Mother's day

 

 I had a wonderful Mother's Day.

 

I got to sleep in till almost 11am!

My hubby made us breakfast, or should I say brunch since it was sooo late.

 

 

 

 

He picked out the most beautiful cards, one from him and one from the kids.

I also got a special massage and aromatherapy treatment... hubby done good!!

 

 

And I just got to spend the rest of the day with my babies.

The wonderful reason I get to celebrate this day.

 

My lil angel.... she is such a happy happy soul.

I hope I can make her as happy as I do now in 13 years when she's a crazy teenager.

 

 

My crazy lil guy that just amazes me sometimes. He is so loving towards the people he loves, he is attentive to his sister, and although too hyperactive and whiny at times he is too wise for his 4 years of life.

 

Here he is telling us he needs to check his email.

 

 

 

My mom came over in the afernoon and spend time with her grandkids and me of course.

Then the hubby and I grilled up some steak and potatoes for dinner.

 

 

As much as I love being appreciated and doted on during Mother's Day, I cannot forget two things.

One, the mother who gave me life. Who carried me for 9 months, who I depended on for nourishment and support and comfort and who sacrificed to be there for me as I was growing up. Not just my mother but also my grandmother who was a second mom to me.

 

Secondly, my children and what a blessing from God that they are. Of course without them I could not celebrate Mother's Day but also without them I would not be the person that I am today. I appreciate all they have shown me, the unconditional love, their dependance on me has taught me unselfishness and the miracle of life.

 

I truly have been blessed and I hope all the mother's out there had a great Mother's Day as well.

 

 

 

 

 



blank page in a new book…

Have you heard that saying before? That January 1st is the first blank page in a new 365 day book?

At this point in my life, I hope so, I really do.

The weekend before New Year’s we spend a lot of time giving the house a really good cleaning and checking off a lot of our to do’s from our list that we never seem to make the effort to do.

The boys washed the screens all over the house and I cleaned the windows from the inside. BTW, window cleaning tip, equal parts rubbing alcohol and water… done!

We also put together the baby’s crib and shampooed the carpet in the entire house. Next time, we’re ripping out the carpet and putting down wood floors! I’m not even joking!

It felt good and it was our way of washing off the old to begin new.

I got to spend some time with my lil guy just me and him. I treated him to his first Icee, and probably his last. Don’t let this photo fool you, he didn’t like it much.

We took in a beautiful sunset right in our yard while I watered the grass.

We spent New Year’s with our friends and my son was so excited to be going to what he called a firework party.

This was the first year he really got into the fireworks and sparklers, usually he keeps to the pop pops and stays away from anything you light on fire.

Great, I think I have myself a fire bug.

Of course as tradition goes, we had mochi soup at midnight.

YUM!

We had a nice time and I for one am happy to say goodbye to 2012 and look forward to a brighter and different new year in 2013.

I have decided not to make resolutions or a list of goals for this year. We have so much going on and especially with the new baby on the way I don’t want to be tied to a list that I will constantly compare myself to.

Instead the only thing I want to work towards this year is enjoying and loving my family. I will not let myself get pressured to doing certain things by a certain time. I will not pressure myself with the little details. I will let go and let God guide me. My focus is my family and they come first, not making anyone else happy.

Here’s hoping for a better 2013 for my family and all of you!

Holiday Party at the Grand Hyatt Kauai

The past two years we have been very fortunate to have our Company Christmas Party at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. The Hyatt is so pretty, I worked there for over 5 years I think when I first got married. I even worked at Tidepools, the restaurant where we had our dinner. I love their food and I love their staff, they are the bestest!

We had a large party so we had to have a preset menu. I worked with their manager and they were so accommodating, I was so excited to just EAT!!

Please don’t mind the junk phone pix… hope I can still make you drool!

We started with family style pupus (appetizers). I just love fried calamari, my hubs calls it bait, but I call it delish!

