Adventures: Molokai

My adventures and memories from my trip last weekend might be split up in a few blog posts just because it was THAT incredible. I had no idea what to expect going into last weekend... My new friend Heather basically just said, come along! And so I did. 

If you haven't heard of Molokai before, thats probably because most people haven't heard of it. Its one of the Hawaiian islands but it is very small, very bare, and there is little to none tourist attractions there. There are only 5 restaurants on the entire island! Knowing this, I had no idea what the weekend would entail and to be honest, I was kind of nervous. I was going on an 8 person plane, to a basically empty island, with friends I had just met a month ago. A month ago, I would have called that terrifying. Today, I call it an ADVENTURE! 

I've realized recently that adventure kind of works like that. Things that are uncomfortable, scary, and risky often turn out to be our greatest memories. Since moving to Hawaii, I've realized that i've spent the last few years of my life being very comfortable. Of course there were things that terrified me, like starting my own business at 21. But for the most part, I didn't do anything too crazy. Actually, I lost a lot of my creativity that used to flow generously through me. I went to college, went to work, went to church, and got married. I didn't travel a ton, stopped playing music, and rarely got into nature. That all changed when I moved to Hawaii and I am so so thankful. 

So, here's to adventure and the never-ending pursuit of all that God created and all that life has to offer! Enjoy this video documenting our adventures! My friend Lauren made it. She is so talented! 

hugs + kissees,

Lauren

10 things I am loving right now...

I like most of my blogposts to have some time of educational or informational aspect to them but I just felt inspired tonight to share some of my favorite things that I am currently loving! These things will probably be extremely random but I love reading these types of blogposts and so I hope you enjoy it! 

PS- these photos are pretty much unrelated but they were taken by my extremely talented friend and if you follow any photographer on Oahu, you probably follow her. She's amazing! 

1. THESE sunglasses!!!! (all the heart eyes). I keep trying to justify buying them...Someone tell me I need to! 

2. Riding my bike at sunset. Recently, I've been taking a break from work around 6pm to ride my bike down the bike path near my house. Its such a refreshing time for me to reflect and process the day and enjoy the beautiful sunset. 

3. Thai food. To be honest, there isn't a ton of good food options on the North Shore (unless you want to spend an arm and a leg) but there is so much amazing Thai food! I could eat Thai food everyday if I could. Tofu Larb is my jam.

4. Turquoise oceans. The water has been extra beautiful and clear recently. I am absolutely loving it and trying my hardest not to take it for granted. I don't know how I ever swam in the ocean before moving to Hawaii. Nothing compares! 

5. 12 hour adventure days. The longer I live here, the more I've been learning that a "work-week" in Hawaii basically just means "work unless the weather is good". It's actually been a hard adjustment. I'm used to working hard during the week and playing on the weekends. Last week, though, I spent two days out of the week hard-core adventuring. From waterfalls and five mile hikes to giant swings with friends and swimming with sea turtles, we did so much in two days and it was definitely worth unplugging from work and just enjoying the present! 

6.  Sun Bum Leave-in conditioning spray. I swear, this spray is the only reason why I haven't chopped all my hair off yet! It makes brushing through my hair bearable. And that says a lot. 

7. Rose Tea. When I was in Sedona, Arizona I stumbled upon this amazing little tea shop! They had an amazing tea selection and I came home with a Rose black tea that is an everyday must-have for me now.

8. Plane Tickets. I've lived in Hawaii for only four months and have already gone back to the mainland twice. I also just booked a ticket to another island for next week. I definitely have the travel bug in this season of my life!

9. Face Sunscreen.  Did you know that sun exposure is the #1 skin ager?? It is SO important that you use a face cream with SPF every single day, even in the winter! This one is currently my fave because its light-weight, non greasy, and is SPF 50! 

10. Early Mornings. I am definitely not an early riser but recently I have been going to bed earlier so that I can wake up earlier. I am absolutely loving quiet mornings sipping coffee and getting a head start on my day! 

What are YOU currently loving? Share in the comments below!

Hugs + Kissees,

Lauren

RECIPE: The perfect bulletproof coffee

I remember when I started hearing about the "bullet-proof coffee" craze. I had no idea what it was or what was in it, but I had heard it had good health benefits and so I wanted to try it! After searching online, I found a bunch of complicated recipes with ingredients i'm not exactly sure I wanted to drink with my coffee! I've tried numerous different recipes but I've finally found my perfect cup o' joe! My recipe is simple and allows for some experimentation if you want to get even more fancy with it.

