Everyday Epiphanies

Officially...

(So I'm a little obsessed with hashtags at the moment, don't believe me, check out my Instagram! LOL!)

It's Summer 2013, marking a year since we've lived here... and the verdict? We couldn't be happier! The fam has been staying busy and active! I'm barely in the house, nonetheless, the computer.

I absolutely love a nice summer break, for the kids & me. We are all more relaxed, no set schedules, the kids relaxing and lounging, and me, well, I'm definitely more relaxed and focused on my manic obsession with working out.

This summer I also get to spend it with my BFF from AK, Ms. Erica. We've been getting a lot of sun and enjoying the island life. 

Oh.. and it's the NBA Finals! Even though the Spurs killed them yesterday :( I still:

Ha, ha, I had to add those memes.

And of course I'm still catching up on Project Life:
I'm currently on Week 20, so that's not too bad :)

Of course there's a lot more to say and write but we'll save that for another day!

Celebrating The Graduate.

Our big celebration.. came and went.
It was such a heartwarming night surrounded by tons of family & friends. We are so blessed, to say the least to be able to share this special, momentous moment of our son's life surrounded by so many people. As I watched Caelan say a little speech towards the end, I choked up at clearly he was able to articulate his gratitude towards this night. Once again, I felt so proud to gaze upon our son, our grown up son.






(Proud Grandparents)



(Proud Parents)


Izzy all smiles for her brother's night of celebration.



(Even my bestie, Erica was there!)



(He has a way with people and social settings.)

(Mom's parents, Caelan's Great Grandparents & My Brother In Law, who emceed the night away!)

(Some of the immediate family, the rest were probably at the bar)

So much preparation went into this special night for him. I'm so grateful for my in laws who made this all possible. My sister in law, the party planner was amazing at preparing everything and making sure we had everything. My brother in law's personable ways entertained the crowd. My brother and heartwarming prayer, he always has a way with words, I say he still should've pursued being a preacher. And my husband, the better half of me, who continues to be that rock, knowing that this night was more than just celebrating our son's achievement.

I quickly (because I procrastinate) put this slideshow of Caelan as part of the entertainment. I admit, it never fails to put a tear in my eye.

 

 

And Just Like That...

... The kid has graduated High School.

 

Time flies.. Yes it sure does. But I can confidently look at him and know that we raised a fine young man. Despite our hardships as young parents, our constant moving, and our growing family... My firstborn, Caelan, was always taught how to be a better version of himself, each and every day, how to challenge himself, discipline, courage, how to grow in this ever changing society, and most of all, how to love, to be empathetic towards everyone, and to make the most of each day God has given him.

We've had some rough patches up to this day (with our move to Hawaii during his Senior Year) but as the optimistic mother that I am, always foreseeing the best in any outcome. I tried to tell him he was gonna be fine, but he did not want to hear any of it.. Cause as you will learn, as your child gets older, you have to give them some room to figure it out for themselves.  Unfortunately, it took him a while to fully "enjoy" his Senior Year. But soon enough, he was blessed with some really amazing friends that took him in and made him feel welcomed. He said it best in one of his Instagram Posts:

 Graduation Day.

We will be celebrating this weekend!! We are all getting our "swerve" on! LOL! Is that even a word?

Obsessed = Dedicated

Obesession seems like an understatement, lately.. I'm determined to get me some "guns" but most importantly stronger!  In fact, I'm posting these as my before photos and I can't wait to see what a month, 3 months, or even a year will look like. I have been anything less than fascinated and inspired by all the motivation I'm following on blogs and instagram. I feel like my fire was just lit from behind and I've been set free.

I am seriously considering this with my hubby:

My brother in law just signed up... and there's a part of me that find this "fun". I think it's the challenge of crawling under barbed wires, scaling walls, 20ft rope climbing, running through fire, getting chest deep in mud, and dragging along cement block-- to say the least. This will be what I need to really push myself to get "stronger" cause I know that I would not be able to do it now, hell I can't even do a pull up.. but give me 3 months and I think, I could at least try! 

Relaxing Weekend | Mother's Day 2013

What a relaxing weekend.. it was spent right on that sofa, with the family. As soon as Friday came, I was already on "relax-mode" but forced myself to head to the gym with hubby for a late afternoon session. And I'm glad I did, because no one ever regrets not going to the gym. Hubby got a snapshot of me working on those biceps.. I can't even tell you how "obsessed" I've become about strength training. I feel like it's what's been missing all the years I've been running and still feeling "flabby". And even though this is just the beginning of it all, (I shamelessly admit) that I can't help but to constantly "flex" in front of the mirror.