We also had the lump crab cake. Ooh this has always been one of my faves and each time they change the menu I’m so glad they don’t change this! Big chunks and lumps of crab meat not too much filler.

This was a new one on the menu and I was excited to try it. Hamachi sashimi with watermelon and topped with jalapenos. YUM-O!!
Hamachi, or yellowtail, is family to Ahi, but it is a higher grade fish for sashimi or sushi. It’s a lighter meat and very mild tasting.

For dinner I chose the Opah. Grilled not gangnam style. It’s a very mild fish also known as the moon fish. Of course the men all ordered the prime rib, which my husband ranks as number one on the island!

We had a gorgeous dessert platter of bread pudding, crème Brule and a chocolate mousse bomb… and yup everything was THE BOMB!

I think everyone had way too much to eat, because after dinner everyone just went back to their rooms to rest. In the morning we woke up to this beautiful view.

Yup, luck I live Kauai. (am I making ya’ll jealous?)

I enjoyed a cup of coffee on the lanai and ate some chocolate covered dried pineapples for breakfast before meeting up with my friend who watched my son for us so we could have a night out. We picked up the lil guy and then came back to the hotel so he could play for a little bit.

THANK YOU MIKI! We totally owe you!

First things, first…. chocolate ice cream shake for the lil man!

Of course then we had to have lunch pool side.

He played in the pool for a little bit.

And before long… he was out cold!

It’s days like this that remind me we live in such a beautiful place and I need to take more time to enjoy it and enjoy my lil man especially since he’ll have to share my attention very soon.

I am blessed to work for a great company and have a wonderful Christmas party and wonderful friends who will take my son for the night so mom and dad can have a date.

I just had to share this especially after my little rant yesterday.

It’s all good!

whats on my wish list?

Note: I started this post well before Christmas and never got around to finishing it, but I updated it at the end for a nice surprise finish.

Ya Know, just in case you were wondering or Santa was reading….

Actually some of these are on my wish list, but some of them I have stumbled across and thought would make a good gift.

Like Yankee Candle’s Sampler Votive Gift Book.

Wouldn’t that be great for the candle lover!

I personally have never tried these but how good do they look? And who doesn’t need lip balm? Anyone want to put an EOS Lip Balm in my stocking is more than welcome to!

For the baker that you know, who doesn’t love the look of a domed cake plate with desserts in the kitchen?! Of course this one is from Williams Sonoma and is more than I would pay, but you can even get them at Wal-Mart. I would recommend filling it up with something first *wink*

This one is always on my wish list. I can’t bring myself to buying one or having my hubby buy one, but one of these days… it will be mine! What is it about a pretty colored Kitchen Aid Mixer?

These are just a few things that I wouldn’t buy for myself but would be nice to have or give as a gift.

In reality all I really want is for our bills to be paid, my grandmother to be on her way to recovery, my dad to stop the horrible cycle of drinking, for me and my lil guy’s cold to go away (I’m going on week number 3 thank you very much!!) and my hubby to finally listen to what I’m trying to tell him and HELP ME!!!!

Update starts here….

Well today is the day after Christmas and I survived, barely, but I did.

Working long days and then visiting with my grandmother in the hospital after picking my son up from school, and then going home to cook dinner proved to be more than I could do especially when you throw Christmas shopping in the mix. I very quickly lost the holiday cheer and really just wanted the holiday to be over with. I also have to mention that I am still sick! Going on 4 weeks now!! Let’s also add that my son came down with a sinus infection and because of his post nasal drip has been throwing up every night all week long! Then because of his antibiotics he had the runs for 2 days! God was with me, let me tell you.

I was frustrated with everything, mad at the world and taking it out on my family. I was at my breaking point and when my hubby says he’s going to ride bike with his friends 2 days before Christmas instead of helping me prepare for Christmas like I had been begging him to for the last 2 weeks I well, for lack of a better word, went ape shit.

