Showers, Color, and Skins!

This past weekend was jam-packed.

Saturday Nathan, mom, and I drove down to Charlottesville for a wedding shower at his family's church.  We had a fabulous time, and everyone was so very generous to us!  It was a little hard, because I didn't know very many of the guests and Nathan has been away for so long that he didn't know them very well either, but we were so very appreciative of everyone coming to support a couple they didn't even know!  There was an amazing cake, games, a skit by the military wives of the church, and tons of food and gifts.  We came home with a car full of gifts and cake and cards from everyone, and we were so thankful.

"Before"

Sunday morning was The Color Run DC.  It took place at National Harbor in Fort Washington, MD, and consisted of thousands of runners (and non-runners) with the intention of becoming as colorful as possible by the end.

The run was supposed to start at 9am, but the waves ran in 3 minute increments and there were SO many people!  So we (a friend and I) started running at about 10am.  The course ran through the Harbor and consisted of four "color points," where there were volunteers prepped to cover you in a specific color.  Everyone who ran had to wear white shirts, so by the end of the run you were drenched in colored corn starch :)

 

After!

I thought it was so much fun, and it was even more fun since my work had put a "team" together.  Unfortunately it wasn't timed, so it wasn't officially a RACE, but my friend and I ran it anyway!  When we had finished the run, there was a huge mass of runners by a stage playing music, and every time a new song would come on everyone would throw color in the air.  By the time you could escape from the mass you were COMPLETELY drenched in colors!

Nathan and I had driven separately, so we left to search for some food before heading back to my parents to watch the Redskins absolutely PUMMEL the Saints, 40 to 32!!!!  I don't think I've ever seen the Redskins score 40 points in a game!!  Of course it was exciting, and I was able to finish my Thank You Notes from the wedding shower on Saturday and enjoy my mom's delicious game-day chicken chili.

Happy Monday!

Love,

Brittanie

Hawaii Take 2 (Oahu & Maui)

Much-delayed update from my second trip to the beautiful Hawaiian islands.  This time we ventured to Maui, which was a spectacular end to the week.  Beautiful scenery and nothing but sunny days, it was as to be expected.  Seeing Nathan was a nice perk, too!

Saturday, August 4

4AM wakeup for a 7AM flight.  WHY do I keep choosing these early flights?  This time I decided to drive, and parked in the economy lot at Dulles.  It costs $10/day, which (normally) would be cheaper than taking a cab (they're about $60 each way from my parents').  Settled in for the five hour flight from Dulles (IAD) to Los Angeles (LAX), but wasn't thrilled I had paid $40 for a "choice seat."  They had a promotion through American Airlines, so I upgraded to a seat in the front of the plane.  Unfortunately the seat I chose was in front of the economy seats, there was no basket for magazines, etc., and I never figured out how to use my tray table (it was in the arm) until the final 30 minutes of the trip.  All mistakes aside, I arrived at LAX with time to spare for my hour connection.  OR SO I THOUGHT.

Naturally, my second flight on United was delayed an hour, and then another hour, and before I knew it my 11am flight was now scheduled for 6pm.  After a measly lunch at the airport and a glass of wine for the angst, I re-approached the ticket counter to see what I could work out.  The delightfully UN helpful United representative hands me $20 worth of food vouchers (I had already eaten, remember?) and says they can do nothing.  So I left the airport, walked up to the United counter, and requested to be put on standby for a different flight, which was leaving at 5pm.  Now, I've never done standby before, so when they said I had to wait until everyone was boarded before I could find out whether I made the flight or not my nerves started.  Nathan was on his computer at home trying to figure things out, and I was spending a lot of time just praying I would make it.

Finally, they find out a mass of Asian tourists are stuck in customs, and my name is called.  Nathan is relieved, I am sitting in a prime seat in the exit row front aisle, and I am settled in for the five hour flight.  Made it!

Arrive to Honolulu and my luggage is no where to be seen.  Typical.  They say it will be delivered to me by 11pm, so I resign to wearing my sweatpants and t-shirt for the rest of the evening.  Nathan picks me up and we head in to town for some easy dinner at Gordon Biersch, and check in to the Honolulu Holiday Inn Waikiki Beachcomber Resort.  It's not on the beach and parking (valet only) is $30 a night, but it'll do.  Once we're settled we head out to meet up with some guys and play a few games of darts.  The crowd is fun, but I've been up since 4am, so we grab a late night snack at Denny's and grab my luggage from the desk before passing out. 

