Here is a very poor quality video of the kids surfing (mentioned earlier). I am super-bummed this didn't turn out very well, but all we had at the time was my old camera. It doesn't take very good video. This was the last straw. I have been pushing off getting a real video camera for a long time and I will now be getting a nice one.
25 March 2016
24 March 2016
Miscellaneous Hawaii Pictures
Sometimes these are the best shots of the trip. Descriptions in order.
The view from the back patio of our condo the first morning after we arrived late the night before.
The view from the roof of our building, looking towards Waikiki.
Waikiki sand showers. Used almost if not daily.
Standing below the huge Banyan tree at Waikiki. Check out the roots descending from the branches.
Spot the goofball at opening night at Sweet Home Auntie's (a restaurant owned by a friend of Susie's).
Goofy picture controlled by my Watch by Julia.
Famous Hawaii shave ice!
First BBQ lunch had at Mario's office. Susie and staff cooked us a spread and gave us all leis.
A photo at the Seattle airport on the way back home that will make your heart melt.
A snowy ride home after a red eye flight. The quote Lloyd C "some people just aren't cut out for life on the road".
The view from the back patio of our condo the first morning after we arrived late the night before.
The view from the roof of our building, looking towards Waikiki.
Waikiki sand showers. Used almost if not daily.
Standing below the huge Banyan tree at Waikiki. Check out the roots descending from the branches.
Spot the goofball at opening night at Sweet Home Auntie's (a restaurant owned by a friend of Susie's).
Goofy picture controlled by my Watch by Julia.
Famous Hawaii shave ice!
First BBQ lunch had at Mario's office. Susie and staff cooked us a spread and gave us all leis.
A photo at the Seattle airport on the way back home that will make your heart melt.
A snowy ride home after a red eye flight. The quote Lloyd C "some people just aren't cut out for life on the road".
23 March 2016
Surf's Up!
One of the things I'll remember most about our trip to Hawaii is renting a surfboard. Although I took it out for a little bit, the kids mostly used it. There was a small area behind some breakers where the waves were just the right size for the kids. I would tow the board out as far as I could (probably 30 - 40 feet from shore) and then wait for the perfect wave. I was able to give the board a big push so that it would catch the wave while the kids were sitting down. After the big push the kids would stand up and ride the wave to the shore.
This was also great entertainment for the rest of the beaches goers (many smiles/laughs). A few other kids bummed a ride here and there too. The kids were talking the rest of the trip that they were the "famous surfers" and that they were "so good even after the first day". We probably spent 4 - 5 hours doing this over the course of two sessions. Julia enjoyed it a lot more since she was more sure of her balance and could keep her head above the water more easily. She also looked like a surfer girl with her blond hair and sweet moves by the end.
This was also great entertainment for the rest of the beaches goers (many smiles/laughs). A few other kids bummed a ride here and there too. The kids were talking the rest of the trip that they were the "famous surfers" and that they were "so good even after the first day". We probably spent 4 - 5 hours doing this over the course of two sessions. Julia enjoyed it a lot more since she was more sure of her balance and could keep her head above the water more easily. She also looked like a surfer girl with her blond hair and sweet moves by the end.
22 March 2016
21 March 2016
Genki Sushi
One of the things we miss most about Hawaii is the food. When we went and visited our old neighborhood we stopped at one of our favorite sushi restaurants. This particular place is on the lower end (more like the fast food of sushi), but it still tastes good and you can eat a lot. The kids even tried some new things.
One of the things the kids really liked was how the food was served. The different sushi options snake around the seating areas on a conveyor belt...priced by the color of plate they are on. If you want to order something special from the kitchen it's all done on touchscreens and then a space shuttle or race car comes zooming to your table with the food when it's ready.
There are a few of these restaurants in California and Washington, but they are mainly located in the Pacific and Asia. Jonathan didn't try sushi - he was too busy eating the french fries. I didn't try the local special, spam sushi, but I tried pretty much everything else...
One of the things the kids really liked was how the food was served. The different sushi options snake around the seating areas on a conveyor belt...priced by the color of plate they are on. If you want to order something special from the kitchen it's all done on touchscreens and then a space shuttle or race car comes zooming to your table with the food when it's ready.
There are a few of these restaurants in California and Washington, but they are mainly located in the Pacific and Asia. Jonathan didn't try sushi - he was too busy eating the french fries. I didn't try the local special, spam sushi, but I tried pretty much everything else...
20 March 2016
Hanauma Bay
One of the must-visit places on Oahu is Hanauma Bay. We went to this beach two times on our trip. I had bought the kids disposable waterproof cameras to take pictures of all the fish that live in the bay. Tip of the day: buy $5 - $8 snorkeling masks at Walmart instead of renting them here (what we did). It's significantly cheaper and you get to keep the equipment when you're done.
