Hawaii

I was born in Hawaii. We used to visit quite frequently when I was youn

ger. I am absolutely smitten by Hawaii and, until this recent trip, Steve and I hadn't been for 6.5 years! What?!

Steve surprised me with this trip for our 10 year anni. How cute is that? Very cute is the answer you're looking for. We took the kids (much to the dismay of most of our friends) and they had an absolute blast. So did we.

Will and Lizzy did amazingly well on the flight. It's long and hideously boring but they were super troopers (yeah, that's an ABBA reference). The only problem was keeping everyone awake once we got there. The time difference is a KILLER with kids. And me.

This trip was a bit different from our "usual" trips to Hawaii. We did a

LOT more relaxing and beach going. The kids loved the beach more than anything and they loved driving around the island just looking at the scenery (who wouldn't?).

Our first morning there was Labor Day and the day of the Waikiki Rough Water Swim. This is one of the most popular open water swims in the country with over 1,000 participants. I had planned to participate but was advised not to because I'm not yet used to sea swimming and, apparently, it has gotten extremely rough in years past. We decided to just observe. It starts at a section of the beach that is generally uncrowded so we basically had the

beach to ourselves (with the exception of the thousand or so swimmers off to the side ;). The kids thought they were in heaven. It was a great start to the day. We stayed for a few hours, went home and showered and got on with things.

We had absolutely no plan for this trip. We took each day as it came and it worked out perfectly. We decided one day to call one of my friends, and met up for s

hopping and dinner (at the most amazing Japanese BBQ restaurant). If we wanted to hit the beach, off we went. If we wanted a cultural experience for the kids, that's what we did. It was marvy.

I was afraid since there were no rides involved, the kids would think Hawaii was boring. Wrong. They honestly loved almost everything we did. Nearly every morning we'd pop over to Leonard's bakery to feast on malasadas which are these amazing portug

ese sweet doughnuts. You cannot die without having tasted one. Also, no day was complete without shave ice. We tried 4 different places and found our faves. Ice Garden and Waiola. Seriously, TO. DIE. FOR. Lilikoi with azuki beans, ice cream and mochi balls... mmmmm. The kids keep asking for it. So sad.

We decided to take them to the Polynesian Cultural Center one day and you'd have thought they'd died and gone to heaven. The PCC is this fabulous place that's owned and run by BYU Hawaii. The people that work there are mostly students and are from the

islands represented at the center which are Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Aotearoa (New Zealand), Tahiti, and Marquesas. They give the kids "passports" that they can get stamped as they visit each country. All the countries have little (and I might add, very entertaining) productions which tell you about their islands. Most of them have some hands on craft or food tasting or dancing... so fun! I'm telling you, it may seem twee but if you're ever there, don't miss the PCC. Especially with kids. You'll love it.

One of the highlights of every trip to Hawaii is going to church. It's like no other place on earth. You'll never feel so welcomed and loved as you do there. I was a little kid when we moved to Utah but I'm always completely gobsmacked at how many people remember me. My dad was the bishop of our ward before we moved and there can't be a single person who was in their ward, young or old, who has forgotten them. People will come up to me and say, "you look so familiar..." . When I tell them who my parents are, the recognition registers and they regale me with stories of my parents and of myself when I was little. So cute. I absolut

ely adore the people there. Not just at church, all the people.

Will and Lizzy have asked me no less than 50 times when we can go back and if we can move there soon. Obviously we're going to have to visit Hawaii more often. This 6.5 year fandango will not do.

Since the trip was vair vair long and I failed to write everything down, I shall now regale you with a slightly out of order photo log of the trip. Here goes...

Our first day at the beach. How cute are those kids, I ask you.

Some of the crowd getting ready for the Rough Water Swim. Notice the idiots in wet suits? The water was 79 degrees and the air temp 85. Get. A. Grip.

Japanese BBQ with Kahala and Kira (Will's part time girlfriend).

Matsumoto. So delicious but not the "best" shave ice, as it happens.

Steve and the kids at Shark's Cove. They would ride on his back and stick their little goggled heads in to look at the fish.

Um, pardon me but how cute is this?

Our doodles with a sea turtle. Highlight of their day.

Happy family on top of the Pali.

Getting blown away.

Will and Lizzy with a Samoan Chief at the PCC.

Will and Lizzy with a cute Samoan lady who helped them make toys out of grass. Immensely clever.

Us with some Fijians. You would not have believed the size of the man on the left. He was very nearly a giant.

Steve jumping off the rock at Waimea. I never have and I never will.

Will, Kira and Lizzy at Ko Olina. Amazing, calm, man made beach.

Lizzy made some adorable little friends at Ko Olina.

Kahala and I collapsing the ridiculous floaties the kids were playing on. They took FOR. E. VER.

The babies at the swap meet. It's always at least 180 degrees there but I love it and can't miss it!

Some love on the boat out to the USS Arizona Memorial. The kids actually loved that too.

Oil seeping up from the Arizona. Still. It's oddly beautiful and haunting.

And finally, my little doodle pointing to Hawaii. He really got on board with Pearl Harbor. The fact that it all happened right there was pretty fascinating to him.