Sunday, August 5

Wake up Sunday, grab some breakfast at Dennys (again?!) and hit the Infinity Pool at the Sheraton, which is also honestly named "The Bro Tank".  It's a gorgeous day and the water is perfect.  We grab bean bag chairs and float around a few hours, grab a snack, and head out of Honolulu around noon (after stopping by the market, of course!).

After a long day in the pool, the AC in the truck is nice.  We head North toward Waimanalo, grab some groceries, and settle in a nice spot to camp overnight by the beach.  Nathan has rented a tent from the Fort, and we grill up some chicken and mushrooms, wander around the beach, then I am so exhausted I crash at 7pm.  Whoops!

Monday, August 6

10 hours later we wake up to head South to Waikiki, grab some gear and jump in the boat of Island Divers Hawaii.  30 minutes later we are 30 feet under water in scuba gear, swimming around pointing at fish and turtles everywhere.  Our instructors were awesome, the chat was quick, and we got to dive twice!  Someone told us the state charges $27,000 if you touch a turtle and they catch it on camera, so we avoided getting close to them!  Apparently they carry a lot of diseases.

Scuba diving is checked off the list, and we return to Waialua to pick up his sister and head back to the house.  We change clothes, cook up a meal, and sit out by the campfire for a few hours. I have sweet tan lines from my Ray Bans as a reminder of how awesome the day was.  We hit the sack around 9pm.

Tuesday, August 7

Nathan has to work early, so I make myself breakfast and do a little work from home myself.  He gets home early, and we grab bikes for a ride to Haleiwa, and an epic lunch of Haleiwa Thai.  We both get curry, and we both like each others.  After a little food-coma-induced shopping in Haleiwa, we set off on bikes up the North Shore to find a Starbucks. The ride is breath-taking, and LITERALLY breath TAKING, because there is a huge hill up the side of a mountain on a road with no sidewalk, and by the time we reach the top I am ready for an iced anything.  We indulge in some over-priced chai and cake pops, and head back down the mountain to Waimea Bay, where we take a relaxing swim in calm water.  

Nathan's sister drives out to pick us up, and we head to Liuibuenos for some amazing fish tacos.  Nathan runs in to some friends there, and we eventually clamber out and back to the house.  Not quite ready to sleep yet, so we take a walk along the beach behind the house.  It is perfect.  Lots of packing to do, so we head back in for the night.

Wednesday, August 8

Wake up ridiculously early for a ridiculously early flight to Maui.  We get lost in the parking garage at Honolulu Airport and have to run through the airport to find the inter-island flights!  When we make it there, we grab a sandwich at the terminal and jump on a puddle-jumper for a 30 minute flight to Maui.  Once we get to Kahului airport, we grab some Starbucks (it's a trend) and make our way to the rental car building.  They are out of compacts, so we get a sweet Malibu, which turns out to not be the best rental on the island (more later).
The drive to the hotel is gorgeous and I am glad Nathan is driving so I can sightsee.  The entire way is alongside the ocean, which is a perfect blue and the air is 81 degrees.  Our hotel is in Lahaina, which is on the west shore of Maui in a more tourist-filled area.  The drive is about an hour from the airport.  

We check in to the Kaanapali Beach Hotel and gush it up to try and get a little "discount" (fail), and eventually make out to the pool for a little R&R.  An hour passes, and then a few more, and we start feeling really hungry, so we wander out to a pizza place near the hotel, which is delicious (and a little less expensive!).  Post-pizza coma, we return to the hotel and crash around 9pm.

Thursday, August 9

Early wakeup and breakfast buffet at the hotel, and $50 later we are wondering if we had eaten or not.  Out to the beach for a little sun and a little swimming for Nathan, and back to the pool bar for some lunch.  A few hours later and it's time to head in to change for dinner.

We put on our "nice Hawaii clothes" and head to the Westin hotel, where we get in line for a legitimate luau.  It is SO much fun, and we are put at a table with one entire family who are hilarious and super interesting.  The waiter brings us plates of food and drinks and we are loving every second of the show.  Later I come to find out that a family had done a luau down the street and they had not had a "fire show", and we did, so it made us feel pretty awesome about the one we picked!

Exhausted and hot, we head back for some much-needed sleep!

Friday, August 10

Waking up in Maui is always nice, especially on days like today, a perfect 83 degrees.  We throw on some jeans, and make our way out towards the town of Hana, where we have an all-day plan of riding horses through the mountains to see a waterfall.

