Hawaii Holiday

About a year and a half ago Trent's brother Ian proposed to a sweet girl from California named Courtney. Of course Trent and I were thrilled for them, but we were even more excited because Ian and Courtney live in Hawaii so their impending nuptials meant an excuse to go to Hawaii. Trent had been a few times before to visit and surf and eat delicious food, but I had never been. So this March we flew from Shanghai to Honolulu and had a fabulous time. It was wonderful to spend time with Trent's family, and to spend the week on the gorgeous island of Oahu. We stayed in the small town of Kailua which was a welcome reprieve from the chaos of Shanghai. I finally got to meet Trent's oldest sister and her daughters, this was long overdue. I can't wait to spend more time with them in the future, they are awesome!

Courtney and Ian had planned a beautiful, intimate ceremony on Kailua Beach followed by a cozy reception in their back yard. Rain on the day of the wedding made for a muddy backyard, but the sun came out for the reception. Great things happen in the mud though, as Trent says, we met in the mud at the wettest Kentucky Derby in history almost four years ago!

It was great to see Ian so genuinely happy, and I loved spending time with Courtney. It was great spending time with Trent's younger brother Dane and his girlfriend Ashley. The boys all live on opposite sides of the world, with us in Shanghai, Ian in Hawaii, and Dane in California spending time together is a rarity.

The photos below are from the wedding, and a hike that Ashley, Dane, Trent, and I went on near Halona Blowhole. Trent and I made it halfway up the Koko Crater, while Ashley and Dane are much more hard core and they kept going. Trent and I enjoyed the views of the water, where we could even spot whales from time to time. Hawaii is truly a beautiful, pristine place.

I have to say the highlight of the trip for me was when we went snorkeling in Hanauma Bay and saw sea turtles in their natural habitat. (Obviously my love, bordering on obsession, with sea turtles in no secret.) I had every intention of having photos of said snorkeling adventure on the blog. We even went so far as to purchase a waterproof digital camera. However, after we took it for a spin while playing in the surf, the battery drained suddenly and when I got back to the beach and opened it up to switch batteries, a decent amount of water came pouring out. When we went to exchange it they didn't have any more in stock so it just wasn't meant to be. Next time we're in the US I will get a better one and be prepared! And there will be a next time because we are going to have to go back and visit since Courtney and Ian will be having a little Perkins boy in July. We'll just have to get back to meet the little guy and go snorkeling some more :)

It was also fun to photograph at a wedding, but it was nice to not have the stress of capturing every single moment! I love weddings, and now that Chelsea is engaged I'll get to help plan and be in another one...this is also exciting since I LOVE planning a great event!

Up next on the blog is our trip to Hong Kong, and my awesome weekend getaway to the home of Chinese pottery, Jingdezhen. As I write this my soul sister, Heather, is about to land at PVG so I'm sure photos from our adventures will be up....but maybe not until summer.