Maui Day 9

On our last day, we spent the morning packing. It was still too windy to snorkel, so Nic went with the boys to look for a beach to boogie board at while I did some scrapbooking. They didn't have much luck, so we all spent the afternoon at Marcia's pool. I got in some relaxing time and caught up on the gossip before Justin, Russel and Nic came over. Then we played chicken fight, held hand stand contests, and contests to see who can hold their breath the longest. It was really fun! We also messed around a ton with the waterproof camera. I love it and highly recommend it. (it could make a great Christmas present).

That afternoon, we drove to the other side of the island for our last dinner in Maui. Mama's Fish House is a pretty famous Hawaiian restaurant and has become kind of a staple part of our Maui trips. I was shokced to see that my favorite seared ahi in a pineapple tamarind appetizer was no longer on the menu (i've been getting it since I was a little kid), but we were still able to specially order the Fisherman's Baked Ono (only this time we got it with Opakapaka). The meal was delicious!! My favorite part of the night, though, was when Nic spilled numerous water and lemonade glasses trying to pass the bread. Mama's has this most amazing feshly baked bread loaf that they serve, which has to be cut into slices. Nic cut the slices, but as he went to pass the bread to Ron, he knockedover Russel's lemonade glass, then in trying to pull back, he knocked his water glass too. Then as he slid the bread out of the way of the mess, he knocked over his own water glass! It is hard to explain, but it was hilarious!! We all laughed for so long...It was like he was trying to hit the glasses over. Anyways, to top off the night, we got the delicious chocolate cake that has an oreo crust and gooey caramel layer, yum, for dessert.

Then it was off the the airport, where I finished a few more scrapbooking kits, before our red eye flight home. We had such an incredible time with my family! Nic and I definitely enjoyed having a break from the grind and were sad to come back to reality. As a thank you to my parents for such an amazing trip, we decided to buy them the same Nikon waterproof camera that we have. We figured between the boat, pool, snorkeling, and even the lake, they will get a lot of use out of it.

Maui Day 8

Today, Nic and I walked to the coffee shop again to get everyone coffees for breakfast. Then we spent some time just relaxing around the house. We ate Thansgiving leftovers for lunch, then in the afternoon, we went boogie boarding at Slaughterhouse. I spent the first 1 1/2 to 2 hours watching and taking photos of everyone. Nic finally forced me to go out and it was a bit scary heading out (there was a wind and small vessel advisory today) because the waves were decent size. Nic helped me catch a wave in and Justin and I rode it in together. I was kind of scared and yelled the whole way (at one point I even caught some air!) so by the time I rode the wave ALL the way in pretty much everyone was staring at me. Everyone, except my mom and Tomi  who not only didn't take any pictures, but they didn't even watch me! I was so annoyed, after I took pictures all afternoon of everyone else, they didn't get a photo of me. The photos would have been really cute too. So after I walked up to the beach to tell them that I couldn't believe they didn't take any photos, I went back out, since I will pretty much do anything for a photo. I braved the waves once more and had Nic help me ride another wave in. This time Justin wasn't near by, so I rode the wave in by myself, but at least I have evidence now that I actually did it.

We came back to the house and got ready for our sunset cruise, but we didn't end up going because there were white caps at the dock, the wind and rain had picked up even more, and the clouds had moved in and were pretty much blocking the sunset. Tonight, Nic and I went to Kimos for dinner to celebrate our anniversary. We both got the parmesan cursted ono, which is one of my absolute favorites! It was delicious and nice to spend some time together just the two of us.  

Maui Day 7

Yesterday morning, we got up bright and early and went out on the boat again. It was so calm and gorgeous out, so we rode over to Lanai. We went to the most gorgeous snorkel spot, turtle haven, and snorkeled for a few hours. We saw a few turtles and tons of fish! It was a really beautiful spot and it was so cool to be the only ones there. From there we tried to check out one of the beaches on Lanai, but we couldn't find a sandy patch to anchor to, so we just decided to head back to Maui. We anchored up at Black Rock and I made turkey sandwiches for lunch with the left over turkey meat. The sandwiches were delicious! From there we rode up to check out the house, then we went back to the harbor. While the boys went to the man cave to wash the boat, us girls did some Black Friday shopping at our favorite store Honolua Surf Co. That night we went to Kapalua Beach to take pictures before dinner at Merrimans. The sunset last night was spectacular!! One of the best I have seen! It just kept getting more and more vibrant and at the peak, it was hot pink and orange.

