An open letter to my husband •

05 Monday Mar 2018

Posted by Making Magic in Life on Maui, Thoughts from Jenn

Tags

Dreams, family, first time mom, goals, growth, Happiness, Life, love, Marriage, married life, Maui

Dear Husband —

I SEE you over there.

Waiting, watching, wondering, where your wife went.

For 2 years you’ve loved me as I slowly gave myself away day after day, hour after hour, second after second. You supported every decision I made as you watched and cheered me on, helping every SINGLE step of the way. You supported me unconditionally and I have often times let you down.

I promised myself that I would always put our relationship first. That our foundation would always be my first priority and that everything else would ALWAYS come second. I’ve lost myself in Motherhood and found myself and lost myself, over and over again. Sometimes in the same day, others in the same minute. I tell myself on the daily that I’m going to do more, give more be better and day after day I fail, but there you are, loving me anyways, always helping me find my way back to you.

You love me so hard and so fierce and so unconditionally. You remind me who I am, who I want to be, and who I am working so hard to become. You continue to love me without limits or judgment or condition. You allow me to give myself to our son day after day, night after night, hour after hour without hesitation without resistance, without blame.

So my husband, my one true love, thank you. Thank you for loving me, thank you for accepting me and sticking with me. Thank for making me feel beautiful and loved and limitless. Thank you for waiting for me. For believing in me and for loving me anyways.

I SEE you. I miss you. I can’t wait to get back to me and you. You are (still) my best friend. You are (still) the one I have the most fun with. You are (still) the ONE.

I SEE you. I see us. I see all of our dreams coming true. I see our life being built. I see our son living a bright and happy future because of who we are. I see YOU.

You are my past, my present and my future. There is no me without you. There is no us, no dreams, no tomorrow. YOU are it today, tomorrow, forever.

I don’t tell you enough but I hope you never forget how proud I am of you. How proud I am to be your wife. How proud I am that you are Cash’s daddy. How proud I am for the selfless, hard working, funny, light hearted man that you are and who you are continuously trying to become for you, for me, for our son.

I hope you know that I am more IN LOVE with you today than yesterday and I know tomorrow will be even more than today until forever!

We are a Family of 3 (plus Kailea)

15 Wednesday Jun 2016

Posted by Making Magic in Baby Stew Diaries, Life on Maui, Thoughts from Jenn

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family of 3, life with a baby, Maui, mom life, parenting, staycation

…as I laid in a giant pineapple in the middle of the pool, at my favorite place on Maui I couldn’t help but laugh at the fact that I had an almost 6 month old sitting on my belly “splashing” away. I looked up and smiled at Colt, we had done it, we were parents, mom and dad respectably, going on 6 months and we were not only “surviving it” we were having the time of our lives. It was in that moment that I realized two things 1). We were a family and 2). How easy we had transitioned from us two (and Kailea) to us three (and Kailea) without even really trying. Life hadn’t stopped or even slowed down it just keep charging full speed ahead and here we were.

It was a surreal and exciting moment a “heck yes” we are doing it moment. A moment that takes your breath away because you are so happy and so grateful that you almost have to pinch yourself to really believe it. These past 6 months with Cash have been some of the best days of our lives but I can confidently say that the last 72 hours spent this past weekend as a family of three was hands down the best time yet.

Cash is at such a fun stage and we are eating up every moment of “firsts” with him! I wish I could just freeze time and keep hitting rewind to watch it all over and over again until my heart bursts because it can’t take anymore, but since I can’t I guess I’ll just jot it all down here to freeze the memories and come back anytime I feel nostalgic or need a minute of peace.

I never imagined this next chapter for us would be even better than our first but life has a funny way of surprising you and having a child brings a whole new world of magic to everyday things. Watching Cash experience new things for the first time is like being a kid all over again only this time you get to really remember it and do it your way. Parenting is a blast and we are so thankful for a happy, healthy, easy-going baby boy!

Checking in to the Grand Wailea on a Friday was such a special treat, it meant we had a whole extra 24 hours of fun, sun and relaxation!

This was Cash’s third trip to the Grand, (can you say spoiled) but what a difference 6 months makes!

Here are some of our first photos at the Grand Wailea with Cash at 3 weeks old!

And then photos from this past weekend at 5 months & 3 weeks old.

It was a weekend of so many fun “firsts” including his first time loving the pools and going under water!

His first underwater dunk came on Saturday June 11, 2016! He did so great and only cried for maybe 20 seconds when Colt came back up and then he went right back to splashing and playing like nothing had happened. He is proving to be such a water baby and we couldn’t be more happy!

