We snuck away for a quick camping trip to celebrate the birthday of our good friend and fellow crossfitter, Mat (of Mat & Tiara). Not only were we the only group to set up camp in Sugi Grove, but the clear and cloudless night sky coincided with the 2012 supermoon! The trip was a great way for us to unplug from our normal routine, slow down and enjoy the company of our friends, plenty of great food and the surrounding beauty of Koke’e State Park. Signs of summer are definitely in the air.
Gearing up for their Kauai wedding, Brittany and Jeff arrived a little early with an agenda to explore as much of the island as possible. Right after they landed we hit the South Shore in search of sea turtles, and despite poor visibility, we lucked out with a great snorkeling session! Then we wiped the sand off our feet and changed into dinner attire on the side of the road. Jeff and Brittany insisted on treating us to dinner (the first of many lavish meals during their stay!) at one of the newest and nicest restaurants in Poipu, Red Salt. After narrowly escaping multiple food-comas, we all woke up early the next morning for a day hike to Hanakapi’ai Falls. There’s no better way to catch up with great friends than hiking all day together! Swimming in the icy pool under the falls, then eating lunch on the warm river rocks was the perfect reward and recharge for the hike back. It was awesome experiencing such an incredible waterfall for the first time with Brittany and Jeff. We were also lucky enough to spot a couple rainbows as we headed home! Below is a conglomeration of pictures from the day… Photo credit shared – all the best ones were from their camera 
Many mahalos to Brittany & Jeff for such an incredible time spent together. Stay tuned for their gorgeous wedding photos, coming soon!
We had an awesome visit from our good friend Scott! He dedicated his Spring Break from UCLA’s School of Law to endure a crash course with us at Kauai Crossfit while also motivating us to try adopting his vegan diet for the week. Scott did an amazing job for a first-time crossfitter, and we were mediocre at best in maintaining his diet (backyard eggs and Portuguese sausage are nearly impossible for us to live without). Between the workouts and each carefully prepared vegan meal at home, we trekked from north to south hitting a few of the island’s highlights and hanging out in luxury at the best resorts. It was great catching up, sharing stories and exploring the island together! Thank you for all your generosity, Scott… our doors are always open and we really hope you come back soon!!!
CLICK HERE for an inside look at Maria and Jay’s big day at Shipwrecks Beach on Kauai’s sunny South Shore. We arrived at the Sheraton Poipu for Maria’s “getting ready” photo session as the final details came together in their tropical ocean-view room. Shortly thereafter we all headed to the beach for the main event. Maria looked stunning while Jay couldn’t have appeared happier when they both stepped out of their stretch-limo. From the limo, Maria and Jay walked through a jungly path to their secluded corner of the beach where the soft evening light cast a warm glow throughout their ceremony. As the sun moved towards the horizon we ventured to the top of Shipwrecks bluff to take advantage of the spectacular views and capture a few romantic moments. It was the perfect storybook ending to a warm and beautiful wedding day on Kauai. Congratulations to the newlyweds, Maria and Jay, and mahalo for sharing your delicious wedding cake… yum!
This year for Christmas, Julia and I picked up a couple used kites with the intention of learning how to kitesurf slowly, cautiously, and with the help of our experienced kiting friend, Jerome. The first few sessions involved set-up and safety procedures, but lacked the right wind conditions. When the wind finally picked up enough to actually launch our smaller kite, I felt ready to give it a try behind the controls. One common kiting term used to describe wind-enduced disaster is “Kitemare“. You can see how this lesson ended… kite in a tree, cutting down a tree, Chris in a tree, but thankfully minimal damage in the end.
Every year our cats get a tad fatter, a little happier and a lot lazier. When they’re not terrorizing us for midnight snacks, morning back rubs or water from the tap, they’re usually either snoozing or terrorizing some other nonthreatening creatures. Late in the afternoon they can be found keeping a watchful eye over their hunting grounds while most likely planning their next ill-fated crime.
Normally, midday on a Saturday is a popular time for surfers to enjoy the waves. This day was no different with most of the well known surf spots jam-packed with paddle boarders, body boarders, short and long boarders. Our recent summery weather has brought the crowds to the beach and we’re all happy to take advantage of the postponed rainy season. We were lucky enough to find a more secluded corner to ourselves with the added benefit of a photographer onshore that randomly decided to grab a few shots of our session together. Needless to say, we had a great day “somewhere in Hawaii”.
