russ and mindi stay at the jw marriott ko'olina and it changes their life.




ahhhhhhhh, paradise. it really IS all it's cracked up to be. this is the first vacation that russ and i have taken in our 17 years of marriage that i really was not ready to come home on the last day. don't get me wrong, i missed my peeps at home.........just knew i could extend for at least 72 more hours and then hug on them afterwards.  

we stayed at the beautiful jw marriott in ko 'olina and it was magnificent. loved loved loved these views from the balcony:











one of my favorite things about russ that makes me giggle is that, without fail, every single time we stay at a hotel, he unpacks everything. EVERYTHING and puts it all into the drawers or hangs it in the closet. i've asked around, and i've yet to find somebody that does this. fyi: he will do this, even if we are only staying one night. 




 we ate breakfast every morning out on our balcony and it was breathtaking.  i told russ that i didn't ever want to forget how it felt to eat an amazing and life-changing breakfast with a view like this

every morning, without fail, the birds would come down and perch on the rail and watch us eat. then, when we would hold really still, they would get brave enough to jump on the table and peck a little bit once we were finished.




40 comments:

tiburon said...

1. Get ready for this. I am an unpacker. RBC and I are soul peeps.

2. Nothing better than a hi falutin view, hi falutin food and hi falutin birds.

3. Swimming with sharks?!?! FOR REAL?!?!

4. I can't wait to see you in a thong.

5. I am so jillious I could spit.

Hannah said...

That makes me miss living in Hawaii! I love it there!!

Jori said...

I HATE you!....Seriously.

Tib is going to join in on the hate fest when she see's your shark pics.

Christie said...

I need a vacation, not a "trip". {{SIGH}} It may be awhile, because no one is brave enough to take my kids for any amount of time. Glad you enjoyed yourself though.

Anonymous said...

Wow-those pics are amazing and good for you!

Megal said...

Good times. You two are so incredibly spoiled. How would it be?

hoLLy said...

joey unpacks too:) those dudes could be best friends for life! props to ya both for getting a room with a view and room service. when you have a lot of kids and its been that long since you have "vacationed" you should totally live it up! i'm so happy for you that you had such a fab time! look forward to more pics. . .

Tiffany said...

I also unpack the bags. In fact, I can prove it to you when you take me with you on your next Hawaiian vacation.

If I didn't like you so much, I would be seething with jealousy. That view is uh-mazing!

Tori :) said...

Just stop it already. I'm already depressed as it is!

Jennie Minor said...

So jealous! Looks like you guys had fun and the room view is beautiful! Nothing beats room service.

ps...My husband does the same thing as Russ. So funny!

Aimee said...

Ha! Yep, my hubby unpacks everything too... I just collapse on the bed and watch him. We also order room service for breakfast, because we're lazy like that! Can't wait for tomorrow's installment...

Angie A. said...

Totally agree with the "trip" and "vacation" logic. I was not ready to come home from our vacation either, and almost felt bad about. You're catching on with the pidgeon when you say "slippers" and end your sentences with "ya?" Sometimes I miss living there.

Trina said...

{Sigh}

rachel said...

So glad you are back! Sooo glad you had a great time...sooo jealous I wasn't there :) My husband unpacks too, then when we pack up he has to go around the room like ten times to make sure we didn't forget anything! So annoying!

Holly H. said...

Freak that looks nice right about now! I'm glad you had a great time, but I am hatin' a little bit. :)

Anonymous said...

Love the lower right picture of Russ, love the VACATION rather than the trip, love the pictures, love that you can now speak fluent Hawaiian and I so love that you are going to keep on with it thruout the week! Bring it on! (A little sompin, sompin, I've learned over the past 12 years, when we do get spoiled, it's hard to bounce back! Shawn officially calls me a candya$@!!) (double p.s. Shawn also unpacks his crap! Gotta love it)

Amy said...

Your dad cracks me up! I loved the word Hi-falutin... that is going to be my word of the day!

Cole said...

My hubby unpacks too. Not only that--he makes lists, checks it off as he outs it in the bag and then rechecks the bag and marks things of a second time....Hmmm sorta sounds like Santa "He's making a list, checking it twice....."

Me and The Boys said...

OH MY HECK! My hubby unpacks....so weird! We went to mesquite for one night and yes...he unpacked...in the flippin OASIS..at least your were there a while and in a Marriott!

Tiffany said...

You pretty much suck- travel snob! For reals though, glad you had a nice vacation.

Super Happy Girl said...

I do not unpack for one day. I'll unpack for more than a week. But for one day? That's just axing for trouble IMO ;) But looks like Russ has fun unpacking so we shall let him.



I can taste bitter tears of sadness in the back of my throat.
Go ahead, gloat.

Super Happy Girl said...

You know "The birds"?

yeah, uh huh, that's how that whole thing started.

Suzie said...

Love hearing all about your vacation. You deserved it!

keep it coming!

(and seriously good entertainment from the confession booth. way. to.go.

L and T said...

Hilar that he unpacks!

Ashlynn {mamabear} said...

I like what your dad said - I am all about living like that! Sadly I am starting soon - 4 month old baby home while we go to Sweden for a week. ahhh

You swam with the sjarks - yeah - that was my favorite!

Ashlynn {mamabear} said...

you know what I mean - I'm typing one handed come on.

Misty said...

Jealous....so jealous.

kami @ nobiggie.net said...

Wow - What a lucky girl you are. That trip was amazing, I wouldn't want to come home either.

P.S. Unpackers are funny. Although, maybe on a Vacay like this, I would want to unpack and pretend that I really lived there...forever. Just dreamin'. ;) Glad you are back and that you had a blast!

Ida said...

2-4-6-8 huh> That one cracked me up. I am so happy you guys had a nice time. I do love me some room service too. Even my children know room service. We start them young in these parts. LOL Can't wait to see more pics.

{Annie N.} said...

so jealous it hurts!

hollylynn said...

it was the w lounge. and you two could totally party there but you want to dress a little emo. it helps to be in a larger group, too.

hollylynn said...

it was the w lounge. and you two could totally party there but you want to dress a little emo. it helps to be in a larger group, too.

hollylynn said...

it was the w lounge. and you two could totally party there but you want to dress a little emo. it helps to be in a larger group, too.

hollylynn said...

it was the w lounge. and you two could totally party there but you want to dress a little emo. it helps to be in a larger group, too.

Renee said...

34 comments?!!! Seriously.

Love the pictures, even though I'm totally jealous. Love your cute cowboy hat too!

Melissa said...

What a wonderful vacation...looks divine! BTW, Randy unpacks everything as well!!

Omgirl said...

Oh yeah? Well...um...I have prettier birds in my back yard. So there. *sticks tongue out*

Henry said...

sigh.. your life looks nice. i am in mississippi. don't u think i deserve a coconut bra for that? ;)

Lesley said...

It caused me physical pain to have you out of the blogging world for a week. I did appreciate a few comments on your part but I needed the morning laugh session. It's good to have you back.

Hacking it up said...

BEAUTIFUL!!! I love Hawaii!!! And yes, it IS worth the $$ for the view!!! Heaven! I laughed out loud when you talked about Russ unpacking EVERYTHING and putting it in the drawers..Lance does the same thing!!! It drives me crazy, I think, who else has put their things in that drawer, and what if they had cooties?...or lice?...gross.