Pre-Wedding getaway

 

We have been working all summer and haven't taken a break.  So, we planned a mini summer vacation to the beach!  It was nice to get away and play in the water, soak up more sun and spend some quality time, relaxing before terror-bridezilla (tee hee) took over the relationship.

We had so much fun and it was just what we needed!

 Dang, this water is COLD!

 Clearly, he does not seem to mind.

(PS. investing in a waterproof camera was the best decision I made in the recent past!)

 

Do you recognize this shirt?? Skinnie Piggie gave it to me the week before while I was in Hawaii! :)

If you missed it, here's where I got to meet her.

 I love ice cream.

The last day, we went fishing with my MAID OF HONOR, Steph and her boyfriend and brother. I'd never been on a little boat or gone fishing so it was a fun experience! 

It's 14 days until the wedding, Hurricane Irene is terrorizing the East Coast! 

That is all folks! 

Lil bits o' heaven

I love my family.

I loved Hawaii but I don't miss it as much as I miss my family...

Thank goodness they will be here in 24 days!!!

Bloggy Meet-up! Hawaii Edition

I FINALLY MET SKINNIE PIGGIE! After some failed attempts to try to meet up in Maryland, we finally got to hang out! While visiting my family, she messaged me (thank goodness for the bloggy world, really) and we scheduled our date! She drove clear across the island to come see me!

I felt like the Piggie at the restaurant because Skinnie Piggie wasn't hungry! :( It was a nice conversation. She has only been here a few months and she is already so knowledgeable about the area.  I was so impressed with her insight about where things are and what fun things there are to do.

 

We went to a local mex restaurant, it was tasty but the conversation was better.

Isn't Skinnie so pretty!?

 This contraption came with the check. At first glance, it looks like a giant calculator. 

It's a survey machine. 

We wandered our way to the beach.  

It was so hot that we parked ourselves in the water on our beach chairs.

 I was informed that Shaved ice is called "shave ice" in Hawaii.

She got Blue Hawaii and Mango.

I got Passion fruit and Guava with a snow cap. 

YUM YUM.

We had such a fun time and at the very end, Skinnie Piggie gave me an AWESOME gift that says "Marines Hawaii" YAY!!

Love love love love love it! 

:)

Thanks Skinnie Piggie for a lovely day!

The little things

Have you ever been so stressed out that you just don't know what to do? How do you deal with it? How do you get through the mounting stress that gets you down?

This isn't a blog about depression. It's about hope and how to cope with things that can really bog us down.

I have been there recently.  Not depressed but truly worn thin with the worry and stress of my life. I don't really like to talk about it because I know that I bring it upon myself to do what I do.  I know that any mom or student or career woman my age in any sort of relationship can relate to my situation.  Sometimes, it gets to be too much.

I sat on the beach in Hawaii last evening, watching the sun set and I had a twinge of worry. I couldn't get off my mind, why on EARTH I would be upset or stressed in such a blissful place.  I reflected on my life and the challenges that I face.  I decided to do two things.

I spoke my list of things that stressed me out. Then I spoke my list of things that I am truly grateful to have. I said them. So that I could hear them. So that I wouldn't justify any of them. I let myself feel stressed. Then I let myself know how truly blessed I am. I felt cleansed. Not stress free, but I felt like I had acknowledged the pent up stress I was feeling.

How do you deal with stress that you might be feeling?

I also share with you some pictures that I have taken of my time here in Hawaii...

Well deserved "vacation"

I'm in O'Hare International Airport in Chicago blogging in the food court.  Thank you American Express for my free 45 minutes of internet! :)

The beach where I will be fixing my farmer's tan :)


I am off to go see my faaaamily in Honolulu, Hawaii! This is my annual trip to see my family.  Since they live on the other side of the planet, the tropical islands of Hawaii serves as half way :)  I'm especially excited this time around because my niece, Luna will be coming! I haven't seen her since she was born a year and a half ago!! I plan to spoil her rotten! :)

Additionally, I need to fix my MAJOR farmer's tan that I got on Memorial Day waiting in line to hear the President speak... it's really bad guys. It's like a 3/4 length sleeve tan... Anyway, I have an excuse to sit on the beach and fix it before I get back.

Once I get back, it will be the last part of the countdown to our wedding.  Only one month left :)

xox,
Reina