less is more

a lot of our friends & family have been asking for the details of our hawaii lifestyle. in case you were wondering, it's like living a vacation. for real. it's a dream. now understand, your idea of a dream & my idea of a dream may vary greatly. so let me explain how my hawaiian life really is my dream come true.

sunset from our pad

1. i have little on my plate. i really have very few obligations (by choice). and it is awesome. while todd is at work the boys &  i go for walks, sometimes we stop by the beach or a park or some of the local shops. we go to the pool, have picnics, & playdates. or we just stay home & chill. it really is the most cruise life imaginable. 

2. we have simplified. to the max. we stored 99.999% of our belongings in california (including our cars & home) & only brought 7 bags of clothing & 1 bag of toys & our golf clubs on the plane. we bought the essentials to live comfortably out here (beds, couch, chair, table/chairs, tv, tv stand dressers, linens & basic kitchenware). and one car (we are shipping another car that will be here in 14 days!). that's it. i have 3 throw pillows, 4 vases, & a table runner. that is the sum of my home decor. we spent more money on 1 t.v. back in our home in california than we have spent furnishing our entire living space here on maui. and you know what i've realized. i am comfortable. all that stuff i thought i needed was really just unnecessary (& i wasn't the type to hoard even back in california, i was constantly donating & downsizing, but apparently not enough.) it's amazing how much one can accumulate. i brought one bag of toys for the boys. all the boy basics: superheros, legos, duplos, army guys, dinos, & cars. i figured we would purchase plenty of toys once we arrived on the island. but you know what. we haven't & they haven't asked & they really don't care. i bought them beach toys, pool toys, books, & more legos (for coop's birthday). that's it.  i am happy without the clutter. we are happy with the little we have. honestly, i feel like we may have too much already.

3. we live simply. on the mainland it seemed like there was always so much to do. i wasted so much time getting ready, shopping, & decorating. i've come to find that all of that was completley unnecessary. now, part of that has to do with the fact that i have a year around tan (no need for much makeup) & i am constantly on the beach (no need to fix my hair). nobody cares what you wear. in fact, you can wear a swimsuit & cover up just about anywhere & you will fit in. actually, i pretty much live in a bikini. oh & the more trendy & glamorous your apparal the more you are assumed to be a tourist. honestly, all that just isn't necessary here. as for decorating, i'm never home. why would i waste time fixing up a space that i won't enjoy.

4. we live cozy. we have a teeny condo. literally, it is about 1/4 the size of our home in california (and the electricity is somehow a third more, go figure). talk about downsizing. and i love it. we have more than enough space for our little family & meager belongings. it forces us to be close. which i love more than words can say. coop & t.j. share a room & they love that. they are always asking when mylo can move in with them. it's like a private clubhouse to them. oh & did i mention that i have very little to clean. now all you moms really are jealous. for real, i spend about an hour a week deep cleaning (compared to the hour a day i did in california).

5. we enjoy maui to the fullest. we spend 5-6 days a week on the beach. some of the most beautiful beaches in america. we want to see everything that maui has to offer. so we sightsee a lot. but since we live here & we aren't on vacation we are in no hurry. we take our time getting from a to b & we enjoy the ride. it is amazing. one of our favorite passtimes is sunset beach barbeques. we also have the opportunity to enjoy the most glorious sunsets from our lanai.

if you enjoy big cities, shopping, cold weather, anything fast pace than this would not be the place for you-at least not long term. but if you are like me & love the island life than come on over!

(in the sake of honesty i will confide in the few negatives of our living arrangements: no backyard, sharing walls with neighbors, carpeted floors, questionable neighbors, shipping hastles, lack of chipotle, target, cookie tree, amici's, & del taco.