Aloha! I’m back from my digital detox which, as it happens, I took on Maui!
What a fabulous trip. We have been to Maui several times, the last one being in 2016, and it was interesting to see that it has changed very little from that time. The two main changes I noticed were that every single restaurant or eatery had a sign saying that they were short staffed – and there were many radio commercials about hiring opportunities all over the island – and that since October of last year, only mineral, rather than chemical, sunscreen is allowed on Maui. This is wonderful news for the coral reefs, of course, but also? I hope someone soon comes up with a mineral sunscreen that doesn’t feel like those neon zinc sticks that you would see on the noses of Australian lifeguards in the 80s. Mineral sunscreen, with its white streakiness and heavy feel, is not my favourite, but I love the fish and turtles and other ocean creatures, so I’m happy to comply.
Honestly, the whole trip was my Favourite Thing; it was our first big family trip since before the pandemic, and in my mind there is the possibility that this could be our last big family trip, at least for a while. My yoga ladies, discussing this with me, pointed out that as long as you’ll pay, they’ll go, which I’m sure is true, but timing and life might get in the way. In any case, it was a wonderful trip – definitely our last big spring break trip – with lots of great family time, sunshine, and ocean. What more could I ask for?
The re-entry to Regular Life has been a bit rough; we flew in on the red-eye, getting in at 7:00 am on Tuesday, in addition to being exhausted it’s been a scramble getting groceries, picking up Rex, getting organized with life, and remembering how to dress for below zero temperatures. Also, I currently have, according to my blog reader, 158 unread posts, so I have some catching up to do. In the meantime, I have to mention a few of my specific Favourite Things from paradise.
Nicole’s Favourite Things: The Here Today, Gone To Maui Edition
Fruit Is Nature’s Candy
Probably ten or fifteen years ago, there was a trend called the 100 Mile Diet, meaning that a person should strive to eat food that was produced within 100 miles of wherever they currently reside, mostly for environmental reasons. Well. As a person who lives in Calgary, if I did this then during the winter I would be Laura Ingalls in the Long Winter, eating nothing but bread and a single potato each day, and maybe, for excitement, some old cabbage. I have many, many issues with this kind of smug and judgy diet, which inevitably is created by someone living in California or some other gorgeous climate with lots of year-round produce. One such issue is that it has been proven that greenhouse-grown produce in cold climates use much more non-renewable resources than do trucked-in produce, so fuck you, 100 Mile Diet. However! When I am in a place like Maui, I feel like I COULD happily partake in such a diet because OMG THE FRUIT. The fruit! It’s all so good, being so close to the source. A pineapple that has travelled from afar in the winter just does not taste the same as those island-ripened prickly queens, and so I enjoyed delicious fruit each morning with my coffee, watching the sky brighten in the early hours.
Things Are Getting Skechy
In my youth I would sacrifice comfort for fashion, when it came to footwear, but I have no time for that now. Life is too short and too fun to wear uncomfortable shoes, but also, I want my comfy footwear to be cute too. I love Skechers; they consistently fit me well and I like how they look.
Every morning on Maui I would go on long walks, breathing in the ocean air and appreciating the palm trees and flowers everywhere. We stayed in South Kihei, which is a really active-in-the-morning place – EVERYONE is walking or running – so it’s pretty fun for people watching, as well as nature enjoying. I saw many yoga classes on the grounds of the fancy Wailea hotels, and thought hey, I could totally teach that. I would see couples taking photos of each other and I’d offer to take one of the two of them. One morning – at 8:30 on a Monday – I saw a wedding on the beach. I love my daily constitutionals – to borrow a term from my afore-mentioned ladies – and taking them alongside the ocean was just incredible.
In addition to these comfortable and cute walking shoes, I took these Skechers slide-on sandals for the beach and pool. Look at the sparkles!
