Hey, hi, howzit.
It’s crazy how fast a month can fly by.
I mean, it feels like yesterday we were riding high on nerves and excitement while tying up loose ends in preparation of leaving our home for a month (again) - and now that we’re back and cozying into the world we’ve lovingly made, I can’t help but wonder where in the heck all that time went.
Exhilarating and joyful, our days in Hawaii actually look surprisingly similar to those in Montana.
We rise with intention and a nourishing (albeit different) morning routine. We work hard, eat good food, play outside for a hot second or two, then blissfully collapse into each other, ready to do it all again.
Not a vacation, but real life stuff that allows this new place to become a part of you.
Which is why having an extended amount of time anywhere outside your home is such an incredible blessing.
It forces you to flip the script entirely, turn off autopilot, and feel all the things.
A lesson in seeing clearer.
Stepping back and taking in the whole picture.
And then asking yourself, what parts of this do I want to stick?
Which ones are no longer serving me?
And why in the world do I do some of the things I do?
Thoughts I’m still processing, but will definitely be sharing with all of you.
Now for a handful of little weirds and wonderfuls from this rollercoaster of a jet lagged week.
At the end of the season, we always have hints of Montana summer tanned gold on our skin, but the Hawaii sun hits different and we inevitably get a burn upon arrival. Which means we’ve tried all kinds of potions, lotions and oils to not only alleviate the heat, but help keep us from peeling - and nothing has done the job until *drum roll, please* Sun Bum’s Cool Down Lotion. Pair that with their SPF50 Spray Sunscreen and their SPF45 Face Mist, and you have yourself the perfect reef-safe summer skincare bundle.
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In Oahu, we designate Thursday nights for the community market near our home. Part farmer’s market, part town picnic, we’ve fallen for the goods of several local vendors as a result. One of them being, Ono Pop. So nice, we’ve bought it (more than) twice - AND recreated their recipe after our last visit so you all could enjoy it, too. Click this link for our own Salted Caramel Macadamia Nut Popcorn recipe. Woo hoo!
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We have a long running joke in our house that Hahn chews on my hair in our sleep. Reason being that I wake up looking slightly insane with hair knotted and standing on end EVERY SINGLE DAY, and there’s no good reason for it. So I recently invested in a silk bonnet to sleep in, and even my hair-chewer of a husband has noticed the difference. Dare I say my morning hair now looks silky and kempt? Why, yes. Yes I do. Even if I climb into bed looking a bit like Chef Boyardee.
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Aside from heating up cans of soup and making the occasional PB&J, I haven’t cooked in more than a month - so I happily got reacquainted with our kitchen by prepping dessert for the week. These dates, or as I like to call them, Nature’s Candy, are salty, satisfying and (naturally) sweet, and are good for up to 30 days as long as they’re stored in an airtight container in the freezer. Click here for the full recipe.
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Attending a show at the Waikiki Shell seemed like the perfect way to cap off an incredible month on the island, and the fact that Slightly Stoopid was joined by old school reggae group Steel Pulse was icing on the cake. Not to mention the jaw-dropping surprise appearance we got from long-time fave and Oahu resident, Jack Johnson, too. Enveloped with palm trees and blue skies, the entire concert was a whole ass vibe I won’t soon forget.
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Much like trail time in Montana, an important part of our life in Hawaii are the beach walks. Preferably enjoyed in the morning, but sometimes pushed to later in the day, I take this time to clear my head and feel every squishy step, ultimately stopping to stand in the surf and let the waves roll over me - leaving me soaking wet and crusted in sand from the waist down. Always.
Now for this week’s one and only recipe.
Just click through to view in its entirety.
Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Have questions, comments or looking for more details on any of the above?
Leave a comment and we’ll chat!
Wishing you big smiles and good eats,
Lisa