Haitus.Over

Well, what a long hiatus I have taken. There has just been so much. I think things are finally starting to settle down a bit, and for that I am grateful.

I don’t think that one ever truly finishes grieving. I think that we only get to a point where we can cope without falling into a complete boobing, bawling mess hourly daily. I believe that I have actually come to terms with the fact that my Dad had cancer and now he is in heaven. While I am sure “there” is a much better place than here; and also that he is hanging with the coolest guy ever, it is hard to walk into his workshop and see his sketches on graph paper that my brother has hung on the wall as the prized pieces of art they are. Everywhere I look I see my Dad’s signature touch. Everywhere. Now I can say that about 67.8% of the time I smile, instead of crying; grateful for the beautiful stroke of his brush in my life.

My Dad was one of my strongest advocates. He believed in me, he challenged me, he teased me, he stuck his tongue out at me. In one of our last visits he shared his heart with me. It was one of the most intimate conversations he and I ever had. I will never forget the words that he said to me and the wisdom he imparted. My commitment to him was to earnestly strive every day toward an eternal destination. It was his way of leaving me with the one thing [person] that meant the very most to him. What an amazing gift my Dad has always been to me.

Through all of this year of grieving, some beautiful and wonderful things have happened too! Our precious little Zona Marie arrived at the end of June. For the first several weeks, she didn’t even cry. She has such a sweet little countenance. That little baby girlie soothes me and is the salve that my heart and soul need.

While my life has changed in many ways, my family has stuck by me through it all. When I look back at my parenting adventure I wonder if I did it right. Was I there enough? Did I do enough? What I know for sure is that I couldn’t have loved my kids more. I made so many mistakes, but because of that love, my kids forgive me and love me through all that I am going through. No matter what decisions I make, my family still seems to love me. Thank.God.for.miracles.

Break

I am on hiatus, if you haven’t already noticed this.  My normal creative life seems rather uninspired these days.  Maybe it is the fact that my grief over my dad’s passing seems insurmountable.  Maybe it is just the fact that I am burnt out.  Maybe I just need a break.  Either way, this I am sure of, I am taking a break.  While I know life goes on, it is really hard for me to frolic along when my heart is so sad.  I know that there is much to be excited about; I have a new grandbaby girl coming – and that is exciting!  I know that Spring is in the air and that things are beginning to feel fresh and new.  I know, I know, I know.  The fact of the matter is, my dad is gone.  I miss him.  And some day I will feel better, but that day is not today.

Three Months

So much has changed in the span of 3 months.


Thank you to all of you who have prayed for me, my Dad, and my family through the last rounds of my Dad’s fight with lung cancer. He went home to be with Jesus on January 22nd. My Dad was many things to many people. This was so evident by the myriad of people who have washed their love and support over me and my family.

I would use these adjectives to describe my Dad:

Brilliant                                            Wise
Godly                                                Nurturing
Loving                                              Conscientious
Considerate                                     Quick Witted
Logical                                              Faithful
Courageous                                      Diligent
Honorable                                        Loyal
Ethical                                              Humble
Handsome                                       Precise
Generous                                         Funny

My Dad said that if God would have given him a choice as to how he wanted to live out the rest of his life, and his choices were to either live long and prosper (in true Star Trek form) or to live the life path of cancer, he would have chosen the exact one he had. He would have chosen the path with cancer. He said that without it, God would not have given him the opportunity to meet, bless and be blessed by as many people as he did during his cancer journey. He, my friends, was an amazing man.

As I go through this process of grief, I want to redirect my thinking from being sad that my Dad is gone to being grateful that I have had such an amazing person in my life for the past 51 years. Feels like a big feat right now, but I am grateful. I love you Daddy!

Halloween

Forever, Halloween has been an event for my girls. Primarily because their dad made such a big deal about the holiday that it burned it in their souls! This year was no exception! J’Amy and Eric had a Halloween party to beat all Halloween parties! The decorating throughout was over the top, both inside and out! The.food.was.amazing.and.the.party.was.phenomenal.


The whole event started out with a bang. Three years ago Halloween night, Drayton proposed to Ashley:

Then on Saturday we all gathered to take a family picture, in costume, when the camera was ready to snap, Drayton said “one, two, three, Ashley’s pregnant!!!” Wow!!! There is going to be a Bailey baby…. Please see the photographic proof below:

Hosting was the beautiful witch and wizard - - the Winters ….

