Newly Inspired

When I started this little blog of mine, I wanted to share my story of how I went from non-runner to marathoner.

 How I put in miles and miles and miles of training runs throughout the year in order to get into the best physical shape of my life.

pshhhh... needless to say, it never happened!

 Sure, I did start a training program.

 And I did run my first 5K (whoo hoo!)

 But then life happened.

 Well, I should say new life happened.

I was pregnant with our first child and I used that as an excuse to take it easy, AKA stuff my face when I wanted to and skip my workouts when I felt like it.

Because I was no longer exercising or training for anything, my blog fell into a lull.

I had lost my inspiration.

My son was born at the end of 2011.  After finding my groove (oh who are we kidding, I'm still looking for it!) I began to slowly emerge back into the blogging world.

I thought I had a good footing on it all until I realized that there was no passion in it anymore.

There came a point where I enjoyed reading blogs more than writing blogs.

And that's OK.

I still miss writing.  I'm hoping I find my inspiration again.  I've learned that the best way to break through writer's block and to gain writing inspiration is to just. start. writing.

And even though I HATE starting new things on January 1st, I figure, why not?

(soooo... I'm posting this on 12/31... tee hee hee!)

So here I am, reintroducing myself to the blogsphere (and to all my new followers- ALOHA!)

My name is Vanessa, friends call me Vanessa.  Or Nessa.  Or Vaness. Or Ness.

But NEVER Van.

NEVER.

I'm not quite thirty (right, Jenn?).  I enjoy traveling, great food, great wine, and a great book.

I love Jesus and am a sinner.  I have THE WORSE road rage EVER.

In fact, when I make my millions, the first thing I'm doing is hiring a driver.

It's the Christian thing to do.

I'm married to my high school sweetheart.  We have one baby boy (who just turned one!) that is pure joy.

I'm deathly afraid of dogs.

I love ice cream.  Almost as much as a good wine.

Almost.

I'm a recent convert to country music.  I swore up and down that I would never listen to that twang-y stuff and yet here I am, setting my radio alarm clock to the one and only local country music station.

Hang around long enough and my wannabe southern-ness will make an appearance.

Island girl with a southern drawl? Yeah, you don't want to miss that.

I'm not very good with consistency.  But I promise that if you hang around a little bit I get into a great rhythm and you'll experience all the awesomeness you've come here to find.

CHEERS!

And another one...

YAY! 

The very sweet lady at RAISING ROSCOE has awarded me the Versatile Blogger Award!!

Whoop whoop!

As you can see, the button is already posted proudly on my blog.  I won this award previously from my girl at Jenns Adventures.

And now I'm back for round two!

Here is my ORIGINAL POST when I was this award in October.  

My my my how things have changed!

So the deal with this award is that you share 7 random facts, link back to the person who nominated you (see above) and then list 15 other blogs you'd like to nominate.

Let's get a few things out of the way.  I don't have 15 new blogs to nominate.  I can recommend that you check out RAISING ROSCOE's list of fabulous bloggers =)

And 7 random things? I think I have a few I can add.  But how about I just update the original 7 I posted? 

1. I'm married to my high school sweetheart. We've been together for 10 years and have been married for one. Yup, still married! We're celebrating 2 years next week!

2.  I'm pregnant with our first baby, due in late December. Baby Phillip was born on 12/29/12. He's now 6 months!

3. I hate having people rub my belly (you've been warned!) uh, yeah.  Still don't like people rubbing my belly.  Especially since there is no baby there.  Awkward.

4. I love to travel but have noticed I have a champagne taste on a chocolate milk budget... but I can dream! Still love to travel. I haven't left the state in almost two years so I'm itching to ditch this rock! I love living in Paradise but I want to experience the rest of the world.  

5. This year I became a runner.  I'm not very fast and haven't been running for the past few months, but I'm still a runner and will be working on my fitness for 2012. Working on my fitness has now translated into squeezing in walks during my lunch break.  It's not the best workout, but it's better than what I was doing before! hint: nothing.

6.  I used to compete in pageants when I was little.  I have a love/hate relationship with the TLC show "Toddlers and Tiaras" because it's so ridiculous sometimes! My experience was pretty much the complete opposite of that but sometimes I watch that show and think I actually know some of these crazies mothers. Still love to watch that show.  I feel bad for the little girls though- but as long as their having fun, who am I to judge? I hope that their experience doesn't cause long term damage.  I look back on my pageant years with lots of joy and gratitude- and still keep in touch with a lot of my pageant friends, 20 years later!