Unfortunately for the kids the snorkeling didn't really pan out. They can't swim yet, and a little afraid of deep, rough water. "Snorkeling" involved getting a piggy back ride from Dad into deep enough water, dunking their head underwater for a split second, and hoping to see something move. Julia saw a couple of fish, but I don't think Jonathan was able to see anything. I ended up swimming past the end of the reef with their cameras to take pictures for them while they played on the beach with Mom. I will post a few of them when we get the film developed (yes, they still so this...apparently).
I had a great time even though the waves were a little rough. I only got a couple shin cuts, but I got a couple of great shots of the kids. Man, what beautiful faces!
Unfortunately for the kids the snorkeling didn't really pan out. They can't swim yet, and a little afraid of deep, rough water. "Snorkeling" involved getting a piggy back ride from Dad into deep enough water, dunking their head underwater for a split second, and hoping to see something move. Julia saw a couple of fish, but I don't think Jonathan was able to see anything. I ended up swimming past the end of the reef with their cameras to take pictures for them while they played on the beach with Mom. I will post a few of them when we get the film developed (yes, they still so this...apparently).
I had a great time even though the waves were a little rough. I only got a couple shin cuts, but I got a couple of great shots of the kids. Man, what beautiful faces!
19 March 2016
Lanakai Beach
Today we headed over to the windward (i.e. windy) side of Oahu to spend some time at once of Hawaii's top beaches. Lanakai Beach is white sand and blue water for a good mile and a half. We are finding out that the kids really don't care much about anything else at this age besides playing in the sand and surf, and shown in the pictures below. But enough of me talking, these pictures are worth a thousand words.
18 March 2016
Aloha Spring Break 2016
It had been almost 10 years since last seeing my third home. Stacey made it out 5 years ago with Jonathan as a newborn, but since it was all work related, this was the first time in a decade we've been back to see the "ol' stompin' grounds". We decided it was a good time to reconnect with Mario and Susie and show the kids some fun in the sun.
The trip up went well, but it was a long 22 hours. It snowed the morning we were leaving, which made the trip even more timely. We had a long layover in Seattle, so we got to see Matt for a few hours before catching our second flight. We didn't do much the first day since we arrived so late other than get our feet wet, run errands, and get settled.
On Friday we took Stacey to the office and met all of her coworkers, and Mario and Susie. The kids and I spent some time at Waikiki while Stacey worked for a couple of hours. Susie had prepared a spread for the whole office for lunch, so we stayed there for a little bit while we grilled out on the patio. In addition to paying for most of the trip, they provided this nice lunch, leis, and even a chink of spending cash for our visit here. They have been very generous to us.
After a long lunch we took the kids back to our old neighborhood. It was fun to see. Things were very much the same yet a little different. The houses were older and in worse shape, the trees taller, but everything was pretty much how I remembered it 10 years ago. I would have memories and/or flashbacks to things until they were interrupted by "Dad" or something else that brought me back to current day. We visited the shopping center right by our house that we used often...the Starbucks that we used to get coffee at that was connected to a bookstore, stores where we bought this and that, etc. We also took a trip around the neighborhood loop we used to walk often. It is really pretty since it winds its way around the golf course.
It was a good day. Sometimes it was hard to think back to this "life" 10 years ago. It was the last time we had together before having kids, owning a house, and being out of the Air Force. Seems like a long time ago already.
The trip up went well, but it was a long 22 hours. It snowed the morning we were leaving, which made the trip even more timely. We had a long layover in Seattle, so we got to see Matt for a few hours before catching our second flight. We didn't do much the first day since we arrived so late other than get our feet wet, run errands, and get settled.
On Friday we took Stacey to the office and met all of her coworkers, and Mario and Susie. The kids and I spent some time at Waikiki while Stacey worked for a couple of hours. Susie had prepared a spread for the whole office for lunch, so we stayed there for a little bit while we grilled out on the patio. In addition to paying for most of the trip, they provided this nice lunch, leis, and even a chink of spending cash for our visit here. They have been very generous to us.
After a long lunch we took the kids back to our old neighborhood. It was fun to see. Things were very much the same yet a little different. The houses were older and in worse shape, the trees taller, but everything was pretty much how I remembered it 10 years ago. I would have memories and/or flashbacks to things until they were interrupted by "Dad" or something else that brought me back to current day. We visited the shopping center right by our house that we used often...the Starbucks that we used to get coffee at that was connected to a bookstore, stores where we bought this and that, etc. We also took a trip around the neighborhood loop we used to walk often. It is really pretty since it winds its way around the golf course.
It was a good day. Sometimes it was hard to think back to this "life" 10 years ago. It was the last time we had together before having kids, owning a house, and being out of the Air Force. Seems like a long time ago already.
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