Sunscreen, my arch nemesis, we meet again!

For those of you who know me IRL, you know that I'm allergic to sunscreen. Yep. Sunscreen. Which poses a problem for me, since I live in FL—the Sunshine State, and I'm about to move to HI, where it's sunny year-round. I used to not be allergic, but it all changed when I hit puberty. Stupid hormone changes didn't just give me acne, it also gave me this allergy. (Mother nature competed the trifecta when she handed me my period, too. Thanks, MN.)


The first time I found this out, I was laying out in my backyard and I slathered on the sunscreen. I took a nap afterwards and I woke up to gigantic welts of hives all over and my face had swollen up so much that even my eyelids were puffy! Not a good look for a teenager. Needless to say, no more sunscreen for me. 


So I've gone without. 


I know. SO BAD! Especially since I love being brown. I feel better when I'm tan. It's in my DNA. I'm just glad I'm not fair-skinned. But seriously. I thought no sunscreen was no big deal. Until my very first trip to HI...

So this was me when I first got there that week. It was our first day and we decided to hike Diamond Head. In the middle of the day. Not a big deal. It wasn't at all humid in HI like it is in FL. (Hiking ANYTHING in the middle of the day in FL constitutes suicide!) So yeah... this was me during the last leg of our week-long trip...

Notice how the tiki and I basically have the same complexion? Yah, that was mainly from the Diamond Head hike. Yep. No sunscreen = terra cotta hazelwea.


So I'm prepping for my trip in two weeks. The hubs already has hiking, snorkeling, beaching and more hiking (Diamond Head again, prob) on our itinerary. Sun, sun, sun, and more sun. Like whoa. But I say, bring it! 'Cause I finally found my saving grace!

Neutrogena Pure & Free Baby, where have you been all my life? (Or at least since my early teens?) I don't even know why I never thought to try out sunscreen for babies before now. So I thank my friend in NC who bought this for her cutie patootie baby and let me test it on myself. No hives for me! And no skin cancer, either. 


Have you ever been allergic to something ordinary, too?

Hello, July! Nice to see you!

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It's July! Why do I love July? Let me count the ways.
1.} Summer is in full swing, which means I'm here, even if it's in my head sometimes! I love the beach.

2.} July is the best of summer and summer means watermelon! I love watermelon. I will gladly consume it in cupcake form as well.

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3.} Fireworks on the Fourth. So pretty!

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4.} Picnics and being outdoors in general. I want to go on more picnics.

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5.} July is the best because I get to celebrate the anniversary of the best day ever with this guy:

Our anniversary is in a couple of weeks. AND two weeks from today, I get to hop on a plane (well, two planes exactly) and I finally get to see this face after two long months. I can't wait! 

The Farewell Tour Continues.

This past week, I got to spend time with some very awesome people. The first half was spent with the hubs' cousins. That I was meeting them for the first time was just icing. I love them! They're adorable!

These pics were taken at Downtown Disney Marketplace. Ethan (above in the red) was in heaven! I loved watching his eyes light up as he took picture after picture next to all the different statues. He's a sweetheart. He even made this adorable video for the hubs.

I'm sad I couldn't spend more time with them, but I had to fly up to North Carolina to visit one of my lovely friends and her little family. And meet this new love of mine...

GAH!! I love her. She's my friend's insanely cute baby girl. I could not stop taking pictures of her. I did find some time to take other pictures, but not much. ;-) Here are some of my faves:

It was definitely a trip that went by way too quickly. It was so hard saying farewell to these wonderful faces! The move hadn't fully hit me until now. It's starting... Sigh.

Someone was mad at me when I got home... but I know he was relieved. But his relief is short-lived. I leave again in three weeks—I get to visit my hubs soon!

Yesterday

Still a tough day for me. I miss him dearly. But I have to keep remembering that even though he's not here physically, he's ALWAYS here in spirit. As long as I keep the memories that I have of him close to my heart. I hope I can be half the parent to my children as he was with my brothers and I.

I miss you, dad.

The hubs is BA.

Just thought I'd throw that out there. He finally went to get his HI driver's license yesterday. Let's just say that he will always be formal, but ready to party.

A Big Fat Sanibel Wedding

This weekend we celebrated the marriage of this big guy on the left to this lovely lady on the right. Said big guy is my (not-so) little brother. Don't they make a great couple?


We arrived in Sanibel the day before the wedding and the forecast for the next day was 50% chance of rain. (eek!) I firmly believe that dad was looking out and talked to the Man above because not a cloud was in the sky the next day. We were blessed with a wonderful sunset wedding.

The bride's talented cousin, Lance, was kind enough to take pictures for the day. He did such a great job from what I've seen and I can't wait to see the rest! Check him out here.

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We are all so excited to welcome a great new addition to our family. We feel so blessed to have her! The only thing that could've made the day that much sweeter was if dad and the hubs were there to share with us. I know they were both there in spirit.

Welcome to our crazy, loud, loveably awesome family!