Stylin TOMS

You know those projects you start and have every intention of finishing?

And then life happens... we moved, started school, job hunted, doctor visits, squeeze in some exercise, and every other thing that takes up the day.

Normally i'd say i love art projects and can get sucked in so fully that hours will go by and the only thing to bring me out of a trance is seeing that the sun has moved and now i need a light on. Then as i get up to turn it on i notice my knees are stiff and i've lost feeling in my feet

As i wobble to the light switch i take note of the time.. How on earth have i been sitting for 5 hours and not moved!? (if only math were like this) At this point it wouldn't be uncommon for me to realize i haven't eaten since breakfast and now it's almost 7:00 pm. Oops.

Meet said project.

i started these a long time ago for my cousin and bit by slow bit they have come together

A big problem for me is knowing when to call it quits. Sometimes things just don't feel as if they are complete and heaven help me if i'm going to let part of me walk around unfinished! i think this is one of those "artist's problems" once you're so invested in something if feels as if (phony as it sounds) it's part of who you are as a person. Maybe because it's the style in which someone draws/ paints/ photographs/ writes (whatever your medium is) shines through and it's possible to identify the the person by the art. You certainly wouldn't confuse a Monet with a Picasso right? That little piece of me can't be judged till i'm done with it and that is a hard conclusion to come to after a while.

Now i can call these done and get them sent!

ps - if you don't know what the (Harry Potter) theme is i do apologize you had no childhood.

Troy read the first four books to me and then we fought over the rest. My mom would literally have to set her strawberry twist timer for allotted time we each had to read. Can you say NERD children? Who fights over reading a book? Well if you read them you do understand and possibly had a similar experience and if you didn't.. Like i said, i'm sorry.

Three Years and Three Days ago..

Matty and i went on our first date! He picked me up from school and we went to Steamers for dinner and music with our good friends Scotty & Tristen (who by the way, also got married!) i had a panini of sorts and it was good, can't remember what Matty had, we did have a good time joking around about the (drummer?) musician's big striped socks and this weird lady singer. We talked the whole time in the car there and back and i had a lovely time! On one hand it seems like it was recently since i have very vivid memories of it, but on the other it seem SOOOO long ago when i think of what we have done since then. Crazy how time zooms by!

Then Oct 2010 looked a lot like this..

i loved our Fall dating

More to come!

Guess who's Excited!?

This girl!
New Nike Free 4.0 v2

Yes! SO incredibly excited i can't wait to go run tomorrow (probably before the sun makes an appearance because it's 90* right now and the thought of running in the heat makes me swooozy. The Free 4.0 is actually more of the "cross-trainer" version of the other Free options. To me they are substantially lighter in weight and offer the wider support needed for lateral steps and other work out type movements as opposed to just support for serious running mileage (which i have yet to do.) i've been eyeing these for so long and can't believe these beauties are actually in my closet! i'm hoping the black stays looking nice and new, but honestly who cares? i'll let you know how these work out! (Oh yeah - pun intended) 

Also while i was at the mall i walked into MAC (i can count on 1 hand the times i've been into a MAC store in my life, but unfortunately the Sephora here is awful and i thought i would give it a try. So glad i did!) Since berry/wine/oxblood/burgundy colors are all the rage this fall i really wanted to see what lip color options i could wear. This is Rebel stain with Vino lip pencil. Love them both!)

island Slaw

Now before you go judging me give this a fair chance. i wasn't so sold on this recipe either when i first saw it in class (-Oh yeah. Forgot to mention i started the Culinary program at the community college where i went before Matty and i moved- it's awesome! Many future recipes will be coming from here i'm sure)

We were put in groups of 3 and each of us had to make a salad Island Slaw, Market Vegetable, and Warm New Potato & Herb Salad. i knew i didn't want to mess with the blanching of the Market Veggie nor did i want to over cook the potatoes and have our teacher come unglued so i opted for the slaw.

For starts i made the dressing and let that sit covered in the fridge till i needed it.

Dressing:
6 oz Mayonnaise
4 oz Sour Cream
1 C Orange Juice
4 T Rice Wine Vinegar
4 T Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice (we used lemon) - if you so choose to use concentrate that is entirely up to you, but i take no responsibility for the flat flavor.
2 T Black Sesame Seeds
To taste salt & fresh black pepper

Toss everything into a bowl and whisk that stuff up till it's all smooth. it's really thin so if you want it thicker i'd hold off on some of the OJ, or play around with it as much as you want and let me know how it goes!

