I went through a phase a few years ago where I painted half of our furniture white. Don’t get me wrong, I still love white, but one of my goals is to get more comfortable with color. I am still working on putting together Lily’s room, and I thought her dresser would be a great place to introduce both some color and texture.

This is actually the dresser that I had when I was a little girl, so it’s a piece that definitely has some nostalgia for me. Since Lily’s room has a lot of soft tones, I thought I would try a color that still worked with her existing room and decor. I went with the color Scandinavian Pink from the Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan. I have been dying to try out Chalk Paint® decorative paint for myself foreeeever, so this piece felt like a good place to start.

One of the reasons this paint is so popular, is because it requires little to no prep work. I have avoided repainting this dresser for so long since I not only painted it with a glossy white paint, but I sealed it with a polycrylic finish too. I have to say, I loved the fact that I was able to get right to work painting and didn’t have to strip or sand the existing paint.

The dresser took about two coats of the Scandinavian Pink paint, and then I used a single coat of Clear Soft Wax. (Annie Sloan also offers fabulous paint brushes too!) It was impressive how quickly the paint dried. Since the paint has very few VOC’s it has virtually no odor. I loved that I was able to paint the dresser right in Lily’s room, and not have to haul it to my garage like I typically do when painting furniture.

If you want a slightly distressed look, you will want to lightly sand right after putting on a single coat of the Clear Soft Wax. (Chalk Paint® decorative paint also offers a dark wax for an antique/vintage look.)

After sanding I added a second coat of wax and allowed the dresser to dry for about 24 hours. Oh my goodness, I so love how it turned out! Lily adores the color pink, and this shade is such a nice salmony pink color.

It’s been several weeks since I finished the dresser. I was worried about painting the hardware since Lily is constantly opening and slamming shut her dresser, but the paint has held up beautifully.

I will definately be using the Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan again. I seriously can’t believe I have been painting time consuming furniture for so long when such a fast and fabulous solution existed!

If you want to learn more about Chalk Paint® decorative paint, you can visit Annie Sloan Unfolded or click on the image below. You can also view the many color options here. A very big thank you to the fabulous crew at  Annie Sloan Unfolded for sending me the paint, wax, and brush to try out!

As you know we have a handicap son who just turned 13. He is the sweetest boy, and we have been absolutely thrilled with his accomplishments both at school and home. One of the things we have been working on is safety.

Since I am home during the day I try to greet him when he returns from school, but I still worry about the rare time I may be running late or stuck in traffic. Since it is really hard for Matthew to use a traditional key, we decided we needed a touch-pad lock on our front door in case he ever comes home when I am not here yet.

This is the Yale Real Living™ touchscreen deadbolt. It retails for around $200 on Amazon HERE , and comes in several different finishes and styles.

We tried out several different models, but the Yale touchscreen was by far the easiest for our kids to use. You can program a code with as many numbers as you like, so we choose our own code that our son could remember. I also love that when we are leaving the house, all we have to do is hold our fingers on the touch pad for a few second to lock the door behind us. You don’t even have to enter the code to lock the door.

Another great feature is that the  Yale Real Living™ deadbolt can be integrated seamlessly with your existing home control and security system. This is a fabulous option if you want to lock or unlock your door right from your smartphone.

I really believe touchscreen and touchpad locks paired with our smartphones will be something we see more of in the near future. In fact, we are ordering a second lock for my parents to put at their vacation cabin. No more trading and sharing keys, wahoo!

If you want to learn more, Yale makes a huge variety of locks and styles that you can view online here. A very big thank you to Yale for sending me this lock to try out!

If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you know that we have been on a serious Hawaiian family vacation for the last two weeks.

Holy moly, do I have jet lag. Not complaining at all, we really had a fabulous break from reality.

Before I share some of our favorite activities and adventures, I wanted to share one of my favorite tech devices that I took with me.

We had two flights totaling over six hours of flying, so I was thrilled to have the Kingston Wi-Drive MobileLite with me on our trip.

The Kingston MobileLite Wireless is a fabulous tool when traveling as it has so many useful tools.

First, It works as a portable card reader so you have unlimited access to all of your data, anywhere you are. You can use it with your USB Flash drive, or your SD storage devices to access your videos, music, photos, files and more. My parents currently live in Hawaii, so this awesome to use on our trip as it allowed me to immediately share photos with Grandma and Grandpa.

I also used the MobileLite as a backup device when my digital cameras SD card got full. I was able to easily download all of my images to a Kingston USB drive that can easily be inserted into the MobileLite. It’s also a fabulous device for allowing others to share files and images with you!

