Makapu'u

Our second weekend was spent hiking Makapu'u and swimming at Bellows. Makapu'u is an easy hike for those who are looking for hikes on Oahu. There is whale watching, which I thought at a few points I saw some, but probably not. Here are some pictures of the views at the top. There is a lighthouse on one side and then a couple small islands and Hanauma Bay on the other side.

After our hike we headed to Bellows Beach. This is our favorite beach on the island. It was perfect for swimming and had the whitest sandy beaches. It used to be a private beach for military only but was recently open to the public. They only allow people on weekends though because the Marines use the beach during the week for drills and other operations.

Caleb found this rock and carried it around for the longest time. It eventual got swept away by the waves, poor little guy.

Kyle tried to bury Caleb in the sand and he hated it!

We'll head back to Bellows for sure. We had some great fish for lunch from a shrimp truck near the beach. I have been craving the ono for sometime now. I'll definitely get it when we go back next.

Sunset Beach

At least I think it's called Sunset Beach. It was a lot of fun to just spend the day here. We ended up going home so Caleb could nap and we could eat. Then headed back out to Sharks Cove which is a big tide pool to snorkel and a great place for kids to play.

Caleb kept trying to get me to eat rocks and shells.

Walking down the beach with Daddy.

Sitting in the water.

Loving every minute of it.

Playing in the sand.

It was a great day at the beach!

Laie

Our first weekend here was a little rainy but we made the best of it. We headed over to Laie which was about a 20 minute drive from where we are living. Cory and Kyle both said it felt like we were driving into Provo. (But a tropical version). I didn't think so at all. But that is where BYU-Hawaii is and the temple. We went to the Temple first and walked around the visitor's center. We watched a small video about the settlement of the area and when the Mormons came. It was pretty interesting to hear about. The temple is beautiful. I think it is one of my favorites. However, my opinion may be heavily influenced on the fact that it is set in a gorgeous place. The temple has a clear view of the ocean and everything is lush and green around it. Caleb loved running around the temple grounds and tried climbing in every fountain he saw.

After hanging out around the temple for awhile we checked out the rest of Laie. We drove a little around the campus. If I was to go to any BYU school, this would have been my one of choice. I've always wanted to go to BYU-H and even though it was probably best I didn't go, some part of me will always wonder.We also saw the Polynesian Cultural Center. We are planning to go back though for the luau. We hear it is the best show on the island.

Here is Caleb in the visitor's center. He's in front of a window looking out to the temple.

I love this one of Caleb's face. I've never seen him smile like that, it's hilarious. He was saying "cheese".

His shorts got a little wet in this one.

Playing on the lawn.

We then headed to a nearby beach and Caleb got his first taste of the water. Cory forgot to change him before he got in, but that didn't stop either of them from having fun. It was tough to keep Caleb out, or from washing away with the waves. I wasn't feeling that great, so I didn't get in. I had gotten sick Thursday and wasn't up for doing much. But I'm just glad we will be here longer than a week.

This is Kyle holding on tight to Caleb. Our little fish loved it!

Caleb and the beach

Well Caleb had his first beach experience that second day we were here. We went down to Pupukea Beach State Park, at the end of our street, after the guys got off work and he got to feel the sand between his toes. Here are some pictures and a little video. Please excuse my awful commentary and the low quality video from my phone.

Aloha!

I should be writing on here more often. For those of you who don't know, we are currently living in Hawaii. On the North Shore to be exact. Our address is in Haleiwa but we live outside it on Pupukea.

Cory is working on his last internship here at Schofield Barracks with the Army. We'll be here through the end of April. So far we are loving it, of course. The weather has been great. Perfect 80's all the time. We are in the rainy season though, so it rains a little everyday. Mostly in the morning or a few sun showers in the afternoon.

Here is Caleb sitting on the stairs of the lanai.

This is the house we are staying at. It's cozy.

Here is Caleb in our yard.

We didn't have a high chair for awhile. So here is Caleb enjoying his breakfast.

Aloha!

It has been awhile.

Sorry. I guess I have had things to blog about but just haven't gotten around to doing it. I finally figured out how to get my pictures and videos off my phone. Here is a little one I tried taking yesterday before my memory was full. Caleb loved playing in the snow at first. Until his glove kept falling off and he couldn't stay up. Enjoy!

Caleb's Birthday

Caleb had a great birthday. We had a great family turn out with yummy treats. I made a special cake for Caleb to eat. Something that he could dive into himself. I'm pretty sure I should have stopped him a lot sooner than I did. He ate more than half the cake! Thanks for coming everyone!

These cupcakes had pictures of Caleb growing up throughout his first year.

Just some fun photos