7. I grew up as an only child but now have a baby brother and sister.  We are 20 and 23 years apart, respectively.  I love watching people's reactions when I tell them I have a brother in kindergarten and a sister in pre-school! Classic! My brother is now getting ready for 1st grade and my sister is starting her second year of pre-school.  Both love school and are great students!

Thanks, Marj for the nomination!!

Fancy Free Friday

Geez, Friday- did you get lost getting here or what?

Seems like I've been waiting FOR-EVA for you to arrive!

Thank you for gracing me with your presence.

I know for some of my readers (*cough*Duckie*cough*) it's already Saturday and this post is kinda late in the game but whatever.

It's not even 4pm yet in Hawaii so don't even judge me.

In other news...

I've been really trying to focus on my blogging and post more consistently.  Lately I've been writing down ideas as soon as they pop into my head (well, except when driving, duh).

You know what I noticed?  I have a lot of random thoughts. Especially while driving.

And a lot of weird quirks.

Also? We're getting ready for a move next month.  I've been happily perusing the interwebs for apartment inspiration and have been falling in L-O-V-E with interior design and organizing.

le sigh

To help myself release all of this creative goodness I decided I'm going to share with my readers.

Lucky you.

So here are 10 random quirks about me- because anyone who's anyone is blogging about random facts about themselves.

1. I appreciate awesome alliteration attempts.

2. I think I use way to many smiley faces when writing blog posts and comments =)

3. I have always HATED  country music... that is, until about 2 years ago.  Now I listen to country music on the  radio and Pandora.  I have Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood to thank for that.

4. I'm afraid of dogs.

5. I love lip gloss!

6. I don't use the eraser that comes with pencils.  It's weird but I don't like to get it "dirty" so I use a separate eraser instead so that my pencil top looks "clean".

7. I'm old school when it comes to drafting up writing pieces.  I use a pencil and paper and hand write my brainstorming ideas and outlines.  Once I have an outline, then I can type out my piece.  I tried to draft an outline on my computer but it didn't feel right.

8. Pet peeve? Waiting on people.  I can't stand it when people are unexpectedly late.  If you call me and let me know you're running a little behind, cool.  But 30+ minutes? No call? NOT COOL

9. I'm taking a Facebook hiatus.  I don't know how long it will last. I'm spending WAY to much time "doing" and not enough "being".  If I'm on the internet I'd rather be blogging than getting sucked into the time warp of Facebook.

10. Next week is my birthday =) (<--- See? Another smiley face.  Thought about deleting it, but hey- it's authentic)

Now your reward for reading through all of that:

Raych @ Marriage By Design- She recently moved from Houston to Manhattan (and will be moving again at the end of the year!) and adjusting from downgrading from 3000 sq. ft. to 400.  Love her fashion posts and apartment design.

IHeart Organizing- Found this blog via Pinterest (of course) and fell in love with a craft room she featured from one of her readers.  Of course I became a blog follower to keep up with all of her organizing tips!

And because I love to look at these pictures.... Apartment Therapy.

Have a fabulous Friday, friends!

Not What I Expected!

What is the book that almost every single mama-to-be has in her arsenal?

What to Expect When You're Expecting

Confession: I have not read this book cover to cover.

In fact, I only read the interesting parts that related to moi.

Of all the interesting things I learned, what's truly relatable now is that post-pregnancy, NOTHING FITS!

Seriously, friends.

My body has taken on a whole new shape.  

Remember from this post when I cleaned out my closet?

Nothing fit.  I was down to one pair of pants.  

And not even real pants. Freakin' capris!

No jeans, no slacks.  No zip up pencil skirts.

Just stretchy flowly skirts and dresses.

And one pair of capris.

My point? 

I knew that this would happen.  I think that's why I'm OK with purging out so much of my clothes.

I knew my body would change and that it could get difficult to fit into my pre-pregnancy clothes right away.

So I'm working on it- watching what I eat and trying to be more active.

You want to know the one thing "they" don't tell you about?

Yeah, your body will change.  You know what else changes?

YOUR FEET!

I swear, all my favorite heels/wedges that I couldn't wear during pregnancy don't fit!