Our first stop is to a place they call "Grandma's" for a good reason.  The breakfast is absolutely delicious, and gets us nice and ready for the rest of the day.  We grab some sandwiches to pack for lunch, and head to  Maui Stables via the Southeast road of the island, which is mostly old lava fields.  There isn't much to see for a while, and I get a little car sick, so we drive slower and talk about how excited I am to see horses on my trip to Maui.  Never gets old :)

We make it to Maui Stables and are given our horses for the day - mine is named Waika, which is apparently some tribal Hawaiian song about a warrior.  I'm hoping this is good, but it's hard to tell.  The guides tell us about the horses, and how they were all rescued from an Equine Rescue League in California.  Then I feel bad about riding them up and down the steep mountain!

Our horses are fantastic, and the trail is muddy.  We scramble up the hill until we reach the top, where we dismount and walk up by foot to the edge of the treeline.  The edge overlooks this gorgeous forest, and out over in the distance there is a magnificent waterfall, probably 200 feet high.  According to our guide, Hawaiian men used to jump off the waterfall to test their manliness.  Of course, that tradition didn't last very long once they realized 49 out of 50 would die from it!

We re-mount the horses and head back down the mountain, which is slippery and a little scary, even for the most experienced riders.  Nathan's horse takes his time, and I can hear him behind me talking to him about being careful.  My cowboy!

We reach the farm and the guide lets us canter the horses up the hill.  Waika obviously loves this part, because she bolts up the hill and keeps her ears up the whole time.  You're welcome, Waika.  We eat lunch and jump in the car, and drive up the Eastern side of Maui to the road to Hana, and then up and around back to Kaanapali.  We stop once so I can drive, because the road is terrifyingly windy and on the edge of a cliff with wooden railings.  Now we are regretting getting the free upgrade on our car to this boat!  We make it back alive, and grab some poke for the road.  As usual, it is delicious.

Saturday, August 11

Wake up early to check out and make our way to the airport.  There is major traffic out of Kaanapali, and we forget to gas up the rental car, so we rush to a station nearby.  Drop off the rental car and literally run to the airport, and are stuck in the longest security line you've ever seen in your life.  Apparently a flight had been cancelled twice, and now all these people were coming back to catch the next flight out.  It was a mess.  Nathan snuck in front of some people near the gates, and we made our way through security.  Standing in line, we hear over the loudspeaker that my flight is canceled back to the mainland.  Nathan is on a different flight back to Oahu, so we talk to the flight attendants and secure a flight for me back to Oahu with him.  More time in Hawaii?  OK.... Make it back to Oahu, discuss my new flight plans with the United Airlines people (who canceled my flight in the first place) and they assure me my bags will be at Dulles when I get there.  Good news is I have a direct flight from Oahu to Virginia, so 10 hours will get me home.  Anna picks us up at the airport and we head to the mall for some dinner, yogurt, and shopping.  Back to the airport and the flight is on time, so I say my goodbyes and board for some good sleep.

Sunday August 12

Arrive in Dulles and my bags are nowhere to be seen.  Naturally.  I make my way back to my parents, where my luggage doesn't arrive for a week.  Apparently it sat at Dulles, and no one could find it. Never flying United again.

All-in-all, I love Hawaii!!


Aloha and Mahalo,

Brittanie


 
Honolulu on Dwellable

Atlantic City Adventures

Last week Nathan took a flight home for the 4th, and stayed until the 8th.  We wanted to get some wedding things out of the way, so it seemed like the perfect time (especially considering I had the days off of work!). After spending almost four hours at Crate & Barrel doing registry things, we decided to spring a trip to Atlantic City for a fun Friday night "getaway."

A few of my friends had stayed at the Borgata, so we booked a room and made the four-hour drive (which ended up as 5) to New Jersey... our first road trip!

We hadn't killed each other yet, so we checked in and made reservations at the sushi restaurant there, and sat down for a quick bite before heading out on the floor. The sushi wasn't the best I had ever had, and we were both a little sticker-shocked once we had the check, but overall I would give it a 3/5 (ambiance, maybe?).

The Borgata is very interesting, because you really can stay there without ever leaving the hotel.  Not that there is much to see around the area (besides interesting crowds and strange, abandoned carnivals), but the hotel had everything you could possibly want during a casino getaway in the scorching middle of summer.  We only stayed one night, and it suited us better.  We aren't really "gambling" types, but to dress up fancy and play a little was pretty fun!  Of course, we only played about an hour before deciding we would rather spend money on food :)

Overall, I would say the Borgata is definitely the place to go if you're trying to do the "casino thing" in New Jersey.  It may be a bit pricey (but really, what isn't out there?) but is totally worth it.  Just remember to cut yourself off before you gamble away your retirement!

