Sunday, October 19, 2014

Maui Vacation 2014 Day 3

Our third day in paradise was my birthday!

Here's me at the beach on my birthday!
We went to my favorite farmer's market, and then to Lahaina in the afternoon! I also share a birthday with Robert's dad, and it was Auntie Sloane & Uncle Brian's anniversary (the reason for our trip!), so it was a full day of celebrations!

My favorite Farmer's Market is located at Sugar Beach, right next to the Bakery! (Pictures below)

It's pretty much open-air, and there are tons of different things to buy!

Fresh coconuts!

I don't care what anyone says; you cannot get
any better coconuts than in Maui!

Choosing which one I wanted!

The man helped me choose - meaty or milky?
Milky, of course!

I gave him my ticket...

...and he cut it open for me!

See the jar with the yellow lid? It's tips for the
"coconut samurai man's insurance," lol! (I made
sure we tipped him!)

Yay!

My happy birthday coconut!


Oh yes - it was SO GOOD!

Ellie Jo got her first taste of fresh coconut, too!

She LOVED it!

I'm not sure if mommy or baby
got more coconut milk, lol!

She totally figured the straw out!

She kept signing "please" and "more"

Everyone shared with baby!

(As you can see, all of Ellie's "friends" had to
come with us to the Farmer's Market - but she
couldn't be bothered to carry them!)


Deciding whether she liked the taste!

Sugar Beach Bake Shop! This was not there
in 2010, I don't think! (Sorry for the surprise
selfie, Bryce!) I bought some goodies for us
in the Bake Shop!

My new invention: Island Biscotti (AKA Kona
coffee w/ Vanilla creamer + dehydrated coconut)
You may have seen this on my Instagram
already!


After the farmer's market, went back to the condos. Elizabeth really needed a nap, and I really really wanted to go down to the beach. No one wanted to go with me, but I didn't care - the most important part about this trip (for me) was to spend time just enjoying the beach. Feeling the sand between my toes, wading into the sparkling clear water, and just being in the moment. I spend so much time on the go and doing stuff for other people, that I purposed in advance to take time for myself on this vacation. So, Robert stayed at the condo with Ellie (he and Bryce were still badly burned from the day before, anyway), and I went to the beach.
At the beach!

It was so clear!

The beach wasn't very crowded, either!

Fishing boat in the distance

So much fun!

This is looking south, towards Wailea

I only had my iPhone, but I couldn't stop taking
picture after picture!

I like this one because the wave looks green!

Gorgeous beach

Looking north towards Lahaina (around the bend
of the hill you see in the distance)

The sand was sooo soft!

Ahhhh toes in the sand...

I'll never forget that feeling!

The waves did start to get a bit choppy

I was amazed at how the sand rolled and turned
so much in the surf, and then just rested so fast!

You can see the clouds rolling in, as it's nearly
time for tradewinds

The waves would go out with such pull that it
tickled my feet!

I was searching for fish!
The waves sometimes had yellow & black fish
in them!

This is a good picture of what happens to the
sand in the surf

Robert texted me right before I took this picture,
saying Ellie was awake, but to take my time.

I had no problem hanging out for a few more
minutes!

Sparking sand!

I could stare at this all day long, every day.

Again, green waves!

This was when the wind started picking up a little

I think this is my background at work now!

Goodbye for today, beach!


I made my way back up to the condo, helped get Ellie ready to go, and we loaded up to go to Lahaina.

I asked if we could stop at the Papawai Scenic
Lookout on the way to Lahaina, since I've stopped
there every time I've been to Maui.
Here's Robert and me at this same
lookout in 2010!
And here we are as a family of 3 in 2014!































View from the lookout!
 Last time we were at this lookout, we saw whales! We didn't see them this time, since it wasn't the same season. Maybe next time!
So beautiful!

Auntie and Ellie!

Even the clouds were pretty!

You can see where the wind is hitting the water,
but unlike the Pacific Northwest, there are no
white caps!

Stunning views

I wouldn't want to hike down there!
No filter

We got to Lahaina, and went straight to the Banyon tree and Courthouse!
Planted by William Owen Smith 1873

Courthouse records

Lahaina Visitor Center, bottom of the Courthouse

My silly girl sitting in the window downstairs
in the Courthouse
Ellie as a juror!

She was jumping, lol

Cool exhibits upstairs in the Lahaina Courthouse

One of the neatest things in the
museum!

Another neat exhibit!

Ellie and mommy upstairs in the Courthouse

She wanted to be Miss Independent...

We couldn't get a good picture at all

She was eating her snack there,
lol
This is Daddy, hoping she sits
nicely for the picture
She kinda sat nicely, lol
Staircase at the Courthouse
The Banyon Tree!

Family Picture at the Banyon Tree

The Courthouse!

That Banyon Tree is seriously huge!
 The Courthouse sits on the water side of the street in Lahaina, and right across the street from it is the Banyon tree. Because Robert and I were only in Lahaina at night last time we were in Maui, we never saw the Banyon tree, and only saw the back of the Courthouse, and couldn't go in because it was closed.
McKinney Group!

Everyone all together! Not a bad picture,
considering we did it with the timer on the stroller!

25 Years later! (And, I don't think the stroller was
there before, lol!)

2010
2014







































































Some of the pictures we took were purely to re-create fun we had in 2010!


2010
2014 (Notice - Robert is wearing the same
shirt in both pics!)

You can really see how bad his sunburn was
around his eyes!

We're back - with a new addition! Same table
and everything! Hoping we can make it back
again soon.








When we were in Maui for our honeymoon in 2010, we went to Lahaina Coolers for dinner the second night we were there. This is where we discovered the wonderful Fried Brie salad! We kept making it again and again at home! So, we wanted to go back there to eat for my birthday this year. It was a lot of fun to be in the exact same place we were 4 years ago!
Crab wontons! Incredible!

Fried Brie Salad!!

You can see this cute little shop right next door to Lahaina Coolers, and it has adorable (expensive) gifts in it! Rather than purchase stuff for myself, I took pictures so I could always see all the cute stuff without the price tag, lol. (I seriously was not willing to pay $75 for that pillow!)

Storefronts in Lahaina

Yep, Karina's Boutique is still there! But slightly
different looking than last time. :)

Karina's in 2010
Beautiful flowers growing on the side of the
road in Lahaina!

Old building in Lahaina

Cool view on our way out of town

The end of the day was a stop at the Lahaina Canery Mall where we saw a free hula show.

We voluntold Auntie Sloane and Uncle Brian to get up and be the "audience participants," lol.

 Enjoy the videos that closed out our evening for the birthday/ Anniversary celebrations!






More to follow....