I was running and listening to the Interview in NY Times with Gracie Abrams, and somehow my algo knew, and kept serving me up Gracie bits in IG. Or maybe I listened to the Interview because I kept seeing Gracie? But anyway, it had a question of what was the best advice she got from Taylor Swift. And she said that it was actually something she heard from before she knew her. Taylor had said “Never stop writing” and just write all the things, write about all the stuff happening and just process it.
Really made me stop and think. More so on the always be writing. I mean I write. I am writing to process. I want to write more.
I will continue to think about that. It stuck with me.
Anyway, so Saturday happened. As is what happens after Friday but onward my vacation diary goes.
G and I had been trying to get hikes in. We missed the boat on the permit for the 8 mile Na Pali coast thing…. and the kayak and Secret Falls didn’t really work out because of how RAINY it has been… but he found this hike and we decided to go before the wedding.
Okolehao Trail, and it was something that JJ had done before and raved about. No one else was into it. Sam wanted to hang out at home. I don’t remember right now if this was before or after her sunburn but either way, she declined.
J is always a no on these things, especially the elevation, his knees can’t take it.
Gregg, for some reason, wanted to come along.
So it had been raining. Constantly. SO much. So much rain. We are on the North side. It all makes sense.
But I snapped a photo and then we turned around and I said out loud, “Watch your head!” but of course, Gregg can’t really hear well – even though he did have his ears in but…
That branch in the photo behind us – yep, he smacked his head into. Started bleeding. He wanted to go back to the car. I handed him my car keys.
This hike was supposed to be 2.5 miles… it was not. At least for us.
ZOMG… it was so muddy. Pools of mud.
Mud pools.
Mud swamps.
And then when we were heading up hill, G was just saying ZOMG, how am I going to GET DOWN! Because… it was a struggle to go up and were we going to slide down on our butts?
We were going so slow. I would take out my phone to snap a photo in the least crazy part because I was being careful.
But I had to just laugh. After the 2nd treacherous part, I said, if we run into a 3rd, let’s just call it and turn around.
And yea, that happened pretty quickly. Maybe we got half a mile up? It was not far.
So we came back down. And just laughed. I think we stopped and got a coffee. We hung out at home for a few more hours and then headed to the wedding.
Wow! I didn’t get to tour the inside of Brad and Wendy’s home but the “backyard” was fantastic. I loved how they set up the seating and the beautiful area where Dana and Kolton would be getting married.
The day had been partly sunny alllll day long and we said, we hope it holds on for a LITTLE longer!
It did not. hahaha
But what can you do? It’s Hawaii. Or Kauai. The North Shore. We had our glass of champagne and then the rain started to come down. Some of us ran over to the side and stood under the ledge but the rain was coming in SIDEWAYS. So it really didn’t help and we didn’t want to be rude so we sat back down and just giggled.
This was right before the rain.
It will be memorable!! Dana looked lovely, the wedding party was elegant. The baby cousins were adorable. I threw all my videos – and mostly Katie’s of the ceremony because I didn’t take any since I saw her doing it – and popped them into my YouTube channel, as I do.
The officiant was a friend of the family from San Clemente. He was on our plane. But I think he was nervous because he pronounced them man and wife but forgot the rings so had to go back and do that part – haha. It was adorable. We found out a few days later when Dana came to say goodbye that he forgot to get his paperwork and didn’t really have the authority to marry them so the official day was July 15 instead of July 11 – hahaha. That will be a hilarious story for them later. Katie and Justin have the same thing really. They did a courthouse in July but had John marry them in a boat in December.
Anyway, we got poured on. We got our Williams family photo. And while our hair was a mess, our dresses didn’t look too worse for the wear! We are missing Katie and Wendy (and all her girls – Dana, Ash, and Chelse, and their girls) but had to get this shot.
Got the traditional four siblings shot. They look so good. It was such a nice setup and get-together.
I loved the flowers. And the favors were seashell candles with matches! Russ and G spent the evening burning all their matches.
I seriously loved my dress. I rented so many of them from RTR and Nuuly and I’m so happy I did. Sam loved hers too and wanted to keep it. But not really. I offered and she said no. LOL
So we walk over to the tent and I turn around and G had gotten a drink!
I was like, I guess I’m driving home? Sheesh. He didn’t even like it but was super entertained. He’s not really a drinker – yet, anyway – so I’m happy that my evil plan of super casualness has worked. He didn’t like the margarita and thought the mai-tai was okay. He only had sips of them.
Sam will not drive even if she has the tiniest sip of alcohol which I’m super happy about. Taught her well!!
Table 11 rocked. It was all the cousins and we had a great time. The DJ / acoustic singer was amazing. We could not figure out why he was singing all 90’s and 2000’s songs but we were super happy about it and probably shouting the loudest, haha.