I stopped wearing them when I was pregnant because my balance was all off and I didn't feel comfortable wearing anything higher than 2 inches.

Now I'm all excited to bring out those cute shoes again and lo and behold, they don't fit like they used to fit!

Example? Today I wore these tan wedges that I got from Target.  I remember I loved these babies because the material wasn't stiff and I loved how it felt like it molded to my foot.  

I remember feeling like running in these shoes!

But it's noon. And I'm ready to dump them in the trash.

(Please excuse the fugliness.  I'm in desperate need of a pedicure)

You can't really see too well, but there are blisters forming on my big toes.  

I'm so irritated! I loved these shoes and they barely lasted me till lunch.

I knew my jeans wouldn't fit, maybe a few tops wouldn't fit either.

But shoes? Shoes? My FREAKING SHOES?!

Seriously.... when does the craziness end?

Top 10 Tuesday

Aloha Friends!

It's time for...

Top 10 Tuesday!

1. Goals: I seriously need to revisit them.  Originally I planned to just use the same goals as last year but that's not working out.  See, I wanted to start running again and reach my goal of a sub 30 5K. 

But I've been slacking.  It may sound cliche, but I just don't have the time! If I thought I didn't have time to workout a year ago, I certainly don't have any spare time now. 

I do need to get serious about my goals.  I've realized that it's not just about not having enough time, it's about prioritizing my time.  We all get the same 24 hours to get live our life, so what's my problem?

2. Diet: Since coming home from the hospital I've lost and gained weight.  I'm now above my pre-pregnancy weight when a month after birth I was WAAAAAY below.  I'm just not taking it seriously as I should.  I need to adapt better eating habits or this is going to get way out of hand.  I'm just not motivated.  I can't look to anything else for motivation but myself.  I love my sweets and am a HUGE emotional eater.  I feel like I used to be in more control of my emotional eating when I was fresh out of college but I don't have that same control anymore.

I think that control is something that comes with practice.  Maybe I just have to keep practicing on making healthier food choices.

3. Blog: One thing that is always on my mind is to blog consistently.  I used to blog everyday but don't have time anymore (I'm sensing a pattern, here). 

Here's the thing: I can either sit at my laptop everyday and post just for the sake of consistency, only post on those days I have time (which are looking to be few and far between), or "prep" posts for future dates.

Now I always thought I was the type to "post as I go" but for the sake of keeping my blog alive, I have had to prepare some posts in advance. 

Most bloggers won't do this.  Of those who do, many won't admit it. 

But I will. 

I sometimes prepare advanced posts.

There.  I said it.  Moving on.

4. Link-Ups: One of the easiest ways to create a blog post is to participate in link-ups (like this one!).  A link-up is when a blogger will create a theme and invite other bloggers to write about the same theme and post their links to the original post. 

I love link-ups because they provide a template for me when I have writer's block.  They also facilitate some awesome creative writing pieces.

5. Creative Writing: I found this link to Creative Writing Prompts from fellow blogger Raising Roscoe. 

She has a list of 101 goals she'd like to complete in 1001 days and one of those goals is to complete 5 creative writing prompts.

Now, I may just be admitting how much of a nerd I am but I thought this was sooooo cool!

I loved my high school English classes where we wrote about random themes every day. They were always short (150 words) but most times I felt like I could write more.

I think I'm going to save this link for whenever I have writer's block =)

6. Wrong Major?: Often I wonder if I signed up for the wrong major in college.

Initially I wanted to major in bio-technology or some sort of biology studies.

That quickly changed when I realized that spending 4+ hours in a lab didn't sound like a good time to me.

Then I thought about political science.

My first class bored me to tears.

So I decided to major in Business Administration. At least there's job security, right? (LOL)

The course of study includes 2 semesters of Accounting.  Well, one of these classes gave extra credit for attending an Accounting professionals lecture.  During this lecture students were basically told that they need to major in Accounting to set themselves apart from every other business student. 

Or live in a cardboard box and never make any money.

At least that's what I heard.

So I majored in Accounting.

I was good at it, but can't say that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I currently work in an accounting type position for a non-profit.

It can be stressful and chaotic at times, but I don't mind it.  Most days are enjoyable.

I like numbers.  We get along well.

But sometimes I wish I majored in English or Education.  Some days I have this tug on my heart that reminds me how much I enjoyed my English courses, especially my creative writing courses.  Or that the little girl in me always wanted to be a teacher- to not just have the coolest school supplies (because let's face it, that was the best part of school!) but to be a part of that school setting.