Another favorite feature, is the ability to put video files on the MobileLite. Since it has wireless wi-fi, up to three different users can view and watch the videos while traveling. I purchased two new movies for my kids to watch on our flight, so instead of having to download each video to their individual iPods, I just put the video files on the MobileLite and my kids were able to wirelessly stream the movies to their devices. Um… that’s freaking amazing! My kids didn’t even have to watch the same movie either. They could totally pick and choose the file they wanted to watch through the Wi-Drive app.

I haven’t even told you about my favorite feature yet.. .ready for this?!? The MobileLite ALSO works as a charging device. When my iPhone battery started to dwindle, I used the MobileLite to charge it up not once, but TWICE during our travels. Seriously, it is amazing how many things this little beauty can do.

The Kingston MobileLite Wireless retails for $69.99, and can be purchased from Amazon, go HERE.

Goodness, I almost want to go on vacation again just so I can use it!

Thanks Kingston for sending me the MobileLite to try out… it was a lifesaver while traveling with four kids!

Twenty bucks was a total score, but let’s be honest. Even at full price, this is a great price for such a large basket.

I had the perfect idea for it too. Since living on the east coast I am an avid recycler. (Note to all Utahns: you need to recycle more. There, I said it.)

Anywho, we were using an ugly old plastic garbage can in our kitchen to throw recyclables in, and this was a much cuter solution.

Of course, within like two minutes, my kids were throwing all kinds of non-recyclable trash inside, so it needed a nice little reminder.

I used the new Cricut Cartridge called Brooklyn. It’s seriously my favorite cartridge right now.

The image actually  comes in this adorable trio, but I wanted to make a pennant flag with the words separate, so I actually printed it out on vinyl three times.

I adhered the vinyl on chipboard flags, and gave each side two coats of Mod Podge just so it would be waterproof.

Ta-da! I seriously have the cutest recycling  container in town.

So much better than an old plastic dirty trash can!

Now go forth friends, and cute-ify your waste receptacles!

(You totally know you want to.)

I’ve shared my craft space, and now I am just itching to share with you the rest of our downstairs family room. First, here’s a little peek at a play area I am trying to get organized for the kids.

It needed a little personality, so I am working on a few framed pieces, and I thought would share the first one with you today.

I used an old frame, my Cricut with some vinyl, an old map, Mod Podge, scissors, and a sponge brush.

The first thing I did was fill the frame with a piece of the map. Then I cut out with my Cricut one of my favorite travel quotes in white vinyl.

I ended up placing the letters on my map one at a time instead of using transfer paper. It took a little longer, but I like how it turned out.

I felt like it still needed a little pizazz, so I ended up cutting the same pattern with yellow, and then layered the lettering in a few sporadic places.

(Side note: turquoise fingernails totally encourage creativity.)

(Additional side note: I always need to use my spell check when attempting to spell  the word turquoise.)

In case you can’t tell what the lettering says, it reads: I wish by brain had a map to tell me where my heart should go.

Awww. So sweet!

To give the map a glossy sealed look, I then added two thin layers of Mod Podge.

After about an hour of drying it was ready to display!

This is a super fast and easy project. I used a vintage map, but you could totally buy a new one at a gas station, or even use one from a recent vacation.  Here are some other great quotes you could use instead:

Wherever you go, go with your heart.

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.

Still time to change the road you’re on.

May the road rise with you.

Life is a journey, and only you hold the maps.

Not all who wander are lost.

It’s never too late to change your path.

Somewhere between here and there I found you.

A man travels the world over in search of what he needs, and returns home to find it.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

Goodness gracious, I love maps. May they never, ever, ever go out of style…

While at the SNAP Conference, I had the opportunity to learn about a great new family oriented website, called FamilyShare. FamilyShare is a website created to cover a broad range of topics like family values, finance, health, fitness, education, and much more. Besides having on-staff writers, FamilyShare allows members to post questions to the group, enabling them to receive a broader range of advice and instruction.

One of my favorite categories at FamilyShare is Home Life. I found several beneficial articles, and one specifically that I loved talks about how to decorate your home on a tight budget. It’s called Creativity Without Cash and can be found HERE. It’s an article giving great tips on shopping sales, using mirrors to enlarge a space, and how to shop your own house for the right piece of furniture.