The restaurant offered the most gorgoeus views and the food was really good too. Nic got filet with sweet kula corn and I got a sampler platter with Mahi mahi, ahi tuna, and filet. For dessert, Nic got white chocolate filled donuts with caramel dipping sauce and I got a molten chocolate purse. Another nice touch, was the live music during dinner. After dinner, we came home and watched a documentary on Hawaii and I did some scrapbooking. It was a pretty fabulous day and I am starting to get sad that we only have a few days left to enjoy paradise.

Thanksgiving~Maui Day 6

On Thanksgiving, I made Susan's apple crumble, while my mom and Tomi made turkeys and other side dishes. The boys spent the day at D.T. Flemings and Nic and I went to the Kahana Sunset beach to spend a little bit of alone time on our 7th anniversary.

When we got back, I helped set the table then got ready for Thanksgiving. After a rough and windy morning, it ended up being a calm, gorgeous afternoon. We enjoyed tons of delicious appetizers, including the salmon pate I made the day before, a cheese platter, bacon wrapped cheese stuffed dates, maui onion dip and hummus. While we waited for dinner, everyone filled out Thanksgiving questionnaires that my mom and I plan to make into a book. We got the idea and free printables from one of my favorite scrapbooking blogs Bella Blvd. Then we sat down and enjoyed a delicious meal of turkey, mashed potatoes, peas, gravy, stuffing, corn casserole, sweet potatoe casserole, and green bean casserole. Everything was delicious! After dinner, we had palm readings from a friend of a friend, which was preety entertaining. Then we went down to the turtle beach to watch the sunset and take some family photos. Then we came up to enjoy pumpkin pie, apple crumble, and pineapple mango cobler. We all went to bed that night very stuffed; it was a great Thanksgiving!

Thankful!

This morning, as I was watching the sun rise, I was thinking about all I have to be thankful for. I am so fortunate to get to spend Thanksgiving in Maui, one of the most beautiful places in the world, with my family. It isn't very often these days that my whole family is together, so I am really trying to enjoy these special times.

I am thankful for my husband, who I started dating 7 years ago today. I can't imagine my life without him. When we woke up this morning we talked about how much love we have for each other after 7 years and can't believe how fast the last 7 years has gone. We also can't believe how lucky we are to have each other, Nic is the perfect partner for me and I wouldn't want to share my life with anyone else. We are so blessed to have a great house together and most importantly to have each other to go through life's ups and downs with. Sometimes life throws you a few curve balls and it sure helps to have each other to lean on.

I am thankful for my 2nd family. Eventhough we can't be with Nic's family today and we don't get to see them that often, I know how lucky I am to have two amazing families! They are all such generous, kind, amazing people who I adore, admire, and miss terribly. I love them all so much!

I am thankful for my health and today I am praying extra hard for the people in my life whose health isn't 100%.

Even though I am facing some challenges in my life, as I'm sure all people are, I can't help but feel extremely happpy and blessed with the life that I have. I'm off to enjoy this beautiful day with my family.

HaPpY ThaNksGiVinG!!!

Maui Day 5

Yesterday, I spent the morning getting a massage. It was great to spend some time unwinding and relaxing. Then my mom and I made some of the food for Thanksgiving. While us girls were having our spa/cooking day, the boys went out on the boat. They said it was a really wet and windy boat ride, but totally worth it because they ended up riding alongside a huge pod of spinner dolphins. They said there were at least 100 hundred of them juming all around them. They also did some snorkeling at Black Rock, but the dolphins were definitely the highlight. That afternoon, Sabrina and I went over to Marcia's pool, while Nic, Randy, Tyler, Justin and Russel went to D.T. Flemings Beach to take advantage of the huge waves.

