The Honey-Blonde Mama

It’s PCS Season! | We’re Moving to…

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Korea!

We are moving in just under 3 short months and it’s honestly all I can think about. It’s a combination of the usual PCS excitement (I’ve actually wanted to move to Korea so I’m looking forward to it), and the dread of flying SO many hours with a toddler. Help! Thankfully my 16 month old is a pretty good flyer but that doesn’t mean any child wants to sit in one place for 15+ hours! How can you blame them? Confession: I have already been brainstorming toy and snack ideas for the trip…yes, I always plan way in advance. 😉

It will be one busy summer this year! But we will really miss Hawaii. 😦 I remember hearing a lot of negative things from other Milspouse bloggers about Hawaii before we moved and that made me nervous, but my family and I couldn’t have been more happy here. Yes, it is an island but there is much more to do here than you might think. We feel incredibly blessed to have experienced “HI Life” and to have met so many kind people that have truly embodied the spirit of “Aloha”. So, while it will be hard to leave, that it just one part of our lives and our lives are full of change. I’ve learned to embrace change and I’ve discovered that some of the most beautiful things can come out of it.

Kaua’i Weekend Vacay | Barking Sands Naval Base | Part 1

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Waiting for our flight! Had my bags packed with snacks and goodies for Ava. 😉

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Always love drinking the complimentary “POG” on the interisland flights. ❤

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Got our rental car and we’re ready to see some of the island on our way to our beach cottage! Oddly enough, it was a hunter green Kia that we unknowingly rented–except for the seats not be comfortable for long drives, it was fun to drive around the island in our little toaster car. 😉

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Beachfront view? Not bad!

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An exciting day with an early morning flight, a new island, and new house for Ava to explore… We enjoyed a few scenic lookout stops on our way to our rental and just relaxed for the rest of the day at the cottage and on the beach. MWR had free sand toys that they let us borrow for Ava–she loved that. 🙂

Part 2 of our Kaua’i vacay coming next…

Stay tuned!

Friday Favorites

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It’s been a great week, with Ava finally sleeping through the night again. ❤ This last sleep regression hit me so hard that I was starting to wonder if it would ever pass–it did, thank the Lord!

I’ve been LOVING the Starbucks Doubleshot on ice (light ice with coconut milk)! Where has this drink been?? It has 3 (THREE!) shots of espresso and now I feel like I’m finally in the big leagues. I drank this just before my last exam and I was awake and focused for the entire test…plus I passed–woohoo!

For the evenings when it takes Ava a little more time to wind down, I occasionally use a little lavender essential oil or the Plant Therapy Nighty Night oil. I’ve been rediscovering essential oils lately. I always keep a little travel case of them in my purse. The peppermint always takes away a headache, and I have used Eucalyptus oil on the soles of my feet before when I had a coughing fit in church (awkward, but the coughing stopped after I applied the oil).

Spending time with Ava lately has been really special to me. She hasn’t been as fussy from teething and I’ve been making the effort to go out more and just spend more time discovering new things together. I recently took her to the beach and she was in heaven! Haha She absolutely loved it, plus it tired her out for her next nap. 😉 I also took her to the park recently and she had a ball just running around and climbing the slides.

I hope everyone else has had a wonderful week and you are ready for a great weekend!!

Aloha! 🌸

Ho’omaluhia Botanical Gardens

In the town of Kaneohe on the island of Oahu, there is a beautiful, large botanical garden, and there is even a lake that you can fish in (catch and release). Its the perfect place for a picnic or even just a drive on a Sunday afternoon.

My husband and I parked at the visitors center and walked to the lake with our 15 month old in a baby carrier. The lake is only accessible by a walking path and you cannot drive there. It’s about a 10 minute walk if you’re being leisurely–which you should because the walk is quite beautiful. 🙂

We found out later that you can rent free fishing poles at the visitors center! There were several families that brought blankets and snacks and let there kids fish for fun.

Yet another hidden gem in the lovely town of Kaneohe. 🙂