A Hawaii Christmas & New Year's

My goal when we left for Hawaii was to continue blogging. That obviously did not happen. I'll have to post the whole trip in one long post.

It's been awhile since we were in Hawaii for the holidays. We were so happy when we found a great deal. Ani was looking forward to going into the water this time around. We left bright and early Saturday morning which was Christmas Eve. Our flight left at 6 am on United. I was having a bit of deja vu the night before and had a terrible time sleeping. I was so afraid we were going to sleep in again even though my parents were taking us this time. We woke up at 3:30 am and got everyone ready. We arrived at the airport on time and the gate attendant was the the same girl from July. The same girl that kindly refunded our tickets. I don't think she remembered us. The kids slept for the most of the traveling and everything went really well except for the two hour delay in San Francisco. They allowed some passengers to come off the airplane and I went to get the food for us. They didn't tell us that they were going to keep us off the plane until it was fixed. They let me back on since my family was one of the ones to stay on the plane. It was hot and stuffy since the power was off. The toilets weren't flushing so when the kids had to go, some of them were gross. Lucky we only had to use the bathroom once.




Tiff and Britt picked us up from the airport. Dane's sisters cooked us a yummy meal that evening and the kids were able to open a gift. Mika got minnie mouse pajamas, Ani got walkie talkies, and bray got the star wars DS game. Such nice aunties they have. Dane and I were so tired from the traveling but had to wait to wrap the gifts for the kids. They were so concerned that Santa would not find them in Hawaii. Ani brought her reindeer food in our suitcase and sprinkled that on the porch before going to bed.







(putting out the reindeer food that the cat started to eat)


(thank you kayla for ani's gift. she loves her pajamas. especially since her cousin had a purple one. they wore it all the time.)




Britt said in the morning they thought Santa didn't come. When they saw presents for them from Santa they were REALLY happy. When they started separating the gifts, I was shocked to see how many presents were for the kids. We only brought down a couple small gifts since we are cheap and didn't want to pay for another luggage. We brought mika some minnie mouse pajamas and toys. Ani got her nintendo 3DS and was very happy. We also got her a cooking mama game. She even knows how to play it. Daddy was happy. Bray got his Just Dance 3 game and a watch. We didn't really bring anything for Kiele but she had more than enough. All of Dane's cousins, Aunty's, Sisters, and Parent's got the kids some great gifts. Thanks Everyone!







mika got some great minnie mouse stuff. she loves minnie mouse.






i bought ani and mika some capes that ani and maile wore with their princess pajamas.




manoa valley




That day we went to church for an hour. Dane says it was the best hour of church ever. It was more like 40 minutes. After church we got ready to go to Kaneohe for the Pane'e side Christmas lunch. They always eat steak and shrimp, have a gingerbread making contest (very intense) and then we opened our gifts.

















mr. all that... ha-ha


For dinner we had family from Dane's side over and we had some good grinds. I was so full! I think I was in pain when I went to bed.

The next day we went to Kahala mall and played at Fun Factory and got some Jamba!


very hard to get a smile out of this girl




The following day was the first day we went to the beach. Finally! The kids were dying to go. While everyone was getting ready the kids made a slide with all the futons.


Then we had to arrange the car seats in the cars. That took awhile too...







Finally the BEACH










The Wednesday after Christmas we went to Aunty Kathy's in Kailua to swim in her pool. Amber and keikis joined us and it was so much fun. We brought lunch to eat and just enjoyed the day. Aunty Amber even painted all the kids faces. They loved it.





at one point dane jumped into the pool since one of amber's kids flipped over in floatie. We first thought dane was doing suicides and flipped her over, but he was actually saving her. Good thing he was watching.






the tigress








That evening we went to dinner with Gemma and Ka'u at Kochi. The food was good, but the service was pretty bad. The wait was pretty long to get our food and when you have tired, hungry kids that is not a good thing. Ani and Bray fell asleep at the table. I only got two blurry pics...

Mika likes gemma




On Thursday we went to Grandpa Takamoto's to visit. We had his name for Christmas and got him some shirts. The kids know where the toys are and go directly into his bedroom to play. I think Grandpa really likes Dane. He makes him laugh and he seemed like he never wanted us to leave. We even brought Maile with us. She was a part of the group. Can't separate the cousins even for a minute.







After Grandpa's we went to Waiola's. Gotta squeeze in shave ice whenever we can.


We met up with the rest of the family and went to Ala Moana for some Jungle Fun. I think money goes a lot quicker there. Or so it seemed. The carousel was the best buy. Three kids could enjoy it at one time. That night I met up with Nai and Corie for dinner. We went to Sorabol for dinner. Then we headed to Ala Moana so Corie could return a gift. As were were walking back to the car we commented on how times have definitely changed. We use to come home really late. Sometimes really, really late. That night we were done by 9:30 pm. We are so old!



On Friday we took Cocoa Puffs to Aunty Susan in Moanalua and also to Dane's Aunty Arlene and family. Then we went on a drive up tantalus to show the kids were Dane proposed to me. He pros posed eight years ago on Jan. 3.

The spot where he proposed








In the evening we went to Lalea's 1st birthday party. It was a Candy shoppe Theme and Mika was in heaven. We couldn't tie her hands together and so she just kept eating candy wherever she could find it. It was fun to visit with friends we haven't seen in awhile. At the end of the night, all the kids were dancing on stage. It was funny to watch.

Mika found her friend Gemma




All sorts of candy was under the tent


The bouncy house




i think she was tired. we didn't leave until 10:30.


Anthony was pretty funny as the emcee. I especially loved when he talked about being an indian giver...


At the end of the night the kids lined up to choose a stuff animal. We left those in Hawaii.


