Heid Family Christmas 2008

Wow, the weeks are flying by and I am finally finding a few minutes to blog about our amazing Christmas trip to Arizona and Hawaii. This will be long and have lots of pictures, but I need to get this up while it is still fresh in my mind. So, here is the story of our Christmas Break.

After a long week, Ashley and I were pretty unprepared to leave our home for two weeks. We spent that Friday night delivering Christmas gifts, making sure the house was ready, and packing for the trip. I think we finally went to bed at about 4 AM. The next morning, after about 2 hours of sleep, we got a ride from our friend and went to the airport. The first leg of the journey was to Minneapolis. We landed with about 20 minutes until our connecting flight. Ashley and got off the plane and found that our connecting flight was on the complete other side of the airport and had to make a full sprint to make it. They actually had to open the plane doors just to let us on and the whole plane was mad at us! Brutal. Ashley tried to explain to the whole plane that it wasn't our fault. Even though everyone was mad at us, we still waited in Minneapolis for about an hour while they de-iced the plane. Eventually, the plane took off in the blizzard and we made it to Phoenix. Unfortunately, our bags did not make it. We had to go back to the airport later that night to get them. We then watched the Cougs get destroyed by U of A in the Las Vegas Bowl and prepared for a break on Sunday before flying to Hawaii on Monday morning.

The next morning, all 9 of us made the trip to the airport with all of our luggage. From here, I am going to shorten this a bit and run through each day with some of my memories. Sorry if you weren't there and don't know what I'm talking about.

Monday- Trip from Phoenix to L.A., L.A. to Honolulu (mechanical difficulties?), hanging out in the airport, playing cards, playing Taboo at the airport, finally making it to Maui, driving the sweet Blue PT Cruiser (nice turning radius), trip to Costco with Tiff and Derrick, Derrick taking me in circles with his awesome directions, making it to the Condos, jumping in the pool, checking out our sweet room with the two double beds and paper doors.

Tuesday- Boys wake up and go golfing at the most amazing golf course ever on the Southern part of Maui, Tyler getting lucky a couple times and actually out driving the three big boys on a few holes (I know I was pretty bad the rest of the time, but I had to find something to brag about), views on the golf course, stopping at the taco stand for fish tacos after golf, heading down to Makena beach with the girls, Ashley popping her head up and saying, "Mother of all fish!", then saying "No, its a turtle," following the turtle all over the ocean, bogey boarding.

Wednesday (Christmas Eve)- Ka'anapali beach, more snorkeling, seeing another turtle with Dad (5 minutes after Tiana went in), awesome snorkeling, fun on the beach, back for lunch, off to the whale watching tour, Tiff and Derrick staying home and making Christmas dinner (amazing), Prime Rib, Ham, Funeral Potatoes, fresh fruit, white elephant gift exchange Christmas Eve, writing notes to everyone, playing games with the family, Chong Ching.

Thursday (Christmas)- Waking up early and heading on the road to Hana with Ash and Tiana, gas on the wrong side of the car, buying banana bread and smoothies from the "friends" at the jungle stand, rocking out to T's I-Pod, most amazing views in the world, waterfalls and beaches, 7 sacred pools closed for swimming, hike up to the waterfall through the bamboo forests, hiking down in the pouring rain, black sand beach on the way home, no more banana bread, meeting the rest of the group at Lahaina's, comparing everyone's fun Christmas days, "Yeah you do."

Friday (Ashley's Birthday)- Derrick with the smelliest shorts in history, another beach in the morning (I am forgetting names now, but it had massive waves), me getting trashed on the bogey boards, dad getting trashed on the bogey boards, building sandcastles and destroying sand castles, burying derrick, watching derrick and ashley show us all up on the boards, everyone looking nice for the Luau, amazing Luau, free drinks (virgin, of course), dancing with Ashley to celebrate our 5th anniversary.

Saturday (5th Anniversary)- Waileia Beach in the AM, more snorkeling, nicest sand ever, relaxing on the beach, girls leaving early with dad, Trev, Derrick, Ashley and I staying later and going to eat at Carl's Jr./Green Burrito, waiting forever for our stinking Burritos, quick turnaround at the condo before going to the beach again until sunset, two Hawaiian weddings on the beach, Ashley and I going out to eat that night, sharing Fish and Pork tacos at Maitai's on the beach with terrible service.

Sunday- Going to church an hour or so early, wearing slippers to Sacrament, huge attendance at Sacrament (took a half hour to pass sacrament to everyone), great talks, walking through the jungle to Honalua beach, two more turtles, coldest water of the trip, slipping and falling in the mud minutes before Tiana rolled her ankle in the middle of the river, Trevor calming her down, Derrick carrying her up the muddy hill, last beach that afternoon, relaxing and reading on the beach.

Monday- Shopping at Whaler's village, trip to Iao Needle, Shopping Mall, cards at airport, watching football in food court, travel scrabble, lame Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants movie on plane.

Tuesday- Long wait at L.A airport, finally arriving home.

* Nightly fun playing Mario Kart, Dr. Mario, Smarty Pants, Settlers at the Condos.

After coming home, we were lucky enough to still have a few days in Arizona. Ashley had a couple interviews with Dentists while we were down there. We spent a great night at Tiff and Derricks for New Years Eve. We even got to see some old friends from Dental School and had a great time. Too much fun for one break!

On Saturday the 3rd, Ashley headed off to Utah for some more interviews and I came back to Philly for work. It stinks being back. We had looked forward to that trip for so long that it is weird to have it be over. Now we can just look forward to leaving the east coast and this brutal weather. It was like 14 degrees yesterday! Enjoy a bunch of Hawaii pictures. . .