A Little Maintenance
Can we just leave for this vacation already? Okay, maybe I’m glad we didn’t leave this weekend.
We elected to fly out on Tuesday to save our cash for dashboard hula dancers from the ABC Stores and Macadamia Nut Turtles from Hilo Hattie’s (act surprised, Mom). As a result, this weekend has been the time to take care of all those little things around the house to prevent us from returning home in a week and a half, walking in and saying, “What stinks in here?!”
It will not be the upstairs and downstairs bathrooms, nor will it be the fridge.
I did a thorough removal of all perishable food items (which fortunately isn’t much when you don’t eat meat and only very little dairy, and is even less when a hungry toddler offers to take a string cheese, apple and half a jar of pickles off your hands).
I even cleaned out the grunge from the condiment filled door and gathered almost enough “pulp” from the bottoms of the produce drawers to make crackers.
Lulu also helped keep an eye on my green juice that I sipped while I cleaned.
Pucker while you work!
- 3 collard greens
- 1 apple
- 1/2 a cucumber
- 1 head romaine lettuce
- 1 inch ginger
- 1/4 of a large lemon
Then, after our fridge was clean enough to eat out of, we headed out for a little more maintenance.
Gigi and I had plans to meet Susan for pedicures, as a special treat for parading our toes in sandals all week. Gigi had a pedicure before we went to Hawaii two years ago, and has been asking for another one ever since. I am ashamed to admit, that’s the last time I had one too. You can bet, much like my produce drawer, that crackers could also be made from lingering pulp.
Once we picked our polishes, we settled in for a good soak, some practice of our multilingual communication skills and a round of good, old-fashioned nervous neck pinching.
After about ten minutes, my maternal guilt sank in, and I realized how much Lulu would have LOVED the experience as well, regardless of the fact that she is 2 1/2. The kid doesn’t wear diapers anymore, she deserves a pedicure! I hope she remembers this when I’m 92, in diapers and in need of a good sanding and polish.
She was in heaven.
All she needed was a tub of cottage cheese and Blankie and she would have moved in. Poor Pea Daddy was such a sport about it too.
The end result, sparkly pink flowers for Gigi,
sparkly pink polka dots for Lulu,
and for me
ORANGE!
Susan thankfully talked me out of the rhinestone Hibiscus on my big toes and the Lucite platforms with live goldfish.
Other maintenance for the day has included picking up snacks to pack for the plane and while driving around the island. Call me cheap, but I’m just not crazy about the idea of paying $7 for a Larabar in paradise.
- Larabars
- Dark chocolate bars
- Clif bars
- Z-bars
- Fruit leathers
- Yogurt covered raisins
- Organic Peanut Butter Crackers
- Multiseed rice crackers
I’ll also be packing some apples and a bag of carrot sticks, you know, to maintain the skin tone to match my toes.
In additional maintenance, I’ve set up some guest posts to appear over the week (I’ll be posting periodically as well), and I updated my recipe page. I’m toying with the idea of setting up a printable recipe box (rather than linking to old posts, like the page does now). Let me know if this is something you’d be interested in and if you have any other suggestions or things you’d like to see.
The plan for the next 36 hours is to run around stuffing anything that looks halfway appealing into a suitcase or carry-on, and to keep everyone from dirtying up the house.
“Can’t you use the bathroom at school, Gigi?”
“Use the shower at the gym, Pea Daddy!”
We’ve got a clean house to maintain!
I love the little chair that they had for Lulu!! How fun!
Have an AWESOME TIME! I am super jealous! I am in MN. Put it this way, I could hear Canadians cheering when they won the hockey game, so spring and significant sun is months off here!
Safe travels and a printable recipe box is a sup idea!
AWWWW! I love the orange, it’ll look great in the sand. I should know, I’m from Hawai’i!!!
I love the recipe box idea, I’m all for that. Have an AMAZING time!!!
I am so excited to take my daughter for her first pedicure next month when she turns 5! She’s been asking for the cute little flowers on her nails, just like Gigi’s! Now that I see Lulu’s though I think she might change her mind. So cute!
ABC Stores are a total rip off. But I could live with that if I were in paradise.
now i need a pedicure and dark chocolate bar.
i always bring a stash with me in the suitcase and plane. it’s just nice to be prepared.
enjoy your green juice!
