{Hawaiian Living}

Hawaiian living.

So, I know that I have been terrible at writing these past few months. With moving, unpacking, being pregnant,&trying to make a home in a new place--I just frankly haven't wanted to write anything down yet. But now that we have that behind us...

Viola! I'm writing a new post! 

"We live in Hawaii" is often a frequent statement that S&I say to each other. Not because we are clueless to where we are currently living, but because it still seems so unreal. It's usually said by us during a reflective moment at the beauty that surrounds us or when we think about Little Miss being born here. 

I'm not sure when (or if) it's really ever going to sink in. 

Living here is MUCH different than vacationing in Hawaii. 

We don't just spend our days at the beach drinking yummy drinks, eating at a restaurant every night, or mastering surfing. 

Instead of Hawaii being a vacation destination, it has become our new and lovely home where we are just going about the normal things in life:

Work.

Church.

Grocery shopping. 

Cleaning.

Yard work.

Walking our puppy.

Putting together a nursery.

Making friends.

And then on the weekends we try to venture out and take advantage of what the island offers. 

But some weekends are spent hanging out at our house watching movies&cuddling.

BUT there are some quirks about living in Hawaii that I want to share with you guys. Like, the fact that no one told me that the whole state has gotten rid of plastic sacks at stores and you have to bring your own. (What!) We had to find this out the hard way, more than once because I am notorious at forgetting that places like Target doesn't  have any. So then you place everything back into your cart and into your car, one item at a time...

Or the fact that this island doesn't have some important stores. 

Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Joann Fabrics.

NONE. 

Add my creative-I need crafting materials for the nursery-self crying in the corner! 

Let alone all the restaurants that I may or not be craving...

Or the fact that when driving around the island, sometimes we forget that Hawaii is part of the states and not a third world country. Seriously, after going to Mexico, Cambodia, and Haiti--there are some places that you wouldn't know the difference. 

Oh, the fact that we only go to downtown Honolulu if we want to be surrounded by MILLIONS of tourists. 

And most of the time, foreigners.

Every restaurant has multiple languages on their menus.   

Two words: Rice & Spam.

Everrrrrrywhere.

Hawaiians have rice with every single meal, yes, EVERY meal.

Even breakfast! haha which the Husband loves. 

Even if there isn't anything to put over it, you still have rice.

And you can order spam anywhere, even fast food restaurants.

Uh, no thank you! Been there, tried it.

Once was enough. 

(And even then, Mallow loved the extra treat from under the table..sh..)

 When you come in contact with someone, 

you are greeted with a hug and a kiss. 

Even if you are strangers. 

Believe me, you become fast friends!

This one caught me a little of guard, but I definitely get my quota of hugs in a day. 

We went to our first local BBQ the other day and learned how different it is. First, everyone takes off their shoes outside the home as a sign of respect. (Even the guy who set up our internet took off his boots every time he came into our house.) Second, you are treated like family from the very moment you step inside. And third, when you are starting to leave, the host hands you a plate full of food. Everything you just ate and loved all wrapped up in a plate for you to take home and enjoy the next day. In Scott's words, "They need to teach the rest of Americans this tradition!" 

He was beyond excited! 

Oh yeah, you can drive all around the island with people in the back of your truck. Even on the highways. 

For a pregnant woman who is already feeling her mothering instincts, this is SCARY. Especially when our first time having people in the back of our truck was heading down from the mountain with all the switchbacks. 

Hawaii is EXPENSIVE.

This part was definitely an eye opener to me + culture shock.

Most everything has to be imported here, so it makes sense, but still a shock when you're living here.

Thanks to the military, they try to make up for that a little.

Island time is real. 

BBQ at four, really means that people will show up at six.

Haha this is taking some time to get accustomed to. 

The homeless population here is an outrageously high number.

There was a time (maybe it's still going on) where states on the West Coast were actually paying a one way ticket for homeless people to move to Hawaii. You'll drive past an empty lot only to find it completely packed with tents for a homeless community.

 You'll also notice it under all of the bridges.

The awesome part is that our church here makes it their mission to help out and minister to these communities. 

Although there are a lot of differences, and sometimes we really do feel like we are living in a different country, it has been such a great adventure for us! We are loving all the new experiences&learning about new cultures and traditions.

