If you're ever in the neighborhood...

Right now I am craving Coco Puffs from the Liliha Bakery in Hawaii. If you are ever in the area you can't pass them up. They are soooo good and I wish I had a box of these tastey pastries right now!

While I am on this run of craves for Hawaii's tasty treats, here is a list of my other favorites that I routinely buy when I'm in Hawaii...

1. Coco puffs: I have Aaron E. and Sharlie K. to thank for this find. After Aaron's show in Waikiki they introduced this wonderful delight to me. I've been hooked every since. Not only does Liliha Bakery serve Coco Puffs, but their breakfast is so yummy too...and all their other pastries. But they are most famous for the Coco Puffs.

2. Leonards Malasadas: For this I have Amy and the Windward Mall parking lot to thank. The Malasadamobile has been parked there for years but I never tried it until Amy said, "What?! You never had malasadas?" Then she took me and I tried all the assortments:

Plain, Custard-filled, and Chocolate-Haupia filled (my favorite)

3. Dave's Ice Cream: Thanks to Amy and Crystal M. This ice cream is like none other, and it's only in Hawaii.

The best flavors are Blueberry Cheesecake and Cookies n' Cream

4. Chocolate Haupia Pie: Thanks to Auntie Arlette and Kaneohe Bakery. If you like chocolate pudding pie, you'll LOVE this. It's 50 times better. I once ate 3/4 of the entire 4" tall pie. Brett is my witness.

5. Mochi Ice cream : I have Matt Y. and Kim K.'s minivan in Kauai with no air conditioning to thank for this. Like the Coco Puffs, I've been hooked ever since. Some places on the mainland sell mochi ice cream, but you can buy some much more and so many more flavors in Hawaii (& Japan, but Hawaii's closer).

6. Bubble Drink: Thanks again Amy. This novelty drink is more like an experience drink. I honestly don't remember how it taets. But you have to try it at least once. They are fun to drink.

7. Beard Papa's Cream Puffs: Thanks to my California Tano cousins. There are Beard Papa's on the mainland, but none close enough. These are the best cream puffs I've ever had.

8. And lastly, Amy and Keao are going to hate that this in on my list...but the Curry Monapua from 7-11. Haha. The fact that each one is 99 cents is what makes it even better.

Sunshine Cleaning

I saw this clip from the movie Sunshine Cleaning and thought it was so funny! A little background: these two girls (sisters I believe) are in the business of cleaning up after dead people. I assume this mattress is from the trailer of a dead person. This scene totally reminds me of my sister and I when we were younger (and even now sometimes haha)and had to do chores together. I think I would have been the one to fall on the mattress.

(Once you click the play button pause the clip until it is fully loaded then press play. It's funnier this way.)

Hawaii II

Our trip to Hawaii was such a good experience. Matt was able to meet my family and they all loved him. He seemed to enjoy himself. Four days is just too short though. We would have liked to stay another week!

What a good boy. Matt brought his homework and did some on the plane ride over.

The first day we were in Hawaii we hiked to the lighthouse. So beautiful!

Mika, Wendy, Amy and I worked on wreathes for the funeral at the New Town stake center...

After I finished working on flowers I had to look for Matt since the boys didn't help with the flowers. I started looking for him and found him outside, on the church lawn doing this....tanning. I have no idea what goes on inside his head sometimes.

Our group "cousin" photo (We're missing a few). It was sooo nice to see all of them. We all live far apart and don't see each other very often, but we are all pretty close even with the huge age range. I am lucky to have such a close-knit family.

A good photo-op with the nice weather.

For Japanese food night the boys made sushi. My cousin in the hat, Dean, taught them how it's done. He's a chef for Turtle Bay (previously) and now the Ihilani Resort.

My cousin Keao treated us to Genki Sushi. Matt LOVED it! I had fun choosing plates from the conveyer belt.

When we stopped at Matsumoto's for shave ice there was a group of Japanese tourists. I noticed Matt inching toward their group while we sat outside eating. My cousin and I we're trying to guess how long it would take for Matt to strike up a conversation with them. It didn't take long. ;)

Miya was so popular. EVERYONE wanted to hold her. She is such a good baby.