24 Hour Layered Salad

Hello to you!

My big one is snoozin' right now and my little one is giving me smiles and coos. I think we may be past the "gas" smiles and onto real ones. In any case, I love it. I kind of wondered if all the little baby things would be as magical the second time around. And...yup..they sure are!

Okay! I thought I'd share a recipe today. Every now and again, I like to post my best handed down family recipes. It's nice to have them archived and I like to share. :)

I doubt there's anything too original about this 24 hour layered salad. I'm sure there are a bazillion recipes out there for this, but I use what my mom gave me and it's pretty darn good! I made it yesterday for a Fourth of July BBQ.

It's easy. The only trick is planning in advance so the ingredients are ready to assemble the night before.

Here's whatcha need:

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 green pepper
• 2 green onions
• 1 package (10 oz) frozen peas
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 package Parmesan cheese
• 3 hard boiled eggs
• 2 tomatoes
• 1/2 lb bacon

The night before:

Layer all the green ingredients in a deep (preferably glass) bowl. I bought a $6 trifle bowl at Walmart. :)

It doesn't matter how you do the layers, but I basically layered them in the order listed above (iceberg lettuce, celery, green pepper, green onion, frozen peas).

Next, mix the mayo and sugar in a dish. Then, spread the mayo mixture over the top of the layers. This seals it.

Now, add the cheese atop the mayo. Cover. Place in fridge overnight.

Before you clean up, prep the toppings so they are ready to go. Hard boil the eggs and chop when cool. Dice the tomatoes. Cook the bacon and crumble when cool. Keep these on the side.

Before serving, place the eggs, tomatoes, and bacon on top!

The salad will look pretty all layered, but according to my mama, it's best to toss it all up before serving. This way everyone gets all the goods!

My mom's trick: toss in a separate bigger bowl and then transfer back to pretty trifle bowl!

Serve cold! Enjoy!

Happy Fourth of July from my ohana to yours!

The Poop Debacle

"I'm catching the next one in," Rachel shouts to me between rolling waves.

I follow suit. I was hoping for at least stronger waves. It was only so-so conditions for surf. But, still...I couldn't help but feel peaceful paddling through the white wash.

We pop out over the jagged reef and fortunately save both our feet and fins. Plodding through the sand, we make our way back towards the guys and beach "tailgate."

{Our buddy Nick took this on Sat night. He's creative and has the coolest bus. Check out his work here.}

Can't beat a Saturday evening at our local beach.

We near the crew and overhear one of the guys say, "wait for Katie...she has to hear, too."

Uh-oh.

I smile cautiously.

My two-year old is potty-training and my 6 week old has a "healthy" digestive system. I'm pretty sure I'm in for a good story.

Tim launches into it. Emphatic echoes are thrown in by the other guys (slightly appalled, but mostly amused by the "dirty" details).

"The wind was blowing so hard, Katie. Seriously, the shade tent was bending in half." Tim waves his arms to demonstrate.

One of his buddies chimes in, "yeah, and your daughter was cruising inside...it almost collapsed on her."

"But..." Tim smiles, "she was pooping a trail the whole way under the tent as it folded around her."

I listen with pride (no shame here!). After all, we only started potty  training the day before and I knew the poop was coming. She hadn't pooped in days...so I expected it in all its stinky abundance. I just didn't know when or how or where.

Another guy offers, "she made it though. And she loaded up the potty bowl (*we had set a potty training toilet under the shade tent) to the brim with more poop. It was crazy."

I beam! Yay Blakely, I think to myself. She knew to go to the potty. And she filled it up, too!

Tim jumps in again, "I didn't know what to do in the moment, so I quickly passed Colbie off to Michel" (visiting from NY -- poor guy probably wasn't banking on such a poopy beach trip).

"Yep...I held the baby," Michel informs. "And she really rumbled and loaded up the whole diaper right in the midst of the poop and tent disaster."

