Tumblr thursday ... linky?

First of all, thank you all for the words of encouragement regarding my last post! I am reading each and every one and taking them to heart. We do have the book Love and Respect, but have not read it yet-- we received it as a gift from our pre-marital counseling class.

Second, I am considering making Tumblr thursday a linky post so that we can all share the inspirational/funny/style pictures, but I am not sure if anyone will participate. Is anyone even on tumblr? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Third, don't forget to enter the giveaway!

I love this picture and am excited for the day when I will be creative enough to make panda musubi's for my little girl

I'm already married, but I LOVE this idea as a wedding game!

Such an excellent reminder

I am currently obsesesd with Adele!

hahahahaha!

I can't believe it's almost april already!

miscellany monday (4)

(1) Yesterday Vance and I went to church for the first time in .... a really, really long time. If you go to church and have ever been through an on-and-off period, you just know how GOOD it feels to get back into the word and .. everything.

(2) I followed these directions and made this bracelet (except I substituted the twine with hemp) ... I think I'm going to re-do it if I can find some black twine

(3) Then I got a little hemp crazy and started making Vance a spin knot bracelet...

... and then even Brooke got one!

(4) Vance set up this hammock in our backyard and it only took him half an hour to do it...

Guess I'll never get to relax for more than 5 minutes seconds!

(5) I'm having my first giveaway ... enter in the post below!

Say It Sweet giveaway...

Those who are closest to me know that I love everything French. When I was in college, I finished my Spanish minor and in my senior year, took up a French 101 class (totally kicked ace in that class thanks to already having learned the basics of espanol).

Of course, I've never been but looking from looking at pictures, I love the culture, the style, the scenery, the language... the everything. Say It Sweet is the cutest little etsy shop filled with "vintage inspired French sayings to remind us of the passion in every day"

Vintage + French?!?!? Seriously doesn't get any better than that... Here are some of my favorites from the shop:

For the little ones in your life... (how adorable would this be in a nursery?!)

For your own room ... so sweet and romantic

Say It Sweet is KIND enough to giveaway to one reader of this blog any 8 by 10 print the winner would like from her shop...

How to enter? Follow my blog then head over to Say It Sweet to check out her shop. Leave me a comment letting me know you're a follower and which is your favorite item from her shop

For one extra entry: Click here and 'like' Say It Sweet on Facebook (and leave me a comment so I know you've done so) http://www.facebook.com/SayitSweet

Good luck guys! Thanks for helping me hit 150 :) Oops.. this is my first giveaway... I'll announce the winner in one week! (04/03)

WFF: field trip to Dole Plantation

This weekend family fun took us to Dole Plantation in Haleiwa to feed the koi fish, ride the train and eat Dole Whip (pineapple flavored ice cream).

Today was surprisingly windy and cold and raining on-and-off. This girl marched in like she was on a mission. [I realize she's not matching at all, haha!]

Me and Brooke mid-run. I'm probably telling her to hurry up... sometimes she walks at a snails pace

Feeding the koi

This caused a fish frenzy

I think they're kind of gross like this...


Fish pond...

Isn't it so pretty?

Me and Lil B and a baby pineapple

Daddy and his girl

Finally we bought some Dole whip, which is ah-mazing! Lil B especially liked the cherry

Mid-bite... thanks for the super flattering picture daddy...

Then we walked around and spotted some CHICKENS!

She looks like she's enjoying them but she was actually TERRIFIED of them. Vance made it even better by chasing her and saying "the chickens are gonna get you!"

Then we left and went to get saimin at a little hole in the wall that I love! ♥

we didn't get to ride the train or do the maze because it was so cold today, so I guess we'll have to go back another day...

Keepin' It Real...

Real life confession: I haven't bought a new bikini or swimsuit since 2006, when Vance and I first started dating.

I wore it here, while we were in Kauai (2006)

And here again, Kaneohe Sandbar (2007)

And I wore it again for the first time in about 3 years (!!!) when we took Brooke to the beach for the first time.

And guys?! My body is not the same. Sure, I'm in my pre-pregnancy wardrobe and sure, I'm not fat or have any crazy thoughts about my body, but after birthing an 8lb baby with my 5'2" frame and then nursing said baby for a year after that ... things are just not the same :( Things that were once perky are now EMPTY and FLAT, things become less toned and marks that were never even heard of have popped up around my body.

And for the first time in a long time, I was sincerely self-conscious at the beach. Especially b/c my SIL (who came with us) is extremely fit & toned and is very nice, perky and well-endowed. Just adding salt to my injured ego.

So I'm thinking it might be time to purchase a new swimsuit since my girl loved the beach. Here are some I dug up that provide a little more coverage, padding and support, which are new necessities for me to feel at ease in an itty bitty garment on the beach.

Most (if not all) of the pics are from JCrew, but here's where I need your help: WHERE SHOULD I BE LOOKING?! Like I mentioned, it's been five years since I shopped for a swimsuit and I have no idea where to turn.

Should I consider buying a one-piece (Eek), or flaunt my stuff even though it's not the same anymore... after all, I'm still under 30 and I 'aint getting any younger! May as well wear the bikinis while I can!

What do you think? Where do you buy your swimsuits from?

Tumblr thursday

None of these dresses are really my style, but they look so cute hanging together, doncha think?


I love this print :)

I don't know if this is true (not sure how accurate tumblr 'facts' are), but if it is, then it's pretty pathetic considering how much self-inflicted pain I've put myself through over the years...

Seriously made me laugh

I'm kind of OBSESSED with friendship bracelets... anyone know who will make them for me cheap?! I KNOW they are not worth $10 for one freaking bracelet...

Love anything Alice In Wonderland... I wanted to name Brooke Alice, but if you say Alice with our last name... HAHA (if you know our last name, you might think of Julia Gulia)

Piperlime ads ... let's get dressed

I read a lot of magazines. As many as I can afford, though I do have my favorites. Now that I have my Nook, a lot of my magazines are on there, which is ... different, but does help to save some money. I also get a lot of magazines through Coke Rewards :)

Anyway, so I've always liked looking at advertisements in magazines. In high school, I'd rip out the ones I like and put them in my clear view binders (remember those?!). I think the ones I'd rip out the most were Ralph Lauren Romance ones.

Recently I've been loving the Piperlime ads. I remember reading the one below and instantly looking down at my t-shirt and not-gonna-lie, felt a little ashamed.

This is an older ad

Though, here in Hawaii, you don't see very many fashionistas walking around, anywhere really. There's no legit reason to wear thigh-high boots, leather jackets, UGGS, heavy vests, peacoats, etc, etc. Combine some of those fashions and you may get mistaken for a street walker! It is simply a part of the lifestyle-- everyone is much more relaxed and casual about every aspect of life and this includes fashion.

BUT. That doesn't mean that I have to wear flip-flops and Roxy t-shirts every day of the year. Which is why I love these ads!


Here are some of the newer ones..

I think these ads are genius. Marketing at its very best. They make me want to get up, go online and buy lots of beautiful clothes from Piperlime. (Or from anywhere, for that matter) They are the exact ads I need to see to kick my butt in the morning when all I want to do is throw on a t-shirt, shorts and flip-flops. (Which I still do, 90% of the time)

Here are some things that I would buy if I had lots of money to spend (all from Piperlime)

So tell me... what inspires you to dress up?