Sun, Sand, and A Lot of Sunscreen

We got back from our trip to Hawaii a day late, in three-day-old clothes (except for our shirts, mind you), and absolutely exhausted.

Here's the skinny on the trip:

We flew there, we enjoyed the scenery and the activities, and flew back.

The end.

OK, OK, just kidding. 

(Warning: this post will have a lot of pictures!)

In all seriousness, the trip was a blast and a half. There were catamaran rides, outriggers, jet skis, parasail rides, driving, lots and lots of food, good drinks, good books, Frisbee, mazes, Escalades, hiking, surfing, naps, a luau, hula classes, shark diving, sea turtles, shrimp, giant shave ice, sunscreen, sun, sand, salt, and fun, with a dash of relaxation. Oh, and then there were casinos and brush fires.

I'll highlight my personal favorite moments of each day, starting with the first full day of the trip.

Day One

The first day, in the morning, Ben and Sydney, Hubs and I made our first trek to the beautiful (rocky!) Hawaiian shore. Glorious. If you've ever wanted to be existential, go sit on a beach there, and look out to the place where the sky kisses the ocean. Amazing. 

I was aiming to get a picture of Diamond Head's Summit,

but got a European man in a Speedo also. 

Shortly after the four of us ventured down the the beach and played some Frisbee, after lathering up in sunscreen, Tom, Diana and Sarah met us for a quick rendezvous before my favorite part of the Day One: The Catamaran.

The Catamaran on Day One was So. Much. Fun. The water was rough enough to jostle us around and get us soaked. The warm sun felt great after getting splashed by the cool (cold?) water. The wind made for some interesting photos.

Here are some pictures of us waiting to get on the catamaran:

And then some pictures where hilarity ensued:

Amputee Hubs.

Only the most attractive pictures of me make it to the blog.

"Ahoy!"

That night we all ate together at the Yard House. The food was amazing, but apparently we all turned into 97-year-olds and we all complained about how loud the music was (which became a recurring problem at nearly every restaurant). 

Day Two

Day Two's big event was the Dole Pineapple Plantation and Maze. We all packed ourselves into the Escalade to go to the plantation and participate in the maze. I'd say Ben, by far, was the best navigator through it. He found 4 of the 8 items! I found 2. I think Hubs found one and we heard another group and followed them to the last one.

The view from the front step of the Plantation,

looking at the mountains behind the Kona coffee fields.

Also included in this day was a relaxing morning spent down on the Lanai reading and and enjoying the sun:

The view straight down from our room. That's the Lanai-

a pool area and the breakfast/Manager's Reception area.

Sydney!

Hubs!

Me!

Day Three

Diamond Head.

Can we do it?

Clearly Husband is not amused.

I love taking pictures of my handsome Hubs.

This photo was taken inside of an old WWII bunker near the top of Diamond Head.

The top? Nope.. not yet!

The top! That's Waikiki in the background

(along with the Pacific Ocean, for the realists out there)!

Honolulu

All of us at the top!

Aaaand we go back down.

Sadly, Hubsandwich didn't make it to the top. His fear of heights caught up with him at the bottom of a particularly steep set of stairs.

Day Four

Day Four's highlight for me was two-fold. In the morning, Sarah and I went surfing. We both actually did really well! Unfortunately there are no pictures of me actually succeeding because I got hurt fairly early into my lesson.

Don't be tricked by the expert stance- I'm actually still on land.

Here's a few pictures of Sarah being a boss and owning the Great Pacific with her surfing skills.

And this last one for good measure.

But Sarah really did do very well. She got up three times!

In the afternoon, Hubs and I, and Ben and Sydney went jet skiing while Tom, Diana and Sarah went snorkeling in Hanauma Bay. 

Day Five

Day Five was a relaxing day. It was the Fourth of July! We spent the morning and afternoon slowly eating our lunch, back at the Yard House, enjoying the food, drinks, weather, and people walking by. Tom also took a nap.

You can see my surfing injury/possible cracked rib spot.

I started putting stuff on him, which is why the coaster and napkin are there.

