Beachy Memories

We got back from Maui about a week ago, and it has taken me this long to get a minute to myself at the computer!  This whole moving thing has really taken a bite out of our free time :)  Anyway back to paradise: Maui was amazing.  We went to the beach and pool every day- all day (even in the rain) and loved every minute!  We stayed in an amazing condo at Honua Kai in North Kaanapali. It was right on the beach with the most amazing pools and beach walks.  With two girls this time, the experience was very different.  Andrew and I had to pretty much split up- one with each girl.  Chloe was ALWAYS in the pool unless she was napping in the room, and we tried to get Maddie in the stroller for her morning nap so one of could walk with her, rather than sit in the condo.  We tried to time the afternoon naps together, so one of us could escape for some "me time"by the pool, beach or golfing in Andrew's case.  We tried to take family pictures, but really only succeeded in photos with one parent.  We are lucky to have even captured Chloe on film- she was a streak of energy the entire time!!

This was one of the last days...

An attempt at a girls pic :)

The first day at the beach!  

 Chloe was getting splashed by the waves on a morning walk.  

 Yay a pic of the girls together!

 Boo, Maddie didn't like the beach.

Mom to the rescue!

 A little Daddy time

 The best way to get Chloe to go in the direction we wanted was to chase her! I think we were trying to leave the beach to go to dinner in this picture!  

It was an awesome break from life to get out and spend time together.  Hopefully we will be lucky enough to go again next year!  Those few weeks worked wonders!  And the plane ride made me extremely thankful that we only "get to" go to hawaii once a year.  Maddie cried a lot both ways.....mostly because she was tired and wanted to go to sleep and just couldn't figure out why I wouldn't put her in her crib and leave her alone to sleep.  When she did fall asleep the flight attendants would make an announcement about something super important like snack packs or digiplayers, and the whole cycle started over again.....We were "those parents" for a good portion the 5 and a half hour flight.  Chloe of course was amazing.  She is the best little flier ever!  Thank goodness for that, and also for mini wine bottles.  Just kidding- sort of :)  More pics coming soon! :)

Pool? YES please!!!

We just got back from Hawaii!  The trip was awesome but we are still glad to have the plane ride behind us :)  More photos soon!

Finished another sweater!

Baby sweaters are just the best!  I finished one for baby Catherine Zahra, but have yet to meet up with Farah to drop it off.  There is only so long I can wait with an adorable sweater before I just can't resist putting it on Madeline.  It matches the one I made for Chloe a while back.  I just love this noro yarn!

I also have a pretty cute model :)  Oh I should take a photo of both girls in the sweaters........maybe after nap time!  Love it!

Sister time

As Maddie is growing, getting stronger, and even more mobile (army crawls), I notice the two girls are getting closer.  Chloe is a very sweet little girl and is always trying to help Maddie out.  It is pretty adorable!

Madeline's hat is courtesy of Chloe :)  

Still no word on the next house..... hopefully there will be good news soon!

SOLD!!!

Woohoo!!!!

Holy Cow!  We sold our house!  Now we just have to wait to hear back on our offer for the new house! Either way we are moving out in about a month!!!

Valentines Day

Our Valentines Day this year was very different from any other year.  It really isn't just about us anymore, it is more about our family and making it a special day for the girls.  It was really pretty awesome.  

Chloe got special nail polish which she picked out herself.  It is super easy to get the dots, just dip a toothpick in the white polish and apply!  Chloe loved her nails and looked at them all day!  

 Maddie of course is a little young for polish but she found a way to rock her own style.

 This is completely natural.  Every time I give her a bath her hair pops back into this mohawk.  I don't even brush it this way, use gel or anything!

 For most of the day we decorated Valentines.  Looking back perhaps we should have done this earlier so we could actually mail them before Valentine's day, but oh well.  Maybe next year :)  Art took up pretty much the whole day.  She was glued to that table.  After her nap she ran downstairs and started decorating again.  It was awesome.

 Here are a few finished products.  Glitter was definitely her favorite part! She called it "sprinkles" and couldn't get enough.  

 When Andrew got home we started making our special dinner.  It was amazing!  Also amazing was that I really didn't have to do much of the cooking.  I prepped a little, but for the most part my amazing husband took care of everything!  We are on a swimsuit diet so everything was healthy (well except the wine)!

Ahi and avocado salad

 Ocean salad (octopus, seaweed, pickled ginger etc)

 Coconut sticky rice

 wine of course

 Wasabi and black and white Sesame Crusted Seared Ahi

 Roasted asparagus

 Seared five spice scallops

 And good company.  The food was completely amazing.  Chloe tried everything and especially loved the "shrimp"  or as we call it, Seared Ahi.  She probably ate a third of it.  The coconut sticky rice was also a huge hit.  

It is really fun to make a special dinner every now and then.  I am so lucky to have a family who loves to cook, and to try new foods.  If any of you would like any of these recipes just let me know (the only exception is the ocean salad as that was store bought).  Every single thing was amazing!  It will be hard to top this Valentine's day but I am sure when Madeline can actively participate it will get even better!

Before and After....Phew!

Sorry we have disappeared!  It has been CRAZY busy here getting ready to put our house back up on the market!  We have been doing lots and lots to update, organize and most of all purge!  Super huge thanks to Amber who flew all the way up from Oregon to help me out while Andrew was in NYC, DC, and Seattle for the longest business trip ever!!(nearly 2 weeks).  Not only did she keep me company but she even scrubbed out my cabinets, helped stage the house (pretty much told me what to do with every room), and even cleaned out and organized my junk drawer.  She must live by the motto "if you have time to lean you have time to clean!" or at least that was the motto of the 12 days she was here!

Well after all that scrubbing we have A LOT to show for it!  A few Before and afters are in order:

Kitchen BEFORE

Kitchen AFTER

(New floors courtesy of my amazing parents!!)

Half bath BEFORE

(we did have a mirror, I had just taken it off already)

half bath AFTER

(amazing what a little paint and a shelf can do right?!!)

 Staircase BEFORE

Staircase AFTER

(notice small children can no longer fall through the huge railing gaps thanks to Andrews handy work, new carpet no longer cascades down the wall, and of course no more 80's wood color!)

I don't have any more before and afters of these next rooms because mostly the big changes were in purging and organizing the madness that is life at our house.   

 More big changes upstairs with new paint color and new caulking that I did all on my own!  Awesome right?!

 Did a professional caulk that tub?  No it was super Carmen!  Thanks to my also-super parents for the amazing tile work.

This was a ton of hard work, and finally we are done (well pretty much).  I can not even imagine what it will be like to just sit down, or to do something other than clean and renovate on the weekends, and really every waking hour.  I have a few more photos of our now immaculate house but for now I am going to sign our listing papers and get some sleep!  Wish us luck for a quick sale this time around!