Speaking of sandals, I also brought a pair of Skechers that were more appropriate for walking when I didn’t want the bulk of an actual shoe. They are so cushiony and strappy at the same time; I wore them when we went out for meals, and for our shopping trip to Lahaina, where I found a HAWAIIAN CHRISTMAS STORE at which I purchased two personalized ornaments, and then the shopkeeper actually said Mele Kalikimaka to me, and my life is now complete.
What, you can’t see the sandals? Yes, well. I thought I had a photo of them, but it turns out the only ones with my feet in them were group photos, so I did a little cropping. As an aside, that dress is a workhorse. I bought it in 2012, it’s from Prana, a yoga-wear brand which may be defunct, and it has a shelf bra. We all know how I feel about a shelf bra. Anyway, here are the sandals, tiny though this photo may be.
A long while ago, Suzanne (HI SUZANNE) posted about things she wished she liked; my comment to that was that while there are a lot of things I dislike, there isn’t anything that I WISH I liked. I am taking this opportunity to amend that comment. Flip flops. Flip flops are so cute, they are everywhere, and oh my god, the thought of having something between my toes makes those toes curl up and I start doing involuntary Kegels. I just cannot do it. I have been like this my whole life; putting flip flops on me is like putting boots on Rex. It is an unnatural thing and we cannot walk or even move under those conditions. I even have to do deep ujjayi breathing when I’m getting a pedicure and the esthetician puts toe separators on to do my polish.
You Can Leave Your Hat On
Even the heavy-duty sunscreen is no match for Maui sunshine, and so I wore a hat on my walks and while reading outside. This is not just for vanity reasons – I don’t want to look like an apple doll – but also for melanoma-prevention reasons. I wore this cute sporty hat from lululemon on my walks:
I also brought this ADORABLE, foldable hat that I bought on a whim from amazon, which ended up being the perfect travel hat. It has a wire brim which is easily reshaped after being mushed in a suitcase or beach bag. It also has a chin strap to keep it from flying off on windy days, of which we had few.
Hair Baby, There Mama
I didn’t have my hat on all the time, though! The boys taught me to body surf and boogie board, and you guys, it is SO fun. My husband said the whole time, I was laughing and smiling, especially when a big wave would carry me far up the beach.
It’s a family photo! Can you see?
Anyway, all that salt water and sun could have wreaked havoc on my hair, but it didn’t, because I used this:
I love Bumble and Bumble products generally, but this is beyond amazing. I think it really helped with sun damage – after twelve days of sun and salt water, my hair does not look like orange straw, which is a victory in itself. It’s pretty pricey, even for this tiny bottle, but the big Sephora sale starts next week, so I think I’m going to buy more in the larger size. We travelled only with carryon luggage – I will NEVER again check luggage, mark my words, the freedom of walking off the plane and not waiting for or worrying about luggage is glorious – and so this little trial bottle was worth the per-milliliter expense.
Outfit of the Month
I love getting dressed in warm climates. It’s SO easy. Maui is such a casual place that you can wear a swimsuit and cover-up to the grocery store and no one bats an eye. This is my favourite cover-up, it’s a cute little dress with pockets!
A word about swimsuits: up until about eight years ago, I was a big fan of the tiny bikini. It was around the time I turned forty that I realized that string bikinis were no longer suitable for a couple of reasons: a) my breasts resemble droopy water balloons that have sprung a leak, and b) the boys were at an age where I was no longer comfortable around them or their friends whilst in a state of extreme scanty-cladness. As well, I have enjoyed water sports with them as they have gotten older and more active, and let me tell you, a small bikini is a recipe for wardrobe malfunctions. I am still a two-piece suit fan for using-the-washroom purposes, but my bikinis have a lot more coverage and support. This is my new favourite:
Of the four bikinis I packed, I was surprised that this single-strapped one ended up being the best for boogie boarding and body surfing. It must be noted that my younger son looked at me strangely and said “Mom, are you wearing a BELT to the beach?” Yes, it does indeed have a belt attached, which feels silly but looks kind of cute.