Also there was the Auntie and Uncle witch and wizard… and of course Oz the Owl

Woody and Bo Peep showed up…. Whooa there Sheriff….

Shrek and Fiona stopped in on their way back to the Swamp

And of course no Halloween party is complete without a vampire!

What a great party! What great news! There is going to be another baby! Yea, yea, yea…what a party that will be!

Fishing Stories

Well it kind of went like this.  Once upon a time there was this:

 That wrought this:

 And this:

That became this:

 And then here:

 To here:

Then this:

To Finally this:

 The End.

Oregon

It sure has been a time since my swiftly flying fingers found their way to my blog.  So much going on, so much to do, so much to NOT do, and even more that I want to do.  So, here I sit, Orange Spice Tea in hand, reflecting.

Just a couple short weeks ago I was here:

Doing this:

With:

And:

And:

And I learned some things, relearned a few more, and came to realizations about others.  The most important "not so new" realization is that time is precious.  The time spent with my family making memories that will last me my entire lifetime - - is precious.

The beauty that surrounds us is just phenomenal.

I am an ocean girl right to the inner depths of my soul.  I don't think I could survive without that occasional fix.

I learned that fishing for albacore tuna is not for sissies.  And I ain't no sissy.

My mother is the most beautiful, genuine, incredible loving, sweetest lady on this planet.  She just is.  Period.  My dad is a fighter; a trooper; my hero.  My baby brother is an amazing man, gentle, kind and a great husband.  My sister (in-law) tickles me right to the bone.  She is genuine Oklahoma, and I love it, and her quick smile. And my man.... what a good, honest man.

Oregon was, as always, a lovely time filled with laughter, fishing, bridges, loverboy, cheese, Mo's, salty air, fog, and fun.

Volunteering

My mom has a tender heart. She always has. She is good at so many things. One of the qualities I admire the most is her organizational skills. I love that she reorganizes my utensil drawer every time that she comes to my house. Or that she loves to fold the socks in the sock basket. But one quality of my mom's that I have always adored is her tenderness toward elderly people. She connects, she engages, and she loves them. I remember being somewhere around the age of 8-12 (those years are somewhat of a blur...... I think that is about the time that I had my Mrs. Brady haircut) and my mom was a part of the church ministry that went to the senior convalescent home. She was always had a heart for loving them.

Last November I was presented with an opportunity to volunteer for Salt Lake County delivering Meals on Wheels. It has been a wonderfully rewarding experience for me. I have met Donna, the sweet little blind lady who faithfully reads her braille National Geographic and can't wait to tell me about the Aborigines of Australia, and how much she would love to visit and "see" that country. Donna is 83 years old and has been blind since she was 2. I love her chuckle, it reminds me of my sweet grandma. Precious little Jerry passed away last week. He always had a smile and was excited about the weather, being the weather geek that I am, we loved to visit about it. I will miss him.

On my last MOW run, I was right in the middle of a project, but it was my day to deliver. I thought I could get out, get it done and get back to work in a record 30 minutes so that I could get back to my project. I was just about done with my route, two deliveries on Elgin Ave. I pulled up to Glen's house, ran in with a quick hello, smile, and asked how he was doing. He said "Fine, have you seen my tree?" All I could answer was "Golly, Glen, I rushed in so fast, I didn't see. But I will sure look on my way out!" This is Glen's tree.

The tree was so beautiful. I spent time just looking at it, and took a couple of pictures. I walked back to Glen's door, and showed him the pictures I took of his tree. I thanked him for making sure that I took time to look at his beautiful tree. Thanks Glen for bringing me perspective.

I thought that volunteering would help fill a need at the County and would be something that I could easily do. But what I have learned is that it really has helped me. I have learned to be grateful for my eyesight; to dream - - vividly; to take time to see the beauty of pink blossoms on a tree despite the pouring rain. This has been a beautiful opportunity. In some small way I may be helping these seniors, but in a larger way - - they are helping me.

Thank you Mr. and Mrs. O, Donna, Glen, Betty, Cliff, Kathryn, and Jan.

Morning People

Some people are morning people. Some people are night owls. I guess on the other hand there are people who just like to sleep. I don’t happen to be one of those people. I wouldn’t necessarily say that I am a morning person, but I also know that I don’t like hanging out in bed when I know there are things to be done, or when the solitude of morning and a cup of good coffee is calling my name.

