Kauai 2016- Learning Manual Mode Is Everything

What can I say. It was a night in early June where i knew we had to take our family vacation. It seemed like the summer was about to end and we had to act fast. I knew our Wedding Anniversary was coming up and I knew that we had a week with the kids. School started late august so #boom lets go to Hawaii, even better, lets see if we could use our parents place. So after a couple drinks a little wine and dine we booked our first family vacation. To the beautiful Island of Kauai. #thanksrum

As my Sis in Law and I were talking I told her she needed to come. One thing led to another and there you have it. Family of 13 coming in hot into the Hawaii Island

Anyways- I made a pact with my husband that I would leave my phone and focus on our family. As lame as that sounds I felt like I was so attached to social media. And yes I like my outlets and seeing peoples lives but sometimes disconnecting and just being apart of the moment being apart the laughter, the memories is what I needed. What we as a family needed. 

I could cry my river of sadness and guilt I feel about things that happen in my life and why this was so freeing for me to just let go of any connection to the outside world, but that is for a different post. Deciding something and committing to it and following through is a rather liberating experience. I brought my camera along and decided to only use Manual Mode. To learn the F stop (Aperture), the ISO, Shutter Speed. OK I will never again use Automatic. It is a beautiful thing. A little secret: My husband taught me everything I know. I am not the best student. I do not take direction- it steams back to child hood where I didn't feel good enough, and once again that is another post, but he was patient, kind, and knew when I needed just to be mad cuz I am a slow learner. But he waited and just reworded it to me. And better yet he showed me how to use light. I just love this man Spoon. 

SO gallivanting around Kauai was a blast. We went all over the place clockwise and counter clockwise from Tunnels Beach to Waimea Canyon, The Pono Kai and the grand hyatt kauai resort and spa . The kids were troopers. Falling asleep to the noise of the ocean was priceless. We even extended our trip until the next week because i messed up the dates of when school started :) 

So please enjoy the pictures of our trip. The trip that made our family unit stronger. A trip that helped me become a better wife, mom and friend. If you can put down your phone for a week and disconnect. It changed me and I am forever grateful. Please Enjoy our trip through my eyes. ( Lo Siento Mas Photos)