Happy Summer Getaways!!

Love,

Brittanie

Hearing those BELLS!

It's been a while since I've updated, mostly because the past few weeks have been a WHIRLWIND, to say the least!!

The biggest news since my last post - Nathan and I got ENGAGED!!!!

It was on June 6, and I had invited him to be my guest for a dinner that my work was hosting at the Mellon Auditorium.  After the dinner, we walked through the monuments, which were all lit up at night.  We stopped by the World War II memorial, and started to walk back to my car, and then he stopped and pulled out a ring!!!  I was surprised but VERY excited.  I couldn't wait to tell everyone!!

As you can imagine, things have been a little... crazy... since then.  He is still stationed in Hawaii and I have a horse, so moving there right now is a little bit too far-fetched.  Also, it is insanely difficult to plan a legitimate wedding while working with the ARMY.  They have some crazy schedules and don't exactly allow for very much flexibility!!  I'm pretty sure we're set on a December date, since he will be home for sure at that time.  Time to start all the planning!!

Unfortunately I had to drop him off to catch a flight back to Oahu on the 10th, which happened to be 3 days before my birthday.  What a bummer that was!  I was still able to have a decent 25th.. which I told everyone was going to be the last birthday I want to celebrate.. all downhill from here... haha

ALSO, speaking of wedding bells, this past weekend I was able to celebrate with my oldest friend as she was married to a guy she had met in high school.  It was a beautiful wedding and everyone was in great cheer.  They picked a PERFECT location for the reception, and I was so happy to see them together!!! Of course, now I've started thinking about some ideas for my big day :D

Happy Wedding Season!!

Love,

Brittanie

Congratulations LU Grads!

Saturday I had the unique opportunity to attend the Liberty University graduation in Lynchburg, VA, for Nathan's sister's undergraduate graduation.  This year was especially a big one, because Mitt Romney was the selected speaker.  The weather was perfect but the crowd was insanity.  I was very surprised at the lack of security (read: there was no security) to get in to the stadium to watch his speech.  I suppose you aren't really worth protecting until you are officially the President!

I found it interesting that the president of the college, Jerry Falwell Jr., made it a point during his introduction of Romney that he was NOT endorsing Romney, and then proceeded to welcome him as, "Please welcome, the next President of the United States!"

Romney was actually fairly entertaining, and I can tell he has started to adapt his speaking skills to those of Obama.  As much as I would like to lean-right from Obama, I can't deny the fact that he is a great public speaker.  Anyway, Romney threw in a couple jokes amidst his religiously-political speech for the graduates.  And he made sure to throw in the, "Marriage is between a man and a woman!" at one point, which brought on cheers from the crowd.  Of course, LU is the PERFECT outlet for his anti-homosexual views (read: if I say this, all of these graduates will vote for me), but I won't get in to all of that :)

An honorary doctoral degree of the college was given to Truett Cathy Jr., the founder of Chik-Fil-A.  He stood and spoke and I thought he was hilarious.  "Raise your hands if you like chicken!"  I have a lot of respect for the fact that he has kept Chik-Fil-A closed on Sundays.  Of course, that respect is sometimes over-ridden by the fact that I am always craving Chik-Fil-A on Sundays!!!!  Can't win them all :)

Besides the political part of the graduation ceremony, I got to enjoy the day with Nathan's family while watching his sister take the last walk of her undergraduate career.  Watching her reminded me how crazy it is that my own graduation was three years ago!  We had a fantastic dinner with the family post-graduation and it was neat to have the opportunity to celebrate with them.  It was a different experience being so far away from the city, but it was refreshing, and I'm looking forward to spending more time with them over the next few weeks!

   

Congrats Graduates!!!!


Love,

Brittanie

DRPC Horse Trials & the Run for Justice 5k

Back to the fun of crazy weekends!

Saturday I volunteered at the Difficult Run Pony Club Horse Trials at Frying Pan Park as a jump judge.  This is my last year with the pony club (I age out at the end of the year), so I'm trying to get back in with the club to start giving back what I've been given by them over the years!  Unfortunately there were not many riders at the Horse Trials this year, which is not encouraging for the sport.  I think it is partly a sign of the economy, and partly a sign that our event is fading from riders' interests.  Either way, we need to gain more supporters if we're going to continue spending the money to hold an event over two days.

