YouthBuild Honolulu

is currently recruiting 
17-24 year olds 
for hands-on training in the 
construction field and 
obtaining a High School Diploma


YouthBuild Honolulu can assist you with:

·      Education

·      Vocational Construction Training

·      Leadership Development

·      Counseling



·      Job Placement & Follow Up



REGISTER TO ATTEND AN INFORMATION BRIEFING
call: (808) 768-5777

Are you an uber busy mom with no time to wait for your nails to dry? Looking for an affordable and practical way to keep your nails pretty without stealing money from the kids snack budget?  Then listen up!  Incoco is the coolest thing EVER! It's not a sticker. It's nail polish packaged in strips for easy sticker-like application. It's a base, color, and top coat in one. NO drying time required. I know it sounds too good to be true. But it IS! 

I stumbled upon Incoco at a craft fair in December. I tried it and loved it. I didn't want to pay for shipping or order it online. So, I waited for him to come to town. He now has a kiosk here at Ward Warehouse right in front of the Ultimate Foot store. YES!!!  And just in time. I have an event to attend tonight and by golly I wasn't going with my nails bare and naked.

Cost: $10 per packet. Each packet holds enough strips to do a manicure and pedicure or two manis. Depending on application and nail length, you could very well make it last for more applications. The have the cutest designs and colors. Again, it is real nail polish so removal is the same as traditional nail polish.  They also sell a gel overlay coating that goes over the incoco nail strips which is actually much safer to use than traditional gel applications at a nail salon. Why? Because incoco nail strips are 3 free. They do not have formaldehyde, toulene, or DBP (dibutyl phtalate). The gel overlay doesn't sit on the nail bed. Nail salon gel applications layer the chemicals three or more times directly on to your nails.

They always run specials. Currently, the have easter colors and designs at half off ($5 per packet) and buy one get one free colors for Mothers Day. If you are in town and can go directly to the Kiosk, go. They guy there will HOOK YOU UP. I'm serious. He offers the same sales and discounts as the website and also throws in free sample packs for you as well. I just wish I knew his name.

Click here to see how to apply the nail strips. Or watch the video below. Application on all fingernails takes about 10 minutes. Longer the first few times you do it. Whats great with incoco is you can STRETCH the strip. Just be careful not to over stretch it, it will break off. So if a strip is just a smidge too narrow for your nail, stretch it a little and it'll fix that problem. 

I absolutely love incoco. It's perfect for the last minute shindig or for people who love cute designs that don't want to spend a lot of money at a salon or time for that matter. LOL!!

In regards to durability and longevity, they don't chip off like traditional nail polish.  If you use the glitter blingy strips, like regular glitter polish, it will stay on there real good. You have to scrub it off with nail polish remover.  I have had no issues with chipping or peeling. It lasted more than 14 days on my nails. My tip: always start with clean and dry nails. Be sure to wash off any oils or lotions that may be on your hands or nails.  Use the buffer to prep your nails for application. The "scoring" on the nails help it to adhere nicely. And push back your cuticles.

If you have an open packet of strips with unused polish in them, seal it up real good. It is real polish and if you let it sit out, they will dry up and harden.

Try it, you'll like it!!

I was NOT paid to write this review. I just love this stuff!

This morning I had a conversation where I was called a “big person”.  I didn’t take offense. I looked at him and said, “you mean, fat.” He said, you can say that, I can’t. Again, no offense taken. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and just so we’re clear, this person is someone I know and am comfortable with. I also know he doesn’t really have a filter and does not harbor malicious intent.  I like straight forward people like that. There’s no sugar coating, no bush beating, and no bull crap to deal with.

What I found interesting was, just this morning on my way into work I got lost in my thoughts. I was thinking about myself, my body, my hair, just me. I am comfortable in my own skin. I am happy with myself. I am happy with my body, my face, my life, everything. I don’t know why on earth I was thinking these things, but I was. So, when that conversation happened, I laughed in my head because that’s how he views me. That’s how many others probably view me. But, that’s not how I view me.

I am 5’2”. I fit size 14 jeans loosely and size 12 jeans very snugly. So, I’m a 13 , technically. Try finding that size in a store. When I first started working in this office 6 years ago, I was probably between a 10 and 12 and 30 lbs lighter. I did have a baby 2 years ago which is really no excuse, or is it? My current size is the biggest (non-prego) I’ve ever been my entire life. And I’m ok with it. I have accepted my physical body in its current state. Of course, like any normal human being, I am critical of certain parts of my body. My arms are big. My stomach isn’t flat. My butt could use some “poofing”. But who doesn’t criticize themselves? All of these things are influenced by what we see and what we/society finds acceptable. You don’t have to be skinny or trim to be happy. Though, exercise is good for you and your body. Being stagnant isn’t.

When I went to the bathroom after that conversation, I stopped to look at myself in the mirror. An almost full length mirror. Something I don’t have in my house because all our closet doors have been replaced with drapes. I looked at my figure and thought, “A big person, huh?” and shrugged it off.

The moral of this blog: Don’t allow the perceptions of others define you.  You cannot control others and their thoughts about who you are. That is their issue, not yours. Be true to you and always be positive. Not just in thinking but in your actions. 

Besides, I’m not fat. I’m voluptuous. Mwah!

Happy Aloha Friday!