I so thought of you guys (among others, of course) when I woke up to the news about the tsunami warnings for Hawaii. So glad the trip is still on.
I love getting ready for a trip in the last few days leading up to it–it’s all the fun stuff! Ok, I guess cleaning the fridge isn’t that fun, but your pedicure day looks spectacular
I want to BE Lulu
I love that first photo of her–cutest smirk ever.
Cute nails–HAVE A GREAT TRIP!!!!!!
Their little pedicured toes are about the cutest darn things. Off to Hawaii, are ya?
I hear ya on this:
Call me cheap, but I’m just not crazy about the idea of paying $7 for a Larabar in paradise.
And the pedi. This morning while I was out groc shopping, Scott to Skylar and got a pedi. For himself. Then, he went to another salon and got his eyebrows waxed, with her with. So she went on Spa Day with her Dad..who’s clearly into personal grooming. I havent had a paid-for pedi in over a year!!!
I’d LOVE to see a printable recipe box section in your blog! I use your recipes a lot and that’d certainly be a huge help!
Wishing you and your beautiful family safe travels and lots of unforgettable new memories…
The girls’ tiny feet are so adorable – love their pedicures!
I often dream of doing this with my children someday. Okay, assuming they are girls. I always thought it was the most endearing thing to see a mom take her young daughter for a little pampering treat like getting a manicure. So cute!
Have an AMAZING trip!!!!!!
Okay, I am LOVING those polka dot toes! Have a great trip!
my bf and I always pack bars when we travel! He ends up eating them while I grab cookies from local bakeries…you know..since I’m VACAY
What a fun thing to do! Whenever we go away, I am always watching my husband like a hawk…afraid he is going to make something I already cleaned, dirty again!
Have a wonderful trip!
awwh, looks like yall had a fun girls day out! the pink flowers and polka dots were just too cute. again i say, your kids are so blessed.
as for the recipe box, i think that’s a great idea.
have a fantastic time in hawaii. the sweet smell of vacation is just around the corner for me as well, st. lucia for 7 glorious days;-).
All of your toes look great, and Lulu’s in particular look amazing! Those polka dots are so cute.
I am packing my 6 month old, husband, and me for a trip right now as well…sadly, ours is to Cleveland rather than Hawaii! I still can’t get over what an ordeal packing a baby is! I wonder if it gets easier or harder as they get older. Anyway, as a fellow full time mom, I really enjoy your blog!
You guys look adorable, what a fun day at the nail salon with the girls! Hope you have a wonderful trip!
Love the toes! The littlest toes look so sweet! You guys are going to have a blast. I am so jealous…I need a vacation so badly! I have never been to Hawaii so I will be happy to see some of your photos! It is always nice to see other people packing their “hobo” snacks for a trip. That is what my husband calls the snacks I take with me. Sometimes I think I take more snacks that anything else! Have a great trip!
Love the girls’ toes!! Have a great vacay
I love the toesies!! Nice, clean fridge–looks like you guys are set to go!
Have a safe trip
AWWWWW!!! I love waking up to a post full of cute little toesies. That sounds creepier than it is. And I’m all about pink, polka dots AND hot orange. Love!
Those are some phenomenal snacklettes! I think the PB crackers would last 20 minutes around me.
Here’s hoping the johns stay clean until departure time! Much love
xoxo
Love the recipe idea!!! I am back at least once a week to make one of your recipes!!
Oh I’m so excited that you all are going on vacation!
Hooray!
Just got back from Maui yesterday! Nothing like blaring tsunami sirens at 5:30 am to add a little vacation excitement. Have a wonderful time!
Wow, so many things to say about this post:
1. A string cheese, an apple, and half a jar of pickles? Girl after my own heart.
2. I remember the first time I got a pedicure with my mom. Bright red with yellow flowers. Key moment in every young girl’s life, I think
3. If you wake up tomorrow to find that some thief has broken into your house and stolen that pile of all of my favorite bars, I have no idea about the identity of said thief…
Seriously, though: HAVE A GREAT TRIP!!!!
What a fun trip for the Pea Family!! Pea Daddy is such a good sport! Good luck getting everything together for your big trip!! Have a great time
those pictures were too cute for words.
I love that picture of Lulu and the juice….so adorable!
