Day 2: Haleakala National Park and more

We got up bright and early on our second day, to make the drive up to the Summit at Haleakala National Park to watch the sunrise.  The road is very windy, and the drive is in the dark.  I did get a bit of a headache, so next time I would take something for motion sickness.  When we got to the top, there were lots of other vacationers already there.  Make sure not to arrive too late, in order to get a nice spot to watch the sunrise from.  Remember that you are 10, 000 feet up, and the temperature is chilly so bundle up!  Allow yourself some time to stop by the Visitor Center to learn more about the area.

Check out some of the amazing views from the top! 

After the sunrise, we took a hike into the crator on the Sliding Sands trail.  For every twenty minutes down, it takes forty minutes to get back up.  Yikes, right?  We decided an hour hike was probably enough for us since it was so early in the morning.  The views were awesome and while we wanted to keep going, we knew it would be a hard hike back up to where we started.  Overall, we hiked for approximately one hour.  There are lots of other trails throughout the park, so if you have more time, make sure to check them out.

When we made it back from our hike, we decided to go a little further up to the actual summit at Puu Ulaula Overlook, which is over 10,000 ft above sea level.  From here you can see the Haleakala Observatory, and Silversword plants.

From Haleakala National Park, we continued on and stopped at Tedeschi Vineyard where we enjoyed tasting some delicious pineapple wine and a visit to the General Store right down the street. 

From here we stopped at the Ali'i Kula Lavender Farm.  We enjoyed a walk around the property and then enjoyed the picnic lunch that we had packed.  It was beautiful.

We had an amazing time, but headed back to Lahaina to get settled into our condo and enjoy some down time.  Stay tuned for Day 3 including our parasailing adventures!

Where was the most beautiful sunrise that you have ever experienced?

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Looking back at Maui One Year Later: Our Condo

It has been one year since my husband and I visited the amazing island of Maui.  It was an incredible trip that we will both remember for the rest of our lives.  Over the coming week I am going to share some of the favourite places we visited, tours we took, and restaurants where we ate. 

One of the Amazing views found on Maui

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Blogging: Newbie Style

I started my blog in 2009, as a way to keep occupied and share some of my cake decorationing with family and friends.  I then started sharing recipes that I love, along with other life and travel experiences. While I have been blogging for about two and a half years, I still feel like a newbie, as there is so much out there to learn.

These photos were on my very first post.

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Banana Bread or Muffins

There is something special about coming across a recipe that was written out by a loved one.  I love seeing my Granny's writing, years after she passed away.  Making a dish from one of her recipes brings back so many great memories.  Sadly, with todays technology, the tradition of passing down hand written recipes is getting lost.  I encourage you all to take the time to hand write some of your favourite recipes and pass them on to a loved one.

Today I am going to share a recipe with you that was handed down to me by my Mom.  Her banana bread is always a hit with our family, and even when she does a double batch, they do not last for long!  I was so happy when I received this recipe, knowing that I would have a special piece of home no matter how far away I was.  I am happy to be able to share it with all of you today, and my husband was thrilled to get to eat them!

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Thirty!

Wow, today is my 30th birthday!  Where have all the years went? 

I have heard so many people talk about how hard it was to turn thirty, but to tell you the truth, I don't feel that much different.  I am at a good place in my life and have had the opportunity to experience so many wonderful things, and I am sure that there are  many great experiences still to come, so I am happy to be moving forward.

Here is a quick celebration of my thirty years!

Farm Living

Playing in the Mud!



Growing Up!



Marrying my Best Friend

 Here is to many more wonderful years to come.  I can't wait to see what God has in store for me and feel truely blessed for the many memories and experiences that I have had so far!

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New IPAD Giveaway Event Sign Up

Mom to Bed by 8, the Iowa-Mom is proud to present the The New iPad Giveaway Event, sponsored by BeeSavy. Event dates: July 1 to July 15.

Details: This is a free blogger event, open worldwide and blog accepting sign ups now. Join The New iPad Giveaway event with special co-host voiceBoks today!

•If you do not wish to post the announcement, send the $5 via paypal to goodnightmommyboutique@gmail.com with your email address and BeeSavy Event in subject line or notes portion of the form.

•Once you have posted your announcement or sent the paypal payment, fill out this form.

•You will receive an email from me with 7 days, confirming your participation. If you do not, please email me at teri@momtobedby8.com and I will check into it for you.

•Then around June 28th you will receive another email from me with the html code for publishing the giveaway. Note it is required that you publish the giveaway html in full to be included in this event. I will verify links on July 1st around 8am central and if you have not done so, your link on the rafflecopter will be removed. This keeps this event fair for all who joins.

Referral prize: The top referrer will receive $50 paypal or Amazon credit for your effort. Then the top 2 runners-up will receive $10 paypal or Amazon credit Just make sure to add-on your announcement that they should add your blog name or url in the referred by section on the sign up form. This bonus will be paid the on June 2nd after your referral links have been verified.