Another great feature of FamilyShare is the ability to join group discussion boards. The benefit to group boards is that you can share your thoughts, opinions, and give advice to those seeking help on anything from relationships to a home improvement project. I love that FamilyShare strives to encourage interaction amongst its community.

If you want to learn more about FamilyShare, you can find them online HERE. Also, be sure to check out their Facebook page for additional tips and resources.

Thanks FamilyShare for asking me to try out this awesome new website! (Disclaimer: I was financially compensated for my time reviewing this site. All opinions are my own.)

Happy Friday everyone!

I had the opportunity to shoot/attend the SNAP Conference at Thanksgiving Point last week. Um, yeah, it was amazing. I learned so much about making my blog not only look better, but feel better too! I can’t wait to start implementing a few changes in the next few weeks. If you are a blogger and want to get an idea of what the conference is all about, view the images above, or visit SNAP online HERE.

Here’s a few of my conference highlights:

-Meeting and mingling with so many favorite bloggers, and meeting new faces too!

-Learning all about Google, and how it benefits blogging.

-Meeting Bruce Johnson the spokesperson from Minwax. Bruce talked extensively about the proper ways to stain wood. Oh my heck, I learned so much!

-Learning more about blog monetization, and what it means to be a professional blogger.

-Seeing Anna White sitting at the table right next to me at a dinner!

-Hanging out with the crew from Annie Sloan Unfolded. I was able to take a class learning about how to properly apply chalk paint and furniture wax. I will be sharing a great project/tutorial in the next few weeks!

-How to create and share blog printables. I can’t wait to give this a try!

And my absolute favorite moment: We had a big fancy dinner Friday night and sat with a bunch of cute bloggers who all appeared to be in their 20′s. The table discussion lead to everyone talking about how they didn’t eat carbs, all while I sat staring at the bread basket in the middle of the table. It was left totally untouched. The last evening I decided to sit with a bunch of cool bloggers in their 50′s. Not only did we eat the rolls (they were delicious by the way), we also discussed how awesome bread is. I made some really sweet contacts with these older (not old!) experienced blogging women. Yeah, it was awesome.

Be sure to watch the entire video, and enter the sweeps contest at the end!

Sweeps rules:

http://www.blogher.com/hair-sweepstakes-official-rules-week-7

Prizes & Promotions page on Blogher.com:

https://www.blogher.com/blogher-tv-weekly-hair-style-sweepstakes

The Box is is a new storage cube with awesome stacking capabilities. My absolute favorite part is that it has a door to hide inevitable clutter. Love it! The Box has the same sleek modern design that all Way Basics products boast as well.

Like all Way Basics products, the Box is lightweight, yet very durable, and  the tool-free assembly makes putting it together a snap.

The Box comes in 6 awesome colors, can be accessorized with cool little wheels, and totally mixes and matches as well. Love that bright blue!

I picked out two Boxes for my office and I love them! We have a lot of open shelving but not much when it comes to concealed storage.

They fit perfectly in this little nook, and I value how they keep larger items hidden that I don’t use everyday.

Thanks Way Basics for sending me two Boxes to help keep my office both stylish and organized! To learn more about the Box and other fabulous Way Basics products, go HERE.

It’s time for another podcast! Woot! Woot! (Podcast player above… iTunes syncing soon)

The adorable Mandy from MS Imperfect Designs talked with me about being a military spouse  and the importance of finding a creative outlet.

Mandy and I talked quite a bit about her love for painting furniture. You can view some of her amazing work below!

Remember my super awesome upstairs hallway makeover? Well, I LOVE how much brighter it is, but the walls were looking a little drab. 

I went to Ikea and picked up two HUGE white frames, one for each side.

I thought it would be fun to print some of my favorite Instagram Photos and update the photos every year or so.

I started out with the idea of printing lots of individual prints, but then I realized piecing photos together would be a pain in the tush. Then I remembered you can print Instagram photos on a poster! Wahoo! Problem solved.

I tried out several printing sites online, and guess what I discovered… A lot of Instagram printing companies only print vertical posters. Crazy, right? I ended up going with Posterfuse because not only can you select vertical or horizontal, but they make it super easy to drag and drop your image when creating your poster. Plus they have tons of options for your background color. (Prices for a 20×32 print start at $22 plus shipping.)

It took me about five minutes to create my poster, and it shipped to my house in just three days. Done and done. 

The paper quality is fabulous, and the colors were perfectly matched with my images.

So stinkin’ cute, right?

I seriously love it! And I have noticed the kids often stop to look at it.

I have just about enough new photos to print a second  poster for the left side. If this isn’t great motivation to snap and share photos, I don’t know what is.