Anyway, Keana came with me and we baked in the sun all day, which was actually kind of nice.  I haven't been able to spend very much time outside during the day (work, work, work), so the fresh air was great.  Keana is a superstar around horses, and I'm so thankful that she and I got to know each other while I was at PD's barn for 8 months.  She just watches them go by, sometimes not even bothering to pick up her head to watch them.  Glad I did that training right!

Saturday night we had tacos at my parents' in honor of Cinco de Mayo.  No Coronas for me, I had to get up at 6am on Sunday!

Sunday morning woke up early early to run on a team in the Fairfax Law Association's Run for Justice 5K in Tyson's Corner, VA.  Mom's law practice was looking for a few runners to put together a team, so naturally my brother and I were signed up to run :)  Our team consisted of my brother and I, Senator Chap Peterson, and two lawyers from my mom's firm in Fairfax, VA.

It had been a few weeks since I had run (I ran twice in the four weeks after my half marathon), so the hilly run around Tyson's was as hard as could be expected.  I became winded around mile two, but then there was only one mile left, so nothing crazy.  I was glad it was only a 5K. 

Overall I think I could have done better if I had been running consistently, but my knee has been a recurring issue, so until I can get that figured out I think I've done pretty well!  I placed 74th out of 169, putting me in the top 44%.  I was 25th of the women, and 8th in the Women 20-30 age group.  Not too shabby! 
 

Now's the time to set up an Ortho appointment and get this knee figured out.  The goal is to run another half marathon in the late fall (October/November), so we'll see how that works out!

ALSO, Wanda is back in action, and this past weekend I was able to start her back up with training.  It'll be about 8 weeks before she's in working condition, but hopefully it'll go well enough that I can enter her in a novice or training in late August/September.  Fingers crossed!


Lots of human running and horsey love,

Brittanie

An Epic Hawaiian Vacation

After an exhausting week and a not-so-productive weekend, I think I have finally recovered from what was an EPIC 11-day trip to Hawaii.  The weather was a perfect 80 degrees and sunny (until the last day), the trip was adventure-packed, and the scenery was beautiful.  And in the end, I think I would fit in quite well there...

Thursday, April 12

4 AM wake-up call for a 5 AM pickup by my favorite driver, Younus.  He drives for Dulles Flyer and has his own Town Car but runs the meter, so it's luxury travel for cab price.  AND he has mints in the center console. He gave me his card once and now I never use anyone else.  AND he texts.  It's the little things...

Dulles has futuristic trains

8:18 AM 5-hour flight from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Los Angeles (LAX). I sat at the window next to a college student, but she was less-than-amused at me trying to have a conversation with her while she was studying.  Hour layover in LA, so I had a quick bite and a drink to try and knock myself out for the next plane.  FAIL.

12:45 PM 5-hour flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Honolulu (HNL). Sat next to an older woman sitting next to a big guy.  They were not excited to get up every 30 minutes due to that drink I had earlier.  She was friendly, though, and I found out she was there to visit her very first grandchild.  Congrats! (.... sorry, can I get up again?)  No sleep on this plane, but oh well, I got a lot of reading done.

3:36 PM arrival in Honolulu.  (wait, did I just go back in time?!)  Met up with Nathan in the baggage claim and we made our way to the Hale Koa in Honolulu.  The place is gorgeous, though a little confusing (why would they have a revolving door in a place with no walls??), went out for appetizer-sized meals and drinks at Rum Fire at Waikiki Beach.  The fish tacos were good, but they were the first ones of the trip (more later).

Friday, April 13

Hale Koa Breakfast

Up early for breakfast at the Koko Cafe in the Hale Koa, which has super deals for military.  Ate our fill of the buffet breakfast and made our way out to enjoy a bit of beach time.

Lasted about 20 minutes before we decided to find some lunch, so we meandered through the shops (aka "stuff") and ended up having fish tacos (#2) at Duke's Waikiki (best fish tacos of the trip).

After lunch, rented some surfboards and hit the waves for a bit before getting beat up and exhausted.  Back to the hotel to clean up, and then a fancy dinner at the Koa Lanai of the Outrigger Canoe Club, where we watched the sunset and enjoyed a huge dinner.  It was still early, so Nathan called up some friends and we met up with them at the Modern.  After lots of laughs and a random back flip (did he actually make it?!), we meandered back to get some much-needed sleep.