The trip my daughter and I took to San Francisco, I had her use the rolling weekender bag and the retro metro weekender bag by Thirty-One.  Yes, I am a consultant and no, they did not pay me to write this.  My reviews are solely my experience and opinion of the product (good and bad).

The rolling weekender retails at $180. This bag is literally a duffle with wheels. 

When I first got this bag, I wasn't too happy with the design. This bag does NOT stand on its own like a typical carry on bag with wheels. The bottom is rounded. Therefore, it rolls over like a turtle on its back if not put down flat on the ground like a normal duffle. If you notice all the promotional photos of the bag, it's always tilted. 

With one zipper across the top to get into the main compartment, it's a tight squeeze to get anything bulky inside of it. Think, clamshell. It has pockets on the inside and pockets along the outsides of the bag. There is one sturdy handle on the "top" of the bag where the retractable handle folds in. 

The bag is very compact and feels sturdy when rolling around. The wheels are strong and sized nicely so there is no drag when trying to maneuver through a busy airport. I have not had to use it for travel until a few weeks ago. That's when my thoughts on this bag changed and I now truly enjoy it.

The bag looks small and doesn't open very wide with that one "smiley" zipper that goes across the top of it. We use space saver bags when traveling which compacts all our clothing. We were able to fit TWO large space saver bags filled with clothes, a large and heavy textbook, more clothes, a box of chocolates, toiletries, jackets, shoes, and much more in this bag. I was shocked at how much it could hold when packed in an organized fashion.  

With all the stuff in there, the bag was a lot heavier than it looked. With all that weight, the wheels held up and the bag did not drag when rolling around. It was easy to steer and maneuver, including in the airplane. While most people were wacking the crap out of peoples legs and elbows, this bag zipped through the aisle like a breeze. I even rolled it in FRONT of me on my way in. With the bag tilted as you walk, it holds a backpack, or any other bag on top of it with ease. 

Even with the added weight, the handle still felt sturdy and the bag wheeled nicely. I wheeled in my heavy backpack (filled with work stuff including my laptop) on top of the full duffle easily. When I got to my row, the handle folded down quickly and effortlessly. The strong strap on the side is nice and wide. Not just the strap itself, but it was stitched on to where you could easily grasp it and pull up to get the bag up and into the overhead compartment. Same for taking it down. Pull, drop, grab the handle and go. I loved it!  I'm debating if I should pick up another one in sea plaid because I really loved this bag a lot and we'll be taking more trips this year. But, I had to withhold because I have my other weekender bag that I will now review. I feel like the person in the hair club for men commercial. I am not only a spokesperson for thirty one. I USE IT! LOL

Now, the retro metro weekender. Retail price is $80.  Ahh, I love this bag. Why? Because this sucker is made of a very durable canvas material. There are two large pockets (no closure) inside and one big zipper pocket. The outside has one large pocket (no closure). This large bag is very light weight. VERY.  You can get an optional shoulder strap but with the length of the straps already on it, you don't really need it.

When not in use, it folds up EXTREMELY small and flat if folded properly. I always pack this bag on trips as my 911 oh my god my luggage is overweight life saver bag.  So, I had my daughter bring this with her when she met me in Seattle.  When using space saver bags, you can EASILY pack 3 weeks+ worth of clothes in this thing with tons of room to spare. Note, it will be heavy and that's when you'd probably want a shoulder strap for it.

On trips, this becomes my 2nd carry on item. I fill it with everything under the sun that my luggage cannot hold (less liquids, gels, etc).  This bag is most helpful when going home. You know, when you return your rental and you have to scour the car for crap to take out like your gps, cell phone charger cables, your cell phone, etc.  I just chuck it all in there. It's easier to run with one or two bags versus five.  Once I get to my gate and can settle down, that's when I rearrange and organize my stuff. Usually, I can re-organize it all and get everything to fit in my Cindy tote. Smaller tote that can hold a lot of stuff. That's when I fold up my retro metro weekender nicely, and tuck it away. ahhhhh. Not even lesportsac can touch this bag. Trust me, I have a huge duffle from lesportsac. Their bags are also lightweight, but the material is VERY thin too. Load that bag up and snag one thing. That sucker will rip open like a C section gone mad.

I did use that retro metro weekender on a trip to the Phillippines. I fit everything I needed into this bag for a 9 day trip. That's right. NO CHECK IN! Awesome right! The best part, on the way home, it fit a ukulele, a huge musical jewelry box, my purse, and much more. I didn't want to pack those fragile items in a box or luggage. So, I hand carried ALL OF IT on the plane discreetly in my bag. Amazing! The super duper best part of it all? It says OLIPAS on it. Yayer! P.S. the bag you see below is the same design I have. 

Hopefully my reviews help you decide if these bags are right for you. Please subscribe to my blog and share it. Much love!

Of all the places I have had the opportunity to visit this was the one that caused me the most stress and damage to my bank account. I didn't even SHOP! The cost of everything here in this huge tourist trap is outrageous. Given, we had a lot of things to see and do in a jam packed two days, I'm thankful for the time share points to help with subsidizing cost of the hotel and the car rental. However, even with that savings and being so close to everything, the cost of parking alone was just ridiculous.  The driving would make any sane person insane, and just the sheer amounts of people in this small area is crazy.

