Maui no ka 'oi

That means "Maui is the best." Well we'll just see... this weekend!

Bryan and I are off to Maui tonight for a free stay at the Wailea Marriott where we hope to stay in a room that has the view above of Ulua Beach.

I know, I know, you hate us! We seem too lucky to get these great opportunities. Maybe. But we're soaking them up! I've never been to Maui so I'm thrilled just to check it out. Bryan spent the millenium here but has never been with me so he better be thrilled too!

Don't know what our plans are yet. We both need to relax BIG time but I think we'll try to see some sights and do a little snorkeling too.

Work Perk

Yesterday I went to Kauai for business. Lucky girl, right? I guess, but I've had more fun on business trips to Reno! Highlight of the trip was the convertible Mustang my boss rented for me. I took a self-portrait just to share with you.

Aloha,
Jenni

No, Udaho!

Tomorrow I'm off to Idaho to join Bryan at the Jayne family lake house for a long weekend of relaxing, playing and swimming in the lake. I might even try to water ski.

Hope you all enjoy your week and weekend!

Feels REALLY Good to Win

Woohoo! Today our canoe club sponsored the Waikiki Beachboys Invitational - a for-fun regatta in the surf of Waikiki. I got to race in the last race of the day and my team kicked ass. We came in first and had an awesome time. The pics are of us just as we were about the cross the finish line and of me right after I got off the boat. So happy!

After the regatta we stuck around for canoe surfing fun - think surfing meetings gymnastics in a boat. Sort of free for all and very fun. And then we drank at Dukes. One of the best days I've had in Hawaii.

Bike to Work Day

I rode my bike to work today. Pretty easy and pretty smooth going. I think it might become a regular thing.

I may have looked a little silly though. I inadvertently matched my bike. My white and green ensemble played into the metallic green bike frame and my white, green and blue bag that rode in my handlebar basket was set off nicely against my blue and green striped belt. I was like a bike riding J. Crew catalog!

I was also wearing a helmet. NO ONE in Hawaii wears bike helmets. I just have too much California in me. That, and Bryan made me promise.

Pieces of Me

This morning I donated blood for the first time ever. It's something I always felt I should do but got nervous or queasy at the idea. I was inspired to do it today by our very loving and very brave friends in San Francisco who are courageously fighting cancer in their family.

Donating blood helps all sorts of people - accident victims, cancer patients, and more. And believe it or not, it's really easy to do and pretty painless. It's like less painful than a bikini wax or a bad sunburn. And with much greater reward! So get on out there and donate a pint of your blood!

Dolphins!

On Saturday morning I woke up ridiculously early for paddling practice. I was having a sort of sucky practice and was all sweaty and tired when we saw DOLPHINS! Lots of them! The closest one was only 20 feet from our canoe. And two of them jumped in the air and did neat little spinny flips. Spinner dolphins, I was told.

It was an awesome experience.

4th Fun

Yesterday was a terrific 4th of July! A terrific and very eventful day.

The day started off very lazy and didn't look promising until we met up with my brother, inflatable boat in hand. Bryan and Brian went to work blowing up the boat and soon we were off, with me trailing in the water to join the large floatilla party happening in the middle of the ocean off Waikiki. It's hard to explain with words but think of a floating frat party where the average age is easily 32. There was beer, silliness and more beer.

After paddling back to shore, we grilled some dogs and watched the fireworks - both from the city and all the crazies around us. Fireworks are legal here. It's a weird thing.

Pretty much an ideal way to celebrate the 4th in Hawaii.

A day like that doesn't come without consequences. Brian's and my cell phones might be ruined due to sea water damage - totally my fault. Our clothes ended up in the trash truck (I promise you, we were not THAT drunk). And Bryan and I spent an hour trying to get our car alarm to stop and our car to start - my fault again, the beeper thing got wet, but it eventually worked so there is hope for my phone right?

Pictures were captured on a disposable camera that also took a long swim in the ocean. If the pics turn out I'll post them later.

Hope you all had a wonderful 4th!

Fourth of July weekend on the Military base

It's Fourth of July Military base Fair weekend and Jenni and I did it in style. We weren't quite sure what to expect out of this fair on the military base, but wanted to check it out. Aside from the pretty intense bike officer in charge of parking, everybody was really nice out there. They had their share of the standard hard-to-win fair games and luckily I was able to make Jenni the lucky winner of a scraggly "Ice Age II" rat toy by making a free throw. Bumper cars as always were great and the 1971 Ferris wheel was nice and the spinning cart ride actually gives you a pretty good ride. We stopped by the country concert for a few minutes before heading out to a nearby overlook to see the fireworks.

Today we went out to the beach for an evening slice of pizza overlooking the ocean and walked on the beach. It was nice.