A special thanks to Posterfuse for sending me one of their fabulous poster prints to try out! To learn more about Posterfuse, visit them online HERE.

Second-didly, I got a few emails asking how I made the tepee supports.

The wood is actually three large wood dowels from Home Depot. You can find it in the molding section. It’s super duper tall because you pay by the foot, so I had an employee cut three six foot pieces for me.

For all three pieces I paid just under $30. It’s not cheap, but I wanted it to look good so I went with real wood. You can totally use PVC pipe too, it’s a lot cheaper.

I stained the dowels with a dark Minwax Espresso wood finish, and then sealed them with a soft clear furniture wax.

The ties are actually t-shirt fabric as well. I cut two inch by twelve inch strips and sewed them in four different places along the length of the fabric. So for the entire tepee you would need 24 strips. Hope that makes sense.

When I first finished the tepee, Mr. Wright and I took Evey and Lily out to a local wetland preserve to let the girls try it out. It was too cold for Lily to sport her little t-shirt indian girl dress, but she had a lot of fun playing in it nonetheless.

Even Mr. Wright was a good sport hauling it around for me while took some photos.

I finished the tepee about a week ago, and the girls have serisouly played with it every day since. They love it, and I think it will be a great addition to our backyard this summer.

Thanks again for all your comments and shares!

The adorable folks over at Cricut had this brilliant idea to send bloggers a bunch of plain white t-shirts and some iron on materials, and basically said, “Make something awesome.”

Um, yeah. I want in on that.

So I asked for ten t-shirts (the max I was allowed to use) without any idea of what I was going to make.

The shirts stared at me for three weeks until one day Lily asked me to make her a tepee and costume.

Now, I know how to turn on a sewing machine, but sewing clothing is waaay out of my league. So if you want to make this costume yourself, be excited becuase there is actually very little sewing. I will try my best below to show how I made it, and be sure to keep scrolling down to the bottom to see what I made with the other NINE t-shirts.

Lily is 4 1/2, and the t-shirt size is a mens medium.

First, I cut four inch tall strips at the bottom of the t-shirt. I cut a strip about every 1/3 inch.

After cutting the entire width of the shirt, I knotted each strip.

I did not measure precisely, and I was not concerned that the knots should all match up perfectly either. Remember, I had a four year old sitting by my side eagerly waiting for this to be made.

Next, I cut the sleeves at an angle so they would also have about four inches of length to them.

Then, I cut strips and knotted them just like the bottom of the shirt.

Next, I cut both rectangles and triangles out with my Cricut and their new iron-on material. With the rectangles I created a chevron pattern at the bottom of the shirt.

With the triangles I created a pattern at the top. (The material is really easy to iron-on. I have washed this several times since making it, and it stays beautiful.)

The only actual sewing I did was adding two strips of fabric to the sides so that the shirt could be tied in the back. A mens t-shirt is very wide, so this allowed for the dress to have a more fitted look.

When I was done making the dress, Lily and I went hunting at a local park for lots of stick to make a bow and several arrows.

I know, I am seriously going for mother of the year with this one.

With the remaining nine shirts, I cut them all up and made a matching tepee. Yes, I made a t-shirt tepee.

I am not including instructions for the tepee, because chances are you are not going to make a tepee out of t-shirts, but I will post a few of the steps tomorrow along with some extra photos that are freaking adorable.

And here is miss Lily trying it out:

As for being a cool mom, I am pretty sure I will never top this.

Thanks Cricut for allowing me to participate and sending me the materials to make this project! If you want to learn more about Cricut’s new iron-on vinyl you can view the vinyl HERE, or purchase it in a Cricut machine and toolkit bundle HERE.

Conversational Cooking  is one of the great ways families can interact during meals. It is basically the concept of revamping dinner time, and bringing  it all back to family interaction. One of the brilliant ways this is done is by preparing and sharing a meal together.

An innovative way to cook and interact together as a family is with the cooking tool called a raclette. A raclette is actually a tabletop cooking tool that has been popular in Europe for decades. It’s basically a small cook top surface with heated candles underneath. It encourages healthier eating and interaction, but as you can see by the photos below, we love to use ours for desserts as well.

The raclette is really easy to use, and super easy when it comes to clean up as well. Basically, light up the candles and you are ready to start preparing a meal or treat.

(There is a great companion cookbook called Conversational Cooking that is full or recipes, and gives detailed instructions as to how many candles to light depending on what you are preparing.)

