Hilo Highlights Carlsmith Beach Park was probably one of the most peaceful places we snorkeled in Hilo. The water was so calm and serene, which is almost funny considering you're surrounded by these lava rocks. It's such a weirdly beautiful marriage of opposites. The lava surrounding you is dark, jagged, sharp and rough, while the… Continue reading Calm Water, Rough Edges
Tag: life
Mr and Mrs Mai in Paradise
For the first time since becoming parents, it was just the two of us. No little voices calling, "Mommy! Daddy!". No basketball practices. No school schedules. No rushing to make dinner or help with homework. Just Kev and me. It felt strange at first, almost uncomfortable because of the "guilt" of leaving them behind and… Continue reading Mr and Mrs Mai in Paradise
One-on-One Time with Mai Boys
If there’s one thing I’m learning as a mom, it’s that time with our kids slips through our fingers faster than we want it to. One moment they’re asking for bedtime stories and cuddles, and the next they’re growing into these independent little people who would rather hang out with their friends than sit on… Continue reading One-on-One Time with Mai Boys
A Hawaiian Reset
Kev and I are finally doing something we’ve never done before- we’re taking a trip, just the two of us, to Hawaii. No kids. No bedtime routines or basketball schedules. Just us. We’ve never been away for more than a single night without Mai Boys, and part of me feels that tug of guilt. But… Continue reading A Hawaiian Reset
Why Every Household Needs a Pulse Oximeter (Yes, Even Yours)
It’s small. It’s cheap. And it might just be the MVP of your medicine cabinet. The pulse oximeter isn’t flashy, but trust me, when someone in your house is sick, this little clip-on device becomes your BFF. It tells you two key things: your oxygen level and your heart rate. No guessing. No WebMD spirals. Just facts. As a mom of… Continue reading Why Every Household Needs a Pulse Oximeter (Yes, Even Yours)
When the Pain Finally Had a Name
For years, I've felt trapped in a body that used to feel strong and capable, but somewhere along the way, it stopped moving the way I remembered. I was still active, still pushing, and yet, somehow always hurting. The pain was there like a background noise- sometimes whispering, sometimes roaring. Some days, it was easy… Continue reading When the Pain Finally Had a Name
Mai Lifeline, Mai People
Let’s talk about best friends- the real ones. The ones who know your chaos, your unfiltered moments, your deepest insecurities.. and still choose you anyway. Not because you’ve got it all together, but because they know you- and that’s enough. This one’s for the friends who text, “You alive?” instead of “Good morning.” The ones who… Continue reading Mai Lifeline, Mai People
Mistakes, Mayhem & Mercy
Mistakes. They have a way of humbling us in an instant. One moment, you're moving through your day, doing your best, and then next.. your heart sinks. You realize you missed something. Dropped the ball. Got it wrong. That sinking feeling? It's familiar. It's the weight of self-doubt, the creeping voice of insecurity saying, "You… Continue reading Mistakes, Mayhem & Mercy
Mai Heart, His Plan, Their Lives
We weren't exactly trying, but we weren't protecting either. Month after month passed, and nothing. Not even a scare. Not even a maybe. Just a quiet kind of heartache that settled deeper each time. I remember watching the world around me bloom with pregnancies. Social media announcements. New baby smells. Parents on the news doing… Continue reading Mai Heart, His Plan, Their Lives
Messy. Redeemed. Deeply Rooted.
2016. It was the year that everything changed. The year our marriage nearly collapsed under the weight of everything we weren't saying out loud. We were stretched thin- a 2yo, pregnancy turned early labor, sleepless nights, hidden disappointments, and having a marriage so strained we barely recognized ourselves. We became strangers, not partners, looking at… Continue reading Messy. Redeemed. Deeply Rooted.
Mai Household Mayhem 