Maui Part 4: Mount Haleakala and Beaches

The next day was Saturday and we took it easy that day by visiting another beach. This one I believe was called secret beach? It was a little hidden cove and a common destination for beach weddings. There were quite a few people there at first but as the day got later we eventually had it all to ourselves. 

This beach was also the first time we tried snorkling. We didn't have any flippers so it was quite a workout to get out to the reef, but we had 2 masks and snorkels so Leland and I would take turns taking the kids out to the reef with floaties. It was so amazing! We saw lots of colorful fish and even some exciting ones like a puffer fish and a flounder. 

It was at this point in the trip that I realized I had not been taking as many pictures as  I wanted to and so I tried to remedy that. 

His Hawaii curls were so darling! 

The next day was Sunday so we found a ward in Keihei to go to. It was packed with tourists! We had to sit on the stage. Leland was there too but he was taking the picture for us. 

Sorrel had darling Hawaii curls too! 

After church we went to Mount Haleakala National Park. We had visited the other side of this national park when we did the Pipiwai Trail at the end of the Road to Hana, but this was the more exciting side, a giant volacanic crater, so we decided to go see it too. 

Mount Haleakala is famous for it's sunrises and sunsets. But you need special permits for those times and we didn't want to face big crowds, so we just went during the middle of the day and it was still super cool. 

You drive thousands of feet up on a winding highway until you are above the clouds. On the way up we got to see the more rural part of Maui. Lots of farmland, green green pastures and even grazing cows and sheep. 

We went to the visitors center and the kids got junior ranger books. They love to look at all the 3D maps that national park visitors centers usually have. 

Being above the clouds was cool, but I didn't really like the drive, being afraid of heights. 

The next day was Monday and we got some famous cinnamon rolls for breakfast. I had to wait in a very long line and I was kind of underwhelmed for how famous and hyped up these cinnamon rolls were. 

The kids went to the pool in the morning and then we went to turtle beach on the other side of Maui. The kids had seen one sea turtle in the water at the secret beach we had gone to before, but only a couple of them saw it and the rest of us wanted to see turtles too. 

There they were! Just lounging on the beach! They were caution taped off but there was a overlook above them where you could look down and see them. 

This beach had the biggest bluest waves  I had ever seen! There were people surfing in them and they looked like they just got swallowed by the waves. They were going through the tunnel of the waves just like in movies. We all enjoyed watching them for a while. 

Another poor attempt at a family picture. I was hoping this whole trip to get a nice one and it never happened, that's okay though. 

Tuesday was our last day and the kids wanted to go back to the first beach we went to. It had really great sand and they had fun playing "volcanoes" inspired by all they learned about volcanoes at the national park. 

The kids were tired and the two littlest eventually drifted off for a midday nap. 

We did more snorkeling at this beach and we saw SEA TURTLES! They swam right up to us! The giant ones with a 3 foot shell! It was incredible. We all saw them and the kids even accidentally touched the shell (easy to do when the waves are pushing you around). I wish I could have gotten a picture but it was an amazing experience. 

This was the only day we stayed at the beach ALL day and it was the only time we got sun burned! But I think we all did get sunburned, thankfully the rash guards the kids wore kept the kids from getting it too bad. We did use sunscreen, just not enough  I guess. 

A little tired Mosey ready for bed. 

The next day we just had a couple of hours before we had to be at the airport. This was one the one time we ate out as a family. I can't remember the name of the restaurant but it was good! The only bad part was the wait and the chickens all over the restaurant! The servers kept spraying the chickens with water trying to get them out, but the place had a big open wall in front and they kept coming in. The worst part was when a chicken jumped up and snatched Sorrel's food out of her hand! I probably should have said something and I'm sure they would have given us more food. but I didn't.  I just left annoyed. Who knew chickens could be such a nuisance?!

Then it was back to the airport for our long journey home. Dropping off the rental car, hauling all of our suitcases, car seats and stroller to the luggage counter. Going through security (Maui security was VERY tight, they made us take the wheels off of our stroller) and then a short flight from Maui to Honolulu, getting off that plane and then the 7 hour plane ride back to Salt Lake City. 

It was an overnight flight, but no one really slept. Leland and I didn't but the kids did a bit.  We landed in Utah around 1am Hawaii time and 5am Utah time. The flight was crowded and I feel like they kept turning on the lights and making announcements way more than on our flight to Hawaii. 

But we made it back! And then it was through the airport again (the Hawaiian Airline Gates in the SLC airport are impossibly far away) picking up the carseats, taking the shutttle to our van, then getting the van, picking up our foster son and finally heading home. I was really glad there weren't any delays or fiascos on our flight home. It was much better to have those on the way there while we were all fresh. We were all SO ready to be home.

It was such an amazing trip! I am so grateful that we got to do it. I feel like since Leland and I got married and had kids very young, all we ever heard was that we would always be too poor to afford anything. But it's not true! I feel like changing our mindset about money these past few years has been a game changer. We can do anything we feel like sacrificing and saving for! This trip was a dream come true and I'm so grateful we got to go. ( and because of the crazy delays we had on the flight there, we get to go again next year!) I'm so grateful we had this time bonding as a family, especially sandwiched right in between two hard foster care placements. A little trip to paradise was just what we needed and I'm so grateful the Lord blessed us with that.