Bug

So a bug flew into my ear last night and got stuck. It was flapping it's wings in there for a couple of minutes and crawling around before all went silent.

I think I may have looked like a crazy. I still haven't seen it actually emerge but I flushed my ear and couldn't get anything out. Maybe I am crazy.

Does weird stuff like this happen to anyone else?

Hawaii Part II - Kihei: Land of Snorkeling & Volcanos

For the rest of our time in Maui, we stayed in a great little place called the Two Mermaids B&B near Kihei (south side). We liked the idea of B&Bs because it provided breakfast and gave us the ability to have a fridge and kitchen if we wanted to cook. This turned out to be a great idea. Our B&B which was very aptly named (see photos below) came with a fully stocked fridge with juice, coffee, bagels, yogurt, fruit, granola, and even Gatorade. Every morning, they would set a basket with fresh fruit and type of freshly baked muffin or bread. We had our own private hot tub on the deck and the place was stocked with beach chairs, boogie boards, towels and everything needed for a home away from home. Great great B&B!

We arrived just before sunset and decided to hit the beach 1/2 a mile away to watch the sun set over the ocean. Sunsets are beautiful in Arizona, but in Hawaii, lets just say wow.

Wednesday morning, we woke up with the intention to have a relaxing beach day. We wanted to try snorkeling and lie on the beach and soak up the sun. Our B&B host gave us a list of the best snorkel locations and we headed down to the South Maui beaches. We were looking for a place to rent snorkel gear but realized that we had left civilization and so we arrived at our destination without any. We decided to ask the bellman at the resort nearby if he knew where we could rent gear. After a minute of thinking, he said, "well just follow me and pick some out from the lost and found pile". We scored snorkeling gear for free which we used for the rest of the trip! Our first stop was at a beach called Big Beach where we learned how to use the gear. We were not so good at first with both of us getting beat up by the waves. I also had fun experimenting with the underwater camera while swimming, breathing and trying not to drown. It was fun! We also went over the hill to check out the Little Beach next door which was 'interesting' to say the least ;)

After sitting on the beach a couple of hours, we decided to keep driving south to check out the La Perouse Bay area. It is a volcanic rock flow area where you could still see where the lava flowed down the mountain many years ago. It was a very strange place where the piles of dark brown/black rock still chokes out any plants from growing. There were also places where bright white rocks in piles on the black. It seemed very unnatural.

On the way home from here, we saw some people snorkeling along the road in a little cove. We decided to stop and it turned out being the best snorkeling we did the whole trip. It was calm, shallow with tons of coral and millions of bright fish. A great way to end the day.

These blue fish were so iridescent.

Finding Nemo? SO CUTE!

Can you spot the fish in this one?

That evening we ate burgers at a small burger joint and went to bed early because we had to get up at 2:30 am for our next big adventure...

Stay tuned for part 3.

Hawaii Part I - Hana: Land of Waterfalls & Bamboo

Hawaii is a place that I have always been interested in visiting for obvious reasons, but never seemed to make it there on vacation. We usually head to Europe since my sister lives there and we love international travel. However, with the stresses of planning a wedding, we figured staying in the US and lying on a beach would be the best way to de-stress from a wedding. I should have suspected though that with so many adventuress activities tempting me, the sun tanning would be at a minimum.

We flew out on a Monday morning and had a direct flight (thank you US Airways) to Maui. After picking up our rental car, a very cruisey PT Cruiser convertible, we headed down the Hana Highway to Hana. This is a very famous highway along the north shore of Maui which has 617 curves along some of the most beautiful coastal shore anywhere. It goes through the rain forest, passes numerous waterfalls and beautiful ocean vistas, and through the cutest little surfer towns where fruit is sold in little shacks. We stopped at a place called Twin Falls to explore and jumped off a couple of smaller waterfalls. There was a cool rope swing we used as well and we just marveled at how green and wet everything is. Trees grow so huge here. and have giant roots.

It took us until dark before we made it to the town of Hana. We checked into our lovely ocean view hotel room at the Hana-Kai Resort and went to ask the resort manager where we could eat. He said at 7:30 pm on a Monday night, there was only one restaurant open in town, the Hana Maui Resort up the road. That is what is great about Hana, it is tiny, and really caters to getting away from everything, including stores and options. We had Ono fish semi raw at the resort and then took a nice moon light walk along the back sand beach that was in front of our hotel. Both of us were still very tired and a little jetlegged due to the 6 hr time difference from Ohio to Maui so it was an early night for us. This pretty much became a theme the whole trip, early to bed early to rise. It was good to maximize daylight since its dark at 6:45 pm in Hawaii.

I was up early the next morning and got to watch the sun come up over the ocean from our hotel room. It was amazing and the perfect way to start our vacation. We had a breakfast of oranges, bananas and candy bars and before taking a walk on our black sand beach.

Sun rising from our balcony @ Hana-Kai Resort

Our hotel was on a black sand beach in Hana.

The plan for the day was to head to the Ocea Gulch area (known as the 7 Sacred Pools) to play in the waterfalls and take a 4 mile hike to a 400 foot fall in the jungle. We got there early and it was beautiful and deserted. We swam up to some falls and played in the gorgeous water for a while before heading up to the large falls.

The hike up to large falls was beautiful and actually passed by at least 4 other large waterfalls. It rose up into the rainforest through jungle, large strange trees many baring smelly fruit and finally a mile walk through the coolest bamboo forest I have ever seen. The bamboo was so thick that it was almost pitch dark beneath it and no undergrowth could grow at all. It was very disconcerting since you would have no sense of direction if you left the path in either direction. The hike ended at the 400 foot Waimoku falls which looked very movie set like. Overall, this hike was amazing for only being 4 pretty but wet miles.

