Hawai'i 2009, Part 4

We woke up bright and early on Monday morning for a family photo shot that I had lined up with Elissa Pham of True Glimpse Photography.

I knew we needed some new family pics now that the baby was here and thought, what better place to do them than in Hawai'i! I found Elissa on Craigslist about a month before our trip and was able to secure a day and time for our photo shoot. We did the shoot at Ala Moana Beach Park.

She is the absolute sweetest! If you are going to be or if you're on Oah'u and want to have some professional pictures taken, I highly recommend her. Half the time, we didn't even know she was snapping away with her camera! Oh! and her price included shared copyrights and your pics on a CD - edited and all. We had our pics on a CD the day after we had our shoot. Talk about fast turnaround!
I think she did a really great job in capturing the boys' personality. The kiddo was a bundle of energy and just wanted to jump in the water or chase birds around the park. And the baby? Exact opposite! Lil Mr. Chillax... just happy to be carried around...sucking on his hands, then eventually falling asleep at the end of the shoot. Here are a few of my favorite shots.

Afterwards, we went to the Ward Center to grab breakfast at . . . McDonald's! But we didn't get your usual deluxe breakfast with hot cakes - -oh no! we got the LOCAL deluxe breakfast - -complete with rice, egg, SPAM & Portuguese sausage. You know us Asians - we love us some rice...even in the morning. It was so good, we didn't have time to take a picture of it. hehe.
Check this out - -a green stop sign! Only in Hawaii.

I got a tip from the other bridesmaid in the wedding that the slippers that the hubs only wears were on sale at the Honolua Surf Shop at the Aloha Tower Market Place (she works at Honolua, but on the Waikiki Strip - they never mark stuff down at the Waikiki store since it's on the strip. So if you want a deal at a Honolua Store, go to the one at the Ala Moana Mall or at the Aloha Towers) Sure enough, the slippers were half off the original price at the Aloha Tower store! The hubs picked up the last 2 pairs and a couple of board shorts. Score!

We decided to head to the North Shore that day and made sure to stop at Giovanni's Shrimp Truck for some Garlic and Butter Shrimp. It was good, but it sucked to have to peel all that shrimp! Thank goodness there was a faucet to wash our hands afterwards (If you haven't been to a North Shore shrimp truck - The shrimp truck was along the side of the road - so, yah, outdoor dining.) So good!

After we got done with that, we were ready for some shave ice! So off we went to Matsumoto's. As the baby and I waited outside the store for the hubs and the kiddo to come back with our shave ice, I couldn't help but notice the footwear of the lady that plopped herself right next to me. Ermmm - sandals with socks...in Hawai'i??! oh my! Just flat our wrong in my book! Do you like how I was all stealth mode pretending to take a pic of the baby's foot just so ya'll can see what I'm talking about? LOL!

I'm so bad when I people watch! Forgive me.
Thank goodness, the hubs and the kiddo came back with my shave ice soon after I took the pic...who knows what other weirdness I'd capture with the camera.

After we got done with the shave ice, we decided to head to the Dole Plantation so that the kiddo can take a ride on their Pineapple Express train. But as we were heading towards the plantation, the kiddo decided to take a nap. Eh. The hubs and I decided to just let him recharge while we enjoyed a Pineapple whip. If you've had the some at Disneyland, well, it's the same thing.
Finally the kiddo woke up and we boarded the train for a tour of the plantation. The kiddo was in heaven! He loved EVERYTHING about the ride - even the music. Check him out groovin to the island music they were playing.

He thought this silly pineapple face cut out thingee was pretty funny. When I stuck my face thru the hole, he erupted in gales of laughter and kept saying, 'Mommy -you funny!' So when I showed him how he looked with the cut out, it was non stop giggling.

By then, it was h.o.t. So we decided to head back to the hotel to cool off and then head to the beach later that day. I totally forgot the camera when we went to the beach, but we ended up at the same place we had out photo shoot. Different time of the day and different outfits, but same view as our photo shoot. Oh well.

Another Hawai'i installment coming soon!