But what I find most entertaining is how helpless I am when I get home, I can barely move to get a drink of water! Hence my not wanting to leave the sofa for the rest of the weekend.

 

Mother's Day 2013

We enjoyed a relaxing weekend, hanging out at home, watching a whole lot of TV, surfing a whole lot of web, and playing games on the iPhone. Ah, what would we do without technology? We intended to go to a hike Saturday morning... but man, sleeping past 6am felt so good. But it was indeed a beautiful (HOT) weekend.

On Mother's Day I woke up to the sound of the kids + hubby in the kitchen fixing me up some banana pancakes and bacon. I loved it! Caelan's latest Vine videos made me laugh so hard, I love it! The sense of humor in this family, is truly.. one of a kind. We later had an early lunch at the in-laws and spent the rest of the day with them. We ended the afternoon by visiting my mom's grave site with some flowers with the kids. It was the perfect day :)

This week will be another crazy one for this ohana.. my boy graduates high school this week!!! He's got his cap and gown hanging and we are all full of emotions in this house. Another first milestone in my children's lives, soon enough the other two will follow.

On Repeat.

I made this little 4x6 insert to place in my Project Life, which I'm up to Week 16.. Not bad for being on Week 19. Even though I'm a few weeks behind, pictures are organized and printed, it's just a matter of putting them in the album and journaling. Why is journaling the thing that takes up more time. But I've been failing at taking photos for the past few weeks. I tried to bring out the "Big" camera, but with no luck, I only took a few photos. I think I need to play with some Polaroids to boost up my creativity.

So.. Emeli Sande has been forever on repeat for the past couple months! In fact I'm listening to it right now. And it's not one song, it's all of it! I have to say her album is up there with Adele. I remember when I could not, would not, stop listening to Adele. I bought ALL her albums and every LIVE album she had. I mean for a few months, I thought I was Adele walking around with my British Accent.  But as with every album, I do have a few faves that make me turn it all the way up and use my wooden mixing spoon as a mic. Besides the obvious, that's hitting the charts now, "Next To Me.." You'll discover a few that hasn't been released yet.

• "Daddy"
  Put it in your pocket don't tell anyone I gave ya
  It can be the one you run to, the one that saves ya
  It can be your daddy daddy if you take it gladly gladly
  Daddy daddy...
  
  
• "Suitcase"
  
  What changed so quickly?
  Answer me! If you must kill me then please,please tell me why.
  

  My baby's got a suitcase
  He's telling me its too late
  But don't nobody, please don't ask me why
  'Cause all I did was love him
  But I can't stop him walking
  
• "Breaking The Law" (prob one of my faves!)
  When you need to smile
  But you can't afford it
  Go on point it out
  I'm gonna steal it
  When the floor is more familiar than the ceiling
  I will break in late at night
  Shake up how you're feeling
  I'll never stop
  Breaking the law for you
  I'll never stop
  Helping to pull you through
  Whatever it takes it get what you need
  Ignore the alarm
  Ignore the police
  I'll never stop
  Breaking the law for you
  
  
• "Tiger"
  Hey there honey,
  You came along and stopped me running,
  I’m feeling like me, back on my feet,
  I’m a tiger again.
  Tattoos on our arms so everybody can see,
  If they’re messing with you then they’re messing with me,
  They think we’re crazy, crazy and blind,
  But if I can see you then the rest I don’t mind,
  If you’re sticking around.
  Oh, are you sticking around?

And JT..
Well did you see him perform this song on Ellen? Nuff said! When I first heard this song back in February.. It sent chills down my body.. and today, 3 months later, it still gives me chills... even more so, live.
 

 And not to mention the video was pure genius! I love when I see videos that are portrayed like how I would envision them in my head.

 

Just know that I’m always
Parallel on the other side

Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul
I can tell you there’s no place we couldn’t go
Just put your hand on the past
I’m here tryin’ to pull you through
You just gotta be strong

Cause I don’t wanna lose you now
I’m lookin’ right at the other half of me
The vacancy that sat in my heart
Is a space that now you hold
Show me how to fight for now
And I’ll tell you, baby, it was easy
Comin’ back into you once I figured it out
You were right here all along
It’s like you’re my mirror
My mirror staring back at me
I couldn’t get any bigger
With anyone else beside me
And now it’s clear as this promise
That we’re making
Two reflections into one
Cause it’s like you’re my mirror
My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me

Fragments.

