Welcome

The last thing I need to do right now is start a blog!  I am not a writer; though I do love to put my thoughts on paper. I am not a gourmet chef; though I do try to make healthy meals for my family.  I am not a professional photographer; though I am totally obsessed with taking pictures.  I am not one of those super, crafty, has it all figured out moms; though I am completely committed to raising my little humans right. My one attention grabber is that I live with my husband and two kids on the most glorious Big Island of Hawaii.

I was born in Sydney, Australia and moved here to the Big Island before my first birthday.  I had the most wonderful childhood being apart of island life and all it's splendid offerings.  Then suddenly my junior year of high school my parents (much to my dismay) decided to move to Oregon.  However all was not lost.  About a year later I met my most awesome husband.  We married 10 years later and have been married 10 years since.  In that time we have added a witty, redhead daughter and a precocious, energetic son to the family.

Two years ago I brought my husband to Hawaii.  It was actually our second visit together but the first time we had ever discussed the possibility of actually moving our family here.  It was such a huge decision and took us two years to finalize.  And so in the summer of 2012 we packed up a twenty five foot shipping container and headed west across the Pacific.  For me it was a long wished for homecoming.  For my husband a grand, new adventure.  For the kids...well I think the kids just thought they would be on a permanent vacation.

So much has happened in the past eight months.  It has been such a learning experience to watch my family integrate into this island I call home.  We have had joyous triumphs and epic failures.  We have had just plain fun and have learned so much.  We had the off grid rental house that we could only have one light on at night.  We have had countless beach trips and hiking adventures.  We have had new foods for the first time.  We have had the joy of meeting new friends.  We have had the adjustment of no dishwasher and catchment tank water.  We have had interesting run ins with the public transportation system.  We have had uninvited guests in the rat, spider and cockroach department.  We have had gorgeous sunrises and sunsets.  We have had the rental with no Internet service, for six months!  The kids learning to swim, pet chameleons, shell collections, volcano adventures, new vegetable gardens; the list could go on and on.

So that is all this blog is.  My personal dairy of things I don't want to forget.  Things that I want to be able to go back and re-read.  Things I want to take a second look at.  Things I am grateful for.  Things I have learned.  Things I could do differently.  Things I want to remember we overcame.  Things I want to rejoice over again.  Things that may have the power to encourage others.  We all have "things" in our lives and I hope you will be blessed by me sharing mine.