We are having a blast finding new Uncles&Aunties for Baby H.

And we are absolutely loving this pregnancy season! 

(Even when I get hangry & overheat in this awesome weather. hahah)

And LOVING being around Mountains again.

So, here's to living in Hawaii!

My travel must-haves.

My Travel Must-Haves

Right after my mission trip to Haiti, I received an email from the community coordinator from Turo asking if I would write a blog post for my travel must-haves. Turo is a peer-to-peer car sharing marketplace where private car-owners can rent out their vehicles. They also have an airport rental page on their website, a perfect solution to those times you need a vehicle right when you land and get going on your adventure.   

Sounds pretty awesome if you ask me! I will most definitely keep this in mind during my travels.

My Husband, Scott, is in the Navy and we are currently stationed in North Carolina. 

{Just found out that we will be moving to Hawaii in December--so stay tuned for more adventures!}

We are both from Utah, and now my husband's family lives in Virginia&North Carolina, so we are constantly going on adventures-- whether around here or going back to Utah to see my family and  friends. Oh and the mountains, definitely the mountains. 

This blog post is about my travel must-haves and I will be talking about those that I love for out of country adventures!

The first real adventure that I had out of the US (not including a day in Mexico on a family vacation) was when I went with a best friend's family to the Bahamas. We stayed at the gorgeous Atlantis Resort--highly recommended. Then that same friend and I moved after I graduated college to Australia for six months with a month road trip around the south island of New Zealand. During the time in Australia, I went on a mission trip to Cambodia to work with Rapha House, a safe house for girls who are rescued from sex trafficking. My Husband and I were very fortunate to have spent a Christmas in Costa Rica with his family and then Haiti just recently with my family for a mission trip. 

Basically--after that first out-of-country trip, I was hooked!!

Wanderlust at it's best.

Here is my list of my travel must-haves:

1> Qalo Ring.

My Husband and I came across Qalo rings last year and fell in love. {Huge plus, they had a women's ring in turquoise!}

They make super comfy silicone wedding rings for outdoor lovers and for people who have jobs where wearing a normal ring is dangerous.

Scott wears his ring almost 24/7. 

He is a Navy corpsman and his silicone ring is absolutely perfect for his career!

We also wear them when we are working out or traveling. 

I wore mine in Haiti instead of taking my real wedding rings and it was such a relief knowing I wasn't going to lose them.  

2> A Journal.

A journal is a great way to write down every bit of the adventure that you don't want to forget. I will never go without a journal, even when I just travel back home to Utah. I love writing down special tidbits and finding treasures to stash away in the pages. I actually have one journal for all of my mission trips that I just add to when my next one arises, it's very special to me. 

3> A Physical Map.

It might be the adventure part of me or the part where a it can then become a souvenir, but I love using maps. 

When we were road tripping New Zealand, our phones weren't working so we had to resort to a physical map. 

It also makes me pretty proud of myself when I find the final destination all by myself, no help from Siri.

 The best part is that you can track your adventure and then show it off when you get home.

4> A Great Pair of Walking Shoes. 

My husband's love for Nike wore off on me and I won't go anywhere without at least one pair of my Nike shoes. We are pretty active and love going places only our feet can take us--perfect for that great pair of tennis shoes. One day in Australia, we traveled to the beautiful Byron Bay's lighthouse. The only bad part was that we were just at the beach when a local told us to hike to it and we were in flip-flops. Trust me, always have a great pair of walking shoes with you!

 5> Toiletry Bag.

I have this Thirty-One bag and it's wonderful. I can fit all of my toiletries in it and it is the prefect size. 

Not too big, not too little.

 It also is great because I can take one bag with me to the bathroom and not worry about having more than one and juggling everything.

6> Dry Shampoo&Hairspray

Sometimes when you are traveling there are times when you have to forgo washing your hair. Dry shampoo is a life savor! 

I really love this stuff. Not only for traveling, but at home.

I also always take hairspray.

7> Coconut Oil. 

I absolutely LOVE coconut oil for everything! I use it for cooking, conditioning my hair, face moisturizer,& lotion.

