ka'ena point sunset hike

Aloha friends!

Long time! Happy New Year!

Last night we went on an amazing sunset hike at Ka'ena Point with friends. Those of you not on Oahu may not know that you cannot circumnavigate the entire island, and the road ends at Ka'ena Point, at least on the Waianae side. If you look at a map of Oahu, you'll see the point is the western-most tip of the island. And according to Wikipedia, "Some ancient Hawaiian folklore states that Kaʻena Point is the "jumping-off" point for souls leaving this world." Very interesting! Another really cool thing is that once you get to the point you have to walk through a gate attached to a very long fence which protects the Albatross from mongoose. I've never seen an Albatross up close. It was like a very beefed up non-annoying seagull.

The hike itself was about 3-miles in, which with a bunch of kids and toddlers, makes for a longer hike. I loved every second of it. It was relatively flat with a little mud. The sun was hiding behind a thin layer of clouds so it was nice and "cool" - at least by Hawaii standards. It was the perfect spot for the most spectacular sunset and whale watching! When you reach the end, the point, there's a nice little beach.

The sunset was spectacular! We started to walk back just before the sun set so we didn't have to walk too much in the dark. But we couldn't stop looking at this amazing sunset, which did make for a long walk back in the very very dark. Thankfully we brought headlamps, glow bracelets, and flashlights. It was the perfect way to close out this year with new friends! 

Happy New Year, friends! 

it's aloha friday!

Obviously not Hawaii, but from my lovely weekend trip to San Diego!! If I didn't live in Hawaii, I would want to live in San Diego. More on that later... Happy Aloha Friday! It is Friday, yeah? 

Oh how I've missed this little blog! It needs some serious updating! I mean for one, Cora is almost a year old and poor child doesn't even have a picture on front. To be fair, I think Christian is like 3 years old in the main picture and 1 year old in the side picture. And my hair, not even close to that anymore. I think Rob is the only one that hasn't changed. First order of business, update blog. And by first I mean, sometime when Rob gets home and I get around to it.

I've been on the struggle bus for a while, and this little corner of the internet has definitely gone to the way back burner. Truthfully, I miss it, but I really never feel like I have any time to do this... unless say, it's before both kids are awake. Like right now. And if I'm being honest that is not right now because I just heard Cora cooing from her crib. Thankfully she likes to play after she wakes up, so I have a tiny bit of time. The tiniest. Ok, time up.

It's hard to pinpoint what I'm struggling with really. Mostly myself. On the outside, everything is great. And truly, everything is great, but I am still a bit down. The main thing is feeling like I don't have a village. Here. On this side of the island. I have met some WONDERFUL people out here, but many have moved away, or are in the process of moving in the next few months. There's a huge military presence out here, especially on west Oahu, and usually they're only here for 2-3 years. Or people move because as beautiful as Hawaii is, it is HARD to live here. Most people don't have the help of family unless you were born and raised here. And I'm sorry, but $20/hour for a babysitter is just ludicrous.

Because you know I originally spelled it wrong. 

I am so so so thankful for the few friends I do have out here, and the times we can get together. 

Overall, I'm really missing the sense of community I felt I had when we lived in Aina Haina.

Back when I had Cora, I did decide to join a MOMS Club out here, but it wasn't what I expected. Disclaimer: A few moms from the group that I have met have been so very nice. However, overall, when there was a big group, I've never really felt welcome. I'll just leave it at that. I also joined Stroller Strides, but hated the location. However, the biggest issue was the timing. It interferes with Cora's nap time, so that's just one of those 'it is what it is' things. I tried to join up again when they started a Ko'olina location because THE VIEWS, but again, Cora wasn't having it, and then they eventually stopped that location anyway. Oh well. Maybe another time!

But you know, I get it. I know how busy being a stay-at-home-mom can be. Especially when you have more than one munchkin. I also know how important it is to feel like you're not doing this alone. So I am very very thankful for the few friends that I regularly do see. And haven't moved. Yet. Hah.