So, I'd have to say it was an amazing trip. Loved nearly every minute of it. There were a few breakdowns but that's to be expected when traveling with bambini, right?

Peace out,

Hedi

Lizzy's Big Day

Lizzy has been DYING to start preschool. DYING. Every time we have passed the school since Will stopped going several months ago, she's been screaming out, "there's my school!!!"

Needless to say, she was overjoyed when it was finally her turn to go. She's not shy and she loves making new friends. Mostly she's a show off ;). Her first day was v v fun and exciting. Her teacher is adorbs and Lizzy loves her stinkin' guts. Let's just hope her sassy mouth doesn't land her in the principal's office too many times :}.

She could not stop jumping!

She thought this was a super fab pose. She thought...

Lizzy and her buddy Kingston. He kept bossing her to stop jumping while I was trying to take a picture. She couldn't be bothered ;).

So, fabulous day, fabulous girl.

Peace out,

Heidi

The great swim (well, sort of)

This has to be the ugliest picture ever taken. I had to put it up here so you could all laugh with me.

The swim. Wow. I'm so glad I did it! If you ask me about it now, it was one of the funnest things I've ever done. If you'd asked me about it halfway through, I would have told you I was looking for a way out. Preferably the warmest one.

I was prepared for the distance. I could easily have gone further. I was woefully unprepared for the cold. Holy cow! We woke up the morning of the swim and I was horrified to find that the air temperature was only 50 degrees. I thought, "kill me now. I cannot do this, I have to have the sun shining on my back!" I got over the air temp. It was okay because adrenalin took over and my feelings of fear overtook the cold. The water temperature was something else. I'd been used to training (not often enough, apparently) in water that is about 68-70 degrees. The water at the start of the race was 66. I didn't know that or I may have attacked someone and taken their wetsuit. Alas, I had to be brave and I knew the only way I'd be happy with this race was if I swam it "naked" (sans wettie).

Well, I did. I was in the water for 2 hrs and 19 minutes. That is a LONG time to be in water you're not acclimatized to. Also, a long time for a 5K. I'm not quite sure what happened but my mile time increased by about 6 minutes per mile. What?! Whatevs. I'll get that under control before my next swim. Anyway, I started shivering about 1 minute in (yes, really) and was shivering so much that I had a hard time with my feed. Oops. Apparently my lips turned gray at one point and Steve started asking me my date of birth and full name etc., because he thought (rightly so) that I was getting hypothermic. About 2/3 of the way through the swim I stopped shivering and while that is sometimes a bad sign, I think I was okay because my skin color never did anything weird and in the pictures of me getting out of the water, my lip color is back. I am not a quitter but about halfway through I thought I might need to get out. Then I remembered the air temp and decided the only way to end the pain was to "just keep swimming". So I did. Lesson for me: train A LOT more in cold water before attempting the 10K next year. I'm such an idiot.

I'm happy to say that my stroke stayed pretty consistent throughout the swim. I had been trained in Total Immersion just a few months prior to the swim and it's made my stroke so much more efficient. Even though I was freezing to death, my arm entry and body roll were right on track ;).

Steve and his brother Matt were my paddlers and I'm very thankful for it. I still have a hard time sighting and they kept me on track and paddled for what I'm sure was a very boring two hours and nineteen minutes. Ugh. I'm glad Steve had some company otherwise he may have jumped overboard.

I'm so glad I did this swim and plan on doing many more. It was a great experience and I learned a LOT. The organizers and volunteers were fabbity fab. Maybe open water swimming is like childbirth-you forget how much pain you were in during the event and soon plan on doing it again ;).

Steve and Matt paddling away. The moistened bint in the water is me ;).

Nice form, Heidi!

Steve and Matt totally left me in the dust near the finish. I think they were embarrassed because some of the 10K racers were on my tail.

A Watery Tart.

I got major vertigo getting out. I've never had a problem before (it's an issue with swimmers) but I couldn't stand up on my own. Quite amusing.

So, so, so cold. Like an ice cube. Or a giant, tan icicle.

And the lovely hooded towel. My warmth and solace ;).

Peace out,

Heidi

10th Anniversary

Recently Steve and I celebrated our 10th anniversary. We're so old hat at this marriage thing now. We had an awesome midweek jaunt in Park City going to dinner at Zoom (the restaurant we went to on our first date), staying overnight at the Waldorf, and then just shopping and having fun the next day.

I have, it has to be said, the world's best husband. He has named himself "Captain Surpriso" because he loves surprising people. And he's really good at it. And really over the top. He planned the whole "staycation" (a really lame word that one of the valets used) and gave me a new ring AND, wait for it... A trip to Hawaii. What the what?! I'm so excited.

Okay, material things aside, Steve really is the best and I'm so glad I made the decision to marry him (after 4 years of dating) 10 years ago. We have the cutest stinkin' kids and they love him so much. As do I. I couldn't imagine life without him. We have so much fun together and he is so supportive of me in all my endeavors. I love you, beb ;).

Here we are on our balcony.

Vicky Pollard impersonations ;).

Steve's turn.

And now I'm in hysterics.

That's all I have to say about that.