Also, I do NOT drink bullet-proof coffee as my entire breakfast and I suggest you don't either! Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day and so making sure you eat with your coffee is crucial. It will also make sure the coffee isn't too hard on your stomach!

Lastly, I want to add that I do NOT support the diet and lifestyle that was made around this drink. I am not a supporter of a heavy fat diet! I simply love the taste of this decadent drink and believe I have been able to come up with a recipe that is yummy, nutritious, and gets your brain goin'! 

Soooooo... here goes! 

What you need:

- blender

-8-10oz of hot coffee

- 1 tbsp Organic Coconut Oil

-1-1/2 tsp Blue Agave

- 1 tsp Organic, pasture-raised Ghee

- 1 tsp- Your superfood of choice! This is where the experimentation comes in. I LOVE putting Moon Juice's "Sex Dust" into my coffee because it helps with regulating and balancing women's hormones! I know many other people that put in collagen, amino acids, and many other things but I have found that this powder not only makes my coffee taste yummy (think, chocolate) but it really gives me energy and gets my brain going so I can have a productive morning! 

All you have to do to make the yummiest cup of joe is to put all of the ingredients in a blender or NutriBullet  and blend for 15 seconds! What will come out is a frothy, rich, decadent cup of coffee that is, in my opinion, guilt-free!

Making New Friends

Since coming to Hawaii, i've been really focussed on getting settled into our new home, building my skincare business, going to yoga school, and starting this blog. Its been a busy and productive few months but one thing I have really missed is quality girl time. I live in a small town and i've found that meeting people isn't as easy as it was in grade school when all my friends were in my class and we would pass notes to each other. I keep in touch with all of my close girlfriends via FaceTime dates but its still not the same. I met a new friend (Heather) on instagram and then another friend (Lauren) while surfing and they happen to be best friends with each other! Us and a few others (including another Lauren) went on a sunrise adventure to one of the prettiest hikes on the island this morning and it was just what I needed! 

Despite the pouring rain that drenched us and mud that seeped into our shoes, we had a blast exploring Gods creation, collaborating on creative ideas, and getting to know each other better. I'm loving these new friends of mine and i'm excited for all of the adventures to come!

Hugs + Kissees,

Lauren

A Letter from Danny: Life lessons in the Army

Note from Lauren: Today's blog post is a little different and a little more deep than most. My husband is an officer in the US Army and he wrote this to summarize his experience in the Army thus far. Sometimes our careers impact us so much more than just professionally and I love how Danny has related his experiences in his job with his every day life. Enjoy!

For those of you who don’t know me, I am in the Army. Specifically, I am a medical operations officer (MEDO as I am called) for a light Infantry Battalion based in Hawaii. Even though my work environment can be harsh at times, I choose to be positive. I didn’t always used to be positive, but I recognized a few things during my first few months being in the Army that has deeply impact my life. Here are the three things I have learned:

1)    Life: “this is life man” my battalion commander said in reference to being in the Army. When I work 16 hour days, I internalize that statement and ask myself if this is what I want. I am proud to serve my country and I genuinely want to serve and make the Army better. I see many Leaders that focus on their evaluations and the career aspect of the Army and that it makes the serving miserable. Rather than catering my life to trying to be number one, I have changed my focus to making my Soldiers better, making my organization more effective, and serving the people to the best of my ability. If I happen to love this life and be competent at it then great, but I recognize that “this is life” and I have to LOVE what I do because how you spend your days is how you spend your life.

2)    Perspective: If it won’t matter in 5 years, don’t spend more than 5 minutes worrying about it. PERIOD. I have to stop myself all the time and ask this exact question, it proves to be so true time and again.

3)    Positivity: I have found a love for surfing since moving to the North Shore of Oahu. I go out surfing with Lauren and my good friend Tom, a MEDO for another battalion, all the time. Every time we go out it is about positivity, fun, and a shared love for catching the best wave. I went out the other day and ran into an Officer from my battalion and he kept complaining about getting cut off by other surfers, in experienced surfers getting in the way, and how crowded the beach was. As I was sitting there, I couldn’t help but think of the positivity of the moment and how this guy was missing out because he was so fixated on a little spec negativity. In everything you do, positivity is a choice. Choose to be positive, choose to hang out with positive people, and choose a life that you love. 

-Danny