To be honest we’re still not back to normal and he’s still sleeping on the couch. But if he has time to go shopping on his lunch break at the fishing supply store and the motorbike store AND spend $250 on a new pole blank for himself and then have absolutely nothing for his wife and son at Christmas because he ‘doesn’t have money or the time to shop’ this hormonal witch is standing her ground!

Thankfully my mom came over on Sunday and while my son and I were napping and cleaned up my kitchen and cooked dinner for us. What are mom’s for! Even though she makes me crazy she really does know exactly when I need her the most. I woke up to find her in my kitchen and the hubs sitting on the couch watching TV. Needless to say I blew a gasket!

I nearly did not make it to my in laws on Christmas day but I did and was surprised with….

A beautiful expresso Kitchen Aid Mixer! Yea Baby! Thank you mom Sheila!

We did have a nice late lunch/early dinner of prime rib and lobster. The lil bun in the oven kept me from eating as much as I wanted to. My son got to the point where he just wanted to go home so we did and ended the night early. It was nice to get some rest.

And then morning came, and we had to get up for work and school and get back to reality. It was actually really nice to get back to reality. Until next year….

What ever happened to Christmas being the most wonderful time of the year??

 

I know that I have admitted in the past that I am a Christmas Grinch. I have been changing my ways, I really have.

Even though it was like pulling teeth and I would rather have pulled my teeth out than have to nag at my hubby to spend 5 minutes to take some of our Christmas decorations out of the attic, I had a fun time with my lil man putting out decorations.

We didn’t take down all the decorations this year only one box and no lights on the house this year either. All I can think about it having to spend the time taking them down and packing them away just weeks before the baby is due.

I even did my best at keeping my OCD in check and I let my son decorate the tree with very little help. I sometimes sit on my couch and look at the tree and see two ornaments hanging too close to each other and I want to move them so bad, but I let it go. I’m so proud of myself.

Still all I can think is, what is so damn jolly about this time of the year?

I don’t know if it’s the hormones, or exhaustion, or stress, or all of it put together but I just want to skip the holidays all together!

Everything is rush rush and its so commercialized, how do we get back to the real meaning of the season?

I’ve been so busy at work and then going to the hospital to visit my grandma every day after work and then rushing home to cook dinner and do our night time routine and then do it all over again! I have had NO time or energy to do my Christmas shopping. This is the last weekend before Christmas and instead of helping out my hubs is going to ride with his friends, just great, thanks! I told my hubs from last week, I need his help with the shopping and well… I won’t even go there.

So this year, we’re not doing Christmas… if I get the chance to do my baking, I will, if not, oh well.

I don’t even feel bad for not having anything ready or having the time or energy to put into Christmas, is that bad??

How about you guys? Are ya’ll ready for Christmas?

A Happy Thanksgiving

 

Can you believe Thanksgiving has come and gone!? Time is just flying by.

This year we barely got our turkey! I’m fine with that I’m more into all the trimmings anyway and a ham, yum. My husband on the other hand was not happy about the possibility of not having turkey.

I didn’t have room in my fridge or chest freezer so I decided to wait until the last minute to get a turkey. Not a good idea! All the grocery stores on our side of the island were completely sold out by Monday before Thanksgiving.

We work in town so I went to the one and only grocery store there and they were also all out. My husband’s co-worker told him that he had to drive clear to the other side of the island to get a turkey!

I totally lucked out and stopped at Costco, who had sold out of their turkeys the day before and somehow they found the one and only turkey left in their store. YAY! SCORE!

I got up early on my day off (ugghhhh) and took our turkey out of the brine, dried it off and slathered it with butter and bacon, yup… bacon.

My little man insisted on helping out so I let him think he was chopping the parsley for the stuffing. He was the happiest lil guy ever.

Of course I made my favorite dressing, my grandma’s recipe. Each year that I make it, it gets better and better.

And to top it off, my lil man also insisted on washing the dishes!

I SO LOVE HIM!

He did a great job and kept asking, “what can I help you with next mom?”

We had a yummy lunch of course followed by a little nap.