After some family play time on Saturday we were also lucky enough to get some adult time in while Aunty Anu hung out with Cash and Kai. It was really fun to have some grown up “us” time to act like big kids – LOL!

That night we were also treated by my father in law to a nice dinner for my birthday. We went to Duo for some steaks and while we were dining we gave Cash his very first food experience — Molokai purple sweet potatoes! As you can see he loved them which made losing his virgin gut a little easier on me (wahhhhh)

First food experience on Saturday June 11, 2016 at Four Seasons Duo restaurant. 5 months & 3 weeks old. It was certainly a day and night to remember!

We wrapped up the weekend with a lazy Sunday at the pool floating and sliding and napping in the shade. Papa even came out to play which made it extra special!

Cash also got his hands on his second taste of Maui — earths candy! I’m pretty sure he’s going to be a food monster!

As we left the Grand Wailea on Sunday evening I was overwhelmed with feelings of love, happiness and gratitude. To be able to raise our son on this beautiful island that we get to call home is almost to good to be true and we feel so very blessed.

Until next time remember happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You have to fight for it, strive for it & insist upon it. You also must participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy—it’s all that matters…”

xoxo

It’s a…

15 Wednesday Jul 2015

Posted by Making Magic in Baby Stew Brew, Baby Stew Diaries

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Tags

16 weeks, Baby Boy, baby stew, First time parents, Maui

On Tuesday July 14th we met with the specialist from Oahu. He comes over to the Maui office once a month so I was grateful to be able to get an appointment here rather than having to fly over there. I woke up excited but anxious. I was really excited to see Baby Stew as well as get some actual answers on the condition of my septum but having answers also meant possible bad news so I was trying to keep an open but positive mind set.

My appointment was at 1:15 and it seemed like the morning took forever to come and go. I was so happy when my last class finally ended at 12:00 and I was on my way (or so I thought). As I left class to go load up my van I noticed the back door wouldn’t open. Originally I thought that maybe it had locked from the inside which has happened before so I climbed around to take a look. Once I got inside I quickly realized the whole inside handle had somehow fallen off and the door was completely jammed, no no no no not today!

I immediately tried calling Colt hoping he was still somewhere in Kihei and could come help me but his phone kept going right to voicemail so I tried a million different things until the panic finally started setting in. The clock was ticking and I was stuck I needed help and fast. I ran back into my class and asked if the teachers dad who was home could possibly come and help me. Poor guy had just come home from a root cannel but he was sweet enough to come take a look. He agreed that the door was jammed, the handle was unfixable without additional parts but he was able to get it open! I was so happy and grateful to be back on my way!

When I arrived to the doctors office Colt was already there waiting and ready to look at the door. I had called him flipping out on my way to the doctors and he was well aware of the situation. In true Colt form he was calm and reassuring and was able to fix the door in less then 5 minutes, I was so grateful (my hero). I took a deep breath, let go of the day and we walked into the doctors office ready for anything!

After waiting for about 45 minutes they finally called our name. My stomach dropped as I thought here goes nothing! We walked into the room and we were greeted warmly by Dr. Hirata. I instantly knew I was going to like him and I could feel my whole body relax. I sat down in the chair and we went over all the routine questions and answers, minus when he asked if I had two uterus (umm, I freaking hope not) he then handed me a pair of 3D glasses to watch the ultra sound, lubed up my belly and got started.

All I kept thinking was please, please don’t let me have two uterus. I didn’t, whew — but I did indeed have an arcuate uterus which in English basically means that although my uterus looks more normal than some other cases it actually has a dip, or slight indentation at the top. It is a more common abnormality, affecting about a quarter of women and depending on how far down the dip goes it can or can not cause different issues during pregnancy. In my case he said it was nothing to get overly worried or excited about. Colt immediately stopped him and said “can you please repeat that for her” he did — it was nothing to get overly worried or excited about. We all laughed and I once again started to feel really excited and relieved.

Once he was finished measuring and taking pictures of the septum he quickly moved on to baby Stew! It was so mind blowing getting to watch everything on those 3D glasses, it truly made me feel like I was inside my own uterus. Within seconds Baby Stew appeared on the screen and was looking cuter and bigger than ever! I squeezed Colts hand as this was the first time he was seeing the baby since our 8 week ultra sound! It was so awesome getting to see Baby Stew together.

Dr. Hirata was measuring and talking to the nurse as we just sat there in complete awe watching Baby move around like crazy. You could now see so much of the development taking place, arms, legs, fingers, spine, eye sockets, ears and then just like that a SMILE. We froze as I loudly & overly excited asked was that just a smile?!? Indeed it had been, we got to see Baby Stew smile for the very first time. I melted into a thousand pieces and as I lay there thinking it really doesn’t get any better than this — it did, we were about to find out the sex. He asked us if we wanted to know! He had seen it on the screen and he was ready to confirm!