Some people wake up in the morning, and hit the ground running. My big brother has always been a morning person (sooooo much like my mom.) I think this started by him working at Vons in the middle of the night… from then on he had a killer commute in California (anyone who lives in California has a killer commute), right up to now he gets up at the crack of dawn to get to work. His wife and my dear sister in law, is a self-proclaimed-non-morning person. They now carpool together to get her to work at the ungodly hour of somewhere earlier than 6 a.m. This means that they have to get up right around 4 a.m. He has learned that he shouldn’t talk to her on the ride in, or at least for the first 30 minutes. Some people don’t wake up like chatty Cathy.

Friday was one of my favorite days of the year, the Gem and Jewelry show. It is on this day that I rise early and get to the show right when the wholesale opens. And the wonderful thing this year - - - my best friend/sister has moved back home and we got to go together. So we met at Starbucks at 7:15, so we could be first in line. Backing into that equation meant that I needed to leave my house at 6:45, which meant that I needed to get up at 5:45.  Yes, it's true, they really do let people out on the road at that time of the morning.   And here a few reasons why:
You get to see this
And this
And when you get there bright and early you get to see this
And these
And pay a lot less for them. See…. All really good reasons to be a morning person! Especially after a really yummy cup of this

With

Adversity

Dealing with difficulty has seriously been IN MY FACE these past few months. By nature, I am really rather non-confrontational. And I have found that approach works well for me in most aspects of my life. I am a live-and-let-live sortofagal; I try and maintain a cup three-quarters-full sort-of-a-view on my life. However, faced with some incredible adversity lately, life hasn’t really tasted like the tangy feel on my tongue of a Matsumoto shaved ice, but more like an unsalted batch of mashed potatoes.

Recently a customer in one of my shops informed me that she had lost her bracelet. She wanted a refund because she lost her bracelet. Huh? She created such a stink that I decided I would remake the bracelet for her at cost. I dreaded it. It was a huge undertaking. Finally,  I ended up just refunding her money (for the bracelet SHE lost) and regaining my sanity. Sometimes just doing something that is contrary to what all society would have thought was "fair" was the very thing that kept my sanity. And not fighting for "fair" was certainly worth the $51 it cost me. Was settling for something that didn't seem fair really worth the possibility of heading right straight to the Utah State Hospital in Provo? I answer with a resounding Ab-so-lutely. Thank goodness that is behind me.

Understanding my boundaries, creating meaningful relationships, and keeping my tribe close is such a juggling act. In the midst of all of it – my daddy, my fighter, my role model, my hero continues to fight the battle and he continues to keep the faith. What an amazing man. This is the man who has taught me that anything worth having is worth working for; faith will bring you through everything; there is no love, repeat, no love like the love of a daddy to his Cinderella.

Life Lessons

I have learned some very good lessons of late. This is definite proof to me that we never, ever, no not ever, stop learning. While some of these lessons have been some of the most beautiful and profound moments of my life, others have been some of the most difficult and borderline tragic. The following bullet points my newest AHA moments:

1. Life is fragile. This was demonstrated acutely in my dad’s cancer diagnosis.


2. There are always new beginnings, even when you don’t think that it will ever happen.


3. Inner soul reflection helps to heal old wounds that were paralyzing for the past 25+ years.


4. You never know how many people your life touches and influences. My family has been flooded with love, care and concern, from directions I never would have imagined or guessed.


5. Friends, true friends, stand by your side right through to the end. They take the bullet with you, and sometimes for you. But they never ever leave your side. I have been blessed with a couple of those in my life.


6. Love comes when you least expect it. You can be in sweats, and love sees you in your ball gown.

I usually try to see the good in everything. I am a cup half full sortofagal. I am a “find the lesson” in each experience kind of a person. And each one of these things noted above has taught me an incredibly valuable lesson - - - I cannot be in control of all things in my life. I cannot control that my dad has cancer. I can’t make it better. I can however learn that love pours out all over you from places and people you didn’t even know, to lend comfort and teach you that life is meant to be shared.

I have learned to let go of survival conditioning behaviors that have impeded my ability to love fully. I have learned what a true friend is. This was a very painful lesson, but one necessary to understand and recognize that truth comes in several forms. I will never forget this lesson. And finally, and most importantly, love. True love. Love that sees you in your ugly but views you in your perfection. Having found that, maybe for the first time, I want to hang on to it. I think I will hang on for at least forever.

