Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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Guess Where We Are?!

Last Monday, a surprise snowstorm (in the middle of a super mild winter) made for this picture out of our living room widow:

  Last Monday Window

And Clara went outside and had fun doing this:

  Last Monday Clara

Fast forward about a week, and our view looks more like this:

  This Monday Window

And Clara’s sporting a different kind of outfit:

  This Monday Clara

Yup, true to our anniversary resolution, we snuck off to Maui, Hawaii to celebrate finishing our book, our impending five year anniversary (in July), turning 30 (I will in March and John already checked that box in November), and any other celebration-worthy excuse that we could think of (Clara’s first four syllable words: escalator, helicopter, and anemone!). It’s actually the first time we’ve flown somewhere on a real vacation since our honeymoon to Alaska back in 2007, and it’s the first time we have ever announced that we’re taking a week off from blogging in the entire 4.5 years since we started this whole shebang.

We know – gasp!

We do plan to post a pic or a quick note here or there throughout the week about our little island adventures (and a few things that we wrote up to share before we left, like some small kitchen progress). And we lined up a pretty sweet giveaway (valued at nearly $500!) for you guys, which will go up sometime tomorrow (Monday) – although not necessarily at 10 or 2 (we’re 5 hours behind our normal schedule here in HI). But our main goal is to relax, unplug, show Clara a great time, and just generally seize the week that we’re here.

This Monday Flower

So we’ll return to our regularly scheduled home improvement programming next Monday and will just be popping in every once in a while until then (so please forgive us if we’re not actively answering comments). We can’t wait to come back refreshed, inspired, and ready to tackle everything from the cork floors in the kitchen to the three untouched bathrooms, the walk-out deck we want to build, our big carport-to-garage conversion, the crown molding and wainscoting we’re planning to add, a complete sunroom makeover, a total playroom makeover, and all of the other major projects mentioned at the bottom of this post that we chatter endlessly about when we lay in bed at night (yes, even here in Maui).

This Monday Ocean

Oh and since Clara’s here with us we’ll have to share all the how-she-traveled and how-she-adjusted-to-the-time-difference details soon (maybe next week on Young House Life). Due to quarantine regulations, we couldn’t bring Burger, which is why he’s at home snuggled up to our house sitters (we have some friends and family members who are taking turns moving in to hang with him the whole time we’re gone). You know we call him and talk through the phone at least twice a day though, right? Heck, maybe he can somehow inspire our house guests to lay some cork flooring while they’re there (he’s a pretty persuasive chihuahua). Here’s hoping!

To any Maui natives or fellow vacationers: you better say hi if you see us out doing the whole dorky tourist thing! Just look for the girl whose legs are so pasty white that they actually look blue and there I’ll be.

This Monday Legs

And yes, my skirt is twisted about three inches too far to the right. I can’t be the only one who fights skirt-spin, can I?

Comments

  1. Jennifer says

    Hawaii is amazing! One of my favorite places :) Now I want pancakes too. Aloha mixed plate is so good, casual and amazing views at Sunset.

    Reply

  4. Danielle says

    Yay! Hope you have an amazing time on Maui! I second (third?) the recommendation for Mama’s Fish House. Incredible food, beautiful setting (right on the beach!).

    Reply

  6. Ali Miller says

    I am so glad you guys are taking this break for yourselves! Now, stop approving comments and go soak it all up. You so deserve it!

    Reply

  8. Lindsay L. says

    AHHHHH! I’m so happy for y’all! Seriously, the best week of my life so far was in Maui. My husband and I had so much fun there! We rented a jeep and spent the whole week exploring. Lessons learned from our trip: always remove wedding rings before swimming in cold ocean water, always take your stuff out of the jeep and with you when hiking, and get gas in your car BEFORE driving up to Mt. Haleakala!! It was quite an eventful, BEAUTIFUL week :) :)

    Reply

  10. Richelle says

    I was beginning to wonder how you guys kept going, going, going…knowing you had a week in Hawaii coming up sure helped I bet! You guys deserve a break, hope it’s fun and relaxing!

    Reply

  11. hollie says

    Yay! I’m so excited for you guys! You definitely deserve a relaxing vaca after the whirlwind it seems like your world has been lately. Have a beverage with an umbrella in it for me!

    Reply

  14. Alissa says

    SOOO excited to hear you’re on vacation. I was thinking during your crazy book shoot that you guys needed some time off, and even your loyalest readers would be very supportive of it. :) Have a blast!

    Reply

  15. Darcy says

    WOW!! I am shocked, and OH SO HAPPY for you! I must say, that I am super impressed by the secret keeping skills of you guys!!! For some over-sharers, you guys sure are some Secret Squirrels!!!

    Hoping you have the MOST fabulous time, and I know that I can’t wait to hear all about it!!! See you next monday, and I might actually have a productive work week this week! LOL!

    Reply

  18. Eli says

    This is so bizarre..but first know two things:
    1. I am pregnant and have been having nonstop crazy dreams every night
    2. I’ve been netflixing Lost

    But last week i had a dream you guys were in Hawaii! I figured because you had mentioned at some point that you were going this this year but OMG this is so weird i had that dream the week you guys went!!!