The best part about that is that you cut out excess bottles and products, perfect for when you are trying to pack everything in one or two suitcases. 

8> A Headband.

A headband is perfect for those days where you need your hair up and you want it to be at least semi-cute. It was extremely helpful while I was in Haiti where the showering conditions are not..well, perfect. You definitely didn't wash your hair every day and when you did it was with a freezing cold, drizzle of water that ran out pretty quick. So believe me, find a headband that you love and match it with as many outfits as you can!

9> A Water Bottle.

A water bottle is perfect for traveling. 

I always have one with me in my carry on so I can fill it in the airport and have it with me on the flight. It is always wonderful to not have to constantly buy water bottles and just have my own so I can just refill it. 

Water when traveling is a must!! 

10> A Good Read.

The best thing to keep you occupied while you are on your flight, waiting for a bus or train, or when you have extra time on the beach  is a good book. I always love reading while I am traveling. 

Reading an adventure, while you are on an adventure.

Perfect.

Beauty from Ashes. {Haiti Part 2}

As much as our mission trip to Haiti was a working mission, we spent a lot of time with the great people and adorable children of Haiti from different villages&orphanages. Here are some pictures from the villages! 

I was able to help out with some of the Vacation Bible Schools while we were there.

Driving up to Ebenezer, it was breathtaking! 

I am so blessed to have been able to experience all of this with my loving Mother, they all loved her!

Tina and I handing out snacks&water.

We did a lot of clothes and food distributions: Rice, beans, oil,&spaghetti. 

Another food distribution and VBS at the Village across the lake.

We spent almost a whole day at the new Rapha House in Haiti!

We were not allowed to take pictures while we were at the safe house for obvious safety reasons, but the images of that day will always be in my heart. 

We were the first team to go to this new Rapha House and it was incredible! The staff was so amazing and the girls were so sweet! We were also able to spend time with Stephanie while we were there!! (The director of Rapha House) 

We had a devotion with the staff, ate Dominos pizza with the girls, did a VBS, and played with the girls outside. 

It was such an amazing day! 

One of the girls said that she could see Jesus in the house that day, and I would have to agree! 

Although Jesus is always in the safe house and with us, His love was definitely brighter while we were there!

{Romans 12:9-13}

 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor,serving the Lord.

 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

God, Thank you for 2014.

2014

Two thousand & fourteen.

The year that I was definitely not looking forward to,

 the year that I was dreading.

The year that the military would take my Husband away from me on a long deployment. 

The year that I thought would be so lonely and sad.

 Definitely sad.

I remember coming back from our Christmas trip to Costa Rica last year dreading December 31, 2013---

knowing that the new year was fast approaching.
Knowing that all I wanted to do was keep on making memories as newlyweds.

But the clock kept ticking, the hours kept changing. 

And then the night where everyone watched the ball drop, Scott and I went to bed early.  

January 2014 was amazing.

The budget completely out the window, money not an issue.

I didn't want to waste any time with my Husband, constantly thinking of new memories to make. 

We went on dates, cuddled on the couch, talked for hours.

Celebrated his birthday in Myrtle Beach, baked him a delicious cake. All knowing that the time was passing by us, and quite honestly, faster than I even imagined.  

And then, February arrived. 

If anyone knows me--I am a HUGE birthday girl. 

I love everything about February, especially since it has Valentines Day&my birthday in the same month. 

I love the countdown.

I love being spoiled during this month. I love the surprises. 

I love that it's a month about love and laughter.

But this February was different.

This February meant something I wasn't ready to experience. 

This February meant love, tears, & heartbreak.

H E A P S of heartbreak.

This February meant my sweet Husband was leaving me.

There wasn't a countdown to my birthday, there was a countdown to the day I had to drop him off. Then the countdown to the approximate time he'd be back.

That cold, February day was marked by tears, lasts, & longing.

But do you want to know the beauty that came from that awful day? Family and friends came to me, showering me with love and prayers.

There were a lot of firsts, dimming the sadness of the lasts.

God created beauty out of the year that I had thought was going to be dark and lonely. 

God helped me become more independent, 

helped me be where I need to be, and reminded me each and every day that I was definitely NOT alone.

After a few adventures&new friendships, I headed to Utah in March.