An old boss of mine told me that these types of experiences are opportunities to build character. I remember at the time telling him, “But Kent, I already have a good character!” He was right. He was right indeed. My character, my moral fiber, my spirit, have all been built, shaped, and influenced significantly over the past few months. My life, my heart, my spirit will never be the same. And you know what? I am glad.

Cinderella

In this whirlwind ride of challenging times ahead with my dad, it is difficult to keep my head and wits about myself. While I want to believe I really have my finger on the pulse of my every waking moment I, unfortunately, do not. And I may think I behave or react or respond in a certain way because of certain things, perhaps that isn’t at all why. I think that sometimes as much as I would like to think I have it all together, there are times when it feels miserably broken. I am not good at broken. And it is in those moments wherein I feel like a 6 year old; vulnerable, lost, and scared.


I have only then to look at this:


And then I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my life is good. My life is happy. I may be turning the big five ohhhh, but my life is not over. I realize that I am not Cinderella (as much as my dad thinks that I am), but I really do want to live happily ever after.

The Ugly Word

There are several words and phrases that we don't say at my house. We don't say "shut up". We don't say "you're stupid". And we absolutely don't say "I hate you".

All those words are ugly words.

But there is no word more ugly, frightening, or painful as the word cancer. That word was spoken in my family this week. Our family is shaken, however nothing rocks the Root foundation. We will not crack. We will not break. We will stay strong, stay bound to one another, and love one another right through it all. When one feels broken, the other will step forward to bear the burden. And through it all we will pray, love, laugh, pray, hold hands, listen, and pray. And at the end of the day we will know that God is good and He is in control.

I love you daddy.

Go/NoGo

In my day job the term Go/NoGo is used daily. In this context it refers to whether or not we chase a project. There are several factors that weigh into that decision like size of the project, potential gross margin, and local experience in that area. We look at all the criteria, and based upon a weighted scale, we decide Go/NoGo.

I have always been rather fond of Ben Franklin’s decision making model. I use this model in most key decisions that I make. To say I am fond of it, well let me just lay my cards on the table…. I have a spreadsheet. There, you happy?

The basis of the model is really rather simple. You frame the decision in the form of a question, something that is answerable in either a yes or no regarding a course of action. Then you list the pros and cons, attaching a 1-10 importance rating scale to each of them. The next step is to assess the probability of the pros and cons by attaching a number to it. If the outcome is certain, then it would rate a 10. Once I have weighted, and assessed the probability, then I pretty much press GO on my spreadsheet and it magically multiplies the weight by the probability and totals the Pro and Con columns. Sometimes I will even weigh in my gut feeling. I am sure that Ben would have done this too. In the end, the decision really comes down to simple math.

Sometimes these decisions put us at a crossroads in our lives and the decision, when weighty, really feels too big for the spreadsheet ~ and logic really doesn’t seem to be the appropriate approach to these decisions. What then does one do? Ask Marge – she would say “pray”. Ask Jen, she would say “go with your gut.” Ask Cindie, and all I can say is that I wish it were as simple as an algebraic equation.

Baking Divas

One of those things that I am working toward with my grandkids is instilling a few of things:
1. Grandma’s house is a fun place to be
2. The importance of laughter and having a good sense of humor
3. Baking is a staple of life
4. Singing songs makes the time fly by and lightens our heart
5. Nothing beats a good nap

This past weekend, all of the above was accomplished, save the nap part.

We started our adventure by heading to The Chicken Nugget Place, AKA McDonald’s Playland. Perfect. Much to this grandma’s dismay there were 58 (okay not that many) snotty nosed kids with dirty hands playing in the middle of the big play toy. Eeewww. I just bathed them in hand sanitizer when they got back to the table. It went something like this:

Maycie: Grandma did you see that boy with dirty hands?
Me: Ummmm, which one? They all had dirty hands.
Maycie: The one who was picking his nose.
Kayla: Gwwwoooosssss
Me: Let’s go outside and hose you two down.

Then it was back to the house for our cookie baking adventure. This time I introduced the art of …. Stirring….

And here you have my baking divas. Their grandma wouldn’t be caught dead in an apron, but I’ll be darned if they didn’t look precious!

Happy Fall!

