April Showers...

...not in Hawaii! Summer is fast approaching. Yes, it's summer year-round, but once you've lived here for at least a year you can tell the differences between the seasons. The rain, milder temperatures, and the cloudy days are slowly disappearing completely and is getting HOT. Which means lot's of play time outside! Soon I'll be begging for the trade-winds to come :)

Bellows is probably my favorite beach, especially on a non-windy day like this one.  It's gorgeous AND good for boogie-boarding. It's a military beach, though, so it's only open to the public on the weekends.

Brody- Sarah and Kyle's dog. Dug himself a hole down to the cooler sand.

April is also my BIRTHDAY month!! 

First stop- submarine tour!

I had an entire weekend of festivities planned. Friday was dinner and night out in Waikiki. Saturday was filled with kayaking....and I left Sunday up to Tim. He was a good boy and planned a whole adventure for Sunday 4/10, my actual birthday.

On the boat that took us to the submarine. I got pretty seasick even though I bought the "seabands" that are supposed to use acupuncture to alleviate symptoms.

One of the man-made reefs. The reef in front of Waikiki is wearing away so the University of Hawaii and some other organization were funded to sink man-made reefs including ships.

I stealthily captured a picture of this professional picture that was taken as we boarded the boat...or not so stealthily since I got caught red-handed. "You're no allowed to do that!" And the photo was swiftly taken away- she never asked if I wanted to buy it :)

The second part of my birthday surprise was a dinner cruise! I've been wanting to go on one for a while, so I was quite pleased :D It was part of the Atlantis Submarine package. This is us on the ship out in front of Honolulu. 

Appetizer- shrimp in cocktail sauce!

I'm scared of my lobster. Part 1 of 2 main dishes. The other was a prime roast something or other.

How do you eat this thing? The waiter was quite amused my all of us "unrefined" folk. He was graciously helping all of us twist the tail off and poke the meat through...whilst laughing in our faces :)

Gorgeous view of Honolulu.

Diamond Head. We (sailed?) (cruised?) (rode?) from Aloha Tower in downtown Honolulu around Diamond Head and back.

This bona-fide cowboy was from "Oklahoma, ma'am" and a 6th-generation one at that! Notice his walled strapped to his back, knife in the front, green boots, and green handkerchief to match!

Diamond Head to the right with Waikiki and Ala Moana to the left.

Since it was my birthday, I got a candle in my dessert.

Also since it was my birthday, I got called up to do the hula :) I've never danced hula before [except random moves during trainings at Kamehameha] so it was interesting!

Haha lucky Tim was asked to go with the waiter. Little did he know that he was volunteering to dance in the finale!

I have other pictures of Friday night and Saturday- I'll post them later...maybe :)