This time was colored with family, new opportunities,

and some MUCH needed hugs.

I worked as a substitute teacher while I was in Utah and fell in love with teaching elemantary kids. I was able to give my sister a sweet sixteenth party, and send her off to prom in my prom dress. Spend time with my best friends, and send one of them off to her adventure in Thailand.  Was able to celebrate my Daddy's fiftieth birthday and shower him with love. I was able to have many mommy-daughter dates. I was able to spend time with my brother and get to know his now beautiful wife and adorable son. Made many memories with my Grandparents. Was able to spend time with my Grandma B, and be with my family when she passed away. I was able to spend time on my mountains and take in every thing around me. I was finally able to have the girls nights I was craving. Helped my Mom and her friend with their girls bible study and hang out with the crazy youth group. Was able to be a bridesmaid to my bestie Allyson, when she committed her life to her beloved AND join the wifey club! I was able to go on our family river trip to celebrate my Grandparents' FIFTIETH YEAR anniversary. I was also blessed to be able to be a sponsor at CIY with the youth group and spend quality time with my sister.  

When July came around, I had a million new lasting memories of the past four months. But the adventures didn't stop there. My sister flew back to North Carolina to stay with me for a month, to help the time without Scott fly by. But little did we know, the exact same time Scott was being told that he was going to be sent home from his deployment early due to his back injury. So literally three days after my sister and I landed, we headed back to the airport to pick up the sweet, handsome Husband I missed with every single breath. The month that was supposed to be just with my sister, turned into some major bonding time with my sister, Scott, & I. We went to Virginia to surprise his Mama, had a blast in Wilmington, New Bern, &Myrtle Beach, SC, and explored South Port. When it was time to send my sister back, we were in Raleigh making last minute memories before we were in the airport saying our "see you laters."  

August-now... has continued to be an adventure of learning more about each other, reintegration, &taking in the little moments that last a lifetime. Between staying home, our favorite trips to Wilmington, Greensboro with family, Charlotte football games, our perfect trip to Asheville and the Biltmore house--It was definitely time that I got blessed with Scott, since he came home early.

Our trip to Utah felt actually like a vacation and not just a trip home. Family, work, memories, our mountains, Thanksgiving, early Christmas, Holly Days, double dates, my Brother's WEDDING. Much needed time with my family, especially since Scott hadn't been home since our wedding in 2013. 

The rest of December was full of Christmas magic. Scott&I found our FIRST Christmas tree and all of our ornaments. We spent a whole day dancing around the house as we decorated everything and hung our lights. Winter Wonderland. Then we celebrated Jesus' birthday with Scott's mama and sister in Virginia and had a really good time. Scott and I have been blessed by being able to spend Christmas together since we have been married, and I definitely know not to take it for granted. 


So, as I look back to myself when 2013 was ending I had no idea of the miracles 2014 would unfold. 
   I had no idea that there would be many first, with what I thought would only be lasts. 
I had no idea that God would use me to touch people's lives through this season of my life.
I had no idea that when I imagined 2014, I only imagined tears and not the laughter that helped paint each and every day. 
 Thank you, God, for teaching me so many things through this year.
Thank you, God, for being with Scott&sending him home safe and sound.
Thank you, God, for helping me understand that I was never alone.
Thank you, God, for sending my family&friends to cover me with love, laughter, and prayers.
God, thank you for 2014. 

Without the hesitation that I had last year, 
BRING ON 2015.

A month of a F U L L heart!

There was this time in October that my cute mom&I had a brilliant conversation. She was telling me how excited she was for S&I to fly out for Thanksgiving and my brothers wedding---but then asked me why we didn't think about flying me out early. Duh! I'm not working and I very well could have. Well...We pulled some strings and made it work. But the best part?! It was a COMPLETE SURPRISE to everyone! Including my daddy! 

TWO WEEKS EARLY.

So my mom picked me up at the airport with my Grandma, who was very surprised to find out they were picking me up. That night we had a family dinner and I was able to surprise every single person, one by one.

 One great surprise! 

Now onto pictures throughout the month. 

I went with my mom to pick up my sister and her cute friends from Sadies--and possibly had a little more fun with them while we were there. 

Played with this silly NEPHEW of mine.. 

