ALOHA!

Whew! My brain still hasn't caught up with my body after our red-eye flight home on Saturday, but I wanted to share some photos of our great trip to Kauai. Todd and I had a wonderful time...it was just what we needed after 7 VERY stressful years. We realized while we were there that the last time we were alone on a vacation was our honeymoon...thirteen years ago. We considered this trip our second honeymoon. Kauai exceeded our expectations. It had everything...beautiful beaches and lush jungle mountains. We never found a crowded beach or restaurant. It was SOOOO relaxing!

I tried to pick out a few favorite photos...I did go a little photo crazy until a giant wave surprised us and soaked my camera. Yep, my new and best camera, barely a year old, is no match for salty sea water...it's toast! Good thing I was so relaxed that I didn't fall apart over it (we were able to hurry and download the memory card to the laptop, thank goodness)...Todd has it all torn apart now hoping to shake more water and sand out of it, but I doubt it'll make it. Anyway, here's some favorites....

The Mustang convertible we rented to cruise the island...absolutely the best way to go!Looking up from Ke'e Beach where the snorkling was great. The chickens on Ke'e Beach. Chickens are more than plentiful on Kauai. They roam ALL over the island. It's the craziest thing. I thought it was funny...Todd did not appreciate the roosters' wake up call EVERY morning (noon & night, too).Kilauea PointThe gardens where we went to a luau.At the luau. Best food EVER! (I wish I had a picture of the spread.) Actually we hit some great restaurants too and I ate nothing but fresh seafood for 3 days. I was in heaven.

Tunnel of TreesMy favorite shore.

Todd's favorite shore.Waimea Canyon (The Grand Canyon)

As it so happened, we were in Hawaii on our anniversary, July 3rd. This is the restaurant where we had dinner that night, then we followed dinner with a moonlight walk on the beach...sigh. It could not have been more romantic. Hands down, the best anniversary date. I can't believe it's been 13 years and we're more in love than ever. (I know, you wouldn't think so considering the time we've spent apart over the last few years...but it's true.) Todd is still my Prince Charming and I feel so lucky that he continues to love me in spite of all my mood swings and shopping sprees.

Well, I could go on, but I'll save the rest for the scrapbooks. We came home exhausted and quite sunburned (afterall I think we were the whitest folks on the beach and it's been a few years since Todd's body's been in direct sunlight), but we'll remember this trip for the rest of our lives. Thanks again to Todd's parents and mine for the plane tickets and condo. Also, thanks to Todd's brother, Brad, and his wife, Emily, and my sister, Anne, for babysitting 4 crazy kids. Emily, thanks for hauling Sophia and Max to swim lessons, and Anne, thanks for providing tons of 4th of July fun. Without everyone's help, this trip would not have happened. We love you all...thank you, thank you, thank you!