This past weekend my husband and I were craving an adventure! Well mostly just me because I had been cooped up in the house all week but that’s besides the point! We decided on hiking Manoa Falls because it was a comprise between the dear husband and I. The one I originally wanted to do was Waimea Falls but that’s a pretty far drive so we decided to tackle that one another weekend. In the end though I wouldn’t have changed a thing because we had a blast!

Getting to Manoa Falls is pretty easy if you have GPS and you don’t need to worry about parking because its a “pay to play” hike, as I like to call them, getting a parking spot is practically guaranteed. (They charge $5 to park which is super cheap for the view and well maintained trail)

Word of warning this hike can get…

Oh Oahu how I love you! This island has given me some of the most beautiful memories of my life, and I will always cherish my time spent on the islands of Hawaii! There is an adventure around every corner and that’s something I love the most about this place! A few weeks ago my husband and I were brainstorming about where to go after a dreary couple of weeks on the windward side of the island so we decided to head to Oahu’s lovely and always sunny Haleiwa, where there are beautiful beaches and food trucks galore!

Its a bit of a drive from our side of the island to Haleiwa but manageable and that coconut shrimp is so totally worth the price of gas! I’m drooling just remembering how crispy and flavorful the coconut shrimp was! The best food trucks are down in an easy to miss “parking…

There is always that one recipe that reminds you of home, and for me its my granny’s ham and bean soup. I have such fond memories of visiting my grandparents farm as a child and spending chilly winter afternoons spent playing in the barn with the sheep and then coming inside and warming up with a big bowl of ham and beans. Posted below is a picture of her standing in the kitchen of her farmhouse.

My grandmother has since passed away after a courageous battle with cancer but this remains one of my favorite foods. My favorite part about this dish as that it makes the whole house smell wonderful, especially if you let it simmer for a long while. Its one of those scents that just brings you home no matter where you are!

Another thing I love about this recipe is just how cheap and easy it…

2019: I… A to Z Italian Famiglia Foods and Memories: Icebox Cake

I’m back for “Year 4” of the A to Z… April Challenge!

My first year of this challenge had me racking my brain for a writing topic… especially as I didn’t quite understand the process. But finally I came up with 2016:Southern Foods and Memories. They said write what you know… and being a girl born in the South… well this was what I knew.  2017: Conversations with Mama was a somewhat easy one for me as I’d journaled our conversations for years so I researched some of my favorite topics to write on.  2018: All About Nancy Drew has been my favorite topic so far, and I don’t know if I’ll ever come up with another to equal it. It literally had me researching every day for over six months… researching, reading and perfecting every…

Thank you, for your Attitude of Gratitude:

Sometimes, people do not want your advice. Doesn’t mean they don’t need it, it means they are not ready to hear it, accept it or use it. Perhaps they need to figure it out on their own.

Affirmation:  I’m at peace with other people taking control of their own lives!

I love you, Annette Rochelle Aben