Hawai'i: Two

Co-Captain's Log - November 14, 2009

We started off the day with a crazy storm! It's really not usually like this in Velzyland, but we definitely got some fantastic weather. Mike still went surfing as it was calmer down the way, while the rest of us ate a yummy breakfast made by Erica. We hung out during the AM (I had to write the update as well, which took a while) and waited for Mike to return.

After Mike got back, we decided to head over to a very famous North Shore establishment called Ted's Bakery. Ooooooh my...goodies galore and yummy food dripping with fat and grease. We all ordered some fantastic meals and waited for our food, patiently and calmly. While we were waiting, Mike, in a very serious and direct way said to Erica, "Get the camera. I'm gonna do something really gay right now." You won't see Mike starstruck...really ever. But, when it comes to surf legends, that's another story. There at Ted's, brewing coffee for the guests, was the famous innovator of surfing in the 1970's, Mr. Buttons Kaluhiokalani! Mike was as giddy as a school boy, so we got a picture of him with the legend. I've honestly never seen Mike like that, so it was a treat to watch.

When our food finally came up, we decided to head back to the house to eat lunch. There were too many birds around the tables for Mernie to relax, so we took shelter at our house to eat in peace. After eating our magically delicious lunches, it was time for Dane to get a nap. I also was in dire need of some rest as well. While Dane and I rested, Mernie and Erica decided to take a bike ride down the North Shore to get a glimpse of some of the famous surf spots in Oahu. They hopped on their beach cruisers (courtesy of the owners of our cute little rental) and headed out for a ride. Stopping along the way, they got photos of Pipeline, Log Cabins and Shark Cove. What they WEREN'T expecting was running into someone that they knew! I mean, after all, we are on the North Shore of Oahu. Who do we know here? The girls decided to taunt me when they got back with the mystery and kept saying they saw a famous celebrity. I tried guessing who it was and they said I'd never guess. They showed me a picture and sure enough, it was my good friend from San Diego, Erin Smith! (You know her, dad, she was in the wedding.) What a small world! Erin and I have been trying to get together for the last two years unsuccessfully, and somehow we're both here at the same time. Unreal. So mom and dad, I guess you're right. As you get older, the world gets smaller...even as small as North Shore, Oahu!

Once the girls got back and Mike returned from surfing at Log Cabins (which by the way, is the beach where Erin is staying), we decided to head out to the tide pools at Shark Cove. It was so amazing walking around and watching Dane's excitement/fear as he discovered new and frightening "aminals." Dane wouldn't touch the "seacumbers," but he was very excited to watch the rest of us do it. We found a lot of interesting creatures, one of which Mike thought was a Portugese Man of War. So what did he decide to do? Yeah, he thought it would be a good idea to touch it. Fortunately, the lack of swelling and excruciatingly painful inflammation that usually occurs when stung by a Man of War led us to believe that indeed it was NOT a Man of War. However, we are still in the dark about what it is. Stay tuned...

Refreshed and one with nature, we returned happily to the house to eat some dinner. Erica cooked a lovely penne pasta dish smothered in meat sauce with a side dish of spaghetti squash. Yummy! After dinner, I had a surprise for Dane. Earlier in the day at Ted's, Dane would not stop pointing at this chocolate cupcake with rainbow sprinkles. He finally let the fantasy go and went outside. I just had to buy that thing for him. So last night, we surprised him with the cupcake and he scarfed that thing down like it never even existed! It was the cutest thing! We got some great photos and video of it.

Co-Captain's Log - November 15, 2009

Yesterday was our least eventful yet, but make no mind, it was still a great day:)

We woke up to another wonderful breakfast that Erica made. Yum! The weather was so much nicer than the last couple days, so it was going to be a day out for sure. Mike had gone surfing with Bob Sabatini at Diamond Head on the other end of the island, so while we waited for him to get back, we walked over to Sunset Beach to play in the sand a bit. When Mike met us out there, Mernie and Erica took the van to try out some snorkeling. Mike, Dane and I just hung out for a while to build some sand castles and play in the water. Dane got tired pretty soon after that, so we walked back to the house for his nap.

The girls didn't have a very successful snorkeling experience because of the recent rains. The water was still churned up pretty good, but at least they made a go of it. I guess they looked pretty ridiculous, according to their recollection of the event. They decided to get some shopping done in Haleiwa, though, and have some yummy food at the lunch truck.