7.Dream Job: Safe to say I'm not working it, yet.  My dream job would most likely be an elementary school teacher.

But it's too difficult to return to school now... especially with Phillip.

8. Stay at home mom? I think I'd enjoy being a stay at home mom.

I know it's tough, but it seems like I run so much of the household anyway, I'd love to be able to dedicate more time to "house management".

And the thought of being able to stay home with Phillip all day makes me giddy.

I'm seriously contemplating taking a few days off to organize and clean our apartment.  Maybe then I'd get a real taste of what'd be like.

9. Travel: Oh how I miss traveling.

I haven't left the state in almost 2 years.

TWO FREAKING YEARS!

I'm excited to be visiting my uncles and grandma later this year.

Random fact? I love airports.  Even more so, the airports I visit for the first time =)

10. Family Vacations: When Phillip is older I can't wait to take some fun family vacations.

Top of our list is DisneyLand.  I love that place.

We also want to go on an Alaskan Cruise.

We went on a cruise for our honeymoon and it was, hands down, the BEST VACATION EVER.

It's been almost 2 years and we still talk about it from time to time.

Can't wait to have family vacations with our growing bunch!

Don't forget to link up below =)

Top Ten Tuesday

Aloha, Readers!


Today is Top 10 Tuesday! Do you remember learning how to brainstorm ideas in school?  Well, that's a tool I use often when writing blog posts.  I give myself a time frame and jot down anything that comes to mind, no judgement about whether it's a good topic or not- everything gets listed.  


It's a great way to get those creative juices flowing!


Top 10 Tuesday is a way for me to purge some of the randomness that flows through my head.  I make a list numbered from 1 to 10 and then fill it in with whatever thoughts come to mind.  I don't skip a thought, either.  Just keep filling up the list.  


Once I have my list, I expand the topic with a little more detail, if necessary, to give my readers a bit more insight as to what is going on in my crazy head space.


Feel free to join in on the "head space clearing/purging" party! Grab my button on the left of your screen and link up below =)

1. We have GOT to get into a routine.  Slowly but surely we're starting to find our new "normalcy" but I'm not sure if we're completely settled, yet. I get an hour to myself after work and that's it.  An hour to blog/shower/exercise.  It's not like I get to do all 3, those are just my choices.  And for the most part watch TV/shower has been winning out (I don't like to give TV the opportunity but it is just sooo hard!)

2. I wish I could take a few days off to clean my house.  Seriously.  I have so much organizing/purging to do that I just can't get it all done!  See above.

3.  We're moving in July/August.  Part of me wants to find a completely different area to live but another part wants me to stay in the same complex.  We're moving because our lease is up and we would like to expand into a two bedroom.  Where we live is pretty central to everything.  If we moved futher west, where it's more affordable, we'd be closer to the husband's workplace.   But I'd have to drive in that horrendous traffic EVERY. MORNING. Didn't you know that Honolulu has the worst traffic in the US? Now you do....

4. My son is growing sooooo fast! He is now 5 months and wears 9 month size clothing.  He is so full of personality and love, I can't stand it! He brings so much joy to our lives =)

5. Bed Bath & Beyond is my Disneyland.  I cannot spend enough time in that store.  The only reason I leave is because I have a hungry baby to tend to or my husband throws a tantrum (not literally, but almost).

6. Speaking of Disneyland, I wish I went more often when I lived in California.  Now that I'm in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, I wish I took advantage of travel opportunities more often.  Don't get me wrong, living in Paradise is amazing but it's about $600+ just to get out of the state, at least!!

7.  We have bought our tickets to California for a family trip later this year.  I am so excited! I haven't left the state in almost 2 years! I used to visit California at least once a year but now the only flying we do is inter-island.

8.  We are contemplating moving out of state.  Scary.  But aren't all great adventures scary at first?

9.  I wish I got paid to browse Pinterest.

10.  We subscribed to Netflix thinking we would cancel our cable, you know, cut down on some bills.  Um... it's been a month.  We still have cable.

What are the Top 10 thoughts taking up real estate in your head?  Go ahead and share one or two (or all ten!)

Holiday Blog Challenge Day 8

CHRISTMAS WISH LIST

Let's get to the goods!!

