my favorite fall jackets

I feel like it is no secret I am a sucker for a great jacket. I’m really not sure why they have likely become my favorite article of clothing (gasp). I’m always cold, in typical “girl” fashion, sure, ask my husband, although I really don’t understand why this is an accurate stereotype. Should we be concerned about our survival and genetic makeup that maybe our blood isn’t circulating as it is for males? Ok, wow, really off topic here.

Jackets.

Why I love ‘em:

The basic tee + jeans has sort of become my uniform and the jacket is the perfect topper that makes the look feel complete. Or in this case, stripe pants and some stellar accessories.

They keep you warm. Obvious, yes, but in transitional weather (even though today didn’t feel very transitional), it’s so nice to be able to add or subtract the layer throughout the day, whether the sun is out or a breeze picks up, not to mention multi-seasonal-versatility. In the summer you’re blazing outside, then freezing inside, and in the cooler months it’s just the opposite.

So I guess this is my case for chic jackets. And while this one is from Anthropologie last year, of course I’ve pulled together a generous current selection. Because nobody does statement jackets like Anthro.

a farewell to summer // living in the season you're called

Is summer really over?

If you’re in the Labor-Day-weekend-is-the-finale-of-summer camp, the answer is yes. If you’re in the fall solstice camp, the answer is no, and I’m not sure I fully disagree with you if you are, considering the weather is still 80-90 degrees this week. I’ve noticed longer shadows and darker mornings for sure, school is back in session, and football season has begun, although you must wear shorts to a day game because it is entirely too warm to choose otherwise.

Winter is so long in the Midwest, I feel like when spring finally starts to break through, I’m more prepared to dive in, but when fall is fast approaching, while it is my favorite season, I’m still left trying to savor every drop of summer. But also at the same time, I’m only shopping for fall (although I’m really not shopping at all currently, but that’s a story for a different day), and I am v excited to start layering up. I even already attended my second football game over the weekend. I do feel like LDW marks the unofficial end of summer for me, as much as I hate to admit it, but I need to fully stretch it through Labor Day. These impending cold months are just too long to not. And is it just me or does it feel like the pumpkin spice latte arrived extra early this year?! The pool wasn’t even closed! I could’ve been sippin’ PSLs by the pool. Like let’s get real here.

All of this leafs me reflecting on this: our culture is constantly looking forward to the next thing and not enjoying the moment, the season (literal and figurative season) we’re in.

How can we be sippin’ PSLs by the pool?!

I feel like teachers and students get a bit of a free pass to begin to transition to fall, but don’t you remember the frustration following back to school shopping for all your new fall looks where it was just too unbearably hot to wear those jeans + sweaters when classes first geared up, or is that just me? Summer is too short, too good of a season, to just completely skip onto the next.

Be where you are. Bask in the long summer sun. I know I’m trying.

Unfortunately in life, and sometimes fortunately as well, we can’t just skip a season. God has called us to be where we are for a purpose.

This is two-fold:

1. Slow down. Look around. Seek your divine appointments. Pick your head up off your phone. Make eye contact, smile at someone in line at the market. Engage with the high schooler ringing out your groceries (if you haven’t chosen the self-checkout line) and speak life. Grab coffee for the person behind you at Starbucks. You never know what someone is walking through. You never know how your personal interaction could alter their day, their path. God has placed you in even what seems are the most trivial moments for you to be a light to someone else. Don’t hide it and don’t get distracted or you’ll miss it.

2. We are called to be present in the season we’re in because we need to learn. This is a tough one for me to swallow sometimes, but there is a lesson in your season. Hard, big, small, easy, there is a lesson to be learned. Sometimes you are called to wait where you are because God is still orchestrating what’s ahead of you so it can come together in His perfect timing, in the way He seems fit (which is always better than you can imagine for yourself). But sometimes you’re still in the season you’re in because He still has a lesson for you to grasp, for your character to develop, that you need to seek and find Him and rely on Him where you are. He loves and cherishes you and wants the best for you, there’s no doubt about that, but He never promised it would be easy. And I don’t know about you, but the seasons that are the hardest and most challenging are the seasons I lean in the closest, the seasons where I have grown stronger in my faith, where I have heard God’s voice and felt His presence envelop me in my darkest moments. And when I’m in the next painful, waiting, or trying season, I can look back and see how God was working, teaching, and refining me, and it’s what helps me get through the next one. He is for you not against you, and no weapon formed against you shall prosper. But sometimes we need to be in the waiting. In the quiet. In the moments where it’s still warm summer and not yet fall because there’s still sun shining and bright days where we are if we just choose to see and enjoy them.