I feel so fortunate that, after three years of cancellations and disappointments and general angst, we were able to take this trip. There are a lot of big changes coming to the Boyhouse, and this trip was what I needed to centre myself, to be present, and to really appreciate my family and my life. How lucky. xo
First off, you are adorable. I love all of the outfit pics! This post brings back wonderful memories of my honeymoon in Maui. We were there for about 9 days and it was glorious! We stayed north of Lahaina in Napili Bay and it was amazing. We alternated beach days with days of adventure (hiking, snorkeling tour, etc). I am glad you had a great last potential hurrah as a family. I am sure there will be more trips in the future but they are trickier to plan, especially when kids are in college and their spring breaks don’t line up. I never took a big trip with my family as it just wasn’t possible with 5 kids… but it’s definitely something we want to do with our boys as they get bigger. I look forward to the stage of life when travel with kids is really fun. We are still in that stage where travel is generally worth it, but still a lot of work! Although next week I am traveling to AZ with Paul who is 5 and I am super excited as he’s at such a great age!
Oh, that is such a pretty area!
Have so much fun! Five is such a fun age!
I was excited for you, just reading this! I understand the feeling of it possibly being the last family trip. Ours was to Utah/Arizona/Vegas in 2011. BUT, we are hoping to do one again next year, which will now include our in-law children and our grandkids!
We went to Maui in 2016, too! We stayed at two of the fancy hotels in Wailea (one was at our own expense and the other was part of a business group trip). It was a dream. YES! The fruit! And they served guava juice, which I’d never had before. By any chance, did you go to Coconuts Fish Cafe in Kihei? The best fish tacos, ever!
I’m a huge fan of Skechers. It’s like not wearing shoes, they are so comfortable. I love your black swimsuit. I’ve been wearing tankini styles because even though I’m slim, nobody wants to see my belly button these days🤣
You are beautiful and living life! Glad you were finally able to go. I’m living vicariously through you.
We did go to Coconuts! I don’t eat meat so I had the veggie tacos, but my husband had the fish tacos and liked them. I think the veggie tacos are better at Fred’s though!
Skechers are the best! So comfy and also cute!
It is crazy how hard it is to coordinate a family trip as kids get older. My sister and I used to go visit my aunt and uncle every year when we were teenagers and we did it for the last time when I was sixteen or so and then we could just never coordinate the schedules to work again. Even if someone was paying for it, I’m not sure I could just take off for a week, you know?
Anyway! I’m so excited that you had this trip. It looks like it was the perfect combo of relaxing and fun activities. And so much quality family time – what great memories you made!
We are sandal opposites. I love to have my big toe separated because otherwise I feel like my toes are all squished together and I want them to breathe!!!! But it’s irrelevant for me right now because I won’t be able to wear sandals or flip flops for months and months. *sigh* Spring is not my favorite season!
Yes, I think it will be very hard to coordinate schedules after this year. But, who knows! Never say never!
You’re back! Hooray!!! Sounds like a fantastic vacation and I’m so glad it happened and that you had such a nice time!!!
My family just returned from spring break with my parents — and last year, my brother and his wife were with us as well — so I can attest to the fact that family vacations CAN still happen!
I love your strappy sandals and your hats, and the rainbow tank in your first hat photo, and your polka dot bikini. I am puzzled by a bikini bottom belt, but who am I to deny FASHION?! It is very cute.
Yay for family time! I’m so glad you were able to have a nice spring break too!
The bikini bottom belt is attached to the bottoms but yes, it is a bit puzzling!
I am so very happy for you guys to have a (hopefully not) last big family vacation together!! You look adorable in that one piece bikini and the navy sundress. I will need to look for that hat on amazon, as skin cancer is a big concern for me as well.
Oh, it’s such a great hat! You never know with amazon, I think, but it worked out well!
I love this! So glad you had a great vacation with your fam!
