Back to the ole Paleo Routine...

So thankful to unexpectedly have the next two days off! After a quick two hour "power nap" this afternoon, I decided to listen to my tired body and skip my Crossfit WOD. This was justified only by the fact that I can hit it even harder on my days off!

I find myself pretty stressed lately. With a big move back to the mainland and Hasselhoff's seven month deployment coming up, the "To Do" list seems endless! In between house guests from the mainland, we have to buy plane tickets, sell a car, pack our house for storage when we return to Hawaii, ship our dogs, complete heaps of paperwork, and still work on top of that all. I think one of the trickiest things is going to be figuring out how to pack my suitcase for seven months. Clothes for Washington, Montana, and hopefully Europe! It's definitely going to be tough!

With that being said, I cooked a nice hearty, healthy Paleolithic Dinner tonight. For those of you who do not know, I recently completed a 30 day challenge following the "Paleolithic Diet." No dairy, No legumes, no grains, no soy, no rice for 30 days. My meals consisted of meat, fruits, veggies, lots of coconut products and nuts. I lost 10 pounds, but have recently fallen back into some bad habits. That's about to change! Tonights dinner consisted of baked chicken marinated in honey, applecider vinegar, and ginger; Okinawan sweet mashed potatoes; and a field green salad topped with blueberries, purple onion, mushrooms, and honey mustard dressing.

Here are a few examples of "Paleo" meals that I made while on the challenge. Don't they look yummy!!!??

Field Greens, Turkey and Dried Fruit Salad

Roasted Chicken

Oriental Asian Salad

Chicken Mushroom Stew

Scramble

Banana Bread

Portobello Burger

Apple-Cinnamon Pork Chop with Asparagust

Spanish Fritata

Grilled Salmon, roasted Sweet Potatos/ Veggies, Salad

Fried Egg, Bacon and Avacado

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Tequila tried to kill me...

What a weekend! Saturday morning, Hasselhoff and I headed to North Beach on Marine Corps Base Hawaii- Kaneohe Bay for a quick surf session. Unfortunately, our good time was cut short after a rude run-in with the off-duty, base Provost Marshall (head of Police). FYI: If you do not live on base, your dogs are not allowed anywhere on base except for the Vet. This includes beaches. What a bummer! We had never heard this rule before! North Beach was one of our favorites! We walked back to our truck in defeat, but on our way several people approached us and expressed their sympathy to our situation. Apparently this woman Provost Marshall is despised, especially by dog-owners that live in the same neighborhood as her. I was slightly comforted to know that I wasnt the only frustrated beach-goer, doggie walker.

Trying not to let the unpleasant  woman ruin our day, we packed up our camping gear and headed to Bellows Beach for some good ole fashioned camping with great friends. While everyone errected their massive four-room tents and filled them with full-size airmattresses, Hasselhoff and I set up our tiny two-man backpacking tent with half-length Thermarests. We are often the butt of jokes with our camping gear in Hawaii. Most of it was purchased in Washington and meant for backpacking- lightweigh, small in size and incredibly water-proof. We may have stuck out like a sore thumb, but that didnt stop us from having a jolly time- well equiped with Margarita Makings!

Although I woke up Sunday morning with a screaming headache and a fuzzy brain, I reminisced about the conversations that took place the night before, mostly about politics, religion, and science. Phrases like "Damn Liberals," "But What about Sickle-Cell Anemia?" and "Imma go Walkabout," came up quite frequently all night long! (Sigh and Smile)...Tequila always makes for great nights!

Surf'in with Hawaiian Fire

Last year for my birthday, Hasselhoff gave me a gift certificate for a surf lesson with Hawaiian Fire, a surf school run by the City of Honolulu Firefighters. Since we were both firefighters back in Washington, I loved this idea! Unfortunately, another birthday rolled around and I still had not used the gift certificate.

Hasselhoff tried to teach me how to surf several times. Word of advice to the fellas: If you want your relationship to last, don't attempt to teach your girl to surf or any other sport that you are way better than her at for that matter. I like to think of myself as pretty athletic in the "surf-like" sports department. I'm an avid skier and snowboarder. I picked up wakeboarding pretty fast and I used to skateboard a bit. Surfing shouldn't have been an issue right? Bawhahahahah! It was horrific! Despite Hasselhoff’s experience as a sailor, the profanity that came out of my mouth was that of epic and matchless proportions. Needless to say, I was a bit turned off by the sport. Until Hawaiian Fire that is!

I know what you are thinking. Surf  lessons on a paradise beach with hunky, shirtless firefighters right? That’s exactly what it was! However, I must commend all of the instructors (however hunky) for their professionalism, knowledge and the fact that they can get me up and roll ‘in on a surfboard!

Reasons why I would recommend Hawaiian Fire?

·  Three hour lessons -the perfect amount of time so you can still move the next day

·  1:2 Instructor to Student Ratio- allowed us to ride wave after wave

·  Shallow, mild break- we were able to touch the bottom at any point which is perfect when you get tired

·  Empty beach- we had the water and the beach all to ourselves!

