Vegan/Vegetarian Party

Sunday afternoon we (vegans and vegetarians alike) all got together for a meat/dairy free feast!

It was fun and refreshing to be surrounded by other like minded people, enjoying a plethora of delicious healthy food.

"Recognize meat for what it really is: the antibiotic & pesticide-laden corpse of a tortured animal" ~Ingrid Newkirk

Forgiveness Friday

"When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free."

~Catherine Ponder

Catherine Ponder is an author whom I have come to admire and respect. Many of her books line my bookshelf at home.

As the quote beautifully states, holding on to resentment towards others binds you to that person in such a way that only hurts you.

Life is too short to hold grudges and feel hatred toward another.

What are you holding onto that you could let go?

Graffiti-Shoot

Carla is out here for the week visiting me and Chels.... the three musketeers are reunited, finally!

While out and about yesterday, we came across a cool abandoned building in the woods... kind of 'Secret Garden' meets 'The Projects'. So of course we had to take advantage of the amazing graffiti covered walls and have a photo shoot! America's Next Top Model here we come!!! :)

Happy Birthday Chelsea

It's sister's birthday, she is 21 today.

Today I want to celebrate Chelsea.

I can't even begin to describe her.

She is my roommate and my best friend.

She knows me in and out and can read me like a book.

She makes me happy when I'm down, she cheers me up when I have a frown.

I don't know what I would do without this crazy sister of mine??

She makes my world a brighter, better place... and I can't imagine my life without her in it.

She is there for me when no one else is and when I feel like the world has shut me out.

She supports me, encourages me and most importantly, she makes me smile.

She's always up for any adventure, we always have such a good time.

Happiness, laughter and sunshine follow this sister of mine.

Whenever she's around her, it's always a good time.

She always has a smile on her face, a friend to everyone she meets.

She's a lover of life and is always so positive and happy.

She is so thoughtful, caring and genuinely concerned about those around her.

She makes me dinner after a long day at work.

She lets me use her MacBook anytime I feel like it, and she only minds a little bit when I don't sign out of my accounts.

She will go to sleep with the lamp on so that I have light to read my book.

She shares her sheets with me so I won't wake up in the middle of the night thinking there's a coachroach in my bed (inside joke/story).

She finds me beach glass when she goes for her runs on the beach.

She surprises me by buying my favorite coconut M&Ms and brings them home to me with a huge smile on her face.

She will buy the vanilla flavored almond milk over the regular almond milk because she knows I prefer it.

She gives me really good music and helps me put it on my ipod.

She lets me sleep with the fan on at night, even when she wants it off.

She loves me unconditionally, even when sometimes I don't deserve it.

If I could be just half the person that she is... I'd be happy.

She truly is so amazing and enriches my life every single day, in the smallest of ways.

I'm so lucky to have her in my life.

Thank you so much for everything you do for me and being a part of my life.

I love you so much Chels, I hope you have a really good birthday.

I miss my beach buddy

This little girl is always up for joining me on any adventure. Our favorite place to go play is on the beach, we have so much fun together! We love to run around and get all sandy and silly. We love collecting things; beach glass, seagull feathers, pretty rocks and shells. We're both happiest on the beach, seriously how can you not have fun on the beach?? We've had so many fun beach days together and I can't wait to have hundreds more when I go home to Alaska this summer. I love you and miss you my Natalie girl.

Getting all sandy.

Taking off our shoes and walking barefoot in the sand.

Drawing hearts in the sand.

Racing each other down the beach.

Finding pretty shells and rocks.

Piggy back rides when she gets tired from playing so hard.

Basking in the sunshine together.

Holding hands.

Saving the purple starfish at "starfish beach"

Cuddling when it gets windy and chilly.

Loving each other and our many beach adventures.

The Humpbacks

The humpback whales have the same idea as me; summers in Alaska and winters in Hawaii.

Truly the best of both worlds...

I went out with some good friends on a sunset whale watching cruise. Our beautiful sailboat was lucky enough to get right in the middle of the pod, they surrounded our boat on all sides.

Such a beautiful evening!

Run For Haiti

Yesterday morning I had the opportunity to participate in the 5K 'Run For Haiti'. All proceeds go to help Haiti; it was a $10 fee to run and you get a free tee shirt for participating. In the grand scheme of things I know my $10 donation was really nothing... but every dollar helps and it felt good to be a part of something better and bigger than me.

We were all running for the same cause, and I was glad to be a part of it.

Thankful Thursday

Every Thursday my sister and I add another 'thankful heart' to our wall in our room... a collection of the little and big things from our week that we are grateful and thankful for.

This week I am thankful for:

• Homemade Acai Bowls
• My paycheck
• Tsunami evacuation practice
• My family
• Friendship
• A clean house
• Sunshine/Vitamin D
• Lemon water
• Coconut M&Ms
• Email from old Nordstrom boss
• My new Mondo Beyondo course starting on Monday
• All things Hawaii
• Vegetarianism
• New songs to run to on my ipod
• Run for Haiti race on Saturday
• My alone time
• Being educated about vaccinations
• My sister's Macbook
• Homemade Potato fries/chips
• Food Network: Everyday Italian and Barefoot Contessa
• Karma
• PCC girlfriends
• Holistic/Natural Health
• Reading books
• Song for Haiti: 'We Are the World'
• Friendship with my ex
• Hope

Mondo Beyondo

I'm really excited tonight... I just signed up for the 5 week online course 'Mondo Beyondo'.

Mondo Beyondo is for dreamers of all kinds--whether you want to backpack around the world or say yes once and for all to some small thing you thought could never be for you. It's for dreams of all shapes, significance and size. I'm excited to embark on this journey; to uncover my deepest wishes and dreams and explore what it takes to achieve them.

Stay tuned for my progress... looking forward to see what this course brings.

Tsunami Tsaturday

Had quite the adventure here in Hawaii on Saturday...

Tsunami evacuation!

Woke up at 4am and started packing as we all prepared for the worst!

We took our precious belongings (toilet paper and four pairs of underwear included - it's amazing what you pack at 4am when you are sleepy, stressed out and panicky) and trekked up the hill behind the temple with a couple hundred other peeps and waited....

And waited....

By noon-ish (hour past when the tsunami was supposed to hit) we started getting crazy and giddy from the sleep deprivation and all the hours spent cooking in the sun.

I was lucky enough to be surrounded by close friends and sister so the 6 hours spent on "high ground" wasn't as boring as it could have been.

Around 1ish we got word that the tsunami wasn't going to hit after all, so we trekked back on down the hill and were able to finally return home.

I'm so grateful and sad at the same time....

Grateful that I had this experience and have realized just how unprepared I am, (that's going to change!)

And sad for all those suffering and fighting to survive...

I just wish there was something I could do to help.