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Moving Tips

Twice a year I have to pack up and move.  While it is a lot of work, it forces me to do a good clean twice a year and I always feel like I am getting a fresh start.  I started packing over a month ago since we will be moving home as soon as the hockey season is over.  It has been a very exciting year, and the Norfolk Admirals have reached the finals of the Calder Cup.  The last possible day for this series is June 15th, so I know that the move is coming up quickly.

Most of our items are already boxed up and labeled.  Some of our items are going home with us for the summer, while others will stay in storage until next season.  Since we do not know where we will be, we have decided to rent a UHaul Box this year.  Last year we used PODS and it worked great, but we found it was a little expensive to get it delivered, so we are hoping that UHaul will provide us with a good, yet cheaper alternative.  I will write a post at the beginning of next season to let you know about our experience with UHaul.

Each move, I always forget to do something.  I know a lot of other wonderful hockey women that go through these same experiences each season, so I thought I would share some of the secrets that I have learned along the way. 

1. Give your 30, or 60 day notice on your apartment.  Make sure that you get any promises in writing if they say that you can give less notice than is usually required. Get the move out list if your apartment provides one, so you know what is expected when you move out.  Again, if they tell you that you are not required to do something, like getting your carpets professionally cleaned, get this in writing.
2. Call to have your tv/internet, electricity, etc. cancelled for your move out date.
3. Book your moving company, whether you are hiring a company to do all the work, or renting a UHaul truck.  I have heard that only certain UHaul trucks are allowed to cross international borders, so make sure to book one early if you are planning to do so.
4. If you are driving a vehicle across the border that is not in your name, make sure that you have a signed letter from the owner giving you permission to do so.
5. If you are importing a vehicle across the border, make sure that all of your paperwork is faxed to the border at least 72 hours prior to when you will be crossing the border.
6. Change your mail address.  If you are crossing the border, change your address to the rink, and they will send it on to you.  The first time I lived in the US, we changed our address to Canada, but nothing had enough postage to get there so we did not receive it, which caused us lots of problems the following year.  Since then we have given the rink address and had no problems.
7. Change your address with your bank.
8. Get lots of packing supplies, and start packing early.  Go through your items and clothes and pack up anything that you will not need in the coming month.  It will be much less stressful if you start doing small things like this early on.  Make sure to securely fasten all of your containers and label them to make unpacking easier.
9. Start using up the groceries that you have on hand.  Plan your meals for a week before shopping, so that you only buy what you need.  There is nothing I hate worse than having to throw out a bunch of half eaten food or condiments at the end of the season.
10. Start your cleaning early too.  Give your oven, microwave, bath tub and so on a good clean a few weeks before your move out date, so that it only requires a quick touch up before you move.

Those are my top ten moving hints.  I would love to hear your moving ideas, so please leave a comment if you have a great tip that I can add to my list and share with others.  Stay tuned for some of my cleaning tips!

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Norfolk, Virginia

This season, we have been living in Norfolk, Virginia.  I am so sad that we will soon be saying goodbye to what has been our home for the last eight months. We have met so many wonderful people and had so may great experiences.  We have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of our time in Virginia and hope to be able to visit again soon.  Even during the winter months, there is so much to see and do in this area.  I highly recommend it to everyone!

The Scope, where the Norfolk Admirals hockey team plays, is located close to the downtown.  A new apartment complex had just been completed right next door called the Monticello Station Apartments, so a lot of the team decided to stay there.  It has treated us very well, and would recommend it to others.  They have a nice gym, and an outdoor pool, which I am sure would be great on a hot day.  They also have bbq's and an outdoor fireplace that we have enjoyed many nights.  There are lots of great restaurants and clubs close by, as well as the McArthur Center full of great stores and a movie theatre. 

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Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

We eat a lot of meat in our family, and I will be the first to admit that sometimes I cook the same meals over and over.  This year I am making an effort to try new recipes, and so far my husband has enjoyed my choices.
Normally when I make pork chops, I fry them up and then throw them in a casserole dish with some mushroom soup.  While we always enjoy this, I was so excited when I found this recipe for Sweet and Sour Pork Chops.  It is super easy too!

Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients:

8 boneless pork loin chops, cut 1/4 inch thick

Montreal Steak Spice, for seasoning

3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

1. Fry the pork chops until thoroughly cooked.  Season with Montreal Steak Spice or another seasoning of your choice.

2. In a bowl, combine the remaining three ingredients and stir together.

3. Pour over the pork chops and simmer on low for 5-8 minutes.

We served it on rice with esparagus.
 Mmmm!

 I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

I would love to know, what is your favourite Pork Chop Recipe?

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Turtle Ice Cream Pie

What tastes better on a hot summer's day then ice cream?  I love the chocolate candy Turtles, so when I recently came across a recipe for Turtle Ice Cream Pie, I knew that I had to try it. 
I will start by saying that this dessert was a lot of work and very time consuming, so do not plan on making it last minute.  Give yourself at least two days, as it needs a lot of time to freeze in between steps.  Trust me that the end result will be worth it and your taste buds will be throwing a party in your mouth.  It is amazing!

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