That night, we enjoyed Ron's margaritas at sunset and Ron made a sushi feast for us to enjoy! I decided to be adventurous and attempted to make my favorite sushi roll from Sansei. I figured this was the best time, when I could take advantage of thesushi Ron had already prepped and cut. Everyone doubted me, but it turned out really good! I had my first experience with frying stuff and we even took it a step further and I made fried rice krispy patties so we could also enjoy rice krispy spicy tuna (another one of my favorites). It was really fun and I think it is definitely something Nic and I will try again.

Maui Day 4

Yesterday, Nic and I walked to the coffee shop to get Creamy Banana Mochas (nic got a chocolate banana smoothie because he doesn't like coffee) for breakfast. They were delicious! Then we walked over to our favorite snorkel spot and spent about an hour and a half snorkeling. We saw at least 10 turtles!

Then my dad picked us up and dropped us off with Justin and Russel in Lahaina. We grabbed a quick bite to eat and then took the boys to their surf lesson. Nic photographed their 2-hour lesson while I sat on the beach and watched. They both did really well and Justin even got to surf with the instructor's dog!

When we got back to the house, everyone else was back from the airport with Tyler and Randy. We spent the evening drinking my mom's delicious mai tais out of frozen pineapples and watching the sun set.

Then we went to Sansei for dinner. It was amazing as always.We got tons of sushi, but these are a few of the highlights: the panko crusted ahi, which is absolutely phenomenal and my favorite thing on the menu, the dynamite shrimp, maui onion tempura, white tuna with maui onions, and of course, the caramel apple dessert, which is incredible!!

Maui Day 3

On Monday, we went out on the boat for the first time. It was so awesome!! The boat was way bigger than I expected and pretty trick. We rode up to the house, then went back down the other way and stopped just near the tunnels you drive through on the way to the airport to snorkel. It was a beautiful snorkel spot! We saw a couple of turtles and Sabrina found a huge eel. It was so cool to be at our own little spot and stay as long as we wanted. Once we are all done snorkeling, we got on the boat and enjoyed some of my favorite snacks: Maui Onion Chips and Guava Juice. On the ride back to Lahaina, Ron spotted some dolphins! We had such a fantastic time!

The boys spent the afternoon back at the man cave washing the boat. Tomi and I spent the afternoon over at Marcia's pool. That night we went to Mala for dinner, which is much more relaxed and right on the water. Nic and I split an Ahi burger and a Kobe burger. Yum!

Maui Day 2

The next morning, we got up early and walked to the Gazebo for breakfast. It is this tiny, breakfast place on the water that has delicious food. It always has a line so its best to get there well before it opens so you can be in the first seating. They are most known for their white chocolate macadamia nut pancakes, which I of course can't eat, but they have tons of other delicious pancakes, omelettes, and other traditional breakfast items.

After breakfast, we walked home and hung out at the house for a bit, while the boys went to the man cave to get the boat ready. In the afternoon, we played some Michael Jackson on kinect and I scrapbooked while the boys went boogie boarding at D.T. Fleming beach.

We went to Lahaina Grill for dinner, which is quickly bcoming one of my all-time favorite restaurants. We got to sit in the private room again and every bite of food was amazing! The warm bread rolls come with this garlic herb butter that is too die for. I got a trio of crab cakes for my appetizer and Nic got the most delicious maui onion soup. I got the fish special for dinner, which was a panko crusted snapper, on top of an artichike risotto, in the most amazing, creamy sauce. In my opinion, the sauce is what makes or breaks a meal like this and this sauce was superb! We also got a few desserts, but I only managed to eat a bite since I was so full from the incredible meal. After dinner we did some shopping in Lahaina before heading home to bed.

