New Year Resolutions

So its the END of January! How did this happen. Well I have no idea where the time went buuttt I am still going to share my lovely new year resolutions with you because I feel that if I write some of these down and share them with the world I will actually work to accomplish them!! YAY for being better.

• My biggest goal this year is to run a 5k. I know, this doesn't seem like much but if you know me you know that I don't run. I have NO endurance and what not so I am starting slow but I am really excited about this. I am using the couch to 5k app and although I haven't done much so far I have realized that I am motivated. Even though I hate running and it sucks, I feel more motivation than feeling that I should quit. I WANT to do this. 

• Spend more time enjoying the moment, enjoying school, enjoying going to games with Andrew, enjoying doing nothing, enjoying having everything when it happens. 

• Stress less. 

• Get rid of stuff I don't need.

• Graduate from College. 

• Read, Read, Read - Read 12 books. 

• Sew something once a month other than what I am sewing for class. 

• Make a sewing vlog once a month. 

• Take more pictures and work on my photography. 

These are just a few of the goals I have for this year. I feel it is going to be a pretty great, crazy year. I know that getting to the point of graduation will be hard but totally worth it. I am so ready to be done but seeing the end I am realizing that I really do love learning and love being in school. it is just hard and that is another reason I am trying to stress less. I really hope to enjoy these that few semesters in school and make them worth it because I am pretty sure this will be the last year I ever have in school. What a crazy thought. SO I will be working on these goals all year and we will see how it goes! 

What are your goals for the new year? 

love,alex&andrew

Hawaiian New Years Eve

On our last full day on the island it was New Years Eve. We spent the morning relaxing and taking a walk down the beach and just enjoying our last day in the warmth and sunshine. Jordan decided to climb a tree and got a few coconuts so when we got home Andrew decided to try and break one open. 

View from our House

The Blue Lagoon 

 After getting ready for the day we all headed to the Polynesian Culture Center. I love this place. If you ever have the chance of going to Hawaii you must go here. It is a wonderful place for you to learn about different cultures and even try out some of the things they do. We watched this guy open a coconut, husk it, and even get the milk out of it. Then we learned how to start a fire with sticks and the outside husk of the coconut. Which Andrew, Aaron, and I tried to do a little later after the show. Then one of the guys climbed a coconut tree and posed for us!! ha these guys were hilarious :) We saw a few other shows and then it was time for dinner and the Luau. 

Trying to start the fire. 

The guys from New Zealand 

At dinner.

Dinner was great. we had some different kinds of food. and then some normal stuff. I love the pineapple bars they had for dessert and the fresh pineapple. There was also smoked pork and chicken, and this slimy noodle thing that was good but funny, and rice and purple rolls that were awesome. 

The Luau was incredible. It was a story of a boys life and it was about the breath of life. It was beautiful. all of the dancers did amazing and sang wonderfully. I love when the dancers do the traditional hula. It is so cool how they move! ha the performance was awesome. 

We had such an incredible time in Hawaii and can't wait to some day go back and share it with our children. We feel so blessed to have been able to experience this together and with Andrew's family. I am so grateful that I have been able to share so many memories with Andrew and experience the beauty of this earth that God had given us. I feel so blessed that we are able to travel and experience this amazing world we have to live on. We made some amazing memories that will last a life time and beyond and can't wait to make many more. Hope you enjoyed sharing in our adventures. 

love,alex&andrew 

Banzai Pipeline

 Hawaii is beautiful, if you didn't know. Everywhere you look there is beauty. You can say that about everywhere in the world but it really just jumps out at you in Hawaii. There are so many things that just take your breath away. I loved that there were flowers and greenery EVERYWHERE. I hate when its the dead of winter and nothing is alive, but in Hawaii that doesn't happen! Its green all of the time. It is wonderful and simply.. breathtaking, like I said before :)

On Sunday we went to church over by the Laie Temple so before it started we went over to the visitors center and walked around. What a beautiful temple. I have probably said it before and I will say it again, I love that the church is the same no matter where we go. I can go to the other side of the world and know that the church service will be the same as it is here in Utah. The one thing that was different was that when ever someone says Aloha the whole congregation says it back and I love it! it made it so warm and inviting. I really enjoyed church and hearing the testimonies of the members.