When they got back from their little adventure, Mike took them to hike up to Waimea Falls. I stayed back since Dane was sleeping - also since I can barely move anymore! Unfortunately, the falls were closed, again due to the fact that the rains had flooded everything. Another failed attempt, but at least they tried! (Note: They tried to go again this morning and they made it to the falls this time!)

After they got back from their second failed adventure, we all got cleaned up and went out with Mike's friend Jamie to a restaurant in Haleiwa called Jameson's. It was a bit pricey, but BOY was the food good. After all, the girls had to have one last yummy dinner before they left. We had a wonderful time with Jamie and chatted about life a bit. The girls were also quite smitten as he is not only a hot surfer dude, but he's a sweetheart as well. And he's not even their type! :) Erica also noted that he said "rad" about 100 times. She didn't care, though. He was cute, after all. While we were at dinner, Dane said something about needing his diaper changed. We thought he'd wet his diaper pretty good, but I was hesitant to check it because we didn't have any more with us! Well, I decided to take him to the bathroom to see what was up. Turns out, his diaper was dry! He wanted to pee pee on the potty! AND HE DID! This is the first time it has happened where he's told us he has to go. We were SO excited and made a huge deal out of it at dinner. He was a very proud boy. In honor of his accomplishment, Jamie made Dane a super-sized straw with all of our straws at the table (Dane loves straws). It was a "BIH ONE!" It was a great moment for us...

Once dinner was over, the girls were going to try out a bar called Breakers to see if they could catch some night life before they left. Jamie offered to take the rest of us back to our house in his car. Dane was so attached to him already - it was so cute. "Jamie! We go in your car!" But when Jamie didn't come in the house, Dane said, "Where Jamie go?" "Dane, he had to go home." "Ooooooooooh:(" Don't worry, though. We'll be seeing Jamie again on Tuesday when we go to the Sabatini's house for a BBQ. Good times!

About 30 minutes after we got back, Erica and Mern walked in the door. Ah yes...dive bars in Haleiwa are a little different than in Pomona. And I guess it was pretty dead, too. Oh well...at least they tried...again...not much night life here in the North Shore! Oh, but right when the girls walked in the door, there was a little baby gecko perched on the couch. It was so adorable! Erica tried putting him outside, but he jumped to his death before she could place him on the balcony. Rest in peace, little gecko.

Co-Captain's Log - November 16, 17, & 18

I'm sorry about the lack of updates the last few days (although I'm sure your inboxes feel the relief). It got pretty quiet once the girls left, and I've pretty much been resting most of the time. I've walked to the beach with the boys a couple times and gone swimming. That felt REALLY nice for my large belly:) But otherwise, I've been laying low to ease the pain I'm having. Mike has gotten in some surfing over the past few days to get it all in before we leave today. Unfortunately, there was no surf this morning...

On Tuesday, before the girls left, we decided to head over to the Soap Factory in Waialua to check out the yummy goods and to see how soap is made. The smell in there was amazing and we couldn't resist buying the beautiful soap they had on display. There was another shop right down the driveway called the Coffee Brewery at the Waialua Sugar Mill. It had tons of goodies in it, including the most fantastic smelling coffee ever! Erica was having a tough time deciding which coffee to buy. It was all so good! Dane just liked the Billy Bass they had on display and danced to "Don't Worry, Be Happy" the whole time. It was pretty cute. After we left there, we had to grab some lunch for the girls one last time at Ted's Bakery. Then they packed up and Mike took them to the airport.

The only other thing to report is our visit to the Sabatini's for some dinner and fellowship with friends. Bob and Sonya were great hosts, and their family came over with their kids to play as well. Jamie met us there, too, along with family friend (and Mike's friend) Bob "Rooster" Reusterholtz. It was a full house and the noise was deafening. If you can believe it, it was even louder than the Nocita house on a Sunday! That gives you an idea of the action going on. Plus, Bob Sabatini knows how to talk. I think Kim and Bob should have a storytelling contest!

After dinner, I played tickle monster to all the kids (there were 5 in all) and they loved it. The guys chatted in the kitchen while the girls watched the kids. Surprising:) It was a great time of laughter and play. By the time the night was over, though, we were ready to head back. I was exhausted! I had no idea how much energy it took to be THE tickle monster, especially when you're pregnant!