Some food suggestions for cooking on the raclette are chicken and vegetable stir fry, baked apples, etc.  Because the raclettes at small, snacks can also be cooked and served in healthier portions.

Like fondue, the raw ingredients for cooking with a raclette are placed in the center of the table. Unlike fondue, the raclette is not just a melting pot. You can actually cook the food on the flat cooktop surface. I love this idea as it’s a safer way to introduce my younger children to learning to cook and prepare a simple meal.

On our first try with the raclette, we made very simple smores for dessert after dinner. My seven year old seriously loved the independence our raclette gave her. After I lit the candles she pretty much did all the work gathering and preparing the supplies.

As the chocolate began to melt, I showed her how to slowly stir with the cooking tool.

Each of my kids were able to take a turn preparing themselves a treat, and we had a great time interacting together while trying it out.

We used our fire pit quite often last summer, so it was a real treat to have indoor smores while it was raining outside!

The whole process was quick and easy to clean up, and the kids keep asking me when are going to do it again.

If you are interested in learning more about raclettes, or want to purchase Anne Lawrence’s Conversational Cooking cookbook, go HERE.

A very big thank you to Ann and her staff for sending me the cookbook and raclette to try out!

I am just going to be honest with you from the beginning… this room is not totally done. I am still looking for a cool bookshelf and curtains for the window, so don’t be surprised if I post about it again.

I just love how it’s looking so far, and I am excited to share it with you now. You get that, right?

Here’s the before and after with the paint colors. The room was a very baby/nursery blue, and I repainted it Silver Sage by Restoration Hardware. Man, I love that color.

Evey’s bedframe used to be in my grandparents home, so it has a lot of sentimental value, and it squeaks like crazy, so it has that going for it too. It’s an antique rope bed which my grandfather retro-fitted with a metal frame so it would hold queen mattress. It’s crazy putting this bedframe together, so hopefully it will never need to be moved again.

Just look at the old finials on this thing. Gorgeous!

I love the banner, it is so Evey. That girl is always smiling about something, and she seriously has the most contagious laugh too.

If you remember me sharing about the Scrapbook Expo a few weeks ago, these are some of the frames I snagged for just a few dollars each. I painted all three Aspen White (Kwal Paint), and placed inside book pages from an old copy of Black Beauty. Evey loves horses so it was a good fit for her room.

The vintage bedspread I purchased from a local gal selling it online. I paid $35 for it. I was worried I was paying too much or it might not match, but I loved it as soon as I put it on her bed. I wish they still made these fringed bed covers, they are seriously so soft!

There are a few trunks at the end of Evey’s bed where I keep extra bedding and blankets. She also has a new white bookshelf to the left of the room, but I would like to eventually replace it with an antique. The chair is from the Overstock Outlet, but I am not sure that it is staying either.

The rug is one of my favorite additions. I found it at Anthropology on clearance for $39, and it was just one of those, ” I don’t know where this is going to go, but I must have it” kind of moments.

Don’t judge, you know you have them too.

Anywho, Evey adores her room, and I just love it when my kids enjoy their space.

I have also finished painting Lily’s room, and I am now knee deep in painting the laundry room, so more room tours will be coming soon. I am really excited about the laundry room… think STRIPES! yeah, it’s gonna be amazeballs.

Polynesian Cultural Center

Never having been to Oahu before, this was a must on our list. I’ll sum it up quickly for you.

Polynesian Disneyland without the rides.

We had lots of fun, the different culture centers are very entertaining and exciting. The grounds are
gorgeous. It is the epitome of touristy stuff to do.

Mr. Dayton’s favorite thing was making fire. I think he left the PCC feeling more manly because of it.

That being said, we had lots of fun. I did find myself wishing my kids were there, they would love all the
activities. My favorite was the Canoe parade! This only happens once in the middle of the day.

We got the cheapest dinner, the Island Buffet. The food was mediocre. But I get it, they’re feeding lots
of people.

The evening show was amazing. There were lots of fun dances, and the best part is the fire dancers at
the end. I was impressed.

IF I was to do this again, I would only purchase tickets for the park during the day, and the show in
the evening. For dinner I would leave and drive a few miles down the road and go to a shrimp truck or
something else yummy and much much cheaper.

Pearl Harbor

I know, I know. Another touristy thing. Adam and I love history, so we had to go. Unfortunately there
was lots of wind and so we couldn’t take a boat out to see the USS Arizona. I was incredibly sad. All this
way! Never fear, the museums they have are amazing. We spent a good bit perusing all the buildings
and learning so much. Lots of very cool WWII artifacts.