Makahika Falls (200 ft tall 0.5 miles in)

The bamboo forest went on for a mile with no light.

Waimoku Falls (400 ft tall 2 miles in)

After leaving Ocea Gulch, the drive back to central Maui that afternoon was gorgeous along the Hana highway. We stopped to look at waterfalls along the highway, eat ono (delicious in Hawaiian) Mahi-Mahi cooked by a Hawaiian in his front yard, and watch wind-surfers at the beach known as the wind-surfing capital of the world.

Wind Surfing Capital of the World on the North Maui Shore.

We reached our Two Mermaids B&B at around 5 pm to begin our second part of the Maui Adventure. To be continued...

To put Sarah out of suspense.

Me in a dress... strange, I know, I know.

UPDATE: Wedding Slideshow

I love this photo.

Back in the Desert!

I'm back! Hawaii was terrible, very ugly and boring.

Okay I admit, I am joking. It just seems like all my posts are like "this was awesome, that was cool, things went great...etc". But truly, Hawaii was awesome. We did so many bloggable, picture takeable (made up word, i realize) things that I can't possibly dedicate one post to it, so the plan is to break it up over a few. This way, the suspense can keep building... what did they do next?

My new waterproof camera worked like a champ and was completely necessary on most days. I got tons of great pictures, some sketchy videos and a whole lotta good memories. Tom and I both feel beat up after the honeymoon. Now that is what I call a good time.

Luau Feast at Lele, Maui

Mr & Mrs Studer Finally!

The Oaks Lakeside - Sept 22, 2007

I leave in a few hours for my moon with my honey. It's going to be great! Seven days in Hawaii is my idea of a vacation.

The wedding was amazing, awesome, great, perfect...etc. You get the picture. As a non-girlie girl, I always looked at it as an immense amount of work, most of which was things that I don't really enjoy. But honestly, once it all plays out perfectly and you are surrounded by your friends and family from so many parts of your life, it makes it totally worth it. I loved the whole day and really didn't ever feel the dreaded panic stress that turns lovely people into bridezillas.

My photographer & friend Megan Resch, took amazing pictures which I will receive once we get back (I already saw some of them). I totally recommend her and got numerous complements on her. Check out her site and her blog.

We both want to thank all of my friends who helped out in various ways: Angel, Erin, Dameon, Justin, Brandon & our entire wedding party of Chris, Bill, Joe, Travis, Tony, Kara, Mandy and my three sisters Rebecca, Sarah and Debbie. We also can never thank our parents & families enough for all their help through everything.

Here is a cute picture from my new mom's camera. I will save the suspense for what I looked like till later...

Oh and Tom, I love you now and forever. I am so happy to be your best friend and now your wife.

O H I O! Always Buckeye Fans.

The Heartland Part 2

Bee Buzzing Grapes in My Father's Orchard

I went for another bike ride today to enjoy the fantastic weather happening here in Ohio. If it was like this year round, I'd be moving.

I vaguely remembered this place called Johnson's Woods Reserve where kids used to go to make out which I thought was bikeable from my parents house. I may or may not have first hand knowledge of the parking lot, just saying. So I decided to head there and see if maybe there was a trail in the woods. I had to cross a country highway to get there and climb several large hills, but I eventually made it there. It was actually a boardwalk path so no bikes allowed but I decided to take a quick run through the woods. I immediately ran into a good friend from highschool who I haven't spoken to in like 7 years. She is almost done with her residency to be an emergency room doctor so good for her (smart cookie, she is only 26). We caught up for awhile before I eventually continued on my run and ride home. I saw so many cute country people on my ride from 10-year-olds driving tractors to old timers sitting on the porch watching the cars drive by. Life is more simple here.

I took my camera along this time to post some pictures. Too bad they are not scratch and sniff.

Kids operate heavy machinery at a young age in the country.

Our driveway is a 1/4 of a mile long leading too...

The Old Homestead.

You guys thought I was making this stuff up didn't you? Nope I am a real country girl.
. . .

Well,
I ain't never been the Barbie doll type
No, I can't swig that sweet Champagne
I'd rather drink beer all night
In a tavern or in a honky tonk
or on a four-wheel drive tailgate
I've got posters on my wall
of Skynyrd, Kid and Strait
Some people look down on me
but I don't give a rip
I'll stand barefooted
in my own front yard
with a baby on my hip

'Cause I'm a redneck woman
I ain't no high class broad
I'm just a product of my raising
I say, 'hey ya'll' and 'yee-haw
. . .
~ Gretchen Wilson

The Heartland

I am in Ohio now doing the pre-wedding hizzle. That is hick for hectic dance of madness. Today was a long day of shopping, agonizing over tiny unimportant details and working on super fun things (right...not). I won't be posting very much over the next couple of weeks but I will try to post periodically (at least until the honeymoon).

Things are coming together though and the weather forecast for Saturday looks awesome! I took a de-stresser bike ride late this afternoon on my father's bike and just enjoyed the beautiful weather and smell of the country. Glorious farmland fragrances. I must say I never realized how many large hills are around my parent's house especially since the bike wouldn't shift so I was basically on a singlespeed. I think I will try to take a run tomorrow instead.

Putting his foot down.

"Seriously, I am done with the water already. Yes humanoids, I am talking to you. Hey this rock feels good down there...when do I get my doggie treat? Is the women yelling again? I am just fine right here. No I don't want to swim anymore, why can't we just watch NFL Football on Sundays like my friend's feeders."

This picture taken on Bell Trail makes me laugh. This dog was trying desperately to get out of the water but just ended up humping this small rock. Then he refused to move.