·  They let Hasselhoff paddle out and be there while I surfed!

·  Hunky Firefighters- need I say more!?

Surf's Up!!!

WOD Withdrawls

My "WOD" or "Workout of the Day" Tuesday morning at Crossfit Kailua put me down for most of the week. An excruciating combination of deadlifts and pull-ups with a rep scheme of 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 might look easy on paper....yeah I made that mistake too. Not only is my lower back incredibly sore (in the right way) but my hands look like something straight out of a meat grinder.

Deep Blisters

Our "BOX"- Crossfit Kailua

Not to worry, my extra free time has given me the opportunity to catch up on some blogging!

Where has all the Aloha Gone!?

Was it National Rudeness Day yesterday? …No? You could have fooled me! I witnessed more inconsiderate, bad-mannered, hasty people in a six hour time span than I have in the past month! Where has all the Aloha gone?

Hawaii is famous for Aloha. That’s one of the reasons I love living here. We use it in greetings, farewells and in expressing love for one another. Besides these common meanings, the word Aloha holds within itself all one needs to know to interact rightfully in the natural world.

Aloha is being a part of all, and all being a part of me. When there is pain- it is my pain. Where there is joy- it is also mine. I respect all that is as part of the Creator and part of me. I will not willfully harm anyone or anything. When food is needed I will take only my need and explain why it is being taken. The earth, the sky, the sea are mine to care for, to cherish and protect. This is Hawaiian- This is aloha! (Unknown)

Aloha must have been scared away by all the nastiness yesterday, as was I. My plan was to hunker down on the couch so I would not be subjected to all the disrespect. No one could tell me to “Quit talking and get to brewing!” No one could speak to me like I was an idiot. And no one could TOUCH me!! When you are customer, is it ever appropriate to touch an employee…NO! (Unless obviously your job requires it. Let me make this clear…MINE DOES NOT!)

I retreated, beaten down. My faith in humanity was diminished. The only thing that gave me any comfort was the ceaseless, pure love of my doggies. They know just how to wag, slobber and lick to make a girl feel all is right in the world. They always have Aloha!

Hasslehof thought a Mexican lunch might make me feel better. I agreed but was a bit nervous about what other atrocities I might encounter. We headed to our local favorite Mexico Lindo and took a seat at the bar. I immediately began self-medicating with large amounts of chips and salsa. I’ll admit, I was sulking like a five year old. All of the sudden, out of the blue, this quiet woman sitting at the far end of the bar all by herself, got up, walked over and offered us the rest of her ¾ full pitcher of mango margaritas. She was leaving and thought we might enjoy them! Now that’s what I call Aloha!! I thought to myself, if all it takes is one person’s Aloha to wipe out all the “un-Aloha” in a bad day, I really need to step up the Aloha I am putting out there! I happily accept this challenge!

RIP Beach God, Hello Hasselhoff?

Per his request, claiming that "Beach God" sounded too pretentious, my lover will now be refered to from here on out as...wait for it..."Hasselhoff!" This is the name he requested during a very serious conversation while drinking Margaritas by the pool a few days ago. I think he is picturing a strong, tan lifeguard running in slowmotion down the beach. Unfortunately, for many of us, the name may conjure up images of the infamous "Cheeseburger Incident." Hee hee! Oh Hasslehoff, how I love you!

A Day of Giving

Wow! What an incredible day! Beach God and I decided at the last minute to ditch our usual Saturday morning workout for a beach cleanup with two amazing organizations- Surfrider Foundation and Sustainable Coastlines. Beach God and I have long considered ourselves stewards of the earth and have been members of Surfrider for several years now. We jump at every opportunity we can get to help out, especially when it’s so close to home. Today’s selected beach: Bellows in Waimanalo. This particular beach is dear to my heart not only because of its unmatched beauty, but because it is the setting of many of my Grandma’s stories from when she and my grandfather lived here 40 years ago.

Bellows Beach

Bellows Beach

Our focus today was on marine trash- garbage and debris that has washed ashore. We spent several hours combing the beach picking up everything from bits of degraded plastic the size of quarters to entire fishing nets to tires, to toothbrushes. My mood was somber as I picked through debris and noticed a great deal of it was covered in Japanese writing. My thoughts wandered back to almost a year ago when Japan was ravaged by the tsunami. I couldn’t help but wonder what else was going to wash up- bits of children’s dolls and toys, pieces of people’s homes, cars, personal mementos. It was absolutely disheartening.

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Plastic Marine Debris

 At the end of the cleanup, we had collected 1300 lbs of trash. That was not including this truck full of fishing nets.

After a quick shower and change of clothes I headed to Family Promise of Hawaii here in Kailua. Family Promise is a non-profit organization that helps homeless and low-income families achieve lasting independence. Although this volunteer experience was set up through work, I was really looking forward to spending the afternoon here.

