Mike turns 26 today!

I love this guy with my whole heart.

He's the sweetest, kindest, most talented, goofiest, most stylish man I know!

I am so so lucky to be his.

xo.

sunrise at 10 000 feet.

directions: wake up at 3.30 am. stuff as many blankets & sweaters as you can into the car. (optional: pack snacks you don't end up eating). drive for an hour until you reach an altitude of 10 000 feet. shiver for an hour, but marvel as the sky slowly turns pink, lighting up the clouds below you. suddenly, that hot fiery ball of sun pops up over the clouds and the clouds disappear. the sun lights up the crater below you and instantly warms the air. and then be amazed, because it's really one of the most beautiful things you've ever seen.

la pérouse bay

Yes! I'm back after a brief unintended hiatus. And yes! More Hawaii photos. Here's why: It's been a long, cold, rainy day filled with university classes and these photos (when accompanied with a warm blanket & a cup of hot chocolate) make me feel nice and warm.

ps. I'm just going to say it - I love love love being married. Heaps of laughter & silliness before 8 am is a fabulous way to start the day.

The Lonely Planet guidebooks make lovely travel companions*. The books provided us with top notch restaurant suggestions, interesting anecdotes about each region, and (best part!) directions to a sort of dangerous an absolutely dangerous, rugged path - one false step could send you sliding down the sharp drop off into the ocean.

(That photo of me trapizing down the trail does not accurately portray the sheer drop offs. I was scared.  But then I saw people with babies on the beach, so clearly I am less fearless than Hawaiian locals.)

You follow the twists and turns and good old LP eventually leads you to the most beautiful and startling red sand beach. And then you wonder, how the heck is Hawaii allowed to be so devastatingly gorgeous?



*Be careful not to speak too adoringly of LP whilst on your honeymoon. Mike made me a few comments about me loving my Lonely Planet books more than him. Untrue!

Shave ice eating, photo taking, people watching, and boardwalk strolling in Lahaina, Maui.

While in Kihei, Maui, our condo was across the street from a beach. Occasionally we crossed the street, just in time for the 6.30 pm sunset. There's nothing really like a sunset over the ocean, and inevitably we would begin plotting ways to live close to an ocean and in a warmer climate.

We usually discuss: Vancouver (still too cold in the winter and not enough sunshine), California (sunny, but tricky with visas), Australia (free healthcare!, but very far away from our families). We'll see where we end up in coming years, but it really would be most ideal if California or Hawaii simply became part of Canada. Pourquoi pas? ;)