Maui Day 1

We got up at about 6am (after 3 hours of sleep) to head down to LAX. Sabrina had some premier thing so she got to go in the Unted lounge, while Nic and I were stuck waiting at the gate. lol. Our flight went by really fast. I read some US Weekly, took a bit of a nap, ate some peppermint oreo truffles, finished two scrapbook kits, and watched an episode of friends. The enitre flight was pretty enjoyable actually and we even got in about 30 minutes early. My mom and Tomi picked us up and we went to some Thai place for lunch, which was really good. Then we did some shopping and headed to the house. We showered and went to dinner at Hula Grill.

Sabrina's Here

On Friday night I picked up Sabrina from the airport. I got us Gourmet 88 for dinner (one of our favorites) and we made peppermint oreo truffles. I saw peppermint oreos at Target and immediately started coming up with baking ideas for them. Oreo truffles are so easy and delicious, I decided to try them first and since they are one of Sabrina's favorites, I figured Friday night was as good a night as any. I obviously didn't have much time, so I did them quickly, but next time I make them, I am going to make Santa Hats. ;) After I finished the truffles, I still had to pack  (I was up until about 3am) because we were leaving early the next morning for Hawaii!!

*The peppermint oreo truffles were the perfect snack for the flight. They were easy to transport (I threw them in a ziploc bag) and they were delicious. They seemed so fancy and decadent that for those few minutes eating one I forgot I was on a plane. Here is the recipe:

Peppermint Oreo Truffles

adapted from: www.bakerella.com

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Peppermint Flavor Double Stuf Oreos (this pack comes with less so I halved Bakerella's recipe)

  • use 11 cookies with cream centers included
  • use 5 cookies with cream centers discarded

1/2 pkg. (4 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature

Wilton candy melts 

1.    Finely crush the cookies in a food processor or a ziploc bag with a rolling pin.

2.    Stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together completely (or clean hands).

3.    Roll the mixture into 1″ balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.

4.    Place covered in freezer or refrigerator for a few minutes to help retain shape when dipping in melted chocolate.

5.    Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry.

6.    Refrigerate and enjoy!

My Surgery

On Monday, November 14th, I went in for my first ever surgery. I had to get a polyp removed. My mom drove me to the hospital and Sandy was my nurse, which made the whole experience so much easier. We just spent the morning laughing and joking around and I was surprisingly not very nervous.

I had my first IV and it was my first time experiencing anesthesia. It was pretty crazy: one second I was talking (the room did begin to get a little fuzzy), and the next thing I knew I woke up in recovery. I spent another hour or so back in my room with my mom and Sandy, and then I was released to go home. I felt fine almost immediately after. I wasn't in any pain, didn't feel sick at all from the anesthesia, and honestly felt exactly like I did when I got there that morning.

My mom drove me home and I spent the evening taking it easy. I did feel pretty tired that night and slept from about 9pm to 10am the next morning, so I'm assuming that was from the anesthesia. I also felt a bit of pain and grogginess the next evening, but other than that, the whole experience was really easy.

Scrapbooking Weekend

My mom and I went to a scrapbooking thing over the weekend (11/11-11/13). It started Friday night and ended Sunday afternoon. On Friday night we met Nic for dinner at Origami. On Sunday, we squeezed in a decorating class at Pottery Barn.

All the leaves on the street outside Remember When had changed colors for fall and there were tons and TONS of crows flying around outside so we took a few pictures on Sunday afternoon as we were leaving. For dinner Sunday night, my mom and I went to Wokano for dinner.

Upcoming Surgery

I'm having my first ever surgery on Monday and I'm really nervous, so please say a few prayers for me. Thanks.

Mailer's Haven Luau

On Saturday, November 5th, Nic and I went to his boss' house for the annual Mailer's Haven party. This year's theme was Luau. It was pretty cold, which is unfortunate because the weather has been so nice for so long, but it was still a lot of fun. They had Mai Tais and Blue Hawaiians, dinner, and desserts from Portos. After dinner, they did the awards, and Nic was the first person ever to get the "triple crown." He won all 3 big awards in the same year. He go his $20,000 profit award, $50,000 profit award and top sales for a month. I was very proud! :) After the awards, we got to watch an hour long hula show covering dances from many different islands including fire dancing, which was my favorite part! I was picked to go up and do the Hawaiian style hula, which was somewhat embarassing. Most of the people that went up, tried really hard, but were really bad, i.e. entertaining. I on the other hand, was fairly good, i.e. boring! It was tempting to fake being bad just for entertainement sake, but most people know I was a professional dancer so it probably would have ended up being more embarassing. After the show, I was forced (by Nic's boss Tonya) into dancing, then we went home.

