What Balance Means to Me...

Today's 30 Days of Lists prompt is "What Balance Means to Me".  I've always been a pretty organized person on the surface.  What I mean by that is, I'm good at looking like I'm organized... But if you ask Thomas, it's more of an organized chaos.  =] I knew that when Chloe was on her way, that would have to change.  I was no longer going to be taking care of two people's business (yes... I handle a lot of my husband's appointments and such.  Ask his family.  Any functions or reminders... They call me.  Not him.), but also a third mini person who would be relying on us to make the decisions for her.  I could not drop the ball on this one! 

I knew that I would have to find more balance in every aspect of my life.  Here are a few of the main ones that I've been working on.

Through trial and error, and a lot of patience I think I've found a way to balance all the important aspects in my life.

What are some ways that you try to restore balance to your life?  Do you meditate or do yoga?  Or maybe go for a nice evening walk alone, or with someone special?

Some of My Favorite Authors...

I wish I could have a more profound list for today's 30 Days of Lists prompt: My Favorite Authors.  I really need to get back into reading!! Well... Here's what I could think of off the top of my head!

Lois Ann Yamanaka is a local author from Hawai'i.  She wrote books that were very relatable for people who grew up in the islands!  I mainly tried to stick with books/authors that I have never gotten tired of, who have written books that I feel like I could read over and over again.

What are some of your favorite books and who are your favorite authors?

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Don't Tell Anybody But...

I absolutely love the prompts for this month's 30 Days of Lists!  I love how they can be interpreted or done in so many different ways: serious, funny... You name it!  Today's prompt is 'don't tell anybody but...'.  Since this is my first time participating in #30Lists, I decided to share some info about me whenever possible so other listers/bloggers/readers can get to know me a bit more.

So... Here's a few of my confessions =P

I'm really enjoying the challenge that 30 Days of Lists presents to me everyday!  I feel like my problem when it comes to crafts (and even this blog...) is I would run out of ideas and then I'd start to feel defeated.  Aside from one or two 'quick pages' that I used in the beginning of the month, I started challenging myself to create my own designs for my lists.  Even though I've had many "brain farts"... I've pushed myself to crank something out and I always end up surprising myself.

What are some tips or techniques that you folks use to avoid a creative burnout?

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Meal Planning for this Week...

I just have to say... My family loves. food.  We also really like grocery shopping.  So... While some people dread it, we like to spend time as a family walking around the supermarket/farmer's market etc.  Due to our love of markets... We're pretty flexible with our meal planning (today's 30 Days of Lists prompt).

Here's what could possibly be on the menu for this week... Or maybe next weeks.

I would really like to get into meal planning... I know it helps you to shop more efficiently and ultimately save money.  But it's hard with an indecisive hubby... Any of you have any great tips and tricks that you have for cooking for your family?

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One Lone Podcast & Pandora Stations I love...

I decided to change today's 30 Days of Lists' original prompt of Podasts I love to One Lone Podcast & Pandora Stations I love...  There's only really one "podcast" I listen to and I don't even listen to the podcast version of it haha.  I watch it on YouTube.  And well... One item just wouldn't be a list!  So, I decided to also include my favorite Pandora stations!

I shuffle between these Pandora stations depending on what mood I'm in.  Can you tell that I love Holiday music... And piano tracks.  Enjoy my list for today!

When the Kids go to Sleep is put on by Shay and Collette (aka Katilette) Carl from the YouTube channel, ShayTards.  This couple left everything that they knew in Idaho and moved out to L.A. with their children to chase their dreams of starting up their own studio, Maker Studios.  Fast forward five years later and that dream came true tenfold!  They recently just sold Maker Studios to... Disney.  Yes... You read that right... Disney.  I watch their When the Kids go to Sleep podcast on the corresponding YouTube channel.  They talk about anything and everything under the sun, but mostly motivational and inspirational talks about how anything is possible if you truly want to chase your dreams.  Funny thing is... I never really watched any of their things until we went to VloggerFair about a month ago... I never knew who they were or their story until then!

Just thought I'd share some thoughts on my one lone podcast that I like to watch... =\ Haha.

I would love to know what some of your favorite podcasts are... Leave them in the comments below!

Guilty Pleasures...

