Friday, October 11, 2013

Maui Baby!

We begin our trip to Maui riding first class!  Oh my what a treat!  The leg room, the comfort, the attention!  Oh how we love it!
After a nice long flight we get to our wonderful hotel, the Hyatt on Kasnappali beach.  We always watch the sunset and have a few drinks.  Then the conversation begins.... Let's move here, this is the life, why can't we do this everyday?   Then we realize we don't have enough money to live in Hawaii and our bubble bursts.  It usually takes the whole week before reality sets in, so we try to enjoy our little fantasy world.
 Our all time favorite restaurant, The Lahaina Grill, is always the on the 2nd night of our trip.  It's the best food I've ever tasted in my entire life.  And I eat a lot so that's saying something.  We loved it so much we came back twice this trip.  The waiter and the busser both came over and shook our hands and welcomed us back.  They were so sweet they even made us our very own specialty dessert that's not in the menu.  We were feeling very V.I.P.
This is their version of a caprese salad.  $24 for this bad boy and I will pay it over and over again!  I have more pictures of the food but my mouth is watering so much right now I may just eat my phone .
 
I've decided Justin is a bit of a masochist, as this course kicks his ass everytime yet he keeps coming back for more.  In his defense, the wind is unreal and there's a reason why the pro's play the Mercedes Championship on the Plantation course every January.  You 'll notice their scores are usually +1 and up.  It's rare to be under on this unforgiving course.
This is the line we stood in for an hour and a half for breakfast.  Ridiculous yes.  Worth it?  Absolutely.  It's a little place (literally very little only 15 tables) called the Gazebo.  Best breakfast ever!  They're known for their pancakes.  Banana & macadamin nut with thus amazing whipped topping that's not whip creme.  It's so good we went back 3 times total.  The shortest line we stood in was 30 minutes.  
We're back on the course again.  This is where I play catch up on my Candy Crush and read my gossip magazines.  I have and can play golf.  People say I'm actually pretty good.  I just get bored after 8 holes.  So I just say "good job Baby!"  Or "uh oh!  You just got a lot if bonus points!" And of course, dress the part.  I'm really a great caddy.  
 
As Justin would say, "back to the scene of the crime!"  We always make a stop in Wailea to the Sea Watch restaurant and golf course where we got married.  We stand in the same spot, take a picture and reminisce.  It really is beautiful there I'm do glad we found it.
 
If there's a frozen banana on the island of Maui you can bet Ill find it!  This one was extra special as it had macadamia nuts!  Yum-O!
This trip I talked Justin into seeing a magic show.  Yep, you read it right!  I found it online and it was so much fun I want to do it again the next time we go!  When you get there they send you into a room with 4 doors and lock you in.  They give you a key and a ghost gives you clues as to his to get out.  Freaky but a very interesting start to our evening.  Then once you're free you walk into a big parlor room with a piano.  Here we ordered dessert and had a bottle if wine.  You're entertained by the same "ghost" playing the piano.  We were approached by one if the employees to sit in the front row near the magician.  We said great!  Little did I know what we were in for.  Lucky me, a bottle deep with no wits about me, I was picked on and the center if attention the entire night.  I was laughing so hard I was crying.  It was so funny numerous people came up to me afterwards and asked if I was a plant.  I'm pretty sure Justin was embarrassed to be seen with me.  What a great night!
 
The last night of our trip we always drive to the North shore and watch the surfers.  They're amazing and surf even when the sky is completely dark.  I always try to find the turtles that bob up and down in the waves.  It's a great place to watch the sun set as well.  
 
Mama's Fish house is our last stop before catching the red eye home.  Another great restaurant on the island.  Fresh fish and good wine.  What more could you want?  

This, like all of our Maui vacations was amazing.  However there was something extra special about this one.  Can't wait to do it again

 

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Our New Home!

At least it feels like we have a new home.  We just finished ripping out the carpet in the downstairs and putting in wood floors.  It looks amazing!

Before:  


During:

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

A sad day yet new beginning...

Today is our first Wednesday without our beloved Nanny, Codi.  After many tears both shed by her and I, I'm excited to say she's moved on to bigger and better things.  I know it will be best for Codi's future in the long run and want nothing but the best for her.  

Im so glad we were blessed to have her as Violet's nanny.  She made my transition back to work so easy and gave me the confidence to know I could have it all.  All, meaning being being able to work a full time job, being a good wife, managing a little "me" time and being Violet's Mom.  Without her I think I'd still be pondering the big question a new Mom faces, the "how am I going to do it?" question.  