I'm sure someone could get used to the SFO living, but I don't think I could ever.  The homes are tall, narrow, and deep. No yards. No grass. And it's cold as heck. It's fine until the wind blows and one gust sends chills down your spine. There are many modes of transportation around this town but just the bus maps alone send you in a tizzy. It's not easy to get around using the cable car, bus, or trains around the area when you're completely unfamiliar with the routes and such.

For those coming to visit for the first time be prepared to spend at least $40+ a night for parking in the area. The cable car ride is $6 one way. The food is at least $10-$15 per head on average. And gas? $5 a gallon.

I enjoyed the touring and the sights. I liked that majority of the tourist trap sections were walking distance so I didn't have to drive ANYWHERE. But having to pay $45 a day to have the car sit completely killed me. Honestly, had I known how bad it was to drive or have a car there, I would've stayed ONE day and drove back down to Modesto to spend the rest of my trip with my family who I hated to leave.

I can now cross this city off of my bucket list and move on to another location to visit in the future. I highly doubt I will ever stay in this city again. Maybe outside of it? But never near the wharf or anywhere near this area again. I'm so glad to be going home. 

No disrespect to those who live in the area. Takes a certain breed to live here. Just like in Hawaii. Not everyone can handle living on an island. For me, as much as the traffic is harsh and we don't see the seasons change, I'm glad to say that I have had the opportunities to see those with the travels I've had in the past.  I can say that I've been there and done that. Now back to my island.

Aloha O'e SFO. 

Wow! This week is almost over and it's been such a whirlwind of events!

Monday night I got into SFO and hit the road for Modesto to see old friends who are family to me. I hadn't seen thsheem in over three years and this was a long time coming. It was a dark 90 minute drive. Upon arrival we were greeted warmly and didn't get a wink of sleep. My gf and I were up till 2 am just talking and catching up. The kids didn't sleep because they were up playing and talking too.  

While in Modesto, we did nothing spectacular. Well, not spectacular to some. For us, it was. It was the best 2 days of the entire trip so far. To be able to be with them and do nothing. Just hang out. Let the kids spend time with each other and give my gf a much deserved and long overdue "break". 

After our goodbyes, we headed to Gilroy. This time to meet up with my fellow Wolfhound 1/27 wives who I have not seen in a very long time. We had brunch at her home and although it was just a few hours, the barrels of laughs had me hurting! I love those ladies! After brunch with them, I headed over to the Galvan Hills Memorial Park to pay respects to her husband, SSG David H. Gutierrez. Romel served in Iraq with him in Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2004 to 2005. Per his request, I left a dime on David's gravestone to signify that he was visited by a fellow soldier who served in the same unit as he. Not only is David buried there, but their infant daughter Reyna too. It was nice to be able to stop and see them.


After our brief visits, we were off to stop at Garlic World. Although Patty gave us tons of garlic goodies, I wanted to see the worlds longest garlic braid. I love weird stuff like that. Garlic World is right next to the freeway which made it a perfect place to stop on our way to San Jose. Garlic World is a big general store that sells produce and other fun things.


Now we're off to SJC!  We went to the Winchester Mystery House. Shelby did the tour alone since I saw it already. She enjoyed it and I enjoyed the quiet hour of doing nothing. We have been on the go since our arrival and that break was great.  After Winchester, we picked up a quick bite at Chipotle. I love Chipotle and wish we had one in Hawaii.


Then, off to church. This INC chapel in SJC was even bigger than the chapel in Seattle. The pews were wider and much more cushier. It was so comfortable! After church, we head up to the airport area to bed down for the night before coming back to SFO to do a full day of touring.  It was a little odd to stay in a travel lodge considering we always stay in really nice hotels, suites, or condos. But, I just needed a cheap one night place to sleep and freshen up. What worked out great was it's location. It was right next to the 101 and there was an IHOP right next door.


So, we got up bright and early, filled up at IHOP and then hit the road to tour SFO. We found decently priced all day parking at Pier 3. We needed to be at Pier 1 by 830 am. We arrived at 8 am and was fortunate to find parking for $20 for the entire day. Yes, that was cheap. Parking here is ridiculous and I understand why people hate to drive in this area. I also see why most people choose to not have cars in this area.  


We walked all around Pier 1 and the farmers market vendors were getting set up,. The produce was amazing. The asparagus were colossal! I have never seen asparagus as large as those. Off we go on our 5 hour tour of SFO. We saw so many things including Grace Cathedral, Chinatown, and Lombard street to name a few. The tour is $110 per person and well worth every penny.  The amount of driving, parking, and time needed to hit up all these spots would've cost more and induced a ton of stress on anyone trying to do this on their own.  We had lunch in Sausalito which was a bit hairy due to the congestion of all the tour buses in the area at lunch. The ferry ride from Sausalito back to Pier 1 was great! To get from Pier 1 to 33 for the Alcatraz tour is a 20 minute walk. Instead, we took the old electric street car tram (F line) to take us there. It was pretty cool to be on it but probably won't ever do it again. The trams are extremely crowded and each ride is $2. 



Then, we did the tour of Alcatraz from 4-7. For those who have never been there, expect to spend 2 hours MINIMUM there. I wish we had more time so I could cover every inch of the island. But we were on the 4:00 tour and the last boat back from the island is at 6:30. There was a former inmate and author there who was signing his book. That was cool. To think this old man was once housed there made me wonder about him. I can't wait to read his book.


