Friday, November 25, 2016

The Subscription for a Sun Seeker: A Sneak Peak into the Sunshine Society

I have always loved the sun and the tropics. Always. It's no shocker to anyone who knows me well that I live in the islands. The constant backdrop of jaw-dropping beauty, the quirkiness of island living, the three-quarter time pace of life, and the mixed cultural milieu are all parts of what I absolutely love about living on a 'rock'... Most of all, however, I love the sun. I don't worship it in a Magda from Something About Mary sort of way (gotta take care of our skin people!), but I learned early on that my mood directly correlates with the weather and when the sun is shining, life - for me - is brighter, happier and just...better.

I realize that there are many people out there like me who's moods correlate with the sun, for whom water calms their soul, and who eagerly count down the days to their next beach vacation. Unlike me, however, many of these folks cannot actually *live* in paradise like I do.

Enter: THE SUNSHINE SOCIETY!


The Sunshine Society is a monthly subscription box delivered right to your door, full of authentic tropical goodness, from an island with love. For $40 a month, your will receive:
  • 4 – 6 hand-selected island gifts each month
  • (Avg. $70+ retail value in every box!)
  • Boxes feature unique themes, varying tropical destinations, and a connection to the fascinating women who call them home.
  • Beach life gifts, custom accessories by island artisans, and many more treats from the tropics.

I was gifted a box to review and I have to tell you, being a subscription box newbie I had no idea what to expect but I was very pleasantly surprised. Every single item was packaged beautifully and opening up my sunshine box made me feel giddy like a kid on Christmas (speaking of, this would make a great gift!)

This is what was packed in my box o' sun!

If you know our boat and our style, you know this rustic island wind chime is RIGHT up my alley! 
I have recently fallen in love with the body scrubs from this local brand, so I was so stoked to discover more of their goodies
This beautiful signature sunshine society necklace (on a 16" sterling silver chain) is so delicate and beautiful.
I. LOVE. THIS.
 My favorite item in the box is hand's down the Lotus and Luna beach kimono which, in the states, would retail at a boutique for $50 or more. It is so beautiful, well made, light and functional. It can be worn over a bikini at the beach to keep the sun off my shoulders, or over a regular tank top to spruce up an evening outfit, or just rolled up and thrown in a bag to be worn when needed. I love it and it's become a staple of mine. Only wish I had some more in other colors!
I love the Sunshine Society!
If you or someone you love is longing for a dose of sunshine straight from the islands, this box is for you! Thank you SUNSHINE SOCIETY for adding a little more sun into my life. SIGN UP TODAY to get your dose of island sun and fun!

*Full disclosure: I received my box of Sunshine for free in return for a review. All opinions are my own. 

Friday, November 04, 2016

Change on the Horizon and Settling into a New Normal

Dropping off the girls for their first day of preschool was hard. While, in theory, they had been asking to go to school for months (something about school busses, of which there are zero here ... *that* was not fun news to break), when push came to shove and they realized they would not be by my side for an entire three hours, they were less keen. I, however, was keen so after I peeled all three girls off of me (with the help of several teachers), I kissed them all and did the brisk walk off the premises. Did I cry? Nope. Maybe that sounds odd (because I know lots of moms who do), but I didn't and I really believe this little break three times a week will do the world of good for all of us. I was told it took them exactly four seconds to calm down, stop crying and they had a great day. Already, the girls have made a few more friends, talk excitedly about their day's there, and I've expanded my community of great island moms. Did I mention how lovely it is to spend 2-3 hours alone a few times a week? It might not seem like much, but to me, it's the equivalent to a five day stay at Fijian all inclusive. That is how rejuvenated I feel. Breaks are good. So is not having three (adorable and lovable) toddlers nipping at your heals at all hours. That s*** can really grate at your nerves.
Them waddling down the docks together in their backpacks will forever be etched in my memory as one of the cutest images ever.
They will attend their little school three times a week. Despite our 6/6:30 am wake-up time, getting all three of them out the door by 9am is a struggle. Come to think of it, a whole lot of my life with our three girls feels very much like herding cats. It's infinitely worse now that the twins have very distinct opinions on what to wear, eat and - in general - how and when to do things. Oh, toddlerhood. It's the best of times and the worst of times all rolled into one. On the one hand, it's my most favorite stage ever because they are so cute and chatty and funny and adorable. On the other hand, we have the tantrums, meltdowns, and general lack of impulse control. It's full-on. One moment we're hunky dory, the next it sounds like I'm pulling our their fingernails one by one down here. Thank god we have great neighbors who either pretend not to care or have a lot of empathy. I get a lot of gently delivered, "You're doing a great job, mom" comments from friends around us. That's when I know they heard me lose my s***. Good stuff.

So, school... the girls are still not at the point where they run up to the gate excitedly, but I think we're getting there. It's only been four days....Mira is pretty much a Cat 5 clinger during each drop off which is hard, but she is our most sensitive and cuddly one so it was expected. Haven, of course, is the least effected and while she does shed a tear or two, it's manageable and all I need to do is offer an after school treat as a bribe and she's good. Isla, for the most part, loves it and her new friends. Hearing all the kids excitedly say, "Bye Isla" in unison when she leaves is the cutest thing ever. I feel 100% good about this decision and I'm told it will get easier and easier.

What else, what else, what else...? (Scratches chin) OH YEAH. We bought a new boat.

Yep. 

We bought a new boat. (contains excited squeal of utter glee).

We are now the proud owners of a bee-you-tee-ful three cabin Tayana 48. I have a whole post on the how's and why's and what's, but this boat is a huge development and I honestly think it's going to change our life. I realize how ridiculous and dramatic that sounds but it's true. A family of five in a two "bedroom" boat is tight to say the least and while there are many families out there would would make it work and thrive in such an arrangement, that is not us. We always knew a bigger boat was in our future so when I found s/v Legato online and the stars aligned that we could check her out, we moved and we moved fast. Anyway...more on that later but you have no idea how excited we are about this change. It's like a million Christmas Eve's (before you found out the truth about Santa) rolled into one. If you are interested in checking out pics (aka "boat porn") check out our >>>Facebook Page<<<.

As such, this boat will be for sale shortly. If you know any one in the market for a very well equipped Brewer 44 sitting pretty smack-dab in the middle of the beautiful Caribbean, send them our way. We've already got a bunch of inquiries so that is fantastic, but the more word that gets out the better. We don't want to own two cruising boats for too long, that's for damn sure. I'm working on a proper listing but for now, here's some info about our boat: >>>>OUR BOAT FOR SALE<<<<. We will probably be listing with a broker soon so if you want to strike while the iron is hot and keep the middle man out, now's the time.

Scott is as busy as ever on >>>our biz<<<. Owning a (very busy!) business is incredible and wonderful, but it's a crap ton of work and - SHOCKER - it literally never stops when you are the owner. Scott has been pulling eighteen hour days and works seven days a week. The poor guy rarely gets a break and yet never complains. He's working very hard on a better "work-life balance" for both our family and the folks we employ - so he's getting systems in place to streamline things and make sure we can all play hard after we work hard. It's all about balance, right? Easier said than done but that is the goal.

We are settling in for a wild and crazy ride the next couple of months as the season gets into full swing and our new boat gets delivered (early to mid December). Merry Christmas to us! I will keep you posted.
Halloween, Island Style! While we did not get to go trick or treating door to door (not really feasible here) - the girls attended THREE incredible Halloween parties with their school and friends. They had a blast!

This post was brought to you by preschool.
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