Maui Time

We enjoyed some Maui time recently!

We had something significant to celebrate so my sister and I headed to Maui to meet my mom and her friend. This is just after we arrived. Here are some of the highlights! Starting with the poke….

OMG I could eat poke every. single. day. And it seems like it’s just amazing and plentiful in Hawaii. We frequently went to Miso Phat on our visit. Poke topped rolls, poke alone…you name it we had it! It’s BYOB which was weird at first and then we were really digging bringing some big beers and sake in there. Super friendly staff too and amazing mango.

Like any good getaway we were really focused on eating and drinking 🙂 Fleetwoods on Front Street had good cocktails and a world-class view!

And in Lahina we had to take some selfies under the Banyan Trees, of course.

And no shortage of fresh fruit….

Charlotte jumping for joy!

We were snorkeling near some rocks and were suprised but these huge turtles suddenly everywhere! It was truly stunning and more than a little unnerving to see such huge creatures around you. We had a funny twist of events on our last night and had to grab a hotel near the airport (about 45 mins from where we were staying near Lahina)…we didn’t have alot of time to plan or look for a hotel so we booked the first one we called that had availability and made the best of it….found the hotel laundry room, got a bottle of screw-top pinot grigio and ate poke! Yes, yes we did.

Looking forward to next time! Cheers!

COW Cabin

It’s been a long time since I’ve posted but I’m back blogging! I’ve been working on our new project, renovating the COW Cabin (an acronym for our last names). There’s lots to do so I’ll be sharing some before and afters. The cabin has beautiful wood walls BUT we are installing new hardwood floors so we needed to switch it up to avoid the wood walls/floors look. We thought we’d just paint them a creamy white color I chose, but it’s did not look good. Then my sister suggested white washing! Well it looks beautiful but LABOR INTENSIVE! Luckily the old floors hadn’t been ripped out yet so we could just be super messy about it. Once the floors are in we will do a white trim to make the look cleaner. Btw is was about 90 degrees, hence the bathing suit sarong look for painting.

The stairway landing needed to be extended- there was about two feet of unused space. The upstairs will be carpeted so what was poor use of space is now a cozy transition to the loft!

Then it was time to cool off at the lake! More to come soon!

It’s All About The Lob…..

ICYMI…the long bob is the it haircut this season and is sure to be everywhere this spring. It’s easy, has body and you can still pull off a ponytail….what’s not to love? My sister took the plunge and it looks great flat-ironed or worn curly. We recently celebrated her birthday so I’m celebrating by sharing some pics of this fab new ‘do! It’s easy to add some waves with a flatiron if you have naturally straight hair, too. Here is a great tutorial on how to do easy beachy waves with your flatiron.

Family Fun

We enjoyed a fun crisp family day on the coast with the fam and the dogs. Davis enjoyed some swing time with daddy…Cha Cha enjoyed it less so 🙂 I am so very appreciative for my family and for every moment we share. This time of year especially, take the time to acknowledge those you love and be so thankful they are in your life.

Cozy casual style~ wild hair and all! My jean are just a comfy old pair, J.Crew flip flops, Forever 21 thin thermal long sleeve shirt and handmade wool Zara vest and Ray-Ban aviators with my new favorite Maya Brenner necklace (blog post featuring it here). I’ve been enjoying going heavy layering my rings too. My sister is in toothpick J.Crew jeans in blacksmith wash, motorcycle Uggs (similar here), J.Crew sweater and Ray-Bans.

A Few Good Pieces

Necklace ~ Asymmetrical Mini Letter Necklace by Maya Brenner Designs

I’ve been looking for a gold necklace with my son’s initial or name on it and really wanted to find one on etsy to support a small business, but unfortunately none have been quite what I have been looking for in terms of quality or simplicity of design. Enter Maya Brenner Designs. Her necklaces are delicate and understated, beautiful quality and wont break the bank. I love mine…perfect for wearing everyday and believe me I have been. I love to have staple pieces and am not big on disposable, inexpensive pieces (although occasionally I find one at Forever 21 or Target). It’s all about a few good pieces!

