condos with my family. And we had a great time! But when we left for the beach for the day, we were gone for the whole day, and I packed so much stuff for the day and so much sunscreen. We rented a little beach tent with high hopes of keeping Jack out of the sun and getting him to nap? Let's just say I couldn't get Jack to stay in the tent and I'm pretty sure he was exhausted nearly the entire trip.

Again, resort living is the way to go with kids! And traveling with a team of people is such a beautiful blessing.We had a fantastic time!! Can't wait till we do it again.

 



















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