Saturday, April 14

The hike up Koko Crater

Another early morning with buffet breakfast at the Koko Cafe in the Hale Koa.  Afterwards, we put on our sneakers and headed out to hike up the Koko Crater Summit (Puu Mai), which is a huge summit of more than 1100 "steps"!  Apparently the "trail" we were on was actually an old abandoned trestle that used to transport military personnel and supplies to a lookout post up there.  The cart doesn't run anymore, so people now hike up there for fun.  

The top of Koko Crater

Took us about 30 minutes, and the entire time we would pass people running down backwards (crazies...).  My fear of heights did not help me when we got to the part of the trail where the ground is no longer under the railroad ties, and you have to balance from one tie to the other.  Thankfully Nathan and I are friends!  The view from the top was AMAZING.  This guy sums up the hike pretty well: Dan's Hiking Pages: Koko Head Crater




Finished the hike around noon and stopped at Wahoo's for some fish burritos.  These things are massive.  Delicious, but massive.  You can not even imagine how gigantic they are.  Nathan ate his AND the remaining fish out of mine.  What a beast :)  Rolled (literally, rolled) out of Wahoo's and headed over to the Honolulu Zoo, where we cracked up at the random awkward animals and I got to enjoy a particularly strange encounter between Nathan and a lucky goat.  Unfortunately, they didn't set the zoo up very well for the public being able to see the shady parts (it's Hawaii.. you think the animals are supposed to stand in the sun?!), and it was hard to see a lot of the animals, but we still had a good time.

Done with the zoo and time to get ready for a sunset cruise on the catamaran, NaHoku II.  It is a half rowdy, half relaxed crew with some strange backgrounds, but also an all-around good time with friends while getting to see Honolulu from the ocean.  The views of the shore are amazing, especially when the sun goes down, and the breeze is refreshing.  Back to shore and on to dinner at the Yardhouse, where we finished up the night with good food and some even better people. 

Sunday, April 15

Wolfhounds Ball

Up at 6 for the buffet breakfast at the Koko Cafe and a few minutes of beach.  Before long, we've rented paddle boards and are goofily (is that a word!?) paddling around the ocean.  Luckily the surf was pretty calm, so it was nice to just float around for a bit.  Of course it started raining and it was cold rain, so we stepped back on land and headed to lunch at Shokudo Sushi, which turned out to be the best sushi we had all week.

Back to the Hale Koa to get ready for the Wolfhounds Re-Deployment Ball at the Sheraton Waikiki.  All the guys look so handsome and their dates all dressed up nice.  They fed us well (chicken and steak... or chicken and chicken for me) and we got pictures taken before heading out to Rum Fire for a post-ball hangout with some of the guys.  Exhausted by 9:30 (this was consistent for the trip), so we said goodbye (even got a "hurrah for Nate and his beautiful girlfriend!" as we passed) and headed in.

Monday, April 16

Up early for the buffet at the Koko Cafe (this is getting repetitive...) and a few minutes on the beach.  Decided to pack up and check out so we could spend the day downtown, so after stopping by the craft market in the hotel lobby (more stuff!!) we jumped in the truck and headed toward "the city."  After convincing Nathan he NEEDED it (yea, TONS of convincing...) we got massages at a spa in the city and then grabbed some tacos at a small place in the square.  I had been DYING to see The Hunger Games, so he agreed to take me and we made our way to the Ward Stadium and walked around a bit before the movie.  Enjoyed the movie and jumped in the car to head to the North Shore, which was about an hour drive along the most beautiful scenery you can imagine.  At this point it felt like a dream!

Nathan's room in Waialua

Arrived to the North Shore and grabbed dinner in Hale'iwa at Pizza Bob's (guess what we ate..), stopped for a few groceries at the store near there, and ended at Nathan's house in Waialua.  The guy pretty much lives in paradise, because his house is huge, all the guys have their own space, and it sits right on the edge of the shore.  You can literally walk out the back door and be standing on the beach within 2 minutes.  And they never need a/c, because there is a nonstop breeze from the ocean.  Every day is 81 degrees with or without a light shower at some point during the day, and every day is shorts and t-shirt weather.  What a life :)

Tuesday, April 17

Getting ready to jump!

