Settling In on the Big Island

Sunday was our first full day on the Big Island. D wanted to make sure we got in maximum snorkeling time, so our first outing was to the Fairmont Orchid beach and the Beach Club in Mauna Lani.








It took her a while, but k started getting used to the water. By the end of our outing, she didn't want to leave!


A dog loved the ocean, too!


We tried our best to keep n out of the sun. Luckily, there were cabanas and/or trees at all of the beaches we went to.


Beach Club @ Mauna Lani. Sigh, look at that water.

We ate lunch there, too.

Perusing the menu.

We went back to the condo and took a nap. Then we headed to the Queens' Marketplace in Waikaloa to queue up for Sansei. On Sundays and Mondays, orders before 6 p.m. are 50% off! This is a great deal, but everyone tries to take advantage of it, so you have to get in line early (the restaurant doesn't open until 5:30).

D's dad stood in line while we watched a free hula performance.


We ate at Sansei during our honeymoon on Maui, so we knew what to expect. The food didn't disappoint!

Rainbow roll that I ordered. Isn't it pretty? k had the adult ramen (since the kids' meals aren't 50% off, the adult portion ends up being cheaper) and she finished it all. (She only had the noodles, since the tempura shrimp and pork weren't to her liking).

Afterward, we walked around the marketplace a bit.

We stopped by Island Gourmet Market, which is like an upscale ABC (it is affiliated). We picked up a piece of tiramisu and a few other goodies.

Traveling Light

One of the most difficult parts of traveling with kids is getting around with all of the STUFF that you need. When I found out that United charges $25 each way for your FIRST checked bag, my first reaction was "forget that!" So, I was determined to pack only carry-ons for our week long vacation. People thought we were crazy (*ahem*--D's co-workers), but I knew we could do it since 1. we had access to a washer/dryer and 2. we didn't have to worry about carseats, strollers and pack and plays because D's parents generously provided everything (a lot of it was saved from the first time we visited, when k was 10 months old). D did his part by only bringing about 3 t-shirts and his ubiquitous khaki cargo shorts. Also, since k had her own seat, we were allowed to bring two carry-ons for her, too. Only problem being that she is too small to actually carry said bags on, plus n still needs to be carried. We managed, though, with D rolling our 2 roller bags, plus a backpack, and duffel, and me carrying n, my purse, and another small carry-on. Luckily, k is pretty good about following us, and not running away, so she was fine walking by herself.


No checking in bags for us!


Waiting in LAX.


The kids were as good as I could have hoped for on the plane ride there. At one point all 4 of us were asleep! The food offered (for purchase only) was pretty sad. I miss Aloha Airlines.

After settling in, we walked the grounds of the Mauna Lani, where we were staying. There are nice pathways connecting the condo to the beach and hotel.



Lava Tubes


Interesting trees


k unsure of the water.


Turtle on the beach.


n taking his afternoon nap.


The Mauna Lani Hotel.


Love these colorful chairs in the lobby.


After our walk we took a dip in the pool, but it was kind of cold. k was still unsure about being in the water. Recognize the floatie?

k was about the same age as n is now during our first trip to the Big Island. Amazing to see how much she has grown.


D's parents made us HUGE steaks for dinner and we were ready for bed!

We Survived the Tsunami

We've been absent from the blog for a while because we were vacationing on the Big Island with D's parents. The week was really fun and pretty chill...until Friday, the night before we were supposed to leave. The kids were asleep, and D and I were watching the Olympics. We were up past 9:30 (unusual for us) and there was a commercial for the 10:00 news. All I heard was "8.8 earthquake in Chile, tsunami warning", but D heard the part about the warning being for Hawaii! I didn't believe him at first, thinking we were way too far away, but he insisted, so we stayed up for the news. He was right, of course, but it was only a tsunami "advisory" at that time, so D just went to sleep. I, on the other hand, was more concerned, and kept watching the news.

I finally fell alseep, but n woke me up around 12:45 a.m., so after I put him to sleep, I turned on the news again. They had upgraded the advisory to a "warning", predicting it would hit just after 11 a.m. the next day. The newscasters were talking about the tsunami in the 1960's that occurred in Hilo due to an earthquake in Chile that had occurred in roughly the same area! There was frightening footage of people running for their lives as the water came rushing towards them. I managed to go back to sleep, but n woke up again at 4:45. This time when I turned on the news, they were talking about sounding the island-wide sirens at 6 a.m. to signal that everyone in the evacuation zones should be heading for higher ground. The scientists were predicting the wave to be up to 12 feet! I woke up D and told him to call his parents to give them warning and figure out what to do.

D's parents came over and we quickly packed up our stuff. This wasn't easy, as both kids were up by now. We didn't say anything to k about it, since we didn't want to scare her. After some debate, we headed to Waikaloa Village, which is a few miles inland, with a higher elevation (we were on the coast, at a condo in Mauna Lani). When we arrived, there were LONG lines for the gas station. We had about a 1/4 of a tank, so D got in line. I went into the grocery store, where people were stocking up on food and supplies. On the news, there were reports that Costcos were opening up extra early and that a supermarket put up a sign saying "max. 2 cans of Spam per customer" (only in Hawaii!) I think this was the first time when I've been in such a mass emergency situation. Although I was kind of comforted to see other people dealing with the same thing as us, it also elevated my fears, since there was much speculation.

