HAWAII AND HELP

I need your help with any info or advice you can give us about Oahu. Matt and I are thinking that we might take a mini vaycay to Hawaii in just a few weeks!!!

We don't have much time to plan the trip and we have never been to Hawaii before, so any advice or tips or info would be so helpful! Even if you have never left me comments before, I don't care, any info would be much appreciated!

We are thinking of staying in Waikiki. There are TONS of hotels there so how do you choose one? And it seems like they all make you pay for parking....what's up with that?

We need help deciding on a hotel. What hotels have you stayed at that you liked/disliked and why? And what kid-friendly activities do you recommend or not recommend? What are some good restaurants that we HAVE to try? Of course we want to spend some time on the beach, but really, we have gorgeous beaches here too. So I think we are more interested in lounging by the pool, so there is shade for Miles, and sightseeing. Where are some spots that we have to see? Or if you know of any websites that are helpful or give reviews. I was on tripadvisor.com and got so tired of reading reviews over and over again. So I am done with that website! Instead, I am asking you for help :) So readers, it's up to you now!!

PS This is not a picture of Hawaii. It's a picture of the beautiful island we live on :)

Potty Training Woes

I seriously need your help! I am almost embarrassed to even blog about this, but I just don't know what to do at this point. We started potty training Rian when we were in California just a few months ago. She was doing amazing and she actually liked the idea of going on a big girl potty. I thought she would be fully trained quickly.
Then our lives started to get hectic. It was our last 6 weeks in the States and we were traveling here, there, and everywhere. We brought her potty and encouraged her to go, but not having a routine or any kind of consistency in our daily lives did not help the situation. At one point, while we were still in CA, I was putting Rian on the potty and she was screaming bloody murder. My mom asked me why was I pushing her if she clearly did not like the idea anymore. My response: She is 2 1/2 and she needs to be potty trained. But obviously she regressed and both Matt and I decided that maybe we should hold off on the training until we got back to Guam and into a normal routine again.
So here we are. We've been here for a month and have made no progress :( Rian is a very smart girl (we have full on conversations) and I know she could totally do this if she wanted to, but that's the problem, she doesn't want to. She said she will give the baby her diapers, but the baby isn't here yet, so that isn't really working at the moment. I've put her in big girl panties, but she peed right through them. She loves the idea of being a big girl, but when it comes to the potty she'll say she is still a baby. I've tried pull ups, but obviously the 'cool sensation' doesn't bug her the least. We've rewarded, but she just told me yesterday "I'm fine, I don't need that".
I hate to just give up again and say she is not ready. I know she can do this! But I am started to think again, maybe she just isn't ready. But that feels like an excuse, and that bothers me. She turns 3 in Aug, how can she not be ready yet? And I feel like it reflects on me as a mom. I don't want to push it too hard. If she tells me she doesn't want to go, I shouldn't force her, right? And they say not to get upset if she goes in her diaper, but I can't encourage that either, so what do I say at that point? I am seriously contemplating just leaving her naked for a day and waiting to see what happens. Please, tell me I'm not the only one with a 2.5-3 yr old in diapers and PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!!!