Our main focus was the children, who immediately took a liking to us. We spent the afternoon doing simple arts and crafts. It was the most rewarding and stirring experience I’ve had in several years. These children were so eager pure. They watched intently as we showed them how to color paper flowers and decorate their flower boxes. Something so simple brought them (and me) so much joy and satisfaction! I think that spending a Saturday afternoon at Family Promise may become something I do much more often!

 

To wind down a great day, I headed over to Enchanted Lakes Elementary School for a fundraiser called “Eat Out Kailua.” All I can say is that there is nothing better when you have spent the day working up an appetite than a lineup of local food trucks!

The Past 10 Years in a Nut Shell

Ok, so here’s the edited, condensed, and “neat” version of the past ten years…just to get you up to speed so I can start posting about current adventures! 

Yessss!

Despite my dynamic, adventure-filled upbringing, I was always one of those people who had a plan and clearly defined goals. I always had a vision of what my life was going to be like when I “grew up.” In 5^th grade, after witnessing a large brush fire while staying at my Aunt’s house near Yakima, WA, I decided I was going to be a firefighter-paramedic. My Aunt and uncle were both fire fighters and I will never forget the moment when I heard over the radio that the fire was headed straight for us! I was thrilled! The paramedic idea came about through the popular TV show, “Rescue 911.” This is the first time I remember wanting to give myself to something solely for the purpose of helping others!

By the time I was in 8^th grade I had completely changed course and was going to be a Volcanologist, traveling the world studying volcanoes. This carried with me through high school, after which I entered Western Washington University as a Geology major. I learned here….that geology is HARD! Unfortunately I got a D in my first introductory geology class and decided that this was not the path for me. I dropped out of Western, took some Nursing pre-requisites at a local community college and then decided to take a break from school all together. I spent time volunteering with my local Search and Rescue unit, returning to that need for public service. 



Search and Rescue Mission: Devils Peak





 Although I was an excellent student in high school, I was in no way prepared for university. I was in no position to decide at that moment what I was going to study-the precursor to choosing a career. Thankfully, one single event changed the course of my life. My grandparents took our entire family on an Alaskan Cruise. 




My Grandpa Paul and I



My Brothers and Cousin







Ice Climbing in Juneau with my Brother

The moment I stepped off that ship after the cruise, I sent in a portfolio applying to work aboard as an assistant cruise director. Three months later, two weeks before Christmas, I flew to San Diego and met my new ship. For the next year, I traveled throughout Central America, South America, The Caribbean, and Alaska. 




My coworker Alex and I on Formal Night




Farewell Presentation on the Last Day of a Cruise



And there was Plenty of this!



Looks and sounds amazing right!? I’m not going to lie, it was absolutely incredible! (That’s an adventure I will save for another blog!) In the midst of all the luxury, exotic countries, foreign friends, and parties, I couldn’t help but feel that my brain was needing some serious intellectual exercise. After a year, I hung up my line dancing boots and my Bingo lingo and headed for land!




Graduation Party



My Mentor Dr. Elbert and I

I found myself in Seattle, the fall of 2005, finishing up my associate’s degree and working at a popular bar and grill. I rented a small apartment located in the daylight basement of a nice house. It was perfect. City life was an adjustment for this small town girl. I felt a bit insignificant and found myself longing for quiet, simple country living. My tie to Seattle was further established with my acceptance to Seattle University. By this time, I was an “older” student, working full time to pay my way. Let me tell you, college is a completely different experience when you have a bit of ground behind you in life. I finally received my Bachelor’s of Public Affairs with an emphasis in Emergency Management in the Spring of 2008. Finally! 














Excelsior Peak



I accepted and internship with a county level emergency management office back near my home town. I can’t tell you how relieved, excited and thankful I was to be back in small town Washington! My three and a half years in Seattle, I swear , cut ten years off my lifespan! The traffic, the pace, the industrial air…it all weighed heavy on me. Back in “the valley” I was free to enjoy all the activities that seemed to be put on the back burner while living in the city- camping, hiking, search and rescue, and reconnecting with old friends.



Excelsior Pass



Glaciers of Mt Shuksan 




I also joined the local fire department where I earned my Firefighter 1 Certificate and EMT Certificate. I was home!

Fire Academy Graduation



Our Recruit Academy







I have left the best for last! In the fall of 2007, I met “A 6’4” Beach God,” at least that’s what his son called him over dinner one night. We have been together for a little over four years- four great years. At the moment we find ourselves living on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, as a result of Beach God’s military duty. Darn!!  

We’ve been living on the Windward, or East, side of the island in the quaint, beachy town of Kailua for the last year and half, where the feel is similar to back home.

Ko Olina

Kailua Beach Sunrise

Luau Time

Kailua Beach

 You run into people you know at the grocery store or the beach. Everyone knows exactly who you are talking about when you describe the crazy, ice-head guy who rides the bicycle with the ape-hanger handle bars and it’s not uncommon to run into friends during a 3am, post-bar Zippy’s run (Hawaii’s 24 hour fast food joint). It is officially safe to say, I love Kailua Town!