Noah turns 6!!! Happy Birthday kiddo!!!

I'm going to try and tell you about Noah's turning 6 as much as I can. I want to make sure to write all the things down while they're still fresh in my mind. Turning 6 has been something he's been looking forward to for quite a while. The night before, Noah asked for us all to take one last look before bed. And when he woke up the morning of his 6th birthday, he asked..."do I look any different?" Oh yes, I said...you look much taller today then yesterday. ; ) You definitely lost that age 5 look you had yesterday...today you totally look 6! : ) Oh that's so good, Noah said, feeling so much more reassured. : ) He felt totally different all day long...even now, since we've been home. He says he can reach the higher shelf in the fridge and everything. This is all due because...well he turned 6! : ) Of course right? ; ) Anyway, so we went to the beach first thing in the morning. We hit waikiki because it's closer. We swam for 3 hours and then went back to the hotel to shower. After a shower we headed over the bridge to have lunch. Branden was checking his wallet in this pic (Spongebob) ; ) Hmm, he only had about $3-4 dollars in there, but then again, he was just making sure. ; )
Both Branden and the birthday boy wanted sandwiches. They just had them the day before too. Anyway I had Panda Express. orange chicken, stir fry noodles, rice and egg rolls and a drink we all shared. Noboru meanwhile had the....
Steak plate lunch. After lunch, we walked back over the bridge and got in the car and went and picked up Noah's birthday cake.
You know, with us living in Japan, character cakes are hard to find. : ( The cakes at Costco are a great choice, but they're so huge and since we celebrate usually just as a family of 4, we'd be eating that cake for a month. : ( So, we usually either bake a cake here at the house, a super simple one. Or we buy Baskin Robbins ice cream cakes. They're super tiny though and not very cheap. : ( We do it mostly anyway though. Because there just isn't an easy alternative for birthday cakes. : ( About 3 weeks before we left to Hawaii. We were looking at the old home movies and we came across one where Branden and I were in Colorado for about 5 weeks at my dad's house. We celebrated Branden's 3rd birthday with a great looking Nemo cake. It had Nemo on there and everything. The jelly's too! : ) Noah watched the movie and he said...Branden got a Nemo cake. I've never gotten a cake like that before. He didn't say it as a woe is me, type way. But it took the wind out of me a bit. He's right. We just never had the opportunity to. So, since we knew we'd be in Hawaii during Noah's birthday, I mentioned to Noboru, what Noah saw on the video and what he'd said. He felt awful too. So, that's why we went and ordered him the cake. And believe me, Noah's probably the most grateful kid. Honestly... I asked him what he wanted 2 Christmases ago and he said maybe some Pokemon band aids. @_@ I told my yochien mom friends about it 2 years ago and they chuckled. : ) He's never minded getting Branden's hand me downs all these years, never cared a single bit. Never cared he inherited Branden's yellow school bus backpack, he takes on ensokus/field trips and has never had a backpack of his own, being the first owner you know what I mean. And no he's not deprived, far from it.... but he is a 2nd brother and he does end up with many things of Branden's, yet he's never complained not 1 single dot. Didn't even complain when he got his school uniforms and 90% of them belonged to Branden first. : ) He's not greedy and he's a good hearted kid. As you all know. So, yeah...getting him the character cake, was like the least we could do, wish we could do this every birthday but again just not available here like they are so easy to find in the states. I think this picture shows how thrilled Noah was. He's standing on his tippy toes looking and staring at his birthday cake. : )
And still looking. : ) Bless his heart. : )
This cake was only $20. And I tell ya, if I could, meaning if they were available here...I'd order the boys one for their birthdays different characters every single birthday. Branden fell in love with the Tron cake by the way. : ) Awwww anyway at least we could get this for Noah one year anyway. : ) We had the cake, the ice cream. The little napkins and plates and candle. And forks and spoons. And plastic knife.
Happy Birthday Noah!!! You truly and honestly are a great kid! The both of you are. : )
Branden was so proud of Noah. And he felt totally different then the day before, like I said. : )



