Kauai update - Thursday

Yesterday, we spent the day on a catamaran, touring the Na Pali coastline. We got to do about an hour snorkel stop (well...minus Bryon's snorkel mask not working correctly - water is supposed to stay OUT of the mask, not leak in). We took pictures with our waterproof disposable camera, so we won't have pictures until after we get back. But, I don't think the pictures can truely do justice to the beauty of the coastline.

This morning, we slept in (6+ hours on a boat in choppy seas will make you tired!) and then went to Poi'pu on the southern coastline and to see spouting horn (the blowhole below). We were there at low tide and still got to see it shooting about 15 feet in the air. I wonder how high it goes at high tide? This is the view looking west from Spouting horn. The Hyatt resort is about the third bay down on Shipwreck beach.This is a parrot at the Hyatt resort (I was working on some of my artistic photographic skills)
This couple is at the beach at the Hyatt. If this isn't paradise, I am not sure what is...

Again, flowers (more specifically orchids) at the Hyatt.This beach is about 15 minutes west of the Hyatt resort in Poi'pu. It is called Glass Beach. It is unlike any beach we have seen. The black sand beach is completely covered in small colorful pieces of glass. This beach is in an industrial area, and is covered with shards of auto glass, pieces of bottles, and other random pieces of glass. All of their sharp edges have been worn down by the water, and it makes a colorful unexpected beach.
Pieces of the beach that we picked up...sorry for the lack of focus...
A bottom of a beer bottle...
Bryon and I at the Glass beach. Bryon (although he looks like he needs to shave in this picture!), has now been mistaken MULTIPLE times for a local (we joked about it at first, now he has had three or four different stores ask me where I am from and then look at him shocked and say they thought it was a local). Must be nice to get that tan in 15 minutes in the sun...

Kauai Update - Day 3

Most of today was spent driving to the Wailua Falls and the Waimea Canyon with a stop off to the Kauai Coffee Plantation and for some really sweet (literally and figuratively) shaved ice from a place called Jo Jo's in Waimea.


Wailua Falls

Sign leading up to the lookout point over Waimea Canyon after 11 miles of winding road

Waimea Canyon

More Waimea Canyon

Kauai Coffee Plantation - Rows of coffee bean trees.

View from our table at Scotty's Beachside BBQ in Kapaa, where we had some really good Hawaiian BBQ.

Tomorrow, we will be spending 6 hours on a catamaran, touring the Na Pali coast with about an hours worth of snorkling. We had to buy a waterproof camera, so there will be no picture updates.

Initial Hawaii Update

We are now in Kauai and have some interest access. I am attaching a few pictures for everyone to see. We will plan on updating another time or two before we leave!

This is the view from our lanai from the hotel on Waikiki beach...

During the parade of islands at the Polynesian Cultural Center

The waves at Sandy Beach in Oahu

The view from Sunset Beach in Oahu

And I am sure we will update more from Kauai later, but here is a picture from our helicopter tour this morning of the Na Pali Coast

First Day as Husband and Wife

It's official! It was a beautiful day for our wedding despite the fact that it was a little brisk. The ceremony couldn't have gone any better...our musicians were incredible, our flowers and decorations were great. After the ceremony, we hopped on a trolley with the wedding party and their spouses/significant other/date and we went over to the art museum for some really great photos...we can't wait to see how they come out...our photographer did an excellent job. The day went by fast and by the end of it, we were both exhausted from everything that has gone on the past few days. Here is a picture that Molly took of us on the trolley...

Jason Domingues, the photographer who was taking pictures for us, has also posted some "teaser" pictures up on his blog... http://www.jkdphoto.blogspot.com/

Now we have a couple days before we head on out for our honeymoon. We are really looking forward to it.

We want to thank all our family and friends for being a part of our special day, whether they were part of the wedding party, helping out with things, or just a guest.

We plan on posting pictures from Hawaii if we can find a decent (note: free) connection!

Four to Go

Four days left till the big day! We are finalizing the last little bit of details and are getting things organized by what goes where and on what day. I have two more finals left, both tomorrow, and then it is wedding stuff for the rest of the week. Maggie's last day at work before everything is tomorrow as well. Things have been touch and go inregards to stress but I think we are doing very well in handling it all. We both cannot wait for Hawaii for some much needed relaxation!

10 Days and Counting

Wow, my brain is really not wanting to cooperate tonight and I've only taken one final. So, finals are in full swing for me and Maggie is trying to finish up the rest of the detail stuff that we have left to do for the wedding...it hasn't been easy though. Between finding time in between appointments and reorganizing the seating chart to accomadate late RSVP's, I think she is doing a pretty good job handling things. We are hoping to have things wrapped up this weekend but we'll see...good thing is the only major thing that we left are the table cards. Work for her has been pretty busy but she is keeping in mind that she only has about 4 1/2 days of work left before a nice Hawaiian vacation.

The bachelor party was this past weekend. There were six of us freezing our butts off at the Royals game in the middle of April...it frickin' snowed that night! We ended the night at Famous Dave's BBQ at the new Power and Light District, downtown and were finally able to thaw out. The bachelorette party is set for this weekend and should be some good ol' low key fun for Maggie.

4 Weeks and Counting

Wow, time really flies when you are busy. At the beginning of the year, we were saying that things would really pick up come Easter. Well, now that it is past Easter, we are pushing to finish the rest of what we need to do between now and, hopefully, the week leading up to the wedding. That should prove to be interesting since between now and then, Maggie will be out of town for a couple of days in about a week and I will be coming up on finals in about two and a half weeks. Good thing my confirmation in the Catholic church was early this year (confirmation for adults is on the Easter Vigil and it came eary this year). There is still quite a bit to do, but I'm sure we will get it all done with the least amount of stress possible.

Maggie is finally settled into her new building for work. And as I am sitting here writing this, she is realizing how this month might be going with getting things done and all. I am confident that she will be able to get everything done that needs to be done (of course, with some of my help when I'm not studying).

I am doing pretty good this trimester. Hopefully, I can get through these last four weeks without getting to stressed out and distracted.

And Roxie is still as honoary as a dog can be.