After Alcatraz it was finally time to get to the hotel and rest. Now, we have to get back to Pier 3 from Pier 33 where we parked the car. Rather than wait and cram back into a street car, we walked. It was a nice brisk walk and it was starting to get cold and windy. I was able to find our hotel without a problem. It's the parking that is a HUGE issue in this area. There really isn't any. That forces us to valet for the two nights were here. Guess how much it is? FORTY FIVE DOLLARS A NIGHT!! Ugh! I already knew this and really have no choice being that I need the car to get around since Im not just staying in the wharf area.


This room didn't cost me anything. I used our timeshare points for it. So, that helped soften the blow of the valet cost. Our room is a simple one bedroom with a king bed. The room is actually well dressed and comfortable. The bathroom is great. I love the big counters and the adjustable shower head. The clothes line in the shower is a huge plus. There is a decent breakfast buffet in the morning and the best part about this property is its location. It's 2 short blocks away from the Wharf and about 3 short blocks or a quick 10 minute walk to Pier 39.


After settling in, we hit the pavement again. We walked to Boudin's to get clam chowder in a sourdough bowl. Delish! We then walked down to Pier 39. It was WINDY and apparently bone chilling cold. I had my cabelas jacket and that kept me warm even in slippers. Shelby on the other hand was freezing her butt off! She was wearing a sweater, two scarves and a beanie and complained the entire walk. LOL!


Although most of the shops were closed or closing, it allowed us to pull some recon of the area so we know what to hit up tomorrow.  The seals were honking their horns nice and loud though we couldn't really see them all.  And the walk back was even colder than the walk there.  We headed back up the "strip" and to Ghiradelli Square where we get a cup of hot chocolate. Yum!  Then we head back to the room.  

Originally, I had planned to take her to Napa tomorrow. But, after looking into the time it takes to get there, plus the traffic, tolls, and entrance fees, we've changed our plans and will be staying in the Wharf area tomorrow to really scour the wharf and different piers. Then, dinner with more friends before we leave on Saturday.

Of all the trips I've taken without my family, this one was by far has felt the longest. I've been gone for two weeks before. But those trips would fly by. For some reason, this trip just felt so long and I can't wait to get home. 

Next month, the real vacation will come. A weekend in Princeville. Kauai is the island perfect for rebooting.

Thanks for reading!!

My weekend with my daughter here in Seattle was jam packed with activities. She arrived at 9:45 Sat morning and from there it has been none stop. We went straight to the Underground tour. Since we were a little early, we got a quick bite to eat. Shelby had chicken shawarma, a falafel, and lentil soup. It was her first time eatting meditteranean food. Everything was delicious!

The undertground tour was an hour and a half of walking in the hollow streets below the "new" street level of Seattle. It was very interesting and we learned a lot about the history of Seattle. What was funny was, Shelby is learning about this stuff in school right now. So, this was a great field trip for her!

After that underground tour, we took the sub seattle tour. We hopped on a bus and took an hour and a half tour around seattle. We stopped at Kurt Cobain's old home and saw the memorial bench in the park right next door. We saw the inspiration to the song Black Hole Sun from Soundgarden. A very cooln sculpture where you can look through the hole and see the space needle. We also managed to take really awesome scenic photos from different areas that I would have never known to go and see. We also saw the previous home of AMAZON! 

We wrapped up our touring and headed to this creole restaurant around the corner and had fried alligator, jambalaya, gumbo, crawfish pie, and bread pudding in a whiskey sauce. The food was great!! Alligator tastes just like chicken with a more rubbery texture. It was very tender.

We then went back to the hotel to get some rest before church.  At church we finally hooked up with our Olipas family! It was so nice to see them. We headed out to a late dinner with my cousin and had a nice girls night out. We caught each other up on things and it was just so nice to be able to spend time with them. We didn't get back to the hotel until 11 pm. Whew!

This morning we visited Bruce and Brandon Lee's grave site. The entire cemetery was simply beautiful. I loved being in there. Everything was perfectly manicured and so peaceful. The trees, plants, and flowers were gorgeous.  If you ever want to stop and see him there, here's my tip to you. Drive in and look straight up the hill and slightly to the right. Look for a huge white headstone shaped in a heart. You can't miss it. There are tall hedges directly behind that white stone heart. The Lee's are directly behind that hedge. 

After visiting their grave sites, we went down to the space needle.We got there right on time at 9:30. We got parking, beat the crowds and went straight up. We took our pictures and went back down and walked around the area, including the armory. What a fun place! We then went to the Chihuly glass and garden museum. If you ever have the opportunity to see it, you must. Chihuly's works of art left me speechless.  The garden was in full bloom and the flowers smelled so lovely. And yes, I did smell most of them. I love it!

We then went down to Pike Place market. Our intention was to go to the great wheel next but I saw Pike was right up the stairs so we went there first. We tried the greek yogurt and some crepes. We didn't partake in the chowder. The lines for the hot ticket items were too long. We did go into the very first Starbucks store but didn't buy anything. It was madness in there!

Shelby tried fresh pressed apple cider. It was yummy and refreshing.  It was pretty cool and nice to see the market but it's not somewhere I'd go again. It's very crowded and is basically a huge open market with a ton of vendors selling stuff. It was cool but I was over it after about an hour.