This simple yet poignant quote pertains to many facets of my life.

How many times have you gone through moments where you would like a "do-over"?
How many times have you simply fallen off that bandwagon, we call life, and steered in the wrong direction of a one way street, and think to yourself.. "What am I doing?"

The thing about the past.. is simply that, it's the past.
It doesn't matter how many times you've fallen, the only thing that matters is if you get back up.

Life has one constant movement... and it is forward.

Last year was filled with heartache, pain, drama, and lots of changes that left me wondering "What am I doing?" I've sat on that question for a while.. pondered whether life will "show me signs" or "knock me upside my head" and say "get the ef up!" Well no such sign came and the only person that can get me out of this "funk" is me. I've "sailed on by" for far to long and I'm ready to stand on my own two feet and take charge, take responsibility, and move forward. We've lived here for a year, and I still feel like I haven't "lived" yet.. (Miles of solo running, self discovery, and therapy will help me get over this "slump.") I have yet to see, but for now, I choose life.. I choose to move forward.

"I hope you live a life you're proud of.
And if you find that you are not,
I hope you have the strength
to start all over again."

F. Scott Fitzgerald

*****

I've been embracing the "everyday" since this clarity in maintaining a healthy balanced lifestlye. I've become somewhat 'obsessed' to say the least. (At least it's a healthy obsession). But like all things I get "fired" up about, I go gung-ho and I await the moment where it "fizzles". Well, here's the thing, I'm not fizzling! In fact, I want more.. At first the goal/challenge was to eat better. To toss all the "bad" carbs out the window and embrace more fruits and veggies. And we did just that. But as I'm reading more into the different kind of foods we eat, I'm starting to realize why they built this supermarket, Whole Foods that's 11 miles away. I started to eliminate dairy, even soy, and even flour and sugar.. replaced it things my body can break down and digest (almond/coconut milk, coconut/almond flour, stevia)... And I noticed changes in how I I feel. It didn't end there, along with training for a the half marathon, I've started lifting weights. Er' goes the presumption that women will get too bulky. It's rather the opposite, I feel stronger with a noticeably leaner body. Which leads me to confidently say, "When you feel good on the "INISDE" you will feel good on the "OUTSIDE". My transformation needed to start from the inside out, rather the other way around, which I've done for years. I'd run 10+ miles only to eat "crap". Which clearly did not get me any where but back to Point A.

 

*****
It's only Wednesday but it feels like it should be Friday... Happy Hump Day!

Friday Was...

Hash-Tagged as the #BestDayEver by everyone in this house!

This entire house has been awaiting the release for Iron Man 3.
(If you don't know it by now.. we are Superhero Fanatics! In a house mostly of boys (Izzy loves action packed movies too) we are always first in line for any Hero-Action Movie).

But first, hubby surprised me with taking the day off and taking Kai and I to our favorite hang out, Kailua Beach.

Kailua is so beautiful, this beach is the best! I keep telling hubby that this is where I'd like to buy a house, in Kailua. We spent a few hours there and headed to my favorite place to eat lunch, Whole Foods.

Even though we were exhausted from being out for most of the day, we needed to stick to our plans and make it a point to still go to the gym.

*FYI, those stairs are killers on your quads! Especially after you've done 3 sets of squat, lunges, and plank work outs!

*****
Luckily we were able to buy reserved seating because it gave us time to eat dinner, get some candy treats, and find our way. We were all on the edge of our seat and entertained for 2 1/2 hours! (Next to reserve Star Trek, Into Darkness... then the long awaited Man of Steel).

It's Hot In Herree...

That sun has been blazing lately and summer is sure here. I didn't think there was much of a difference with "Winter" in Hawaii and "Summer" but as of lately, I can "feel" the difference. I started my walk even earlier this morning but it didn't matter because I was burning up by 7:45 am! I'd get out in the middle of my day around 10 am and play a little football with Kai and he'd catch a few times only to cross the street and end up in front of our door. Probably thinking "Mom it is way to hot for me to fetch that football!"