Oh how I miss him so much!

Attended a few parties, Garrett's "ugly" sweater party being one of them. Disclaimer: I didn't pack an ugly sweater, so I created my own last minute. (:

After almost two weeks of working (yay for working on vacation, right?!) and being around family/friends.. it was time to pick up the HUBBY! 

Scott hasn't been able to make it back to Utah since we were married. So I was bound to make it an amazing trip for the Hubs. 

Oh how we have missed our Mountains, with the added bonus with them covered in a perfect blanket of snow. 

I was able to spend a few hours with my best friend before we went to pick up Scott, and then headed over to dinner. We had dinner with  Scott's uncles family & a few of our amazingly amazing friends! 

Seriously, Kohen was Scott's little buddy from the very get go. 

We had a lot of fun helping my brother set up house for his future bride! 

Thanksgiving was an incredible {FULL} day. 

We started the day with a friend's turkey trot--Mallow included. BEST way to start out the holiday where you then stuff your face with amazingly delicious, heartfelt-made food. Makes you feel a littttttle bit better about your love for Thanksgiving food.

After our trot, we had Thanksgiving lunch with my Dad's family. 

YUM!!

This was the first time the Hubs and I have celebrated Thanksgiving together in Vernal, so it was such a treat to be able to be with my family for one of my favorite holidays. After lunch, we went over to  a friends house for a whole table full of homemade desserts. 

Oh the decisions.

Then we went back to my parents' house for an early Christmas party with my Mom's family. (There might have been some naps before the party started... *cough cough* Daddy and Scott.

So we passed around presents to a poem and had quite a few laughs. This part of our Christmas parties is a new tradition, so it was really fun. 

 "King" Bompa.

Friday after Thanksgiving=HOLLIDAYS!!

But what did that mean to my Husband who has never experienced the awesomeness? Nothing. Haha He ended up ditching me for a hunting trip. But this goose hunting trip seriously has been talked about for weeks since. Really. 

{He might just be the cuttttttest hunter, ever.}

While the boys were playing, the girls went to Santa's Workshop. 

A ton of booths set up for our perusal.

And then spent some MORE time with the nephew, I can't seem to ever get enough. And started getting ready for the annual Hollydays sensation. 

For those of you who have no idea about this part of Vernal, it really is the best. It is a community wide celebration, roads shut down, covered in all things Christmas. From Trees for Charity, to roasting marshmallows&hot chocolate, to camel&carriage rides, to flame throwers, etc. It really is awesome! 

We met up with my family and had a carriage ride. Then the cutest grandparents took Kohen so we could have a triple date. 

Hollydays&great Mexican food + Dennis the Menace movie. 

My favorite Hollydays picture to date! 

 Oh, and a Canadian Grinch. 

Can't forget her!

Next was the annual Bowden tree cutting tradition.

Add in a little early Christmas present from the parents...

A new gun! 

Thanks again Mom&Dad!!!

Scott got to pick out my family's tree for us--since we couldn't take it back with us... *sniff sniff*

Our family keeps growing and growing.
MAKES ME SO EXCITED!
Even got Mallow&Bandit in the picture.

THEN--- A bachelorette party for our new (!!!) sister.

 So, Scott's cute grandparents live in the wonderful (eh ha) city of Vegas. We decided we could definitely make a trip there to see them.

They are definitely worth 16 hours of driving for 36 hours of seeing them! 

We went up to the High Roller-awesome by the way!

I might just be a tiny bit bitter at the fact that my Sister and Mother are going to Paris this next year.. without me.
So HA-- I made it first! ;)

 Scott&I took advantage of an evening in Vegas and took me out on a date. 

Sweetest, most adorable guy!

Of course we people watched, how can you not?! All those..crazies!

And shopped. And possibly had a delicious margarita slushy, and stopped in Paris for this tasty dessert.

Isn't it so pretty?!

Mom&Sis, told you I made it first-- I even had a dessert from Paris. 

 Our time with his Grandparents flew by way too quickly. But I am so glad that we were able to make the trip. 

On the way to Vegas, Scott made me listen to rock the ENTIRE time. On the way back, I kind of took a little more control on music... and was a bit silly some of the time. 

