Wednesday, August 18, 2010

ew.

I know it is 3:00 in the morning but I HAVE to post this so
I can read about it in future years to come.
Tonight I spent about three+ hours organizing. I organized my shelves, I organized my closet, I organized my drawers, and I even organized underneath my bed. Lots of dust and lots of hidden treasures [or garbage whatever way you want to see it]!
I finally moseyed on into bed around 1:30.
Anyways on to why this post is titled ew.
I was awoken abruptly about 20 minutes ago.
Not by a person but by myself choking....
[and the plot thickens]
When I was in middle school my favorite drinks were anything Snapple.
Located under each cap of each delicious bottle of Snapple are "Real Facts".
Some of them are outrageous.
Such as
a snail breathes though it's foot
or
no piece of paper can be folded more than 7 times.
Sounds crazy but they are true, very true
One that I have always remembered is
The average human will eat an average of 8 spiders while sleeping.
I have now convinced myself that I was choking on a spider that came to say hello because I was cleaning non stop this evening.
One down, Seven more to go before I keel over.
I want to throw up immediately.
I am not a fan of late night crazy thoughts... or spiders.
Goodnight!

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

spam.

and no I don't mean this....Recently I have been getting lots of spam in my comments so I changed my settings to where I approve anything that goes on here. Don't worry your little bums off if you write me something and it doesn't show up right away, I will get to it as soon as I can!

Monday, August 16, 2010

theres no way this is only two miles...

On one of our last days in Kaua'i we drove to the North shore for hiking and snorkeling.
I was the only one in the family who hadn't done this hike before. Mom and Dad had done it two different times before, when they had come without kids, and Ky and Ab hiked with dad when we came in high school. I was of course in the moody years of being a teenager so that year mom stayed back in the condo with me and we hung out . So... This was my year. HA!

The hike we do is the first [supposed] 2.2 miles [so 4.4 miles round trip, felt like 50] of the Kalalau Trail that starts at Ke'e beach . It winds along the NaPali coast, up and down, then up it's cliffs and valleys ending the Hanakapi'ai Valley where you cross a stream to get to the beach.

Mistake #1. Too light of breakfast
Mistake #2. Ate a cookie right before we started.
Mistake #3. Starting the hike around noon in the mid-day heat.
Mistake #4. Practically running up the first 1/4 of the way.
Mistake #5. Not wearing socks with my Speedo water shoes, they are not as comfy once wet.
Mistake #6. Filling my tummy with water, just water.
Mistake #7. Trusting my very fit fam when they said the hike would be easy.
Mistake #8. Being a wimp.

We started out great! I can run a mile in about eight minutes so I thought this 2.2 mile hike was going to be a piece of cake. What I didn't realize was that I would be hiking mostly uphill in humidity and heat on an unpaved muddy path... kinda gross huh? About a 1/4 of the way into it I was dripping sweat from every pour on my face and having that awful heatstroke sick feeling. I got to a point where I literally could not go another step. I sat down and told the others to go on without me because there was no way I was hiking anymore.
After about twenty minutes of cooling down and throwing up twice I realized how dumb I was being by giving up. There I was, on one of the most beautiful islands in the world, telling myself I couldn't do it. hellooooo! Jacob and Logan had come back my way because they had decided they were done as well but told me I should at least make it to the next cliff to see the view. Since I was feeling better from getting that cookie out of my system I decided I could make it another little bit. When I got there I couldn't believe how beautiful it was.
I decided I would prove to myself that I am not a wimp and finish the last 3/4 of the hike. Everyone was about twenty minutes ahead of my so I hiked alone and it was bliss. I put my ipod in my ears and had the time of my life. I stopped whenever I wasn't feeling well and didn't have to worry about holding anyone up.
I finally got to the beach where the public trail ends and where our families were and nobody could believe that I was there. Mom's face lit up when I walked down from the river because she said she felt awful leaving me there by myself even though I insisted she went.
I was so happy I bucked up and carried on. Jocelyn and Me
The whole fam made it!
We hiked though those cliffs behind us too.
I used a handy washed up tree stump for a tripod resulting in this picture.
I love self timers!
The Gauthier girls and me showing off our hiking muscles.
After playing, snacking and lounging on the shoreline for a little while everyone put their shoes on and started back to Ke'e. Again after about 1/4 of the way I started to feel sick. Dad stayed with me and patiently waited while I rested a few times and went at turtle speed with me. Although I loved going at it alone on the way there it was nice to have my papa with me for the opposite trip.
Once at Ke'e beach we threw on our snorkel gear and hit the surf to explore the reef. The waves were stronger than they normally are resulting in a short lived adventure in the deep water.
The whole week we had been watching shark week on TV and I freaked a little when the lifeguard said where we were snorkeling was a sleeping spot for a group of white tips.
We had dinner down the road at Bubba's burgers in Hanalei and let me tell you food had never tasted so good in my empty stomach.