After about an hour wait for gas, we headed toward the nearby golf course clubhouse and ordered breakfast. It was packed, and we had to wait a long time for the food. There were t.v.'s, though, so we were able to watch the news. Our biggest dilemma was figuring out when to go to the airport, since our flight was just after 2 p.m. out of Kona. The airport was still open (only Hilo shut down), but I didn't think driving toward the coast right when the tsunami hit would be a good idea. However, we also didn't want to miss our flight, and we weren't sure if there would be traffic or road closures, so we decided to go ahead.

We were listening to the radio the whole way, and they kept emphasizing that everyone should be in a safe place by now. It seemed like everyone was driving in the opposite direction as us, as we came down the mountain. We arrived at the airport just before 11:00, and there were some people who we thought were security at the entrance. We asked if we could just wait out the tsunami there, since it was close to the main highway and we knew we wouldn't be late for our flight since we were so close. I told D he better be ready to make a quick u-turn, just in case! We heard there wasn't much action in Hilo, and then the police told us we had to leave our makeshift waiting spot, so we decided to go to the rental car place and check-in. Everything was fine, and as everyone said, "we prepared for the worst and hoped (prayed) for the best". That was a day I will never forget.


Waiting for the tsunami over breakfast. How funny that n was oblivious to the whole thing.


Waiting at the entrance of Kona airport. Turns out that these guys work at the airport, refueling the planes, and they just wanted a safe(r) place to wait, too.

The Walker

Yesterday n turned 11 months old, and he celebrated by taking 10 steps by himself!



k likes to cheer n on in his walking efforts.


As a side note, here are the Olympic mascots that sit by our tv. I am sad that they have received absolutely NO exposure on tv so far. Not even in the Opening Ceremony, unless I missed it? They are so cute!

V-Day & Vancouver

I know a lot of people dislike Valentine's Day because it can be commercialized, cheesy, etc. However, I enjoy the idea of having a special day just to celebrate love. It was also nice how Valentine's Day was on a Sunday. D and I celebrated just the two of us at Honda-Ya on Saturday night. Today was more of a "family-love" day with the kids. We gave k a little bag with a mini globe from the dollar section @ Target, a pair of heart socks from Old Navy and a few Hershey's hugs.

I started a Yelp account, so I will try to set up a link to all of my restaurant reviews. The short version is that we arrived at Honda-Ya a little after 5, knowing that it opens at 5:30 and gets pretty crowded. We were first to put our name on the clipboard hanging outside the door. My suggestion would be to arrive by 5:20, and you would still be in for the first seating. By the time we left at 6:30, there was a sizeable group waiting outside. We shared a bunch of the little plates, a lot based on suggestions from D's co-workers. The grilled items were quite tasty and D was surprised that he liked the agedashi tofu.

Sorry, no pictures. Our camera, which we were thinking of replacing soon anyway, broke. That is the main reason that our blogging has been quite spotty recently. That, and the fact that we have become obssessed with the Winter Olympics. D and I visited Vancouver/Whistler in 2005, pre-kids, so that city holds a special place in our hearts. Also, D was born in Windsor, Ontario, so he has the Canadian spirit. I was never into the Winter Olympics until I met D. After trying snowboarding/skiing, I have a much greater appreciation for all of the athletes' skills. We also like to add our own banter/color commentary, so it's a good time. Unfortunately, it really puts our 40-hour Tivo to the test, since we failed to clear it up before the games began.

2010 Surf City USA Marathon

This journey of running my 2nd full marathon started back in October. That is when I started my training program. The training didn't go as planned since my foot hurt for over a month and I also got roto virus. However, all the distractions actually helped me learn how to focus on what I can control. I tried not to focus/worry about just the race results but on the process of training and the satisfaction of improving a little day by day. Even though the early morning runs including the two 20 milers were difficult and tiring and I complained a lot, I did take enjoyment checking off my daily runs on my training schedule.

I got a PR of 4 hrs 17 mins and 4 sec. 4 minutes and 15 seconds faster than my first marathon. I am offically retiring from full marathons. I got under my goal of under 4 hours and 20 minutes and can be satisfied in accomplishing that goal. I have signed up for the L.A. Rock N Roll Half Marathon since my buddy Chris from Atlanta wants to run it. I would like to break by PR of 1 hr, 52 mins, 53 secs; but I have a couple months to be lazy before training starts.

A Ball Birthday Party

We had a nice weekend. D was able to go skiing on Friday. Thankfully, no major injuries, especially since he has his marathon next Sunday!

On Saturday we went to a birthday party for a boy who just turned three. It was a "ball-themed" birthday party--basketballs, soccer balls, footballs, etc. k shot a few baskets, but spent most of the time on the swings. She also enjoyed playing in her old "baby class" (the church nursery).







The birthday cake. Doesn't it look professional?

It was actually decorated by the birthday boy's grandma. She just ordered a cake from Costco, had them do the writing, and she added the rest. Very creative! Oh, not to mention that she also made a yummy Italian lunch for 50+ people!