(a post by asia):


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Well it was a pretty stressful trip - 1 mom traveling with a 2 and 3 yr old plus luggage through 3 airports, 2 flights, a hotel layover, a 3 hr delay sitting stuck in a malfunctioning plane on the tarmac BEFORE our 6hr flight... and that was all just to GET to Hawaii!  Repeat much of that for the trip back home as well, and I need a vacation after my vacation!  LOL!  But aside from the headache of getting there and back, Hawaii was wonderful as always!

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Catty was in high spirits as we were about to embark on our journey!
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/001.jpg" />
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The dynamic duo racing up the gangplank on the first leg of our trip, from St George to L.A.
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/002.jpg" />
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Catty and mom at the hotel in L.A., where a friend was kind enough to pick us up from the airport that evening, and then dropped us off back at the airport early the next morning for our continuing flight to Hawaii
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/003.jpg" />
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The nightmare began after my friend dropped us off at Hawaiian Air.  After waiting a long time in line for check-in, I discovered that they had no reservations for us - because due to booking problems weeks ago, my Hawaiian Air tickets had been cancelled and rebooked with American Air - ALL the freakin' way on the other side of LAX airport!! (which is enormous - many separate buildings with parking lots between them all)
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We didn't even have time to wait for a shuttle to take us around - I picked up Devin, grabbed our bags, and we RAN all the way across LAX and the parking lots at top speed, me shouting at Catty "Run FASTER!!  Run FASTER!!"  When we got to American, they had lines of passengers coming out the door and down the street.  (day after Thanksgiving, remember)  In a panic, I ran to the front of the line and asked a porter I would be able to make an 8:40 flight (it was now 8am).  They said "Absolutely not"  I ran inside and up to everyone wearing a name tag and pleaded with them to help me.  Nobody would give me the time of day - they all said "Sorry, can't help you".  Finally someone pointed out a supervisor to me, and I ran up to her with fussy Devin kicking and flailing to get down off my hip, and sweaty cranky little Catty hanging off one leg, and before I could even get a word out, I just burst into tears.  NOT on purpose at ALL - I just couldn't help it!  
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And she turned away and held her hand up and said "Don't even start with the tears" and just started walking away.  I said, "Please, I've got 2 little kids and..." and she snapped over her shoulder, "That's not MY fault you've got 2 kids!"  And I called out "PLEASE, my flight is in 40 minutes, I know I can make it if you'll just help me PLEASE!!!"  And with a totally pi$$ed off face, she snapped my itinerary out of my hands and checked me in.  I grabbed the kids and we ran full-tilt through the airport and made it!
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Then we sat on the plane, waiting to take off.  And we sat there... for HOURS!!!  Mechanics kept working on some problem, now they need to get this part, now they need that tool, now they're replacing this... finally after 2 hours they unloaded us off the plane and made us wait in the airport for another hour while they found a new plane for us.  The kids were bored silly, and I was trying not to lose my mind.  There's Dev laying around on the ground in the airport after feeding french fries to Tyrone...
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/004.jpg" />
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Finally they got us on a new plane, and the door on that plane wouldn't secure properly, so we waited another hour stuck in a plane waiting for repairs.  I knew we still had 6 hours of flying to do, and my kids were antsy and their patience was wearing thin already.  Oy vey!  I was very grateful when Dev went down for a nap, even though it was only for about 20 min.
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/0045.jpg" />
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FINALLY the nightmare travel was over, and we were in Hawaii!!!  Let the good times roll!
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/005.jpg" />
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Catty changed clothes in the Honolulu airport so she could be properly attired - such a little diva!
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/006.jpg" />
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The boyfriend flew in to meet us, my kids love him so much - it's sooooo sweet!
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/007.jpg" />
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The kiddy pool
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/008.jpg" />
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Little dude can nap anytime, anyplace!
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/009.jpg" />
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Hula girl!
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/010.jpg" />
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The techno-savvy monkeys with their tiny movie-playing tvs that were a godsend during the long flights!  A must-have for long travel!
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/011.jpg" />
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Pretty scenery
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/012.jpg" />
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Pretty Catty
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/013.jpg" />
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They had arts and crafts for kids 5 and older, but I snuck Catty in there every day to make projects.  That was actually her favorite part of the trip!
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/014.jpg" />
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Tuckered after a day of fun in the sun
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/015.jpg" />
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Watching Kung-fu Panda at an outdoor theater &amp; picnic for kids.  Nice ice cream moustache, Dev!
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/016.jpg" />
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That week sure flew by fast!  Time to go home again already!  (thankfully the trip home was uneventful)
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/017.jpg" />
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We all slept for a very VERY long time after we got home!  We were tuckered out after waking up at 5 am to start our journey home, and not getting back to our house until 1am - 20 hours later!  Phew - that's a LOT of travel for two kids so small, but they were really really good.  A lot of things went wrong, but it was never THEIR fault - they had to roll with a lot of punches, and they did a great job!
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<img alt="" src="http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a73/asiac/hawaii/hawaii08/018.jpg" />
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Ok, do you feel like you just finished an exhausting trip to Hawaii with us now?  LOL!!  Thanks so much for looking!!  XXXOOO  :o)<div class="sig"><CENTER>