Haiku Stairs

There was one thing our friends kept telling us about that we were so excited to do since we had no
kids…The Stairway to Heaven.

Why no kids? Oh just because it’s a 3,922 stair hike up a giant mountain. In the middle of the night.

Don’t let this picture fool you. It’s not that mountaintop you are going to. It’s one that you can’t see
because it’s in the clouds.

Now, this isn’t exactly legal. I am not going to go into how we parked and got there, just that my friends
have a friend in that neighborhood. There are plenty of sites that tell you how to park and get to the
bottom of the mountain.

The scariest part is getting to the stairs. If a guard catches you, you will not be able to hike. We got
there fairly early in the morning, about 3:30. No guard. Up we went.

The stairs are small and there are guardrails on both sides. We brought garden gloves along to help us
grip the rails. It’s Hawaii. They’re pretty wet.

Since it’s dark, you don’t really have anything to gauge how far you have to go, or how treacherous this
will be. You just climb. One step at a time.

The darkness adds to the beauty of the hike. You soon pass the highway that runs by the stairs and
those sounds fade away to a beautiful dark jungle stillness.

How am I doing on our mountain climb? Oh ok. Until we basically go straight up. The stairs are almost
vertical. Cue panic attack and freak out. Good friends and husband are essential to have on this trip.

By the way, this is a fabulous behind workout. Almost 8,000 steps round trip. Yes your rear end will
ache. But so worth it.

But right before the top of the mountain is the very worst, scariest, adrenaline pumping, slippery
platforms. Que crippling panic attack huddling down on the platform refusing to move. Husband had to
hold me around the waist and walk with me.

Once we got to the top, we laid down on a solar blanket that someone else had left and tried to sleep
for a bit until the sun rose. Being so humid, everything was wet, I would suggest if you do the hike to
take a solar blanket to get some rest up at the top. And a jacket. We had taken ours off at this point, but
we were sweaty at the top, which soon turned cold after we stopped moving.

Once it was a bit brighter, we decided to head back down. I could finally see the gravity of the situation.
Literally.

The view is gorgeous. But you finally see you are on a mountain. Climbing down. It’s slippery and wet.
I had to talk to myself out loud, “My boys need me to get home. I need to get off of this mountain
because my children need me. I have 3 boys. Their names are…” and so on and so forth.

There I am, talking to myself to get my sore rear end down the mountain.

The way down was amazingly breathtaking. Words cannot describe how exhilarating and satisfying it is
to take in the gorgeous view on the way down.

Rain pelted it when we were almost to the bottom. But who cared!? We were almost there!

Annnnd we made it. Hallalujah. My children still have parents.

Oahu really was amazing. I know we only did a few fun things that Oahu really has to offer. We cannot
wait to go back.

I would love to hear your opinions on things to do! One of my favorite parts of taking trips is getting
recommendations from others on what they did.

Food in Oahu!

Since we stayed with friends, we actually ate in a lot. How can you not be happy with eating on this
porch and seeing this view!

Monkey Pod

Monkey Pod is a fun and hip place in Ko’Olina. It’s very new, and I will say, very yummy! We went in the
afternoon when all their pizzas and appetizers are discounted. The table ordered lots of different things
and we shared and tried everything.

The food is all local and is very clean and fresh. My favorite thing? Pumpkin ravioli! I know, so weird. I wish
we’d had the chance to go back!

Opal Thai

This is a Thai experience like no other. It’s a small restaurant in Haleiwa and I am just telling you in advance to
make a reservation. You’ll need it.

What happened is Opal, the chef and owner, came out to take the menus out of our hands and asked
us our history with Thai food. What we like, dislike, what we usually order, and so on. And then he
disappeared.

Dishes started coming out, and it was fun to be surprised. Spring rolls with peanut sauce, radish moon
cakes (which I still can’t figure out what exactly those are!), lettuce wraps, and a few noodle dishes. We
had 6 dishes and we only disliked one.

The check came and it was very reasonably priced! $60 for 4 people.

I would go back in a heartbeat! It’s a very different dining experience but if you are open to being
surprised it’s lots of fun. Just be warned, you basically have no control over what you’re going to eat.

Kahuku Grill

This little gem is on the way to Laie.  Nestled behind a convenience store it’s easy to miss, but make
sure you don’t! Their coconut shrimp is amazing. Amazing I tell you.