Ring ~ Olive Leaf Band Ring by Paloma Picasso for Tiffany & Co.

I also love this ring from Tiffany & Co. It’s more of a statement piece but with wearability that goes beyond trends. This is the sterling silver, but they also have it available in gold, rose gold and white gold with diamonds.

Cyber Monday

Black Friday shopping? No thank you. I love a good deal but I am not one to fight crowds or stand in line all day to save a few bucks. I will, however, fill my cart online with things I’ve been eyeing while counting down to the inevitable sale of Cyber Monday! I prefer to do most things from the comfort of my home- shopping included. Amazon Prime alone keeps us with the essentials like ziploc bags, shampoo, conditioner and those kinds of staples. Did I mention I like shopping from home? I think it’s just the phase of having a two year old…a trip to Target just requires too much orchestration on top of our million other daily tasks. Sooooo….be sure to share your favorite Cyber Monday tips! Right now I’m headed to J.Crew for 30% off full price styles plus free shipping as well as 40% off sale styles. And there are actually some amazing deals on flights right now so I guess it’s time to book those post-holiday getaways! Happy shopping everyone!

Nude Tones

I love wearing nude tones…I have consistently kept myself in J.Crews nude flip-flops for years and usually keep a spare in my closet. They are comfy, casual and can be dressed up or worn to the beach. For petite gals like me, it helps to elongate where you can 🙂 I’m trying to branch out from my not so stylish signature shoe and just found these Loeffler Randall Petal shoes on Zappos (also currently coveting these Loeffler Randall Sawyer flats). Still casual but can be dressed up more – I think I’m in love. And like all love – there’s a little bit of pain…ha! The toe could be more comfortable but I’m not one to shy away from breaking in a new pair of shoes – especially flats, which I am a forever fan. Love the look of heels but doesn’t work for this coastal gal’s lifestyle. And to add to the nude theme, I found this beautiful Alexander Wang clutch at Barney’s (on sale 40% off!). I’m currently embracing my love of nudes and whites instead of always tring to incorporate more color.

Big Sur

We love a Big Sur getaway! We spent the weekend eating, drinking, walking and basically just chillin. Jordan made his homemade buttermilk fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy….so good! Add good wine (we love Tobin James reds) and it was food heaven. It was great to spend family time together.

None of these photos really show the Zara sweater I’m wearing- but It has great side slits and is cozy and different. I couldn’t decide between the three colors so ended up getting them all (if one is good three is better :). My sister’s flannel is by Rag and Bone and she wore her cozy moto Ugg Boots (similar here), Daddy and D are in Jcrew and his vest is Northface – can’t go wrong with Northface and we especially like to get it next day with Zappos! We stopped at the Big Sur River Inn for a leisurely breakfast and had an awesome bloody mary and eggs benedict. My version of a perfect breakfast. If you are in the area you must stop in there- especially in the summertime when you can pull the adirondack chairs into the water and cool off with a drink!

Tree Time

Cutting down our Christmas Tree is a fun family day and this year was no exception. Everyone got cozy (Hunter wellies included), grabbed a bottle of bubbly and then proceeded to hunt for the perfect tree. This year we were joined by my sister and her husband as well as my mom. Crest Ranch is awesome….such a selection and complete with chickens, goats and breathtaking views!

Pumpkin Patch

Flannel: Jcrew Crewcuts ~ Tee: Jcrew Tissue V-neck Tee ~ Bag: Louis Vuitton

Sunnies: Rayban ~ D’s shoes: Toms

I love the yearly trip to the pumpkin patch. Suddenly there is a chill in the air but the sun was shining today making it a perfect day to select our pumpkins. D worked on toting the wheelbarrow around, selecting pumpkins and just basically having a blast…and Daddy made sure everyone knew “Davis was here”.

All three of us happen to be in Jcrew…D and I both in crewcuts flannel! Sometimes their boy’s sizes are just right for petite gals! My jeans are really old but I love a broken in ripped pair. Here is a good DIY video for anyone wanting to distress their own!