Week Three On the Island

Okay so week three is officially over and it was more fun than I thought. Chris and I went to the beach a lot, like always. No intestines this time.. sorry.  I went to my first Relief Society activity and it was.. different. I was the only one there without a child or three, the only one there that was born in the nineties and the only one there who doesn't live in TVA (Temple View Apartments or married housing on campus). They all were complaining about how TVA has no privacy and you can hear every kid  from your own bathroom. I then asked how much they were paying for rent.. $650 someone said. I laughed and said BE GRATEFUL YOU'RE NOT PAYING  $950!!  Don't worry, I didn't offend anyone.. they still invite me to do things.. 

 I think that's the hardest thing about being out here. Not being so involved like I've always been. But on Wednesday night I got a call from a girl in the ward.. she asked if I could watch her kids the next morning. Of course I said yes.. what else do I have to do.. honestly? That next morning I went over and met a handsome young man named Jack. We are now very good friends thanks to Hairspray. We put the movie in, I started dancing and it's been official ever since. He has an older adorable sister named Taylor and they make my day. (They are nothing compared to my gorgeous nieces and my handsome nephew though!) 

There are some things I have found out about Hawaii as I've been here. For example everything here grows like the Redwood Forest. It's huge.From the leaves to the animals. Also.. snails. Chris and I have our own pet snails right outside our front door every night. 

So this second picture of the snails, you're thinking "What's going on"? Well.. I was wondering that same question. I know you can barely see it but there is a small white thing connecting them. You probably don't care but you're reading my blog already so I might as well teach you something kind of interesting. Chris and I researched it and that is actually how they mate. They shoot white darts into each other and that's how it works. I'm not sure how enjoyable that is but i seems to work because they are everywhere here. :) 




Our Kayaking Adventure

I was going to make this a whole new post on it's own but it did happen during week three and it was pretty fun, so what the heck! Chris happens to be lucky enough to be taking a water motors class, which means you learn anything and EVERYTHING you can learn do in the water, including kayak surfing. Kendra (his professor) and Chris start talking about how I am Lifeguard certified and the next thing we know is I have a job teaching swim lessons out at her ranch and I am invited to go kayaking with the class. Okay.. this is awesome. 

Today was the lucky day, kayaking. We drove over to Lanikai and were given a little lecture about how the reef can hurt and blah, blah, blah. Then we got our kayaks.Oh man was I excited! Chris and I went tandem because there was no way I was going to do it on my own. It was about a thirty minute paddle out to the Mokulua Islands (the Island State Seabird Sanctuary). The water was beautiful and clear, easy to see the blue bubbles. Then it was surfing time!! There were so many good waves, we had a blast. Next was hiking around the island. There were so many tide pools with crabs, anemones, fish (including the Humuhumunukunukuapuaa also known as Hawaii's State Fish) and so many more amazing sea creatures. 

We had a blast on our kayaking adventure and escaped with only a few minor reef cuts, but that comes with having fun. If we keep doing things like this, I might learn to like it here. :)

It's All Coming Together.. Sort Of

Weeks before coming out to this foreign land, Kai, Amy and Chris had all told me many stories of the popular Uncle Giggie. Chris told me that he goes to a lot of funerals and he used to call him to see if he wanted to go. Personally, I thought it was a little weird but it's just the Aloha Spirit I guess. So, Friday rolls around and Chris get's a call that makes him laugh hysterically, sure enough it's Uncle wanting to know if we want to go to a funeral. We were just on our way to the beach so Chris said no thanks, then Uncle said he would bring us food anyway. 


We get back to the house after a sandy day at the beach and there is a box of food on the doorstep. We opened to find Fijian food. Of course Chris already had the forks out but me, a little unsure. 

