Why risk it?

I decided on this trip that I wouldn’t lay out for the purpose to get tan. I signed the pledge w/{av} to not do so, since skin cancer really is a big part of my family history and there’s no reason to continue to push it the way I’ve done over the years.

So when my friend and I got together and we went to the beach to ‘lay out’ I lathered myself up w/50spf sunscreen. Of course you all saw from Thursday, what happens when I miss certain spots but I’ve been staring at my feet and chest and hips and am kinda freaked that if I didn’t put the sunscreen over everywhere else, my whole body would be in this fire filled pain.

If you saw the rest of me right now, you wouldn’t even be able to tell I was in the sun because I got zero color due to the sunscreen.

I’m like a lot of people, I like to be tan. I feel better, mentally and emotionally (is that weird?) when I’m tan but I’ve finally figured out doing it by the sun isn’t the right way to go about it. But I’ll admit, its hard to accept. I’m sitting out by the pool right now, but under the cabana. I want to be that woman I see, lounging out, getting the rays because I want to be tan!
yes, I’m sitting next to an empty pool. That’s how I roll. ; )


I still think it’s important to get your Vitamin D from the sun and the times I’m indoors bound, after awhile you’ll think I’ve become a ghost with how pale my face is but its so much safer to find a spray tan that works and stay out all together.

I use Arbonne spray tan. For me, it’s the best I’ve found. It actually looks like a real tan. I put some on before I came out to HI, just to take some of the ‘glow’ off.

What spray tans out there have you found that work for you?

Do you throw caution to the wind and fake bake or lay out in the sun? Or do you prefer the ‘milky white’ look?

See, I don’t prefer the ‘milky white’ look on me. I don’t like seeing veins, I don’t like seeing any ‘flapping’ or ‘jiggling’ (there’s a reason body builders are tan in competitions) and I don’t feel ‘good’ when I’m pale.

The only thing that’s keeping me going is, I have to tell myself that my skin will thank me when I’m in my 40’s, 50’s and older! I’ll have smooth, not so wrinkly skin from the sun. I won’t have that ‘weathered’ look like some may have.

What keeps you out of the sun?

Here’s a link that will help you see signs of skin cancer and ways to keep an eye on your skin.

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I’m thankful for 29

My days are limited here in the beautiful state of Hawaii with my love. I’m going to leave my sorrow-filled depressing posts for the future and instead focus on the time I have left with him before I go back home to my empty reality.

oops a little depressing slipped in, sorry.

I do have that problem, where if I know something great is coming to an end, I’ll get distant, drawn, quiet and short with them. Its so hard to fight, and be able to enjoy the last moments because I get upset they have to end. Its something, to this day, I’m working on.

So as I look back at this past week, I’m thankful for:

- cooking real meals. Not just the boil water, stick ramen noodles in, kind of cooking. Full on healthy nutritious meals that fill the belly with happiness, meals. I think my body has been happy for real food this past couple of weeks.

- time spent with my love. ‘nuff said.

- my sweet friend coming to spend the day with me on her day off. The talks that we had were much enjoyed.

- G-man telling me I can have his brand new iPad. Even though I keep talking him out of it and currently have him convinced to ‘hold onto it for now’, I know he will eventually give it to me. His generosity is overwhelming and undeserved. I do love him so.

- experiencing new things with my love. Driving down a new street, climbing a few rocks, eating Malasadas for the first time. Whatever they may be, I love I get to do these new things with him.

- quiet relaxing moments by the pool. There’s something about the sound of the wind blowing through the trees that makes me instantly relax.

- my love treating me to a day of pampering. As he was walking out the door to go to the college football game, he came back in, placed his hands on the back of the couch, looked at me and said, ‘I want you to get a massage. Get a facial too. And get your nails done, the mani/pedi thing. My treat. And if you don’t, it’ll hurt my feelings.’
everywhere I called to go were booked for the massage/facial, but I got my mani/pedi and love them! And him for treating me!

- and of course, the fact that I got to be here in Hawaii. Everything worked out to have me come here and being here was the best thing for this girl.

How did your weekend go? Was it chalk full of activities or quiet and relaxing?

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Waist deep

If I told you, in all my time I’ve spent in Hawaii (and it chalks up to be about 5-6 months total of time) I got in the water for the first official time just a few days ago, what would you say??

When I went to hangout with my friend the other day and we went to the beach, she was shocked I hadn’t been in the ocean. I quickly told her G-man and I swam around in Ko’Olina but she was quick to say it’s man made and doesn’t count. Then I said, we went snorkeling in Hanauma Bay and she dismissed that too.

She’s a surfer, born and raised in Hawaii.

But me? If its too cold (and I believe the water is too cold) I’m more than happy to skip it. I’m just not a water person.
I’m a this person…happy to watch the water from a respectful distance
clearly this was ‘pre-burn’


But after laying out in the blazing sun, I had to get in the water to cool off. So we inched in. Ever so slowly and I’m proud to say I got waist deep! We stood there for about 20 minutes before I was ready to get out.

It was a proud moment for me. So much so, that the moment G-man came home from work, I announced to him that I got in the water and it was ‘this high!’ –and yes, I drew a line with my hand on my waist to show him just how high. ..I’m 5 years old sometimes.

Please someone else, tell me I’m not the only person who doesn’t like to get in the cold ocean water?!

After my victory with the water, we realized we were starving. – Do you ever find that you go lay out while you’re hungry? Happens to me every time.

We ate, then headed to the mall to get some crepes. Crepes are popular here. There’s a really good crepe place (or so I’m told) in Kalihi but being pressed for time, we went inside a Japanese Market filled with everything you will ever need…provided you like Japanese stuff.

