New pic on my 365 Project: Jaws Breaks on Maui

dun-nah
dun-nah
dun-nah-dun-nah

(play along, that’s my best Jaws soundtrack reenactment)

I wouldn’t be caught dead in these monstrous waves at Jaws, as I would surely DIE! But it was exciting to watch the pros go at it, being towed in by one jet ski and rescued from the rocks by another. It was truly ah-mazing!

Jaws Maui

See all of my pics in my 365 Project

Homesickness, being settled, and a boy discovering and falling for some Hawaii waves

SANY0341It’s only natural that I am a tad homesick at the moment.  This is normal, usual, par for the course after a trip back to your home town where you are surrounded by loving friends and family and being in ultra familiar surroundings. Right?

Yes I’ve been a tad down since returning back to Maui and it’s taken just a bit to get my island feet back steady on the rock.  In these times I start to question, “How long should we stay here?” I start to get antsy and think to myself, and aloud to my hubby…”What about moving to… (enter a number of places here, including back to San Diego, to France, or to the Mountains to give snow life a try…hey we could take bets as to how long this beach chick could last in the snow…it may be fun!).  

I sometimes feel that I’ve gotten stumped in my growth. Like, we met our goal, we made it to Hawaii, now what’s next?  But I forget that we wanted to LIVE in Hawaii, not just move to Hawaii.  

So here’s to living, exploring and LOVING Hawaii.

And to a young boy falling madly deeply in love with the water and the waves. Yes, I’d say he’s ALL theirs…

(listen to the music if you can…it makes it)

15 Things I Love About Living In Hawaii

Picture 6I love…

  1. That a bikini can and often does replace a bra (hmm…maybe that’s why they are scoopy)
  2. That fast food is grabbing some poke and chop sticks at the grocery store (Foodland is my fave poke)
  3. Many times a bath for my kids consists of taking a dip in the ocean…shhhh (they do get real baths too, I’m not that bad!)
  4. People let you in when you are driving. Almost to a fault, they will totally do the opposite of the “rules” and wait to let you in. It rocks…and sometimes it doesn’t, like when I am behind the car that’s being so nice as to stop at a green light to let a car go….just to be nice..   [Read more...]

Peek Into Paradise: The Gorgeous West Maui Mountains

This is one of our fave trails to go on afternoon walks or take the kids bike riding. Every single time we head here I “ooh” and “ahh” over the gorgeous mountains. Every.Single.Time.

It’s as if they are in technicolor or a backdrop in an old movie. They are magical and one of my favorite things about Maui.  We so often look to the gorgeous sea instead of the mountains.  Our windows all open up to ocean views, the ocean view rooms in hotels cost more. Restaurants all over look the sea.  But the mountains of Hawaii are glorious. Don’t forget to take them in too when you visit.  They will take your breath away!

Goin’ on a new adventure….and I don’t know what’s in store…

Quick! Name that song! (come on moms, it’s the “Zaboomafoo” theme song as heard on PBS, we all know that!) But it’s also how I feel right this very minute.

Here I am writing again at night, with my son sleeping next to me. It’s horrible, but true.  I put him to sleep then sneak in the computer and blog.  My husband has been known to send me an email from the family room, saying “Get your butt out here” so that we can have alone, adult time.

But here I am the night before I leave for Blogher.  I leave tomorrow, Wednesday on a red-eye to Los Angeles where I’ll change planes at 5 a.m. (to me it will feel like 2 a.m., kill me now) and head off to the windy city, Chicago!

I am so extremely excited.

I have a little secret…it’s not really a secret but it is the cherry on my gigantic Blogher sundae…

While in Chicago I am going to see my sister and her husband and my NEPHEW!  He, my nephew, most likely will have no idea who I am.  He’s two and I last saw him a whole year ago.  But I know in no-time, we’ll be buds.

See, they live in Michigan.  A long long long ways from Hawaii.  And they were planning a family trip to Chicago and when I told them I was going to Blogher, they decided to make their family trip coincide with mine!  I love how this worked out!

I know that I am going to be extremely busy so that’s why I am staying with them, so I can at least have late night chats with my older sis and wake up to cutie pie Wynn.

So off to Blogher and Chicago and to all the excitement, I go! All alone, with really no one, “in real life” that I know going to this conference, and I yet I can’t wait to meet friends.  Friends that I know from a face on twitter or a keystroke on their blog.

I can’t wait to connect with new people AND see the person I’ve know my entire life, my sister, again.  What an adventure I am on!

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Meet the woman behind Go Natural Baby, one of my #blogher sponsors

Picture 19I found Justyn’s blog and entered her giveaway a while back, I was instantly in love with her store Go Natural Baby and their beautiful organic clothes and goods.  Then we connected on Twitter and the rest is history!  She’s got a love for Hawaii so we had an instant connection.  I am so stoked to have her as one of my Blogher sponsors!  She’s also sponsoring CanCan at Mom Most Traveled (love her too!).

Let’s learn a bit more about Justyn….

Your Name: Justyn LeDrew
Your company’s name: Go Natural Baby
Your URL: http://www.gonaturalbaby.com
Twitter name: @gonaturalbaby
Have a facebook page? Go Natural Baby+ Zah Organics: organic cotton children’s wear and soap Info | Facebook

Describe your product(s) In our line of certified organic cotton childrens wear, zah organics™, one of my fave’s is our signature kimono set. I love helping new parents get the best organic bedding, cribs, and clothes for their baby. It is fun to hear their excitement!

Justyn of Go Natural BabyYou are a woman entrepreneur…how did you get started, what made you take the plunge and go into biz on your own? I was inspired by my son’s birth to start my own business so that I could stay home with him while he was growing up- he is the inspiration for pretty much everything I do. It was also important to me to have the best products that I could manufacture because I wanted to do the least amount of harm to the earth and its people. My garments are certified organic from seed through the last stage of manufacturing. I also use a certified fair labor factory because  how the people who make the garments are treated is a priority in my business.

What would be your number 1 piece of advice to other women looking to start a business of their own? Hmm, great question. I think it depends on the kind of business someone wants to start. My two best pieces of advice would be do your homework (research the kind of business you want to start and make sure you understand what it will take to make it happen) and do something that you love!

Do you have kids? I have one seven year old boy- who is the light of my life!

If so, how do you balance working for yourself and family?
This has been a struggle for me as I am and have been a single parent.  My son is my priority so I work around his schedule for the most part and this will lead to working 6+ days a week and very late hours. This year I am trying not work weekends.

Let’s have fun…

What’s your favorite quote? “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Mary Oliver
What is one place you dream of traveling to? Alaska to see the glaciers.
What is one thing you never leave home without? My sunglasses (ironic since I live in Portland).

Let’s get crazy…
What is one daring thing you’d add to your bucket list?  (ie sky diving,  scuba diving, getting a tattoo etc etc)  Maybe you’ve already done it! Share!

I have done a lot of things that I have wanted to in my life and I feel so grateful for that. I would also  like to scuba dive with sharks.

Let’s get smart…
What are you reading right now?
Living Universe by Duane Elgin
What is your fave book of all time?
I don’t have one! Here are a few: Edward Albee Plays, Pride and Prejudice, Who Dies?:An Investigation of Conscious Living and Conscious Dying, The Essential Rumi.

Head on over to Justyn’s shop, Go Natural Baby to check out all of her gorgeous goods!!  They are not only pleasing to the eye and touch but they are good for the earth and our kid’s future! Mahalo Justyn!!

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