A short home movie, so we can remember it forever and always.
A very low key birthday, as usual for us. : ) It was just the 4 of us. And all in all it was a perfect day.
Happy Birthday, to our newest 6 year old! : )
Us walking through the hotel lobby. On our way to a birthday celebration. Noboru suggested Tony Romas!!! I was thinking ribs too! Excellent suggestion! So, we're in the car on our way to Tony Romas. I can just taste the baked potato soup already! Noboru asks Noah...so, is Tony Romas your birthday dinner place? Noah said, wherever you think we should go. : ) Well, where would YOU like to go? Thinking...thinking. If I could choose, Noah said. I'd pick Taco Bell! Branden said..."Taco Bell??? @_@ For your birthday meal? Taco Bell? isn't that for like lunch?" Yes, I know...but daddy said if I could pick anyplace. That's where I'd wish to go. Noboru gives me the, we should let him go look and I agreed. So.....it was after all, his birthday dinner after all not ours. Good bye potato soup...farewell ribs that we won't eat this trip. : )
Definitely the most interesting place to have a birthday celebration meal. It was a Taco Bell/Pizza Hut combo. Noah ate 3 tacos and was on cloud 9! Everyone enjoyed. And we actually had a good time in there. Birthday dinner and all. : ) I had 1 bean burrito and 1 pepperoni personal pan pizza. We all shared a mountain dew. Noah went back to the hotel a happy little boy. He had the cake of his dreams, got a new backpack all his own. Which he loved, a wallet too. And he got to pick the restaurant for his birthday dinner. He brushed his teeth and went to sleep with a 6 year old smile on his face. : ) Birthdays are special and I'm sorry I took so long to share your birthday story Noah. Happy Birthday baby, we truly do love you! : )

Another amazing day at Kailua beach and also at the Dole Pineapple Plantation!

Another very early morning we left and headed to spend the day at Hanauma Bay (a very cool snorkeling spot) we bought lunch along the way. It was around 8am-9am-ish and I honestly thought no way would we find a sandwich place open that early, but Subway was, go figure. We all got sandwiches, chips, we brought some of our juice pouches and vitamin waters from the hotel fridge that we had (these vitamin waters were $1 each at Target so we bought a lot the day we arrived that's how we ended up with so many) and the box of individual juice was so cheap, we bought 2 big boxes which had many juice pouches inside. We also had granola bars and other power packed type snacks. : ) For a fun day at the beach. We were set. Noboru was against me bringing the camera and our family camcorder which helps us capture all the family movies on there because of the sand issue, I mentioned in an earlier post and to be fair, though we tried to keep them safe over the 4th, we could see a few grains of sand rolling near the camcorder and knowing how we had to replace years prior because of this very issue we were both a little worried. I had however had to insist though this time. I wanted to capture some family memories. : ( So picture this...we're all happy in the car we're all set and ready for fun! And then.....
Dundundun!!!! Parking lot full! No entry absolutely no way no how!!!! What the...@_@ But we've come from so far away! So we drive forward and then make a u-turn. The sign said no stopping! However we stopped and talked to the ranger real quick. Are you certain it's full?, I asked. LOL. Hey can't blame a girl for trying! He smiled and said, yes it is full. Well when do you think it will reopen? Or become less full? @_@.... He said....try in about a few hours. Keep in mind this is a road and no stopping so we quickly thanked him and left. Well we can't wait and hold our breath for hours...the sandwiches will be soggy by then. Also what if it's still full...then what. Noboru said...time for an alternative plan. Kids are silent in the car, knowing trusting we'll think of something and sure we did. I said yes I agree plan B!!! So...we both said why not go back to Kailua. It should be dead since it's not a gigantic holiday or anything right now. : ) True...true. yes let's do that instead. So....when push came to shove...we were thrown a curve ball that morning but we came out just fine. No need to ruin a whole day over it. Go with plan B and that's just what we did. No worries. No worries at all. ; )
Deader then a door nail and that's perfect just the way we like it. No parking down the road. We parked right in the closest parking. Only a small handful of people at the beach.
This is one of my most favorite pictures...little boy carrying the whole family's bags of sandwiches. Thanks for always being so helpful Noah cutie pie. : )
Noah had the one marked meatball, 6 inch. I had the 6 inch marked veggie and cheese. Branden had a 6 inch Italian BMT and Noboru had a foot long meatball. And drinks and chips a plenty, Plus other snacks and drinks in a Safeway bag not pictured.
Before he even got in the water. Noboru said...it smells too good, I've got to eat it. LOL.
Pretty empty. We actually sat next to a family of 5. A woman around 42 years old-ish maybe. She had 3 kids, 2 boys 1 girl but they were all way older then Branden and Noah.... her youngest looked around Branden's age. And her hubby was also there. She was slightly chubby which nothing wrong with that at all, I've been there before too, I know (in fact I'm still struggling trying to lose these last 10 pounds (4.5kg or so). Just trying to give you a visual, is all. : ) We chatted with her...her and I throughout the morning and afternoon off and on. And when the man walked by our two family's. And he was wearing a speedo type swimwear and his suit was actually all pushed into his butt cheeks like he was wearing a pseudo g-string type swimwear. The lady next to us gasps as did her husband...her kids were left with mouths hanging wide open. Noboru just laughed he couldn't help it and he's not shy. I gasped and meanwhile covered Noah's eyes! Branden was like @_@ Poor kid! When I uncovered Noah's eyes...he said what's going on...Branden said giving him a full rundown....that guy way over there had his swim trunks in his butt. The lady next to us laughed, well because he was spot on...with what just happened. And then she told me..."can you believe that?!!!" I said...."I know...right?" : ) All of us were laughing our butts off for about a good 5 minutes after that. And you could see the other few families make faces as he passed. I think that guy just wore it like that for attention and shock value. It must have worked! LOL!
Noah boogie boarding. Branden chilling out. Noboru just having fun playing with both the boys.
Hi Branden kiddo!
You have a good life Branden kiddo. : )