But not before we had chocolate cake and pumpkin pie!

I may have over done it just a tad, I had no ankles for two days!!!

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving!!!

Getting back into the swing of things….

I’m getting back into the swing of things and getting a bit more focused.

We have been super busy knocking out a bunch of projects around the house and just catching up and living life in general. Haven’t quite found the time to post about all the things we’ve been doing but it’s coming!

So, yup….. it’s right around the corner… you know… my favorite thing in the whole world… Christmas! (big fat NOT)

But as I said last year, Christmas is growing on me all because of my lil guy. The older he gets he makes each holiday more and more enjoyable! Oh to see the world in a child eyes!

Anyway… I’m getting into things just at the perfect timing to share with all of you a great giveaway going on right now! Hurry on over and check out the favorite things giveaway!

You must check out all these great bloggers, most of them I already follow and the ones I didn’t, I do now!

1. Vintage Revivals

2. All Things Thrifty

3. Capturing Joy with Kristen Duke Photography

4. Chef in Training

5. Click it up a Notch

6. Eighteen25

7. I Heart Naptime

8. Kojo Designs

9. Landee See, Landee Do

10. Lil’ Luna

11. Lolly Jane

12. Love the Day

13. My Sister’s Suitcase

14. Or So She Says

15. sew.craft.create

16. Six Sister’s Stuff

17. Tatertots and Jello

18. The Dating Divas

19. The Diary of Dave’s Wife

20. The Girl Who Ate Everything

21. The Idea Room

22. The Pleated Poppy

23. The Savvy Photographer

24. Tidy Mom

25. Your Homebased Mom

I wish I could thank each of them for this giveaway, but I’ll be too busy for the next week visiting each of their blogs and entering their giveaway!

 

my 4th in instagram

Hope everyone had a great Independance Day.

If you don't follow me on Instagram you must do it now! LOL

If you do, you've seen pix of our little family enjoying the 4th.

Here's a recap.

The military base on our island, PMRF, put on a free fireworks show on Tuesday night. We parked on the side of the road and packed a picnic. When the show was over we jumped in the front of the car and took off before traffic even started!

My son LOVES his pop pops!

We went through almost a whole case in a few hours.

Does anyone remember these?

Super old sku!

Here's to the land of the free and home of the brave!

Hope you all had a great holiday!



Easter Weekend

I hope you have been following all that is going on with the Plantation camp that I grew up in and where my mom still lives.

I havent given an update recently and I plan to, sorry.

There has been so much and its been such a long and emotionally draining ride.

Either way we wanted to have what was possibly our last family gathering at our family home.

It turned out to be a cold and rainy day, we didnt get to go outside and hide eggs but we made the best of it and had a great Easter.

This was the first year I made my son an Easter basket.

I figured he was too young in the past and it's just not what Easter is really about.

He loved his basket and I kept it really simple.

His faves were the Spiderman watch and the box of egg dying supplies.

I dont know what they're called... I personally made a confession on my FB page that I cannot dye eggs. I wish I could enjoy it but I just can't my OCD makes me crazy sometimes!

Of course grandma to the rescue, she just loves dying Easter eggs.

She belives that kids should be allowed to play and make a mess and have fun.

I guess thats what grandmas are for... what the heck happened to me?

I do have to admit right when they come out of the little cups they look so beautiful.

Then, I'd like to know what happens?

Oh and don't even get me started on Easter grass! Yikes!

I cannot stand when I step on them on the floor!

Well.... enough of that.

We had tons and tons of food!

How beautiful is that!

And of course a few local favorites as well.

And thats just some of the stuff we picked on before we had a late lunch early dinner of turkey, stuffing, rice, gravy, roast beef, salad... my head is already spinning.

To top off the night, my son was out cold, sleeping in his own bed by 8:30!

Yay! Mommy and Daddy could clean up our kitchen, take out the trash and fold laundry as we watched GCB!

Hope you all had a great Easter as well!