CLICK HERE for a look into one of the most impressive pieces of property in Aliomanu Estates on the Eastside of Kauai. Nestled beneath Mano Mountain’s breathtaking view of the King Kong profile, this lush four bedroom three bathroom plantation style home sits upon four acres of beautifully manicured landscape. The list of amenities includes gated entry, sweeping ocean views, wrap around lanais, exquisitly modern kitchen, separate guest quarters, large two car garage plus additional storage, upstairs master suite with upgraded bath, outdoor shower, and much more. This dream house was designed to enhance the natural beauty of Kauai’s surrounding paradise… move in ready!
It was a surprisingly warm winter vacation in Washington, filled with lots of Wagner family traditions, great meals together and fun walks in woods. Instead of roasting chestnuts on an open fire, we cracked homegrown Kauai coffee beans by hand and roasted them in an air popcorn popper. With lots of beginners luck and a little research, the coffee was a success and we also got our open fire in the yard thanks to Big Daddy Wags. We took advantage of a couple sunny days strolling around the harbor and venturing into Seattle. On the way to David, April and William’s house, we made a really fun stop at the Experience the Music Project Museum where Ben snapped the coolest picture of us pretending to be rockstars…
After getting our fill of vintage guitars and Seattle’s music history, the famous Dick’s Drive-In was next on the agenda. We had the best deluxe cheeseburgers ever made. Definitely on the top of our do-it-again list for next year. Before our trip was over, we enjoyed time with our nephew William, made a few extra shopping trips, tested our awesome GoPro Christmas present, cleaned numerous buffet plates of dungeness crab and tried to make our dollars last on the slot machines at Tulalip Resort Casino. Many mahalos to the Wagner family for making everyday together special. Happy New Year!
Our Thanksgiving this year definitely stepped it up a notch. A big thanks to Jerome for hosting our feast at his beautiful beach-front home, and to Jill for coordinating everyone’s best pot-luck contribution. We signed up to bring Julia’s special cranberry salad and the turkey, which felt like way more pressure than our usual commitment of side dishes. Luckily after plenty of research, preparation, and the handy imu turkey cook-a-thon fundraiser, we can’t take full responsibility for how incredible it turned out.
The day was complete with speedminton, frisbee, and mixed drinks. Needless to say, it was a perfect sunny and beautiful celebration. We’re thankful for our families, friends, and of course the place we call home. This last picture is where we spent the day after recovering from our huge meal…
Here’s a quick look into our day today… We woke up slowly with the rain, which cleared just in time for our morning exercise class. A quick coffee stop on the way home was followed by a little work around the house: feed the chickens, do laundry, work on holiday projects, putz around. In need of a break from our daunting to-do list, we stopped, dropped, and hopped on the bikes to go for a surf and meet up with friends at the beach. When we got home, four protein-packed omegas were waiting to be collected from our prized backyard egg-laying machines. To top it off, we’ve got one more day left in the weekend. Tough life, I know.
Scissors, spray paint, cardboard and old clothes were on the list of ingredients for our do-it-yourself costumes. They may have turned out a little shabbier than anticipated, but certainly made for a fun day of sporadic creativity. Julia and I had a great time showing off our getups with friends at a crazy costume party. This planetary moon wrangler even tried to blast off under the lights before getting drenched in his own intergalactic sweat…
CLICK HERE for a complete look at Kimberly and John’s romantic morning wedding photography from the end of Anini Beach Road, on Kauai’s breathtaking North Shore. Julia and I started with Kim and the ladies as John welcomed the arriving guests with his contagious sense of humor and warm smile. A light shower moved through the sunshine to bless the celebration and Kim and John quickly stole a moment together under an umbrella. Their ceremony naturally commenced with a casual gathering of close friends and family who were all invited to participate in a unique and personal ring warming tradition. The wedding rings were passed around the circle as funny stories, fond memories, and well-wishes were shared throughout. Following Kim and John’s hand-written exchange of vows, they sealed their bond with a kiss and concluded their beach wedding with a final romantic photo session. After putting the cameras down, we were honored to also share in their brunch reception. Mahalo nui loa for your generosity, congratulations to you both, and we hope you enjoy the photos!