Peace out,

Heidi

First Day of School, First Day of School!

How cute is he? Very, is the answer you're looking for. Will was SO excited to start kindy. He could hardly sleep the night before his first day. *I* could hardly sleep the night before. I was very sad for him to start (he's a big boy now, right?) but I didn't cry.

We got up early, popped him in the shower, had some breakfast and then waited and waited and waited until we could walk to the bus stop. The thing he loves most about kindergarten is the bus. He thinks it goes really fast and the fact that you "don't have to wear seat belts" is amazing to him.

Here's my little guy all ready for school. He thinks his back pack is the bee's knees ;).

He asked me to take a picture of his back pack.

This is Lizzy's idea of a cute pose. Will wanted a picture of them hugging and Lizzy flipped out and yelled, "NO, I do it like this!" and struck this pose. Honestly.

Another of her sassiness.

Waiting on the curb for the bus.

Will and me.

Will and Steve.

Will and the bus stop gang.

I had to sneak into the school and snap a few shots...

Here's the little guy walking out after his first day of school!

Will and a few of his classmates walking toward their moms. The parking lot is under construction so that's nice, isn't it ;).

The day went really well and I'm so proud of my little man. He's such a big boy now and after his first week he still LOVES kindergarten (except at the end when he has to sing, he says).

Peace out,

Heidi

Open Water Swimming

I'm a swimmer. I love it so much that until recently I've used it as very nearly my only form of exercise. Pool swimming, when you start to get in any sort of distance, becomes mind numbingly dull. Therefore, I have decided to venture into the sport of open water swimming. This is a whole new (and very scary) beast.

I've been fascinated with swimming the English Channel since 1999 when I took a ferry across it and thought, "you'd have to be mental to swim this". Someday I'd like to be that mental. Someday far away. For now I'll do small open water swims. My very first race is in a few weeks and it's in a local reservoir called Deer Creek. It's ridiculously beautiful. That is one of the draws of open water swimming. Instead of stupid tiles at the bottom of the pool, you get to look around at gorgeous scenery! Better, yes?

Anyway, last weekend there was a clinic that was held by the organizers of the Deer Creek Open Water Marathon Swim. I am SOOOO happy that I went. I had been having nightmares about this race. I'm not the kind of person who takes something on and doesn't finish so I knew that no matter how tough it got (even if I were on the brink of death), I would finish this race. Granted it's only a 5K, so this is not highly likely. Also, the temperature of the reservoirs has taken its sweet time rising this year since we had a very long spring. I'm a cold wimp. I'm also claustrophobic and a purist and hard core open water swimmers (I am not claiming to be a hard core open water swimmer but aspire to be one) DO NOT wear wet suits. I can't stand the way they feel and I thought I would die of shame if I had to wear one. Turns out, Deer Creek is going to be plenty warm. 72 (22) balmy degrees!! Huzzah! I was literally having dreams that people on my swimming chat site were making fun of me for wearing a wet suit.

SO, needless to say, the clinic was massively helpful. We did some drills, swam a bit, I tried out the cursed wetsuit and I calmed the heck down. Lovely.

Seriously. I mean, seriously.

Here we are getting ready to go. I'm in the blue cap, hidden by yellow cap speedo man.

Simulating a "race start". I'll always be at the back of the pack. Slow and steady wins the race, right? Blue cap. Notice how my head is down? Good form ;).

All the group at the clinic. Fun fun fun!

Hopefully this race will be grand adventure. I just found out that I'll be running a marathon relay about a month after this so... Um, go me?

Peace out!

Pauley Mac

What can I even say about this? Once in a lifetime experience, concert of a lifetime, epic event, legendary, bloody amazing!!! Paul McCartney was in the hizouse last night and I am telling you what, even at 105, the guy can rock! Amazing talent and an amazing entertainer!

My mom has been a Beatles fan since the dawn of time and actually had her bags packed, ready to go to Denver when she was in Junior High. Her horrific parents ;) wouldn't allow it so she had to wait 40 years for her next chance. She cried her fool eyes out when he came out on stage.

I can hardly blame her. This is Paul McCartney we're talking about here. Sir Paul. You know, the "cute one". The guy who has memorabilia in the British Museum. A fourth of the Fab Four. An actual Beatle. I was gobsmacked! I kept thinking, "this is crazy! I'm so lucky to be here!"

He sang so many amazing songs but my faves were probably "Blackbird", "Yesterday", and a ukelele version of "Something". Seriously fabbity fab! "Live and Let Die" was a pyrotechnic paradise and he ended with "Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" which was lovely. And fun (especially since we saw several people in Sergeant Pepper regalia).

Steve and I before the concert (Steve is in the midst of canceling his AmEx because he lost it at dinner).

My mom and dad.

Paul.

Paul. Again.

All in all it was a dream come true. Especially for my mom who got to sing (along) with Paul in real life. How much fun is that? I ask you.

I hope everyone gets to have an experience like this with someone you believe is legendary. It makes for some pretty great memories.

By the way, the pictures were taken with my iPhone. I was afraid they would take away my camera. They're not great. Luckily my mom did bring her camera.

Peace out,

Heidi