In the evening, we all dressed up and got lei'd! (At the Luau.)

Token fireworks shot. It was the 4th of July, after all.

Day Six
Day Six's highlight for me was definitely parasailing with Sarah, Tom and Sydney.

Love this picture of Sarah! She's so genuinely excited!

Well, crap.

Sydney and I narrowly escape the plane.

 We also saw three sea turtles on our way to the Outrigger Canoe.

They're talking to each other!

Candid shot.

Sunset view from our room.

Day Seven
Day Seven's highlight for me was the morning catamaran ride. The ride was very different this time- much more relaxed. The water wasn't as rough, so there was less splashing. Also, I requested that they play the Beach Boys, so that made me happy that they set their iPod to shuffle their BB songs. Pictures:

We also drove around the island (Oahu) to see the sights and find the shrimp truck. And after that, we went to Turtle Bay.

Finally, after a long day of driving and riding and sight seeing, we all had our final vacation dinner in Hawaii at an amazing Italian restaurant just below our building. Amazing.

Day Eight
Day Eight was a sad, sad day. We packed. We counted our sunscreen bottles. We flew.

We got stuck in Vegas.

Day Nine
Lost in the desert.

The view from mine and Hubs' room at South Point

Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The view from Tom and Diana's room.

Yep. That's the dang desert. Who would have imagined!

The five "kids" have matching shirts!

We also saw brush fire lighting up the night sky behind the strip from the airport.

++

It was a long week. We all had fun, but by the end, we are all exhausted and a little stir-crazy from the three days of travelling home.

I read two books on this trip, which might be a one-week record for me. I read Serena by Ron Rash (about to be a movie, starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper), and I read Bossypants by none other than Tina Fey. (Fun fact, since I can't sleep on planes, I read Bossypants on the flight from Vegas to Charlotte, NC.)

++

I personally had an amazing time and feel so lucky that Hubs and I were included in this vacation. We're blessed to have family, on both sides, that enjoys travelling (and better yet- enjoys having us travel with them!).

While I may not remember each and every moment of the trip, I definitely made some memories I won't forget.

Fruity Drinks and the Adventures of Sick Puppy Parents.

This morning has been a little hectic, to say the least.

It's about 5 AM and I'm dreaming. In my dream, I'm sitting on the beach in Waikiki (4 more days!), with a fun fruity drink- the kind served with an umbrella- and a good book; the waves crashing all around me, Husband sitting close by under an actual umbrella, with a frisbee at his feet. Relaxation at it's finest.

Then Husband turns on a lamp in our bedroom and I wake up. Confused. He doesn't usually turn on any lights. Since he gets up so much earlier than I do, he usually tip-toes around so as to not wake me, which I appreciate. So he turns on a lamp in our room, and I'm all half-asleep, half-beach-chair-ridden, and I sit up, and see him sitting in front of Puppy's crate with a paper plate cut in half, scooping chunks off the floor.

So I get up and inspect the situation. Pups is sitting all the way in the back of her crate, up against the back wall, while her pillow and towel is covered in brown, nasty, dog-food-chunk vomit. It smells bad.

She doesn't look like she's too bad off, but it's clear that her legs are covered in the nasty stuff. So I suggest that instead of letting her out of her crate in our bedroom, we carry her house to the back door and let her go straight out into the open world (read: not our carpet).

And go she does. With passion. She threw up one more time, then proceeded to have at least six squat-instances of doggy diarrhea.

Two thoughts here:

1. I didn't realize so much poo could live inside such a small dog.
2. I'm SO happy and proud that she managed to hold that in until she got out of her house.

So she and I walk around a little more and she tried several more times to potty.

All the while, Husband brought her crate back inside and was thoroughly cleaning the inside and outside of it. He made the executive decision to count our losses on the towel and pillow.

Then the real challenge presented itself. Washing the dog.

Long story short, you'd think I was trying to hurt her, with the way she cried and tried to get out of the utility sink. After twenty really difficult minutes, I'd finally gotten the last of the shampoo out of her fur and I let her run free through the garage and yard (where she pottied AGAIN).