David had to wait to be king. He was called for a purpose, against the odds, but he had to wait for his time. He had to learn and grow in his season. God used his lowly shepherding days to prepare him for shepherding a kingdom. God will use your field to lead the kingdom, but it will happen in His timing, and when you are ready. When He is ready for you. Stepping into the kingdom too early will lead to your destruction. Use your field. Enjoy your field. Be where you are and look for opportunities to serve and grow.

God always fulfills His promises. The leaves always change. Fall always comes. But summer is good, y’all.

*sips pumpkin spice latte.

where to stay in maui // hawaii part four

Obviously there are a lot of great places to stay in Maui. We actually made reservations in advance of our trip at a resort I won’t detail, which we were really excited about; however, as we were planning some things to do, learned that it was under heavy construction via lots of poor Google reviews for noise, parts of the hotel being shut down, etc. Needless to say, we anxiously began researching other available places to stay. Cassidy did a lot of investigating and review, and ended up finding a residence rental that is a part of the Honua Kai Resort. It is within the resort, with all of the resort amenities, but is managed by Maui Resort Rentals and serves as a residence, which made it incredibly comfortable for our extended stay.

Maui Resort Rentals was fantastic to work with. They answered all of our questions right away about the spaces we were looking at, allowing for a seamless decision to cancel our previously booked room and schedule our week with them. We were so grateful for their directions, guidance, and assistance prior to and during our trip. The room was immaculately cleaned, and they left very kind welcome treats for our arrival.

We actually ended up getting a discounted rate because they were doing construction below us, but we overlook construction all the time at home, so we didn’t mind! Definitely keep an eye out for deals like this, because we had a fantastic experience, and the construction wasn’t at all distracting for us.

Our condo was twice the size of the apartment we live in downtown, but it was nice having the space since we were typically getting ready at the same time after enjoying the beach and pools… or I was getting ready and could let Cassidy nap in peace may have been the real advantage. The patio with a view of both the water and the mountains was unbelievable and we really savored spending time out there to read and just be. Since it was a residence, there were chairs, an umbrella, and a cooler stored in a closet for us to take out to the beach. We loved the additional amenities of a residence available like dishes, a dishwasher, a refrigerator we could stock, and a washer and dryer in case we needed it.

Food Truck Park was an easy walk from our resort, which we took advantage of a couple times (I discussed some of our favorite places we ate in this post). Because we had a refrigerator and dishwasher, we hit the Target close to the airport (per recommendation from my kind and knowledgeable mother in law) and got some water and a few snacks to keep on hand in our room. We especially loved these chips, which we learned are actually made in Washington (lol), and can be ordered on Amazon.

Our resort was also an easy drive down to the Whaler’s Village and downtown Lahaina, but it was also nice being just a little outside of the heavy tourist areas where we didn’t feel too crowded. One evening we ventured over to that area and experienced where we would have originally stayed, and felt more affirmed about our decision to change locations since our place was just more our pace. We really enjoyed downtown Lahaina, which I covered in the previous Hawaii-related post, and if you are a nightlife person, it could be a great area to stay in. Cassidy and I pretty much were in bed by 9 with the time change and we are personally not nightlife people, so our location definitely worked out well for us. It was really quiet and serene. Even with guests around us at the pools during the day, I still felt like we had plenty of time to ourselves.

Overall, we would highly recommend Honua Kai Resort, but would also suggest working with Maui Resort Rentals, because they undoubtedly made our experience all the more worthwhile!

Head here to read more about where to eat, this post talks about our new environmentally friendly applications, and this post discusses activities to do while in Maui.

what to do in maui // hawaii part three

I’ll be honest, Cassidy and I spent the better part of our Maui vacation relaxing, reading in the sun, and enjoying good food, all of which I highly recommend. We had plans to do more and see more, but it just felt so good to unwind in tropical paradise, and reset for our next season. We did make time for a few activities, so I’m making suggestions based on that, but also listing a few things we could have done, had we either planned accordingly or willed ourselves to move from the beach/pool situation more.

What to do in Lahaina:

1. SNUBA

   Seriously, do NOT miss this recreational activity. And don’t just snorkel. Splurge for the SNUBA, no questions asked. This was hands down, one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had. As our diver said, snorkeling is 2D. SNUBA takes it to three dimensional. Our diver was Todd, and if you can, for sure make a reservation to go with him.