Next, the Great Wheel. I couldn't wait to get on it and take in the views. Once we were in our gondola and we started going up and kept stopping to load more people in, I started to get nauseated. I'm afraid of heights and the stopping and going was making the gondola sway. I white knuckled the bench I was sitting on and couldn't look anywhere. Once the wheel moved continuously, it was ok. Until, we went up and over and started coming back down. The gondola hangs over the pier and you're directly over the water.  The view was great, but it was more outstanding from the needle. As we left the wheel we went through an arcade that had a ferris wheel. YES, we rode it. 

After that fun time, we took a nice walk along the waterfront and tried Ivar's Fish and chips. Not bad. But I wouldn't pay that much again for fish and chips.  We now headed down to Puyallup for the Washington State Fair. The spring fair was ending and tonight was the last night. We met up with my cousin, her hubby, and their baby girl.

I had no idea what to expect. For the locals on Oahu, it's like the 50th state fair times 10. This place was huge. They had cute baby rides and some coasters. They had the extreme scream ride that shoots you up and drops you down and the sling shot. NO, I did not ride any of them. I did ride the spider. A ride I wish EK Fernandez would bring back to Hawaii. I love that ride!

We had elephant ears for the first time. What made me sad was seeing the caramel apples. I have this tradition that I do when I'm at the fair. I buy two caramel apples to go before I leave. One for me and one for Romel. Because this time I wasn't home, I didn't have any. I can't have it without him. It just isn't fun.

We stayed there till closing. It was great day. Great time with family and it was a bittersweet goodbye as we parted ways. Now, its time to pack up and get ready for next week in San Francisco with Shelby! Yay! I do have to work tomorrow. But after that, I'll officially be on VACATION! 

My week of work is done. Here comes the weekend! So, after the whole fiasco with my daughters flight getting delayed nearly 8 hours, she'll be arriving tomorrow morning instead of tonight. It actually works out better in regards to my itinerary for tomorrow.  For lunch, we went out to the Thai Garden. The food was very tasty. The pad thai was different from what I'm used to but it was ok. The thai iced coffee was too strong and very powerful in flavor. Enough about work. It's the weekend!

What I have planned tomorrow is to do the Seattle Underground and Sub Seattle tour. If time permits, we may hit up Pike Place but I doubt we will. The touring is about 3 hours long. We need time to get back to the hotel to rest and change for church tomorrow night.

Sunday will be the crammed scheduled day. I plan to see all the big things in Seattle including taking my daughter to Charming Charlie!

Tonight I went to Bay Point Spa for a deep tissue massage because I have a really nasty stiff neck. The muscles in my neck is in so much pain it making me nauseated. If you haven't been to that place and live here in Bellevue, you must check it out. $70 for a one hour body massage and 30 minute foot massage with trigger point. This is not a lomi lomi tender massage. You are in one huge room with 9 big couches that convert to beds. They are complete with hole for your face when you go face down. These chairs are so comfortable. You do not undress. They use large towels on top of your body to allow movement over your muscles. It was amazing. This guy had me crying mommy. My muscles were so tender and he knew exactly where my problem areas were.

He even climbs on top of you and uses his knees to massage your glutes and uses his elbows to really get deep into your muscles. It was sore as heck but he really broke up the knots. I am not extremely tender in my right neck and shoulder area and have been applying my essential oil on it to help with the inflammation and pain. I am trying to continue to stretch my neck out to help get rid of the tightness.

After the massage, I found a harley store right next door. I ran in real quick to get a shot glass for Romel's collection and did some window shopping. They had cute little girl clothes, but they were really expensive.

Then I used Siri to help me find a place to eat. I went back to the same strip mall where I got my massage and she led me to this european restaurant. It was a very small establishment but when you walk in, you feel like you're in a completely different place!

I tried the wienerschnitzel. I've NEVER had it and decided to try it. It was SO GOOD! I also tried their house salad and that was also very delicious. As I was eating I was watching the cooks in the kitchen. They made me think of RJ. In their white coats and the chef in his very tall chef hat complete with feather. It was very unique. I took photos of them cooking all the food.

The chef came out of the kitchen and started talking to the customers. I was the only "brown" skinned person in there. I smiled at him and he approached me. He asked me if I was from Hawaii because I had a flower in my hair. I said yes. As soon as I said that his face lit up and he sat down with me throughout my dinner. We chatted about his life and where he was from. The server came up to ask me about dessert and I was going to get the creme brulee and the chef said, no. My apple strudel! I LOVE STRUDEL! As I ate it with him in front of me, he told me his recipe. Fuji apples, lemon zest, butter, and sugar. It was amazing!  As I scarfed the strudel, he said you must try my sorbet! I make it from scratch! He went in the back and made me a bowl of raspberry and mango sherbet. It was so good! It was frozen fruit in a glass bowl and was absolutely refreshing.

He finally said his goodbye to me and headed back in the kitchen ensuring that I will not pay for the sorbet. That was a great way to end my work week. Thank you Chef!

Since my arrival, all of my free time is occupied with seeing the sights, visiting friends, and driving all over the area. I haven't had time to really take a lot of pictures since I'm alone and have to drive myself everywhere. The scenery here is beautiful. It's refreshing to have a different view than what I see every single day in Hawaii. Sometimes, it's just nice to be somewhere different.