Friday, August 13, 2010

what a rush.

Zip lining!
I'm addicted thanks to Mini.
I had seriously never thought that I would ever try zip lining. I have seen brochure after brochure and heard all about it but I have never had any desire to try. Jenna was dieing to go this year as she was to young last year when the Gauthiers were in Kaua'i. So being the great "Big Me" I am, haha, I told her I would go with her and the others.
We arrived at Just Live's site around 8:30 in the morning and got suited up in harnesses and helmets. Not the cutest hair accessory but necessary none the less. After a quick schpeel about safety and how to's, we were off!

I looked down... not the best thing to do when your 85 feet up in the air standing on a platform attached to a tree blowing in the wind.

Finally loosing that nervous look in my face.My little dare devil! Mini and her Big!
Just a little freaked walking across the bridges.
Going up to the Penthouse. All the platforms have names.
This was our first zip line. I thought I was going to puke after climbing the ladder up to it.
Me and my seeeesters Ky and Ab.

Our Whole Group!
Left to Right:
Logan, Brad, Abby, Kylie, John, Jenna, Fernando, Ben, Coco, Me, Jessica!
After completing our 7 zip lines and 4 bridges we all decided to do the free fall swing. Scariest thing even but best feeling in the world. I loved it even though I screamed the whole time.

By far my favorite activity I've ever done on the islands.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

everything gets hotter when the sun goes down.

Mom and I walked along our beach to look at the sunset one night.
Nothing beats a Hawaiian sunset.

a new teenager.

Tuesday was also Jessica's 13th Birthday.
After we got home we cleaned up and drove to Lihue to eat dinner at Dukes. The food was delicious and so was our waiter. Jessica had steak and shrimp and I had rubs, yum!
All the kids sat at one end of the table and we laughed the entire night.
Here's one of the reasons why...
[Don't mind my stupid laugh/squeal at the end]
I was determined to get a smiling picture of these two!
Logan and Jacob.
Mini and Ab always provide us with something to keep us laughing.
We walked for a little while after dinner and found some funny statues to pose on.
Jocelyn Me and Jessica on the camel.
I think mine and Jess's birthdays were perfect on the island.

off roading in a mini van.

Monday we vegged, played by the pool, BBQ'd and watched shark week.
Tuesday we headed over to the north shore to one of my favorite beaches right next to where the Napali Coast starts. Our family had stayed in Princeville on the north shore a few years ago and we had gone here but it was short lived because mom got stung by a jellyfish.
The road out to this private beach is off the paved road and through sugar cane fields. My dad drove his rental suburban and John had a rental jeep so they were just fine of this "off roading road". Jill, whom I was with, had a van to drive, this made for the most hilarious experience of my life. I wish I had a picture of us! Jared sat on my lap the whole time and LOVED it! Best part was when Mini [Jenna] said to her mom something along the lines of "watch it, you're driving terrible." She didn't realize that it was just the road and Jill was doing an amazing job for our circumstances.
Props to Jill too for making that half hour drive on a bumpy dirt road look simple in a mini van, both ways!
Once we were there the kids ran out into the water and Mini and I started our shell search. We found millions of beautiful tiny shells and had to much fun walking along the shore line together.
Mini me and Big me.
We got in the water for a little bit and then decided to take a walk to the mountain. It ended up being quite the journey because we didn't think the end of the shore was that far away. On the way back the wind started to pick up and sand was pounding into the backs of our legs. After about ten minutes of heavy wind everyone was ready to head home.
Fun day at a beach all to ourselves!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

sunday funday.