I brought her back inside wrapped up in a towel and we closed ourselves in the bathroom.

She spent the rest of the morning fairly traumatized. She just sat and stared at Husband and I as we rushed around trying to get back into the regular groove of morning. I felt bad when I had to put her in her house without a pillow or blanket, but luckily it's only for one day.

I still only got to work 30 minute later than usual, which is really good considering the dog walking, dog bathing, my shower, making lunches, getting dressed, and then still sitting in line to get through Gate 9 at the Arsenal.

June Everything

Here is an update to the listed activities Husband and I had planned as of February. 

Bolded are the original plans.
Italicized are new items.

Us going to Chattanooga this Sunday (Completed)
Us going to DC in three weeks (Completed)
My family coming from Florida for Easter (Completed)
Us going to Atlanta for a Knicks game (Completed)
Us going to Pensacola for a wedding (Did not happen- instead Husband helped his brother move from Birmingham to Nashville)
Us going to Destin with church friends (Completed)
Us going to Birmingham for college/med school graduations. (Husband completed. I ended up going to Pensacola with a friend from high school)
Husband going to Atlanta for a few concerts with a friend for three days (Completed)
Us possibly going to Hawaii for 7-9 days with Husband's family (This weekend!!)
Us going to Birmingham for a Matchbox Twenty/Goo Goo Dolls Concert- August 2
Us going to Chicago for the last day of Lollapalooza to see Husband's favorite band- The Cure -August 4
Me doing my second mini triathlon (August 17)
Me going to Cedar Point with my mom and sister (possibly Husband too) (Update: Husband is not going. August 22-25)
Us going to Birmingham for a race (Labor Day. September 2)
Us going to Nashville for our anniversary and a Hanson concert- September 10
Me doing the Warrior Dash near Tuscaloosa- November 2
Us possibly going to Gatlinburg for Thanksgiving to see my family
Us going to Florida for Christmas.

++

We've been having a lot of fun this month. We've been playing with Puppy, grilling, playing weekly trivia with friends, seeing movies, playing outside, and exercising. Of course, we've been working too, and working a lot to make it possible for us to go to Hawaii this weekend!

++

In five days we leave for the island of Oahu for roughly 8 days in sunny, sandy paradise. We are going with Husband's parents, Tom and Diana, his sister, Sarah, and his younger brother and his fiancee, Ben and Sydney. I'm really excited. I've done a lot of travelling, but some how, I've never made my way to Hawaii. Husband's family has gone several times and has stayed in the same hotel where we will be. I'm looking forward to a week of fun in the sun, hiking, swimming, surfing, kayaking, exploring, biking, running, and, of course, lounging. 

So five days is all that is currently separating me from my regularly-scheduled programming and adventure and relaxation.

I bought a new digital hand-held camera, who I finally named last night even though I've had him for almost two full weeks. His name is Cameron. I decided it was time to move on from the cameras of the past (Clarke I and Clarke II) mainly because this camera has many special capabilities. It's waterproof, for one, which was a huge deciding factor in my research. He's also shockproof. So I can drop him from like 5 feet high, and only have to apologize to him (as opposed to having to plan a funeral- and a replacement!). Also, he's freeze proof. I don't have any pending plans (see above) to go somewhere cold enough to worry about him freezing, though. Oh, also, he's a Nikon AW 100, for reference.

++

We've been grilling a lot. Last month (maybe two or three months ago, really), Husband and I bought a grill basket, and we have used it and we have loved it! It's wonderful. We've really been enjoying grilling up pork chops, chicken breasts, and steaks. While those are resting, we've been using that time to grill up chopped asparagus, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, and squash. We've also been having a great time figuring out what kinds of spices work well with the delicious smokey flavor our grill gives our foods. It's been fun. 

I helped Husband's dad grill some beef ribs on Father's Day. He did all the work, I just worked on and aided in the logistics of the rib-making. He made the dry rub, I stirred it. He handled the ribs, I directed him where on the grill to put them for maximum space-saving. He cooked them to perfection, I quality tested. Very important jobs! We make a good team.