Now we have proof we are not the same person: I LOVE things between my toes. I almost exclusively wear sandals with toe things (otherwise I feel insecure in them, like they’ll fall off any moment), and I even have gel toe separators that I wear at the end of the day to realign my feet and I think they feel amazing! Don’t google them or even the photos might make you cringe, they really stretch your toes apart. 😅
Oh, I have some of my students who wear “yoga toes” and they love them! To me, that seems like the descent into hell. Ahhhhh my toes are curled up just thinking about it! And those shoes that have separate toes, that are supposed to be really great for your feet? I could never!
Those are a bridge too far! I’ve got Morton’s neuroma in my left foot and spreading my toes out relieves some of that pain, I think that’s probably a large part of it.
Oh, that makes so much sense!
It sounds like you had a wonderful vacation, and you picked the perfect time to get away from the snow and cold weather. I have to admit that I’m envious of the fresh fruit most of all! We went to Hawaii (the big island) once, and they even had fresh pineapple at McDonalds! I also remember loving the humidity so much!
Thank you for sharing your joy and fun – it made me feel happy to read about it!
The humidity! My hair and skin were so great. Now I’m kind of shrivelled up!
I have been waiting for this post!!! I’ve never been to HI, but it’s on my bucket list. As soon as we’re done with Boy Scouts I’m dragging my husband there.
How happy was Rex when you got back?????
I’m totally with you on toe straps. Just no…the only time that I wear flip flops is on the beach or walking around a pool.
Rex was beside himself when we got back, which was so cute.
Oh, you must go to Hawaii, it’s just paradise!
That fruit! Oh my goodness, I hope you ate some for us. That looked absolutely delicious.
I’d never considered flip flops in that way before, but now that I am…ick. I rarely wear flip flops anymore and prefer wearing slides. Your sandals and outfits were all adorable.
I can tell you had a wonderful time on this trip, taking it all in.
I felt like we were along for the ride. Thank you for bringing us. ❤️
I love slides! They are the best.
I think I ate fruit for ALL OF YOU! Lol!
I don’t think I knew you were heading to Hawaii. How did I miss that? It looks and sounds amazing. I’ve never been to Hawaii and I would love to go. I admit to sitting up in my chair when I read that all the places are hiring. Is it time for me to pack my bags and find work there? No, it is not. Tempting as that may be.
I LOVE sundresses and yours are super cute. I have never tried Sketchers. I might have to check those out the next time I’m in the market for shoes.
I remember when flip flops became popular when I was a kid. I could NOT do the thing between my toes. Nope. I still avoid it. I think it’s in part because I have webbed toes – not my big toe, but the ones next to the big toe. It freaks me out to think of putting something between my toes.
Your bathing suits are so cute. I am all about my tankinis that look like a one piece – the ease of dressing and of using the bathroom make this style the clear winner for me. I’ve joined the kids on boogie boards in Lake Michigan and we end up lauging the entire time.
I guess our last big fam vacation was Vancouver, not counting little weekends away in Michigan. I’m glad this trip worked out for all of you. I’m confident you’ll have other opportunities to travel as a family. Logistics are harder the older they get, no secret.
You didn’t miss a thing – I kept it on the down-low 🙂
Maybe you SHOULD check out all the jobs in Maui!!!
Boogie boarding is just so much fun!
Goodness I missed you. You are just…lovely.
And you make me laugh. Especially when saying things like:
…the thought of having something between my toes makes those toes curl up and I start doing involuntary Kegels.
And:
My breasts resemble droopy water balloons that have sprung a leak.
You look radiant and gorgeous in every single picture and I’m SO GLAD you all got away to Maui. Yay, yay, yay!
And that fruit! We just had an ice storm and I am over winter and…please bring on the fresh fruit?!
Oh, thank you, Elisabeth! It was minus six and foggy when we landed, so it felt like a thud back to reality. No ice storm though!
What a perfect destination away from the frigid temperatures. I’ve been to Maui once – my favorite part was whale watching, did you get to do that? They are SO BIG!! I wonder if the understaffing is for the same reason as big ski towns; the gap between pay and affordable housing is too much. Also, how do they enforce the sunscreen thing? Do they confiscate it at the airport?