Today's 30 Days of Lists prompt is guilty pleasures.  I think I've been doing a pretty good job of controlling my guilty pleasures this pregnancy.  When I was pregnant with Chloe, I was eating icecream multiple times a week!  I'm surprised I managed to stay within my goal of only gaining 30 pounds up until the last two weeks of being pregnant.  It was probably all the walking Thomas made me do in order to get the icecream... I won't complain, it kept me in pretty good shape.

Anyway... I digress...

Here's my list of guilty pleasures:

So.... What are some of your guilty pleasures? =]

I feel coziest when...

Today's 30 Days of Lists prompt is so appropriate for this week!  Every time we leave the house I see more and more leaves changing colors.  It's also getting a lot cooler and the sun doesn't shine as much (which is totally fine... I've always loved the rain/cloudier days.  Is that weird?).  When I think of fall and winter, I think of cozy sweater weather, hot chocolate/tea, and Christmas candles!

Here's my list for today!

What are some of your necessities for a cozy night in?  A good book or your furry friend at your feet?

Things I Do That I Wish Made Me Money...

I probably could've made today's 30 Days of Lists a mile long to tell you the truth!  Thomas and I are always brainstorming ideas and thinking about our passions to see what our calling is.  We truly believe that God has a plan for us... A way that we can make a living for ourselves while staying true to everything that's important to us.  People may say we're naive... But I say we're two very motivated people with a lot of faith that it's possible to make a living for yourselves without sacrificing your happiness.

Anyway... I digress... Here's my simplified list! =]

After checking out some of the lists that have been posted, I really should have included taking pictures too!  Ask anyone who's close to me... I never have enough memory in my phone because I take so many pictures (of anything and everything). ^_^

Are there any quirky little things that you do... Or maybe something extraordinary that you wish you got paid to do?

Have a great day everyone!

Reasons to _________.

To be honest... I had such a hard time getting started with this list!  I kept going back and forth with different ideas when suddenly it hit me!  Why not list what I've come to love about 30 Days of Lists?!

So... Here ya go!

I have to admit... I was a bit nervous about taking on 30 days of lists (ask Thomas... I used to have a tendency of wanting to start projects and slowly losing momentum... ).  I'm so glad I decided to push myself though!  I'm definitely excited for the next round of #30Lists!  Yay for trying and discovering new hobbies!

Posters on My Wall Growing Up...

Today's 30 Days of Lists was a good flashback for me.  Since we made our big HI to WA move just over five months ago (you can read a little mini 75-days recap here), it was fun to take sometime to reminisce about the bedrooms I had growing up.  My mom always did an excellent job at personalizing our rooms with homemade (but totally cute and awesome) frames filled with pictures and phrases.  I decorated the room that I shared with my sister at our dad's house with posters I got through school book fairs and catalogues.  As I got older I started to follow in my mom's crafty footsteps and began to create my own posters to decorate our room with.    Here's a list of a few of the posters from the school book fairs/catalogues that used to adorn our walls growing up!

What were some of your favorite posters and trinkets that decorated your room growing up?

Favorite Cliches...

There are just so many great prompts for this month's 30 Days of Lists!  Today's prompt?... Favorite Cliches.  

"Marry your best friend."

I am so blessed to have found my best friend at such a young age (13 to be exact...).  Thomas and I have really watched each other grow up from being teenagers with attitudes to [young] adults spreading their wings for the first time and even starting a family.  When I think of what defines a best friend... I think of someone who will always be 100% honest with me (even when it may hurt). Someone who knows me maybe just a little bit too well.  Someone who is able to know how I'm feeling and even what I'm thinking without me saying a single word.  I think of someone who I can have some pretty bad fights with... But at the end of the day there are no hard feelings, just lessons learned.

I don't know how I would've been able to build a foundation for our marriage without truly being Thomas' friend first.  The level of trust that we have and how well we know each other truly is the result of a deep friendship that has been growing over the span of more than (...holy crap) a decade.


"A baby changes everything."
And any other cliches about how much becoming a parent changes your life.