The weather has been great. One day of rain since I got here. But other that that, it's been "sunny", if you want to call it that. Temps have been in the 50's so its perfect! I went to church tonight and had the opportunity to see the newly dedicated chapel in Seattle. I wish I could've taken pictures. The chapel is amazing. It's huge and just beautiful!

This week has flown by. I was able to hit up the Cabela's in Lacey and Tulalip. I ate at Olive Garden, which is a big deal with people from Hawaii where we don't have one. I DID have a coupon for that meal. Yay! I got some fudge from Cabela's and picked up a smoked bison sandwich. That was on my list of things to do. Eat bison. It was DELISH!! I love bison meat. 

I got to eat mexican food. Something we don't get too often in Hawaii. I'm talking real home made mexican food. Not taco bell.  Tonight, I had greek for dinner and I love greek food.  Tomorrow my daughter flies in and we're going to see as much as we can this weekend. So, I'll be sure to take loads of pictures to share with you!

Next week Monday, I go back to work and then VACATION! I can't wait!

I’m on my way to Seattle this morning. This time, I’m booked on United. Not my usual airline, Delta. Why? Because I'm not paying for this trip and it was the only one that met the requirements for this particular trip.

I’m not looking forward to it. For one, I don’t get priority ANYTHING and I’m not used to United’s process. I know that check in and all that jazz is basically the same thing. But here’s how my morning went..

I get to the ticketing area and the entire place is a mess. Hoards of people everywhere and I can’t see any kind of method to the madness. I see the corrals and markers where lines are supposed to form but it just looks like a huge mass of people. I already knew my flight was overbooked. It told me at check in at home the morning before. So, I look for an agent and ask her where I go. I already checked in and just need to drop off my luggage. She tells me where to go which is NOT in the long line of people, but near the premier access or whatever their frequent flier people are called.

So, I wait. There are kiosks everywhere but it appears you still need a human there to man you or something. I ask the fellow next to me how this works and he tells me even if I checked in already, I still have to go to a kiosk and do it again. I shake my head.  Really? So what’s the point of checking in early when you have to do it again when you get to the airport anyway? I mean, other than to get a better seat, which I of course did NOT because I’m nobody on United. So, I get to the kiosk which is tightly spaced together so the people next to me were all in my kiosk space. I check in my bag and head to security.

The mass of people moved like a big blob to security. Sigh. I walk past Delta and almost shed a tear. I love you Delta. Check in so much easier and smoother than the way United’s works. I continue past the Delta counters to the TSA checkpoint way over yonder. Why? Because there is NEVER a line there. Now you know. While the hoards of people stand in that line, I literally walked right through. There was NO ONE at that checkpoint. Yay me! I make the brisk walk back to the United gates and of course, my gate is 6. The one in Timbuktu. Way at the end. For the old timers, remember the gates where there was the wikiwiki busses you could take to bring you there? Yeah, that one.

My boarding zone is 4. Bottom of the barrel. No biggie for me since I only have a backpack. I don’t ever have to worry about overhead bin space. Here’s the crap part of this flight. I’m in a middle seat. Ugh. Thankfully, the girl seated to the right of me is a small person.  The fellow to the left of me was a slender older gentleman. Not too bad right? Well, the lady had a quilt. A full sized blanket she was using. She did not SIT STILL the entire damn flight. She was lifting her knees to press up against the seat back. She adjusted to lean her head on the window. She put her feet up and down on and off the chair seat. It was like, seriously? KEEP STILL! Every time you move, it moves the entire row of seats. Like a church pew! On top of that, she kept adjusting her damn blanket and when she would “swoosh” it up to cover her left shoulder, it would fly in my face. REALLY LADY!!? On top of that, she elbowed me a couple times. Don’t tell me she didn’t feel it. Does she acknowledge? NO. Does she apologize? NO. 1, 2, 3, 4…..

Now, the fellow to my left kept adjusting his cord for his headphones. He had his tray down the whole time to watch his ipad. No biggie. But what does he need on the armrest? NOTHING. He’s not plugged into it. He’s not watching his personal screen in front of him. So, I couldn’t figure that out. He wasn’t too bad. At least he didn’t fidget as much as the girl on the other side of me. I managed to get a couple hours sleep. Of all the flights I’ve EVER taken, this was the LONGEST and most uncomfortable flight EVER. And I’ve flown to Florida with two to three stops from Hawaii!

Now, my gripes about United. The seats were extremely narrow. I mean, extremely. There is absolutely NO leg room. And the personal screens on the seat backs were great. If only they didn’t nickel and dime their passengers. They don’t tell you what anything costs, but expect you to swipe your credit card to watch tv or movies. I couldn’t figure out how to listen to music without it asking for my credit card. PASS!

On top of that, the controls for the stupid tv was on your arm rest. Like we have ROOM to move our arm out of the way to mess with buttons on the arm rest. There is no elbow room! The entire flight I listened to Jim Brickman on my ipod to help me relax and get some shut eye. My neck and shoulders are killing me. The head rest on these planes are at a weird angle. So it was more comfortable to sit straight up and not reclined.  

During the flight, I heard the lady next to me ask the attendant for water and a snack. She got none. She asked, complimentary snacks? NONE. Wow. I even flipped through their inflight magazine to see what their offerings were. Delta usually has a menu in the seat pocket. There was none. So no food? Not even a nut? hmm...

