Summer Fun!!

We have been quite busy, yet very grateful, to have close friends and family visit us this summer! After our family was here in June, we had our dear friends, the Pinkertons, visit in July. Less than a month later, we had our nephew, Jordan, and his girlfriend, Christina, visit in August! We had a blast showing everyone around, sticking to my list of "must-sees". I really love when each new visitor brings their own list of "must-sees"...things we haven't done yet, which always makes for an adventure. Below are some pictures of things we did and saw that were new to us, too!

Matt and Rachel spent a week with us in July, and we were SO happy to see them after so long! Some of our sightseeing adventures...

Blaine and Matt jumped off of a big rock in Waimea Bay...I love this picture of Matt!

We hiked to Manoa Falls...very muddy, but we felt like we were in a rainforest!

We saw these amazing rainbows, the first near the North Shore and the second was on base...actually, Matt and Rachel saw a rainbow EVERY day they were here!

We visited the USS Arizona memorial...it's the white one on the right. ;) What an overwhelming feeling to stand over this sunken vessel, imagining what December 7, 1941 was like, while remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.

We rented kayaks in Kaneohe Bay and cruised around the bay for the afternoon. We also enjoyed watching a C-17 fly a training pattern right over us!

We checked out a different luau in Ko'Olina...very pretty location right on the beach!

Jordan and Christina's visit was packed full of adventure...because Jordan was fully determined to find it while here! :)

The boys wasted no time getting down to business. Just a few hours after arriving on Oahu, Jordan went night spearfishing with Blaine...yes, the scary thing I don't like to do, except they did it in the DARK! Crazy.

Blaine

Jordan


Christina

Everyone jumped off of the cliff at Waimea Bay...except me. I mean, someone had to take the pictures, right? ;)

I LOVE this picture of Jordan Stand-Up Paddle-boarding!

Jordan got to surf Waikiki while Christina and I laid out!

Gorgeous view from the top of Makapuu Point!

Blaine and Jordan crossed the railing on our Makapuu Point hike to "skip rocks" on the ocean's surface...WAY down below!

Maunawili Falls...another waterfall hike with a cliff that Jordan jumped off of!

The last picture taken with this camera...right before Jordan and Christina's kayak turned over and took the camera with it. :( We were just thankful to have saved these pictures!

Beaufitul view from the semi-private beach on the Moks!

Girls in the "grotto", as the boys dubbed it. ;)

By far, our favorite thing was kayaking out to the Mok Islands! What a gorgeous place!! It took about an hour to kayak from shore to the islands, and through some pretty big swells and waves, but OH, WAS IT WORTH IT to arrive on a beach with maybe 10 other people! AWESOME! Next time, we'll pack a picnic and spend all day here!

Laie Point...much more dramatic of a scene when the waves cooperate and crash through the hole! But still very pretty!


We enjoyed a famous Shave Ice on the North Shore!

And, just for fun, we met this guy on the North Shore's Turtle Beach!!

We have had such a fun summer, enjoying Hawaii with family and friends!! Playing tour guide has been a great way to explore and discover what the island has to offer. Until our next adventure...aloha!