For Christmas I would really really love to get some new work out gear.  My current work out ensembles consist of old, cotton, 2 sizes too big t-shirts collected as souvenirs and a couple of basketball shorts I've had since high school.

Yes, you read that right.  High. School.

I have one pair of "yoga" pants that I wear often.  They are capri style and I got them from Target.  However, they are cotton and seem to soak in the sweat instead of making it disappear.

My shoes? I've had for over a year.  They are from Asics, but I have no idea what the make/model are on those babies.  Also, I use them for everything- cross training (elliptical, stationery bike, etc...), running, walking, and sometimes wear them to work to keep my footsies warm (yes, we get cold in Hawaii!).

I found these two tops from YMX by YellowMan.  The shoes? Asics (hey, I like to stick with what works for me!).  I love these tops because they both feature a Polynesian print.  And they're pink! My favorite color =)

The shoe (sorry so blurry) from Asics is meant for low mileage- beginner runners (that's me!). When I get new shoes, I promise to myself to only use them for running and to log my miles.  One of the easy ways to prevent injury, right?

I would also love a membership to my favorite Bikram Yoga studio.  I used to volunteer at the front desk a few years ago and received FREE classes in return.  It was great!!

Once baby arrives I would love to get back into yoga.  I always felt like dying in the middle of the practice but felt like a rockstar while walking back to my car, dripping in sweat and gulping down my VitaCoco!  I imagine I could one day do this:

And of course after all that running with my new wardrobe & shoes, and after intense yoga sessions, I'm going to need to freshen up!

I would love a new bottle of my fave perfume: Chance by Chanel

And anything from Sephora:

What's on your Christmas wish list?

Holiday Blog Challenge Day 7

HOW DO I CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS?

Well, it's no secret that I celebrate Christmas.

And just as an FYI- A Complete Waste of Makeup, this blog topic includes Kwanzaa as a choice.  Just had to mention that Kwanzaa is NOT a holiday that takes the place of Christmas! You're probably wondering how the heck do I know, since I'm obviously not African-American.  Long story short- in college I was part of a multicultural organization that included clubs like the Jewish Student Union, Black Student Union (BSU), Filipino Ugnayan Student Organization (FUSO), Association of Chicana Activists (ACHA), and others... BSU would hold Kwanzaa celebrations on campus and invite everyone to join, so YES, I've participated in Kwanzaa before with the BSU.  It is to celebrate their heritage and just so happens to fall near Christmas. Like how Veterans Day is in November?  No one celebrates Veterans Day instead of Thanksgiving! Kwanzaa isn't celebrated instead of Christmas. *steps off soap box*

Moving on...

I celebrate Christmas. 

I like to decorate as early as possible.  I'd even start in October if I wasn't afraid of being burned at the stake for celebrating Christmas WAY before Thanksgiving.  So I compromise and start publicly sharing my love for Christmas in November. Yes, I'm one of those people!

I celebrate Christmas all season long (yes, Christmas is a season for me, not just a day!).  

We put up a Christmas tree and decorate it.

We like to drive around the island and look at the city decorations.

Most years we're spending Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with family friends.

But this year? We may be celebrating Christmas with the arrival of Baby L!

We don't have very many traditions set in place, yet.  

But we are excited to start creating our own traditions with our little family very soon!

HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE THE HOLIDAYS?

Holiday Blog challenge Day 6

CHRISTMAS DESSERTS/TREATS

Well, the first thing that came to mind was yet another pumpkin recipe.  

But I figured I'd spare you all and try something new.

So I scoured boards on Pinterest (You can follow me here!) to see what desserts I would like to try out (maybe someone can bake them and bring them over for me? Thanks!)

First up? Marshmallow Snowflakes.  I would love to learn how to make my own marshmallows! I heard it's super easy but haven't done much research into it...

And of course Pumpkin Cupcakes! I actually had a recipe for this from a magazine... somewhere around here... I made it and it was delish!!

I also love anything chocolate and mint so these White Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes are also on my "Need to Try" list.

Followed by Fruit Pizza! I remember one year at my grandmother's house in California (I must have been 7 or 8 years old), my aunt was visiting and made this delicious Fruit Pizza with flattened out cookie dough, cream cheese, and fresh fruits.  It was sooooo good!

Also on my treat list? Well, if I wasn't pregnant anyway... Pumpkin Eggnog Martinis and Dark Chocolate Whiskey Cupcakes!