Baby Stew’s Smile at 16 weeks 4 days

We very excitingly told him that yes we wanted to know and he told us that Baby Stew was a baby BOY! It was the Best.News.Ever! He then showed us to confirm and it was unmistakable our baby was a in fact a boy! Cloud 9, here we come!

Baby Stew is a Baby BOY!

As he continued on with the ultra sound he confirmed that baby boy Stew’s heart, organs, and growth were all healthy and normal and exactly where they needed to be for 16 weeks and 4 days. He said as of now the septum is not having any adverse effects on the pregnancy or the baby and that things are good. I do however have to continue to see him throughout my pregnancy so that he can continue to keep a close eye on things. I see him again in six weeks to confirm that baby boy is still on track.

The main thing he will be keeping a close eye on is that baby continues to have enough room to grow. Other risk factors at this point are still premature labor, premature birth as well as the baby being breech and me having to deliver via c-section. Or I could carry full term and deliver naturally, we just won’t know until we know and for now that’s ok.

Baby Stew is perfect and I’ve never been better. So today I’m whole heartily enjoying every second of right now and we couldn’t be anymore happy and or blessed! Thank you, thank you for all your love and prayers, we appreciate them more than you will ever know.

We are having a boy!!

Until next time….

Our December

07 Tuesday Jan 2014

Posted by Making Magic in Life on Maui, Thoughts from Jenn

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Christmas, December, Happiness, Life, Maui, staycation, time off

I am officially in mourning as I take down Christmas around our house. We had such a beautiful December spent doing the things that we love and really just enjoying Maui.

I am so grateful that we were both able to get Christmas and New Years off and that I had some extra afternoon down time since my elementary schools were all on break and my office work was light with my father in law on vacation. He went on holiday for the holiday so Colt and I stayed on Maui this year so we could handle biz (literally).

December was mellow and fun and we enjoyed it and each other very much….

We got our tree on black Friday. It was another perfect pick and I’ve enjoyed having it up very much. The smell, the beauty. It’s still up as I type I am just looking at it and wishing it didn’t have to come down (ever)…

Once the tree was up we had our typical Christmas card photo-shoot (thanks Anu) and as you can see it’s not Colt or Kai’s favorite part of the holiday but I love it.

A Stew’s Christmas 2013!

We spent a lot of time playing at the beach working on our tans. I think we went to the beach more in the last 2 weeks than we did in the entire year of 2013 but hey better late than never!

We also spent a night at the Grand (Colt and Joe) surprised Anu and I and of course it was awesome!

We spent our Christmas Eve at the beach, went to the candlelight service at church and then Anu and Joe had us over for a really nice chicken dinner.

Christmas Day Colt made a big breakfast buffet just for the two of us and we relaxed, ate and exchanged gifts while enjoying the morning.

This was Colt’s favorite gift (it was $3.50) a koozie that says “Drop Shaka’s not Bombs,” it has also become his 2014 motto.

Later that evening we went to Anu’s parents house and had a wonderful dinner and played games. We of course missed both of our families very much but we are so blessed and grateful for our Maui Ohana.

6 days into January and my head is still floating in beautiful memories of December. It was a good year, a year of transition!

We are both really looking forward to an exciting and adventurous 2014!

New Year, New Stew

Happy Slappy

27 Sunday Oct 2013

Posted by Making Magic in Life on Maui

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Tags

experiences, Fun, Maui, one of a kind, pancakes, restaurant, saturdays, slappy cakes

…or really Slappy Cakes but I was so excited about going to this new restaurant that you could certainly call me slap happy.

I woke up this morning at 8:07 a.m. and rejoiced in the feeling of “sleeping in” I needed a day off from my alarm clock and I felt relaxed and rested when I opened my eyes. I had a plan, I wanted to fly (well really I wanted to travel) but since that wasn’t likely on such short notice I figured flying would be the next best thing and lucky for me there is a flying trapeze place in Lahaina.

I asked Colt what he wanted to do with his day and he told me it was “my day” since he always watches football on Sundays. I told him I had the perfect Maui day planned in my head and to get ready. As he got in the shower I googled Slappy Cakes to ensure they were open and called the trapeze. I found that slappy’s was open until 2 but the trapeze place was having a private event and closing early. I was bumming but hoping that Slappy’s would do the trick.

