Life, Lately...Instagram Style

Aloha, friends! Wow, it's been a while - nearly five days since my last entry. I took an impromptu blogging break while I was under the weather, but I am feeling better now and it's good to be here. Before I climb back into the blogging saddle, I wanted to do an Instagram dump of Life, Lately around these parts:

01: Date Night with The Hubs
02: Tea tastes better in this mug, I swear.
03: Fortune of the Day. Me like.
04: Lunch!
05: Wearing a fresh gardenia in my hair...and feeling nostalgic for our wedding.
06: Lunch: "fake" pizzas.
07: Drinking lunch: Mango-A-Go-Go with an immunity boost.
08: Lunch with my girls, Tina and Sofia.
09: Girlfriends are good.
10: Stop the insanity!
11: A glimpse of Heaven.
12: Breakfast: a bowl of fresh strawberries!
13: Eating healthy (and shocked that Phil is on board with our menus these days)!
14: New polish: Turquoise & Caicos (and I still haven't painted my nails).
15: The colors of Love...shopping for the week!

Instagram isn't just for the iPhone...it's available for Android, now. Follow me! @angieonmaui

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Sick Day

I slept like poop last night and woke up with a splitting headache this morning, so I stayed home today to rest and nurse my sore throat (I'm going on Day 5 with this throat thing...this can't be good) and I'm still feeling subpar. Add to that the fact that I'm feeling hypersensitive and sad over certain issues in my life and I'm just not feeling it, people. Where is my good day sunshine?!

However...a sick day meant I was able to lay around and hang out with my 11 lb. shadow all day today. She was feeling extra clingy and loving and I like to think this is because she sensed I could use the snuggles. And by snuggles, I mean she walked all over me, rubbed her sweet face all over my glasses and - depending on whether I was sitting or laying down - plopped herself right on my lap or my chest. All.the.live.long.day.

Behold...my sick day, naked-faced, I'm blind-as-a-bat glory.

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I'm hoping tomorrow is a better day. This being sick thing is for the birds. And yeah, I happened to tweet from bed today, but still.

Under The Weather

I've been fighting some kind of bug over the last few days. My throat is sore and I'm incredibly tired; I took a nice long nap yesterday in hopes I'd wake up feeling rejuvenated and energetic, but no such luck. Boo.

Feeling under the weather means that nothing earth-shattering or exciting has happened around these parts lately, but I'm determined to shake this thing and find my groove again. And it helps to drink tea from my new mug. You like?

It's precious, no? When I first saw it, I seriously heard my Momma's voice, reminding me that we only get this one body - honor it. Wise words, indeed. I challenge you this week to pick one "Less/More" and incorporate that into your daily life. Baby steps.

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Unrelated, how crazy is it that April is almost over? It's been such a bizarre Winter/Spring for so many of us, with the crazy rise and fall of temps and delayed showers and thunderstorms. We've had some ridiculously hot and muggy weather lately, but it rained for us over the weekend, which was just perfect for my sick Sunday in bed. Today we are back to sunshine and blue skies - feels like Summer!

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend!

On Again, Off Again

Martinis. I like 'em dirty.

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I have a Love/Hate relationship with sugar and booze. Few things can rival the pleasure of indulging in a slice of moist, chocolate cake, or the satisfaction of enjoying a glass of wine or a stiff cocktail as a knee-jerk response to having "one of those days". I'm a firm believer in positive reinforcement; we should be rewarded with whatever brings us pleasure if we've reached a goal and accomplished something we set out to do. Or you know, survived days ending in "Y".

I've written about my All-or-Nothing personality before; I'm either in, or I'm out (and therein lies the problem). It's been an ongoing struggle with me, and I'm still learning how to find balance---to avoid my posts at opposite ends of the spectrum and just find peace somewhere in between. I like sugar, and I like having a drink every now and then...but sometimes, I like it a little too much, and I am reminded of this when my clothes suddenly feel snug or I wake up feeling "foggy" and gross.