The Rules of a Lady

No.1 - Play hard to get.
No.2 - Be the woman a man needs, not the woman that needs a man.
No.3 - Always accept a compliment.
No.4 - If he leaves or gives up on you, remember, it’s his loss. Not yours.
No.5 - If he doesn’t respect you, then you deserve better.
No.6 - You’re beautiful and no one has the right to tell you you’re not.
No.7 - Don’t fall for a guy who isn’t willing to catch you.
No.8 - Embrace your flaws and be true to who you really are.
No.9 - Never lose faith in finding your perfect someone.
No.10 - Cover up. Being a mystery is sexier than showing off every inch of yourself.
No.11 - Being single doesn’t mean you’re weak, it means you’re strong enough to wait for what you really deserve.
No.12 - The little black dress is a classic for a reason.
No.13 - A real lady holds her head high, but never her nose.
No.14 - Never underestimate the power of a warm greeting.
No.15 - For the love of decency, never chew with your mouth open.
No.16 - A lady knows her limits no matter what, stick to your guns.
No.17 - If you expect him to give you girl time, expect to give him guy time.
No.18 - A subtle, yet noticeable lip bite possesses exceptional power. Use with caution.
No.19 - True beauty comes from within. Ask Marge, she always told me this.
No.20 - Confidence is sexy.
No.21- Never let a man define you. Be amazing on your own.
No.22- Don’t get your hopes up, don’t let your guard down.
No.23- If you’re not worth the trouble then he’s not the worth the time.
No.24- Be refined, polite and well-spoken.
No.25- Act like a lady, think like a man.
No.26- Be classy & fabulous always.
No.27- Always be yourself around him. If he can’t accept you for your quirks, then he’s not worth it.
No.28- Remember; if he wants to, he will.
No.29- Your dresses should be tight enough to show you’re a woman, but loose enough to show you’re a lady.
No.30- If you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don’t deserve me at my best. -Marilyn Monroe
No.31- Never regret something that once made you smile.
No.32- A true lady doesn’t start fights, but sure knows how to finish them.
No.33- Do not stereotype guys; they’re definitely not all the same.
No.34- Always classy. Never trashy. Just a little nasty.
No.35-If you don’t stand up for yourself, no one will.
No.36-Never underestimate the power of a name. Use them. Be remembered.
No.37- You can never be beautiful unless you’re happy.
No.38- Always have a comeback.
No.39- One can never be too classy.
No.40- If he does not have a chance, tell him. Don’t lead him on and make him think that he has a chance when he does not.
No.41- To the world you may just be one person, but to one person you may be the world.
No.42- Don’t wait for Prince Charming to come and save you. Remember, being independent is more attractive to men.
No.43- If you love him, tell him. Chances are, he’ll feel the same about you.
No.44- Flirt with him enough to show your interest. But tease him enough to make him chase you.
No.45- You will never find the right guy if you are looking for the wrong reasons.
No.46- Never turn around to look back. Without doubt, he’s still looking at you.
No.47- No man is worth your tears, and the one who is won’t make you cry.
No.48- Beauty gets the attention, but personality gets the heart.
No.49- A sincere smile is a lady’s most beautiful feature.
No.50- It’s better to be hated for who you are than be loved for someone you’re not.
No.51- Don’t just expect to find love, wait and it will come.
No.52- A guy doesn’t ever have to be more than a friend, sometimes things are better that way.
No.53- You shouldn’t need to raise your voice. If you’re dealing with a person who won’t listen unless you speak forcefully, then they aren’t worth dealing with.
No.54- Never apologize for what you feel. It’s like saying sorry for being real.
No.55- A man willing to do anything just to place a smile on your face is one worth keeping.
No.56- Be happy. Someone could be falling for your smile.
No.57- Never make a man a priority in your life if you are just an option in his.
No.58- A lady should be able to make a man smile with her clothes on.
No.59- Talk loud enough so people can hear you, but soft enough so he’ll have to lean in closer.
No.60- Never show you’re intimidated, it shows weakness.
No.61- Remember; the treasure doesn’t do the hunting.
No.62- Make a man fall for your intelligence, not for your body and your double Ds.
No.63- Always act like you are wearing an invisible crown.
No.64- Respect from others come from self-respect.
No.65- “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” -Eleanor Roosevelt
No.66- It’s better to know and be disappointed than to never know and always wonder.
No.67-Being intelligent is sexy, don’t play stupid.
No.68- Take a risk, even if you fall. Because if that’s what you really want, it should be worth it all.
No.69- When asked for suggestion, don’t be afraid to give your opinion. Being assertive is an attractive feature, indecisiveness is not.
No.70- You were born an original. Don’t become a copy.
No.71- “A wise girl kisses but doesn’t love, listens but doesn’t believe and leaves before she is left.” -Marilyn Monroe
No.72- If a man wants you, nothing can keep him away. If he doesn’t want you, nothing can make him stay.
No.73- Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius. It’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.
No.74- If he’s willing to cheat with you, he’s willing to cheat on you.
No.75- Crying does not mean you are weak. Not crying does not mean you are strong. Never be afraid of being yourself.
No.76- Every day is a fashion show and the world is your runway. So always dress your best and walk with confidence.
No.77- Success is the best revenge.
No.78- Never be afraid to love. You’ll sabotage yourself without knowing.
No.79- The moment you stop looking for something, you will find it.
No.80- It’s better to be alone and dignified, than to have companionship and be taken advantage of.
No.81- Beauty is about living your life and being happy with yourself inside and out. Not worrying about what people think of you.
No.82- Don’t let doubt cause you to ignore your heart. Trust your heart.
No.83- Yelling during an argument means you’ve already lost the fight.
No84- Remember that if you give a second chance you’re saying that you have forgiven his past. Don’t keep holding it against him.
No.85- Don’t be upset and caught up in something you cannot change. Instead, move on and smile. You deserve to be happy.
No.86- Your smile is the sexiest curve on your entire body.
No.87- Love never fails. If it fails, then it’s not love.
No.88- Be generous with expressions of gratitude such as: ‘Thank You’ and ‘I appreciate that’.
No.89- If there is anything a lady should blow, it should be his mind.