By the way for those of you who do not know what Slappy Cakes is, it’s a pancake breakfast restaurant. It’s new to Maui and only has 4 other locations, one in Portland and the other 3 overseas. I have heard only great things about it and from what I thought it was an all you can eat, create your own pancake buffet (but boy was I wrong).

We arrived at 10:45 a.m. and that’s when all the fun began! The host asked us if we had ever been to “Slappy’s” and we told him no. He asked if we would like to sit in the “regular” restaurant dining area or the “cook your own pancakes” area (umm, does a bear shit in the woods?) COOK your OWN pancake section? We were so IN.

Each table has a built in griddle top for you to cook your own pancakes!

You are able to choose from a variety of pancake batter and tons of toppings.

You even get your very own spatula

They have a delicious drink menu with fresh squeezed juices and amazing cocktails.

We tried the rumsicle & a lavender-gin-mimosa

Since it is October they had a seasonal pumpkin batter option which was INCREDIBLE!

We got one pumpkin batter and one buttermilk batter. They have all kinds of different batter including gluten free options. For toppings we went with sausage, goat cheese, lavender, papaya, banana, granola, cinnamon-whip cream and bacon!

All of their menu items are fresh, local, organic and made from scratch with hormone-free dairy and meats which makes it very easy to enjoy yourself!

This was Colt’s first creation of the day.

Buttermilk batter, goat cheese, sausage and maple syrup.

I know it sounds disgusting but really it was the BEST one of the day.

So sweet and savory hmmm mmmm good. This is me being a chicken and making a “baby pumpkin” one to taste.

It had pumpkin batter, granola, cinnamon-whipped cream and maple syrup.

Since both of our “trail” pancakes came out delicious we immediately turned into pancake making machines.

All the fixing’s Not so pretty, but pretty delicious. Loving life. Chef BoyarColt
…and then he got creative and made a pumpkin He really is so cool.

My attempt at a heart

(haha so not as cool)
Pumpkin perfect, heart not so much.
We were like little kids just having the time of our lives This was called the “meat lovers special” My McSteamy …and then for the grand finale pumpkin batter, goat cheese, bacon, sausage, cinnamon-whip cream and maple syrup

The price was more than reasonable for the amount of food you get and they even offer a 15% local discount. If you live in Maui and haven’t gone, GO.

If you are visiting and have never been to the Portland location or overseas, add it to your must do list!

It was an amazing experience and we can’t wait to go back. We already have plans to take Papa and Anu and Joe there, but beware you will need a slappy nappy after this one-of-a-kind dining experience.

Hana Relay 2013

17 Tuesday Sep 2013

Posted by Making Magic in Life on Maui, Runners HI

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Tags

fun runs, hana relay, health & fitness, healthy-living, Maui, runner

This past Saturday I ran in the Hana Relay. The Hana Relay is an incredible fifty-two mile journey along 617 curves and over 56 bridges through the most breathtaking scenery in all of Maui. It was the best last minute decision I’ve made in a while. About 3 weeks ago my friend Anu connected me via Facebook with one of her friends from high school, who was looking for a sixth runner for their relay team. Since I am training for the Honolulu marathon and needed to do my training run anyways I decided to join. I can honestly say it was one of the best experiences of my life.

Since the race is 52 miles instead of running it on your own you run it with a team. Each team consists of 6 members. Each member must run 3 legs of the course which are approximately 2-3 miles long. Some legs are a lot harder than others and the longest leg is 3.5 miles. Each leg has it’s own beauty and offers it’s own challenges. There are 18 legs total.

The race starts at 5:30a.m. sharp in Kahului at the junction of Palapala and Mua street with your first runner. As your first runner takes off on foot the rest of your team takes off in your race vehicle to meet the runner at the next hand off point. Teams & vehicles dress up in all kinds of themes and shanangians and as Colt kept saying it feels more like a moving parade than an actual race.

My team was team #47 which was 3 guys and 3 girls so this placed us in the “mixed” division. Since most of us had only met the night before we didn’t have time to go all out with costumes and a theme so we decided that the girls would wear tutus and we would just have some fun with it. I was assigned leg’s 3 (3.0 miles), leg 9 (2.7 miles) and leg 14 (2.4 miles).

My first leg was from Baldwin Beach Park to Hookipa. It had a slight gain in elevation with rolling hills. It was a beautiful run and my adrenaline carried me most of the way. Leg 9 was between mile marker 9 & 10 on the road to Hana and was my best leg. The scenery was amazing and I was filled with so much gratitude as I ran the winding road. I set a personal record on this leg for my fasted mile which I ran in 7 minutes and 41 seconds. My overall pace for that 2.71 mile leg was 8:02. My last leg was leg 14 which was mostly down hill. This was probably my “easiest” leg for running but it ended up being my hardest because I had a lot of time to cool down in between. I still however managed to do my best and finished with an average pace of 8:32.