What are your favorite Christmas Desserts/Treats? 

Don't forget to link up your post =)

Holiday Blog Challenge Day 5

IDEAL OUTFIT FOR CHRISTMAS/NYE FESTIVITIES

Another reason to love the holiday season? Dressing up!

Out here in the islands we are WAY more casual when it comes to special occasions and dressing up.  

Granted most of the ladies here love to wear their pretty dresses, sparkly jewelry, and glammed up makeup when they are out on the town but when catch them at a family gathering?  Everything is toned down... WAY down.

It's pretty much a guarantee that if someone showed up in sequins at one of our family gatherings the response would be 1) "Oh where are you off too? You're not staying with us?" or 2) "Why you gotta show off and be all fancy for?"

It's one of the things I miss about living in the "mainland".  I could get dressed up to my hearts desire without running into someone who would ask, "Why you all fancy, huh?".

You can bet money on the fact that if I show up to a family party for NYE, I would be in jeans, a t-shirt, and a jacket (just in case it drops to the low 70s.  I know. Be jealous).  I would also put on make-up because I know lots of pics will be taken that night. 

And probably wear pretty earrings. 

But that's about it.

The night would be spent chasing after my nieces/nephews/cousins, pouring drinks for the everyone, stuffing my face, and not worrying about ruining my outfit.  

But ideally?????

I would love to go to a "fancy" cocktail party hosted by friends and get all dressed up.  In fact, if/when we ever move back to Maui I would love to host a cocktail party for my friends- with the request for "cocktail attire", of course! I think dressing up is fun and everyone looks so good!

So if I had somewhere to go this year, I would probably rock one of these dresses:

As you can tell, I love sparkles!!

And for accessories? These really caught my eye:

But for a night spent with the family?  I think I'd take the jeans and t-shirt combo- it's all about comfort sometimes!

What's your ideal Christmas/NYE outfit?

If you're participating in the challenge (it's not too late to jump on in), don't forget to link up =)

Holiday Blog Challenge Day 4

FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MOVIES AND SPECIALS

Well, it is no secret from this post that one of my favorite all time movies is ELF.  I can watch this movie everyday! When I watch it, I turn into that annoying kid that says all the lines before the characters.  You've been warned!

Another favorite of mine is Eloise at Christmas Time.  I've only seen it a few times- and most of that was just in bits and pieces.  But the antics of this little girl are borderline annoying and hilarious! I think part of the reason I can tolerate this little 6 year old running around The Plaza Hotel during Christmas is that her charm reminds me of my grandmother, Eloise.  My grandma is the youngest of 13 children.  From the stories told by her older sisters, she was SPOILED! When her older sister Marian was alive, she would tell me silly stories of my grandma and the trouble she would get into.  Plus, I think it's hilarious to hear the characters yell, "ELOISE!!" when she stirs up trouble because I can't imagine someone yelling like that at my grandmother! 

And another favorite?  Love Actually.

I love all the characters in this movie.  It just warms my heart and makes me feel all giddy inside.  It totally pulls on all my heart strings and gets my emotions all worked up.  Exactly what I love in a movie!

Can you believe that there is one classic I've never seen? Yes, Christmas' #1 fan has missed out on a classic.

It's a Wonderful Life

Well, this season has just started! It's not too late for me to pick it up somewhere.  I'm determined to watch this movie this year.

What's your favorite Christmas movie/TV special?

Don't forget to link up if you're participating in the Holiday Challenge! Let my followers know who you are =)

Holiday Blog Challenge Day 3

CHRISTMAS DECOR

One of my biggest memories of Christmas growing up is my mom kicking me out of the house for a day while she decorated for Christmas.

This woman went all out! By the time I would come home in the evening, she had the tree up and decorated, all the kitchen towels switched out, her snow village set-up, the bathroom covered in Santa paraphernalia, and a 5ft stocking hanging on my bedroom door (my bedroom was the one place she was not allowed to decorate.  There had to be boundaries somewhere! So she decorated my door).

Now I know that for someone who has recently professed their undying love for all things Christmas, I sound like a Grinch.

But as I reflect on the reason why I didn't welcome my mom's decorating with open arms, I realize that it was because I was never involved!

Once I got my own place in college, I was so happy to finally be able to decorate the way I wanted to decorate.

Even if that meant just a tree...

