December 10, 2017
According to the Pew Research Center, 77 percent of Americans own a smartphone, and more than 10 percent of American adults depend on their smartphones for the internet. (They only access the internet through their smartphones and do not have…
December 3, 2017
I started putting up Christmas decorations long before Thanksgiving. I couldn’t help it. My daughter, Lina, is nearly 14 months old now, and this is the first year she’ll be able to open presents and really experience the lights and…
November 26, 2017
While many retail stores put up their holiday displays back in October, the unwritten timeline for holiday decor is the day after Thanksgiving until a few days after New Year’s. Browsing for decor always puts me in the holiday spirit,…
November 19, 2017
Confession: In high school, I was voted biggest partier. We used to host gatherings regularly at my parents’ house, and the whole family took pride in our role as host. Luckily, my husband enjoys entertaining just as much as I…
November 12, 2017
Released in 1989, Back to the Future Part II took viewers on a journey to 2015. While we are not seeing the filmmakers’ visions of prolific hoverboards, they did manage to get a few things right. We use flat-screen televisions,…
November 5, 2017
When space is at a premium, I like shower doors over shower curtains. The glass allows the space to feel more open. However, once I started bathing my daughter in the tub, I quickly realized that shower doors can get…
October 29, 2017
Horror films and I do not get along. I find myself completely avoiding them, not just at the theater or when I’m searching for a rental, but also when I’m flipping through channels and notice the trailers. Nope, can’t watch…
October 22, 2017
It is no wonder that my husband and I fell in love with Hawaii long before we moved here more than a decade ago. Aside from the food and cultural aspects, we quickly grew accustomed to the weather and the…
October 15, 2017
I wouldn’t call myself cheap, but I do like to maximize the money that I have. When I go to stores like Target or Babies “R” Us, I shop with my phone in hand, looking for better prices online so…
October 8, 2017
I am a sucker for garage sales. Recently, I stumbled acrosssome great ones. One of my favorite finds was a bag of decorative skeleton bones I scored for only $3. Now that October is in full swing, Halloween is on…
October 1, 2017
Thirty-five years ago, the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) deemed October Kitchen and Bath Month. This was based on the popularity of homeowners choosing it as the time to remodel their kitchens and baths. According to the NKBA, October…
September 24, 2017
When it comes to flooring, we often think of some basics: carpet, hardwood, laminate and tile. But one of the newest trends is giving us something else to think about: luxury vinyl planks (LVP). Vinyl planks have the benefits of…
September 17, 2017
When we are out in public, I often get compliments about how cute and quiet my baby daughter is. That is, until she starts yelling. When she was younger, she found her vocal chords. Since then, she has used yelling…
September 10, 2017
One of my favorite wedding presents my husband and I received was actually a home project. Our friend Anthony installed a surf rack and painted our bathroom while we were on vacation. I did not realize until then just how…
September 3, 2017
When I’m cleaning, I often think of the lesson I learned from a green-thinking friend: Clean has no smell. While I appreciate the sentiment and its accuracy, I also can’t help but ignore it. Clean may have no smell, but…
August 27, 2017
Now that our daughter, Lina, is on the move, the pressure is on to make our home as safe and baby-friendly as possible. There are seemingly endless options for this, but most don’t fit our home’s beachy style. I have…
August 20, 2017
My husband and I moved to Hawaii more than 10 years ago. We keep in contact with family back home through chats, sending photos and videos throughout the day. Like most aspects of life, it is the little things that…
August 13, 2017
One of my favorite things to do on a hot summer day is to cruise around in the air conditioning. While I will often go to the aquarium or a museum, sometimes it’s just as much fun to run errands…
August 6, 2017
Wholesale clubs have always been a part of my life. Some of my favorite memories from when I was little include running up and down the aisles of wholesale clubs with my siblings, eating samples and trying out the furniture.…
July 30, 2017
To say having a baby changes your life is an understatement. There are big things, of course, but there are plenty of little things as well. These include the added laundry and diapers, the baby proofing and the takeover of…