Aloha Oe....Until We Meet Again

I've been back from my Hawaiian summer for several days now. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about things like getting pounded by the waves at the beach, long rides on the bus, or funny things that happened at work. I experienced the same feelings when my study abroad in London ended and when I came back from being in Italy all winter and spring. Things that I was so used to doing everyday could and can no longer be done. I can't hop on the tube and 15 mintutes later be walking through Covent Garden. I can't catch the 222 into centro to get a panzerotti at the drop of a hat. I can't walk 100ft in my swimsuit and be at Hukilau beach. Pretty soon I'll be trying to survive the MTC saying, "I can't have 2 seconds alone" or "I wish I could be having Thanksgiving dinner with everyone." But that's how life goes. You don't realize how much you loved something until you're away from whatever it is, be it people or places. Here's some pictures of my favorite memories and things that I miss everyday.

Walking past the temple.

Bonfires on the beach.

Hiking in the jungles.

Eating watermelon on Sunset Beach at sunset.

Working at the Polynesian Cultural Center.

Snorkeling and jumping of the rock at Waimea Bay.

Eating the most divine shaved ice at Matsumoto's, the place that invented sno-cones.

Falling at 120mph through the air.

Body surfing at Hukilau and then getting pounded into the sand once the wave brakes. Probably our #1 favorite pastime.

ALOHA OE HAWAII!! UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN!!

Acai

Yum. I've discovered my new favorite thing to eat. It's called acai, pronounced uh-sigh. I first heard about it from one of my roomates here in Hawaii. There's a Brazilian place, Island Shack, just off Kamehameha Highway near Sunset Beach that serves it just like the picture shown here. All it is is a smoothie made with acai berries and then topped with granola and bananas. Acai is an "antioxidant rich berry that grows wild in the Brazilian Amazon and is considered to be one of the top Superfoods in the world." Heck, if Oprah has mentioned it, you know it's gotta be good!
On Saturday, Jenn and I woke up at 5am and ran 16 miles as part of our marathon training. We planned it so that after we were done running, we could sit at the beach for awhile until Island Shack opened. After napping on the beach for 3 hours, it opened and we were rewarded with a big bowl of acai! Nothing like eating something cold, healthy, and filling after a long run!

Hangin' Loose

A couple weeks ago on July 26th I went tandem skydiving in bella Hawaii. After doing a few flips out of the plane and falling for a while, I pulled out the digital camera and tried to capture some of the excitment of one of the most exhilirating moments of my life!!!

From London to Laie

Discovery of the Day: One of my favorite things about being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the idea of temples. I decided that today as I was doing baptisms in the Laie, Hawaii temple. I think even if I wasn't a member of the church, I would enjoy making a quick stop and taking a moment to look at these beautiful buildings which can be found in many different places throughout the world. Most of them are surrounded by well-kempt grounds which make for a great stroll. Being able to go inside is very rewarding, in more ways than one. Aside from the events that take place inside, I also love looking around at the interior of the temples. Each one is unique, especially the older ones.
I got to do baptisms while I was in London on my study abroad program during the fall of 2004 (gosh it seems like just yesterday). A group of us took a train to the area and then had to bum a ride to get to the actual temple. Turns out the temple worker who picked us up knew my brother who had served his mission in that area several months before. What are the chances! I loved that temple trip. Good experience, good times.
Utah is chuck full of temples; I've been to many of them. I've also visited others in Arizona, Nevada, California, Oregon, and now Hawaii! I can't wait to be able to go through the whole temple in a few weeks! Unfortunately there is no temple in my mission in Rome, or in all of Italy for that matter, the members have to go to up to Switzerland. My guess is that there's one in the works for Italy!

I Want a Porsche-a

"I want a porsche-a!" This phrase should sound familiar to my sisters Ell and Marg; they're the ones who coined it. Supposedly when I was a kid they complained to my parents about how I was given everything I asked for. "If she asked for a Porsche, she'd get one," they said. For years I denied that claim, as anyone who is accused of such selfishness would do. However, as my life continues, I'm starting to believe that that accusation is not too far off. Especially with recent events such as my mission call. I've told some that I was hoping to go to Italy on my mission. Wish granted. I figured I'd be doing a whole lot of nothing until I leave in November so I might as well start a blog to record some of my thoughts and selfish pursuits. Hukilau beach is calling. Later.