My first tree was a small 4ft something tree.  It was real.  And we decorated it with whatever fit our budget at the time. 

There wasn't a theme or color scheme.  

It was simply decorated.

Since moving back to Hawaii, we have gotten our own tree (yes it's fake) to decorate year after year.  

Because we're budget conscious, we use the same decorations year after year.  However, this year our tree is looking kinda sparse. 

But I love it!  There may not be much to it, but there's an ornament on there that you can't really see (and of course I forgot to take a picture of it last night!).

It looks kind like this, but is all green w/ no hibiscus flower.

It is called a Latte Stone and is one of the major symbols on Guam.  Chamorros (natives on Guam) used to build their houses on these stones that sometimes could reach 7 feet tall! The husband and I got this ornament during our trip to Guam back in February.  

This year we decided to start our own tradition.  We'll collect ornaments during our travels and to mark special occasions in our lives.  Our tree will probably never have a cohesive color scheme, but the theme will always be about US.

Just the way we like it.

What does your holiday decor look like?

Holiday Blog Challenge Days 1 & 2

Neely at A Complete Waste of Makeup is hooking up with her girl Amber for the Holiday Blog Challenge!

Challenge Accepted!  Some you might remember the challenge I started earlier this year... and never finished (ahem).

Maybe I'll go back to that and finish it up- I hate loose ends and that challenge has been haunting me!

Anyway- I decided to take up this challenge because 1) It's only 10 days (versus 30 like the last one) and 2) it's about my favorite time of year!

Here's the complete list of topics, which I grabbed from here:

Monday November 28th: Fave gift received EVER

Tuesday November 29th:  Fave holiday tradition, new or old

Wednesday November 30th:  Holiday decorations/decor
Thursday December 1st:  Favorite Holiday movies/tv specials

Friday December 2nd: Ideal outfit for Christmas/NYE festivities

Monday December 5th:  Christmas dessert/treat recipe
Tuesday December 6th: How do you celebrate the holidays? Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, etc.
Wednesday December 7th: Christmas wish list

Thursday December 8th: 2012 goals/resolutions
Friday December 9th:  NYE memories/pictures

Do you want to join in on the fun? Here's what you do.  Add this button from A Complete Waste of Makeup, and link up your post below on my blog and at A Complete Waste of Makeup.  Don't forget to spread the word to your blog readers, Twitter followers, and Facebook friends!

OK- On to the CHALLENGE!
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DAY 1: FAVE GIFT RECEIVED EVER

Thinking back to my 20+ Christmases, I can't really put a finger on my FAVORITE gift.  I've been really blessed and received some often gifts in my days. I remember bikes, dolls, games, and books from childhood.  As I got older I received beautiful jewelry from my parents and boyfriend (now husband <3).  I cherish all those gifts and at one point or another, each gift was a "favorite".

So I'm going to share my most memorable gifts.

First up?

Super Nintendo Entertainment System! I remember being sooooo excited when I opened this gift.

And also because my dad took FOREVER to set it up.  And then he decided to "test" it out to make sure it was working, while I sat on the couch and whined waited patiently for my turn.

The game that was included with the system was Super Mario Paint.  My best friend and I could spend HOURS on this game! There were "coloring pages", free style, a music composer (my personal fave), and a silly game where we had to swat at flying insects.



And coming in at a close second....

Our first home computer- A Gateway 2000!



I remember this gift because my parents wrapped each part separately! So it looked like I had a bunch of gifts under the tree but once I opened them all they all connected to our very first computer! I must have been 11 or 12 years old.

I was able to type up my own research papers and using dial-up, connect to the internet.  I set up my very first email address using Hotmail (can't remember what it is now!) and even created an AOL screen name so I could chat with my friends after school.

I also remember getting in trouble because I was constantly tying up the phone line hehehehe.

What was your favorite gift ever?
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DAY 2- FAVORITE HOLIDAY TRADITION NEW OR OLD


Usually I spend Christmas with my family on Maui.  Christmas Eve is usually spent at my grandparents' house with all my cousins and aunts and uncles (dad's side).  There is a huge buffet spread (my grandpa, uncles, and dad are GREAT cooks!) and one of the uncles dresses up as Santa and hands out gifts to the little kids.  My family will play music and sing Christmas songs in the backyard (we live in Hawaii, remember?) and eat and eat and eat until we can eat no more!