Example:

 More Bowden traditions. Decorating our huge tree!

Rehearsal dinner--- it's real people!

My brother really did marry this cute girl.

Made her my sister.. and gave me a nephew to love both for forever!

Can I get a huge AWEEEE for this moment of Scott&Kohen.

I might be a litttttle baby crazy and canNOT wait to watch S be an amazing daddy!

DECEMBER 6, 2014.

The day my little brother said "I do" to the woman of his dreams, Kristin. 

The day my brother became a daddy to Kohen.

The day he started a life with his new family.

The day where I gained an amazing new sister and the most adorable nephew.

The day where I took this groomsman home with me! 

I can't wait to see more pictures from the wedding, and I will dedicate a mushy-gushy wedding post all about them! Stay tuned.

Best friend came to witness "our" little brother getting married. So nice to have more time with her!
Ps. We are back to being that blonde&brunette haired best friends.
Here's to almost TWENTY-TWO years of friendship! 

 Okay, for reals. Look at this precious moment. 

A moment that will forever stay in my heart was graciously caught on film. Thank you photographer. 

I will always remember Kohen at his parents' wedding--

that dashing young man at two years old. 

Plus, Scott&I were able to watch him that night, and of course, spoil him with love!

My two forever best friends. 

 GUYS! My Cambodian sister came to Vernal while I was there.

Only by God's design. Love you Theara! I can't wait until I will be able to make my way back to Cambodia and visit YOU!

 While she was here, we had a Cambodian night with our team. Our team member, Luke, is moving his family from Oregon to Cambodia to be missionaries. {Pray for them} They came through Vernal, again by God's design, while I was there. 

Bragging on my God.  

And then it was time to leave. As much as I love life out in NC, nothing will replace our home in Utah. I'm so glad that we were able to spend the precious time we were able to.

Thanksgiving, Early Christmas, Wedding, plus too many more memories to count.

Scott giving Mallow a new hair do.

Consoling Bandit, I'm pretty sure he loves Mallow more than us..put together!

We were able to spend the night at my favorite couples' house, Cole&Kayla. She already had a date planned for us, Gardener Village&Scott's favorite sushi restaurant. So much fun hanging out with these two, and thank you again so much for letting us stay. 

I just missed my old room there too much not to stay.;)

And a little bit of life since Utah?

Mallow LOVES these horns. 

Every single one.

Our great friend, Ramon, left for his deployment. He is actually going on the same MUE that Scott was on, which is pretty cool. 

Please keep these men and women in your prayers, along with their families at home.

Deployments are hard, but prayers and having support helps immensely. 

Our sweet nephew needs to come stay here.

Kohen, 

Beg your mom and dad to send you in a Christmas package. 

Address to Aunt Kassi&Uncle Sott. 

Fragile.

I love you!

 And last, but certainly not least, 

CHRISTMAS IS UP IN THE CUMMINGS' HOUSE.

Scott and I have always been able to take little tasks and create them to become great dates. 

Decorating Christmas was definitely not an exception.

Last Christmas we were in Costa Rica {Let's go back gang!} so we didn't really decorate before we left. So we didn't  have a tree or many ornaments. Well this year, we found the best fake tree in the world! {I haven't had a fake tree since I was little, but I LOVE ours.}

We found our tree, went crazy in the ornament aisle, and set it all up right away. Scott then decorated our house, inside&out, with Christmas lights... Viola! Perfect Christmas decorations.

You might really catch either of us just staring at our tree.. it's just mesmerizing. 

One of our new traditions is that we decided that we are going to start collecting ornaments from places we have been or has meaning to us. So far, we have ornaments from my childhood; pictures from our proposal, engagement, wedding, pre-deployment, and post-deployment; a wedding ornament I made from our wedding invitation; the Biltmore House; Scott's work; and ornaments we found last year at a boutique here. Now off to our next adventure, Christmas in Virginia!

With all of this talk about Christmas decorations, the real reason for celebrating Christmas comes down to having a "stable" background. 

Jesus' birth is the reason to celebrate.

Our Savior was born to save us, so that we could go to Heaven through Him. 

Thank you God for sending Your Son for me.  

Merry Christmas everyone,

Love the Cummings