Overall I was proud of my efforts especially since I found out only moments before that headphones were not allowed (so music wasn’t going to be an option). The reason for the no headphones rule is because the road to Hana remains open so you have to be able to hear all cars coming in front and behind you. It makes sense (safety first) but it also made for a much harder run (mentally).

After my legs were done I went into full cheerleader mode to get my team through our last 4 legs and to the finish line. Everyone did their part and you could feel the team work and camaraderie through it all.

Below are pictures of the entire day from Colt’s perspective, I was so lucky to have him by my side as my #1 supporter, fan, driver and picture taker.

and it begins…

….it NEVER fails, LOL

First leg pass off from Ramona One of the members from another team called the “Hana Ho’s” tried to run me off the road because I was running faster than his team! Seeing him in his thong and man bra was motivation enough to make me run even faster, hahahaha

Kale our team captain giving me a high five as I complete my first 3 mile leg in 21 minutes and 30 seconds

My baby girl cheering on her mama!

Hydration straight from the source before starting leg #14 …and again….handing it off to Devin on my last leg, boy did that feel GREAT! Devin, Ramona, Cameron, Chris & Rhonda finishing strong!

So proud of team #47! I love that even though we only met a few hours prior to this race we were still able to come together as a team and kick some serious butt!

Our ranking per the Hana Relay website is below:

We finished in 7 hours and 28 minutes with an average pace of 8:37.

Division Ranking:

We finished #43 out of 89 teams

Overall ranking:

We finished #96 out of 219 teams.

I am so thankful that I got to be apart of this wonderful race and I am sooooo READY for the Hana Relay 2014!

Spon·ta·ne·i·ty

23 Tuesday Jul 2013

Posted by Making Magic in Life on Maui

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Freedom, Happiness, leisure, Life, Maui, spontaneous

Spontaneity is something that I have always loved the idea of and wanted to be, just saying the word in itself gets me excited, spontaneity. Living on a whim, redirecting because of a feeling or emotion, taking off at the drop of a dime…but no matter how much I love the idea of living this way if I’m being completely honest I’d have to say my quality or state of actually being “spontaneous” in my day to day life is about a two. Ok, maybe a one (really its a zero) because Monday through Friday I am the most vanilla and least spontaneous person you will probably ever meet. I love my routine, sticking to a schedule and planning my days ahead. Now don’t get me wrong we can make plans but it better be 24 hours in advance (at least) and I will most likely pass if it keeps me out past 10pm! See, like I said vanilla no rainbow jimmies, no waffle cone just plain ol boring vanilla.

However like with everything else in this life with one extreme comes the other so it would only make sense that my weekend self (Friday night to Sunday afternoon) likes to live life undetermined and much more spontaneously. I like to stop thinking about schedules, time or money and I like to just go off and do whatever it is I feel like doing. I like to jump in my car and drive or go for a walk until I find what I am looking for. I like to wake up on my days off at 6am (just because) and lay in bed thinking of all the amazing things I want to go and do. I love feeling the excitement of endless opportunity and the unknown.

So with all that being said this weekend was no different. I woke up at 5:30am on Saturday with thoughts of beaching, hiking, traveling, exploring or camping running through my head. Around 8am Colt got up and asked what his options were, a few hours later we were out the door.

…and we’re off, destination Hana! drive time 3 hours, purpose camping at 7 sacred pools, coolness factor it happened to be a full moon! Car packed, bags packed, dog packed…ready, set, gooo!

The road was so busy and so was the campground! This was the most construction, cars and groups I had ever experienced when driving up to Hana!

But even with all the unexpectedness we still made great time and we were chilling & grilling in no time.

Later we were joined by Anu and Joe who also decided very last minute to come up and join us!

We gave them lots of props for driving all the way to Hana on a moments notice but I think the full moon, the fire pit and the s’mores made it all worth it!

Sunday morning we woke up with the sun, it had rained pretty hard over night but it was so peaceful to listen to while we slept. The smell of rain and damp grass embodied us in the tented moonlight and it made the experience that much more memorable.

Once we were up Colt cooked breakfast for us all. He made bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches on a croissant and I’d have to say he gets the best breakfast for campers award because these were nothing shy of delicious!

Shortly after breakfast we cleaned up and hit the rode. We had a long trip back and a few more last minute pit stops on the way.

