Water time in Hawaii

Yes it was 80-85 degrees on just about every day we were in Hawaii, but that didnt keep us from the hot tub!

After our snorkel trips I let the boys play in the pool with the camera to finish off the film. I was a little dissapointed in the quality of some of the pictures, but what more can you expect from a disposable? The pictures dont give the snorkeling much justice, real life was way more exciting.

Here is a baby whale playing around, just getting ready to jump up out of the water and show off for us.

Here is Zach after we made him snorkel in the ocean. He said he didnt want to do it, but we made him anyways. He clung to us and almost drown Mommy a few times, but had a few good moments he'll never forget and he'll thank us someday for making him get in. A few times I fibbed to him and said we'd swim back to the boat if he just looked at the fishies. So he did, and got very excited to see them and then quickly remembered he was in the ocean and tried to drown me again. I was able to fib a few times to get him to see more, but eventually had to quit fibbing and take him back to the boat. He was a little mad at us for a while, but then got to feed the fish and got happy again. Isnt he adorable in his little wet suit? (that we returned to the rental and got our money back because Hawaii water is NOT cold)

Eli snorkeling in the ocean.

Eli (and some random guy) swimming along in the ocean with the sea life.

This picture is the only one I got of Zach in the ocean on our snorkel trip. (Its of Jake and Zachs legs, you can see that Jake is holding him)

Before this trip I was deathly afraid of the ocean and wasnt sure that Jake could get me out there to snorkel. After talking myself down from a few panic attacks as fish got close, I quickly realized that the oceans all over the world are not all like they are here in Oregon. Hawaii is so calm and warm (not the cold unpredictable monster we have here), I quickly fell in love with the ocean there and those who know me well would have been impressed not only that I chased fish to capture them in pictures...but also that I let my kids do it too without hovering them. I sat on the beach and watched them laugh till they were out of breath as the ocean swept them 10 feet out and flung them back up on the shore. They had so much fun, and I didnt freak once. Gosh forbid they wash out 4 more feet and end up in calm waters where they could snorkel with some of the most beautiful fish Id ever seen. Hawaii makes me a little less of a helicopter parent, I enjoyed that more than I can ever put into words. I love Hawaii, I want to live there.