Oahu Trip Days #2, 3 & 4 (Ko Olina)

Days 2, 3 & 4 began much like Day 1..we spent the first part of our day at Disney's Aulani Resort next door soaking up all their fun- we hunted down whatever characters were available for photo ops (since Ryan is a Disney fan), hit the Media Room to read books, and gazed at fish feeding in the aquarium. Then we would hang out the rest of the afternoon in our chilled-to-a-nice-73-degrees hotel room, which I gotta say- was awesome once I figured out how to relax.

We did break up the monotony of our days by attending the Paradise Cove Luau one night (which was on the other side of our hotel). Supposedly it's the island's best since its not located in the city of Waikiki and therefore had more space/fun activities to offer, like outrigger canoe rides, tree climbing/coconut opening demonstrations, Hawaiian games (spear throwing), crafts (lei sewing), an imu ceremony (removing the kalua pig from the underground oven), a hukilau ceremony (pulling in the fish nets from the ocean) and of course- the nighttime hula show. Overall, it was well done (though a teensy bit cheesy...and the food was a 2 on a scale of 1 to 10), but it was all about giving Ryan a new experience and we loved watching him take it all in.

A few pics of our time spent out at Ko Olina-

Stitch!!!  But sadly, no Lilo! 

Another fun daily trek- walking along the baking hot train tracks and searching for smashed coins.

He can barely fit into a stroller anymore, but our infamously lazy boy would have it no other way on long walks along the oceanfront.  :-)

The Mouse

The Mouse's baby mama

Getting ready for his second canoe ride at the luau!

Spear throwing

Dancing with poi balls

The conch shell blowing signifying the start of the hukilau...but seriously- who here has read Lord of the Flies and doesn't still think of poor Piggy whenever they see/hear a conch shell?  

Demonstrating the art of 'throwing net' (I grew up watching my dad do this)

Hula on the beach!

Pulling in the fish nets

Posing with the ali'i (royalty)

Ryan, me and Rich (post spray tan and wearing his hula gear)

The best part of the show...the Tahitian dancers at night.

Someone couldn't contain himself once night fell and the music started pumping!

But by the end of the night...he started to wind down.  (And yes, he still sucks this thumb.  We aren't pleased, but we aren't too worried about it either, and have already started an orthodontia fund.  ;-)

Our final day there, he got to see Donald Duck!

The Goof Man

And...Mickey & Minnie together!  Pretty fitting.