 

*****
I finally found that "courage" to hit SUBMIT on this bad boy race.. another Half Marathon. I've been thinking about it since the beginning of the year and thought maybe I'm not ready. But signing up for races is always a motivator! And lately I've been feeling so much stronger and healthier than I have ever been.

 

This dish was awesome!!  I ate it just like that all veggies and my latest crave, Tofu!

 

 

My hubby is a gym rat.. he loves that place and his strength and body shows. He's seriously got some muscles! And I'm so proud of him for loosing inches and turning fat into muscles! (He's a beast!) And luckily he's my very own personal trainer (along with my father in law, who is there Mon-Fri as well) cause I don't know "squat" about strength training and lifting weights. I literally go in the gym always feeling intimidated and basically like a dumb ass cause I don't know how to work any of the machines. But he's written us a schedule of what body parts to work on what day. He knows I'm a runner at heart and can run for miles but when it comes to lifting a 25lb barbell for 3 sets, I say "that's too heavy!!" But he's been kicking my ass and pushing me to go harder, lift more, hold my planks, and be stronger.

I seriously feel pain in places I didn't think I had...

This time I started out with changing the way I ate, I've always had a love/hate relationship with food.. I think that changing my thought on food has got me doing a 360 on my health. Before that I was counting calories, running like crazy, then eating like crap and wondering why I wasn't loosing inches or feeling sluggish. But after over a month of just eating "clean" I'm down nearly 10lbs (which are the stubborn 10, the ones you just don't lose even when my youngest is 10 years old) but after losing that on just eating right, I am convinced! And the extra benefits of all that added "energy" (without coffee) the extra fiber (without dying of stomach aches) the clearer complexion (I barely use make up anymore) and overall just feeling better. It's an entirely whole new lease on life, one that I'm so excited to explore!!!

*****
The weekend is finally here!!  And we are all set with our Iron Man 3 Tickets! Are you? We were able to pre-order and get assigned seating so we don't' have to wait 2 hours before the movie starts.. we can literally show up 10 minutes before!!! We are all SUPER-HERO EXCITED!! Iron Man, where we COME!!!  Enjoy your weekend!!

May Day...

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii
Garlands of flowers everywhere
All of the colors in the rainbow
Maidens with blossoms in their hair

In Hawaii May Day is also known as Lei Day, and it is normally set aside as a day to celebrate island culture in general and the culture of the Native Hawaiians in particular. Growing up in Hawaii our schools always celebrated May day with dances and beautiful leis.

 

I must've been 5th grade here (?) but every year all the classes of each grade level performed a dance that we rehearesed for months. We'd carry our chairs out to the lawn and spend the day there watching and celebrating all day long.

Oddly enough Izzy's School did not celebrate (I'm thinking because it's on base). Instead she had a Student Led Conference. So far my week looks a little something like this:

I'm still on a "Runner's High" from my run this evening.. lately it seems like I've been huffing and puffing trying to escape the heat of our summer days and lately it's getting hotter and hotter! So even though I head out at 7:30 am for a run by 8am it is freaking hot!!!  So the last 2 runs I've been going out with the sunset and I couldn't be happier! Tonight I felt like I could keep going (but I didn't pack some water) but hubby came biking along trying to find me with a water bottle, too bad I changed up my route and went home a different way. I totally missed him :( But I was singing and smiling the entire 5 miles. (Well mile 1 always kills me, I always think of 100 reasons why I should just turn around and sit on the sofa).

(Top) Still eating all the good stuff.. I literally cannot get enough, I rarely eat out (unless it's at Whole Foods) and I can't wait to get home to make my "fresh" food. It insane how I "crave" fresh fruits/veggies. The other day I grilled veggies at 8am just so I can eat them right away!
Last night all the kids wanted to come to Target (?) I just thought that was odd, but as hubby and I walked through Target watching our 3 crazy kids in front of us we couldn't help but to laugh and say "look at our kids.."

(Middle) Rare moments of the kids togther (not fighting). They were craving some Jamba Juice on this warm night and I secretly snapped shots till they noticed me.

(Bottom) Today was Izzy's Student Led Conference. She did so well and she continues to shine bright. She excels in her work, she won the art contest (again) not to mention the scholarship she won for summer classes at the Honolulu Academy of Arts.
Mug Cakes. I'm totally addicted!!! This is a Paleo Banana / Chocolate Chip Mugcake... it's Delish!!!
And Izzy's Science Project!!!  I'm so proud of her!!!

And to think it's only Wednesday! Phew!!!