Mele Kalikimaka...

...and Hau’oli Makahiki Hou! (Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!) I still have a hard time saying that with a straight face, but figure I should take advantage of it while we still live here in Hawaii! :)

We kicked off our Christmas break this year with an overdue trip to Maui! School let out on a Friday, I went straight home to get ready for our squadron's Christmas party, and then it was back home to pack for our 8 a.m. flight the next morning. Quite a whirlwind, as I don't really remember even being in the airport that morning! But it was all worth it as we began our relaxing drive around the beautiful coastline of Northwest Maui. Ahh, what a gorgeous island! All of the Hawaiian islands are SO different from one another, Maui having it's own unique features, too. As we traveled to our resort, we couldn't help but notice how rural and untouched Maui is, and there aren't many people! I pictured an island with big cities, where Hollywood's rich and famous come to vacation...kind of like a "Hawaiian Beverly Hills". Maui is NOT like that at all!

Our first stop was Kaanapali Beach for a couple of nights in a resort. We enjoyed doing a whole lot of NOTHING, a nap on the beach, some awesome snorkeling...I saw my first spotted eagle ray, several turtles, and we heard TONS of whales in the distance, and we enjoyed dining at several nice restaurants. Unfortunately, we both came down with colds while at the resort, but we were determined to make the most of our vacation!

Rainbow along coastline drive

The first of many cute little churches we would see in Maui!

Nakalele Blowhole

Molokai, another Hawaiian island, in the distance

Another cute church!

Our view from the resort lanai...and Lanai, the island! :)

Not feeling very well, it was a tough decision to check out of the resort on Day 3, as we decided to CAMP our third night in Maui! I know, you must think that we lost our minds, but we had a good reason. We drove the Road to Hana, a winding road along the coastline through beautiful rainforests...this drive takes 3-4 hours one way (Maui is BIG) and we didn't want to feel rushed to drive back that night. So, taking advice from some friends who had recently done the same, we camped at a beautiful beachfront campground just on the other side of Hana. I think we were the only ones there who were camping for leisure and not living out of our car, but our fellow campmates seemed to be enjoying life. ;)

Road to Hana...driving through lush, tropical hills

One of many valleys along our drive...Maui is known as the "Valley Isle" (I can see why!)

Looking back at the Road to Hana (you can see it in the hillside)

With rain, you get waterfalls. With LOTS of rain (throughout your entire vacation) you get LOTS of waterfalls. I have seven pictures of different waterfalls, and those were just the ones we saw from the road while driving!

There are several roadside fruit stands along the Road to Hana...

...and they operate on the "honor system"! I love it!!

Our awesome camp set-up, with crashing waves nearby!

After a somewhat sleepless night due to the pouring rain, we packed up on Day 4 and continued our drive around the Southern coastline (BEAUTIFUL, we liked this drive better than the Road to Hana). Perhaps the best part of this hidden gem of a road is the little church and graveyard, tucked away in the rainforest, where Charles Lindbergh has been laid to rest! Blaine was beyond thrilled, and humbled, to be in the presence of this amazing pilot. This drive took us around and back up towards Haleakala, the big crater on Maui. We made last minute plans (two days prior) to stay at Kula Lodge, a charming log cabin lodge up on the mountain. So cozy..and it felt like winter as the temperatures were in the 40's and 50's! Yes, it gets cold in Hawaii! This is also the point in which I realized Blaine left all of my winter clothes packed in the resort dresser! The resort has since mailed them to me, and I have since forgiven Blaine. ;) We positioned ourselves at this lodge so that we could be close enough to make it to the infamous sunrise at the summit of Haleakala. Of course, the weather did not cooperate, so we didn't see the sunrise, but we loved the lodge and will go back again!

Seven Sacred Pools...I'm sure they're more glorious when a monsoon hasn't turned them into a muddy mess!

Charles Lindbergh fell in love with Maui after a visit and decided to make it his home. He was diagnosed with lymphosarcoma, was getting treatments in New York at which point he was told he didn't have much time left, and so he decided to stop treatments and return to Maui because he wanted to die here.

Haleakala Crater

My favorite little church! I think Maui should be known as the "Island of Adorable Little Churches"!

After a wet and cold night of camping, we needed and appreciated this warm, cozy fireplace at the lodge!

We spent Day 5 checking out the area near the lodge before heading to the airport to return home. We visited the Kula Lavender Farm (awesome!) and the Tedeschi Winery, where we stocked up on yummy wines! After every trip to the other islands, we have returned home wanting more, so I'm sure we'll head back to Maui before we leave Hawaii.

Lavender farm overlooking West Maui! Gorgeous!!

Lavender...the air smelled so wonderful!

I love lavender. :)

Our chameleon friend at the winery!

We returned from Maui four days before Christmas, enough time to get together with friends and neighbors for Christmas celebrations! We hosted a small Christmas Eve EVE celebration, baked SO MANY goodies, joined our friends at their chapel Christmas morning, and wrapped up the season with a perfect Christmas potluck out back with friends and neighbors. This was our first year away from family, whom we missed so much, but our wonderful friends are just like family to us and we enjoyed every second spent with them!

Baby Taylor didn't find it nearly as amusing as we did to put her in the Christmas top hat!

Gabe and Diana scored the most coveted gift in the gift exchange...a "Christmas Vacation" ornament! It was stolen three times!

The boys made a ruckus outside...

...while the girls played a game of Apples to Apples!

Jewlee decorated the tables for Christmas...perfect for our Hawaiian Christmas potluck!

Jewlee and I both donned our sparkly Christmas shirts! :)

A wonderful Christmas break so far, and we're only half-way through!! We hope you are enjoying this season with friends and family and feel as blessed as we do.