Our friends that we met up with (who are locals to Laie), went around the corner to Fiji Market and
Curry Shop and brought back Fijian curry and roti.

Oh my laws. Between the Fijian curry and coconut shrimp, this quite possibly was our best meal in
Oahu! I have absolutely no pictures because all I could think about was how scrumptious this meal was.
Just believe my words.

Aloha Crepes

Crepes in Hawaii? Yes please. These were different than any crepes I’ve ever had. First off, they use
rice flour for their crepes. This makes a much lighter crepe and paves the way for the fillings to shine.
And shine they did.

The best thing they have going for them though is their “snowflakes.” I know, I know – it sounds weird.
The owner explained to me that once I tried it I’d understand.

Oh yes. Makes sense now. The only way I can think of describing it is that it’s the lightest and fluffiest ice
cream you can imagine. They take blocks of ice cream, shave away really delicately, and it makes
this beautiful mound of flakes. It really was amazing. Unlike anything I’ve ever tasted before. If I could
have this instead, I would never again eat another snow cone. Seriously.

The little things on the side are called mochi balls. It’s an Asian treat thing, kinda like a gummy.

As you can tell we really like food. And we like going out. But my favorite part about going to Oahu…..

Costco

We love going to new Costco’s and seeing what they carry! Oahu did not disappoint! So many Hawaii
things, Saimin, Poke, and fresh fish!

Honestly, we got a lot of our food at Costco and cooked it up at home. We meant to go out more, but
the food at Costco just was too good to pass up, and our wallet thanked us when we got home.

No pictures, because I was too busy running around yelling, “Adam! Come see this! We have to get it!”
and tossing it in the cart and running to the next aisle.

I was staring at all the fresh poke that Costco carries completely intrigued when the lady asked me if
I’d like to try some. Only at Costco. I did, and the only thing I could think was, “I really want to take this
home and cook it.” So no, poke isn’t for me. But if it’s your thing, the price at Costco blew everything out
of the water. And it looked better. Costco wins again!

There were so many places I wanted to try but didn’t get the chance to! Food carts and trucks by
beaches and on the way to Laie, all the fresh fish at Costco, you could eat here for weeks and never get
sick of it. I love that Oahu has lots of different varieties of food. If you have any places you love in Oahu,
leave a comment and let me know so I can make sure I put it on my list when we go back!

Disclaimer: I did not receive compensation for any of my restaurant reviews, but did receive free food
at Aloha Crepes. The inhaling of the crepes and snowflakes were completely my own doing, and my
opinions stated here are my own.

We recently took the BEST vacation to Hawaii. I mean the best. You know why it was the best vacation?
No kids.

Don’t hate me. I love my children. But a trip is different from a vacation. Trip = Kids. VACATION = No
Kids. It’s a do whatever you want whenever you want dream!

We didn’t really plan a lot before our trip just because we didn’t have to. Over the next few days I’ll be
letting you in on some of the fun things we did, and the good food we ate. Today, beaches!

Waimea

Great beach for boogie boarding! The waves were so big at one time it was hard for me to get out of
the water. But still so fun. There is a large rock that I have heard is lots of fun to jump off, but not
when the waves are big. We didn’t want to risk dying, so no jumping, but it looked like it would be
great if the sea was calmer.

My husband and friends swam out past the waves and said when they went underwater they could hear
whales. I am too chicken to go far into the ocean so I just took their word on it.

Ko Olina

This is where we were staying with friends. It is amazingly gorgeous on this side of the island. Right by
the beach are some great resorts, Marriott and Disney among them. Even if you don’t stay here, just go
visit! There are “lagoons” that are protected from the wind, have great sand, shallow waters and
nets so no big fish can get in or kiddos out.

This place is amazing. If one beach is crowded, you walk down to the next one. There are FOUR! So
relaxing and fabulous.

Bottom line – you’re in Hawaii and the beaches are all going to be wonderful; especially when you travel
from Utah in the middle of winter.

Have you ever traveled to Hawaii without your kids? What are some of your favorite beaches?

I shared with your yesterday my top ten list for when I go to the beach, but it’s more often than not that I travel with my entire family. My kids LOVE the beach, and I love how much they enjoy finding ways to entertain themselves.  We honestly don’t pack a lot when it comes to toys, so I wanted to share my favorite items when spending an entire day in the sun.

1. Baby Powder. Everyone knows this trick, right?? When you head back to your car you just dust your feet with baby powder and the sand comes right off. Brilliant I tell ya. My brother who lives in So-Cal keeps a bottle in his car at all times. Also brilliant.

