Full of yourself much?

Look who’s house we found while driving around the other day? Completely on accident since we were just driving through a pretty neighborhood.

Hi, I’m Dog the Bounty Hunter and I love myself just a little bit.
How conceited to you have to be to have your face and name on your gate?!


side note: G-man was really embarrassed that I was taking a picture and kept driving because I was ‘taking too long’. my settings were off, so it took awhile (in reality 5-10 seconds) to get them right to get the picture. So, silly.

I hope each and every one of you has a great weekend filled with just the right weather! Can’t wait to hear how they went come Monday!

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Sunrise…sunset. Sunrise…sunset

Are you singing that song?? – You’re welcome.

You’d think after the ridiculously busy night of cooking I did Monday, I would have been exhausted, but that wasn’t the case. By 2:30 I was wide awake and never could fall back asleep, so by 4 I figured I would be productive and catch the sunrise…something I don’t do, ever.

For whatever reason, (I blame the lack of sleep) I saw the sun would rise at 6:20 and thought it would actually rise AT. 6:20. Meaning, the sun wouldn’t start moving until that time…I know. It was the lack of sleep, promise. So, when 5:45 rolled around and I saw the sky lightening I was in utter shock. By 6:06, I was on my way to the beach, which was a 15 minute walk to the edge.

On my way, I was able to get the changing sky.


Still walking, the sky was changing fast!


Finally! I make it to the edge and the sun had practically made its debut.


Poking its head through the buildings, telling me hi.

After a long and sluggish day, my eyes took on the beauty that was the sunset. If you follow me on twitter, you would have seen how much I went on and on about it. Angie and I couldn’t stop tweeting about it. It was that beautiful. I showed some of my favorites yesterday, but I can’t help but show more more more today.

And you can be the judge. Do you prefer the sunrise or the sunset from the day?












So, which do you like? Sunrise? Sunset?

Are you one to get up super early to catch the sunrise?

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Mood swings at its finest

It happened just like I thought. The day before I was scheduled to leave, my mood changed. And then the smallest of things kept happening to make my mood worse.

We hung around the apt, when on a whim decided to ride jet skis and parasail. After getting ready, stuffing everything into the bag and driving over, we find they’re completely booked. Every where's booked. Labor Day holiday in full force.

I’m disappointed, dejected and down right deflated. My last day in Hawaii and we’re going back to the apt. for his 2 fantasy football drafts. *humbug

I couldn’t help but show my disappointment the whole way back. He made every attempt to find another rental place, but to no avail. My mood soured. I told him just to forget about it, there wasn’t enough time before his first draft any way.

Then while moving my laptop, I knock over my water glass that shatters all over the coffee table and floor. *great

After running over to the mall to exchange some shoes, my mood lifts..slightly. But the fact that I was leaving was still heavy in my mind along with knowing all the things I needed to do that night.

All within 4 hours, I cooked this Tortellini Soup,  these chicken enchiladas, where I made my own green sauce and not to forget cooking and shredding the chicken and these Rosemary Rolls. Oh, and I roasted garlic this way. Food is everywhere, plates, pans, counters are dirty and it just brings me down more.

By the time I was ready to roll the enchiladas to put in the baking dish, I grab my first corn tortilla, fold and it splits. NO!! I grab another and roll it, breaks in 3 pieces. My frustration is building. The brand new package of tortillas G-man bought, contain old tortillas. (one VERY frustrating thing about HI, nothing is fresh!) G-man can hear and see my frustration and does everything possible to soothe me. Assuring me, he doesn’t mind broken tortillas, (all while I toss one in frustration)

To me, all I could see was all that hard work, only to lead up to broken tortillas and a horrible presentation.

Then G-man insists I extend my trip for a few days longer. I protest, cry from all the frustration and give a valid argument as to why I should leave the next morning, as scheduled. He listened, pondered, considered and insisted stating, ‘you’re staying! Go change your flight.’

We dive into the enchiladas (which are very delicious) make a run to The Cheesecake Factory for dessert and relax on the couch knowing, I’ll be staying a few days longer.
what I thought was my last sunset


What I was honored and blessed to see the following night. (I couldn’t choose just one)

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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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