Three Days in Hawaii

rested.

It's so easy to get bogged down with the daily routines, the short days, not enough sunlight and feeling a bit closed in. This time of year seems to just drag. I try to tell myself that I like a bit of hibernation but really, I don't. I want to go outside, go for a walk with Lucy, Winston and Ellie, and wear flip flops without freezing my toes off. I don't want to shovel any more snow. I no longer think it is pretty. I just felt, well, drained.

And then I got three lovely days in a magical place called Hawaii. I was somewhat dreading Jimmy being away for work for 12 days again. Time drags when he's away. I have to fight to fill our days and keep us busy but by 6 or 7 pm I am just done. I was so lucky to be able to break up his time away by visiting him and also getting some much needed rest for myself.

The flights were long and I am in a near panic most of them (I really don't like flying) but it was so worth it. The first morning I was there I got to have some alone time. By alone, I mean just me. Alone. I got up early (the 5 hour difference between here and there makes that easy) and had breakfast with my hubby and his client in the hotel restaurant. Then I was on my own. I went for a long walk down by the beach, in the shopping areas and spent some time just sitting in silence with my toes in the sand listening to the waves. If you are a mom, you know how rare and precious alone time is.

Over the next couple of days we did some fun stuff, trying to soak up as much of Hawaii in as we could in such a short time. We went hiking up to the Manoa Falls, hiked up Diamondhead, drove to the North Shore to watch the big waves and the amazingly brave sufers on those big waves, at at some yummy restaurants, spent some time on Waikiki beach, and even tried paddleboarding (which looks way easier than it is).

I came back home feeling a little more relaxed, calmer and centered. My brain needed a little time away from the everyday. My skin needed some sun. I needed to enjoy some time outside without my long North Face coat on. Jimmy and I needed some time alone to just have fun.