Donna Martin AND Riki graduate!

We hosted a graduation party for my nephew on Sunday (prepping most of Saturday), and on Monday AM, were on a plane to SFO! 

But first- the party...because it was special. Decorations all went up on Saturday, when we weren't busy baking...and unlike all other past family events, this time we went with tables upstairs AND down, so we could spread out a bit.

No one provides more party fare than my brother Jon and sister in law, Mika. There was an insane amount of food/desserts!

My sister in law has introduced me to the best desserts on the west side of the island- Peaberry & Galette's strawberry shortcake and chocolate milleu cakes. They were present (as they often are at their parties), and they were devoured/annihilated.

Here are a few pics of the party with a few friends and family...

The proud Hawaiian grandparents (he's with his Japanese grandparents now)

The proud parents/family

The cousin crew

Super proud of this kid- he graduated with a number of ROTC, academic and service awards, with I believe, a 4.0 this last semester. He's headed to school on Oahu in the fall, to the same college I and his uncle Joey, attended. Right now, he and his brother Keni are in Japan living it up, as they haven't been able to go due to COVID restrictions requiring a 10-day quarantine for anyone allowed to travel to Japan. They can go back only because they are dual citizens, as we are still prohibited. He's also working his first part-time job in Japan for a friend's kimono company, and being treated like a VIP! His brother is also killing it in his field of study - he opted to educate himself formally via a trade/apprenticeship with a plumbing company. Kenichi has been there a little over a year, and has already gotten three raises (he's the hardest worker I know), and is out-earning most college graduates, and will finish as a journeyman in three more years, with no debt, as I love to remind him. Couldn't be prouder of their differing paths to independence, and I'm privileged to have a front row seat to their lives.