I found this article so SPOT ON. Gosh, I can't even pinpoint a sentence from the article to use as a general summary because it's all SO true! "America’s cultural glorification of individualism and freedom do not prepare women for the intense need for family after giving birth. We prepare our babies with the softest swaddling cloths, organic diapers and the perfect nursery, but we are not encouraged to anticipate our own needs, especially that of simple connection with others." Connection with others. There it is.

Another struggle I've had is pretty typical. Losing weight. I joined a gym that I am loving! It's all classes (no standard gym equipment), and the sense of community is really strong. I love it. I am getting stronger, but the weight is not coming off. Yes, muscle weighs more than fat, etc. etc. etc., and I'm only weighing myself about once every 2 weeks or so MAYBE... but despite my efforts, the scale is NOT budging. I will take some of the blame for this as I know my eating habits are a little less than stellar, but I was hoping to avoid counting calories... or macros... because ugh. But it looks like I'm going to have to. I'm also discouraged that I'm signed up to run a half-marathon on my birthday and have done little to no training, at all. So I don't feel ready for it and at this point, I don't even know if i can do it without injuring myself.

I am so very fortunate that I have a husband that encourages me to get out there and hang with the girls for the weekend at a fancy resort, or visit my best friend in San Diego, or takes the kids to the park so I can get an hour of quiet. But I think everyone already knows that Rob is awesome. ;) And I can't believe we'll be celebrating 10 years of marriage next month! Crazy!

I'm really looking forward to mom's trip out here in April, especially since she'll be here for Cora's 1st birthday party.

And oh yeah, the kids! Hah! I need to write an update on both of them. I will, I promise. But here's some pictures that you probably already saw on Facebook. Love them!!!

Overall, this is just a really hard season for me. But as Jayme texted me yesterday, "you will shine again." And I do hope that to be true. 

happy aloha friday!

It's Friday! Or shall I say Friyay?! 

Rob is at the office today interviewing pilots, but is off for the next 5 days. CELEBRATE!

This week has been pretty busy, especially with Rob working almost everyday whether flying or at the office, so I am really happy we get a good chunk of time off together. I'm hoping we can tackle another hike this week! Ka'ena Point Trail is on my list. Ka'ena Point is the very most western point of Oahu. I hear it's hot if you start late because of no shade, but there are some nice little tide pools. Tide pools that are FREE of sharks.  

Christian is officially enrolled in jiu-jitsu, and he's LOVING it. It's a big commitment of 3 days a week, but I definitely see the importance in the consistency. The place we go has such a good vibe. Everyone's super friendly. While the kids practice, the parents hang out in the lobby. And when the kids are done, the parents go practice for an hour! I was amazed when I saw that. Then the kids just all hang out in the lobby area, eating or doing their homework, or watching a movie on TV. 

Cora is officially teething. One has broken through the skin and it's neighbor isn't far behind. I am on the fence about ordering an amber teething necklace, but I've heard so many positive things that western medical opinions be damned? Does anyone else SWEAR by the necklaces??  

I'm currently on week two of the 21 Day Fix Extreme and am loving it! Definitely feeling stronger! I also rejoined Stroller Strides in the hopes that I can get some social mommy fitness time in, and that Cora won't scream all the way through it. PLUS, they just started a class at Ko'olina, and it's such a beautiful location. Working out by the water with a cool ocean breeze? Can't beat it. Today Cora sat in the big part of the stroller and not the car seat. She seemed to like it ok, until it was time for her to nap and then she was fighting sleep like it was her worst enemy. Sweet mercy. 

Ok, that's all for now folks. I'm going to try to squeeze in a 15 minute cat nap while both kids nap/have quiet time! HA!* 

Happy Aloha Friday! 

*Before I could even finish doing a half job of proofreading this, Cora woke up. Sigh. The struggle.

alooooha friday!

Pineapple fields on the north shore. 