The other thing to mention is Mike's one year anniversary from alcohol. Last year, November 17, he decided to lead a healthier life and say no to alcohol for one year. So, on Wednesday, the anniversary of his promise, he had a drink in celebration. It was nice to celebrate it with him among friends. The best part of it is, on our way back from the visit, there was a sobriety check point on the highway! He hadn't been through one of those in ten years, and on the night of his anniversary, we hit a checkpoint?! Luckily, he'd only had a small amount, but we just thought that was so ironic and downright funny!

Anyway, that's pretty much all I have to report. We're looking forward to hugging you all and beginning the holiday season. Right now I'm just packing things up while the boys are down at the beach. I'm sad to go, but I'm ready to be home again.

Hawaii - A hui hou...

Co-Captain's Log - November 9, 2009

Day 1 - The morning started off well with a clean getaway and nothing forgotten...what a shock! We battened down the hatches and cleaned the house up just in time for dad to come pick us up to go to LAX. Thanks, dad! We loaded everything up (SO MUCH STUFF) and were on our way with plenty of time to spare. Dane was really excited as we approached the airport and he started yelling, "You see the airpaannneees mommmyy?!" It was awesome. Once we said goodbye to dad we checked our bags and got to the gate with no problems.

Anyway, Dane was so excited to be on the plane, but honestly, he didn't flip out like we thought he would. Calm, cool and collected he was - it was so cute! Erica was not as calm, but she did okay. Take off was fun, but again, Dane was chill about it. "We go fast, daddy?" Yes, Dane, we go fast. Oh, and Erica wasn't too thrilled about the oxygen mask falling down in front of the people in front of us. LOL! People were taking pictures of it and laughing. It was a good moment.

We arrived in Honolulu 5 hours and 26 minutes later and our bags came with no problem. We piled into the new family truckster, met Mike's friend Jamie to pick up his surfboard he's been storing for him, and headed to the hotel. The hotel was a cute little hotel in downtown Waikiki right in the middle of everything. Mike went surfing almost immediately after we got there (he was jumping out of his skin) and Erica, Dane and I went to go get food (we were also jumping out of our skin).

We all went to bed around 9:30 pm and woke up at 4:30 am! We had to adjust to the time change AND the time zone change. It was nice getting up early and watching the sun rise, though.

Dane is ready to go!

Apparently only one passenger was in need of oxygen on that flight.

Dane and auntie Erica are ready to get to Hawaii!

A little tired, but at least he's got his "pack pack."

Co-Captain's Log - November 10, 2009

Day 2 - Mike went surfing with his buddy Bob Sabatini and Erica, Dane and I journeyed to the glorious place called Foodland. If we had just listened to Mike a LITTLE more carefully, we would've gotten there a little faster. After a few illegal moves and asking the question, "wait, what street was that again?" a few times, we found it! We picked up some less expensive groceries there and headed back.

After Erica "woked up" from her nap, we went to go pick up Mernie at the airport. Dane didn't know she was coming, so he was very surprised! On our way back, we saw two huge rainbows and Dane was so excited! It was a really cute moment:) We headed back to the Aqua Wave hotel and hung out for a bit to regroup. And regroup we did, after the "crisis on the balcony." We have a balcony outside with bars that are just big enough for Dane to fit through. At one point we heard a blood curdling scream from outside and thought the worst. After rushing to the scene, Nanny Erica assessed the situation and came to the conclusion that Dane's head was indeed NOT stuck, he just panicked and turned it the wrong way. With a little turn of the neck, he was pulled to safety. Of course, he still has a big red mark across his face from trying to pull his head out the wrong way. "I need a bannnnnaaaiiiddd!" We put a bandaid on his forehead. It was quite the picture.

That evening we decided to have dinner at the Chinese restaurant downstairs. It was fantastic, but Dane grew tired pretty quickly. Mike took Dane upstairs for a shower and the rest of us went to the front desk to rent a movie and grab some candy and popcorn. We came back to the room and got into our comfy clothes in preparation for the movie night, when Mernie, standing next to the microwave, surrounded in billowing smoke, said, "Uh, Erica...Something's happening with the popcorn." Erica realized something was indeed "happening" and we promptly began our emergency procedures. We opened the sliding door and had the towels waving - only to realize later that the smoke alarm wasn't even working. At this point, Mike just walked in and saw the chaos going on. He, in his Mike way says, "I can't leave you alone for 10 minutes!" Meanwhile, Mernie thought it would be a good idea to open the door to the hallway to fan out the smoke. We immediately got a response from the hotel staff asking us the source of the smoke. They had gotten numerous calls about the building being on fire. I can just barely hear Mernie at the door (Erica was hiding in the bathroom), "I'm so sorry, sir. We just burned the popcorn." They weren't too happy with us. They came by later to ask us if we wanted them to spray Lysol. Um, no thanks. Erica realized after all this that the bag of popcorn only called for 1.5 minutes as it was a half size bag. Ah yes...reading directions...a thing of the past. So, please remember, the "Popcorn" button on your microwave doesn't know how big your bag of popcorn is.