I underwent a huge life overhaul last Fall after a health scare and gave up alcohol and sugar among other things. I ran strong and rode the momentum straight through until the Holidays when my efforts went out the window because, well, that's just self-explanatory. Then in February, I gave up the two again for Lent. And somewhere between then and now, a flip was switched and it has me seeing (and tasting) things differently. Now it's not so much a sacrifice as it is a necessity. Eventually, I'd like for it to be a way of life - effortless and as natural as breathing, because the long-term benefits more than make up for a little bit of hard work, now. Health-wise, I feel fantastic. And I won't lie, the weight-loss is a HUGE motivation factor.

You look good? You feel good. You feel good? You do good.

It's been ten days since the alcohol and sugar ban was lifted; under normal circumstances I'd have indulged myself sick, but this time around, it's a little different. I had a couple of drinks with a girlfriend who was visiting from New York last week, but life, lately? It's alcohol and sugar-free, by choice. The best part of it all is that I've got Phil on board and we're both seeing and enjoying the results. My meat-and-potatoes, beer-loving husband is a changed man and I'm so proud of him for embracing this new lifestyle of ours. Last night I had him eating quinoa, broccoli, tomatoes and baked chicken...and liking it. And that's huge, my friends.

I am probably going to jinx myself by putting this in writing, but my hope is that it will have the opposite effect and at the very least, hold me accountable. Whatever works, right?

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What's your vice?

Shopping Fun (and The One Thing I Hate About Hawaii)

There's not much I can say that I dislike about living here; I love everything about my home-state; this island is beautiful beyond words, I love our simple, beach-y lifestyle, and really...that we can afford to live here is just a blessing. But if there is one thing I absolutely loathe about Hawaii, it's gotta be the bugs. Specifically, these:

{via}

Meet The Cane Spider. On average, these spiders are the size of a CAN OF TUNA FISH. I need to preface this by saying it means nothing to me that cane spiders are considered harmless and "beneficial". I have an irrational fear of spiders and the cane spider is a spider. I don't care that I am a thousand times bigger; I will never, ever, EVER be "ok" with them. Cane spiders live in cane fields but oftentimes find their way into homes and hotels because burning cane fields drive them out - I get that, but they belong in those cane fields and nowhere else. Just setting the stage here...

Sunday was a fun day for us; Phil accompanied me on a trip to the West Side Sunday morning so that I could enjoy a little self-indulgent, frivolous spending (Sephora - HOLLA! and Barnes & Noble). We made our way to the parking garage in Ka'anapali, pulled into a space and just as I was getting out of the car, movement from above caught my eye. A big-ass, CANE SPIDER was crawling about five inches from my face. MY FACE, people. I screamed (any normal person would, right?), gagged a few times and then hurled myself across the seat, on top of my husband and out of the car through his side. You think I'm kidding? I wish I was. Now standing ten feet away, I had to watch Phil "sweep" him out of the car and onto the concrete. And that freakish thing full-on sprinted across the parking lot; I seriously had no idea they were so fast. Phil knows me all too well, and while we're leaving the parking garage and he's laughing, he's also asking if I'm going to be blogging about it. Hell yeah, I am.

I know it's just a spider, but I am seriously traumatized. It's been over 24-hours and I'm still involuntary shuddering when I think about it, aaaaannnnddd, I woke up at 1:00am and could not fall back asleep for two hours because I was convinced there were spiders in our house. :( This whole incident was almost as traumatizing as the time I was shopping in Macy's and a cane spider came crawling out of a dress - no joke. The joys of living in Hawaii.

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I forgot about the spider long enough to enjoy my first trip to the new Sephora store here on Maui (cue the angels). Oh, the damage that can be done! It's so easy to lose track of your spending in there, but I splurged anyway, because it's been awhile since I bought any make-up or skincare products. And also, I survived being attacked by a cane spider only moments before.

The loot (and some new loves)!:

Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream SPF 35

Smashbox HALO Hydrating Perfecting Powder and Brush

Philosophy Mangos & Cream Duo

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel

AmorePacific Treatment Cleansing Foam

Phil was such a trouper - I was in Sephora for almost an hour while he sat at the sidelines playing on his iPhone (thank goodness for smart-phones to entertain sweet husbands), offering his opinions on make-up and fragrance when I needed it. I took pictures of him from behind displays, all creeper-style:

With my goods in tow and after Phil had to talk me into getting back into the car--because it was either that, or we take the bus--we drove to Barnes & Noble, one of my favorite pastimes. I left Phil in the magazine section while I took off to peruse new titles, poke around the gift and stationery section and pick out a new read, because as much as I love reading via Kindle, nothing beats the feeling of a book in your hands with pages to turn.