These two get along really well


I went to take a picture of Mika and Kaiava did a hair flip for me!






On Saturday morning we realized it was New Year's Eve that night. It came so fast! In the morning we went to get outfits for pictures we were taking on Monday. After Dane and I got home we went to get fireworks at Don Quijote. Dane's sisters had bought three permits allowing you to buy 5,000 for each permit. We tried to see if we could buy more with them and just go from store to store but no luck. They were pretty strict. We got our boxes of firecrackers, food, and went home. We took baby and the older three to the beach for a little. Mika was napping. It was such a nice day.



they helped bury ani




Later JT and Britt treated everyone and brought home CPK. This is the first year that fireworks are illegal. We were pretty bummed. Even sparklers are illegal. What?! It was pretty silent for most of the night. We let the kids do some fireworks. Aunty Tiffy found some from last year.



why can't this girl smile normal?


we bought a huge box of pop-pops and the kids were making piles of it or aunty tiffy was trying to light them on fire. we were getting pretty creative with them.







Baby and Kili went down a little before 10. Followed by Maile and ani around 10:30.



Mika went to bed at 11:30. That was right around the time everyone found their illegal fireworks from last year. We were getting ready for the our grand finale when people started lighting the loud ones. It was booming in the valley. It woke up Mika, then Kili and Kiele.





On Sunday we went to church for an hour. It was a tri-ward sacrament meeting. After church we had lunch with the family at Ichiban. The shrimp tempura udon is winna's! Around 3pm we went to Kapolei to have hawaiian food with the Pane'e side. We couldn't stay long because we had to be back for our family prime rib dinner. I forgot how busy holidays are when we are in Hawaii.

Bray's 'Oh' face was perfect for what happened next. Mika is on one side doing the shi shi dance and I lift her over to hand her to dane when she started to go. Baby is right underneath her. Quick thinking from Aunty Britty saved the day when she shoved Kili's blanket to catch most of it. Poor baby had splashes of pee all over her!


i have pictures of uncle holding all my babies. this is the first time one of them is smiling.






the kids loved playing with their cousins








miss hayden




Monday morning we met the Kim's at Sam Choys for breakfast. It was the first time meeting Reese, Jaimie's boyfriend. Every trip I always wish we could spend more time with them. It is always so busy.



After breakfast we went to Moanalua gardens to meet up with friends for lunch. It's so crazy how many kids we now have since our BYU days. It was so much fun catching up. We fed fish at the koi pond, played games including portagee horse shoes (i think), caught fish in the stream, and threw around the football and frisbee. What a fun day. The weather was super nice too.

They have a rule at the park. No hanging or climbing in trees. This particular tree is famous. They had tour buses of Japanese tourists coming to take pictures of it. I think it is the tree for Mitsubishi. I guess it is well known.




Even the old folks had fun playing games








I forgot to mention that Ashley came! Yay! It was so good to spend time with her.


Good thing we brought the big bag of Koi food


the fish


ryder and mama






aunty ashley got baby to sleep. she's got the touch.


they got plenty mosquito bites from the stream


the kids with the nets. we kept telling them to quit putting it on their heads!


mika was mad when i couldn't take getting bit anymore. I made her come back with me and she was screaming the whole way.


aunty gemma calmed her down




all the keikis. i think someone said we had a total of 21.


bray took the adult picture with my phone and got one of uncle mike




the whole group


gavon playing the uke


baby is taking steps!


thanks for coming too aunty ash!


Around 5 pm we went to Kahala where Britt took our family pictures. It was pretty rough. Thank goodness Uncle Mike came to keep kids occupied when not being photographed and Aunty Tiffy helped get certain kids to smile. Baby was starting to come down with something and was pretty grouchy. Mika was also very uncooperative. I'm pretty excited to see them.

On Tuesday, our last full day in Hawaii, we had to go to the beach. In the morning we played with Maile's snow kit from her family in Cali. It was pretty cool.







I didn't take any pictures from the beach because baby fell asleep and I stayed in the car with her for most of the time. Our friends, the Stewards, were home for the holidays, and we met up at Waiola's for some shave ice., So glad that worked out and we could see them before we left.











That evening we went to a family favorite, Buzz's in pearl city, for dinner. Dane's friend Noah joined us and after Dane & Noah went to see Mission Impossible 3.

Yesterday was our last day and Dane's family let us run our errands in the morning without kids. Mike treated us all to rainbows for lunch. We got an early start on packing (instead of rushing at the end) and finished with enough time to go to the beach one last time.





Our last meal was at Sekiya's for saimin and a burger. YUMMY. Then we headed home to finish packing up our suitcases. We were pretty close to limit. Both our suitcases were 49 lbs. We said our goodbyes to family and it was sad. We hope they are able to come visit us in May. We had such a great trip. Thanks for everything. Love you guys!

The flight back was alright. Baby was on her third day of a fever and wouldn't stay asleep. I had to walk her around a couple of times. The rest of the kids were great. Mika slept the entire way back. We just kept transferring her from the plane to the stroller and back again. Yesterday I kept trying to keep the kids up so they would go to bed at a normal time. Mika and Bray napped and woke up at 6. They didn't go back to sleep until midnight. I put baby down at 7 and she woke up at 9:30 pm thinking it was a nap. She went back to bed with the other two. Ani fell asleep in front of the tv around 7 and didn't wake up until this morning.



'

We are really looking forward to this year. We feel like so many great things will be happening for us. This is the year. It's just a feeling and not an announcement. No babies or anything like that. Ha ha. It's Dane's year, the year of the Dragon. He was born in 1977 but his birthday was before Chinese New Year's so technically he is a Dragon. We are excited for what is in store for us. We want to wish everyone a Happy New Year! We hope you all have a healthy, safe, prosperous, and happy 2012!