"Oh no!" Now I'm really laughing. This is too much!

"So what did you do?" I ask Timmy and the guys?

"It was like kitty litter in the sand, Katie." Tim shook his head.

He continued, "I scooped up the chunks with her beach toys to throw away and got some ocean water for the shore..."

I'm picturing all of this! ha! It would happen when I'm out surfing. Note to self, WASH Blakely's beach toys and sanitize that potty.

"But she did use the potty, right? Like I know she made a trail on her way, but she got there?"

The guys all nod and laugh.

"Way to go Blakely!" I scoop her up in a bear hug--naked buns and all.

Funny how such a messy, stinky "situation" can bring so much happiness! Although, easy for me to say since I wasn't there. :)

"I owe you guys!"

It's now Monday. Blakely hasn't pooped since the debacle on Saturday. I'm left waiting again. When will it strike?

I'm a novice at potty-training. I think I'm in training too!

Successful tips and tricks (and maybe more bloopers) coming soon.

I wish you all a clean, poop-less (unless on the pot) evening!

xoxo

{My girl Rachel captures the most amazing pics on her phone! Love this one. Colbie clearly felt better after filling up her diaper. See Rachel's professional photography here.}

One Month In

Phew!

I'm one month in exactly...with two little daughters that is.

Tim has been in FRANCE this week! I know--so cool (for him) and yikes (for me!). Nah, it's been great. I have the neatest little island family here and they've picked up my slack!

I pick up Timmy tonight and boy am I (we) excited! Blakes often tells me that "I'm sad" -- because daddy isn't here. And, Colbs...well, she may be too little to realize much, but she sure is growing! Pretty sure my girls will stand a chance at volleyball or basketball...just based on height alone! ha! (can we say, scholarship? how soon is too soon to sign 'em up for a team?!).

Anyway.

Thanks for reading about my re-search for identity on my last blog post. I'm doing better (I appreciate the Facebook notes of encouragement!).

I'm still teaching online--for University of Phoenix--which is wonderful and challenging all at once. Still looking for the right balance with my new roles. It's trial and error, isn't it?

Can I just say this...

I really appreciate (also read: love, respect, etc...) my husband. We are such a team and with him gone...well, there's a hole. Even if he's cruisin' on the couch with Jeopardy (I know, right...Jeopardy?)...he's likely to jump into a wrestling match with B-Rex or find himself in  Princess Jasmine plastic dress-up heels. :)

I need that. She needs that. Even he needs that.

(And the whole Jeopardy thing...even that's rare. The man is a hard-worker--which makes me a lucky girl!).

So...thanks, Tim, for being just who we need (and love!!!).

Since I, in part, blog for the digital memories, I hope you don't mind if I share just a couple of pictures. I have been overwhelmingly blessed by two dear friends who happen to be rockin' photographers. I'll link to their sites below. Please check them out!

The spirited, skilled Yasmin of Yasmin Khajavi Photography

The creative, polished Rachel of Blue Nalu Photography

I have some fun things to share in upcoming posts! Hoping to be back at it more consistently soon!

Happy Friday! xoxo

The Flowers May Fade

If you asked me where I found my identity...

I'd say I'm a daughter of the most incredible God


In less Christian-ese... I find my identify in Jesus Christ because first and foremost, I'm a Christian.

However... if you asked me again...

Where do you really find your identity, Katie? 

I'd say again... in Christ alone. 


But then I'd stop and think.

Here's the rub.

It's hard separating oneself from something he or she has been for so long. While I do 100% believe I am complete because Jesus Christ calls me His own, I feel strange about leaving my post as a high school teacher.

Did I put much of my identity in being a high school teacher? Too much?

I'm just now trying to sort this out. Do I know myself apart from teaching crazy, amazing teenagers day in and day out?

Like I said, I am a Christian first -- and super high up on the list right after that, I'm a wife and mommy. This fulfills me...to overflowing.

