Feeling the Culture, Day!

Grammy bought us tickets to spend the day at the 
Polynesian Cultural Center, or the PCC.

But first we met up at the temple for some baptisms and walking around
for those who couldn't go inside!

The Oahu temple grounds are beyond spectacular.

So big and lush with a straight shot view of the ocean!

Of course he had to get crazy and pretend to fall in!

We stopped into the visitors center.

The missionaries were either pumped for a crowd, or wishing they
had the next shift, ha!

It looked the same from when I was in school 20 years ago.
I wonder if they will ever have an overhaul like ours in AZ?

We went to Seven Brothers for Burgers in the strip mall.
  For some reason Taco Bell next door was calling my name!

The best combo lunch right there!

The PCC was just as amazing as I had remembered it!
It's such a bummer they open at noon,
because you really need more time to explore the 6 Island villages!

When we arrived our group was ushered to the side
and then give 3 personal tour guides!

Grammy wasn't sure exactly what she purchased!

However it was wonderful having them lead us around to the shows

and entertainment and help save us seats!

The opening water show was a must!
They have each Island come out on floating platforms and

perform their cultural dances and chants!

Jesse got picked out of the crowd to go up front and battle with

2 other guys who were also in the crowd.

Canoe rides!

Learning how to weave palm leafs. 

The shaka!

Group games

Nap time

Tattoos were a hit!

We sent all of the kids in one boat and the adults followed.

IYKYK

This guy is a LEGEND!

He was here when I went to school!

He looks exactly the same.

I guess climbing palm trees keeps you young.

Fresh coconut water.

Our lovely guides, who are BYUH students.

They are mostly from places

like Tonga and Fiji. 

They come here until all of their schooling is finished.

Which means not going home for years. 

They get free schooling, room and board in return for working at 

the PCC.

A dream opportunity for them.

After we tipped our guides, one started crying!
Makes you appreciate the life you have!

Time for our royal Hawaiian feast!!

Hands down best luau food, ever.

After dinner we went to the HA: Breath of Life show.

I don't have any pictures but it was spectacular and I loved the fire dancers!

Hawaii!!

 

We did what we swore we would never do, take our kids to Hawaii.

I love to spoil my kids, but they sure live a cushy life.
They have experienced way more than I ever did at their ages!

I figured I would let them find their own way there later on down the road.

You know, earn it, so they would really appreciate it!

That is when I first went.
As a college student at BYUH.

 We got a group text from Casey's sister asking who would like to join
them in Hawaii during October break.
They had a connection to a rental house that could fit a big group.

I ignored it because of what I mentioned before.

Plus at the time Lane had not received his mission call yet, and
we had no idea what our future was looking like.

Long story short, we became committed to go.
Without Lane.
Who was not very happy about missing out!
I'm sorry, Lane :/

And we didn't even end up in that rental house, lol!
We stayed at the Marriott right next to the Polynesian Cultural Center, which we LOVED!!

Luckiest girls on their way to paradise!!

Our first beach day was at Sherwood beach.
It has the best waves for boogie boarding, which was a MUST
for the kids!

It was overcast and drizzling on our drive.
Not ideal but the kids didn't care!

I thought it was interesting that it was a mini forest before you got to the water.

Pizza and the beach always slaps.

And Casey continued tradition by getting pulled over!

Luckily he knows how to get out of a ticket by batting his beautiful eyelashes:)

These kids played in the water for hours.

I even boogie boarded!

Bless the warm water!

They always seemed to circle up for volleyball towards the end.

They have the best area full of food trucks on the North Shore.

It's perfect for large crowds so everyone can get what they want and not have

to wait around for a server at a restaurant!

We ended up with a variety of things to share.

The corn dog drizzled in honey was a favorite!

We took eating our hearts very seriously!