Another photo of my sweet and so-very patient husband, leafing through magazines:

'Love that guy.

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And lest you all think I'm selfish and yesterday was all about me, we compromised and Phil had his much-loved time out on the water. In the afternoon, I watched and took photos while Phil surfed late-season swell near Ho'okipa. The waves were big, the sets were plenty, and there was a brief window when I watched him fall off his board and get pummeled by wave after wave after wave while I lost my ever-loving mind (fortunately, he made it out alive).

Happiest of Mondays, to you!

P.S. Phil and I carpooled into work today because I am still too afraid to get into my car. ::shudder::

Girl Time

It's been a fantastic (albeit busy) week, juggling work with some long-overdue and much-needed girl time. Sunshine, cocktails and this for a view:

I could get used to days like these!

Cuteness, squared

One of my favorite things about living on Maui are the green sea turtles that can be found peppering the shores of our beaches. They heave their enormous shells up onto the sand, basking in the warm sunshine while gentle waves roll up on shore, keeping their underbellies moist. Even-tempered and chill, they can nap for hours, oblivious to tourists and beachcombers who gather in semi-circles to marvel at their presence...including my friend's dog, who greets the turtles with a sniff and lick. Cuteness, squared:

On a sad note, many of Hawaii's green sea turtles are covered in tumors (like the sweet guy, above) that studies say can be linked to pollution in our waters. So heartbreaking.

Thrice the Luck

This is just a quick, drive-by post (and stream of consciousness) to say Happy Monday and good day, to you! I hope you all had a beautiful Easter weekend that nourished and filled your soul with His word. Our weekend was lovely - just too short (story of my life).

Ladybugs! I was tagged three times yesterday while playing in a grassy field (FYI - ladybugs bite; this is how they made their presence known!); once we were aware of these three, we noticed they were everywhere. Apparently, it's mating season and we were spoiling the mood. :) Did you know that ladybugs are a sign of good luck? Surely that means a good week is on the horizon, no? I like to think so.

Back in a bit...

The Passion

Good Friday.

{via}

To those who observe, have a blessed Easter.

Mindless Entertainment: 4 Commercials That Never Get Old

As a self-proclaimed over-analyzer and in my constant search for meaning, sometimes, it's just nice to sit down on the couch and be entertained by mindless entertainment and humor. The kind of humor that has me laughing until my sides ache, I'm struggling to see through tears and rewinding the commercial as many times as it takes until I can get Phil to agree that it really is as funny as I say it is. More often than not, he's laughing at ME and not necessarily the commercial. But that's okay too, because laughter is a good thing.

This humor isn't for everyone, but here are four, short commercials I can watch over and over again. I laughed (by myself) when I went looking--and found them--on YouTube:

Happy Wednesday. Enjoy!

Not My Finest Moment

Phil dutifully reads this blog, so this post is two-fold: it is an extension of my apology (we made up last night) and still, my way of sharing how you, too, can succeed at being a mean wife! Okay, I'm kidding. While that is never my goal, I'm only human and sometimes I fall short.

Without going into detail, I had a craptastic less than ideal day yesterday. I had already begun to give Phil a synopsis of my day in the parking lot while leaving work, but by the time we got home, I was worked up all over again after having rehashed all of the day's low-points (Note to self: Seriously? SO unproductive, Ang). And here is where I share my secret on the fastest way to ruin an evening: pick a fight with your spouse---the spouse who had just spent an hour listening to your maniacal tirade--about the dumbest thing you can think of, raise your voice because it is the very thing that you abhor, slam things around in the kitchen and serve up dinner at almost 9:00pm.

