I Found Paradise Again

I'm not exactly sure how this predicament transpired, but the first traces- at least according to my mind- take us back to Phoenix, AZ 2012. Anneli and Kady were poolside chatting and I was a couple seats away eavesdropping. And if my ears didn't fail me, I did believe I gathered bits and pieces of a plan to go to Hawaii together. Now mind you, I was a self-invited guest on this Arizona trip where my boys and I tagged along on their Utah football game chase. So having the first-timer jitters already out of my system, I piped up when I had heard enough to assume they were either dreaming of or planning a trip. To Hawaii of all places. 
That's what I remember as the beginning and it materialized into this: Kauai 2013, baby. With the Nielsen's, Peterson's, and Hansen's. And quite a few grandmas, including our own Grandma AJ, and a grandpa and a couple brothers and sisters.
Anyways, so here we are. And you know the thing about Hawai? It doesn't disappoint.
Our crew- the Josh Hansen crew- got here late Friday night. As a side note, I hope I'm not jinxing myself, but I really feel like we're starting to rock the flight. The 6 hour flight, mind you. So after a successful plane ride, we headed up to the North Shore. We've never stayed in Princeville and decided it was high time. And let me tell you, when the rain subsides and the sun is shining, it's nothing short of magical beauty. Like the vibrant green mountains contrasting against the dreamy blue sky literally injects a feeling of magic straight to the veins.

So that's what we were dealing with Saturday. And we handled it like champs.  We had a local breakfast, followed by uninhibited exploring that led us to a lagoon where the kids pranced around in their rolled up pajama bottoms doing their best to not get completely soaked while still taking advantage of the adventure at hand.
And that's when and where we learned Rule #1 of a Hawaiian vacation:

never leave home without a swimsuit, preferably on.

You never know when opportunity is going to strike and  you would hate to miss out due to being unprepared.

But we weren't unprepared for 9:30 am Hawaiian shave ice. Because when you're up and at 'em at 5 am ish, it's high time for something sweet by the time 9:30 rolls around.

And then there is an obvious requirement of hanging for hours at a time at the pool.

And if your name is Porter, you must also have homeboy, Kai (Elemental Kai to be exact) at your side.

We took the beautiful, short hike down to Queen's Bath. It was our second venture down. Our first time was in Febraury 2012 after my literally most conservative friend told me it was a must see. So Yosh and I hiked down with the two big boys. I instantly felt on edge and wasn't are if I was site-seeing or preparing to commit suicide. The waves were that big and that strong and that unpredictable. I kind of hated it. And I was thoroughly confused by the recommendation. After a little of reading, we found out we went at the wrong time of the year, the dangerous time of the year. This time, coming in May, we were in a safer season so we ventured down not only with the bog boys but with the babies also. And not only did we romp around in the rocks, we decided to go down to the bath and get in. All seemed fine and well until one biggish wave came and sent my here rate spiking. The way in comes into the pool so unpredictably and with such force is enough to make you jump up and grab your babies and run for your life.
And no I'm not exaggerating. I haven't felt that kind of adrenaline rush in a long time. And I don't think I've ever felt it in regards to protecting my kids like that. And I'll tell you what, I didn't like it. One bit. As in, I've absolutely sworn that place off. I got my second dose of bad vibes from that place and I'm done. I'm not taking my chances anymore. Even if it is just me being crazy.
So, so long, Queen's Bath.

Our night ended with a couple of photos during the Golden Hour of sunlight. 

And it was in those moments, where the sun was hitting my kids at just the right angle, highlighting their youth and their innocence, that I felt the strongest sense of emotion.
Thankful I get to be a mom-- their mom, thankful I get to be making these memories with them, thankful I get to be spending a week in paradise with them.
It's gonna be a good week.