Oh Friday. How you truly mean nothing to me. This day is no different than another day for the stay-at-home mommy with a husband that travels for work. Well, I guess today is a little different because Rob is actually at headquarters all day doing interviews. So it was nice to see him for 5 minutes this morning, and then again tonight. Case in point: I started this little post at oh... 7 this morning? It is now 6:30pm and Rob is home. Onward. 

This week was a busy one. Since we've decided (for now) not to put Christian in a "real" preschool, and use more of a homeschooling approach, we've been trying out some new activities. We've been having fun in a soccer skills class, yesterday we tried out gymnastics (which he LOVED), and soon we'll be trying out a group that does weekly field trips around the island. It looks like so much fun! I follow them on Facebook and when I saw them take a trip to the taro fields where the kids actually got in and got muddy picking taro, I was sold. (They're grown in pondfields.) I love their philosophy, "The goal of the program is to get families outdoors, learning about our rich environment, including animals, the ocean & land, and the precious Hawaiian culture and history." Can't wait for their winter program to start! He'll be trying out a Jiu-jitsu class on Monday. If he doesn't care for that, then we'll try something else like Taekwondo. So yeah, a little busy, but LOTS of fun! Usually these activities take place in the mornings, so that leaves our evenings open to just hang out or head up to the park. 

Cora had her first little "tumbling" class yesterday. And yes, she LOVED it. However, even though the class starts at 6 months old, it's really geared towards early walkers. I think we'll hold off for a few months until she's at least crawling, and then start going regularly. 

Today is my mom's birthday!!! Yay! Happy birthday, Mama!!! 

I really wish we could be there to celebrate. I've been missing Virginia and craving some Mama time really really badly lately. Right now, I am missing the change of the seasons as I sit in my house with the windows and doors open and a fan pointing on me because it's so darn hot. I don't miss cold weather, and I definitely DO NOT MISS SNOW and winter, but I do miss autumn. Seeing leaves change. The crisp mornings. Wearing boots and jeans and sweaters. Right now, I am missing Richmond, and I'm wishing it wasn't so hard to get back there. 

Mom sent me this picture the other day of a tree that my dad planted. So pretty! 

Let's talk Whole30. I'm on DAY 30! Sweet mercy. I made it! Thirty days of eating WHOLE, nutritious, delicious foods. Clean and green. Nothing processed. No processed sugar. No gluten. No dairy. No alcohol. But thirty days of eating so much yummy food. Foods that don't actually have "ingredients!!" Here's just a sample of some the delicious meals I ate during the past 30 days. 

I can't believe I didn't get a picture of my favorite dish from the Whole 30 book - Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie. I've also been loving Sweet Potato Turkey Burger Sliders. I make it Whole30 compliant, which I think it basically is except it calls for barbecue sauce, and you'd have to make your own or read ingredients. Either way, not a huge barbecue sauce fan anyway, so I don't use it.  Guess what? I eat A LOT of sweet potatoes. And eggs. More on the Whole30 later. I haven't weighed myself in 30 days, I haven't tracked calories in 30 days. It's been SO liberating. 

I'm currently on day 5 of the 21 Day Fix Extreme, and uh, I'm really sore. I'm part of a challenge group on Facebook that's really been keeping me accountable. I'm seriously so in love with the Beachbody programs and philosophies, I am considering becoming an official Beachbody Coach. We'll see. I'm still thinking and praying about it. :) All I know is my Beachbody coach is awesome, inspiring, her positive energy is infectious, and it really makes me want to be part of her team. 

Tomorrow is Halloween, and we'll do some trick or treating around the neighborhood for the first time. Christian is thoroughly stoked. We didn't get around to carving pumpkins though. Oops. Maybe next year? And I totally forgot to string up my pumpkin and orange twinkle lights. 

Ok I better end this before it becomes an Aloha Sunday post. Have a safe and wonderful Halloween!! 

TGI (Aloha) Friday!

Oh heeeyyyyyy... it's been a while! A long while. I really have no explanation as to why I took a blogging break, because it wasn't intentional. Life just got busy with two kiddos and a husband that travels for work and vacation and a trip to Kauai and just LIFE. But I do enjoy this so much that I hope I can get back into some sort of routine. So, here's what you missed!