The kids were at the “older kids” table and Sam was super irritated because literally every Auntie was coming up to her and saying “you are seated next to B!” who was the… I don’t remember. But a year older than her. That as a fail. They were watching each other but apparently he was kinda a bummer in the talking department and G had SO much fun talking to his brother, who had lived in Japan for the last 3 years. Sam made new friends and they had a blast talking World Cup. Yay for wedding friends!
The toasts were lovely, minus the best man talking about the groom soiling his pants on his first date? What? But the two maid/matron’s of honor were hilarious and sweet and I never knew Dana liked to carry knives around, haha. They told some hilarious stories. And when the dance floor started, we had so much fun! I probably would have sat down after 3 songs but nope!
It’s like I had my kids strictly to entertain all of us. They were entranced by G dancing the whole time – why are we always so impressed when boys dance? But we all had the best time. I didn’t have my phone with me most of the time but managed to go snag so many other people’s phones and get their photos.
Got some great video too.
I felt a little weird dancing through all of it. Everyone was sooo drunk around me. My Mom wasn’t, we were both cooling it. I guess G wasn’t either really. He just had a few sips. For me once I realized I was driving, I stopped and switched to water, and JJ knew she was driving so she was being good. It’s always funny being the less drunk person. It sort of makes me more present but I’m still looking around at everyone and it feels a little out of body.
I felt weird dancing but it was also fun. I felt like I was trying to control things a bit. But anyway.
It was lovely. Lovely wedding, great time, so fun with family. It was SO early but we were exhausted so we did an Irish goodbye and walked out the back. haha. JJ and that group came home a little after so I didn’t feel too bad.
The rain was SO bad that Nichol was freaking out a little as one of the locals said, “I hope they don’t close the bridge!” and that was our only way back. haha. But they didn’t. But I was really glad I was sober because that drive home was crazy in that rain and two lane road back to Princeville. It was only 4 miles but it was a scary 4 miles!
The next morning, I did my standard run, and then the kids and I went on a beach trek. G wanted to go boogie boarding and I looked up a beach and realized it was on the way to pick up the cookies that JJ had ordered.
So we drove by the beach, Kalihiwai, and decided that YES we would go there. But then I went back up and we went to find food and coffee.
We saw a cute Farmer’s market and the coffee stand was closed. G got something and then it was raining again, so we decided to go to the bakery pick everything up (I got a coffee to survive the rest of the afternoon) and then I dropped the kids back off at the beach and drove the millions of pies and cookies my Mom ordered back home since they needed to be refrigerated.
I was a little nervous since the beach was SOS in service – what was it about no service all the places we were going? But the kids were fine when I got back. Once I sat down, it did make me laugh because an older local – sweet lady – checked in with Sam – and with me I guess – and said is your brother okay out there? Should I send someone to help him? LOL – He was fine, he was just out there for awhile and hanging out with his boogie board but not catching any waves.
The rain was relentless. It would come and rain on us for 5-8 minutes, and Sam and I would put our (broken) umbrella up to cover our books and clothes, and then it would be sunny for 20 minutes.
After the 4th time we told G were were done and hopped in the car.
She got the most EPIC sunburn on her face. Her eyelids were sunburnt. I guess she ‘forgot’ to slather up her face? I swear. They will learn these lessons one day.
I hope not after melanoma.
So I then got ready and went down to Hanalai to pick up the catering! It was SO good! I first walked around the shops for a bit actually. I wanted to be in the mood to shop but i was not in the mood, so what can ya do.
But I got the food and took it back to the house.
The gal from our restaurant night was setting up the bar and she had her friend with us and they were so sweet. They were a hit! They made great drinks. I didn’t have any because of the syrup so I just had champagne, as I had been having.
The party was the best. JJ just LOVES to make memories for people.
Of course, more people were invited. Ava’s parents (and sister’s family) came to watch their baby during the wedding – and be there for her first time in Hawaii, I guess – and they asked if they could come. And then Gregg’s oldest friend who lives on the island came with his wife.
And even Chelse dragged the family, and Wendy and Brad over becuase she was having fomo! She knew JJ throws a great party!
The weather cooperated for us!
The singers that Mom hired, after I took her toy, were a little late… and basically drinking in their car!? But it all worked out. They were awesome. After dinner – which everyone loved – AND they ate all the veggies I cut up – they came down and the kids all sat down for the show!!
They were entranced!
Seriously the hit of the week.
The kids are all professional now.
Unfortunately, the VRBO host was VERY mad at us and we did not have permission to have more than 20 people over OR a professional group at the house? And all the neighbors were coming over to watch. But it was at like 7pm to 8pm! People were gone by 9pm.
Poor JJ. She has bad luck at houses. Or she just likes to throw a lot of parties.
Ending this one and throwing the rest of the week into Diary #3!
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