Thank you Codi for all you've done.  I hope and pray you'll continue to be in Violet's life and a friend in mine.  You are irreplaceable.  


 

Sunday, August 18, 2013

It's a date at Dave and Buster's with Sedona & Aunt Sarah






Violet's 8 Months!

 I'm 8 months and ready to rule the world with my tongue out!

Not only am I crawling and standing up on everything, I've now graduated to sitting in my stroller without my car seat!  I don't fit that well so Mommy looks like she doesn't know what she's doing when she strolls me around.  
Do do do do da da dee....
What?!?
I'm standing and starting this walking business!
Nana's teaching me to read and love my books!  Pretty soon I'll be able to read them all by myself.
Parker came over to hang out with me.  He's 6 months younger so I'm already "the older woman!"  He's pretty boring and doesn't talk much but neither do I so maybe we're meant to be?  Only time will tell.  I'm sure we'll be BFF's soon enough!

My 32nd Birthday

It's true!  I'm the Big 3-2. I knew it would happen eventually but I remember thinking 32 was ridiculously old.  I may be old but I've decided I'm going to rock it.  I've got a hot husband that loves me, a beautiful, happy baby girl and an amazing family and friends that will still love me when I'm old and grumpy at 92.  So 32 isn't so bad after all.

We just had a wonderful relaxing and super fun girls stacation for our annual girls trip.  We flew Spaulding down from Colorado and stayed at the Camelback Inn.  We normally do a cruise or go to Vegas so this was a nice change. 
We began our trip with spa treatments at the hotel.  We enjoyed lunch and drinks by the pool after our massages & facials.   The best thing about these girls is we can pick up where we left off never missing a beat!
The point of this picture was to show the design of the spa however Now I'm all about these two Hot Mama's and their almost six packs!  Go us!
This picture was taken at the BLT bar at the hotel towards the end of our night.  All of us Mom's got a little crazy and stayed up past 9:30!  We are all still a little pathetic, we always woke up before 7:30.  I guess once you're a Mom your days of sleeping in are over.  Now that we know we can still have fun going to bed before 11 and waking up around 7am, the plan is to go to Vegas next year.  We figure we'll definitely get a good spot by the pool if we get up that early.  Wow!  I never thought I'd say that phrase?! 

A great weekend and a great way to enjoy my last weekend of being 31.  

My Big Sister's in Town!

Tea came to play with me for 2 weeks!  She and Daddy shopped, went out to eat a bunch and won lots of tickets at Dave and Busters!  We had a BBQ at the house where Daddy made his famous ribs and chicken on the smoker.  From what I hear it was good...I'm still rockin' the bottle and mushed up fruits and veggies.  Soon enough Dad, soon enough. 


We hung out, she fed me, she played with me....
She brought me a big box with a whole bunch of goodies in it that she made and bought for me!  Like my new tutu!  Tea's so talented she made this, a pillow and a blanket for me.  She even bought me a few books!  I didn't even know my sister had a job.  How cool is it that she spent her hard earned money on little ol' me?  Greatest Sister Ever!  
Mommy and Tea took a day to get pampered.  They began by making  stop at Nordstroms for a make over at M.A.C.  Look how pretty my sister is!
This is the make up artist.  She gushed all over Tea.  She certainly is a natural beauty!
Then they went to get manicures & pedicures.  It was definitely the royal treatment for Tea!  Not one but two ladies working on her at the same time.  Next stop massages.  Tea's very first massage and she loved it!

Me chillin' with my cousins. 
I really do love my Aunt Jody, I was just showing off my, "I want my bottle and I need to go to sleep" face.  It's one of my more dramatic looks.

Thomas is such a natural with me.  He might be 15 years older than me but I know he'll always have my back.  

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Me? Cause Controversy?

I'm 7 months old world!  Look out!

 
Work it!  Own it!  Giving that camera a run for it's money!

Violet's 2nd photo shoot with the GREAT Jen Strozewski with Allikat photography.  Violet's taking a breather, all that posing and being extra cute is just wearing her out!

It's a wonder she hasn't turned into a sweet potato! 

Mommy's hosting book club and she's so excited!  Adults, good conversation, yummy food and  clean house!  Let's do this!
My Little Wild Cat is causing all kinds of commotion on Facebook!  Definitely the cutest wildcat I've ever seen!  A side note for my family, this is the ONLY U of A outfit she owns, so we can all calm down and go back to our normal everyday lives.

Sunday, July 7, 2013