We have seen this sign for Thai food every single time we’ve been to Hana but not until recently had we paid it any mind and today it seemed to be screaming my name. We stopped by and I honestly felt like I had been time warped into the heart of Thailand! The restaurant Thai Food by Pranee, the sign, the people, the fresh made house specials they were all so perfect and lucky for me a lot closer than Thailand!

One of todays specials was the green chicken curry and we both loved it! It was so delicious and the closest taste to Thailand we have got since being back on the island. I am so happy we stopped to experience it!

After our Thai stop I wanted to photograph this sign (with my new Nikon) to canvas for the house! To me it is a great reflection of organized chaos and makes my wanderlust skyrocket.

I really just love it so much!

I photographed it from all angles since each side had a new variation of wonderful-ness!

After this stop Colt was on a mission to get home so I kept myself entertained.

WARNING objects in the mirror and in the car may appear closer or more naked then they really are;)

and last but not least for anyone who has ever been to Hana with Colt & I no trip would ever be complete without making a pit stop in Pāʻia at flatbreads! hmm hmm good!

As the week begins and it’s back to reality I cant help but think how thankful I am for my day to day life and my spontaneous weekends.

I am so blessed to live in such a beautiful place with a wonderful job and the best people surrounding me. I have Colt as my best friend, my husband, my life partner as well as my partner in crime. I love that we can do anything or nothing together and still be happy. I love that he loves me like no one else ever has. I love that our love is deep, real, fun, funny, passionate and supportive.

I love who we are, who we are becoming and that we love with a love that is more than love.

Until next time…love whenever possible, it is always possible….

13 Crossings

10 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by Making Magic in Life on Maui

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Tags

13 Crossings, Hiking, HIlife, Maui, nature, paradise, Trails, waterfalls

This morning we hiked Makamakaole Stream which is also often referred to as 13 crossings. The obvious reason for this name is the number of times the trail crosses the stream before you eventually end at a series of waterfalls.

This hike isn’t particularly hard as much as it is tricky. It starts with trying to find the path head which is almost impossible to find unless you already have an idea of where it is. We got to what we thought was the trail head around 10:30a.m and headed down only to find an extremely over grown forest so assuming this couldn’t be the hike we continued down the road. As we continued to walk we came across a second trail head and decided to head on down.

It was a pretty over cast day so the ground was extremely wet and slick which made it very easy to lose your footing, but since this is pretty typical for Maui hiking we continued to wonder down the trail until we eventually came to this.

It was a beautiful lush area with this swimming hole which also happened to have a tree ladder accompanied by a rope swing. It looked like natures playground and had we not been so preoccupied with trying to find the 13 crossings hike we might have stayed and played but instead we continued on. We found a stream but it only brought us to a few other swimming holes and a lot of dead ends so we decided to head back up to the road to look for another trail head.

As we headed back up and over the stream there was a medium sized jump from one rock to another to clear the water and as Colt jumped over effortless I stopped. It seemed my legs were too short or maybe the rock was too wet or maybe I was just a chicken but I couldn’t jump. I quickly looked for another way and found one just a short distance down the stream. As I walked to the area I scolded myself for being such a wimp! I told myself that wasn’t usually like me and as I walked and wondered why I was all the sudden such a chicken …BOOM…. down I went into the stream. As my foot slipped on the mossy slated rock all I could see was Colts back still hiking up ahead and as I watched him walking away all I could hear was the sound of my own scream, it was broke, I knew it was broke. As the scream met Colt’s ears he quickly turned around in shock to see me in the stream screaming that it was broke. He rushed over thinking it had to be my foot until I told him it was in fact my tailbone. As he picked me up from the stream and put me on my feet I immediately fell to all fours crying out in pain. My breathing swallowed and I felt like I was going to pass out. As I sat there on all fours whimpering all I could hear was Colt laughing, did he actually think this might be a joke?! As I calmed down and caught my breath I finally managed to tell him I was actually hurt and in a lot of pain and that’s when he went right into husband mode. As he got me up slowly I realized that I could actually stand but the pain was at about 7 and getting worse.

Once I was steady on my feet I realized that besides the constant pounding in my tailbone the pain was manageable so we continued on and by the time we got to the road I was in pain and pissed. I came to hike 13 crossings and that’s what I was going to do hurt or not. So I insisted we walk back up to the car to look up the trail head on our phone because we were going in!

Colt got the GPS going and we quickly found out that the original path head that we started down with the over grown path was indeed the hike (if only we would have kept going my tailbone would have been spared) but none the less we headed down.

Other than a lot of over grown plants and bushes the trail was beautiful and the stream was clear and rushing with water. The pathway was pretty easy to hike but the actual crossing of the stream was some what of a challenge (mostly because the rocks were really slippery and I was in pain) but Colt didn’t seem to have any issues (it must have been his big bad water shoes).