   We did the Discover Kaanapali tour with Trilogy, and the entire crew was incredible. They served both breakfast and lunch, as well as some snacks, which also makes it feel even more worthwhile. Make sure you eat and drink lots of water, because it really does exert a lot of energy! We let them know ahead of time I am gluten free, so they had a little açaí bowl prepared for me (which you know is practically my love language if you follow me on Stories), making me a happy camper!

   I was a little cautious and unsure, but one of the girls on our excursion was a SCUBA diver, and she told me beforehand that she initially hyperventilates every time she goes. Had I not been aware of this, I wouldn’t have recognized the signs of what was happening, but this is exactly what happened to me. It’s against your normal human-survival-nature to be able to breathe underwater. I was completely panicking but Todd motioned to slow down my breathing and relax, and then I was able to figure out what I was doing wrong. Once I slowed down, and learned to trust the equipment, I was able to navigate the art form that is balancing out your ears, and then I settled in and enjoyed the swim.

   We swam through the coral reef, saw a puffer fish, and swam next to several sea turtles just feet from us! One even almost ran right into Cassidy’s goggle face!

   Be sure to read all of the information they give beforehand. My biggest recommendation is to wear and take reef safe sunscreen (I obviously personally love the Beautycounter line) the entire time you’re in Hawaii. If you go in or after 2021, that will be all that is sold in the islands anyway, thanks to groundbreaking legislation, but it’s really just so much better for the reef, as the cheap stuff permanently damages it. You can read more about our environmental takeaways from Hawaii here.

   The whole experience was absolutely amazing! Definitely a must!

2. Explore downtown Lahaina

   This is pretty straightforward, but if you’re like us, and on Eastern time, it’s easy to get up early, watch the sun rise over the mountains (depending where you are on the island), and go to downtown Lahaina before the night owls are even conscious. We went ahead and went to breakfast as soon as Down the Hatch (read my Where to Eat in Maui post) was open. Parking can be a challenge in this area, so getting in early helps, and then it was nice to take our coffee to go and just walk around while it was quiet and not as hot. These were honestly some of my favorite mornings. It felt like we really got to enjoy the slow pace of the island lifestyle before it was dominated with tourists.

3. Wake up for the sunrises

   As I said above, the time change really helps to be able to enjoy this part of God’s creation. Since we were in Lahaina, and we had a dual ocean and mountain view from our balcony, we got to see the most beautiful sunrises I’ve ever experienced in my life. Our trip came at a pivotal moment for me personally, so it was so special to hear God’s voice and assurance in those quiet moments before the rest of the world was stirring. It felt like He had painted the sky just for me. I will forever remember those precious mornings.

What to do in Maui

1. Haleakalā Sunrise

   This is something we didn’t get to experience, but not for lack of effort on our part. If you know you are going to Maui, spots are open up for this sunrise tour up to 60 days in advance. Once this window closes, you have to wait until two days in advance and at the 7:00am HST mark, you can possibly score a spot. We almost got in, but the spots filled before we could click the final button. It’s cut throat, and unfortunately we had booked our trip after the 60 day mark. Sunset is supposed to be great too, but we had sunset reservations elsewhere.

2. Drive the Road to Hana

   If I was planning this trip again, I would have done this very first, but the thought of sitting in a car after the longest travel day ever was unappealing. Looking back though, this would have been the time to venture through it both to enjoy the scenery right away, but also because the airport isn’t too far from the first stop. Lahaina isn’t the closest driving time-wise, so it would have taken us almost an hour drive just to get started. If you do the entire thing and take time at all the stops, it would take you a couple days. You have to figure out what matters most to you, but the stops we did (along with some extra driving) are below.

3. Go to Paia

   I talked about the best açaí bowl I ever had in this post, which was in Paia. It’s a cute little surf town, so we walked around a little, but also definitely head from here to the Ho’okipa Lookout, which is also a stop on The Road to Hana. Amazing views. A photo from this spot is on our AT&T screensaver if that tells you anything. If the waves are good, it’s also super fun to watch the surfers and wind surfers. We got to see a ton of sea turtles on the beach too, which was really cool.