We landed an hour early in LAX and now I have a 4 hour layover here. I’m walking around the terminal looking for those spa massage places and there is none here. Oh how I miss the Minneapolis airport. Because I have such a long layover, I wanted to blog this while my thoughts are still fresh. I will definitely be writing my review about it on tripadvisor. Stay tuned to my blog as I will continuously update while I’m on my trip.

One of the things I look forward to is seeing new locales. So far, I’ve attended service in New Jersey, Minneapolis, and Phoenix. It’s pretty awesome! I can’t wait to see the Seattle and San Jose locals soon!

I leave for my business trip at the crack of dawn tomorrow and will be gone for two weeks. That means, I need to stock my house up with food for the family. I did my Sunday morning ritual of coupon clipping and ad reading. We go out for breakfast with the family at Denny's. YES, we had a coupon. A 20% off one which knocked our total bill down by $15! And off we go to Schofield.

My total before coupons was $240.82.  After coupons = $189.42!!! The surcharge kills me at the commissaries. But, the overall cost of the entire trip helped heal the sting of that surcharge.  

I list what coupons I use and where I got them from. If I know its no longer available, I will put NLA in my breakdown. I don't have time to check coupons.com daily to know what's there and what isn't. So, it's really important to print the coupons you see when you see them. Because they WILL disappear after it hits so many prints.

Be sure to scroll all the way to the bottom of this blog for some commissary shopping tips!

I used 55 coupons in this shopping trip. Here's my breakdown:

Choc cov mac nuts (locals don't ever leave the island without bearing gifts!) = $2.49 each, no Q

Wheat thins $2.29 each. Used $1/2 mq from sunday paper = $1.79

Ragu alfredo sauce $1.50 each. Used $1/2 mq from sunday paper = $1 each

Honey bunches of oats $2.00 each . Used $1/1 mq from coupons.com = $1 each

Belvita biscuits $2.19 each. Used $1/2 from sunday paper and got $0.75 ibotta rebate = $1.31 each

Cinnamon toast crunch $1.99. used $1/1 mq from coupons.com  = $0.99

Kettle chips $2.00 each. Used $1/2 mq from coupons.com = $1 each

Capri sun 30 pack $5.70 each. Used $1/1 mq from coupons.com = $4.70. Breaks down to $0.16 per pouch!

Hinode rice $1.49 each. Used $0.75/1 mq from sunday paper (rare) = $0.74 each. That is a 2 lb bag. Breaks down to $0.37/pound!

Golden grain pasta (regular size) $0.89 each. Used $1/2 mq from sunday paper = $0.39 each

Golden grain pasta (pot size) $0.89 each. Used $0.75/1 mq from sunday paper = $0.14 each

Zatarains red beans and rice $1.55. Used $0.50/1 mq from coupons.com = $1.05

Pancake mix pouches $0.69 each. Used $0.55/1 mq (direct from manuf) = $0.14 each

Mustard $0.99. No Q

Hefty trash bags $6.44. Used $1/1 mq from coupons.com = $5.44 for 85 bags. Breaks down to $0.06 each.

Febreeze air freshener $2.25 each. Used $2/2 mq from sunday paper = $1.25 each

Bird food $1.55. Used $3/1 mq from coupons.com NLA = MONEY MAKER of   $1.45

Eggs 18 pack cage free and hormone free = $2.60 each. No Q.

Kraft shredded cheese $1.75. Used $0.75/1 mq from coupons.com = $1

Kraft singles cheese $3.27. used $0.75/1 mq from coupons.com = $2.52

Fruittare ice cream bars $2.80 each. Used $1/1 mq from coupons.com = $1.80 each

Chicken thighs 5 lb box $4.99 each. No Q.

Lunchables $1.50 each. Used $1/2 mq from coupons.com = $1 each

Deli fresh turkey meat $1.89 each. Used $1/2 mq from sunday paper = $1.39 each

Oscar meyer wieners $1.50 each. used $1/2 mq from coupons.com = $1 each

Bread $2.05. No Q

Suave deoderant $0.99. No Q

Johnson and Johnson baby wash $2.67 each. Used $0.75/1 mq from coupons.com = $1.92 each.

Qtips $2.99. Used $0.30 tearpad q = $2.69

Ground beef $3.19 a pound x 13 pounds = $42.08 No Q

Tomato 4 pack $2.17. No Q

Yellow onions $2.88 No Q

Carrot bags $0.66 each No Q

Pineapple $3.35. No Q

Strawberries $1.99 each. No Q

Celery $1.06

My commissary shopping tips

The commissary uses digital price labels now. No more bright yellow stickers on the shelves. When shopping, look for a blinking red/pink bar on the left hand side. That means SALE! Not all sales will have tags hanging off the shelf to let you know about them. 

Check the dented goods area. You'll sometimes find some nice deals there.

Commissaries have lots of tear pad coupons, these are STILL manufacturer coupons and NOT stackable. If you have a coupon on you that has similar savings to what you see on the tearpad, read the fine print. My kettle chip coupon $1/2 had no size restriction. The tearpad on the shelf did.

There's always a markdown meat section at the commissary. Don't forget to check there for more deals.

Thanks for reading!!

