Browse Tag: hawaii

Last Day on the Beach

Daddy and KumquatTuesday (3/5) was our last full day on Maui and it was spent at the beach.  In the morning, we took Kumquat out to say “Good Morning!” to Mr. Ocean.

familyWe tried to get a family photo but Kumquat was still not having it.

nookJason came along and was showing how easy it is to read on the beach with his Nook.  Silly Jason!

IMG_0668We then drove over to Ka’anapali Beach again for some more snorkeling and sun.  IMG_5889Brother and Joy had already set-up camp with an umbrella and chairs and Kumquat was ready to play!  IMG_5856We also took Kumquat to the Sheraton kiddie pool where the water was only one foot deep.  IMG_5879There were lots of other kids around and she blended right in with her floatie.

whaleFrom the beach, we were able to watch some whales playing pretty close to the shore.  There were also a bunch of turtles swimming in knee-deep water.  In fact, when Jes and I went snorkeling, Jes accidentally kicked one in the fin on his way out of the water.  They were THAT close.

beachKumquat had a decent time in the water too but then got splashed in the face.  Unhappy baby.

IMG_1059 Since we dragged the stroller out to the beach, Kumquat was able to take a nice long nap.  Jes stayed with her while the rest of us went over to the bar for a snack and some drinks.

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We had a nice spot overlooking the beach and shared a giant mound of nachos.

IMG_1060Here’s one of my tropical drinks.  This one was a melon-rita.  Tasty.

IMG_5914The weather was perfect and it didn’t get windy until the end of the afternoon.

IMG_5907Here’s a photo with my girls.  What a fun day!

Maui Monday

DSC_0531On Monday (3/4), we all piled into the minivan and drove out to Iao Valley State Park for a morning hike.  DSC_0534Everyone was ready for a 45 minute hike up the mountain but it was actually just a 10-minute walk up a paved path and some stairs.

DSC_0546DSC_0543It was also a bit colder than expected.  Regardless, there was a nice view at the top and a cute stream down below.

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Unfortunately, Jia had a little misstep into the taro pond.  Poor Jia.

DSC_0541Since Kumquat was riding on Jes’ back, he got quite a leg workout on those stairs!

DSC_0563Here is a family of Hawaiian chickens looking for breakfast.  We saw them in the parking lot.

da kitchenWe had lunch at Da Kitchen Cafe and I had Fried Spam Musubi and Kimchee Crabcakes (bottom left and right).  They were soooo tasty!  I also tried Jes’ saimin and Jason’s garlic shrimp fried rice (top left and right).  Those were just as good!  Yum yum.  This was one of my favorite meals on the trip.

maui ocean centerAfter lunch, we went to Maui Ocean Center.  Jes and I always visit this place each time we’re on Maui and this time we got to take Kumquat.  milkShe started a little grouchy but then had a great time once she had her milk.

jumping fishie a video by beakatude on Flickr.

Here’s a funny little fish that put on a show for us.

DSC_0601 tunnelHer favorite part was the shark tunnel where she got to stand and stare at the sharks and fish swimming above.

uncleWhen we got back to the house, everyone took a nap.  Brother, Kumquat, and I were the only ones awake and we just sat around watching the Travel Channel.

IMG_5819Once Jes and Jason woke up, we headed out to the pool. IMG_5834

We also walked over to the beach for a little sand and sun.IMG_5841 IMG_5854

Here’s our family photo with Kumquat still a little afraid of the surf.IMG_1013For dinner, we headed up the coast to Ono Tacos.  It’s a pop-up shop that’s along a random sidewalk and has a few tables and chairs.

IMG_1014ono tacosThe fish tacos were so good and the ceviche was really fresh.  This was also one of my favorite meals of this trip.  We had a pretty tasty day overall.

Saturday Run and Sun

lilo & stitchOn Saturday (3/2), I was up really early and Kumquat seemed to adjust to the time rather easily.  Brother and Joy were up too so we started the morning by watching the first half of Lilo & Stitch and then headed outside to check out the beach just a few steps away from the house.  IMG_5684

IMG_5679It was so pretty out there but Kumquat was spooked by the crashing waves.  She was clinging onto me like a scared little monkey and was in tears for most of the time we were out there.

morningWe did, however, have enough time between cries to get some photos taken.  By the way, did I mention that our 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom house totally rules?!  It was the perfect size for all 7 of us under one roof.

IMG_0451 Once everyone else was awake, we all managed to get our butts and running shoes out the door for a morning run.  runYep, all 7 of us went for a run…to the nearest McDonald’s!  I think I ran a total of 2 miles since I went ran too far past the street it was on and it actually felt like more since I had to push the stroller too.  mcdonald'sWe were all rewarded with a Spam, eggs, and rice platter and then a fried haupia and fried apple pie for dessert.  Man, the inside of the haupia pie tasted like my mom’s kanom krok.  After breakfast, we walked around Lahaina to browse the shops and the art fair under the banyan tree.

beachOnce we got back to the house, Yoon and Kurt had arrived.  They flew in from Oahu for the day and went to Ka’anapali Beach and Black Rock with us. We rented two umbrellas and four lounge chairs for a fun day at the beach.

