Welcome to the Aloha State

Most people know that I love Hawaii. My uncle (dad's brother) lives there so it make travel quite easy. This year we went at the beginning of summer instead of our normal Spring Break trip so that we could see my cousin, my mother's niece, get married on Kauai. So my mom and I made a week's stop on the island and immediately fell in love. We found paradise on an old ranch.

The view from our apartment

The wedding was the most beautiful and least stressful wedding I've ever been to (not that I've been to that many.) My cousin's dress was beautiful and everything about the wedding was very relaxed with little stress (except that my new cousin, the groom, went cliff diving and got back just an hour before the wedding)

The wedding party

After our stint on Kauai, Mummy and I made our 30min trip over to Oahu, meeting up with my dad and brother. Turns out the paradise that it once was is no more. It is still beautiful but there was a skyscraper or vog (volcano fog) in my sight. Because it was summer, there was absolutely NO wind which meant there was NO waves for surfing. We did manage to find some and attempted. We also went paddle boarding which is a new phenomenon coming about. You stand up on a surfboard like board and paddle. It really works the core and your arms.


View from the "Bowl"


My "big adventure" happened when my brother, Will, my 9yr old cousin, Nate, and me went ocean kayaking. Before we left, we made 3 bad decisions. 1. My brother and I didn't where life jackets (Nate did) 2. We filled the bottom of the kayak with drinks and snorkel gear for when we got the the little island (the Mokaluas) 3. We forgot to close the hatch that we put everything in.


We started out fine. Will in front, Nate in the middle, me in back (with the opened hatch.) My older step-cousin was following us on the paddle board. After we past the reef, I noticed my butt was in the water. I tried to close the hatch and then we capsized. Will and I managed to flip the kayak back over and get on. Then the kayak went up like the Titanic.

The Mokaluas

Picture this. One Kayak legitimately sinking, two people without life jackets, three yelling for help and struggling to keep the kayak from going all the way down, one big ocean. The only people to come by were two Japanese women who promptly said, "We can't swim" so we waved them on. Will and I proceeded to swim a mile to the Mokes while trying to keep Nate calm and tug a 3/4 sunk kayak.

Now we get to the tourist aspect. The entire beach of one of the Mokes was filled with kayaks. About 15 young strapping men and well built women tourists were watching us struggle to get to shore. Finally a local came by and got Nate and my cousin caught up and strapped us to the paddle board. It took us 15mins to drain the kayak with no help from the tourists. Oh well, we didn't die but that's about as much excitement for one day that anyone needs.




Same kayak, different trip






The point of this story is not only to not be stupid and make the same mistakes as I did but if you see someone struggling to get to shore, go out and help them. Don't just sit there...DO SOMETHING!!!! Past that, I had an amazing time and would do it again and again but with out the reenactment of the Titanic.

My Life in a Nutshell

It has been so long since I have written. Clearly I am not the diary keeping kind of person. Life has been mostly good but kind of like a roller coaster....I'll stick with good though.


Just to keep up to date with what I have done from my Bucket List: I went on a road trip home to L-town with Sarah and my roomie, Susannah.

I was in Dance Co-Motion (a Fort Lewis dance group on campus that preforms each term.) I was just in one dance with my buddy Heather. It was called "You Look Good in My Shirt" by Keith Urban. You can get the idea just from the title. I have never heard so many guys screaming "Take it off!" in one place. I guess I now know how a stripper feels....

I also just preformed Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with the FLC Choir. We were joined by the San Juan Symphony and the Durango Chorale Society for an AMAZING performance. I have also been to an Irish pub (in Durango) which may or may not count. I am also driving home from Durango on May 4th. Four down and many more to go!!!


Past realizing that I have just checked a few events off my list, nothing else has happened. I changed my major...After teaching dance this summer I came to the realization that small children and I don't get along. At least I found out early on before I would have had to spend the next 30ish years doing something I don't love. I am now an English Writing major so that I can pursue a career in publishing children's and young adult literature. I am STOKED!!

I am just excited to go home for the summer. I have once again sold my soul for the last time to my father and the pharmacy. It pays ok and it's my last summer home so why not be with my dad? My best friend here in Durango, Dana, is coming home with me for her job in Boulder so we have so many plans.

2 weeks after I get back from school, I'm headed to Hawaii for my cousin Leslie's wedding. My mom and I will be on Kauai for a week to celebrate and then we will be meeting up with dad and Will on Oahu to visit with my Uncle Donny and his family. We might even take a 3 day trip to the Big Island to hike near the volcano's. I can't wait to go. This vacation is much needed.

I am very excited to end this school year and to go back home for one last summer. That's all I have for now but hopefully I won't wait so long to write back.

Peace.