the HI life

Yes, I may have had our baby in a bath tub sans drugs, but no, we have not taken up any other "natural" recreational habits. We have been in our new home in Hawaii for over two months now! It hit me the other day just how precious and short our time is here since Matt has for sure made the plan to graduate in December,  assuming he passes all of his classes. Upon this realization, I make it a personal goal to hit the beach at least three times a week, even if it means pushing a screaming baby in the stroller all on my lonesome merely for the fact that it is literally an eleven minute walk from my front door. I will probably never again be able to say that in my life. Sand can nearly always be found on every surface in our apartment at any given time.

We truly live in paradise. And we pay for it. Just as a point of reference, a good price for a gallon of regular cow milk is around $5.40 (yes, that is the price at Costco). Because our apartment was nasty dirty and very ill equipped we went to the nearest store to get a few basic things: toilet paper, disinfectant wipes, etc. We looked at trash cans and the most basic plastic one, didn't even include a lid, was $45.00! Holy smokes! From then on we decided everything at the two stores on this side of the island was ridiculously overpriced since they have kind of a monopoly on many things that you would have to drive an hour to go get.

We have a stake center in our backyard and the temple steeple is within view of our front window. I have been twice so far and it's so amazing and awe-inspiring to see what a different temple is like and the exact similarities as well. I love going and will love this time being SO CLOSE. Tuesday Temple nights for me from now on!

I have sandal tan lines that I know aren't disappearing anytime soon. I don't know how because I always keep her pretty modest, but Aberle has a diaper tan line. Matt's face and arms are darker than I have ever seen them, and he says it's because he's a laborer and works outside every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon. My freckles have made their appearance because of all the outdoor water fun, and I don't mind a bit. I have even given up wearing makeup or styling my hair through the week. I wasn't sure if it was the whole being a mom thing and feeling like I had no time to spend on myself, but I have come to the conclusion that it is just the Hawaiian way. Why put something on that is going to just be washed away in the ocean or straighten something that is going curl or kink by pretty much just stepping outside?

Every thing is so green! I think that is something I don't even appreciate anymore because it's just everywhere! It rains at least once every day. Our neighbors grilled some chicken on a grill on the ground that left a giant black spot right on the front lawn. They put some leaves on it and it was looking like grass in two weeks. Aberle's naps are constantly interrupted by lawn mowers or leaf blowers or weed eaters because there is always yard work to be done and our windows are always open.

I have become so much more culturally educated than I ever have which I realize is not saying much growing up in Wyoming and going to school in Utah. I was once hanging out with a group of mothers and we had a Brazillian girl, a Samoan boy, a Hawaiian boy, a Korean boy, and little, white Aberle - it was basically a Gerber commercial. Some friends from the ward invited us over to share some of the octopus her husband had caught made into a Japanese meal. We have also eaten so many types of curry. We love it!

I now feel like a speed demon whenever I get up to 60 mph. The average speed limit on the highways that go around the island is 30 mph. I thought this would bother me, but there is just so much to look at on either side of the road (jungle forests, waves crashing on the rocks, fruit stands galore) that I don't mind at all. Also it's a good thing because you never know when the occasional shirtless guy with a surf board will dart out across the road.

These are a few of the main things that I have found unique to living in Hawaii. Other than those, my days pretty much resemble how they would be in any other place - laundry, washing dishes, cleaning, planning meals, and making food, and taking care of Abs.

Lovin' the HI life!