It’s been tough finding time to dive into vacation photos as my evenings are often spent catching up on the work I didn’t quite finish during the day (#homeschooling!), but I just poured myself a glass of red, put on some Jack Johnson, and am feeling the island vibes as I look back on our few days in Maui. Such simpler times, way back in February…
Oh, to start each day with a breakfast of fresh, tangy fruits…
And then hop right into the pool! After our grand tour du Hana on Thursday, we committed to laying waaaay low on Friday, claiming a couple of poolside chaises first thing in the morning and then just chillin’.
Juliette’s resort look #1:
And #2:
And #3, my personal favorite:
We played and swam and waded and reveled in the feeling of having nowhere to go.
Live your best life, kiddo.
Juliette is at such a great pool age – brave enough that she wants to do the slides and cannon-balls, but cautious enough that she still loves to just hold onto my shoulders and take a spin around the pool with Mama. I haven’t played so much, so hard with this girl in months. We both ate it up.
We left the hotel on an afternoon mission for Hawaiian shave ice and found fluffy, fruity treats at Ululani’s.
…and then it was back to the beach for more sand and surf.
Saturday was much like Friday – sunny, mellow, and carefree.
Shane rented some snorkel gear and waded out with Juliette early in the morning. She wasn’t super-keen on keeping her face in the water, but Shane got out for some good fish-finding and turtle-watching.
A couple of kids handed off their boogie board and floatie as they were leaving the resort and we spent much of the day just bobbing around on our new toys…
Then, we hit the slides.
Again, and again, and again.
We drove into Lahaina in the afternoon for pina coladas with an ocean view.
And then, a magical sunset on a quiet little stretch of beach at Makena Cove.
I could watch this girl play in the sand forever.
Whales!
Sayonara, sun.
Sunday was also much like Friday, easy-going and blissful. I thought that by Sunday I’d be itching for another adventure, but after a morning walk along the beach, I was feeling just fine about settling into my pool chaise for the foreseeable future.
Nice height, Jules!
We did venture out in the afternoon for a “hike” (a 10-minute walk along a paved trail) at Iao State Park.
We climbed the 133 steps to the lookout (Juliette counted every one!) and then enjoyed the pay-off. I love these rugged Hawaiian landscapes.
A quick stop for ice cream, because…just because.
And then right back into the pool. Juliette was insatiable, swimming stronger and further day by day. And the slides! The slides… Not pictured here is the Lava Tube, a twisty-turny slide that spits you out so fast you can’t help but get water up your nose. Juliette loved it.
We headed to the beach for one last Maui sunset and Shane caught some mini-waves on the boogie board.
Maui, we heart you. So much.
Monday. Monday… Monday was go-day, we just. weren’t. ready. We ate one last plate of fresh fruit, went for one last dip in the pool, grabbed a few last rays of sunshine.
Juliette tossed a coin into the fountain out front as we were leaving, wishing that we could come back the very next day.
What a trip! What a restorative, luxurious (well-timed!) respite in one of the most beautiful places on earth. This past month has been hard, to say the least, but I’m so thankful for those few days of zen before the storm. Someday, when this madness is over, those aqua waters will call us back.