Thomas kept telling me that once we had a baby the way I look at the world would be totally different.  And I knew he was right... And I would agree with him... But I don't think that either of us truly knew the extent to which our babies would change our lives.  To be honest, when I was growing up I never thought I would want to live on the mainland.  I knew I wanted to travel, but I never really considered actually raising my family on the mainland.  After losing our jobs last year and becoming parents, Thomas and I really started to analyze the opportunities around us differently.  We also started to really take a look at what kind of future we wanted for our family.  That's when we made the decision to give life on the continental U.S. a shot.  We're only young once (haha... another cliche I should probably add to my list)...  And what everyone tells us is totally, 100% right: I don't want to be struggling later on in life when I should be carefree... But I don't want to be unhappy either.  I would much rather struggle now while pursuing what truly makes us happy.  Even possibly falling a few times while trying to reach for our dreams... But as long as we learn our lesson and get back up... We're going to keep reaching to better our lives.  Because that's what happens when you have a baby... They motivate you to be the best and provide the best that you can.


"Nothing worth having comes easy."

Nothing that I thank God for every night came easily to me.  They all came with their own form of pain, sadness, criticism, struggle, etc. but at the end of it I have a beautiful list of things to thank God for.  From the night we found out we were going to have Chloe, we've tried our best to throw our hands up to God.  Leaving it all to him.  We put in the work by applying for jobs, going to the interviews, making sacrifices, doing the research... But we leave the outcomes to Him.  I ask Him to give me the strength to take the rejection as Him telling me that that's not the opportunity for me... While also asking Him to give me the courage to step out of my comfort zone to take risks and put myself out there.  I may come up against rejection and criticism... But if it makes me happy and I'm being true to myself and my values.  I'll make it.


So, what are a few of your favorite cliches?

Best Places to Find Inspiration...

I'm excited to see what everyone else has for today's 30 Days of Lists prompt: best places to find inspiration.  Here is my list for where I draw inspiration from sometimes!

Amanda Rose Zampelli's blog is actually where I first heard of 30 Days of Lists!  I had been getting lost on the internet searching for inspiration for my own blog.  This was back in March, when I was kind of starting to lose momentum with keeping up with my New Year's Resolution of trying to put up a new blog post every week.  As I looked more into 30 Days of Lists, I had learned that it was a growing community of all different types of people (crafters, bloggers, just people who like to write lists, etc...).  The prompts seemed intriguing enough, and the commitment level was totally manageable.  You basically put as much or as little effort into this daily challenge... So long as you put together some sort of list... All while encouraging me to get my creative juices flowing at least once a day for a whole month.  Anyway... that's my short summary of how I even got into this daily listing challenge, and how I found Amanda Rose Zameplli's blog!

I believe I found the last two blogs on Pinterest while looking for any health related blogs.

I loved how bubbly, friendly, and real Julie Fagan from Peanut Butter Fingers was.  After browsing her blog for just a few minutes, I really felt like I was getting to know her!  Her style of writing and daily posts continue to inspire me even months after I stumbled upon her blog.

I found Erica Castillo's blog, To the Sea, when I was looking up healthy postpartum lifestyles.  Let me just say, power to you girl!  Erica attended UH Law School (another reason for why I love her blog: she spent time living in Hawai'i like me) and was right back in the classroom the Monday after delivering her daughter.  Her and her family are very well traveled (a goal that Thomas and I have for our family).  She also does an excellent job at documenting her children's lives (something I aim to do).  She is also very honest in a real and edgy way.

I just thought it was worth explaining how I found these blogs and a few of the reasons for why each of them inspire me!  I hope you enjoyed some of the places that I get my inspiration from.  My family also inspires me... As well as motivate me.  Enjoy yesterday's vlog!

The Best Things About This Week...

Today's 30 Days of Lists prompt is the perfect way for me to end this week.  Exactly one week ago Chloe turned one!  Thomas and I spent a lot of this time really enjoying all the blessings that we've received over this past year.  Here are a few of the blessings I listed down for today's list...

It's just so amazing how much little kids learn in their first few years.  It seems like everyday Chloe is learning something new, figuring out something new, or discovering something new!  I love to show and teach her new things.  Please enjoy our vlog from yesterday!

Must Haves for a Night In...