I know this may sound crazy. But, when it's time to do an oil change in my car, I get excited! I have a girlfriend who does it with me. So, we plan a day to schedule our oils changes, and do all our cars. Yes, weird. But, that's how we roll. Before I start, please remember, I'm still a girl. And I don't know all the "manly" technical terms for tools, parts, and what have you. And THAT'S what makes this blog episode funny. So pardon my lack of technical terminology for the engine gurus out there and please forgive my ignorance. :)

Back when we had our old 88 lifted toyota (with a 93 engine), it was so much easier to do an oil change. For one, the truck is already lifted. No need to jack it up. She has a '95 toyota (I think thats the year) and though its not lifted, we didn't need to jack that one up either. Surprisingly, these puppies could fit under there without wreaking havoc. LOL! In regards to tools, all we needed was an oil filter wrench and we were good to go.

Now, we have a 2008 tundra and a 2008 sienna. My gf, Tris and I haven't had a "girls" day like this in a long time so we were a little rusty when it came time to do my van. I called her because I didn't want to pay the dealer $180 to do the service. Hell, I can do it myself for much less! So, I called her so we could spend some time together. I'm blogging this because the whole afternoon had me laughing so hard I swear I have to have at least ONE ab of steel now.

She comes over and we head to the store to get the oil and filter. I already had the engine air filter and oil eater boxes. She waited in the van while I ran in to get the goods. We come home and we were so busy catching up on things that we completely FORGOT that the engine had been running the whole time while she sat in the car. Duh!

So, we have to wait. For those who don't do their own oil changes, the oil will be piping hot. Not good.  First, I drive my van up the ramp things. I didn't want to have to do this alone because I have this fear of driving right over the darn stopper and going right into my house! Tris guided me and while we waited for the engine to cool, we get under the hood to inspect. Can the engine space get any tighter? I thought my '06 civic was bad. Holy cannonballs, how do the mechanics get in the tiny spaces?!  

Now we get under the engine to look for the plug and the filter. We were lost. Where's the darn filter? Thank god for youtube. Well, the filter is in a cartridge and from the bottom it looks like the top of a sewer line cap. We look at each other and start laughing, LOUD. How the hell do you take that off? The youtube video said to take a pipe wrench. Are you kidding me right now? LOL. We stood there and laughed. Oh how we missed the old regular tubular oil filters of yesteryear. Where they had the extra rubberized grip area to make it easier to install and remove.

Here comes my husband. Home from work. We yell THANK GOD HE'S HERE! I completely forgot his truck was the same year as my van. He enters the garage.

Romel: What are you two doing?

Me: I wanna change oil. I'm not paying $200 for the dealer to do it. How do you take the filter off? It looks different from what we've seen before on the old cars.

Romel: rolls his eyes. awmagahddddddd! sigh. and walks out to his truck. Comes back with this cap that matches that filter.

Me: Wow! Where'd you get that? How'd you know you needed that?

Romel: sigh.....you want me to do this or not!

Me: I just need your help. I wanted to do this myself. And wheres that skateboard thing?

Romel: What are you talking about!!!? What skateboard?

Me: That thing, that you can roll around on under the car. Here we are "sweeping" the floor with our clothes. LOL!

Romel: You mean this? (pulls out the gurney). It's called a creeper dummy.

All of us: LAUGHING OUT LOUD

Me: Whatever, let me try.

He goes into the house and I get under there ON THE CREEPER to try and loosen the drain plug. As I tried to loosen it, the creeper was rolling all over the place. I'm cracking up under there just laughing because I tried to grip onto the tire to keep me from rolling right down the driveway. I roll out and yell for Romel. HELP! 

He comes out and loosens it. "oh my god how hard was that!", he says. I laugh. Sometimes, I know he was annoyed but I'm sure he felt good to be THE MAN. Just saying. I told him be careful, the oil is gonna be hot. I didn't intend on taking the whole plug off yet. I just wanted to see if I could loosen it myself.

He removes the plug and out came hot oil. OW! HHHHHOTTTTTTT!! We giggle cause we warned him. I bend down and go is it a third degree burn AGAIN?! lol. 

So, the oil drains and he replaces the filter for me. Then I see him looking around under the car with his hands. Me: What are you doing? Him: Looking for the plug. 

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Yes folks, he dropped it in the oil eater box. Now filled with hot dirty engine oil.

Tris and I bust out laughing. It was just too funny. Tris made a point to tell him not to do that. But the oil came gushing out and it just happened.

Now, while the oil box is filling, he starts yelling WOH OH!!  I need another oil eater box HURRY! I couldn't help but think of the the scene from Dumb and dumber where Lloyd was peeing in the beer bottle and Harry tells him to pinch it. I giggle and I jump up on the step ladder to quickly grab another box and open it up for him.

With the oil all drained, now we have to dig around for the plug. See pics. 

He has to head out to paddling practice and the hard parts are all done. We just need to refill with clean oil and then replace the air filter. Now, Shelby comes out to see what we're up to. I said PERFECT! You can help us put oil in it. 5 quarts we go! As she pours it in, she learns the air bubble technique. Turn the bottle so the air doesn't make it go glub glub glub and spill oil all over the engine. 

Now, before she pours oil in I start screaming to wait we have to take a picture! Shelby grumbles and Tris goes, just hurry up and take the picture! You know you're mom likes to celebrate EVERYTHING!! Cheese!!! LOL

Changing the air filter was easy peasy. Thank goodness for youtube! So, all I have to do now is rotate my tires and I should good to go! By the way, I also youtubed how to remove that annoying maintenance required light. All done!!

Thanks for reading!