Salad:
1 Head  Green cabbage, finely shaved like angel hair (by hand for this lab. it took me a half hour! So if you have a mandoline slicer you better bust that thing out! Good heavens don't chop if you don't have to)
1 Red bell pepper, small diced
1 Yellow bell pepper, small diced
1 Green bell pepper, small diced
1 Scotch bonnet (habañero) seeded and minced (please wear gloves if you want to live)
2 Mangos, Medium diced
2 Bunch  Green onions, bias cut (sharp angled edges) - i used 1
3/4 Cup  Cilantro, Chopped

 For mine i decided it would look a whole lot better with all the colors on top. So i mounded high half the cabbage and then mixed the remaining half with the pepper mixture and piled it on top. As you can see the presentation looks much more vibrant compared to the ones behind.

All together for "Show Time"

As a class we loved how the minced pepper leaves the mouth nice and warm for about 5 minutes after you finish eating.

Enjoy!

It's too hot..

We moved away from our beloved first home together in Hawaii back to California.. i'm still having a hard time with it, particularly on days like this

That's right. triple digits.  

Matty and i are going to jump in the pool now and i'm going to pretend i see this

(Our last few days in Hawaii)

Yes, i took these pictures. i did not steal them (and neither should you).

Just in case you haven't had the joy of being in this position.. This is the back side of a wave at one of our favorite beaches. After the wave crashes a whole heck of a lot of sand gets thrown back (and in your face) and temporarily you can't see anything else. This is right before that happens.

And this is when you're too close to the tube and it starts sucking you in.

We love our GoPro

Pearl Harbor

This past week we went on a couple of outings since Matty didn't have his Tues/Thrs class! On Thursday we made it down to town and got to visit Pearl Harbor. We got a later start than we wanted to but got there just the same and snagged the last two tickets for the 1:30 boat! We had some time to kill and thanks to Yelp that made it easy. We decided on a crepe place not too far away and enjoyed the Alfredo Pizza and Aloha (strawberry/chocolate/cream) crepes

i will always love whip cream

They were both wonderful and hit the spot. We headed back a little early for parking and got to go through the little mini museums they have there before the movie and boat ride.

So glad we had clear skies for our outing

It was rather windy and i was unimpressed with the lack of reverence from the tourists that afternoon.. Even though the park rangers try to explain this place is actually a tomb for over 1,000 soldiers and should be respected as such i still heard people yelling for their family to get over here or there for the picture or to stay close (Seriously over protective mother? Your child is not going anywhere. in case you didn't notice the BOAT you came on is the only way on or off the 200ft long memorial. And one only comes every 15 minutes. So fat chance of a kidnapping. Unless your child is...   -my imagination is running wild with sarcastic reasons right now-  so be quiet mom and let your child drink up the history they are standing over) it was also really windy but the park ranger gave a good little talk to us (some of the info can be found here like how many sets of brothers were on the ship, how it still leaks oil, and that the men who were able to escape are given the option of being cremated after they die and placed back in the ship with their crew members.) 

i cry every time i think about how scary it must have been for those men to be caught off guard and trapped as the ship went down. In a way i feel like they gave their lives for the moral of our country. They were a motivation for other service men to fight, and endure what they did to win the war. Which makes me think of this book i read while taking the bus to work last year. Such a good read and i highly recommend it. They sacrificed something my generation will never understand, for the freedoms we now take for granted. 

May we always honor and respect you and remember the price you paid. 

We had a good afternoon shower on our way back home and a little stop at Whole Foods for a snack and some goooood tea! Pineapple+Coconut and wonderful granola

The in-between Season

Matty and i are preping to leave Hawaii and it is so bitter sweet for us! Here's something that i find comforting when i think of leaving this beautiful place.

Pants! Sweaters! Scarfs!

i love this outfit! But would not dream of wearing it here! Not only would i sweat till i fell over, the saying "it's better to be over dressed.." doesn't seem to apply here. On many levels. i'm excited to have a dress standard for "going out" or for church or just day to day wear again. Baggy gym shorts are the norm and it drives me crazy. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with comfy clothing (when you stay inside your house) and when i'm a mom i'm sure i'll have different expectations of myself but as for here and now..

My exception is i would switch out those sandals for my charcoal Toms that Matty got me for Christmas our first year of dating.