Sunday morning we all woke up super early and went to the Kalaheo Ward's sacrament meeting. It was fast Sunday so we were able to hear some lovely testimonies from the members of the ward. After church we went to the Hyatt for Sunday brunch, which was delicious.
Then we took some family pictures...
whole fam.
seeeesters.
The rest of the day was spent lounging by the pool and hanging out together.

goodbye teenage waste land.

I'M TWENTY!!
After a relaxing day at the pool and moving into our little home we all loaded into the cars and went out to dinner for my birthday at Keoki's. I ate some of the best Ono I have ever had topped off with their famous hula pie. Yum!
Me and Ky Ky just a little burnt...
Me and the fam bam.
Me with all my teen years behind me.
a new woman.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

paradise.

After landing, getting out bags and renting our cars for the week we were ready to drive to Poipu but not before stopping at Brick Oven Pizza for some amazing pupus [hawaiian for appetizer] and pizza. We arrived luckily a day too early to check into our timeshare so our families booked rooms at the Grand Hyatt Kaua'i. We checked in, put all of our stuff down, took naps and then headed for the pools and spa.
After soaking up the sun we all changed and walked up stairs to the Terrace for dinner and fruity delicious drinks. Jenna and I sat at our own little table and talked about life. It amazes me how much she is my mini me. After dinner we all walked back to our rooms and retired for the evening.
The next morning I was woken up by Papa saying, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOO MOO!" I knew it was going to be a perfect birthday in one of the most beautiful places on earth. The grounds at the Hyatt are unbelievably gorgeous and we spent most of the morning playing in the pool and ocean.
Mom and Jill.
We ate lunch at the pool side bar where the manager treated me to free drinks and lunch for my birthday. Score!
John playing with Jared. He's one happy boy!
Wubbas and I swam all day.


At four o'clock we checked out of the Hyatt and into our home for the week at the Marriott.

kaua'i

Friday July 30th
Went to bed at 4, woke up at 5.
Drove to the airport, checked bags, went through security and got on a plane with all of these lovely people headed for HAWAII! We landed in Kaua'i after a five hour plane ride and began our week long party on the island.
Mini Me!
My little Gauthier girls.
Jessica, Jenna and Jocelyn.
Four years later... nothing has changed.
but I'm glad nothing has changed.

best thing ever.

This is my all time favorite YouTube video.

I do an amazing impression!

35 and counting.

I ate whatever I wanted in London, yes I fussed about gaining weight but who didn't.
Then I came home and lost it... and then some.
I hate to brag on myself [dad would say I love to brag]
but I am looking pretty dang good these days.
That is at least compared to about three and a half months ago.
Both of these pictures I have posted somewhere on this blog,
but when they are next to each other they look a little different...
I know, that "before" shot on the left is EMBARASSINGGGGG.
But that's not me anymore, thankfully!
I feel great and I worked hard to do so!
Want to know my slim down secret?
Stop eating more than your body needs and fruit is just as sweet as ANY dessert.

stanislaus county fair.

This summer fair was a week earlier than it always is so I was only home for three days of it. Erin and I went to see Blake Shelton and eat fair food. The corn dogs at the fair are crispy, flaky, mouth watering goodness. I can not go a summer without one. Luckily I got two and downed both in about 5 minutes, and these things are about a foot and a half long. :) So you can tell just how much I love them.
Blake Shelton was awesome minus the fat chicks dancing on the bench in front of us in mini shirts. That made me a little sick after stuffing my face with corn dogs and a milk barn strawberry milkshake.
I live for the food at the county fair!