IMG_5711Jes took Kumquat out to the water for a second try today but she was not having it.

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She wouldn’t take her eyes off the waves and at one point needed G-raffe to help her keep it together.  Poor baby.  Everyone took turns using our snorkels and fins that afternoon and Brother and Joy saw a turtle.  I stayed on the sand with Kumquat who was having trouble settling down for her afternoon nap.  Poor thing was so stressed out.

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Luckily by the late afternoon, she was back to her old self and we went to Happy Hour at Hula Grill.

beer and pizzaAfter our very late lunch, the girls went back to the house to clean up and the boys went to Costco to pick up some supplies.  They came back with two Costco pizzas (our dinner that evening), a case of beer, and a bunch of other things for our steak dinner for the next evening.  Our fridge was stocked!  Kumquat was also lights-out at 5:30 pm.  I thought she would wake up at 8 to eat but she slept ALL NIGHT.

Long Flight

flight It’s early Saturday morning and I’m feeling much more rested after a good night’s sleep.  Yesterday was long day of traveling but we’re in Maui now!  The flight was in the morning and Kumquat did alright at first but she’s an active little one.  Unfortunately, she only managed to sleep for 40 minutes so I didn’t get to do as much reading on the plane as I had hoped.  The “fasten seatbelt” sign was on for most of the flight, which meant I couldn’t let her roam around in the back of the plane as I had planned.  Fortunately she wasn’t too rowdy but it was just enough for me to have to pay attention for most of the flight.  layoverWith a layover in Honolulu, I was able to get a snack and Kumquat got to roam around.

to mauiI lucked out on the plane ride to Maui since Kumquat fell asleep as soon as we took off and woke up when we landed.  I actually got 30 minutes of reading done.  Awesome.

noodleBrother and Joy picked up the rental minivan and we dropped our stuff at the house before dinner.  We had a 5:00 reservation at Star Noodle and we had quite a feast.  We ordered the garlic noodles, Vietnamese crepe, avoahi, filipino bacon and eggs, and ramen.  Yum.  It was too bad that Sheldon wasn’t there that evening.  We still had a good time and the food was yummy.

Ready for some sun!!

slippasTomorrow morning we’re leaving for Maui and it looks like we’re all set!

yellowKumquat’s got her new slippas and her outfits all still fit.  Phew.

pedicureI even got myself a pedicure on Sunday while she was napping.

We’re headed to Maui for 5 nights with Brother, Joy, Jason, and Jia.  We rented a condo in Lahaina and Yoon may even meet us there!  Can’t wait to get some sunshine and tasty eats.

Year in Review – 2012

Week 25I must say that 2012 was a very good year.  I spent the first quarter cookin’ a baby and getting ready for our newest family member.

me and mommyI also had an awesome month off before Kumquat arrived and spent the last week hanging out with my mom.

20120420-161635.jpgThen in April, our lives changed forever when our beautiful baby girl was born.

secret serviceThe rest of Spring and most of Summer was spent at home recovering and learning how to take care of a little human being while keeping up with the daily chores.

waikikiRight before going back to work full-time, we took our annual trip to Oahu and baby came along too.

visiting choThen it was time to return to work and it was so hard the first week.  Eventually, I adjusted and it was nice to have such good friends around.  Jes also did a great job as a stay-at-home dad for a month.

libraryIn September, we hired Mirian, who has been a wonderful addition to Kumquat’s life.  She takes her on outings, reads to her, and kept her on her schedule better than any of us.  In fact, Kumquat started sleeping through the night after her first day with Mirian.

Jia and JasonThen Fall and Winter arrived and Jason and Jia moved to California!  It’s been so fun to have them around and we see them almost every week.

ChristmasWe celebrated all the holidays with our little girl and even took her to Disneyland.  It was a busy Christmas trip home but totally worth it.

Here are the Best and Worst of 2012:

Best Meal(s) and Experience(s): Dinner at L’Atelier Crenn and Lunch at Hog Island Oyster Co. after baby was born (wine, raw oysters, ’nuff sed)

Most Memorable Meal(s): Panda Express at UCSF every time I had an ultrasound.

Best Moment(s): Delivering my baby girl and meeting her for the first time.

Worst Moment(s): Leaving Kumquat and driving to work for the first time after Maternity Leave.  I was a mess.

Saddest Moment(s): Finding out that my manager at work had lost her battle with cancer.

Favorite TV Show(s) of the year: Ever After on ABC.  Parenthood on Netflix.  I also enjoyed watching Smash with my mom on Hulu while I was on maternity leave.

Worst TV Show(s) of the year: I don’t have any since we don’t have cable anymore.

Favorite Trip(s): Hawaii in July, of course!!!

Worst Trip(s): The 10-hour drive home before Christmas.