And this watch. (i would not be complaining if i had a Nixon! Just like this style a bit better. More feminine you know:)

On the flip side it is kind of refreshing that no one takes fashion seriously here. Very "necessity only" way of life in most regards which is humbling and a great example. However i think Matty and i are too materialistic and will welcome the change. Are we too stuck up? Possibly, but i do look forward to the extra push to dress cute when we get back. Wearing heels to church is pushing the limit and wearing red or bright lipstick is out of the question. Wouldn't surprise me if when i get back i'll end up wanting what i can't have and miss this little back country life style here. We shall see..

A little humor for your day

There are so many of these that bother me i just thought i'd share one that caught my fancy

i was laughing for a long time

and by "these" i mean:

Check it out here

Blueberry Breakfast!

During my childhood summers i loved Sunday afternoons after church. Everyone got real lazy and i usually walked my dog Cinnamon. After i would come home and watch my mom make Sunday dinner. When i was really young and not helping her yet i would sit at the kitchen table and eat a snack. With her as my witness i can tell you that in one sitting (probably less than an hour) i could put down over a pound of blueberries. Yes, the whole clear box could be gone in one afternoon. The only reason in my mind not to do this was if my mom said she was going to make this heavenly thing. I know for sure i'm the third generation to make this and wouldn't be surprised if i'm the fourth or fifth. (i'll check and get back to you. If not Grammie knows who she got it from and probably the date)

This breakfast, along with corn on the cob, lemonade, BBQs, beach days, camping, strawberries, peaches, running through the sprinklers, sleep overs, library trips, and so many other things mean it's summer to me. So for heavens sake! it's the end of July and i hadn't eaten it yet! Matty was smart and got me a 2lb box at Costco so i could use half and eat half :) Thanks Matty!

Saturday breakfast went like this:

Cake: Mix 3/4 C sugar, 2 eggs, and 1/2 C milk; blend well. Sift in 1 1/2 C flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 nutmeg.  --(we live in Hawaii, there's no way i stocked up on all the spices.. i have cinnamon and pumpkin spice mix. So the mix went in. it was wonderful)--

Gently fold in 2 C washed blueberries. Spread in a greased 8x8 pan. --Mom would you have to double it?--

Top: Combine 1/2 C sugar, 1/3 C sifted flour, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 4TBS softened butter; mix with a fork till it's like wet crumbly sand and layer that goodness on top

Bake @ 375F for 40-45 minutes

Sauce: Combine in a medium sauce pan 1/2 C sugar, 2 tsp corn starch; stir in 1/2 C water, slowly add 2 C washed blueberries. Bring to a light boil; simmer until thickened (4-6 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in 1 TBS lemon juice and 1.5 tsp grated lemon rind

Matty and i did some serious damage before sharing it with our neighbors.

-Something note worthy-

The sauce is so good we plan on dousing cheesecake with it, covering vanilla ice cream in it, and i will figure out how to mix it into a cookie.

Enjoy!

What a good weekend..

Why is it Monday?

Over the weekend it was so hot! (not really. 83F. Hawaii problems..) On Saturday afternoon we all decided to head to the beach. The "we" is because Matty and i moved apartment buildings about a month ago and LOVE our new place! Our neighbors are fantastic! it's quiet! it's on the second floor! More counter space! We really wish this could have happened sooner because we all hang out a few times a week so we'll be sad to leave at the end of August.

On our way we stopped at the farm in Kahuku and got an incredibly good panini stuffed with all their fresh goodness from the 100 acre farm

I'm not sure how we ended up at Kawela Bay but Matty and i have wanted to check it out for a long time. it's probably one of the more hidden beaches on the island because when you pass Turtle Bay going towards Haleiwa it's no more than a mile but the path to get there is hidden by trees and over grown plants. (it's across from the fruit vendors) We parked on the side of Kam hwy and through the trees we went.

This is where Turtle Bay goes on their horseback riding tours.

it reminded me of a movie (which i'm sure there have been several filmed here. So it goes with most of the island) but i liked the tree canopy above us

The actual beach part is tiny so it's a good thing crowds don't come here

And the water is murky with a lot of small rocks & coral so not great for swimming

We couldn't see our feet when we were only in to our hips.. Although we did see 2-3 turtles pop up out of the water that was it.

Since it's a good size bay the wind doesn't come through very easily so we got hot fast and jumped in the water anyway. The water is really calm (where is it not this time of year?) so we just waded in a sandy area for about an hour and headed home after the guys got some touch football in

We showered off and headed to the Laie Days Food Fest in the big field close to the PCC and listened to live music and ate some Tita's Grill (nothing special) and hung out with friends.