The hike itself offered a wide range of beauty including meadow like fields, bamboo forests, exotic trees and lots of open clearings.

Don’t let this smile fool you I was hurting but too stubborn to admit it.

The only evidence left from the dreaded fall (besides the constant pounding of course…)

After you pass the last crossing there is a split in the road, one looks like a continued path and the other a rock bed you actually continue up the rock bed and that’s when you finally reach this beautiful waterfall and swimming hole.

From here you can also climb up to a second landing where you will find a double waterfall. I guess there is also a third fall but you have to scale a rock and I wasn’t really up for the challenge today!

This hike in total is about 3 miles long, 1.5 down and 1.5 back and it took us about 2 hours because I was moving slower than usual and we stopped for awhile at the waterfalls and swimming hole. Overall this is an awesome hike with diverse views and a killer swim at the end that I would highly recommend.

I too look forward to hiking it again on another day….when my ego is better and my butts not so sore!

Happy Days

16 Saturday Mar 2013

Posted by Making Magic in Life on Maui

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family, Fun, Happiness, Life, Maui, Play, wife, Work

Lately I feel like I’m watching my life from outside my life. I know that probably doesn’t make much sense but its the only way I know how to explain it.

It has been 3 weeks since my last day at the Hard Rock and its been a whirlwind of beautiful chaos. I’ve been much busier than expected and I’m loving every second of it!

The Job:

I’m filling my mornings and early afternoons working for Lightning Electric LLC. Basically I keep my hubs and father in law in line about billing clients, receiving and recording payments, keep his taxes in order as well as organizing the mess of what use to be before I came on board. I work out of my father in laws cushy loft and I’m learning so much everyday! As we get busier I will also start to do the marketing and advertising. Mark has built a great foundation with a steady flow of clients and I’m excited to see the company grow. Its so fun to work alongside Colt, I’m so proud of him and look forward to watching him grow.

My new digs! This is actually Colts truck I get to ride my bike to work, I also get to wear a t-shirt, jean shorts and flip flops:)

The new Jennifer Stewart!

The “boys” working hard. It’s really awesome to see the whole process of a small business. So much goes into it from the field to the books.

Like me, Kailea also seems to be adjusting to her new life just fine hehehehe!

My work station at the office

Me and the boys!

Wife Life:

I typically wake up around 6:30 now a days and relax and snuggle for at least 15 minutes. Once I get up I start breakfast for Colt and I start to pack lunches. Once breakfast is ready and lunches are packed I bring Kai for a walk. When I get back Criminal Minds is usually on from 7-8am while I get ready (this is one of my favorite parts of my new morning schedule) I leave the house around 8:15 and head to work.

After work Monday – Friday I head to the gym to run my miles (we have had family in town the last two weeks so my workout schedule hasn’t been the best but I look forward to getting back in it) I also pick one project a day to do at home. We have such a cute ohana but I have never had the time or energy to really make it ours. I have so many DIY projects already on my list but the last few weeks I’ve spent deep cleaning everything from floor to ceiling. Its getting there but still has a long way to go.

Cooking:

This is a new adventure for me. I think I’ve cooked more meals in the last 3 weeks than I ever have in my entire life. I have also been shopping (Costco & Safeway are my new hot spots) a few times a week. Besides quickies like eggs, oatmeal, fruit, sandwiches and salads for breakfasts and lunches I’ve been experimenting with a lot of Mexican food! Some of the new dishes I’ve tried are chicken faijitas, taco casserole, Monterey jalapeño turkey burgers and white enchiladas. All of them actually turned out really good and I’m getting more confident as I go. I’m also blessed that Colt is so easy and eats about anything. He’s so sweet to me and always so encouraging.

Taco casserole made with turkey instead of beef

Chicken enchiladas! I was most excited about these, they came out so good and were so easy to make!

As if cooking hasn’t been enough of a new adventure I also have to be pretty creative right now because I gave up bread for lent. Its been a little over a month and man has it been so much harder than I thought it would be. I guess I really love bread because deciding what to eat on a daily basis has been so hard! Sandwich no bread, turkey burger no bun, tacos sub corn tortillas and the hardest one NO PIZZA (my ultimate weakness) I can say overall I feel a whole lot lighter but my energy during workouts is down. Without the carbs to burn during my runs I burn out way faster and I feel a lot weaker. This has peaked my interest and I have been researching substitute bread options for a cleaner healthier diet.