The Witch and the Pumpkin

My Oma (my dad's mom) and I share our birthday. Apparently when I was born, someone joked that since I am a Halloween baby I am a witch and Oma got all defensive and said No, I am a pumpkin. Since then we have always joked that she is the witch and I am the pumkin. On November 2nd, I went with my dad to have lunch with Oma and Opa to celebrate our birthdays. It was really nice to spend some time with them and wish Oma a Happy Birthday in person.

My 27th Birthday and Halloween

I had a pretty quiet birthday this year. I went to work, came home, opened a few presents, passed out candy to trick~or~treaters, and then Nic and I stopped by Lindsay's for a bit. We got to see the girls in their Halloween costumes, ate chili, and delicious cookies. I was even serenaded with the "Happy Birthday" song and got to blow out a candle. :)

Pumpkin Carving

On Sunday night, October 30, when we got home from the wedding, we decided to carve our pumpkins. I whipped up some of Nic's favorite Halloween treat, mummy dogs, for dinner and we got to work on our pumpkins. Normally, we watch Hocus Pocus while we decorate, but since we still had all the construction going on I had to record it and watch it a few nights later. I think our jack~o~lanterns turned out pretty good this year. What do you think?

Brunch

The next morning, we went to World Famous for breakfast. I got turkey benedict, which was delicious, Nic got a bacon benedict that looked delcious, not sure what Tyler and Juston got, but my mom and Sabrina both got carne asada benedict that also looked delicious. The hot chocolate and potatoes were also great and the best part was the gorgeous view of the ocean. We also got to see some dolphins splashing out in the water just in front of the restaurant.

After breakfast, we went to say our goodbyes to the Mercier Family, then we went shopping at Fashion Valley. From there, Nic and I began the journey home. We decided to stop at an old favorite, Taco Rosa, in Newport Beach for lunch. It ended up being a really nice day.

Robitaille Wedding

Carlie and Dan tied the knot on Saturday, October 29th, in Mission Beach, San Diego. It was a gorgeous day and a beautiful wedding. The ceremony was great, especially Jack's walk up the isle holding a "Here Comes the Bride" sign, Carlie (who has a tendency to be clumsy) walked down stairs as part of her entrance, the shots Chuck and Carlie took together half way down the stairs, and Jack's exit up the aisle with a "Just Married" sign. Carlie looked stunning and the whole ceremony was wonderful. After that, we enjoyed cocktail hour near the beach, while the sun set. I caught up with Jackie and Tracy Warner who I haven't seen in years, a bunch of our Acton friends, and Kim and Miri who I hadn't seen since last weekend. ;) The reception was held in a ballroom upstairs. The dinner was quite good and we were seated at a really fun table conveniently located right next to the bar (*wink *wink). Quite a few glasses of wine and a few shots with the photographer later we were all getting our dance on out on the dance floor. The guys all snuck away for a while to watch the 3 OTs of the Stanford vs. USC football game. After the wedding, we were all going to go on a boat ride around the harbor, but most people bailed. It ended up being Miri, Chris, Nic, myself, Brenda, Craig, Chuck, Sheri and a few other people. It would have been more fun if everyone had come, but it was still a good time. We are really glad we got to share in Carlie and Dan's special day and we wish them a lifetime of happiness.

Visiting Papa Fred

On the way down to San Diego for Carlie and Dan's wedding, we stopped at Papa Fred's house for a visit. We all crowded around him in his bedroom (he was in his usual chair) and spent a good hour and a half talking and laughing and sharing stories. It was really nice to spend some time with him. We don't get to see him all that much any more and he isn't doing all that great health wise, so it was really great to see him. Plus it was the first time in forever that the whole family was together with him, so of course we took some photos. *On a side note, Sabrina and I did not plan to wear coordinating t-shirts.