Most of the family will just end up spending the night (any spot on the floor is up for grabs!). Because my parents are divorced, I usually will then spend Christmas Day with my mom.

This year? Well, I'm looking forward to starting our own traditions.  Our baby may be here by Christmas Day so we'll be busy getting adjusted to our new family.  Or baby may decided to bake a little more and you may just find me stuck on the couch watching Christmas movies.  Either way, this Christmas is sure to be a life changer for us and we couldn't be more excited!!

What is your favorite holiday tradition?


Don't forget to add a link to your Holiday Challenge Blog Post:

It's OK Thursday

Hi Friends!

So I picked up on another blog trend: a link up! A blogger writes a themed posts, encourages readers to write a similar post and then add a link to their themed post on the blogger's wall!

Sound kinda complicated? Well it's not, I promise!

Today's theme is It's OK Thursdays from A Complete Waste of Makeup. Go check it out and read her post.  Then notice all the links on the bottom? You might recognize a few of those blogs or some might be new to you.  It's a great way to find new blogs!

Hey, It's OK...

...if you tell your husband the reason why you need a new bottle of perfume to last you the next year is so that the baby will recognize your scent.  If you stop using it or change scents, baby might get confused!

...if you don't want to let that jerk of a driver cut in front of you, after you saw him/her in your rear view mirror speed all the way to the front of the turn lane instead of waiting his/her turn like the rest of us.

...if you correct people when they make comments of how big you're getting with, "The baby is getting big."

...if when people say, "You look tired.", you respond with, "Thanks! YOU TOO!".

...if you're mourning the vacation that would have been.  I had planned to leave for a 2 week California vacay on Friday night.  But the trip has been postponed until the baby arrives.  Yes, I'm bummed about missing my trip and will probably be a grump all weekend.

...if someone asks you a question and you respond with, "Did you Google it?".

...if you're having breakfast for dinner not just because it's budget friendly, but because it's just GOOD!

So tell me, because today is "It's OK Thursday", what's OK with you? 

Feel free to leave a link to your own "It's OK Thursday" post!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

There's no easy way to say this so I'm just going to come right out with it.

I'm one of those people.

You know, the type that thinks it's NEVER too early for Christmas!!

Yeah, I said it.  And I'll say it again.

IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY FOR CHRISTMAS!

I've seen comments all over Twitter and Facebook about how retailers are pushing Christmas too early, commercials for Christmas shopping are jumping the gun, and people who put up their Christmas tree before Thanksgiving are CRAZY.

Well call me CRAZY.  If I could put up the tree right now, I would.  But being 34 weeks pregnant makes it kinda difficult.  But trust me that I've thought about it!

Seems like the concern is that we're just glossing over Thanksgiving and heading straight to the commercial nightmare that has become Christmas.

Valid concern, for sure!

For me, putting up a tree and listening to Christmas music and watching Christmas movies doesn't mean I'm forgetting about Thanksgiving.  If anything, it's a way to PREPARE for the Holiday of Thanks.

As a Christian, Christmas and Easter are the top two most important holidays of the year.  Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, and Easter is when we celebrate His ultimate sacrifice- His death for our lives.

Christmas to me is more than just shopping for the best presents.  Take away the glitter, the lights, the parties, and the gifts- we can get to the heart of the holiday. 

Even though Thanksgiving isn't here yet, I love getting into the Christmas spirit because the Christmas season is truly a time of thanks, good tidings, and new beginnings.  I feel that Thanksgiving is more of an extension of Christmas.  Sort of like the pre-party.

Thanksgiving is a time where families come together, share love and laughter, and give thanks for the many blessings in their lives.  Why stop there?  Christmas is also a time where families come together and reflect on their blessings, shower each other with love.

I don't understand why there is a set timetable for these holidays.  In my opinion, November to January is an entire season to celebrate with thanks and love.  Why wait to get into the Christmas spirit? Is it sooooo bad to be spread Christmas cheer in November?

Why not set the mood for the Christmas spirit in November and have it carry on into the New Year?  What is the big deal? Trust me that I will celebrate Thanksgiving and reflect on all that I've been blessed with in my life.  I'm thankful for my family, my husband, our bundle of joy that will arrive soon, my job, being able to live in Paradise.

But that doesn't mean I can't listen to some Christmas tunes or put up my Christmas tree. 

Or watch Elf on repeat.