Matty and i also got a 15 pound watermelon for this gem of a recipe! We made it Sunday night to go with our homemade pizza night dinner. We will be making it again and again! Very refreshing on a hot day and you can taste all the flavors in there at the same time

Follow that up with some Olympic Games and you have yourself a gooooood night

4th of July!

We went with some friends down to town and rented kayaks from Go Bananas Water Sports (which was interesting because 3 of us talked to workers and all 3 of us got different closing times.. 5,6, and 7:00pm) but anyhow, we got there and got ours loaded onto our little car

and off we went to the harbor.

When we got there we were told we couldn't park in the parking lot because it was full (false) so we unloaded the kayaks and the guys drove the cars to Ala Moana shopping mall and walked back. Meanwhile Lauren and i walked around and looked for a place of escape from the heat (where to launch from) and found that there were decent sized waves on the outer break and the exit of the harbor was being patrolled by police. We walked over past one of the hotel's lagoons and little beach park to the jetty outlet and decided that it was a long way to carry our stuff but the most pleasant looking place to spend out evening. The poor guys get back and we tell them SURPRiSE! We think we (you) should carry the kayaks (+/-) a quarter mile to a little beach to go out from. -Pink is where we walked from -Purple is where we watched the fireworks from -Orange is where we played around and ate till dark, and the fireworks were shot off from the last row of boats at the end (just barely cut off in the picture)

Waikiki beach front hotels

(and clouds that we thought were going to pour down on us)

Matty & Diamondhead Crater

Our group

North Shore Swim

Saturday Matty and i competed participated in the first of four swim events this summer! You can look  up our times even :) it's official!
But first our morning went like this: We woke up at 7:00am and he asked "Do you want to do it?" (in my head) for the past month and a half! (Reality) "If you want to." this went on for about 20 minutes (because i feel like sometimes i drag him into things he doesn't want to do and half way through he probably thinks "And how did i end up here??" so i try and let him take some initiative) by 7:30 we jumped out of bed having come to the conclusion we're doing it and really had to haul to get there and sign up by 8:30. At the little grass area across from Sunset Beach there were two tents that had Check In and Sign Up. We got in line, registered, got our ankle timers, and got numbered (651 & 652). Then we thankfully found a parking spot semi near by and walked back to the beach where at least 400 other people were waiting. They didn't put out the starting buoys till right before the men were to start and Matty looked at it and said "That's as far out as we swam at Hukilau.." (the beach by us that has a buoy roughly 600 meters out) The men got a 5 minute start and then the ladies headed out to the starting line. It was so funny to see bright pink(the free caps) and an array of other bright colored swim caps all bobbing around in the water waiting for the start horn! Matty and i were both surprised to see all the crevasses in the reef and how shallow it was in some (most) spots! He even found a turtle that he pointed out to me! :) As we swam through the finish line at Pipeline we (Matty) were determine to beat this lady who kicked me almost every time i turned around to see where he was during the swim. i felt like i was back in a water polo game! She even had her full body jump suit thing going..
  Also keep in mind this is the same beach in the winter!
All the volunteers and sponsors were lovely with the fruit and salads (need to go to Aloha Salads!) and other various post-race snacks! We got our shirts, that we will wear with pride now! And headed back on the sand to our car (i think my legs hurt more from walking in the dry sand than they ever did during the race! Probably b/c they never hurt while swimming..)

that's one of the bright orange start buoys on the beach 

Nails!

I had to think about something else.. So every nail is a different color & design!

i'm taking a personal day..

So that means there's been quite an influx of "pins" on my Pinterest account, hits on food blogs are going through the roof, and i also found this little gem of advice from a blog i found. i came across it (and you might have too "50 Habits of Thin People" post on Pinterest. Some funny, some dumb) i kept scrolling and found this post that claims Dalai Lama's 18 Rules for Living. My thoughts on these

1.Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. - Well ain't that the truth! No one ever got to the top of Everest and said "That was a cake walk! Let's do it again!" i think also about the great LOVE part, i'm so grateful to know that Matty and i love each other so much and it's only getting stronger with each day. That's not to say every day is a breeze, just that we fill our "love bank" with deposits often so when there is a withdraw it's not so bad.

