Buddha

It’s September, and while I had every good intention of wrapping up our Hawaiian summer by August 31, it just didn’t happen. So I did what every normal person does who needs to play catch up… I woke up at the crack of dawn to brew my coffee and sit down in front of my computer before waking the kids up, cooking breakfast, packing school lunch, and running out the door before 8:30am.

…but that didn’t happen.

As I knelt down to switch outlets for my laptop, I smelt something not-so-normal. I smelt cat pee. CAT PEE, PEOPLE! (back story: my neighbors generously pet-sat for me this summer, and well, Lucy wasn’t happy about it. She rebelled against her litterbox and wasn’t a good girl. I also want to point out publicly that my neighbor’s husband went above and beyond by washing my rugs -several times because Lucy peed on them- and looked after my house and car, AND re-hung my curtains that William pulled down back in March. Seriously, big hearted neighbors and I can’t thank them enough!) And so, apparently Lucy is still letting me know that she’s not happy with her past summer situation… I just might turn her into a pair of earmuffs this winter if she doesn’t knock it off, or possibly consider changing her name from Lucy to Lucifer. In conclusion, I have to buy a carpet shampooer, pet cleaner, and a black light.

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About a week after we arrived in Hawaii, we were overwhelmed with all of the activities, events, and places to see, so we constructed a list of our top priorities --things we must do before leaving. Although not Hawaiian, The Buddhist Temple was compiled on that list --somewhere towards the bottom-- mainly because Krysta has been obsessing over the Chinese culture since she was six, and this would be an excellent hands-on experience for her.

After breakfast, we loaded up the car and drove across the island to Byodo-In Buddhist Temple. It was peacefully nestled at the foot of jagged mountains and lush foliage with every shade of green, contrasting beautifully among the red temple.

 

We made our way over the bridge, I was immediately in awe. The surrounding atmosphere was completely calming, like wrapping yourself with a huge quilt that warmly breathed “everything is just as it should”. Birds chirped amongst the trees, sounds of trickling waterfalls played in the background, and the occasional sound of the Gong could be heard throughout the grounds, instantly transforming you into a harmonious state of mind.

My mom and I soaked up the beauty while the kids mirrored Snow White by getting up close and personal with the local animals.

Feeding a wild bird from your hand was pretty awesome…

But feeding the Koi fish were by far their favorite. Their scales sparkled and glimmered under the surface like a pot of gold --equal parts gorgeous and enchanting.

When the sun elongated our shadows, we ventured back to Waikiki for a dinner and show.

And a show we got…

Every Friday night, Waikiki sets off fireworks. With bursts of color popping over palm trees and across the ocean, it was nothing short of a perfect ending to a perfect day.

Happy Weekending Everyone!

Em