Aloha!

We just returned from a lovely, 6-night, 7-day trip to Hawaii. For me, this trip meant so much. Everyone warned me that life after kids will fly by at an unprecedented rate. I have found that to be true and with the addition of a fast-paced, high-pressure job - there could be no truer statement. I am not kidding....I feel like February was just a skip in time ago, but in reality, it was nearly half a year ago. I am so grateful for the vacations we take with extended family, but I was literally just craving time with my husband who I practically high-five at the door during the work week and my sprouting toddler who changes each and every day and thrives off attention from mom and dad....Maui here we come!

We made our home base  a "City" called Lahaina. By Hawaiian standards it's a bustling destination, but it was very mellow by most standards. We stayed in a condo complex called Aina Nali. Our one-bedroom place included a kitchen, overlooked a stunning infinity pool and was walking distance to lots of shops and restaurants.  There was not maid service there, but we did have an in-suite washer/dryer that we used on several occasions. No matter what level of care you take, the beach and sand present a messy situation. We rented a Pack and Play from a lovely lady who runs a business called "Maui on the Fly," and that proved to be a very good decision. Conveniently, the bed fit perfectly in the closet, so it was a little out of the way but in sight the whole time.

Our Amazing Pool/View From the Pool:

Going into the trip, we had only one thing planned - a luau - and this was by design. I didn't want to be scheduled, racing around from thing, to thing, or involved in any situation that resembled a stressful one. That is what the other 359 days of the year were for.


Upon arrival to Lahaina we were starving! Because it is more of a village town, we drove around to find a place that looks reasonable. We settled on a Hawaiian restaurant chain. After we were fueled up, we went back to our condo where we got settled and took a dip in the amazing swimming pool! From there, I got Shelby cleaned up, ready for and put to bed. Jack went out for groceries. Part of our plan/budget was to cook breakfast each day, make our own drinks and eat sandwiches/snacks at our place too.

Our days were broke up into two parts....pre nap and post nap.

Day 2 (Thursday)
Pre Nap:    Walked to "Baby Beach" and played in the water. Shelby enjoyed rubbing the sand all
over her legs
Post Nap:    Walked around Lahaina - dined at a place called Lahaina Luna Tacos and got amazing shaved ice!

Day 3 (Friday):
Pre- Nap:       Adventure! This was my favorite day! We set out to drive to the North part of the island
to see a Blow Hole. We drove to our destination, checked it out and then made a few impromptu stops on the way back....fruit stand, look out, jungle hike! We grabbed lunch at Maui Brewing Company - one of Jack's most favorite stops!

 Post-Nap:      Luau! I purchased tickets to The Old Lahaina Luau before our trip so we were treated to an all you can eat buffet and a lovely dance and fire show. We had to leave a little early because Shelby was getting restless, but it was a fun memory

Day 4 (Saturday):
Pre-Nap:     We drove about 20 miles to the very impressive Maui Ocean Center. Shelby was most impressed with the octopus and the man cleaning the giant fish tank :) We grabbed lunch at a lovely place called "Aloha Plate Lunch" after our outing - it was great!

 View From Aloha Plate Lunch


Post Nap: We milled about the downtown area, had the shaved ice again and shared some appetizers in a restaurant that overlooked the ocean. I also ran into the artist Wyland there. I know him from IGT, as we have two Wyland slot machines, so it was a fun encounter!

Day 5 (Sunday):
Pre-Nap:  BEACH! We found a lovely beach up the street in Ka'anapali. Shelby enjoyed the sand, but was scared of the waves. After lunch we grabbed noodles at a PACKED pace called Star Noodle.

Post- Nap: We swam in the condo pool and then all relaxed as a family. We had all had plenty of fun in the sun. We just ate leftovers for dinner.

Day 6 (Monday):
Pre-Nap: Back to the Beach! We went to the same area as the day before, but found some much better real estate (and free parking!). We sat on a grassing landing that overlooked the beach and ocean. It was the best of both worlds....not as messy as the beach, but just as relaxing. Jack and I took turns in the water and Shelby enjoyed the sand and ice chest. After that we ate at the BEST lunch place called Maui Tacos. I swear, it was the best enchilada sauce I have EVER EVER had!
 Post Nap: We went back downtown and got some amazing ice cream. We all took it pretty easy again, but this was a really fun night as well.

Day 7 (Sunday):
We packed everything up and headed for the airport. Jack made us a feast for breakfast, so we were ready to rock. Shelby got an A+ for travel behavior this time....a ZILLION times better than our journey to Destin last summer for that aspect!

All in all, an amazing memory. I don't think I have, or will, ever regret taking a vacation :)  Aloha!