Nathan had to go to work in the morning, so I took a run to Haleiwa, got lost on the way back, then spent some time reading on the beach.  He got home around 11, so we headed to Banzai Sushi with a Groupon, and had a huge lunch.  After stuffing our faces with raw fish, it was back in the car to Skydive Hawaii, where we tandem jumped with instructors from 12,000 feet (mmm fish...).  Surprisingly I wasn't nervous at all until we were literally stepping out of the plane, at which point it was too late anyway.  So, I jumped (literally and figuratively in this case).  AND IT WAS AWESOME!!!  There is no feeling like it in the world.  One minute you're having a mini heart attack as you realize your worst nightmare is actually happening, and the next you are giving the thumbs up to the camera guy who is also hurtling towards the ground with you, and the next you are flying a parachute while the guy strapped behind you is adjusting your life straps, and the next you are being landed on by the same guy as you hit the ground (oh, that's not supposed to happen?!).  It is such a RUSH.

Back to the house in the afternoon to cook out chicken and vegetables with Nathan's roommate out back.  The night is perfect and the food great, and all I can think about is falling out of the sky. Naturally, asleep by 10pm.

Wednesday, April 18

Again with the work thing. Nathan was taking a hike with his guys for PT and I had quite a bit of work to do myself, so spent most of the morning answering emails, sending invoices, etc.  He got home around 10:30 and made breakfast, which consisted of eggs, bacon, and potatoes, NATURALLY shaped like smiley faces.

Turtle at Laniakea Beach

After breakfast grabbed the short board and headed for Laniakea Beach (aka Turtle Beach, aka "Lani's") so Nathan could catch a few waves while I caught up on my tan.  On the beach I saw a HUGE turtle, which had crawled out to lay some eggs.  AND, I saw the only crab of the entire trip as it burrowed in to the sand to catch the next wave.  Of course, as I was taking a picture that next wave DID come, which sent me frantic in the other direction so as not to interfere with the crab's master plan.  A fin came loose on the board, so we headed back to the truck to meander along the North Shore beaches, and ended up at Waimea Beach, where the goal was to jump off this giant 30-foot rock.  The rock was ridiculously packed of people and the water murky, so we played in the waves like the ridiculous kids we are and went back to the house.

Dinner was at Luibueno's, but the fish tacos still weren't as good as Duke's.

 After dinner, Nathan, his roommate and I started a fire in the pit behind the house, and through some crazy stories and silly jokes, we just generally enjoyed the night.

Thursday, April 19

Nathan had PT again, I slept in until around 8:30.  Woke up, did a little work, started to make some breakfast and he got home, so we grabbed some Thai food at Haleiwa Thai and then rented snorkeling gear at Shark's Cove.  With the fear of burning to a crisp from forgetting suntan lotion, we threw on our gear and floated around the cove for a good hour.  The water was chilly but the fish were beautiful, and with Nathan's GoPro we were able to take a few.. interesting... videos!

A stop at Surf N' Sea for some Haleiwa tshirts and "stuff," and back to the house to change for dinner.  Dinner was great at the Shack in Mililani with a bunch of the guys and their wives.  Of course Nathan always runs in to friends at these restaurants, so we stopped to say hello and I was able to re-live my "falling out of the sky" moment with guys who were going for the first time the next day.  Back to the house to pack, and bed at 10.

Friday, April 20

Waimea Canyon, Kauai

Woke up EARLY to beat the traffic and catch a flight out of Honolulu to the island of Kauai.  Had breakfast at a diner near the airport, and caught our 30-minute flight around 9am.  Landed in Kauai, rented a car, and drove the windy road to Waimea Canyon, which is absolutely gorgeous.  They call it the "Grand Canyon of the Pacific," and I believe it (though I've never seen the REAL Grand Canyon).  So we took a bunch of pictures, roped in some other tourists to take a bunch of pictures of us, and jumped back in the car to head to our condo in Princeville, which is the North Shore of Kauai.  Stopped at a burrito place for fuel, and made our way up to Sealodge G9, which is this gorgeous condo overlooking the ocean and the shore of Kauai, with the Kilauea Lighthouse in the distance.

Dinner in the condo

lizard in a coffee pot!

Took in the views of the condo and headed out to explore the town, look at "stuff" and find some dinner, which we grabbed at the grocery store and took back to the condo for a bit of a relaxing break.  A lizard in the coffee pot, a small bean explosion, and Nathan finally taking over the cooking, and we were loving life.  Dinner was delicious and sitting out on the lanai was beautiful.  AND, the condo had a telescope, so we could look out at the boats in the water or see the stars.  It was very peaceful.  Asleep by 9:30.

