Day 6- Saturday Hawaiian Style

Today we decided to start the day out by torturing my poor child in the yard for a picture session. She wasn't real happy with that plan, and quickly let us know it! So, after we postponed that idea, we parted ways and did 2 separate activities. Part of the group wanted to go on a hike. I would have gone, but I wasn't sure that hiking very far or up steep, slippery pathways with a 20lb. baby on my back sounded like a very good (or fun) idea. So mom and I decided to do some shopping and sightseeing while Nancy, Erin, Maryo, Jessica and Tod went hiking. Unfortunately, Kristen had to go back to work so she wasn't with us anymore.

Mom and I drove over to a cute shopping center and had lunch at California Pizza Kitchen (yum- I miss that place here in Japan!) and then checked out some cute boutique stores, book stores, and a Macy's. I was on the hunt for a tankini-type bathing suit and Mom was just there to help me out. We had a great time, and I did buy a new suit and some fun sandals at Macy's. After that, we drove over to Lanikai beach, where the "rich" people of Hawaii live (not like there is much in the way of cheap property anywhere on the island, but this is most assuredly not a poor area!) We drove through the little tiny town (it's one loop around) and saw some huge houses. We stopped and walked down the public access pathways to the beach. It is very rocky towards the end, with not much sandy beach at all. (I noted this for one day when I'm rich and famous and can afford a house here. I'll make sure to buy at the other end of Lanikai that has some sandy shore). We did go to the other end and took a few pictures and watched the stand-up paddle boarders ride around. It was a fun day, and good to have a just "Mommy and me" afternoon.

The rest of the group went on a hike to the "pill boxes" and judging from pictures and stories, looks like they had fun. It also looks like I made the right decision to go to the stores instead of the hike- haha!They made it top the top though, and have pictures to prove it- good job guys!! I was impressed!I had to include this picture because Maryo clearly has visited Japan- she has the "peace sign" down (that's what ALL the Japanese do in EVERY picture- I have no idea why!)

On our way back to the house, we passed a little bathing suit store that looked questionable, but I talked Mom into stopping, just to see what they had. I'd already bought a suit at Macy's but I wasn't 100% convinced it was the right one. The store turned out to be great, and I bought 2 new bathing suits (and returned the other one to Macy's). The lady there couldn't have been more nice and helpful and she was very honest about what looked good/bad/indifferent on your body type. I loved it and have 2 cute bathing suits that actually are very figure flattering and I don't mind wearing! That's a sentence that doesn't get typed very often by very many people!

After that we made it back to the house (the others were home from the hike already) and we did a little of this:Every vacation must come with lots of that!!

Then we decided to have a cook-out on the big grill that came with the house. Tod really wanted to be part of girly week, but still be the man of the grill, which he successfully pulled off by wearing his towel like this while cooking:

Dinner was delicious, even Maryo's beets that we all gave her a hard time about. It was another fun filled day in Hawaii- is there any other kind of day there? I think not!