We went whale watching in 2012, so probably due to do it again! But not on this trip. I’m not sure about the understaffing – it sure could be an affordable housing thing, or a covid thing, who knows.
As for sunscreen, they don’t confiscate it, but you can’t buy anything but mineral on the island. I guess people could just be bringing their own on the sly, but there are signs everywhere about it.
I love this post! Such cute photos of your wonderful trip! We went to Maui a couple of years ago and it was really lovely. I joined a FB group of things to do on Maui, and everyone talked about how you had to drive up to the top of the volcano for sunrise or sunset, and how you had to drive the road to Hana, and I had a certain sadness that my family wanted to do neither. Sigh. But we were up near Napili Bay, and either of those excursions would have meant lots of driving and so on. Anyway, Maui was lovely and we really enjoyed it. Did you see the huge Banyan tree in Lahaina?
We did see the Banyan tree, we have done that every time we go because it’s really neat. We have gone up the volcano, but not on this trip and not for sunrise or sunset. We also drove the road to Hana – again, not this trip – and I am glad I did it but will NEVER do it again. I’m surprised no one barfed. But it is really pretty, but a long and stressful driving day. Maui is so great! I feel like you can do anything and it’s fun there.
Maui is the best! We went last year and are planning to go next year too. I feel the big family vacation thing deeply, I keep trying to figure out how many trips I can fit in over the next couple of years while my oldest is is high school. It’s definitely bittersweet. I feel like I need the bathing suit and the Amazon Hat!
It’s such a great place to go! The bathing suit was from La Vie En Rose, if you’re interested!
I’m a bit sad that we missed so many trips during the pandemic, but what can you do!
Yay, you’re back! And all the pictures look amazing and you had a great time!
I get the whole family trip thing, as Man-Child and I would always get away somewhere at least once a year and that is now over. Sure, we may do something with his fiancée, but just the two of us? Probably not. So, I’m extra glad that you finally got to have this trip!
I don’t have a problem with flip flops…but I do have a problem with slides. First, I feel like they make my feet look weird (no, I can’t explain it) and second, I’m afraid that I’ll just walk right out of them (this is a legitimate concern since I have actually just walked right out of them in a dirty parking lot).
Oh, that’s neat that you used to travel with just your son! I have never travelled with just the boys – unless you count visiting my parents, which I don’t really count.
Those skies, waves, fruit, YOU… all so gorgeous!!! I’m glad you all had a great time and made memories.
Thanks Maya!
Sounds like a great trip. I’ve only been to Hawaii once, the winter Noah was a baby. It was a few months after 9/11 so flights were cheap and we went for it.
Oh, lovely! Which island did you go to? That’s a long flight with a baby – but I’m sure it was worth it!
Oh, what a great place to go for a digital detox! My girlfriends and I are going to Maui towards the end of the year, and I’m looking forward to the fresh fruits and veggies. I mean we get a lot of fresh fruit and veggies here in SoCal (and the Farmers’ Markets have even more!) — my friend has papayas in his backyard; another friend has a mango tree that bear fruit in her backyard, etc….but there are some fruits and veggies or varieties that can only be had fresh in Hawaii!
I understand the sentiment about a family vacation with the kids growing up. It’s such a bittersweet stage! I’m sure there will be more in the future albeit not as easy to schedule. We had a family trip to Maui many years ago and my son says he won’t mind going there again (we also went to Oahu on that trip — we did the 2 islands — but he doesn’t want to go there again) so we will try to put something together before he gets too busy/unavailable.
I love all your outfits! One of the friends I’m going to Maui with firmly believes that people over a certain age shouldn’t wear 2-piece outfits unless it’s a tankini that basically looks like a one-piece suit with swim shorts or skirt. She said she even puts on a rash guard on top of her tankini! I don’t know how to dress myself when we go to Maui — because I certainly still wear 2-piece swimsuits (but yes, not when my son is with us! Ha!) And I agree about Skechers. I had a pair that I used to climb up a volcano in early 2020 — I want to get another pair because they were so comfortable.