Perspective

It is absolutely crazy to think that in this very second, right now, some one is dying; someone is cheating on their wife, someone is writing a suicide note, someone just lost their daughter, someone just got diagnosed with cancer, someone just got in a car accident, someone just found out they’re pregnant, someone just took another person’s life, someone hasn’t talked to their dad in years, someone is abusing their spouse, someone is signing divorce papers, someone just committed suicide. Right there in that very second, all of that happened somewhere out there in the world, and I am worrying about the rain??? Gaaaaa!

Keep Perspective.

Love

Yes.... these are my rose colored glasses.

My Boy

I was talking to my oldest daughter yesterday and she was telling me about Brandon, my grandson, her baby boy. She said "Mom, I don't know what it is about him, but it is different. I feel different about him than I do the girls. It isn't that I love him more. It is just different."

I can relate. I seriously can relate. My girls were/are my loves. But there is just something about my boy. I don't know what it is, but it is different. J'Amy's words rang so true that it just caught me so off guard, and made me ponder. What is it that connects me sooooo to my Jake. Bottom line is.... he is Jake, and he is mine, and he is perfect...to his Mama.

Random Island Pics

So, I was going through my Hawaii pictures and sometimes I just took pictures of random things that just caught my eye. Here are a few:

The rusty handrail that was falling apart, but it kept you from a couple hundred foot drop off.

I really think this must have been the original Garden of Eden

Everything covered in moss that could have moss growing on it. Except of course my water shoe clad foot.

Beautiful mist spraying over the rocks

A gorgeous hybiscus. Man they were beautiful.

Can you see vacation on my face? Yes, I am sure it is there....

Island Food Experiences

While in Hawaii we had so many great food experiences, whether it was at Matsumoto’s in Hale’iwa where we had incredibly yummy shaved ice…. Yes, I will take mine with Lilikoi, Coconut, and Mango flavoring please, and could you just put that incredible sweetened milk on the top and yes, I will have the splash guard. Thank you.
To Kahuku Grill on the North Shore.
Let me tell you, this place is faaaamous!! Even the Governor of my humble state of Utah thinks it’s great. They even have his picture as an endorsement hanging on the front of the restaurant, along with his “Vote for Gary Herbert for Governor” picture.

But by far and away our most incredible dining experience was Mama’s Fish House located in Pai’i. OGM (inside joke that was had by all on the trip) it was fabulous. The views were amazing.

I walked the shore and picked up a few shells that were really absent everywhere else on the island. But don’t let me kid you….this picture really isn't about the shells - - - it is all about the bracelet! An amazing piece that I invested in while on the Island.

The flower arrangements inside …. Stunning. They even arranged flowers on the toilet....Seriously....
The décor was incredibly eclectic. We were all fairly certain that the gentleman in the photo, dark hair, back to me, was someone famous… we weren’t sure who, but Al pretty much confirmed he was a character actor in….well something.

Dinner was scrumptious….something that I know the Pioneer Woman couldn’t have even accomplished. Do I look happy? OGM, it was amazing!