After the smoke settled, we got into bed and watched our movie. We peacefully and happily, fell asleep (well, most of us). It was a good day.

Breakfast at Big Kahuna's.

A little cuddle time for Dane and mommy.

Daddy comforts Dane after the "balcony" incident.

Even with a sore head, Dane is pumped for a yummy Chinese dinner!

I think it's time for bed...

The remnants of the popcorn.

Co-Captain's Log - November 11, 2009

Day 3 - We got a flier the day before for a cheap breakfast at what we THOUGHT was a hole in the wall steakhouse place called Galaxy Steakhouse. We walked up the stairs to this tiny doorway and walked into the twilight zone of restaurants. It looked like it had been a club before, so it was decorated in a very modern way. It was huge, white and clean. There was a red Christmas tree at the door, too, which I can only describe as...interesting. Anyway, we sat down to a great breakfast together. We quickly realized why there was a table that looked like a concierge table in the front of the room. We also had a spotlight on our table, which was so odd. A man walked up to us and greeted us very nicely. Then he went into his "would you like to sit through a 90 minute presentation" speech and right then we knew...time share! He bothered us for a few minutes until finally Mike's gentle, but firm "no thank you's" settled in. We didn't get out of there before he got one more sales pitch in...poor guy had no idea who he was dealing with. At least we had a cheap and yummy breakfast, though, right?!

After that, we went back to the hotel to regroup and Mike went surfing with his buddy Rooster. After a little bit of complaining on my part about the size of my belly, the rest of us packed up and headed to the famous beach of Waikiki. It was a GORGEOUS day and the sun was a perfect temperature. At the beach, we just floated in the water and sunbathed. Nothing really to report there, except of course that Dane was being so adorable! We had his sand toys for him to play with, so he just puttered around in the sand for a couple hours. He also loved going into the water to swim - such a different reaction than I thought he would have, so that was a surprise! He was just giddy with excitement about being in the ocean. He even went under water, which stung his eyes at first, but he didn't cry. I think he was just startled by the salinity of the water. He also really enjoyed watching the very animated Japanese people next to us bury one of their friends in the sand. The guy they buried was so cute trying to talk to Dane. Every time Dane would look at him and laugh, the guy would say, "Excuse me!" with a smile on his face. I think he was trying to say hello or something, but since he didn't speak English, "excuse me" was the only thing he could muster. Such a great exchange to watch.

After a great day at the beach, we headed back to the hotel to get Dane down for a nap. He was thoroughly exhausted. But first, we had to eat lunch next door at the Big Kahuna. Dane likes that place because there's a big statue in there of a scary guy. I guess it looks like he has boobs, cuz Dane calls him the "boobie guy." HA!

While Dane and I rested, Mike took Erica and Mernie on a hike to Diamond Head. They got some great pictures and had a wonderful time exploring. When they got back, we got ready for dinner. After driving for a bit around town, Mike found the sushi place that his friend Jamie was telling him about. This was the most amazing sushi we'd ever had! The restaurant was called Imana's and the waitresses there were so gracious and sweet to us. They loved Dane, too! The fish was so fresh, the ambience was amazing...we were even in one of those little rooms with the tables that sit low to the floor. At first I freaked because I thought, I cannot sit cross-legged on the floor for that long! But there was a hole in the ground for us to put our feet into, so it was all good:) Anyway, we kicked off our shoes, we ate some fantastic food and Dane enjoyed his as well. We asked him earlier what he wanted for dinner an he kept saying, "Goose!" LOL! So, we ordered him Teriyaki chicken and told him it was goose. He was delighted.

At the time share breakfast. Bizarre.

At beautiful, but crowded, Waikiki Beach!

Erica and Mern at Diamond Head.

Mike and Mern taking in the view.

Time to get cleaned up for dinner.