I would love it if you could put in a recipe box, or better yet, a recipe index!
When I was 10 the only thing I wanted was a manicure – who knew that as much as my mom fought me on it, it only cost her $10. Cheapskate! I think I’ve had maybe 3 pedicures ever – I’m way too ticklish for my own good…
Your girls toes are too adorable
We’re off to Cabo on Wednesday, so sometime before then I need to fit in a pedicure, otherwise it’s going to be ugly…
Hope you have a wonderful time!
Yah for orange toes! I was going to suggest orange when you wrote about going for a pedi- I hesitated on going orange for my trip to Mexico last month, but decided to go for it…and it looks AWESOME with nice, tanned feet and legs!
I think the printable recipe box would be a fantastic idea!
Have a great trip to Hawaii
that pic of lulu with the green juice is maybe the cutest ever. i know i tend to say that once a week or so, but with this one its true. the girls look like they are in heaven in the nail salon. adorable!! ummm…my first pedicure was in 2008. can you believe i lived in LA for 4 years and that didnt break me? no…it was new york that REALLY brought out the materialistic side of me
haha. whatever, its nice every once in a while to treat yourself. lucky for me, i only discovered this pampering a few years ago…you introduced them to the life of luxury WAY too soon, haha, you are so screwed. oh well, it appears they have moved on with the face painting, so perhaps this is just the next step? stay away from massages, thats all i have to say.
oh, and (of course) have a BLAST in hawaii!!! if you are going to maui, you MUST check out merriman’s – its pretty fancy but the views are amazing, and they are eco responsible and harvest all their own stuff (from produce to seafood – all of it). such a great restaurant.
Pedicures look great!
BTW, I would love to have printable recipes. It’s a bit of a pain scrolling down an old post to find the recipe. Not a big deal, but it would be helpful!
Aww what a cute little pedicured family! Really jealous. Don’t you think you can pack me too?
P. Daddy looks much more enthusiastic then i was the last time i was waiting for someone to get a pedicure… My dad and i were almost persuaded by his girlfriend to get one last year before leaving for a big hike, but my feet are too far gone from running for anyone to be able to touch/fix them, not to mention i didn’t want to be made fun of
… I wish my family packed those kind of snacks on vacations when i was younger! I can recall spending all of my allowance on airport trail mix when i was like 8. 
Cute toes!! I’m so jealous, have a good time!!!
I can never get over how freakin’ adorable your daughters are, MamaPea! They are the BEST! What a fun mother-daughters day!
I *love* those polka dot toes on Lulu! I still love your haircut, too. It’s so chic!
Have a wonderful vacation!!!
Why haven’t I noticed yogurt covered raisins at TJ’s? They sound so perfect
Those polka dots on Lulu’s toes are to die for. So perfect for her!
I was thinking of your family this weekend amongst the tsunami scare and hysteria – hope it doesn’t impact your vacation at all and you guys have an amazing time. It’ll be adorable to see the girls in little hula skirts. Take pictures (do I even really have to say it?)!
That picture of Lulu with the juice is great.
Is the woman next to you guys wearing a Boise State Sweatshirt?!? BOOOOO to Boise State.
Sorry, had to say it as an Idaho Alum (even if I am embarassed that Sarah Palin went there).
Um, please don’t make crackers after the pedi! LOL! Enjoy your trip! And yes, I would enjoy a recipe box to access your delicious recipes!
Have fun! I love the pedicures (your girls look adorable!) – I always get the orange colour when I get mine done and I love it!
Good for you for packing snacks. My husband and I travel within our province in the summer, usually, and I make sure to pack plenty of snacks. Of course, whether or not I actually eat them depends on how well my motivation is, but it’s good to know they’re there. LOL!
K
PS – And how nice of Papa Pea to wait for you guys – I know my husband would be having a hissy fit at some point.
Such a great post Mama Pea! The photo of Lulu over your juice is quite possibly one of the cutest ever!
Have a fantabulous trip, I’m jealous of the lovely pedicures – imagining how beautiful they’ll look in the Hawaiian sunshine.
We’ll look forward to your return! Safe and happy travels.
I would love a recipe box! I make your recipes a lot, and would love an easier way to access them. Have a wonderful vacation!
Little girl toes are the CUTEST things ever and only made cuter with polish. Self-care is very important – it’s good that they learn this now!