Cora is 5 months old! She is just the sweetest little Rose there is. She loves love LOVES her big brother, who is just as happy playing with LEGOS as he is trying to make her laugh. He is so sweet with her, SO SWEET that he shared his cold with her last week. Womp. There's this thing called "space," that we're having a hard time explaining to a very enthusiastic 4-year old boy. Most all of last week and this week Cora has been battling the cold that Christian had, except she had a very low fever and a nasty cough. I took her to the doctor just to be sure it was only a cold, and seems to be. She's on the upswing though, thankfully. As of last night, Cora is sleeping in the crib! No more bassinet where the walls were quite literally closing in on her. I use the word "sleeping" very lightly. But she is an absolute joy. Squeaking up a storm, all smiles, loves watching the trees blow in the wind, and LOVES watching Christian.

Christian is just awesome and hilarious and so SMART!! We've got a fun little schedule going on. No, he's not in preschool, and at this point unless I can find a very part-time option (which has proven to be hard on this side of the island), he won't go. But truthfully, since we plan on homeschooling, I'm not worried about it. We're part of a MOMS group that gets together for different activities during the week, on Tuesdays he goes to Mighty Moms with me where he plays with the other kiddos, and on Thursdays he goes to a more structured bible study in a class with others his age. Wednesday mornings are soccer, and once a month on Saturdays we're at the BMX track so he can ride his bike and do the Strider races. And LOTS of time at the park!! We're looking into various different martial arts programs trying to decide which one we'd like for him to try out. Because obviously being a ninja is his top life goal at the moment. Since he learned that Papa reads his bible every night, Christian wants to read his bible every night. We're practicing memory verses, and he's so proud of himself when he learns it.

We've already started planning our trip out east next year, which includes a week in the Outer Banks. I'm really excited about this!

Today is day 16 of my Whole30, and I keep having dreams that I keep eating junk food by accident. Yeah. So there's that. I've been working out daily trying to get back into some routine, and going out for run/walks several times a week. I registered for the Hapalua Half-marathon in April and am considering doing some smaller races in between. I made a reservation for a night at the Turtle Bay Resort for the Wanderlust festival in February with some of my favorite people... and is it too soon to start counting down???

Overall, life is good. I have no complaints, other than I'm craving that Hawaiian fall weather, which showed up for a few days a few weeks ago. It's been mostly pleasant the past few days, so I'm really thankful for that. Last Tuesday when we drove home from church (my moms' group) the Ko'olau mountains were in full waterfall mode. There were dozens of waterfalls flowing through the mountains, and it is one of the most beautiful sights I've ever witnessed. I did not take the picture below (because driving), but this is exactly what it looks like. To put it into a little more perspective, Christian and Mimi counted 43 waterfalls driving home yesterday along the H-3. FORTY-THREE.

Have a wonderful weekend! Happy aloha Friday! 

it's aloha friday!!

Happy Aloha Friday! We're baaaaaaack!

The weather welcoming committee has not been kind. I never expected it to be MORE hot and humid here than in Virginia. Yes yes, this is Hawaii and it is tropical, BUT it's also paradise and our weather usually reflects accordingly. Not this hot mess.

I'm not going to lie though, I am loving the thunderstorms. I can probably count on one hand how many thunderstorms we've had since moving here in 2010. And guess how many we had while we were in VA? ONE. And that was the evening that we arrived. (This is coming from the girl that used to hide in the closet or bathroom - with no windows - whenever a thunderstorm was approaching.) 

That picture of Cora was taken the other day while I attempted Stroller Strides. Cora is over it. I think she's getting way too hot in her carseat and just cries. She doesn't mind the carseat at all in the truck, but in the stroller outside, she HATES it which is a bummer. So I had the bright idea to bring a bunch of wash cloths in an ice filled bag and put them on her head and legs, etc. while I worked out. It worked for about 1 minutes and then she was pissed there was something on her head. I ended up leaving halfway through. Womp. 