Looking very sharp there, my boy...

Eating at Imana's, the best sushi we've ever had!

MMMMMMM....

Co-Captain's Log - November 12-13, 2009

Days 4 & 5 - On Thursday morning, we woke up around 6:15 and got our things together. Erica and Mernie were going to the USS Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor (Mike and I have already been), so they needed to get an early start. Mike took them over there while Dane and I hung out at the hotel and cleaned up. Once they all returned, we packed up our stuff into the family truckster and headed out.

On our way to the North Shore, we stopped at the Pali Lookout at Nuuanu Pali State Park. It was a beautiful view of the island and the weather was perfect! Dane was only really interested in the "cockadoos" that were running around, so we chased a few before we left the lookout.

After eating way too much at lunch, we drove over to Laie Point to look at the enormous surf going on. Usually Laie is not this crazy, but that day it was roaring. Waves were crashing into the rocks sending spray 60-70 feet in the air. It was breathtaking. Mike, Mernie and Erica walked out to the end of the point and I stayed back with Dane in the car as he was sleeping. Hopefully the pictures do it some justice - it was an incredible sight.

Laie was our last stop before we got to our house in Velzyland, North Shore. We arrived mid afternoon and were greeted by a cozy, clean and beachy house. It is such a great place! Everything was stocked and well organized, too, so our OCD guests are all happy:) After unloading and getting familiar with the place, we came up with a shopping list and drove over to Foodland to get groceries. Erica about had a heart attack after realizing that Hawaii prices are quite a bit higher than in the Mainland. Hey, almost everything has to get here by boat or plane, right? It is pretty hard, though, when you are used to paying $2.19 for a half gallon of milk and it's almost $5 here! But anyway, I digress. We still did a good job with our shopping and felt good about our purchases in the end. We even headed over to Starbucks for a little pick me up drink and took a "few" of the sugar packets there to take back with us - there was no sugar at the house for coffee. Hey, we paid a lot for those drinks, right? :)

The next morning, Erica made pancakes, eggs and bacon and we waited for Mike to get back from surfing. Unfortunately, after we ate breakfast, I got a call from Mike with some bad news. The electronic part of the key to our car had fallen in a puddle and the car would not start! If you know our story from our trip to Kauai in 2006, this makes the story even "better." Basically, Mike and I had been stranded on a dirt road in Kauai for 6 hours because we ran through a puddle that rendered our car...well...dead. We finally got towed to safety back to Alamo, but not after a $600 tow down from the mountain. Needless to say, it was an experience I'd like to forget. So, when Mike called me with this news that he'd have to be towed all the way back to the airport to get a new car, my heart sank. Luckily, we have premiere AAA, so our tow was free! Alamo said they'd let us know if they will charge us for the key later, once they figure out what's wrong. Well, they said that last time about the car and they never called, so hopefully the same happens this time. All I cared about, though, was getting Mike back here so we could enjoy the rest of the day.

In the meantime, the rest of us walked down to the beach and enjoyed a lovely time just hanging out. We made it to the beach and enjoyed ourselves some Ukelele sounds in the distance. Meanwhile, a stray pit bull that we lovingly named Tripod (I think you can figure out why) pleasantly roamed the beach and greeted the guests. He left Mernie a little present on the beach, which she didn't appreciate stepping in, I'm sure. All in all, though, it was a nice time. Dane spent most of his time making sand cakes and singing happy birthday to himself and us. So cute.

After a few hours of relaxing, we got ready and headed down to Haleiwa to do a little shopping before dinner. We saw some nice things, but dang, not cheap! So, we decided to just go to dinner early. We ate at a place called Haleiwa Joe's. Mike and I ate there last time we were here and knew they had yummy food. Let's just say, the gang was not disappointed. The food was amazing, the girls had some great cocktails, and I think Dane ate more than he has this whole trip!

We headed back disgustingly full and ready to rest. We were in for another crazy night of weather. This time, thunder, lightning (very rare for Oahu), rain and wind.

Here is Mernie at the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor.

We arrived at the Nuuanu State Park to see the view.

Erica, Mike and Mernie taking in the site at Queen's Bath, or Laie Point.

Everyone's enjoying a yummy home-cooked meal in our new home for the next week.

A beautiful day in Velzyland, North Shore for a walk to the beach.

Dane's got his tools out and ready to use.

We arrived for dinner at Haleiwa Joe's.