I know 3 people (if by “know” you mean “read their blogs”) who were evacuated over the weekend from the islands. Hopefully you’ll have a stress-free getaway!
I make at least one of your recipes every week it seems, so printable recipes would be awesome!
I hope you have a great time on your trip
Oooh, a printer-friendly option would be great fun for the recipes! Though I’m quite used to the cut-and paste routine by now so I wouldn’t feel too much pressure if I were you if it turns out to be a tech headache.
Have a WONDERFUL time on your trip! I will covet your macadamia turtles for damn sure.
First off have an amazing time!
Second… those cute toes… omg… I LOVE the flowers. I want some… can you bring me for a pedicure next time!!
Could not help but notice your ginormous tub of Costco spinach. Did you know you can throw the whole thing, as is, in the freezer??? It doesn’t stick together, you just get crunchy spinach perfect for smoothies or sauteing. I just chuck mine into the freezer when I get home cause I think it tastes soapy raw. Hope you didn’t already know that, just thought it would sure be a shame for that lovely green goodness to get icky while you were gone. Have fun!
Thanks Stacey! Actually, that spinach is almost gone…I’m saving the last bit for dinner tonight. We go through two tubs a week!
How fun that you and your girls went for pedicures!! I was thinking having a baby boy first would be fun, but now a girl sounds awesome! Although truthfully I’m happy with a healthy baby.
I digress! I had to laugh about your cleaning antics – I am exactly the same way when I clean regularly, let alone when we go anywhere. I’m constantly wiping down bathroom counters or picking up microscopic specks from the kitchen floor after I’ve vacuumed.
It sounds like you are well-stocked up for your trip! I’m definitely going to miss your daily posts, but I look forward to the guest ones and you popping in when you can. Have a great trip!!
Oops! I forgot to say that I LOVE the idea of a printable recipe page!!
Enjoy your trip Mama Pea! My mom still took me for pedicures right up until my wedding and it was a great bonding experience, although pedicures are so hard for me since I’m deadly ticklish!
Love all of your pedis–but I think Lulu wins with the polka dots:)
Excellent travel snacks too. Just curious, what’s your favorite Clif flavor?
Love the idea of printable recipes!!!! Have fun on your trip!
Have a safe and wonderful trip!
Ha ha, I spent almost 4 hours cleaning the house today, and CD is not allowed to pee or fry bacon for at least 2 days!
Hope the Pea family has an amazing time – I know you will. Enjoy showing off your beautiful toes in the warm sunshine and eat plenty of macadamia nuts for me please…oh, and while you’re at it, please plant a big smooch on Sawyer from HEAB if you should happen to run into him. Thx!
Eat some macadamia nuts for me.
The printable recipes sound great! Can’t wait to see and hear about Hawaii. How devine!!!
YOu all have such cute toes!
And I pack my own snacks too. We’re on a trip this week and didn’t want to pay convenience store prices.
Have fun on your trip momma! LOVE the orange pedi. Fierce! And thank you for saving the goldfish.
Have fun on your trip! Though I know you will
The pedicure adventure is too cute! Love it 
Have a great trip!
I would loooove a printer-friendly recipe box if you would do it. I’ve been cut & pasting and hand transcribing your recipes.
The girls’s painted twinkle toes are absolutely adorable! Have a great vacation!
Woot woot on the Boise sweatshirt! We made the blog!
I love the lucite shoes…and all the little pedicures are darling. Such a little girl’s dream. : )
This is SO cute! I love that the girls got pedicures. I love it! I was worried this weekend, I immediately thought of mama pea and tsunami! Glad there wasn’t damage to the island, and you are going to have an awesome time! Can’t wait to read all about it.
I’ve been reading your blog for a while (even before this new one!), but I just had to post today because I’m so excited for your upcoming trip to Hawaii!! I JUST got back from an amazing week there with 5 fabulous girlfriends! The trip was all that I could have imagined (well, minus being awoken by Tsumani sirens at 6AM while staying in a hotel across the street from the ocean in Waikiki… could have done without that!) You and your family are going to have a blast:)
ps… check out my pics on FB if you want!
mama pea…i love the girl pedi time! even better, i love the shot of pea daddy hanging out in the lounge. precious.
HAVE A WONDROUS TRIP!!!!!!!