livin' the HI life: grateful for hidden trails

Thursday, March 28, 2013

grateful for hidden trails

it's not always easy for me to wake up by 6am every morning. and it's really not easy to wake up by 6am when you go to bed at 1am the night before. some things are just weird like that.

monday was one of those weird days. i basically woke up just in time to get ready to go to work. but since brandon didn't have to work that day, we decided to workout together when i got off of work...got it? me work, brandon no work, so workout, after work. whew!! now that all that work confusion is out of the way...

today's thankful thursday is for the beauteous hiking opportunities right in our backyard...

instead of jogging down the boring same 'ol road together, we decided to switch up our workout by taking advantage of the mountainous terrain - up to the laie water tank! what could be more enjoyable than muddy paths and rancid sewer plants, combined with jello legs and sweat-drenched attire? oh yeah, bebe.

intense poo-filled aromas aside, we had tons of fun. i honestly think that being one with nature, away from buildings, cars, and people is probably the best avenue to de-stress and unwind. it was also a great way to enjoy a FREE and HEALTHY date so brandon & i could connect and spend real quality time alone together.

a while back we also "tricked" the kids into hiking. we were pretty proud parents that day.

usually we plan on going to costco or walmart and stocking up for the week, but that saturday we had no such plans. we actually didn't know what to do with ourselves that day, and sometimes you just can't stare at a screen (computer, phone, tv, even movie) any longer. so we quickly packed a backpack with snacks and sandwiches and found shoes to put on the kids (yup, close-toed shoes....that never happens.). then off we trekked to spend our day hiking up the laie falls trail. surprisingly, the kids didn't complain once about walking for hours. for all they knew, they were on a nature walk and exploring each step filled with rocks and bugs and wonder.

i'm grateful that i have opportunities such as these to enjoy being outside and away from the world. i'm grateful that we have unblemished, year-round, safe trails so close to home that we can take advantage of. i'm grateful that we have the option to save money and be active at the same time being outdoors in clean, fresh air. and most of all i'm grateful to share these changes of scenery with my hubby and my children - and that they also enjoy it with me.

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some stuff...

for those of you who may not know much about our family...this one's for you:

1. where are you from?

brandon grew up in kahuku, while i grew up just a few minutes away in laie.

2. so you must have known each other growing up, right?

not quite. although we grew up in adjoining towns, we had no idea that the other even existed! brandon graduated from kahuku high school in 1995, while i graduated from kamehameha in 1999. the only thing we had in common during those days was that my older brother, tane, was brandon's classmate. how funny is that?

3. when did you get married?

we were married & sealed for time and all eternity in the laie, hawaii temple on november 3, 2005.

4. where do you work?

brandon works at the polynesian cultural center and has worked there since june 2005. he is a musician for the canoe show, ali'i luau, and night show.

i work at brigham young university-hawaii as a financial aid supervisor and have been in that department since january 2005. i help students find money to fund their college education.

5. how many children do you have?

three, and they are definitely a handful! our children are the lights of our lives and we are trying to take things one day at a time. but we hope to give them a playmate or two in the future...ya never know!

6. who cares for them while you are at work?

my mother in law watches nahe & linohao in kahuku. and ahonui attends laie elementary school.

7. what do you do in your free time?

if i could wish for more of something, it would have to be that - free time! brandon enjoys getting in his gym-time and practicing his guitar. i love to cook and read...and weirdly enough, cleaning our place actually relaxes me.

8. favorites?

tv shows:

brandon is a non-stop learner. he likes watching the discovery, history, and national geographic channels...but if the UFC is on - forget the rest - he'll be watching the fight.

i am such a girl when it comes to tv. my all-time favorites are "friends" and "seinfeld", although thanks to netflix, i have recently found an addiction to the "gilmore girls". i also LOVE the food network. too bad i can't cook like those peeps...

movies:

ocean's eleven, mean girls, pursuit of happyness, the notebook, count of monte cristo...the usual chick flick classics...brandon's favorite movie is black hawk down. but i think anything with action and/or comedy is cool with him. hehehe.

music:

brandon loves hawaiian, r&b, soul, and jazz music. i'm into almost anything that soothes me, like sade, stevie wonder, miles davis, 'ol school slow jamz & 90's rap. don't hate.

9. plans of moving?

nope. i have never been happier here in laie, hawaii and i'm sure brandon feels the same. if we could stay here for the rest of our lives, i'd be a lucky duck. who wouldn't want to raise their children in the same place they grew up?

i may add or update this information on us from time to time depending on the demand. but if you have any other pressing questions that you would like to know - hollaback!