Baxter feels our pain. It is cooler outside than inside our house. And yes, we are some of the #blessed  that have central A/C in our home. However, we rarely run it because electricity is SO expensive, and we want to be able to pay our mortgage. UNTIL we get our solar panels installed, and then it's ON. Literally. 

Anyway. Our trip back east was lovely, and I'll tell you more about that later, don't you worry. We got to see lots of family and friends, and Cora got to meet both her great-grandmas! 

The trip back was so long. The flight back was loooooong as well. 11 hours long! (We try to always take the JFK-HNL flight.) Rob and I were actually 15 rows apart. I was at a nice spacious bulkhead with Cora and he was closer to the front with Christian. Hawaiian Airlines constantly blows me out of the water with there super nice flight attendants and wonderful service. Did you know that they provide FREE MEALS during all their flights (besides inter-island) with a free glass of wine? YES PLEASE! The flight attendant in our section held Cora no less than 3 times so I could do various things. The girl beside me worked for Alaska Airlines at the Lihue station and was coming back from a girls weekend in NYC, held Cora at least once so I could do something. This girl slept 10 of the 11 hours on a plane, with a 4 month old on one side of her, and a 6ish year old boy on the other side of her. I want that kind of girls weekend. Who's in? Despite being so long, I was surrounded by some super nice people, which made it pleasant. Two other women near me offered to hold Cora if I needed a bathroom break, or just a moment of free arms. They were my village. 

SO MANY THINGS have happened since I lost wrote. Christian turned 4 years old, and Cora turned 4 months old! Christian is truly the best big brother a little sister could ask for, and Cora is just loving it. She is chunking up nicely. Last time I weighed her she was very close to 14lbs! Christian has his 4-year checkup today. I'm sure that means shots and I'm dreading it. There's this pit in my stomach, and unfortunately Rob is working, so I'm going at it alone. However, I do have a little plan in action that involves a Target run and ice-cream afterward. Win win for everyone if you ask me. 

Speaking of ice-cream, I am trying to get back into a workout groove since Cracker Barrel is not kind to one's thighs. We joined the Kroc Center which has a lovely gym, lots of classes, a lap pool, and a mini water park. (They also have lots of art classes, music classes, sports, and classes geared towards homeschooled children.) Yesterday, Cora stayed with Rob and I took Christian. I dropped him off at the childcare area so I could take a PiYo class, and then we spent some time at the little water park. He had a blast and I can't wait to go back! 

Happy Aloha Friday, and have a wonderful weekend!!

happy aloha friday!!

Hey hey! It's Friday! And that means tomorrow we leave for Virginia! "One more day!" Christian said the morning. 

We're approaching our travel plans a little bit different this time. As if it already doesn't feel like we're on the Oregon Trail, we thought we'd make the trip just a little bit longer. You know, because we were up for a real challenge. After we land at JFK, we're driving to Richmond. The flight from HNL to JFK is 9 hours 30 minutes, and the drive to Richmond is 6ish hours. Should be fun... 

But in all seriousness, we're all so excited for our trip! And the week leading up to it has been great. Rob has been working A LOT, but my former roommate Jenn is here to house and cat sit while we're gone and um... pretty sure I need to hire a full-time nanny if this is what it's like to have one. She's been cooking me dinner, doing my laundry, cleaning the kitchen, putting Christian to bed, taking him to the park, and basically helping me HOWEVER I need. I certainly did not expect her to get here and WORK, but oh man, it sure has been a real treat. 

Jen and Christian in the Aulani lagoon.

Today it's a bit cloudy and rainy, the remnants of Hurricane Guillermo. But soon, the sun will peek out and it'll feel like a blanket of satan's sweat has been laid upon us. Preparing us for our time in Virginia, I suppose. 

I hope you have a wonderful weekend! 

happy aloha friday!

Ok, so it's been a while. Sorry about that. Life has been busy, and I'm tired. 