If I can offer any advice, honestly, just slow down, unwind, and enjoy the laid-back island life. It takes some time to get around the island, traffic can surprisingly get backed up based on time of day, but just sit back and enjoy the ride. Everywhere you look there are breathtaking views. Bask in the warm sun and experience God’s creation. It is such a special and unique place!

maui food [trucks] // where to eat in maui

We ate a lot of good food in when we went to Hawaii earlier this summer. This is a super straight forward post about where to eat in Maui, should you find yourself there, particularly in the Lahaina/Kaanapali area, which is where we stayed. Obviously there are plenty of other places to eat. We can only fit so much into one week, hard as we tried to go for it all! I grouped our selections by meal below to hopefully make it a little easier to digest:

Dinner

1. Mala Ocean Tavern

   Make a reservation for sunset. You can request to be on the patio, and they will do their best to honor your request, but can’t guarantee it. This was probably my favorite meal we had. Everything about it lended to the experience. It’s in downtown Lahaina and the exterior is unassuming, but the interior is beautiful and it is right on the water. We were able to sit on the patio, with the sun setting over the water, and the waves crashing up over the wall, onto our feet. The service is absolutely fantastic, from the hostess to the servers, and the food is incredible - I had the Balinese stirfry with fresh island fish, but with the Molokai purple mash potatoes instead of rice, per recommendation. Definitely get dessert and make it the butterscotch pot de crème, which I would have never chosen on my own, but was suggested by our phenomenal server.

2. Aloha Mixed Plate

   This place is all about the experience. They also host a luau every night, and it’s right on the water as well (next to Mala), so you can hear the luau and choose to have traditional food prepared for it, which is what we did. I will say, this was not my favorite food-wise, but just because it was unique and not my typical cup of tea. This dinner was more about the overall experience of the meal and the atmosphere, which is why I would still highly recommend. The dessert (pineapple upside down cake, which happens to be gluten free) was out of this world. If nothing else, plan your night to stop by just for this!

3. Maui Tacos

   A local chain, and not at all fine dining, but the blackened fish taco was so good we went once for lunch and returned a second time for dinner to go.

4. Maui Food Truck Park

   This location (also the backdrop for this shoot) happened to be walking distance from our resort, and was a fun place to grab dinner and either sit under the lights or bring back to our hotel, which is what we did the first night after our arrival following a long long day of traveling. Cassidy got some BBQ, which was great, and I opted for poké bowls both times we walked over.

Brunch

1. Down the Hatch

   Also in downtown Lahaina, which is closer to where we stayed, it’s fully outdoors and features live music, depending on what time you arrive. We of course were on eastern time, so were up and at ‘em and arrived by 8am Hawaiian time (2pm ET), but the music had usually started up about the time we were headed out. The huevos rancheros montaña did not disappoint, and Cass enjoyed his chicken & waffles. It was such a fun little place to sit and hang out in the beautiful weather, then get coffee (iced of course), to walk around Lahaina before all the tourists were awake and crowding. We later learned it was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, and the other meals also look incredible.

2. Paia Bowls

   Hands down the best açaí bowl I’ve ever had. An Instagram-friend, Marit Engdal [@marit1306], suggested this to me. Paia is a little surf town and a stop on The Road to Hana. We enjoyed walking around, and Cassidy hit up Paia Bay Coffee & Bar for coffee and banana bread. This little gem was certainly worth the drive for us from Lahaina!

3. Break The Wall

   The second time we went to Down the Hatch, I ventured “next door” to their sister açaí/shaved ice/coffee shop for a giant but delicious açaí bowl.

Dessert

1. The Shave Ice Spot

   You can’t go wrong and you must get the shaved ice somewhere because they’re everywhere, but we enjoyed going to this modest location for an afternoon pick-me-up since it was close to our resort, but we also felt like it had the best syrup to ice ratio, and was a good bang for your buck versus the couple others where we indulged.

2. Hawaii Gelato

   Yum. I wish I had gone here more often because what I had and everything I sampled was delicious! Unfortunately that whole time change thing kept us from venturing out too far beyond sunset dinners. It was kind of nice to be on a vacation where we felt like we had slept in, but still got to enjoy the entire day!

3. Mala Ocean Tavern and Aloha Mixed Plate

   The aforementioned butterscotch pot de crème and the pineapple upside down cake, respectively. Seriously, I would go to both of these places just for the sweets!

Again, there are plenty of great places to go, but these are the ones we enjoyed most (because yes, I did I leave a few off the list!) And if you do go to Hawaii, enjoy! Because I sure can’t wait to return!