From Hyper Sexual Behavior to Self Soothing to...Swimsuits

So I've been wanting to do this post connecting Babywise (aka how to get your baby to self-soothe and sleep on it's own) and this lecture I went to by Dr. Rory Reid where he talked about hyper sexual behavior. Intriguing, right? Like, how in the world could these two things have anything to do with the other?
Well, let me tell you, the way those wheels in my head will be turning, it all came together and there is an undeniable connection. But alas, today is not the day to go there {how's that for a cliff hanger??!} because I'd actually have to THINK and apparently today is not a day to do much thinking. But you hold onto your britches, because I'm going to be back to attack this subject!
Instead, I'm going to try to conjure up some mad packing energy, as that is the main task on my list today. So with that, I want to share a couple good swimsuits with you today.
First off, I feel the need to give Zappos a quick shout out. Are you all Zappos shoppers? While I'm not one on the regular, there are definite times where I turn to them to save my booty. For example, they ship quick. Like many times I get my order the next day. Sometimes, 2-3 days out. So when I'm in a time pinch, they're my go to. They have free shipping both ways which means I can order a lot of options (and can we talk about how good it feels to just buy whatever you want) and then return it all for no cost to me.
The down is they don't really have sales so you're paying pretty close to full price. But the two things I regularly buy from Zappos I don't mind paying full price for-- shoes and swimsuits. Because let's be honest, if I look and feel good in a swimsuit, then it's worth the price, whatever that price may be!
Now that I'm done with my unnecessary plug, I'll show you my picks.

Find suit here

I absolutely love this suit. (I got the matching bottoms.) It has good coverage yet with the mesh material, I don't feel the weight of all the material that I've been hating on other tankinis lately. Target used to be my go-to swim suit shop, and now- truth be told- I loathe them. Way too much material. But this one??? Perfection. Love love love it!

My next pick:

Find suit here

I originally saw a Splendid swimsuit sporting this new look, with the bandeau underneath and a loose-fitting tank over the top. And I have to say, I like it. It's nice to be able to lay out in just the bandeau, get your tummy some sun, and then throw on the tank to move on to your next activity. The tank top isn't flattering so if you're looking for a "sexy" suit, it's not going to be achieved with this ensemble. And PS, I paired this top with black bottoms, just like the pic! Imagine that!
And lastly, I'll share a suit that I absolutely loved but didn't work out.

Find suit here

I loved the fit and look of this suit BUT... one must have tatas to wear this. And maybe by tatas, I mean at least a full A. But it just wasn't cutting it for my top.
Okay, y'all, I'm out! Must get to packing going to a spontaneous lunch with Christy. Life's Rule #377-- To-do lists can always wait!

Baptism Day

Well I'll be darned, time is passing. And pretty quick at that. If there was ever a question in my mind as to whether or not my kids were marching forward, this weekend it was confirmed that, indeed, time's a ticking.
Dallin B got baptized on Saturday. Which means he is 8 years old. Which means he is halfway to getting his drivers license. Which means everyone who threw out those annoying cliches were right. You know, the ones about time flying. And don't blink because you'll miss it all. They're true. Here we are, here I am, the mother of a sweet 8 year old. The one who ushered me into the world of motherhood. The one that has been the first to do so many things and therefore has offered Yosh and I so many firsts as parents.
And this whole baptism deal was one of those firsts.

invitation done by Brenda's cute Etsy shop

In the months leading up to this day, all the way up to an hour before go time, I was pretty concerned about Dallin being the one who made the decision to get baptized. I wanted him to know what baptism meant and wanted him to consciously choose that action. Granted, it was definitely something I hoped he would choose and he's had a lot of influences in his life that would encourage that same decision, but nonetheless, I wanted him to choose and have that gift of empowerment that comes from personal responsibility.
Other than that, I didn't have many expectations of how the day would go. Or how I would feel. Or anything else. 
And whether it's the fruits of low non-existent expectations or the reality that baptism day is a big deal, Saturday night was awesome.
B man seemed to know it was his day. When we sat in the baptism room, filled with no one but friends and family, it felt intimate and just right. All the talks were geared right to the understanding of an 8 year old and the length of the program was geared towards 8-year-olds and ADD-moms alike. Thus, I really believe every single moment was soaked up and then converted to long memory storage. I wouldn't be shocked at all to talk with Dallin 5 years down the road, or 10, or 15, and find out that he remembers most moments from his baptism day. And for me, that is one definition of success.

Who knows if you'll think this is absolutely adorable, but I for one do! Here is Dallin and Annabelle's duet.

Thanks to everyone who pitched in and made this night perfect!

It Ain't Easy Being Stupid

If I've seen a bit on edge, it's because I am. And rightly so. I got fired from my job. Well, one of my jobs. Fortunately, I didn't get canned from my mothering gig. But my title of Travel Agent??? Revoked.
I'm pretty sure it started last week when we were getting ready to head out to Boise and were getting all our ducks in a row. This little text exchange may have uncovered my baby brain incompetence.
Note Yosh is white, me in blue.

