Is it Fall Yet?

I have a lot of catching up to do.
So, let's catch up really quick.

First of all, the COLOR RUN!!! What is the Color Run, you ask? It's a 5K run in which volunteers toss pigmented corn starch on you as you pass by. I ran with my sister and some friends, and we had a blast.

The aftermath of the Color Run

This was the second 5K I have run (I did the Run to Feed the Hungry 5K in November) and I always have to much fun- the sense of community with the people around you, the excitement, the encouragement from your friends, the fact that you're getting a great workout while having a great time- I can't wait to do more!

The morning after the Color Run, my boyfriend and I woke up super early and drove to the Oakland airport to board a plane to Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii! The trip was a gift from my parents when I graduated college back in December- let's just say I had been waiting for this vacation for a lonnng time.
We stayed near Waikiki Beach, which is a major tourist attraction. TOURISTS. EVERYWHERE. And since Hawaii is so close to Japan, it's a very popular vacation destination- seriously, 95% of the people we saw there were Japanese. Also, Honolulu is a big, busy city- bigger than Sacramento, where I currently live. Wait, weren't we trying to leave the city?
Nonetheless, Honolulu is amazing. The high temperature is about 85 degrees, and the low is about 75 degrees. There would be random spurts of rain for a few minutes, then the sun would come back out. And the clouds over the island are the most amazing I've ever seen. The ocean is warm and clear, the plants and lush and green.
The food was mediocre and EXPENSIVE. Do NOT go to Hawaii for the food. Go for the atmosphere.
The
 One of the highlights of the trip included hiking to the peak of Diamondhead Crater, a volcanic crater on the South shore of Oahu. The view from the top was amazing:

My FAVORITE thing we did was take a bus out to Hanauma Bay to go snorkeling. I have never seen to many awesome, big, colorful tropical fish in my life. Not to mention the scenery:

It was a truly incredible experience. I felt like I was in another world- or just a really big fish tank. My boyfriend even spotted a small octopus hiding in the reef, hunting for fish. I fell in love with snorkeling and can't wait to do it again.

After the fun, relaxing week passed us by, it was time to return home to reality- and the HEAT. Luckily, we missed the worst part of the 105-plus-degree weather while we were on vacation, but I'm still eagerly waiting cooler temperatures, red and orange leaves, and cloudy skies.
I LOVE FALL. I think about it, dream about it, look up recipes for pumpkin bread and hearty soups all day, gaze longingly at my jackets and coats and boots, sigh at my fireplace when I walk by it. I can hardly wait for it. I check the weather report EVERY SINGLE DAY in anticipation of cooler temperatures. Soon. I need to be patient... but soon.

Also, I'm starting a new position in September- I'll be working as a full-time aide in a 1st grade classroom to a girl with Autism. She's extremely smart, she just needs some help with schoolwork and some prompting when it comes to conversation and social interaction. It will be a big change from working with my current clients, and I'll be sad to leave them, but a pay-raise plus more classroom experience is exactly what I need right now.

ALSO, my boyfriend is working on getting his PT certification and has been training a few clients- including my sister and myself. And let me tell you, he's darn good at it. Like, I've-never-felt-this-sore-in-my-life-even-after-years-of-training-on-the-high-school-swim-team good at it. I'm actually waiting for my sister to arrive so we can get a workout in. I love to challenge myself physically and I actually look forward to our work-outs, even though they totally kick my ass.

Ok, I will try to update more often. Have a fantastic week my friends!!!