Hotel room day

Still in the hotel for just a few more days, this is the way we all get to enjoy some down time. Boys watching a movie on my computer with headphones on and I get to watch TV in the room. We all cant wait to be in our house next week. Jon was at work all day and night so the boys and I just relaxed and goofed off in the room all day.

<3mamaSa



Park and Swimming with cousin

I had to get a few things done today with getting Jon's car safety checked and register so I dragged the boys to Firestones on base and dropped off the car for an hour. We walked to one of the parks on base that was just a block away since I knew all three wouldnt be able to just sit and wait in the waiting room.

After playing and having lunch at the park we went to the hotel and let them swim for awhile before dinner time.

<3mamaSa

First Visiter

The boys have been so excited knowing Mikah would be coming to Hawaii on vacation with his grandparents. We asked to have Mikah over for a couple days this week so they dropped him off at our hotel Sunday afternoon. We love him being over so he can keep the boys busy.. haha

We took them to the beach on base so they can all have fun and practice snorkeling. These boys are so brave in the water, we didn't stay too long because it was hot out with no clouds for once.

After dinner we went back to the hotel and just relaxed and had a good night.

<3mamaSa



We got a house!

Finally, we got a house that we like. It has been crazy with the amount of paper work and back and forth we have done to get a house. We have been on a waiting list for almost a year and knew that we would have to wait a while since we landed on the island to move in but a lot of the housing isn't ready for move in for another few months! That is way too long to be in a hotel with Jon starting work and Ethan starting school in a week and a half.

We've been offered a lot of houses but the thing is we cant do a walk through, you either except it or not without seeing the inside. So we've been driving to all the homes and just looking from the outside. We did like a lot of the house the Navy housing offered but not the school Ethan would have to go to and because of the area it is in. Navy housing is not on a base, it is right outside the gates but still not safe and secure enough. A lot of theft happens here in Hawaii and although we do hear about it happen on base too we will be just a little more safe on base rather then off.

We also looked into Army housing that is a 15 minute drive from base and have such a nice view since the Army post is up in the mountain a little, but they wouldn't have a house for us till about six months.

We ended up going back to the Air force housing office today and were just going to take a house we've been offered that we didn't like at all but it would be move in ready next Wednesday. The only thing we liked about this house was the location. We walked in without an appointment and talk to another consultant since our was out for the day and she was able to help us with our situation and not liking the homes.

She helped us big time, she made sure to get us out of the hotel as soon as possible and to give us a house we want. We ended up getting the house we love and the location is good too.

We can still walk Ethan to and from school, it's bigger square feet then the others, one story and on the safer side of the base. We move in Monday the 30th (the day Ethan starts school) so we will share about the move in then.

<3 mamaSa

Cholo's mexican in North Shore

We went up to "North Shore" today to eat a a Mexican restaurant we heard about. We went around lunch time and stopped by a beach nearby because we saw a crowd of people standing in the sand looking down at something.

Here we go being nosey and saw that they were huge sea turtles. The boys couldn't even tell and thought they were rocks.



The food was really good at Cholo's restaurant, pretty surprised it was too. We thought since it is so popular it might of been americanized mexican food. haha but it wasn't!

So we ended the day with walking around the shopping area and we go into a shop to look for sandals for Jon and we come out with a skate board and helmet for Ethan. He has always wanted one and now that Jon is home and there are two skate parks on base we know where they will be a lot.

<3 mamaSa

Hickam Beach

We had a few things we had to take care of on base today for our house we might be getting then decided to take the boys to the private beach on base. This beach is beautiful, with only two lifeguard stations and a rental shack to rent paddle boards and small paddle boats it really is a small private beach. It was a little busy since it is the end of summer here and school starts in a couple weeks but it was still so nice to have a little area to ourselves.

The boys loved it and ran in right after they had sunscreen and all of the water toys in hand of course We couldnt believe Jakob actually ran in and started spashing and rolling in the water. Ethan put on his snorkle gear and thought he would see fish but not at this beach so he just practiced. The water was shallow and very small waves so the boys could go pretty far out and enjoy being in the ocean without getting scared.

