it's been 8 years

Eight years is a long time.

Long enough to live in 5 different homes.

Long enough to finish middle school, high school and half of my college years.

Long enough to see friends come and go; long enough to forget memories- good & bad.

It's been eight years since I've been to that island I called home for six years.
Eight years since I listened to that relaxing tourist-y music at the airport.

I was 12 when we moved away.
Half my life (up to that point) had only known island life, island time, island ways.

The warmth, the breeze, the constant smell of fresh flowers, the almost daily viewing of rainbows, the salty water on my skin and tons of sand in my sun bleached hair. The hours upon hours of playing outside probably racked up to hundreds of thousands. There were only three reasons to be inside: school, eating and sleeping (yes, I know you can do all 3 outside, but we usually didn't)... anyways, every other reason was invalid. I only wore slippers (flip flops) if we were going to run errands or if I was biking, otherwise I was bare foot, and I despised shoes and socks. Absolutely hated them. Oh my goodness! They were death to my feet.
Sometime between then and now I got use to them- thankfully.

I'm finally going back 'home'. It's hard to call Hawaii home after the huge time gap, but that is what I'll call it.

"Home is where the heart is."
My family (heart) is there.
It is home.

I know things won't be the same as when I lived there before, but I know it'll be close enough.

canada, eh?

This country is amazing!
After visiting all our family in Minnesota,Wisconsin and Illinois, we drove up north. This was the last hurrah for the summer. We stayed at my grandma's cousin's (we call her Aunt Rita) little cabin on Lake Superior near Thunder Bay. This cabin, along with all the other cabins on this street, was built in the late 1800s because of a silver mine. Needless to say, this cabin still has no internet, phone, electricity or plumbing. But, I think it was worth it (as the pictures might suggest).

Everyone was SO nice in Canada! It's a part of their culture to say hi to complete strangers. Yeah, we were greeted by many wonderful Canadian when we took walks along the street. It felt weird at first, but I soon got use to it and said hi back.

Aunt Rita is in her upper 80s and she's about 4 feet 10, but she has some spunk, let me tell you ;) She's hilarious. And that "eh?" thing, she used it in every sentence. :) That's talent if you ask me.

skipping rocks

relaxing :)

We fed them cinnamon rolls.

 

I really like sailboats. :)

Oh, Canada!

 This is the cabin. They call it "The Camp".

It was the 6 of us + Aunt Rita + grandma&grandpa W. who stayed there.

the old fashion wood-burning stove/oven

the 'modern' gas stove

It's hard to tell from the picture, but the stairs were very steep.

 

This is the room I shared with my mom and Elias.

I think it looks like a museum.

my view

wc/el baño/the lou... whatever you want to call it, it's still the outhouse.

This is the road/sidewalk. :)

This is the view from Nate's room- looking at our car and the "ocean".

This was a neighbor's dock, but I just love this picture.

Nate and I

This is just a picture of a building we would walk past on our walks.

The nightly activity: fire on the beach.

Nate and Josiah

Being creative with the rocks.

Mom and baby E

Josiah's chaco tan. :)

my mornings looked like this. :D

This picture doesn't do any justice.

Nate's room and view.

:)

Josiah and I did a little biking along the water and around town. 

Taking this picture was probably more dangerous than texting and driving.

Kai and I

THAT. WATER. WAS. FREEZING.

Leilani and her bed

 Aunt Rita loved Elias!

With only rocks to keep us busy, I tried dusting off my math skills...

 

last night + a mini bonfire

 

packing up :(

yes, everything (6 people+luggage) fit in the car.

 

I don't remember if this was a sunrise or sunset... 

Oh Canada, I will come back someday!