Just when I should've been getting major bonus points for booking both the flights and a car without being asked (do I sound like a little kid or what), I put the nail in my own coffin-- I had absolutely no recollection of renting a car. Which meant I didn't know the company we rented from, etc. Poor Yosh. I imagine that sometimes talking to me is like talking to an Alzheimer-stricken grandma.
And as if completely forgetting a car reservation wasn't frustrating enough,  it at least had a saving grace. Meaning I had us a car and we weren't left high and dry. But on the way home from the airport I was on the phone discussing a different upcoming trip. One that's been planned for months. Airline tickets were bought probably in November. Housing was handled-- well when was it handled??? That small little hole was revealed in my phone conversation that Yosh was eavesdropping on.  And you know how it is, when you get "bad news" but are in front of someone else, obvi you have to take on the role of calm, cool, and in control?? Yea, well that's about as deep as mine and Yosh's role playing goes. So when I found out that most likely we didn't, after all, have our housing arranged, I tried to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal. But I'll tell you what, it wasn't a full second after I'd pushed the hang up button that Yosh was quizzing me,  "Wait, now what I did I just hear you say?" I'm all, "Oh, I don't know. Which part?" "How do we not have a hotel reservation? How are you just now figuring out there's a problem?" Queue me mumbling something about, Well, it's just that I thought... and then maybe throwing in some,  So it's not that we don't have a reservation. That part we do have. It's just the issue of how much that reservation is going to cost...... And obvi that I finished this off with, "Don't worry. It's not time to panic yet." Because truth be told, it wasn't.
It may have appeared that I had completely screwed things up, but it was still out for jury, TBD. I sure hadn't thrown in the white flag. Was I nervous? A tad. I knew we'd be able to find a place to stay for a reasonable price, but at the risk of not ending up with the Nielsen's and Peterson's, our traveling partners. So after a looooong day of traveling and an hour at which I normally find Yosh snoring away,I spent the next bit trying to feel out my options in a very non-panicked, unstressful sort of way.
But at 9 am the next morning when I got the email the next morning that all my plan B's were not to be.... I started getting nervous. Felt that wave of panic which was obviously manifested in the distinct avoidance of any type of communication with Task Master Yosh. And emergency conversations with Anneli and Kady. And do you know what Anneli and Kady had to tell me???
That all this time, for months now, I've had a solid reservation AND rate locked down. You guys, where am I when all these convos and decisions and reservations are taking place? Do I have a clone? A guardian angel? 
My saving grace on this one? I got to call Yosh up and act all baller and be like, "Well I'll have you know we had a solid reservation this WHOLE time and it's dirt cheap which probably means I should go do some major shopping."
Booyah. Grandma.
I'll tell you what, I've never claimed to be a dumb girl or play the dumb girl part, but more and more I'm taking on Christy Desai's mantra... It ain't easy being stupid. It's causing me lots of hiccups and unnecessary awkward moments. And may or may not have just caused me to get fired. I'm a start working on my mind sharpening skills.
But I'll have you know Boise was fun and not many people can say their Saturday, Sunday, Monday went "wedding, baby blessing, funeral." But in deed, that was our weekend. And I know what you're thinking.... #CircleofLife Obvi hashtag for an obviously great weekend.
Barely got took any pics. Barely as in, I took one photo. Here it is.