But, happy aloha Friday! It's Friday! Yay! 

Tuesday we spent the day at the Ko'olina Lagoons with our dear friends April and Kanoa. Christian and Kanoa had an absolute blast playing in the water. The lagoons are really the perfect spot for kids, except one minor (major) detail. No umbrellas or half-tents allowed (ridiculous) which means, basically no shade whatsoever. HOWEVER, we did discover that at Lagoon 3 (there are 4 of them), which is attached to the Marriott, allows you to rent umbrellas and lounge chairs for the day. So rent we did. 

Cora had her weigh-in yesterday and I am happy to report that she's up to 11lbs, 14oz., which is fantastic! I'm still nursing as much as I can, pumping a few times a day, and supplementing when I need to. Apparently it's working, although I have to give my hospital pump back in a few days, so I'm not sure how the pumping situation will continue. (I do have a pump, but it's nowhere near as good or efficient as the hospital one.) Cora is also 3 months old! More on that milestone to come...! :)

I've gotten back into a routine of working out. It feels SO GOOD. It hurts SO GOOD. I've been running, walking, lifting weights, and utilizing the many exercise DVDs I have in my arsenal. I have about 20lbs I want to lose. I've been eating realistically clean, and tracking my food in MyFitnessPal. I've also been journaling my experience, like in an actual notebook using an ink pen, which I've never done before. 

Today I'm off to the salon to hopefully finish up my transition into blonde. Platinum blonde. Here's a few pictures I've used for my inspiration. Cheeee!

If it comes out like I hope it does, then I'll share a picture later. Hah. This will be my 3rd appointment transitioning to this level of blonde, after dying my hair an auburn color. Which is a really stubborn color to remove. I'm in need of an excellent deep conditioner... 

Tonight we're celebrating Rob's birthday at Mimi and Papa's house. His birthday isn't for a few days, but he'll be working allllllll next week. Speaking of next week, my former roommate from Santa Barbara will be coming into town! She's going to be staying with us for the week before we leave for Virginia, and she'll be house/Baxter sitting for a good chunk of while we're gone. I'm so excited to see her! I haven't seen her in quite a few years, so it'll be good to catch up with her! 

Have a wonderful weekend!! Happy Aloha Friday! 

happy aloha friday!

Happy Aloha Friday!

{Maui}

Whenever I start an Aloha Friday post, I just need to finish it, because the one I wrote this morning (and didn't finish) is totally irrelevant right now. Anyway.

THANK GOD FOR GRANDPARENTS.

Mimi saw my S.O.S. flare via Facebook and called to ask I may need help while Rob was gone on a trip. YES. YES I DO. So, she came over to this side of the island and completely entertained Christian while I tended to Cora yesterday, and spent the night. And fed Cora in the middle of the night after I nursed her and while I pumped. And guess who's on his way over for a sleepover tonight? Papa!! We couldn't be more blessed to have grandparents close by that help us out as much as they can whenever they can.

This morning we all went to Moanalua Gardens. I was so so so happy to get a text from Jayme this morning asking if they could join us at the gardens! We all had a blast, and I don't get to see Jayme nearly enough.

Did I mention that it is HOT HOT HOT here? Like, east coast hot. Gross. 

So, I definitely want to post some pictures from our quick trip to Portland, which was a BLAST. I love love loved Portland. We got to visit some of our LA friends from our "no kids" bible study, back when none of us had kids. They were actually vacationing in Portland, and the house they found on Airbnb was such a score! Complete with a creek that was a former salmon hatchery in the backyard. Because Portland. 

That circle of friends was with us during such an important and crazy time in our lives, and they are just so special to us. Heart = full. 

We also got to stay with some friends, that actually stayed with us back in March. February? I don't remember. But I do remember how much fun we had and how much I love them too! I don't have any pictures because that was Cora's post surgery day and I think I just held her all day while sitting on the couch while the kiddos played. 

Well then, let me go ahead and send this out to the internet world before I run out of time and it's no longer Friday. 

Have a wonderful weekend!