Yum.

++

Early this month, Husband went to Atlanta with his friend Ryan to see two separate concerts. Both symphonies. One night was a symphony playing Legend of Zelda music, and the other night was a symphony playing Final Fantasy music. He had a great time and came home with a new CD.

++

He also came home to find the lawn freshly trimmed, weeded, and mowed.

I know how much Hubster hates yard work, and since I like being outside, I enlisted Tom's help to get through the basics (as this was my first time doing yard work). It started out pretty atrocious. The grass/weeds were so tall that when Puppy walked outside, they touched her belly and she hated it!

It started like this:

And ended up like this, after several hours of work and four full grass bags.

Much better!

++

I've also been running, swimming, and biking a lot lately, to get ready for the miniature triathlon I'm signed up for. It's been fun seeing the rural sights of Huntsville while out on my runs. There are so many things we pass every day in our cars, that we could enjoy if we'd only just go somewhere by foot.

This is actually me finishing a 5K on the Arsenal in May

with my fastest time yet of just over 35 minutes!

I've started going to the Hampton Cove pool once or twice weekly with Husband's sister to do laps and train for my triathlon. I've been averaging about 31 minutes for a half mile. Of course, it's not all serious all the time.. We had to test out the new underwater  camera! Unfortunately I don't have any of those photos at this time.

And when I'm not running or swimming, I've been riding my bike around our neighborhood and the surrounding neighborhoods to prepare for the tri. Most of the time, though, my bike rides are leisurely, out with Husband and Puppy on Sundays after evening services.

++

We've been having fun and enjoying the beginning of the first summer in our new house.

Am I Wrong?

This post is a bit of a rant about the rampant racial profiling that happens in the South. Yes, I'm aware it occurs everywhere, but no, I'm not everywhere. I'm in the South.

Growing up in South Florida, having skin that wasn't white wasn't relevant to conversations or the way I was treated until 9/11. Even after 9/11, the changes I encountered in treatment were minimal at best.

My first instance of profiling occurred when I worked at Baskin Robbins in high school. It wasn't really anything but a customer trying to get what she wanted, in the language she wanted.

She spoke to me in Spanish, and since Spanish isn't a first language of mine, I informed her that my Spanish is rusty, and asked her to repeat her order in English. She refused, saying that since I live in South Florida I should speak Spanish. I didn't serve her.

Now I'm not, and never have been, under the impression that because people live in America, they should speak English as a first language. But I think it's beneficial for them to at least know some English. Just as it would be expected of me to know some Spanish if I lived in a primarily Spanish-speaking country, or German if I lived in Germany. This lady speaks English. I knew her children, but she didn't realize she knew me (probably because people rarely actually look at the person behind the counter- a rant for a different day). But that was the end of it.

My first encounter with profiling when I moved to Alabama only took about two weeks to occur (September 2006). I met an ex-boyfriend's mom and, I swear to you, the first thing she said to me was "You're not white!" I looked at my wrist, looked back up and said "When did that happen?!" I got back in the car. Only saw her one other time.

More recently, in 2009, while preparing with a group of people for a 2-month study abroad trip to The City of Knowledge, Panama, the president of the university was walking around to all the tables introducing himself to the participants. There were three other participants at the table with me. Each of them got a derivative of "Hello, what's you're major? What year are you in?" All these students are white. When he got to me, I received a "Hello, where are you from?" I responded with, "Florida" in a sarcastic tone. He never inquired of my studies or my year.

In general, I get searched at airports. Only once since 9/11 have I not been searched. Sometimes it's annoying, but sometimes it's funny because it's so predictable. I've never been told I look extraordinarily like a terrorist, though that seems to be the case.

Last year, Husband and I were in the wedding party for a Muslim wedding. Obviously this stirred up a lot of confusion for people (both those who have known me for a long time, and those who just met me). Of the 400+ people at the wedding, I think only the non-Brown people tried talking to me in English first (before Arabic, Bengali, or Hindi). That was about 10-15 people. But that's ok. It was an overly Brown setting.