2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson. How do i even add to that? What comes to my mind is my total and complete despise towards the saying "Everything happens for a reason!" (and to people who over use it)

NO DUH bad things happen! That doesn't mean there's a "reason" for it! No, you didn't drop the Thanksgiving pie for a "reason"! No, you did not break your leg for a reason! No, one of my best friends didn't just die for a REASON! Bad things happen to every one, whether it be a terrible accident, or karma, or just a bad day. Every experience we have in this life is a lesson and it's how you deal with it that makes you and me who we are. Also i believe after we have gone through the refiners fire of life lessons i think we come to a better understanding of who are friends are.

3. Follow the three Rs: Respect for self, Respect for others, Responsibility for all your actions. i know self being first is no coincidence. If you have no self respect/worth/esteem not only are you cheating yourself but others can see it too. My mom was always a HUGE help in nurturing my little self esteem growing up! She would also point out to me that when someone did something to get me down they hadn't grown into their self esteem yet and thought by bringing me down it would bring them up. i think those who still need to learn self respect will (with luck) learn at the same time that it doesn't have to be "I win, you lose" over everything.

Lovely Matty got an audiobook for us to listen to called The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work (here) and what amazing points he brings up! i'm not even half way through but i really enjoy listening to his studies and advice. One thing that is mentioned and makes me sad (it's also talked about in the book Blink) is how destructive having contempt in a marriage is. Putting someone below yourself is so harmful and never leads to any good. Respect for others is essential in life, yes that means the garbage man, bus driver, or DMV worker ;) 

Responsibility for ALL your actions means owning up and apologizing for them even when the sour taste is almost unbearable. It goes away in time

(that's my wedding ring. And a lemon. sour, get it?
No, there's not the "i married a lemon" underlying theme in this picture. Matty LOVES my lemon cake!)

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck. Ha!

Oh let us all just sit for a minute and think about the things we wished for as kids, or in high school. If you really got 1,000,000 candies on Halloween? Becky can you imagine what it would have been like if i went to Prom with HSB?? Hahaha (He was the best looking guy on the surf team but that's about all i can vouch for..) Prom was SO fun though and would not have been the same with a different date.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly. How's that saying go? It's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission 

6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship. I think we have all seen this happen. May i also add Don't let dispute ruin families, either our own or loved ones. 

My brother Troy and i in Tobago. My brother Ian's caption:

 "

Pretty normal situation: Paige-cracking up. Troy-guilty and/or somewhat confused. BUT he does represent the Pasadena rock scene in foreign lands quite professionally"

 

Troy is hands down the winner for most arguments in my life. As of now i think he leads by a few thousand. i'm sure one of my kids will give him a run for his money, but be warned child - i learned from the best! Thankfully we either resolve it or get over it. i mean, we both made it off Mt. Fuji in one piece. i was pretty sure i was going to kill Deet, not the typhoon.

7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it. Goes back to the principle of respect. It doesn't matter if you have respect for the other person on this, i think your self respect goes up when you take ownership of your actions. If you have made the mistake it is your responsibility to fix it and yours alone

8. Spend some time alone every day. i think this is not as important for some as it is for others. For me i would say every other day. (this "me time" is be my workout time) some day i will master this pose!

9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values. So much change is happening in our young lives right now i can't imagine trying to turn my back on it! 

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer. Truth! i have nothing more to say :)
Except maybe to add a favorite quote - "A closed mouth gathers no foot"

11. Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
i hope to never live with regret, only happy memories

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life. Matty and i talked about this SO much when we were dating! i want our children to know they are always loved and welcome at home and never feel the need to go else where for security. In addition i want my kid's friends to be able to come to our home and feel the love and comfort we share
i want a porch on the front of my house

and let's be honest, where is the most time spent? So i better have an awesome kitchen!

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past. Another key point mentioned in the book (see number 3). This is sadly something i have witnessed from my parents, of how hurtful and pointless it is. What's done is done and let the water go under the bridge 

14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality. i love the truth in this! Aunt Colleen - i will always heat up the milk for good mashed potatoes. Dee, ian, Greg, Beck, and KMurph - the best friends are those who listen. Dad - photography. Mom - how to love others and be selfless 

15. Be gentle with the earth. My Grammie taught me this! Leave a place cleaner than you found it! -Pick up the trash! it might not be yours but the earth is ours-

16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before. Next stop Kauai! We leave July 10th
We will return and report on this every year till we die
  Coming up! 

         

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.  In all honesty i do not understand this yet. i can speculate, but that's about it.

 18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it. The good and the bad. Was it all worth it?