Cardio Therapy

I'm feeling quite accomplished right now. It's 11:44 pm, I'm sitting in bed with completely drenched hair, the result of an 11:30 pm shower. 
And do you want to know why that's something to be proud of? Because you don't shower at 11:30 pm unless you're absolutely, but absolutely...disgusting.  And it takes hard work to get absolutely disgusting. I just finished playing 2 hours of volleyball. And that was just the capper. 
The real disgustifying came at my 10:30 am Soul Cycle class. You all I'm confessing... I've got the fever, I'm a Soul Cyclist! Joined the cult and am proudly owning up to it. Tomorrow I'm going to get the tat, to make it official you know.
I'm just kidding. Mom, I'm just kidding. My mom commented on my blog for the first time ever yesterday so now that I know she's reading, I have to be careful what I write....  Would hate to get a 1 am phone call--
"Gabey, don't you dare get another tattoo. I know you're an adult and can make your own decisions, but I will be very sad... And your kids, YOUR KIDS, you've got to be a good example."
But I digress. My point simply being I'm digging this whole Soul Cycle bidness. If you've being reading my blog for awhile, you've heard me talk about Miraval. It's the resort where being active meets therapy and teams up with luxury. It's my kind of vacation. You solve your own world problems while doing crazy activities, like climbing a 35 foot telephone pole and then jumping off. 
I'm finding that Soul Cycle offers me the same nugget of introspection and motivation in 45 minute stints. The girl whose class I took today pushed and pushed, as instructors are paid to do. "I WANT YOU TO FIND THE BEAT AND PEDAL TO IT. BAH, BAH, BAH, BAH. 1, 2, 1, 2. YOU DIDN'T COME HERE TO BE AS COMFORTABLE AS YOU WERE SITTING ON YOUR COUCH AT HOME. NO! YOU'VE ALREADY DONE TH HARD PART, YOU GOT YOURSELF HERE. NOW MAKE IT COUNT."
The beat of the music kept rising, intensifying the need to pedal pedal, increasing the burn that makes you want to say I QUIT and throw your hamstrings away. Just when I thought I couldn't go anymore, that one single pedal stroke was impossible, that the burn wasn't worth the reward, the instructor set into sharing her own personal story, of the hard path she'd been on of becoming a professional dancer girl. Not the stripper pole type, we're talking legit here. And after facing try out after try out, year after year- 7 years to be exact- she found Soul Cycle. She got certified and everyday she gets to show up and teach a class in an effort to touch one person, inspiring just one person to do good, to be better. And in doing that she's found the thing that she didn't know she was looking for all along.... she found purpose.
At this point, my legs were begging to fall off. But all of a sudden, instead of wanting to quit, it felt good- to be working toward something, to be doing something that is so physically hard, yet choosing not to give up. I'm just it was no coincidence that just like that, the work I was doing right then and there became the analogy for the burning question that she was really asking.... What is my purpose?
A question so simple and in the same breath so complex. A question so powerful and heavy and intimate that the emotion of it practically brought me to tears. I was pedaling with more energy than I thought I had more resistance than I had ever attempted. Amazingly, I wanted to do nothing less than give 100% percent. That might not mean a lot to you, but I'm a quitter and have no problem quitting almost anything. And I sure as heck have no problem wussing out on a spin class when the going gets tough, especially considering I was in a dark studio where I had no one watching, no one to impress, and no one to disappoint.
But quitting wasn't as option anymore. As soon as the expected words left her mouth, "What is your purpose?", I began to feel my purpose. I know some of my day-to-day purposes, but I don't always feel them. They get lost in the ordinary, in the mundane. But in those tender moments I was feeling them- their importance, their direction, their impact- and I was physically, metaphorically going after them, and it was emotional. Nearly-tears-emotional. And I absolutely loved it.
I was inspired in those minutes to go do my ordinary- live my day-to-day life of being a mom and taking care of four of the most precious human beings out there, but I was going to do it more deliberately, with more purpose.
And that right there... is why I'm jumping on the band wagon. 45 minutes of sweat and tears left me wanting to give MY life 100%. I've got Soul, baby!

I can guarantee that you'll leave the class totally DRIPPING.
They know how to make a client feel good!

 

The Big Stage

Holy transformation!

It's amazing what moving a rug from one room to another, and swapping a picture here and there, all the while bringing in some borrowed accessories will do to a house. Not to mention the toy room was turned into a regular, adult dining room. I almost feel like it's not my own house!

Which is actually one of the big purposes of staging a home- to make it feel like it's not the seller's home. Did you know that? I didn't until going through the process. The idea is to bring in tons of neutrals and take out any distracting "statement" pieces. You want the buyer to imagine themselves in the home rather than feeling like an intruder and to focus on the house itself rather than what's in the house. Interesting, right?! I found that tid bit out after being shocked that my Anthro chair was getting the boot from the front room. I deemed it one of my best pieces of furniture and thought for sure it was immovable. Not the case. It's soooo pretty....that it would get too much attention. At least that's what they told me in an attempt to protect my wounded ego. 

Here are some "before" shots of the house.

You know, just to jog your memory.

It's been so crazy to watch our home take on a new face.

Here are a million professional, awesome pictures of what it looks like now with the help of a designer's eye and some borrowed items! 

front porch. chairs were brought to angles.

good bye toy room. hello sophisticated dining room.

brought in green rug from front room. brought in big coffee table and accessories to tie the room together.

took out TV and side table/desk. brought in pink!

turned loft into put together play room/office/reading area. Anthro chair found a new home!

changed orientation of boys' beds to feel bigger. took out headboards.

added greens. emphasized brown on bed.

added spa like towels

took ALL the crap of the counter tops!

Now fingers crossed all this work moves the home off the market fast! staging done by Kristen Bjorn at Kristinteriors