This post is only *slightly* better than being forced to watch a complete strangers home videos

We took a family trip to the Big Island!

BTW, the whole concept of -- Hawaii is a series of islands with different names and the largest island is technically named Hawaii just called "the Big Island", and we live in Hawaii but we are flying to another island called Hawaii but its not the same island we live on -- is very confusing to a 4 year old.  Ali has been saying she wants to go back to Hawaii since we got home.



It was an amazing trip and we did everything, saw everything, and ate everything we wanted.  It was the trip of a lifetime.


We saw waterfalls,

Pe'epe'e Falls in the background (pronounced PEH-EH PEH-EH, not pee-pee :)) and Boiling Pots in the foreground.  And an extremely tired and equally adorable little girl ;)

Akaka Falls.  An amazing 420 ft waterfall.  ali said "that's a really big wayyerfall!"

We saw Volcanoes,

Kilauea Caldera.  

That smoke is the heart of the volcano but the lava flows out a tunnel at the edge of the island.

This is what it looks like at night.  Pretty amazing considering our cabin was less that a mile from here.

Pretty lame picture but that smoke on the horizon is where the lava flows into the ocean.  We couldn't take the girls down there because it was too far to walk and small children aren't recommended due to the fumes.

I will spare you all the pictures I took of the lava but I couldn't help myself, it was so beautiful.

We saw sand of every color,

Punalu'u Black Sand Beach

Sorry for not getting a pedicure before my trip and then taking pictures of my gnarly toes.

Searching for black crabs in black rocks

Jumping into the best sand I have ever felt.  Didnt stick to your skin, felt soft to the touch, and BLACK.

White sand at Hilton Waikoloa

GREEN sand beach

THE most beautiful beach I have ever seen.  Hands down.  Of course that might be because its a bitch to get to.  

It requires...

• A 4WD
• A husband who cant read the signs that say "road closed, enter at your peril"
• A husband who has selective hearing and cant hear when his wife is begging to turn around
• Several days to cough up the sand that the 4WD has kicked up in your face
• Top of the line insurance on your rental car just in case

But if you make it...its worth it.

We saw all kinds of sea creatures,

Turtles!

Turtles!

Turtles again!

Dolphins!

Fish!  She was chasing them and laughing until she realized she would never catch them.  Then she chased them and cried.

Manta Rays!  

I didn't get a picture because I don't have a waterproof camera and we swam at night, but this was a few minutes before we jumped in.  

If you are curious what we did, the link to the video is here.  This isn't us in the video but we did the snorkeling on the surface.  I can not accurately describe how amazing this was.  They were so close that we had to try not to touch them.  And the girls did it too!  They did great.  I highly recommend this to anyone who has the opportunity.

We stood on top of the tallest mountain in the world,

Standing at the top of Mauna Kea, 13,000 ft above sea level.  Mauna Kea is 30,000 ft but only 13,000 is above the oceans surface.  Mt Everest is 29,035.  This was pretty amazing.

We stood at the southern most point in the US,

this is a ladder for all the crazies that jump off the cliffs

PS, the water is breathtakingly clear 

We had a trip full of adventures,

plane rides at the literal crack of dawn

naps in the car

posing with daddy

saying "hi" to the Ne'ne

facials at the steam vents

hiking through the wilderness

stared into dark chasms leading to the center of the earth...a bit dramatic but that is what these steam vents are. Dude there was a lot of lava flowing under our feet to produce that much steam.

hiking on volcanic rock

standing on windy cliffs

bugging the birds

sipping mango mojitos and relaxing in the shade while the kids played in the pools

paddle boating through the lagoon

didn't shave at all.  Well Sam didn't, I still shaved the necessary areas.

smelled the stinky sulfur banks

boated at sunset

drove the beautiful country side

We spent time together as a family.

And it was awesome :)

63 60 Day Paleo Challenge

63 days turned into 60 when I decided that I was happy with my results and just wanted to take a deep breath and not stress about my food for a few days.  I didn't find myself caring about the calendar anymore, nor wanting cheat foods, just wanting to be done.  This 60 days was amazing and I really developed a need for good healthy foods.


I don't want to go to McDonalds.  I gag over the idea of eating something out of a can.  I wouldn't waste my time on fake sugar, over processed "treats" like twinkies.  I want real food.  I want piping hot roasted chicken over steaming fresh veggies, an avocado on the side, finished off with a plate of ripe fruit.  That sounds absolutely drool worthy.  I don't need cheat foods now, I'm fixed.


I actually did cheat eventually.

And it was G.O.O.D.

Maybe I'm not completely fixed ;)



So here are the results of all my hard work.  Please be nice, my before pictures are...well...before pictures.

I'm not proud of them.

I still have some work to do until I feel like my body will be at a healthy body fat percentage but this is a lifestyle change and that takes time.  I'm not going to stress about a birthday bag of Peanut Butter M&M's.  I'm not going to stress about every bite I eat, because over 90% of the time it will be exactly what my body needs.


*I can not for the life of me find my starting measurements, grrr! So you will just have to see the pictures to tell.


Total weight loss : 7 lbs
Pant size loss: down 1 size

Before                          After

 Yes those are the same clothes.

For me the most noticeable changes were the way my shorts fit.  It turns out they are considerably longer when your butt is smaller :)


Now for my goals!


L-Sits 
Goal: 33 seconds
Starting: 5 seconds
Result: Success! 33 seconds (they were less L shaped and more N shaped.  But I'm the judge and I say it still counts)

Pull-ups

Goal: 3 unassisted

Starting: big fat ZERO

Result: Success! 8 kipping

Toes-To-Bars

Goal: 3

Starting: 1

Result: Success! 6 unbroken kipping

Handstand Pushups 

Goal: 3

Starting: big fat ZERO

Result: Success! 5 kipping

Box Jump

Goal: 33"

Starting: 27"

Result: Technically unsuccessful.  I managed 32 1/2".  I'm still proud though.  Thats over half my body height people!

Double-Unders

Goal: 33 unbroken

Starting: 3

Result: Fail.  I got 10 and then decided I would rather not pee myself in front of strangers and stopped.  Oh well, I'm not a double under girl.  I can live with that :)

Row

Goal: Sun 9:00 2000m

Starting: 9:17

Result: Fail.  When I tried this a month ago I got 9:08.  It was so disheartening that I cant bring myself to try again.  I could only bring myself to row 1000m when it came time to test this.  I am a failure.  I will eat a whole bag of Peanut Butter M&M's to console myself ;)

So...4 out of 7.  That's still an F if anyone wants to know.  But the changes I saw my body go through in these past 2 months have been so motivational to keep going.  I feel so much healthier and stronger.  Who knows, maybe in 2 months I can check all these off my list???

In case I ever get a big head

I have been hard core Paleo for exactly 59 days. No cheats. what. so. ever.  

I made the mistake of actually feeling good about my body for a few minutes. 

Beau and Alex are always around to fix that. 

This morning, while working out in the garage...in short shorts...

Alex: "Mom, are you big and fat?"

Me: " Umm, no." (Pause) "Do I look big and fat?"

Alex: "No"

Me: "Good answer"

Alex: "Well, your butt kinda does"

Beau: "And the tops of your legs"

It's a good thing they are so cute.