I think 2 pieces are the way to go, and there are so many older women on Maui still rocking the bikini – it’s kind of like that “rule” that you shouldn’t wear your hair a certain length after a certain age. Well, why not? We should wear what we like! I mean, a rash guard is probably a good idea if you’re doing lots of water sports though…
I have never been to Oahu but we were on the big island for our honeymoon, which was really nice.
I am jealous of your fresh fruit and veggies! I have a cousin in SoCal who told me her friend has an avocado tree and is always trying to use up all her avocados, and honestly, that seems like a dream to me!
I completely agree — why would age dictate what one can do??? I never agreed with her very conservative (and judgmental?) views on how people over 40/50 should dress. The few times we’ve gone to a day spa with mud baths and soaking pools included, I wore a one-piece to keep “in-line”. LOL But a week in Maui with her, I’m trying to think what to wear! Ha! I’ll figure it out.
I wish I could grow more fruit and veggies myself. I have attempted various times/ways how to grow fruit/veggies successfully but didn’t have much access until year 2020. It’s a lot of work trying to keep them healthy and bug-free without using chemicals. I got quite a bit of eggplants, cucumbers and tomatoes! It made me so happy seeing MY veggies loaded with fruit! LOL We have killed (accidentally) many apple, lemon, orange, avocado trees in our yard. We have only had minor success with a pomegranate and a fig tree and lots of success with a guava tree.
Oh yes, the insecticides, I guess that would be a bother!
And yes – I have friends who feel similarly to your friend and I disagree vehemently. Of course, there are things that I personally wouldn’t wear but…you do you, is what I think!
You lucky duck!!! What a wonderful trip.
Thanks Erin!
I’ve been to Maui a few times, but am sure the changes would surprise me. Oddly enough while you were in Hawaii I wrote a post about Hawaii and one of its fruits. I feel serendipitous. How did you manage to get all your stuff into only a carry-on? I’d love to try that but hate the idea of being somewhere without what I need.
We are in tune! Ally, I know what you mean about the carryon, and there are two things: a) if you have laundry facilities, it’s easy because you can just pack a few things (I took 4 bathing suits and cover-ups, but they don’t take much room, plus a couple light skirts/ dresses/ shorts), and b) the liquids restriction for planes is a bitch, but I have just come to terms with buying what I need on site if I run out of travel size items. Sunscreen is the biggest bother but you can buy it anywhere, and it is worth not having to wait for and worry about luggage!
Great advice. It’s the sunscreen thing that worries me the most, being a graying blonde with skin that’ll burn if there’s even one ray of sunshine shining. Thanks for answering.
It sounds like an absolutely perfect trip. And your ladies are right. As long as you pay, they’ll go – and I speak from experience! It’s just much harder to coordinate as years go by. That is amazing about the sunscreen rules to protect the reefs nice been using a lovely tinted mineral sunscreen on my face for a year or so and I love it! It takes a few minutes to blend but works so well. But too pricey to use on the rest of the body! I’m also a huge fan of Sketchers. They are so comfortable and wear well. I do however love and live in flip flops whenever the weather is warm.
I tried a few of the mineral sunscreens they had available, and all of them were a pain to spread on my entire body – worth it for the coral, but still, a pain. Skechers are the best!
Oh, Maui! My husband and I went there before we were married (so, many, many years ago.) Yes, i remember the fruit- we at an entire pineapple every day we were there.
I totally agree about flip flops- I hate them! And I live in Florida where everyone wears them all the time. Those Skechers sandals are really cute- I’m going to see if they’ll work for my “difficult” foot. Wearing running shoes all the time is getting old.
It sounds like you had a great trip, and you look amazingly cute. You can definitely still pull off the bikini!
The Skechers sandals – and I have a lot of them – are really cushy and supportive so maybe they’d work for your foot? Maybe…
I’m so thrilled that you and your sweet family FINALLY got away to a sunny spot for vacation. Much deserved.
