My dream home in Maui’s upcountry

March 9, 2014 by

My Maui Dream Home

I’m still working through all the fun details of our trip but something I was not prepared for was falling in love with Maui’s upcountry. With sweeping ocean views, a gorgeous tropical mountain setting, cooler climes and wonderful people, this area really had it all.

I’ve never understood snowbirds, particularly because I love winter. We know quite a few who head south when the temperatures drop but I’m just not a fan of Arizona or most parts of Florida. However, there is a couple in our ward who winter in Hawaii and *that* I get.

It’s not uncommon for me to check real estate listings when I return home from a trip but I’m at the borderline obsession stage looking at cottages in Maui’s upcountry. I wouldn’t go during my beloved winter…we’d summer there (sounds perfect, right?)

Most of the homes were just that–dream homes. Really big, really expensive and frankly, I’m just not the type to buy a big, stuffy ostentatious home or car. But I found this little gem in the upcountry that is right around the corner from the Kula Lodge, a place we loved. (See the listing here).


Though the price isn’t nearly as steep as its waterfront counterparts, $785,000 is a tough pill to swallow for a three-bedroom, 1,600-square-foot cottage. So who wants to go in on it with us? Or, I am generously offering it up to you because we’ll never be able to afford it unless I win the lottery. You buy, I come visit.

It’s a win-win for everyone.

Filed Under: travel Tagged With: ,

Bode’s computer consulting business

March 7, 2014 by

Still digging myself out of being sick and getting caught up. I was gleaning my archives and realized I never published this post I wrote once upon a time.

I often joke that my children will be much more technology-savvy than I.

Last week, I realized just how true that is when I brought out my old laptop for Bode as I worked. I turned on the power button and waited.

Me: “It’s just booting up, Bode.”

Bode: “That’s wrong, Mommy. It’s loading, not booting.”

FYI, hardware boots, software loads.

Bode will be available for computer consolations in a few years.

P.S. This picture is of my sweet boy snuggling all his stuffed animals at bedtime. He’ll later itemize each of them on a spreadsheet.

Filed Under: Bode, Humor

The Amazing Race: Maui

March 3, 2014 by

We’re back from an amazing 9 days in Maui and it was truly an adventure of a lifetime. We’ve traveled extensively and this was our favorite trip, ever.

Many more details are forthcoming but I’m wading through a deluge of deadlines and emails. Oh, and I decided to get sick at the very end so my all-nighter on our red-eye flight home was super fun.

In the interim, Jamie put together a fun video with some of our adventures.

Filed Under: Family travel, travel Tagged With:

The magic forgetful fairy in Waterton Lakes National Park

February 27, 2014 by

I think I’ve mentioned the amount of stress I’ve been under lately, which has been waking me up at 4:15 a.m. Since I’m not coherent at that hour, I’ve been doing non-essential things like airing out my blog’s draft folder. Here’s a funny post I wrote a few summers ago but never published it.

(For background, you will need to first reread this post whereupon Bode, after a day of camping with The Boys, declared he liked musicals better than camping.)

Setting: Several months later, camping in Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada a.k.a. my favorite place on earth in July 2011.  We cruised the bike paths adjacent to Waterton Lake on Surrey bikes, hiked Bear’s Hump with awe-inspiring views that peered into the United States , played in in the water at glorious Red Rock Canyon,  snuggled up to the ranger’s campfire chats in the evenings and camped a stone’s throw away from Cameron Falls.

I’m aching to go back.

Princes of Wales Hotel

Hiking Bear’s Hump

Riding Surrey Bikes

Navigating Red Rock Canyon in Waterton

Boys will be boys at Welch’s Chocolate Shop

Prince of Wales Hotel

During the midst of our outdoor utopia, Jamie turned to Bode.

Jamie: “Bode, do you like camping or musicals better?”

Bode: “What are musicals, Daddy?”

Jamie: “That’s my boy.”

Filed Under: Bode, Canada, Family travel, Humor, Jamie Tagged With: ,

The win-lose game of motherhood

February 25, 2014 by

Costco funny: “Johnsonville Brats”

My kids are making me drip with sentimentality these days.

Too often it’s easy to poke fun of all the drama of parenthood but my gosh, our latest phase (and that’s what it is–a phase) is full of kindness, funniness, obedience and hard work. I couldn’t love them anymore and I’m so honored to be their mom.

On Saturday, I marveled at how good they’re being lately.

“I have to give a shout-out to Hadley and Bode! We’ve had a busy day and you have been wonderful. Hadley did her chores without being asked, there was no complaining during homework and you both did a great job at volleyball and basketball. I have to commend you on your wonderful attitude lately.”

They beamed as Jamie chimed in: “Yeah, but mine sucks.”

You win some, you lose some.

Filed Under: Bode, Hadley, Humor, Jamie

Happy belated birthday to me!!!

February 24, 2014 by

My namesake book, as discovered at the thrift store

I’ve had some birthdays that are downright amazing and others that were only so-so.

But there was none worse than my fete five years ago and the little outbreak that occurred.

Head over to Mile High Mamas for a stroll down memory lane.

Hint: LICE.