But this month I have to take serious inventory of my thoughts and beliefs. I need to do some housekeeping on the inside.

I do still know my identity, right? When I take off my high school teacher hat, I'm still the same girl...right?

I know in my head that my God is enough. I just need to make sure I remember that in my heart.

When all else is stripped away, I am still a new creation in Christ.

Here's to recommitting my identity! I know who I am, but as life changes, I need to remind myself.

I love this:

"The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever." Isaiah 40:8.

Join me (if you'd like) in rediscovering your identity. When all temporary things are removed, what remains constant?

Love to you! 

Coconut

We fell in love.

Again.

This time with Colbie Maureen.

I can't even put into words how grateful and overjoyed I am that God has loaned us His beautiful little one to take care of on this earth.

And as if I didn't have enough to be thankful for, today is my dear Tim's birthday.

It sounds cliche, I know, but I am a lucky gal to do life with this crew.

I don't know how I'm going to top Tim's birthday gifts in the future. Not much beats a new baby daughter just in time for your birthday! :)

And because we weren't made to do life alone...I'm also entirely blessed to have a Hawaii Ohana that loves us so well.

Mahalo to my dear friend, Rachel (Blue Nalu Photography) for bringing her camera and talent to the hospital on Wednesday. She took these lovely photos!

And thank you to all of you reading this for your support, love, and prayers. We adore our mainland family so much!

xoxo

A Little Love for Today

Happy Mother's Day!

It's almost 10pm on Mother's Day night, but I've been wanting to jump online all day and wish the many special moms in my life an abundance of God's blessings!

The creative media team at my church made this quick 1 minute video. It makes me smile. Happy mother's day! Thank you Jesus for making such incredible moms!

And.... and... speaking of mothers...

This is a blog post that I linked to on my Facebook page. I keep thinking about it. It only takes a minute to read. I don't know anything about this blogger, but I like her bold thoughts about advocating for the motherless and not being caught up in other "mother wars." Check it out here!

xoxo

Bathing Suit vs. Anything Else

Oh my!

This lovely life I've been gifted has been lovelier than ever...and busier!

I want to blog some fun pictures to share and to save, but I can't yet. My bedroom computer is calling my name to come and grade work for my university students so that I have the time to move out of my high school classroom this week.

Yes. I'm officially taking a break from the high school. Oh how I'll miss my teenagers, but I can't wait to have a few more hours in my day to hold my babies at home. More on that later...

I did capture my determined and passionate two-year-old on my cell phone a few times this week mid-obsession.

She very desperately wants to wear one of her "baby suits" (aka: bathing suit) at all times.

Last week Tuesday, she played in the sprinklers with her Papa. I indulged her silliness by letting her stay in her suit most the day after that. Fortunately, we settled on a night gown that night and a dress the next day.

As Wednesday night bed time came near, she started whimpering for her "baby suit." I wanted to lay down the law about sleeping in PJs, but since my entire mini church was over at my place for bible study, I also wanted to effortlessly drop her in bed for the night sans a battle of will. Choosing my battles carefully, I again let her wear her "baby suit" to bed. Seriously.

The next morning, I was running late for work. B protested with passion when I tried to peel off her suit. What the heck? I thought! I don't really care what she wears to day care in this moment. So, off she went in her baby bikini. I packed her a dress in hopes that she'd be willing to change mid-day.

Most certainly not.


I got to her around 4pm on Thursday and she was happier than ever tugging at her bikini top and saying "cute, mommy...baby suit."

Whatevers. :)

That night Tim and I did choose the battle of bathing suit vs. pajamas. We won. Of course. But, it wasn't pretty.

It's been touch-and-go since then. Trying to decide which bathing suit battles to choose and which to  let go.




                 This morning when I got her out of bed for church, she was already up and had tried dressing herself in her bathing suit over her nightgown (which she'd tell you we forced her to wear).

She's determined.
And she has red hair.
And she's two. :)

She also makes us laugh and love this life all the more.