Very last day of being age 5!!!



Noboru had eaten his lunch earlier as you know. And I was so worried about the sand. I took only a few pics that day. What you do not see, is on the other side of the inner tube next to Noboru...was the other nice family. They were eating sandwiches and drinks and chips too. We were chatting. And I started in on my lunch as soon as I took this quick pic. And in about 5 minutes after this pic was taken was when...weird speedo up the butt cheeks guy decided to walk in front of us all. What a show during lunch, right? Ha ha ha!
After a full day of swimming. We showered at the showers at the beach. And popped on some clothes that we brought with us that morning and kept in the trunk, just 1 outfit each. And headed directly to the Dole Plantation. A few families you could see they were wearing swimsuits under their clothes. I saw a lady's pink swimwear under her white top at Dole...so I know we weren't the only ones who had just come from a fun day of swimming. : ) It was around 3pm when we got there.
Dole!
Branden carrying Noah. No, he's not asleep. They're just really superly close. Branden and Noah have had a connection with one another since forever and always. They're protective of one another. They really honestly get along so well, just always have. Even Branden tells me..."don't worry about Noah next year at school, I'll watch and keep an eye on him and all my friends will too. " I tell him...thank you baby. So....I don't have to worry so much. Yet I still worry. But...I know how much they look out for one another. : )
You see that family behind our family? You know Dole's popular. It's a good tourist spot. And everyone wants that 1 picture of them and their family in front! The problem is...so do the rest of the people also there. So..just take it with a grain of salt and know full well. More then likely you'll have a few unknown families behind your pic in the background someplace. : ) And that's okay. And believe me, if you wait for no one to be behind you...you'll be waiting all day. The... in and out never ends. : ) Noboru and I traded places and I took a pic with the boysnext...and even our pic had a different random family in the background. : )
So many good looking omiyage...snacks things to bring back as gifts.
Chili pineapple chunks. Yumm! : ) Remember when we were in California and had that mango with chili too? Yumm
Branden getting a penny souvenir from Dole...Noah got one afterwards! : )

We bought many omiyage and then we had to get some pineapple icecream to enjoy. So expensive though that ice cream...curses on this being an expensive tourist trap. ;P But still fun though! : )
Given those prices...I told Noboru let's buy 2. Versus buying 4, you know what I mean. The kids shared one and we shared one. That fresh cut pineapple was so sweet and the icecream, omg! So good.
So the boys are just relaxing. Just eating and then all of a sudden.....
Do you see it? Look again one more time...near Noah's knee cap. See it? Do you see the peacocks crown of feathers? Peacocks roam around on the Dole Plantation, so don't be alarmed. Just go with the flow and they're really quite pretty. Even the girl peacocks. : ) She was nibbling a piece of dropped pineapple...yes they love pineapple! Or at least these peacocks do! : ) Just be really still...don't make any sudden movements as to not scare the peacocks.
Branden's gobsmacked look! This is the..."mommy there's a really wild bird under our table" look. : ) It's okay Branden...just relax be calm don't move...she's just visiting! : ) Ummm okay. And continues to eat his ice cream. While sneaking peeks here and there. Noah going...oh how cute! He loved those peacocks. : )
The really pretty peacocks are the males, right? Figures, that's the case ; )... these were the girls. : ) Nobody bothers them. They just walk nicely all over.
After eating our ice-cream. We went and saw again how pineapple grow. Branden pointing at a pineapple.
Noah pointing at a different variety of pineapple. I asked Noah..."do pineapples grow on trees?" He said...no! : ) I said very good! And right before we left we asked...do peacocks like pineapple? They both said...yes we think so! Very good we said. : )
Branden holding a light keychain that says Dole on it. : ) Noah got one too. With siblings we're always making sure every things exactly evens stevens. You know what I mean. Totally fair and equal...if one gets such and such. Unless it's a birthday...we try to get them equal amounts.
Brotherly love..and hugs! ; )