Filed Under: birthday, Humor

The High-Five Squad Meets Superstar Denver Nuggets

February 20, 2014 by

High-five Squad at the Denver Nuggets game

The kids are both involved in YMCA sports this winter. Bode is playing “Junior Nuggets” basketball and Hadley is in volleyball. Hadley is developing a real love for the sport and I enrolled Bode so he could stay active and be on his friend Sean’s team.

He has the least amount of experience of any of his teammates but here’s the thing about Bode: what he may be lacking in natural skill he makes up for it by his sheer determination to succeed. For his first few games, he hung back taking it all in. But his latest game on Saturday the little dude caught fire–going for rebounds, dribbling the ball up the court and he even scored two baskets which, in 7-year-old basketball, is equal to about 70 points.

He also traveled with the ball about 20 times but we won’t count that.

Occasionally there are a few perks to aligning yourself with the YMCA and last week we cashed in on one of them. Every player in the program was offered two free tickets to a Denver Nuggets game and extra tickets were just $15 so we figured we’d take the kids to their first basketball game for FHE.

Then, it just kept getting better when I received an email from a Nuggets sales coordinator. They’d had a cancellation and they needed 25 kids on the same night we had our tickets to be part of the High Five Squad to welcome the Nuggets onto the court. I, of course, jumped at the chance!

We arrived 40 minutes early, retrieved our free T-shirts and while the parents waited on a nearby platform, the kids were escorted down to the floor where they proceeded to form a tunnel and high-five the Nuggets players as they were cheered onto the court. Both of the kids were near the end of the tunnel and stationed right in front of the camera so their cute faces splashed across the Jumbo-tron a few times.

Of course, I was too slow to capture that because those tall Nuggets kept blocking my view.

As it turns out, the Jumbo-tron is for amateurs. Jamie recorded the game and when we watched it later, we laughed to see that the kids were repeatedly on live TV.

Hadley is to the left of the announcer in white pants and Bode is to the left of her.

We had a  blast in our nosebleed seats as we watched the Nuggets defeat the Los Angeles Clippers. In fact, Hadley was so inspired she announced she now has a new career aspiration. Thankfully, it wasn’t a cheerleader (sigh of relief) but she was impressed with the two sales gals who helped plan the half-time shows and High Five Squad.

“I’d like to work for a sports team!” she said. “It would be a lot of fun. Plus, I like telling people what to do.”

I’ll vouch for that one. Look out, world.

 

Filed Under: Bode, Colorado, Hadley, Humor Tagged With: ,

Woodward Revealed: Why I’ve Still Got It

February 19, 2014 by

I live a pretty adventurous life. Last week I went to Costco and tried the spicy jalapeno dip. On another day, I blazed pass those annoying lingering parents in the carpool lane despite the threat of death.

Let’s just say the introductory class at the newly renovated 19,400-square foot indoor playground Woodward at Copper Barn at Copper Mountain, Colo. took me to the next level.

If you’ve never been to “The Barn,” it is a sight to behold. Offering year-round Snowboard, Ski, Skateboard, Bike and Digital Media programs, it recently underwent a half-million renovation project that opened up their adventure alley beyond snowboards and skis to include skateboards, BMX and style-style mountain bike. There’s a new beginner foam pit with 2-foot and 4-foot jumps and a pump track designed for the development of park skills.

The staffer I chatted up before our class proudly said many of the Olympians and hopefuls at Sochi had, at one time or another, trained at The Barn. My daughter Hadley and I were in esteemed company.

I was Maui-bound soon. My initial goal walking in there was to play it safe and not break my neck. But when my Hadley and I realized our class consisted of hip 20-somethings?

CLICK TO KEEP READING ABOUT OUR EXTREME PLAYGROUND AND IF I BROKE MY NECK.

Filed Under: Family travel, Hadley, Humor

Bode Miller: How Paintballs Would Have Given Him the Gold

February 18, 2014 by

I was about six months pregnant with Bode when we decided upon his name. We were watching much-hyped Bode Miller bomb out at the Torino Games in 2006. He was a rebel, a loose cannon but something clicked with Jamie.

“What do you think of the name Bode?”

It immediately clicked for me, too.

Over the years we’ve followed Bode Miller’s career with great interest. I’ve never viewed him as much of a role model but his success is indisputable as an Olympic and World Championship gold medalist, a two-time overall World Cup champion in 2005 and 2008 and the most successful male American alpine ski racer of all time. Those are some pretty impressive accolades.

He has become more humble and mellow over the years, undoubtedly due in part to the recent death of his brother, custody battles and knee surgery. But we’ve been really gunning for him during the 2014 Sochi Games. I mean, the dude is 36–practically over-the-hill in ski racing!

His results in Sochi have been disappointing but on Sunday night, we were thrilled when he tied for bronze in the Super G, the oldest American to win a medal in Alpine Skiing.

As Bode was celebrating, he upped the ante.

“Do you know what would make the Super-G even harder? If they shot paint balls at you.”

Tough crowd. But nonetheless impressive.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Bode, Humor

Happy Anniversary to My Love

February 15, 2014 by

I thought I couldn’t be any happier on this day back in 2003.

Eleven years later, I was wrong.

I’m so grateful to be a member of the Dream Team and married to the captain. Happy Anniversary to a kind, patient, hilarious, romantic and wonderful man.

Filed Under: Jamie
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