Every day life:

My days have been very free. Even though I’m still on a schedule its flexible and mostly consists of things that I love. After leaving my job I was so scared I would be stressed or depressed but its proven to be the exact opposite. Feelings of gratitude, abundance, appreciation, happiness and joy are things I feel freely now. It sometimes seems so surreal I will stop and make myself feel every ounce of it (as if at any moment its all going to be taking away) I feel like the more present I am in acknowledging these feelings the happier I become.

I’m also learning a lot about me and its making Colt and I’s relationship soar. My love language is acts of service so its no surprise that I’m much happier now that I can spend a lot of my time caring for Colt. If you haven’t read the book the 5 love languages I suggest you and your partner do. Colt and I read it before we got married (our friend Anu suggested it to us) and it continues to teach us how to communicate better as a couple as well as what makes the other one happy.

Since my love language is acts of service actions such as cooking a meal, setting a table, washing the dishes, sorting the bills or walking the dog all which require thought, planning, time, effort and energy are in my language the highest expressions of love which is why I’m currently so happy. I always joke with Colt that the easiest way to get me in the “mood” is to take the trash out. Even though that’s a bit of an exaggeration it makes us both laugh because its true!

Overall I’d say these last 3 weeks have been filled with learning, happiness and fun and although its not what I was expecting, it’s everything I’ve been waiting for….

“It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves – in finding themselves.” –

04 Monday Mar 2013

Posted by Making Magic in Life on Maui

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Adventure, Explore, fit life, happy, Hawaii, healthy, Hiking, Maui, Trails, Travel, Waihe'e Ridge

First and foremost I would like to say that I am loving my new found freedom of extraordinary. I’ve had the time to slow down and really stop and appreciate all that’s around me and embodies me. I’ve adjusted to my relaxing wife life and my new “normal” pretty easily and I am just soaking up every second of it!

beach bumming

This morning we woke up around 7a.m. made some oatmeal with fresh fruit and headed out to hit the trail. We’ve been wanting to explore Maui more and we heard the Wahihe’e Ridge Trail was pretty awesome with great views.

We got on the trail by 9:30a.m. and the weather couldn’t have been more perfect. It was brisk with the perfect amount of chill in the air to cool you down as you sweat. The trail is 5 miles long round trip and has incredible views of the valley along with luscious green forest.

You gain about 1,500 feet over the 2 1/2 miles up the ridge so this sign is very important

Since you are climbing so high it is suggested that you get on this trail early (by 8a.m.) for maximum viewing exposure. However Colt & I got on the trail a little later than 9a.m. and although some clouds had already moved in the views were still breathtaking.

This is one of the first outlooks on your way up. You can see two beautiful flowing falls in the distance

This hike gets your heart pumping and gluteus working right away. By the time you hit 1/2 a mile you’ve already climbed 400 feet!

Someone was hitching a ride by 400 feet, my little “wanna be hiker”

The landscape was incredible and took my breath away. You are hiking through guava, kukui, swamp mahogany, cook island pines and millions of ferns all while moving towards this view!

Waihe’e Valley in all its raw beauty

As we kept climbing the air kept getting cooler and cooler it felt great to feel the elevation of the climb.

Going up!

We saw so many unique plants and trees along the way and we saw a ton of these, they are actually the stems that the ferns grow out of!

They reminded me of the caterpillar (the Hookah-Smoking caterpillar hehe) in Alice and Wonderland

Since it was a Sunday and later in the morning there were a lot of hikers also on the trail with us going up as well as coming down.

The most handsome hiker I saw all day:)

Colt loved all the different kinds of trees. The views reminded me of scenes from Twilight (they were that good)

My very own Edward Cullen

It took us a little over an hour to get to the top since we continued to stop for several photo ops!

Kai & I taking a little breather..

keep on climbing, climbing…

Natural beauty just lurking around ever twist and turn

Once we finally got to the top it was beautiful! Its the perfect place to have a light lunch if you should know to pack one. The air is cool and the visual silence is like nothing you can experience unless you are at 2,563 feet.

I love where the ocean meets the sky and the accent of green, there’s nothing better.

Flying high, freebirding

There’s nothing that I love more than experiencing this life and exploring this earth with this man

Going down..

Kai loves this part, she just cruises all the way down

Taking an extra moment to take it all in (once again)

I love the forest and getting lost in paradise

This hike is so beautiful and I highly recommend it to anyone traveling to Maui or to residents who have yet to experience it. If you love having your head in the clouds and paradise at your feet you will absolutely love it. I know we did!

“I used to dream about escaping my ordinary life until I realized my life was never ordinary. I had just failed to notice how extraordinary it really is..”

Chasing the Maui Son ✨

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“It is only in adventure that some people succeed in knowing themselves – in finding themselves.” –