So here I was thinking the boys were giving me the "shaka"/hang loose sign. It wasn't until I looked more clealry at the pic did I realize they gave me the peace sign! Ha ha ha!
Another full day. Kailua beach and the Dole plantation. It was about 5:30pm. We were starved! Hadn't eaten a thing since lunch (minus the ice cream). Noboru had his lunch so much earlier then the rest of us, so he was super hungry. : ) We went for shrimp from the shrimp truck. The bous let out a sigh..shrimp? You know if we were at home, I'd have them eat shrimp regardless. Yep, I'm a bit tough when it comes with what I'l let them avoid eating. I want them to be able to eat many things. Anyway we were on vacation...my guard was down. I was on a vacation high, if you will. So, since a McD's was right near I was like alright. Meanwhile, this particular truck is a steak truck and next to this truck was our shrimp truck. Many tourists from Japan eating here. Us too. : )
This place we've been going to for years. They used to put your food in a styrofoam box lunch type container (not very good for the enviroment granted but the food was amazing). The food quality was high. But they were not fancy by any means. The taste was yummm...we personally care about quality of food versus quality of plates it's served on. But then that's just us. ; ) I read on yelp.com food reviews many people said the quality went down here. I ignored the advice and we came anyway. So we waited expecting disposable plates and delicious food..and this came out instead. It was still good but honestly we thought it wasn't as good as last time either. And Noboru said...they got too fancy and he didn't care for it. I had to agree. I preferred the older way. Know your customer. People eating from a truck obviously don't care if the plate is fancy or if it is decorated with a flower, which we trashed anyway after we ate (flower not the plate). The shrimp # also decreased... I hope they go back to their roots and start making food the way they used to. Noboru said he'll never go back. I'm a softer touch, I guess.....because I'll give them another shot....next time one last time. The food was good though just not like it used to be.
Cheeseburgers and chicken and other things the boys ate. They ate happily and we ate happily. Camcorder on the left. We were inspecting for sand particles while we waited for our shrimp meal to be done. Ha ha ha. The one we make our silly home movies with. : )
We then went back to the Dole Canary movie theater. There's a big huge massive play area for kids. The boys had asked to go and play there for a an hour or two and they already swam for the day, so why not. Noboru said he'd take the boys there. He got to sit and enjoy watching the boys. And I went in and caught a movie in the same complex by myself. I had wanted to see it anyway. Bad Teacher. With Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake. So freakin' hilarious! Btw. After the movie...I went into the play zone and met Noboru and the boys. They wanted a few hot dogs we got them from 7-11 and 2 big Mountain Dew slurpees. They ate already this was a snack. And Noboru and I decided to have some more shrimp. Shrimp twice in 1 day. : ) Hmm. This place used to be a shrimp truck in the North Shore. And Andy was a parrot...a talking parrot. We used to go there way back when we lived here. She actually remembers us from that long ago and we come here every time we come back. We went in, it was a little after 8pm or so. And got it to go.
The hot spicy garlic shrimp like the sign says. It's so holy cow...hot! But is so delicious.
The amount of food was the same and the flavor every bit as good as 9 plus years ago. So good! We'll always come back here. It came with rice and sides. No wonder when we got back to Japan after coming back from Hawaii, we've been eating grilled meats...and plenty of salads. Have to make up for all that holiday bad for you type food we ate. Ha ha ha. : ) Nearly done with the Honolulu posts now. I'm getting there. : )