Notice my Toy Story Mac N Cheese? :)

About the "All Coming Together" part.. It is. We have been SO lucky to have an amazing family who likes to send us packages!! It's so great for me because I feel like I'm really not forgotten out here. Chris thinks it's cool and that's about it. We love getting packages and letters!! Jeff wrote us and said "At my gay school, we had a new kid orientation and I had to say what hobbies I like. Bet you'll never guess what I said... Long boarding and surfing!! Yeah four smokin hot girls came up to me after. It was awesome." ha ha I think I laughed for five minutes straight. So, as I was saying we love letters! 

Chris and I ordered our first computer! How cute right? ha ha Chris was so excited.. the faces he made weren't staged. :)  Sorry this post is so random.. I'm just trying to catch up on all that has been going on. Including this adorable picture of Bubba and I. Amy this one is for you. I just think it's too cute to not put up. 

Bubba and Geeka :) 

Well that's it for today but there will be more to come, don't worry. Thank you moms for the packages. Thanks for the letters Jeff and Becca. We seriously love it.. well I do. If you'd like to write or even send something.. :) Here is our address: 

Chris and Sarah Hendrickson

55 512 B Moana St.

Laie, HI 96762

 Aloha! 

Manta Rays, Sea Turtles and Intestines

No, it isn't a mistake, Chris and I did find the insides of something on the beach. But, let's start off with a good note.  A few days ago Chris and I were body surfing at Temples beach and I asked him if he saw the shark too. He yelled at me to get out of the water and we both intently watched for this "shark".  The next thing we see is an eight foot manta ray flipping its wings up at us with a little baby right next to it. I ran to get my camera and found, I didn't bring it! But lesson learned.. bring my camera EVERYWHERE!

So sea turtles.. Chris took me to Lanikea (?)  where the sea turtles swim up and lay on the beach. We walked down and I saw a massive sea turtle just hanging out, getting a tan.

That's just Chris and I standing in front of it. So cool!!

So, about the intestines.. Chris and I were on our way to the beach again and walking along the shoreline, I saw something that didn't look right. I screamed just to freak him out and once we got closer, I really screamed! A HUGE pile of intestines! I told Chris to get it out of the ocean at least and then we'd figure out what to do next. While he was getting a stick to pick it up, he yelled at me to "Come look at this!". Great. There was a pair of lungs, another pile of intestines with a stomach attached. My first thought was "Wow, that's so disgustingly cool". So my brave hubby picked up all the pieces and put them together. I asked what to do and he said to just leave it. Are you kidding?!? So.. I called Kai. I asked him what to do and he said to call the police. Ha Good call Chris. :) So I called and no one answered. We took pictures and then a local came by and said it was probably a couple of big turtles attacked by a shark. He said he would come by and bury it later that night. Okay.. Anyway, that was our Great Find of Temples Beach.  Now the pictures..

Notice the huge white stomach? sick.

The two set

I think this was the lungs..

Adventures in Hawaii

So, this being my first post to my blog, I have no idea what I'm doing so don't judge. To start off, Hawaii is an extremely different environment from where I have lived in the past. Coming from Vegas (where people just stare) to Hawaii (where the people offer to help carry your groceries). Yes, it's different, but I love it.

 When Chris and I arrived to our new studio, our landlords showed us the place.. here it is.. ha ha When they say studio, they mean you can make dinner from your bed. Very small. 

Our tiny kitchen.. Chris was hoping to find food.

So, this is our small studio. It use to be a garage, that's why that paint job is bad. ha-ha Oh well, it's a place to sleep at night and we are grateful for it.

That night we went over to dinner at Chris' friend Teds' house. He lives with five other guys.. talk about loud and crazy. There was only one other girl over there. She is now the only female I know here, also now my best friend. :) After dinner we went for a walk to the temple (which is the street up from us).

Day 1: Chris and I went down to the beach, which is called Temples, it's on the Hukilau Beach. I call the sand here like Chinese "sticky rice". It is very sticky, which takes building sand castles to the next level. We played out in the sand and the water for a while and then started our crab hunting adventure. :) 

 There are also little amazing creatures we found called "blue bubbles" also known as jellyfish. They are so small you can barely see them but Chris has an eye for them because he says being stung "sucks".