Poor Phil. It took me ten minutes of quiet brooding before the fog lifted and I realized the error of my ways. I offered my heartfelt apology and fortunately, was forgiven. Married life. With me, it's grand! :)

{Thank you, Phil, for loving me even when I am being a bee-hatch.}

Meet me at Sunset (and bring snacks)

Late Sunday afternoon found Phil and I barefoot on a beach in Makena with an unobstructed view of Molokini in the distance. We arrived about an hour prior to sunset and lugged our camera gear across an intimate cove where promises of love are declared daily; this beach in particular is prime location for hundreds of wedding ceremonies and couples who hope to preserve the memory of their nuptials with a perfect photo of the infamous Maui sunset. But that day, the sky hovered above us like a gray canvas waiting expectantly for the hands of an artist; I had my doubts that we'd catch one of those awe-inspiring sunsets I wax on about relentlessly here on the blog, but I was also anxious to see what our luck might bring.

I stood at the shore watching the lazy, foam-crested waves approach, inching forward and hugging me at my ankles before withdrawing again - a romantic dance between the sea and me:

We waited for the sunset in the damp heat, hoping for a breeze that might sweep away the mugginess of the evening. We waited while I was bitten nine times (I counted) by the hungry mosquitoes out in full force. And we waited while I went to town on those bites, scratching at my skin and feeling my mood plummet.

I complained. I sighed. And I didn't even flinch when my husband called me his "little crab apple" because he knew I had long ago reached the point where I was now Hangry (hungry + angry). He is a smart man, because not once did he use it against me that I had made the dumb decision earlier in the day to skip both breakfast and lunch and opt for two Fuji apples, instead (I have horrific eating habits, I know).

But then it happened.

The skies parted and the sun made her appearance just in time to ease quickly but gracefully out of sight. I watched quietly---humbly--while the flat light of the sky transitioned to a tangerine dream:

The added bonus was watching the sun descend not just in the horizon, but dipping beneath the clouds and directly behind Molokini:

Patience is a virtue. Amen.

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We went to dinner afterwards. I ordered what I always do: the Asian Pear Arugula pizza. It was the bomb.

April Fools. And Why I'm Not in More Photos.

Wow...April 1st, already?

I am happy to report that I successfully made it through today without falling for any of the standard April Fools' jokes from years past. You know the ones from close friends who decide to announce their pregnancies or their broken marriages via Facebook all on the same day (So-and-So went from being "Married" to "Single" actually elicited a frantic phone call from me to a friend last year)? Yeah. I'm one of the few that actually fall for that.

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As my reward for surviving the month of March, I gave myself a reprieve from (nearly) all forms of responsibility and obligation which resulted in a fantastic 3-day weekend. I stayed up late. I slept-in until at least 9:30 a.m. (all three days!). I went shopping on Friday. And Saturday. I gave myself a manicure and painted my nails a glorious shade of green while watching mindless television. I watched a brilliant and magnificent sunset (it was one of the good ones) from the South side. And perhaps the hi-light of my weekend? I didn't cook once. It was a weekend of leftovers and meals out, rounding up Sunday evening with a double-date at Monkeypod Kitchen with close friends. It was a good weekend (albeit slightly gluttonous), all around.

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I received an email last week from a reader who asked why I'm not in more photos here on my blog. Up until then, I thought I was being all stealthy; a majority of my posts are laden with colorful images of Hawaiian landscapes, floral and fauna that surely, it would go unnoticed my husband's mug is on here more than mine, right? Ha--notsomuch. The truth is, I am much more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it, so it seems only natural I'd choose to share bits and pieces of our lives through images as seen through my eyes. Well, that and the fact that I'm an expert at self-flagellation and loathe having my photo taken if I don't have complete control over it (don't even get me started on "tagging" photos over Facebook. Tag me in an otherwise unflattering photo of myself and I will remove it quickstyle - like a NINJA). However. If I am being honest with myself, I would have to admit that some of my favorite blogs to read are ones where I feel a deeper connection with the author because I get to peek into their personal lives via photos of them. It's a weird realization, but one that really comes as no surprise since it is an innate desire for human beings to want to connect with one another.

You give to me, so I want to give to you. As for the self-critic in me that is too busy passing judgement? I'm gonna keep her in check. I'd like to make a bit more of an effort to get in on the snap-happy camera action by way of self-portraits. Or camera-timers. Or at the hands of others. I'm going to NOT take myself so seriously:

Booyah.

Welcome to April. May the force be with you.