Hawaii Trip 2016: Post 2 of 7... Island Running

One day (yeah, I said just one), I went running.  Jon did, too.  I remember it being inspiring and fun 4 years ago, as well... miles just go by faster when you have these views.

Hawaii Trip 2016: Post 1 of 7... Travels

Jon and I just returned from a fabulous band trip to the island of Oahu!  This happens every 4 years and is a perk for not seeing my husband much during the marching band season.  The photos, as always, have taken me a while to go through, and I am still in the process, so...

This first post will focus on our travels to and from the island.  Wowzies.

I am a bad flyer.  Always have been.  We take our children's beloved toys with us as good luck.  So, here we are, posing on the flight from Charlotte to Salt Lake City with Mickey, Bob, Boba, and Stormtrooper.  Yeah, we're weird.

Salt Lake City!  This is one of the most beautiful airports I have ever visited.  I have made a note to actually spend some time in the city someday.  Mountainous.  Gorgeous.

Pretty sure this is us on the flight from Salt Lake City to Honolulu.  Remember, I am a bad flyer, hence the crazed eyes.  There were current movies and drinks and some sleeping and it wasn't too bad!

Everything on the trip out was smooth and perfect and this is us hanging loose in the Honolulu airport,
ready for a week of fun and relaxation.

Had to get a photo of our 4 good luck charms at the airport, while we awaited our hotel bus.

This view.  Doesn't suck, but there was no ocean involved (it was a little to the right).  Also, to get this view of Diamond Head, I had to crane my body waaaaay out on the 20th floor, so it only happened once.  Still not complaining.  We knew there was an ocean there.  And also, we were in Hawaii.

Now, we fast-forward to the melancholy last day, when we threw our leis into the sea (in the hopes they would drift back, which would mean we would one day return to the island).  It all started out smoothly.

We had fresh pineapple to take back.  No checked baggage fee.  Winning!

THIS is where is gets weird.

Our group, one of three, was the Papaya group.  Jon was in charge of getting us where we needed to go.  We were originally scheduled for 3 return flights (I wasn't happy, but hey.... perks....) from Honolulu to LAX then to Minneapolis then to Charlotte, where a bus would then bring us south to Columbia.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

We left 2 hours earlier than the other groups, to learn our 1st flight was delayed.  After a LOT of time in the Honolulu airport, Jon and the awesome travel company arranged a flight to Seattle instead.  Fine.

We then sat on the plane for 2 hours while they fixed a fuel pump issue.  This does not make the bad flyer happy.  We might die, and also, we will definitely miss our connection.

We got to Seattle and learned there would be THREE more flights: Seattle to Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City to Atlanta, and then Atlanta to Columbia.

It was a mess.  We spent the night in the Seattle airport, which really wasn't much, anyway, since we were losing 6 hours.....

Jon was an amazing leader throughout it all and I was, as I always am, proud to be associated with him.

Here's the super sweet Papaya group, who endured over 30 hours of travel.  Thanks, Delta, and spring break. Also, I spent about $1 million on that lovely Seattle sweatshirt because the Seattle airport was inhumanely COLD.

Us on the LAST FLIGHT from ATL to CAE!  I was on 6 planes during this trip (ridiculous!!!) and didn't die.
That's TWELVE take-offs and landings, by the way.  I know you did the math.  It is insane.

We ended up making it home by about 9:30 pm..... about 8 hours later than we had planned.  I have never been so exhausted or so glad to see the sweet faces of our crazy boys.

Stay tuned for chapter 2 of 7: Running on the island......

Light at the End of the Tunnel Haiku....

March will be insane.
We'll push through, ending with a
trip to Hawaii!

SC Snowstorm 2016. We will rebuild.

Wicked!

We took the boys to Charlotte on Saturday for their first major musical - Wicked!  It was really great and they did well, and enjoyed it, even though the first act was over two hours long.

Friday night, we prepped by watching The Wizard of Oz.

We checked out the orchestra pit before the show.  They found this really cool.

We can't wait to see another one.  Maybe Lion King?.......

Fresh Start

Happy New Year!  May your happiness be heavy and your worries be light.  This year, I hope to savor more and consume less.

Christmas Eve and Day 2015