At the temple sunday morning 

Father & Son 

Sunday afternoon there was a huge swell coming in and so of course we had to go watch. Andrew was scouting it out all week and knew that it was going to be some of the best surfing they had seen in months if not years. He even found out that a few pros would be there. We saw a few on the beach and figured there were some far our in the water that we couldn't recognize. The waves were HUGE though. I could not believe it. It was incredible. As the sun went down we saw an amazing sunset!

At Pipeline. Can you see the surfer? 

Watching Pipeline 

Pipeline Sunset! 

I couldn't help taking so many pictures while there. It was wonderful. so dreamy and beautiful and WARM. that is something we sure are missing right about now! 

Hope you are staying warm. 

love,alex&andrew 

Experiencing Pearl Harbor

On Saturday we went to the Swap meet at the Aloha stadium. There were tons of little trinkets and fun souvenirs. We spent a few hours walking around looking at a ton of random stuff!  

Aaron decided to jump this poll. Don't worry he got over it safely! 

 When the boys and I were done shopping we headed over to do some exploring at Pearl Harbor. We didn't go over to the Arizona but we saw lots of pieces that they used in the war. 

Look how huge this anchor is!! 

The chain for the anchor 

Father and sons. 

This missile is 18 feet long!! which is probably about 2 aaron's (with his hands down)

If you ever go to Hawaii this is a must. This was Andrew and I's second time being able to go to Pearl Harbor so we weren't too bummed that we didn't go over to see the Arizona and the other ships but if you can get over there you must go to Pearl Harbor. It is such a wonderful place to learn about the history of our country. It is incredible to think of all of the men and women who fought that day and gave their lives for our freedom. It is sad to think that on a beautiful peaceful morning just like the one we were having the day we were there, all hell broke loose and many families world's came crashing down. I am so grateful for the men and women who served then and who serve today. I love my country and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to go to Pearl Harbor and learn about that horrific day.
love,alex&andrew

Hawaiian Treasures

So there was this one time on December 25th 2012 that we got on a plane and went to Hawaii for a week. It was simply wonderful. It was so relaxing and warm. Exactly what we needed for the holiday break. We got in at about 12am California time and 9pm Hawaii time. We were all starving and because it was Christmas everything was closed. We searched for about an hour and settled on a 7-eleven. Hot pockets, pizza, and granola bars. It was a great Christmas dinner :) 

Our view from the house we stayed in 

We talked Aaron into running and jumping on this vine. 

I won't flood you with the tons of stories that I could be telling you but I will be showing you a bunch of pictures that I took :) 

We had a blast checking out the island. We went to a couple different beaches and went snorkeling, body boarding, walking, exploring, and finding lots of little treasures. 

We ate lots of great food. Went shopping and found beautiful things. 

Every time we snorkeled I felt that I was one of the fish just swimming right along in the ocean. 

In one snorkel trip we saw THREE sea turtles. The first was medium and then another medium one and the last one we saw was HUGE. it was so cool to see them just swimming along and go up for air. They are such beautiful creatures! One night Richard and Aaron were walking along the beach and saw the biggest turtle we had ever seen, so we all came running to see and it was ginormous and just a beautiful sight to see. Right after we got there the waves came up and he went back into the ocean. It was wonderful to see these creatures in their natural habitat. 

Andrew found this crab

Andrew and Jordan exploring the reef by our house.  

The view from standing on the reef towards our house. 

Treasures that we found

One night we went out to eat and then we were going to go to the movies so we kept trying to find a place to eat but we weren't having luck with something that was quick but good. 

We finally found one that looked like a long john silvers and just decided to go there. 

When we walked in we knew right away it was not a long john silvers. It was something completely different and completely hawaiian. It ended up being verrrry fresh and different.. sea food. We got to test some things and Andrew, Aaron, and I tired octopus, raw salmon and tuna. It was actually pretty good. Aaron loved it so much he got the octopus for dinner. I got this amazing shrimp dish with this delicious sauce on it. Andrew got an ahi ahi Cajun stir fry dish and he loooved it. Then we went and saw Les Miserables. Which, no words can describe how amazing that was. 

The Peacock that we ran into and I wanted to bring home.

Andrew coming out of the water from body boarding

Andrew riding the wave. 

This is just the first a few posts on Hawaii, so stay tuned for more!!

Happy Friday! 

love,alex&andrew