The airport is right next door from base so from the private beach you can see the airports runway and where they line up for take off. We lost count on how many we saw take off, it is so cool to see them line up and take off over the ocean. Some military planes/jets use the airport runway also so the boys got to see a lot of the jets take off.

Jakob enjoying being in the ocean, we coulnt not believe he went in.

Ethan loves his snorkle gear.

<3 mamaSa

Family FUN Day

                                    

                                                                    FACEBOOK!!!
      Today was family fun day, we had dinner and went out to have fun and some DRANKS!!! We started out having dinner at our hotels other restaurant down the road. They have a free shuttle to take you back and forth, the boy's love taking that by the way. After dinner we got shuttled back to our hotel where we picked up our car and went to go play video games and a place where mommy and daddy can have some dranks....good ole D&B( dave & buster's ). Thanks to D&B for their military discount we had fun for along time and then some random family gave us a card that allowed us to play video games free ALL NIGHT!!! OK at least till midnight and it was only 630 pm so we got our gamer on. We played video games til we were tired and sweaty...gaming got so intense jakob needed water by the end of the night, he was thirsty. It was about 10 pm when we decided to leave D&B so we had still two hours left on our game card, so we decided to be nice and look for another family to give the card to. When we left the boys were so tired but were so excited from all the fun they had. They want to go back again but I don't think they should these kids were out of control going crazy with all the video games there. When we got back to the room we all changed into our pj's and crashed from all the fun, definitely have to go back with them.             
                                                                                         -SHAKA

                                                                     

Summer study

Ethan will start school July 30th here on base. We still need to get him registered but first he needs a couple shots and a physical. Jakob is on a waiting list for the child care on base and the pre-school. We were able to choose between two houses on base that will be available next month and we chose one that is just a few blocks from Ethan's school and at the end of our street is the Children's Community Center with a gym that all the sports are held at a small park, water park,skate park and basketball courts. You know where we will be most of the time now.

While Jon went to work all day the boys and I had a lazy day in the hotel room and enjoyed the pool late afternoon. The weather here is nice but so tricky. It's windy with a very light rain for awhile then the clouds move and it's a hot 85 degrees. All day switching between the two. Since the boys don't have patience for the clouds to go away they have been swimming while it rains and think its so "cool".  We will be relaxing and exploring more of the island in the next week because Jon will have 8 days off to house hunt off base and see if we find anything we like in the city. He has only been checking in and getting all the paper work that needs to be done the first week of work but so far he says everyone is nice and it will be relaxed place to work at.

<3mamaSa

Waikiki Lagoon

We made our way to Waikiki to check out the beach. We ended up going on the far west side of Waikiki near the Hilton hotel and found a man made lagoon, the boys call it the "small beach". They really enjoyed it and the small fishes they get to swim with. Next time we are going to rent out a small boat or paddle board to try out.

 

 

We are trying to do as much as we can while Jon is off and before we dont have a lot of free time. So far the boys love the beach and the hotel pool. It rains everyday but very lightly and just for a few minutes, the boys think its weird. It doesnt feel so hot out because of the nice breeze that we get all day but Jon still managed to get burned all over his shoulders and back. At least the boys didnt, they know to put on that sun screen.

<3 mamaSa

Dole Plantation

 

 

       It takes 3 years to grow this lil guy                               Pinapple ice cream, nom nom nom!

                                                                    



Today was our day at the Dole pinapple plantation, it started off wondering around the gift shop and headed out side to the garden. We walked around the garden looking at all the different pineapples and the different colors. After walking around for a little bit jakob stubbled upon a koi pond filled with koi fish. While three of us were fiding the fish, jakob was off to the side chasing the birds and screaming BOO! He then realized what we were doing and began to partake. The boys got really bored feeding the fish so we then decided to go on the Pineapple Express, a choo choo train, as jakob would say. We rode around the plantation on the train looking at all the different plants and fruits. There were mangos, pineapples, sugar cane, coffee beans, cocoa beans, tea plants, etc. When then realized we were at the dole plantation and had not have the one thing they are famous for PINEAPPLE ICE CREAM, sarah's favorite. By the way, pineapple ice cream with coconut flakes, the bomb! It was the perfect way to end our adventure at the Dole plantation.

-SHAKA