Thomas and I were always considered the "old" couple amongst our friends.  We never really went out to parties and such.  If we did have a date night it usually just consisted of a movie and dinner... But we really did just enjoy staying home, cooking, and relaxing in front of the TV.  Luckily for us, this kind of helped us transition into being parents because it wasn't like we really felt like we were sacrificing much when it came to our social life... That's why for today's 30 Days of Lists prompt is a simple and short one!

Yesterday's vlog is just filled with fun times with Chloe!  I hope she's able to make you smile and make your day that much brighter!

Things I've Finished this Year...

Today's 30 Days of Lists prompt really put into perspective how important it is for me to set goals!  I was really determined to start documenting our lives in some way, shape, or form... and I'm so glad I stuck with it.  I really wish I could add a couple of book titles to this list... But I have a few jotted down from our prompt the other day for me to look into!

Another goal I really want to meet is taking the time to meditate/stretch at least once a day.  I try to make it a point to take a few minutes a few days of the week to just sit down and "meditate"/stretch before anyone else wakes up... There's just something about taking a few minutes to gently wake up your soul.  But there are a few days where I'll do it while Chloe is watching her Baby Einstein.  Today we bought one of those rubber non-slip mats for the shower... and when I opened it up... Check out what Chloe did!  She seriously is so smart and amazes us everyday... Enjoy the vlog!!

Subjects I Could Talk About for Hours...

Today's 30 Days of Lists prompt was a fun prompt for me to think about.  Now that I'm typing out this post, I realize that these are topics that I truly have a passion for!  This year is about pursuing my passions and finding myself so it was a good reminder for me... This is definitely another one of my favorite prompts so far this month.

Luckily, yesterday's vlog goes very well with today's prompt!  It's filled with some of my most favorite things: my family, and food... more specifically, fall themed food!  Enjoy!

Ain't Nobody Got Time For...

Today's prompt for 30 Days of Lists is an interesting one.  I wanted to include some serious and some funny things that I "ain't got no time for..."

Chloe got another package in the mail today!  Check out what was in it in the vlog!

Books Everyone Should Read...

I absolutely love today's prompt for 30 Days of Lists: books everyone should read!  Growing up reading was what we did in our spare time (to this day it amazes Thomas when he mentions a cartoon or video game and he's met with a blank stare...).  Both of my parents love to read... And so does my Nana.  In Hawai'i it isn't uncommon for our grandparents to be like second parents to us... This being said... Nana took my sister and I to the library all the time.  We were the kids that had all kinds of trinkets from the summer reading program at the public library and always got free personal pan pizzas from Pizza Hut for completing some reading activity in school...

Anyway... I think you get my point.  I'm always looking for a great new book to read!  If you take a look at my list I like a pretty good variety of books.  I was very lucky to find so many books that I enjoyed reading throughout school (4 out of 7 books were from school reading lists spanning from elementary through high school... and these are just a few of my top picks)!  I'm very excited to see everyone else's lists!  I mentioned in my first Currently... post at the end of August that I'm itching to find a really good book to read!

I can't explain how much more perfect this prompt is for today!  Please enjoy yesterday's vlog... Our daughter clearly has the same love of books as me. ♥

Chores I Actually Enjoy...

Today's prompt for 30 Days of Lists was a bit harder for me to answer.  I think that's because when I think of a "chore" I think of any household activity that needs to be done and I don't exactly enjoy doing... and I do it because I know it has to be done!  I know some people consider cooking for their family to be a chore... but luckily Thomas and I both love to cook so that was a no-brainer for me.  Anyway... Here's a peak at the rest of my list =]

Also... Enjoy yesterday's vlog!

Every Night Before I Go To Bed...

Day 6's prompt for 30 Days of Lists is "Every night before I go to bed..."  The following are things I do every single night without fail, no matter what =]

Also... If you haven't seen it yet, I put together a video for our daughter, Chloe's, first birthday!  It includes her cake smash (and boy did she smash into that cake!).  Have a great Saturday everyone!  We're gonna try to clean up the house... =\  I also have to edit yesterday's vlog... Busy busy day!

The first video is our usual daily vlog... The opening day for the Washington State Fair happened to fall on Chloe's birthday so we decided to check it out!  Chloe has never been to a fair before... And we have never experienced a fair on such a grand scale before!!  Her birthday slideshow is at the end of our vlog (including her cake smash!).

This is just her slide show video if you wanted to just check that out!