The day back to work and "the real world" after a nice Christmas break is something I generally dread.  I wish I could spend all my time with my son and my extended family.  Being a single mother is hard work.  Well actually, being a mother is hard work, whether you're single or not.  I think that being a single mother is just...

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Exactly 10 years ago to the minute, I gave birth to my son Alaka'i.  I had been in labor for 3 days (went in at 5 am on December 21st & gave birth at 11:29 pm Hawaii Standard Time on December 23, 2001).  He is the greatest blessing God ever gave me and I'm so lucky to be his mommy.  It's a fun and...

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Since it's getting chilly here (not very cold to most of you) and frigid throughout most of the world, I thought that it would be a great time to talk about a product that will help to soften and moisturized your dry, dehydrated or cracked skin. I came across Yu-Be at Sephora a month ago when I got it as a free sample...

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Christmas came by quick this year didn't it?  The last 10 years of Christmases have been super busy and hectic for me because my son's birthday is on December 23rd.  I have to juggle his birthday and Christmas and boy is it exhausting at times!!!  He's turning the big 1-0 this year so I am planning something special.   While I was going...

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The word Aloha (ahh-loh-ha) has over time, become synonymous with saying "hello" and "goodbye" but it's much more than that.  Aloha also means to show love, compassion, mercy and kindness.  It is a Hawaiian value that when practiced properly, exudes pure and welcoming love and warmth to everyone you meet.  In my nearly 30 years of life I've watched the true Aloha spirit...

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Do you ever have the chance to stop and take notice of how beautiful the world around us is?  Even if you're in a large city with few trees and lots of smog, there are still so many beautiful things you notice as you walk along.  It could be a beautiful sunset, a pretty flower or the smile on the face of a...

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It's a stormy and gloomy day here in Hawai'i but I kind of love it.  It's one of those days where I truly have writer's block and it happened to occur on a Wednesday!!  I think it's due more to the fact that I'm about to leave and run errands all over town with my son and I've got that on my mind...

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The holiday season is something that I look forward to with excitement and a tad bit of dread.  The sheer mention of picking out a Christmas tree can cause me to cringe without even realizing I'm doing so.  The reason you ask?  Well it's because choosing the right tree is so difficult here in Hawai'i and because I've had some pretty tricky times...

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My son Alaka'i is the best thing I ever did.  He truly is the greatest gift God ever gave me and I thank the Lord every day for being so fortunate and so blessed to have him in my life.   He taught me what it was like to truly love.  My heart opened in a way I never thought it could when I...

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This is the view I had for nearly half of my life growing from an adolescent to a young adult.  The panoramic view of Honolulu from the Kamehameha Schools campus on Kapalama Heights is a wonder to behold.  Funny because I don't remember appreciating it as much then as I do now.   I went with my sister in law and nieces this...

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Are you drinking enough water?  Check out this water consumption calculator I found and wrote a short blog about on my other site! Hydrating is very important.  If I don't drink enough, my skin breaks out and I feel drained and more easily worn out than when I'm fully and properly hydrated.  http://www.fitdiaries.com/2011/12/how-much-water-should-you-drink.html ...

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As much as I'd like to be a full time stay at home mom, I can't afford to be.  My mom was one and I loved having her home and there for me and my brother whenever we needed her.  In these trying and uncertain economic times, families everywhere are doing all that they can to stretch their pennies as far as possible...

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(1) Tarte The Starlet Limited-Edition makeup Vanity ($52) Sephora (2) Michael Kors Fragrance:  Island Michael Kors Very Bali, 1.7 oz ($65) Neiman Marcus (3) Bare Escentuals: bareMinerals READY Eyeshadow 8.0 - The Playlist ($40) Sephora (4) Photojojo Camera Strap Buddy ($15) photojojo (5) Epiphanie Clover Camera Bag  ($184.99) Epiphanie (6) Noelani Designs Jane Earrings ($70 - $76) Noelani Designs (7) iPhone Fisheye, Macro,...

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My life has had many ups and downs.  More than the average person...or at least that's how it feels sometimes. I'm not saying that I haven't had good times in my life either but the terrible ones seem to be more memorable than the happy ones...well at least sometimes this is the case.  I was sitting back the other day contemplating life while...

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Hello my lovlies!!  I apologize for being very M.I.A. lately.  I haven't posted anything in quite some time.  I have a day job other than blogging and it's gotten 3x as hectic and busy not to mention my 9 year old is on his summer break so I'm trying to balance being a mom and doing my full time job and sadly my...

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The former Maybelline belle has made yet another stellar product for you to treat yourself with!!  Earlier this spring, Josie Maran's Eye Love You Too palette debuted to rave reviews amongst beauty addicts and makeup novices alike.  The Josie Maran brand has proven yet again that you don't have to sacrifice quality or aesthetics to be an eco-friendly makeup product.  Luxury with a...

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My niece Kaliko when I caught her in a frustrated moment. Have you ever had one of those days or one of those weeks that are just terrible?  It kind of reminds me of that children's book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.  Did any of you read that when you were kids?  I used to love that book....

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The last few days have been extremely hectic.  I have so many new fun posts that I have to get up and on the blog!  They're coming soon.  It's always nice to take a short break from working and the everyday hassle of life to appreciate the beauty of nature and smell the flowers. Hope you all are having a great day! ...

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I've been a fair weather fan of Philosophy's On a Clear Day Retinol Clarifying Lotion for over a year now.  I love the way it works but my lust for new products causes me to occasionally stray from one of the few things that keeps my skin clear of acne and the nasty scars they leave behind.  Call me fickle, but when I...

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This quotation is both beautiful and true.  We at times are our own worst enemies.  Sometimes we try to hurt others or try to get away with things we know are wrong without first thinking about the effects of our actions.  Even though we don't intend for our actions to come back and bite us in the butt, they almost always do. ...

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I'm still trying to find my groove on this website.  The blogger format is so different from what I was used to on wordpress.  Anyhow, I'm going to start doing some features.  This one is called "Monday Bytes", not only because Mondays are typically crappy days, but because I want to showcase all the websites and/or video posts that I liked recently to share...

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Bobbi Brown Friends & Family Sale 2011 – 20% off! Starting on Monday, April 11th, Bobbi Brown’s Friends & Family Event will kick off! Get 20% off all products from April 11th through 13th at bobbibrown.com.  No code necessary, the discount is supposed to kick in automatically.  Shipping is free on $65+ orders. ...

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This is my chihuahua, Buddy.  He is a teacup chihuahua from Australia originally, relocated to Hawai'i after born.  He is the best pal, confidant, ego booster and guard dog ever.   I had large dogs my entire life growing up and after they passed, I decided to get a smaller dog.  Enter Buddy, sitting ever so innocently in his little display at the...

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