    Reply

  20. melissa says

    I also will second a visit to Mama’s fish house. So great and the sunsets are just incredible from there. Also if you can squeeze in some pampering time in Wailea at the Grand Wailea Spa. One of the best spas in the world!

    Reply

  22. Jen @ The Decor Scene says

    That is awesome YHL!!! Go relax and don’t worry about us. We will all be back next Monday then to hear all about your trip. :) We loved Hawaii when we went there for our honeymoon 5.5 years ago. We loved Maui & Kauai. Both gorgeous islands. I can’t wait to hear all about what you guys did and where you stayed. I’m sooooooo jealous right now. I need warm sunshine too. {sigh}. Soak up the sun!!! You guys deserve it 100%. :)

    Reply

  23. Dail says

    I look forward to hearing about your wonderful vacation! I also can’t wait to see your fully completed kitchen! Wouldn’t it be nice to come home next week and the floors already be down? Maybe your house sitters will do that for ya!

    Reply

  26. Shanna says

    Congratulations to you both on all of your accomplishments! Your vacation is VERY well deserved. :)

    Oh and skirt spin = total pain. At least you caught it and didn’t notice hours later when your zipper was at your hip. Or even better, your butt. :)

    Reply

  27. Nancy says

    I’m so happy you all are taking time off! You all work so hard, you really deserve to just let everything go for a week (or more). It will only make us more excited when you get back. Each of our sons first visits to the beach was in Hawaii. We were told Hawaii’s love babies and they weren’t kidding. It made having a 3 month old and then the second time an almost 4 year old and an 8 month old so much easier with the Hawaiians’ lovely, friendly, laid-back ways. We hope that we’ll get to take our baby girl sometime, too. But taking 3 on a 9 hour flight is not something we’re sure we can handle. Be sure to eat some shave-ice for us! Aloha!

    Reply

  29. Kasey M. says

    I couldn’t think of two people more deserving of a vacation after all of your hard work recently. Hope you get amazing weather and some wonderful memories of amazing family time. You two deserve it.

    Reply

  31. Kris T says

    Have a great time! Please share lots of details when you get back. I will be there in 2 months and it’s my first time also….would love recommendations on food and sites to see. Relax! and Enjoy!

    Reply

  33. Nicole says

    Good for you guys! You deserve it. Definitely check out Mama’s Fish house. You will not be disappointed. It is quite possibly the best resturant we have been to. You’ll love than banyon tree entrance and the wide open windows. It is at the beginning of the road to hanna i believe but check on that first. Hope you get to go. Have a great vaca!

    Reply

  36. Liz says

    You guys are THE hardest working bloggers- you so deserve a real vacation by now! I hope your trip is rejuvenating and memorable!

    Reply

  39. Michele says

    YAAAAAY! Well done, you three! Maui is pretty much my favorite place EVER. If you are anywhere near Ka’anapali, do your stomach’s a favor and check out my favorite restaurant: http://www.dukesmaui.com/

    My husband hears about you both so much he knows who you are too… last week when I was telling him you guys were in Portland I said “my favorite DIY blog is…” and he interjected “young house love?” love it.

    Enjoy your week off!

    Reply

  42. Michele says

    Ohhh yes! Kid tips, I forgot: last time we went our eldest was 22 months old, and he loooooved the Sugar Cane Train trip, as well as the Glass Bottom Boat that leaves out of Lahaina.

    Have fun!!!

    Reply

  45. Frances Bentley says

    I’m so envious!! We were just there in June and I told my husband it’s my life’s mission to live there one day. I’m sure everyone says it, but I really meant it!! Have fun!

    Reply

  47. Lindsay says

    Ahhhh so fun!! Have such a blast and relax – you guys beyond deserve it.

    My husband and I went to Maui last year and have a few recos if you need some:
    -Mama’s Fish House in Paia is one of the best meals we’ve have ever had. The restaurant is open air and gorgeous and the food is somewhat pricey but so so worth it
    -The Flatbread Pizza Co. in Paia is also amazing and fully sustainable I believe
    -The black sand beach on the road to Hanna is gorgeous and we collect sand from the beaches we visit so it was a cool kind of sand to add to our collection. We put the sand in apothecary jars ($1 from Michael’s) and then make a label that has the name of the beach and the date we visited.
    -808 Deli in Kihei has the best sandwiches ever and it’s right next to the beach and cheap – so grab sandwiches and head across the street to the picnic tables on the beach
    -We went up the mountain to Surfing Goat dairy to see the goats and sample the fresh and cool-flavored goat cheese one afternoon – Clara might really enjoy seeing the goats.

    I clearly like to eat… Enjoy Maui and I can’t wait to read all about it!

    Reply

  48. James Olsen says

    Awesome to see you guys following through with your New Years resolution, thats awesome! Have a great time, relax, and don’t worry about us readers, we will be here when you get back :)

    Reply

  50. Carli says

    Good for you!! So happy to hear that you’re taking a break. Your sweet family deserves one! You guys are such hard working, awesome bloggers and we all benefit daily from the fruits of your labor. It is about time you rewarded yourselves :) Have fun!!

    Reply

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