I admit, the crepe was ok. The fruit inside…delicious. Can’t screw up chopped strawberries and bananas too much. My friend told me to not judge all crepes by this one, since it doesn’t compare to the Kalihi one, which is good, because I’d write them off right there if that was the case.


With bellies filled we headed to Macy’s and posed w/fedoras on. This is my 1st time wearing one and I don’t know how to pull them off properly, but we were getting a bunch of stares as we kept posing in front of the mirror…in full view of everyone.

Good times were had by all and I’m so thankful I was able to see my sweet tiny friend, whom I tower over, while here. Case in point…

I hope everyone has a great weekend. Do lots so we can talk about it on Monday, okay?

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Missed a spot

I had things to talk about but then I missed a spot or two with my sunscreen and that’s all my brain can think about.

The pain…because, there is pain.

I didn’t realize I forgot to put sunscreen on my feet. You can even see where I stopped with my sunscreen.


Oy!!

I also missed both hips, parts of my chest and the middle of my back in case you were wondering.

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Lets start the wave

My most recent days, I wake up to this every morning.
the view, not so much the rainbow…though that’s there too, often enough


Though it might be hard to understand, having that view keeps me indoors more often than not. Its rare when I go outside and hangout at the beach or frankly get out of the apartment, for that matter. All I need to do is sit on the couch or on the lanai and stare at that view all day long to satisfy me.

I know, you think I’m crazy, right?

I did manage to get myself out because the waves here have been monstrous big. I was here last year at this time and they weren’t anywhere near this size. I walked myself down to the edge with my zoom lens (which I seriously almost chose not to bring) and took as many pictures as I could..all while getting sunburnt because I didn’t realize I’d be out there that long. – sorry, skin

There were so many surfers. The most I’d ever seen and I’m pretty sure every advanced surfer called in sick to their real jobs that day to catch these extremely dangerous waves.




To give you an idea of how high they were, I leave it to this guy, with his arm up, to show you.


And this guy who rode the top of another.


One wave after another kept coming in forming crowds along side me watching in awe. I even had a couple of guys stop and talk to me..but I’ll leave that for another post.









Now, I know these waves don’t compare to the North Shore surfing competition waves they have but they are big none the less. I’ve been delighting in watching them, not to mention watching all the spectators line up with their cameras eager to snap that perfect shot, oohing and awing as they do.

Its thrilling and humbling all at the same time watching these skilled surfers spend hours upon hours riding the waves, knowing even though I lack the skill to surf even a baby wave, I can watch as they do it with the upmost ease.

***update: turns out these are the biggest waves on this side of the island during this time of year, in years.

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Water on the rocks for me

I mentioned yesterday that G-man and I went on a little road trip over the weekend. What planned on just being a drive around the Marine base in Koneohe Bay ended up being a couple hours walk around the rocks on the ocean. It was secluded and peaceful and a wonderful hidden gem for us to explore.

What’s so nice about the military bases here, is they have beaches that no one else can get on. Imagine having a beautiful beach practically all to yourselves! Because of that, we enjoy driving all throughout the bases on the island and explore all they have to offer us.

After driving for awhile on base, we came across a beach and parked. With camera in hand, I followed G-man through trees and shrubs to emerge on the other side to see nothing but beautiful ocean and a view that left us standing still in awe of God’s beauty.

Exploring began as we stepped from one rock to the next listening and watching as the waves crashed onto the rocks.




Stopping often to see what’s around. Capturing a crab who was sunbathing…or so I thought.


Finding fish in the most oddest of places and reveling in their stare downs.


Stopping to soak our feet in the cool water…


..and enjoying the water rise with each wave that slammed against the rocks.

Once we decided to head home we made it just in time to see the final moments of the sunset spray a deep orange across the sky.


It was truly a wonderful day that I’m going to be sure to tuck away each and every memory formed from it. The excitement over fish and hermit crabs. The silliness of a hand puppet. The protection from the one I love. The tenderness in his voice when he spoke. And the laughs that were shared.

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I’m thankful for 28

Aloha everyone! I’ve been having a wonderfully relaxing time here in Hawaii this past weekend and I hope you guys had the same where you are. Not battered and bruised too much by all the crazy weather on the easy coast, I hope.

I can’t even tell you how much I’m loving being here. Well, I’ll give it a shot throughout the week. See if I can convey the awesomeness to you.

I’m thankful for:

- last minute help to make this trip happen. If it wasn’t for someone ‘working’ for me on Saturday, I never would have been able to make this trip.

- an awesome flight. I have to hand it to Delta this one time around. I was able to have the entire row to myself and took up all 3 seats the whole time. Oh, and they showed 2 great movies. One of the smoothest flights I’ve had.

- my love and the weekend spent with him. Going on a couple spur of the moment trips over the weekend is refreshing since, I’ll be honest, we aren’t the most ‘spur of the moment’ kind of people.
a taste from our first trip we did


- random and semi-inappropriate conversations with this girl and this girl that anyone can read but act like only us three are reading them. You girls are so much fun to talk to and make me crack up laughing.

- somehow managing to get G-man to forget to order UFC Saturday night, which so happened to be (apparently) one of the best UFC fight nights in a long time. (isn’t that how it always is??) and instead spending the time outside.

- somehow getting G-man to skip watching the Saints game Sunday afternoon, which, I’ll be honest, was shocking that he’d rather take a drive then sit and watch the game. The man likes his football and just about nothing gets in the way of his football.

I think I might currently have a bit of a spell on him…let’s see how long this lasts. ; )

Let me hear how your weekend went? What all did you end up doing?

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