North Shore Awesomeness

After a crazy week of traveling, helping to care for my grandfather, running a bazillion errands, getting lost driving (.. a lot), late nights, a trip to the ER followed by a day of cleaning up the mess that said ER trip caused, we decided to take a road trip to the North Shore.  Here are a few pictures...

 Interesting decor give that this resturant was located very close to BYU Hawaii.

 

 Kalua pig, rice and mac salad

 

Giovanni's Shrimp Truck

 

Shrimp Scampi ... onolicious!

 

 Sunset Beach

 

Waimea Bay Beach

 

We had to stop by Matumoto Shave Ice given that everyone raves about it, however, Waiola is still my favorite!! 

 

If only...

... We had one in Seattle....I LOVE The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf!

... I had one of these along with endless warm evenings.... We went to The Modern in Waikiki/Ala Moana and laid here for awhile. I didn't want to get up!

(Photo from Trip Advisor)

Snow Factory!!

Have you heard of snow ice?  Its a cross between cotton candy, shave ice and ice cream.

I'm still a little puzzled to what we ate, but above is a picture of our snow ice.  Clockwise, starting with the purple on the left, the favors are taro, li hing mui, strawberry and passion fruit.  We had the kind that had condensed milk, bolba or adzuki beans and mochi on top, but you can get it plain or add froyo type toppings instead.  If there is a snow ice place near you, give it a try and let me know what you think!

Best Carnival Ever!

May is always a busy month and 2012 was no exception.  We partied like it was 1983 at a family wedding.  The Monday after the wedding was Munchkin's birthday, then Bub's birthday was on Wednesday.  Munch picked the Space Needle for her birthday dinner and was suprirsed with a "special" birthday dessert.  Munchkin LOVED the fact that the resturant moved! 

The party continued throughout the week until it was finally time for the much anticipated Carnival Birthday Bash.  Munchkin always has really awesome birthday parties, but I think this was the best one yet. A carnival would be not be complete without:
- Cotton candy
- Popcorn
- Double bouncy slide
- Coke bottle ring toss
- Duck pond
- Goldfish ball toss with real fish
- Sand pens (you fill a pen with colored sand)
- Bean bag toss
- A bubble show
- Balloon artist
- Hand dripped corn dogs
- Candy and old school "toys" - Fun Dip, lollipops, animial cookies, Crackerjaks, pretzels, etc.
- Family and great friends

But, the coolest thing of all was that Munchkin requested that all of her friends bring dog items (food, toys, treats, etc.) for homeless dogs in lieu of gifts! 

Happy Birthday Munchkin!  I sure do love you to the moon and back... and all the stuff animals and back! xoxo

February, March and April... say what?

Like everyone else, I have been busy with work and life.  Here are a few highlights of the past couple of months....

Oh how I do LOVE to ski!

I did a little traveling (more on this later).  I went to Tahiti, Moorea and Bora Bora. 

Bubs and I went to a Sounders match.

Munchkin and her babies - Baby B and Baby Boy. 

We celebrated Andyfest!

Uncle T came for the weekend, so we took him to see the "pointy flowers" (aka tulips). 

How in the world is it almost May already? 

Pizza...Pizza...Pizza

Guess which lucky duck got to go skiing?  Yup, the lil one! She did awesome... made this Aunty very proud!  (I haven't been cleared by the doctor yet....GRRRR!)

Getting ready to go...safety first...

Pizza - Green Light - Pizza

Riding the "Magic Carpet"

"Resting"

...  its finally time for snow angels!

10 Years Ago

On October 23, 2001, we said "see you later" to my grandmother, Popo.  She was generous, the luckiest woman ever, loved being present in all of her grandchildren's lives and was simply the glue of the family.  She loved dolls, crafts, traveling, People magazine (or any gossip magazine), playing Nintendo, cooking/baking, and having all of her family together.

Today, I celebrate the incredible woman that Popo was and the fact that she's in "God's big big house," as Add would say.  I hold on tightly to all of the wonderful memories that I have of and with my her.  While Popo is no longer physically here with us, she lives on in our hearts.

Popo, I love and miss you.  There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about you.