Life of Larisa or LOL

Nothing beats the beach. The beach in Hawaii...even harder to beat. We have been trying to take full advantage of this luxury.  2016 is already shaping up to be our year of the beach. Weekly outings to various beaches are already on the calendar, and I'm not complaining.  Where else can you take in beautiful palm trees, bright blue skies, dip your toes in the warm sand, and splash in refreshing ocean waves? Even if we only make it for the last few rays of sun with a packed picnic, we are loving the year of the beach...our car, not so much.    My hair may be getting a little more damaged, but my feet are getting a free exfoliation. And the kids? Energy used is translating into early bedtime and better nights sleep. Fun in the sun is about the only thing I've found to tire these two out.  Those VitaminSea hashtags are on to something. Those surfers who "would go"...also on to something. Salt water is healing and mood altering. If you haven't visited your favorite lo

It's feeling a lot like milestone mania around here. I've jabbered on about turning forty...but, how about the mini milestone? It's not high school graduation or running a marathon, but what about things like being able to drop off my pre-teen at the movies, the local shopping center, or recently the carnival, without me hovering close behind? Or my preschooler writing his first and last name by himself? (good grief that was painful...and looooooong to watch). It's the daily tasks and accomplishments that I'm referring to here.  Milestone mania has arrived and brought along its friend crazy curls.  My kiddos have been growing and I decided I better document it. For Moms, documents are known as photos. And for their kids, they are known as irritations. Please enjoy some of our recent irritations...documented on the Internet for my pleasure---one of the luxuries of my forty milestone---gonna do what I like!  Milestone: "Mom, I put all these buttons on my pjs a

If you are looking for a post on tennis...this ain't it. But, it is all about the milestone of turning 40... However you choose to rationalize, label, or disguise it... Forty. Four decades. Twenty twice. Halfway to eighty...there's no denying that there are way more "adulting" days in my week than there were in my twenties and thirties. With two kids at home, my forties will most likely involve a great deal more driving to various sport practices, having hard talks with the teen about peer pressure, treating more colds and coughs, breaking up brotherly scuffles, and hopefully laughter and celebrations for other milestones (learning to drive---gah! heading to kindergarten---sniff, sniff!) sprinkled in.  Turning 40 seemed like a lifetime away when I was graduating high school. And a place in the distant future for "old people" when I was in college. But, now, I'm here. I've arrived at 40 with a more realistic outlook. I've acquired a few new gray h