Mammoth Huskies vs. Vasquez Mustangs

On Friday, October 28th, I went to Acton to watch Justin play JV football and Tyler play Varsity football against Vasquez highschool. Sabrina had these really cool sweatshirts made with the boys' number on the back that Sabrina, my mom, and I all wore. Justin didn't get to play much, but we sure cheered loud when he was in. My mom, dad, Laura, Sabrina, and I all watched Justin's game, which they lost. :( We ordered pizza in between games that The Pizza Place delivered to us on the field. I think we helped them get a lot of extra business that night. ;) My mom also brought Velvet cupcakes and milk...yum! Football games gourmet style. Nic, Brenda, Craig, Daron, Brenda, Amy, Rachel, and Ashley all came to watch Tyler's game. He played really well, and Mammoth won! Apparently, a bunch of Acton kids sitting in the Vasquez bleachers also cheered Tyler, which was pretty cool. It was really fun!

Brunch

The nest morning (10/23), Nic, Sabrina, Amy, Angel and I went to brunch at Dink's Deli. We had never been there before and it was actually quite good. Then Nic and I went and did some furniture shopping, then attempted to clean our disaster of a house.

Michael Jackson Party

The Michael Jackson party finally took place on Saturday, October 22nd, months after I came up with the idea, but it was totally worth the wait. Everyone had such a good time! I made themed food, had a black or white dessert bar, a drink contest and a dance contest. In fact, it was so much fun, I might have to throw the party again. ;)

Michael Jackson Party Prep

Throughout the few weeks leading up to the party, I did a lot of prep work. I made tissue pom poms to hang from the ceiling, I made all the food labels, and I bought costumes. A few days before the party I started prepping all the food. On Thursday night I made the chocolate dipped pretzels and started the oreo truffles.

On Friday, I did nothing but get my drink on...So that left A Lot to get done on Saturday. Luckily, Sabrina and Nic were there to help me and Amy stopped by to help for a bit too. It got a little frantic at times, but we managed to get it all done. In some ways the prep for the party was more fun than the actual party and I am really proud of how it all turned out.

(I'll try to post some recipes and tutorials soon, just in case you want to create your own MJ Party)

Friday Night Drinks

Sabrina got into town on Friday, October 21st, so I picked her up from Burbank Airport after my dance class. We were supposed to go home and prep for the Michael Jackson party, but she somehow talked me into going to Amy and Angel's house for a few drinks first. Well, the few drinks turned into bottles of wine, champagne, and tequila shots until 4am! ;/ Oops! We were not only going to be exhausted the next day, but we had a TON to do for the party. Oh well, it was so much fun and Totally worth it. ;)

Early Birthday Celebration

On Wednesday October 19th, I went out to dinner with my parents sort of a as a birthday dinner. We went to one of our favorite restaurants: Gourmet 88. That night, Lindsay did my hair for me and my mom dropped off my birthday presents at the salon. She got me a bunch of cute Halloween Longaberger stuff. I can't wait until next year, when we are done with construction and have furniture, so I can put it all out on display. :)

Fall Krispies

A few of the blogs I follow have used candy corn m&m's to create delicious looking fall treats, so I decided I needed to make something with them too. Well, first I had to find them. Apparently they are a Wal Mart exclusive and according to the blogs somewhat difficult to find. I was pretty excited when I found them at the second walmart I went too. I also happened to spot some pumpkin spice marshmallows and decided I needed to try them out too. So I went home and whipped up some pumpkin spice krispies with candy corn m&ms. They were delicious! They were the perfect fall treat and I imagine they would be delicious with a pumpkin spice latte. ;)

AFF Company Picnic

After the pumpkin patch, we went to the LA Zoo for AFF's Company Picnic. Nic attempted to hobble around the zoo to see the animals, then we went to the picnic for a bit where we ate, played Bingo and a few other games, and went crazy taking photos in the photo booth. After that, we explored the zoo some more, then came back to the picnic for more photo booth fun. :)