2. Sand Bucket. Four kids equals four buckets. Besides a few shovels, these are the only beach toys we bring along. Everyone gets their own bucket. I have learned the hard way that sharing buckets does not fly with my kids. I usually just pick up a stack from our local dollar store, and then offer them to another family before we head home.

3. Hand Sanitizer. We pack lots of snacks and water so of course we need to keep little hands clean! Pack several travel sized version so you can take them everywhere you go.

4. Xhilaration Swimwear at Target. With three girls to cloth, I find that Target has the best prices on suits that last all summer long. For boys I prefer suits from Old Navy since they often go on sale for around $5. The Rugby-Stripe Swim Shorts and this Rashguard at Old Navy right now are super cute.

7.Spielstabil Beach Shovel. Here’s my number one must have: a beach shovel. And not just a dinky hand shovel too. Pick up a good size shovel and I swear your kids will be happy for hours digging holes all over the beach. I bought two of these babies and my kids are already stoked for our upcoming trip to the beach.

8. Coleman Beach Shade. I used to think these were just for babies, but I love being able to lay underneath a pop up shade while I read. It’s also a great spot for my four year old to take a break in from the sun.

9. NO-AD Sunscreen is my favorite sunscreen for my kids. It’s cheap, and it works great. I HATE spray on sunscreens. I do buy one bottle each summer so I can spray my kids hair line on top of their head, but I never use a spray sunscreen on their skin. Maybe I am just really bad at using them? Maybe I hate it when the family next to me sprays the entire can and the wind brings half of it my way? I don’t know, I just have never liked them. No-Ad is my fave and I am sticking with it.

10. Kids Sunglasses. My kids all have blue eyes and are very sensative to the sun. We pack several pairs of sunglasses and I always make sure I have a back up pair for myself. I always appreciate having them, especially if it’s a windy day at the beach.

That’s it! Thats my beach necessities, and tomorrow Katie will be sharing some of her favorite beaches from a recent trip to Hawaii.

If you are looking for a great post on what types of snacks to take to either the pool or beach, be sure to check out this post from  Super Healthy Kids.

I have already started packing and here’s a peek at what’s on my necessity list every time I travel somewhere where water and sunshine are involved.

1. Banana Boat Sport Sunscreen. Hands down my favorite smelling sunscreen. In fact, anything made by Banana Boat is delicious. If am going to go from white, to sunburned, and right back to white, I might as well smell good.

2. Merona Sunglasses. Target carries my favorite sunglasses. They are durable, affordable, and one of the few places I can trust that the style is up to date and trendy.

3. Mossimo Cowboy Hat. I have always worn a baseball or visor style hat in the sun. I am going with a big ol’ sun hat this year, and picked up a cute cowboy style sun hat for when we are on the go. It’s a vacation, no time consuming hair styling is allowed.

4. Swim suits by Down East. I love Down East suits because I can mix and match tops with bottoms, and they are always cute together. Their tankinis are a longer length and have assisted me in avoided wearing a one piece for years. I love a good tankini.

5. LifeProof Waterproof Ear Buds. I have such a hard time sitting still and just relaxing. Shocking, I know. I take tunes, podcasts, and a few books on my kindle app, so good water and sweat proof earbuds are a must.

6. Sony Bloggie Sport Waterproof Camera. I have had this camera for almost two years and the underwater video and sound quality is awesome. It’s really rugged, and can totally withstand my family tossing it around.

7. Mentha Lip Balm Stick. Mint chapstick is the bomb. This is a great one to throw in your bag for those dried out beach lips.

8. Real Simple Magazine. I always purchase several magazines when I travel, but have you ever noticed Real Simple is just one of those magazines that is so fun to share with a friend in the lounge chair next to you?

9. Banana Boat Tanning Oil. I should run from tanning oil, but the truth is I use it religiously. About fifteen minutes before I am done being in the sun I lather myself up with this stuff. I might not get much color from it, but it makes my skin smell so good, and the oils help rehydrate my dry skin. It’s weird I know, but I swear by it for summer legs.

10.Banana Boat After Sun Lotion. Fabulous for me and the kids when we have had too much sun, or our skin is just feeling really dry. I really can’t emphasize enough how much I love Banana Boat. It smells divine, and is so affordable as well. Plus, just about everyone sells it.

That’s it! That’s my top ten must haves for the beach. Let me know if you have a beach secret or favorite item I am missing out on, and stay tuned for my top ten list for going to the beach with your KIDS!