Then today, a person came into my office. This a person who has insulted me before by calling me a midget (I swear to you, I can't make this up). Today he walked in and decided he need to talk to me about Muslim and Hindu traditions. Most people let up, after I explain that I know nothing of the traditions and that I was raised Christian. But this person didn't think it was time yet. He kept talking. Asking. Prodding for information. Information I didn't know. I kept telling him that I didn't know, and that he should find someone else to ask, but he kept asking. I'm not sure if I finally looked disgusted enough, or if he ran out of questions, but he left.

While I am happy people are interested in other cultures, I feel like you should know something about someone before inquiring about traditions that may or may not relate to them. He never asked me if I was raised in those ways. He never asked if I attended a church, a mosque, a temple or anything at all! He never asked if calling me a midget hurt my feelings. Yea, I'm short.. but there is nothing about my body shape or facial features that resemble those of a little person. And seriously, what if I was seriously insecure about my height?

And I'm glad TSA is doing their "random searches" at airports, but really? Let's try searching someone other than the Brown people and the little old ladies (another TSA favorite). How about the angry-looking guy? Or the person wearing chains and studs or grommets? How about the nicely dressed business-meeting woman? Every person, regardless of skin color is capable of hurting others, not just Brown people.

Frankly, I find it disgusting.

Besides, I don't really feel like I look all that ...scary?

Though maybe I'm wrong, and I am unknowingly striking fear

into the hearts of friends, families, small children, animals, and weirdos.

Am I wrong?

//Rant over.

Star Fleet Cupcakes.

Two weeks ago, Hubs came home and told me he offered up my sub-par baking abilities to his coworkers in order for them to throw a small work-day surprise birthday party for one of their own. I was both mortified and honored.

Mortified because, uh, hello, I hardly ever bake anything ever, and now you want me to bake the only dessert that's going to be at this party? And you want the batter dyed to be rainbow? And you want the icing dyed to match the Star Trek shirt colors? And you want little Enterprise swooshes? That's a lot.

But honored because he believed that I could do it, and that I wouldn't embarrass him.

Before I ever started to bake, I printed off a template of the Enterprise swoosh for me to make the chocolate toppers. Then I melted some white chocolate and piped out about 30.

Some wax paper on top so the chocolate doesn't taste like paper/stick to the paper.

The cupcake baking truly was a daunting process, but I made it as simple as possible by using a box mix and store-bought icing. After mixing the batter, I separated into six bowls (I was going for red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple).

I used some food dye from my Wilton's cake decorating box that Sarah got me in 2011, and created these six colors:

Yes, I know there is no purple.

Apparently chatting on the phone with your mom while mixing colors can lead to a person forgetting what colors to mix to make purple. (Hint: it's not blue and green.) (Extra hint: it's red and blue.) But hey, whatever, I like the teal-ish color. It definitely could have ended up worse, right?!

Then I used a spoon (one for each batter color) to scoop a small dollop of each color into the cupcake liners. 

Ended up looking like this:

Kind of cool looking, right?

Right.

Then I baked, and from the top, they looked like little globes since the blues and greens were on top. While baking I separated out two tubs of white icing, and used the food dye to attempt achieving the Star Trek shirt colors.

Not perfect, but close.

Then I used more of the tools that came in my super cool cake-decorating box from Sarah and decided to pipe the icing out onto the cupcakes. 8 or 9 cupcakes per color. Some turned out really pretty and other not so much. Here are the best of each of the three icing colors:

Star Fleet, anyone?

The finished, rainbowed, dyed-icing, swoosh (already eaten) cupcake.

Success!

I was exhausted after making these. I spent the greater portion of the evening in the kitchen, unable to watch Game 7 of the Heat/Pacers series. I went to bed before Hubs was even home to see the cupcakes.

Then I woke up to find these and this wonderful note:

And it was all worth it.

Hubs said his coworkers really enjoyed the cupcakes, and of course, I was glad to hear it!