Saturday, April 21

Hiking the Kalalu Trail

Up around 8:30 and high-fiving each other for buying cereal and eggs for a cheap and easy breakfast.  Plan out our trip, pack up some things, and drive over to hike the Kalalau Trail to Hanakapi'ai Falls.  The trail is crazy, and I'm surprised seeing some little ones climbing over some of the boulders and narrow trails.  Nathan saved some lady's life (he carried her over a stream so her feet wouldn't get wet!) and we reached the Falls after about 2 hours.

Hanakapa'ai Falls

 
After eating our packed sandwiches, we attempted to jump in to swim around the falls, but the water was FREEZING.  Nathan jumped in (naturally) and swam around under the water fall while I took pictures of the scenery and gripped my phone for Nathan-throwing-me-in security.  Left the falls and hiked back, then spent some time at Kee Beach (where I had no phone for safety) and drenched, found our way back to the car.



Stopped at Bouchon's for lunch, and realized how nice it was to just sit for a bit, then looked at "stuff" for a while, and finally headed back to the condo to recover.  Dinner was done at home again (another high-five) and consisted of guacamole with chips and pizza, which we devoured.  Started storming outside, so we watched some "Shark Tank" on tv and passed out around 9:30 listening to the rain.

Sunday, April 22

Queen's Bath, Kauai

Woke up around 9 and made ourselves breakfast, then wandered down a trail behind the Sealodge condos to a private, reef-protected beach to snorkel.  The fish were sub-par compared to Shark's Cove, so we packed it up and drove to Queen's Bath, which is this ridiculously scary area of lava shelf where people sometimes swim.  When I reference the scary part, I mean, when you get to the bottom, there is a board with a warning that is carved with tally marks for the deaths that have been caused there.  Awesome.

Nathan at Queen's Bath

You can tell it's dangerous by watching the ocean pound against the shelf, sending sea spray shooting up and over the rocks.  Nature at its finest.  Took lots of pictures but didn't swim, though some people were in a small, calmer-looking pool of water.  It was too cold.

The Nene, State Bird of Hawaii

Kilauea Lighthouse

Left Queen's Bath and drove to lunch at the Lighthouse Bistro, appropriately named for its location.  Wasn't the best food but it did the trick, so we continued on our journey to the Kilauea Lighthouse, which is the northernmost tip of the main Hawaiian Islands.  You have to pay $5 to go through the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge, which is a small area of land they've designated for the birds there (it was a little odd) to get to the lighthouse, and I got a few good pictures from it.

Got to be about time to leave, so we started toward the airport, stopping at Starbucks to refuel and grab some "stuff" next door.  Dropped off the rental, had an easy 30 minute flight back to Honolulu, and drove back to Waialua so I could pack up the rest of my things for my flight back to the mainland.  Once packed we wanted crabs, so we picked a place semi near the airport (Sam Choy's BLC) for a final dinner together.
Of course my flight back to San Francisco was delayed 2 hours until 1 AM, so we napped in the truck and headed to get me checked in about 12:15.  The airline was nothing but nice about everything, and even gave Nathan a gate pass so he could go back with me.  My bag was over 50 pounds, and they let me go with a normal bag fee, so I can't complain there.  But, the farewell was no fun, and since we were both up wayyy past our bed times, we were exhausted.

Monday, April 23

Made it to San Francisco around 9 AM but had missed my connecting flight, so had to stand in line for a reschedule.  The reschedule got delayed 2 hours, so I ended up hanging out in the airport for about 4 hours. Had to call the kennel to add an extra day to Keana's board since I wasn't going to make it to closing time, which was a bummer. Came time to board the final flight and no one was around, so I checked the screen and it had been moved, so I ran to the gate and was boarded right before the doors locked.  Almost missed it!  Slept most of the flight and arrived at Dulles around 10 PM.

Grabbed a taxi ($60 later) to my parents' house, walked inside, and the house was EMPTY.  My parents were on vacation and the floors were being redone, so there was no furniture, the kitchen was all taped up, the heat was off, and all the doors upstairs locked.  So I dragged my suitcase upstairs and used a paper clip to get in the bedroom so I could just sit and mope for a bit. (Funny side note: My parents had a camera set and it recorded my entire time in the house, which included about 20 different times of me trying to set the thermostat, and one hilarious video when I found the camera.. whoops!).


All-in-all it was a fantastic trip, and I'm excited to try and make it back there soon!  We had a great time, and if anyone is interested in some suggestions I would be happy to help.  Nathan will be back on the mainland next month, so I'm going to have to start coming up with some fun things to do in DC!


Aloha and Mahalo,

Brittanie


 
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