I love all your outfits, the photos, the fun, the bathing SUIT is the cutest ever. Where did you get the one-shoulder suit from?
I’ve never been to Hawaii, (the Caribbean is so close for us) it looks like the perfect trip for your family.
It’s so great you are so close to the Caribbean! We aren’t really close to anything – the closest is Cabo, which is 3 1/2 hours.
The suit is from La Vie En Rose, which is Canadian but I’m sure they’d ship to the US!
SOO fun! And beautiful! I’ve never been to Hawaii, but it’s on my (long) list of places to go. 🙂 I love reading about anything related to your kids as you’re just a bit ahead of me… I’m already thinking about travel and what relatively short time we have left with our boys here to travel with us!! wahhh. Hoping they’ll still want to go with us when they get older, but it just gets hard logistically I think to make it work once everyone goes in different directions! A family we’re friends with just went on their first ever spring break trip where their oldest wasn’t with them (he is a freshman in college and went to spring break somewhere with his friends instead… ), so it was just the two younger kids + the parents. SAD.
Logistics will definitely be tricky – older kids are so much easier to travel with than younger ones, but their schedules are so much harder!
Going to Hawaii is the DREAM! I’m glad you were able to go with the boys and have this “one last hurrah” with them. Although, I hope it is not the one last hurrah and there will be more family vacations in the future! If it’s a priority for the boys, they will make it happen! I know everything gets trickier when kids grow up. <3
You can't grow up in Florida and not appreciate flip-flops, haha. We wear them year-round! I do love your sandals, though! I've been wearing my fake Birkenstocks everywhere and I love that they give me tons of support, but it would be nice to have some other options. I just know I need to spend good money on supportive sandals and I keep putting off the purchase.
Fruit! I always take for granted how easy I can get fruit year-round. I'm glad you got to enjoy it during your vacation.
It was such a great trip! I do hope we will have more in the future.
Yes, you are so lucky in Florida! Fruit all the time! I mean, we get fruit here too, but it’s different when it’s been on a truck for days…
Yay, Maui. I mean, really. You cannot beat that in a Calgary winter!
OMG, that FRUIT. Wow. Just, wow. The colors! I imagine it was AMAZING. (And I am ALL CAPS today, apparently…)
I love Skechers and also require comfy, cushioned shoes. What are your walking shoes? I cannot do sandals – long story – so won’t ask about those (yes, I wear shoes on the beach…).
And, you may be happy to know that we have continued family trips every few years even into adulthood, and now with my niblings, who are in their late teens/early 20s. It’s not every year and oh, it takes planning and patience, but it is SO worth it. 🙂 I hope it happens for you – if you want it too – as well.
Thanks Anne, it was such a wonderful trip and I do hope there will be others down the road. We will just have to see!
Those Skechers are part of the Go Walk line and they are so cushy and comfortable!
Enjoyed reading your trip report very much! What a magical place! Would love one day to visit with my family, definitely is on my list.
Thanks Daria, it is truly paradise!
What a fabulous family trip, Nicole. You look amazing in every single photo (no friendship flattery here, just the honest truth!).
I chuckled about the 100 mile diet, because now that I live in California, almost everything is available year-round (and when I talk to my mom about recipes, e.g. vegetable soup and she says ‘use what’s in season’, I laugh and say ‘everything’s in season’ LOL).
I have and use and LOVE the BB hairdresser’s oil. It’s amazing. I first bought the travel size (which is amazing for travel) but now refill it from the big bottle. It’s worth it!
I also have one of those Prana dresses – they’re true workhorses (although I wish I had it in black and not just in a Hawaii-approrpriate color (yellow/orange/white).
You have a Prana dress too!!! We are style twins for sure.
California is such a cool place. Everything being in season all the time, I can’t even imagine. My cousin has a friend with an avocado tree and she is like “I don’t know what to do with all these avocados!” What a great problem to have.