wedding anni numba 8! #maui #greateight

we had an absolute BLAST celebrating our 8th wedding anni in Maui last month.  i took way too many pics. like a ridiculous amount.  if you make it to the end.... thank you in advance for your time, haha.

 when you have to be at the airport at 5am, you don't even bother going to sleep.  my girlfriend had just finished installing my faux locs like 3 hours earlier (18 hour job if you're interested!) and my head was sooooooo tender. but i loved them and Sonny did too.  he better had! he requested them :) 'happy wife, happy life.' is cute... but i rock with 'happy hubby, happy her.'

i didn't find out where we were going until we got to our gate (still didn't know in this pic!) but i knew i would not be disappointed.

my Modern Oats package hit our mailbox juuuust in time.  i took the very last container from the 8 count variety pack they so graciously sent me and ate it for breakfast on the plane.

soon as Sonny sees this i'm going to get a text. nah, prolly a call.  get your laugh in while it's still up, tee hee

snackin' on the plane!  eating the freeze-dried raspberries i got from Trader Joes before we left.  Sonny missed out cause i ate them all.

that's a really, really big hole. diamond mine, i guess. i have no idea where we were at that moment and didn't ask.

back to my snacks. since you have to purchase EVERYTHING on a plane these days i pretty much brought us our own personal mini bar.  i had seen these in Sprouts Farmers Market for months before deciding to purchase them.  maui made me do it.

my goodness, they are DELICIOUS and seriously addicting.  especially this flavor!

layover in phoenix.  we spotted a Le Madeline while heading to our next gate and got some more grub. it was still breakfast time so we got omelettes.

finally!!!!! long flights are just not my thing.  6 hours from phoenix to maui and i almost lost it. how will i ever go to Nigeria one day? no idea. i kinda don't want to sleep for 3 days straight before we have to go though. sigh. anyway, we made eeeet!

loaded up Red Vevet and you already know what was next....

the rental car peeps suggested we try Da Kitchen so we went straight there. sure, we were hoongry, but they were spot on with that recommendation.

i started with a green salad,

and followed that up with some salmon (duh) and Sonny requested the biggest dish they had!! soooo that's exactly what our waitress brought him.

yep, that's spam. i have never eaten spam in a restaurant. ever. whatever you think is in that bowl, it is.  eggs, brown rice, colby jack cheese, spam, ground beef, onions, gravy, and green onion. it was actually REALLY good, just way too heavy for me.

 look them up on IG and you'll find our pic in the hashtag cloud. #DaKitchen

on to the hotel. we were extremely pleased with our Westin Ka'anapali premium villa. check out the periscope tour we did! straight to sleep that night though, zzzzzzzzzzzz.

the next morning was the BIG day! and yep, it started with prayer and a workout.  it's automatic and it wasn't forced at all either... we enjoy starting our day this way. i pretty much ran for fun and did a weight circuit with Sonny and called it a day. that's pretty much what our workouts looked like our entire time there actually! we worked out 4 outta the 5 days there.

post-workout brekky!  i eat this way cause i love it. i enjoyed myself and indulged but i would be eating these particular items regardless. everyone we asked suggested Mama's Fish House for our anni dinner but you have to make reservations like 2 weeks in advance.  sooo that was out. we asked for the next best thing which was Merriman's.

we spoke to Chiso on Skype during breakfast! gosh i missed my boys so much. he was actually at the hospital at that very moment because my sis in law, Kara, had just delivered her baby girl!!!! we spoke to the proud parents too and even got a glimpse of baby Natalie!  we now gladly share September 15th with our niece, Natalie Chizara Egwuatu <3

it rained on our very first day out and about, buuuut it cleared up after breakfast thankfully. we took some pics and then a lil' drive through the mountains in the 'stang.

the winding roads, the mountains, the water, the scenery...gaaaah it was incredible and kinda hard to take all in at once.  i saw a sign that said 'scenic look out 1000 ft' so i told Sonny to pull over.

we hopped out and basically made a post card. look at that!

8 years. you ever look back on your life like, 'THANK YOU GOD for not making it work with any of my ex's.'!? He knew best.

every city/country we travel to... this is on my agenda. deal with it, Sonny.

i just wanted some snacks!  look, i did a two week sugar fast to get beach ready so i was about to enjoy me some chocolate. i found the bulk aisle and made myself at home.

salted carmel chews and chocolate covered pretzel balls. worth the tummy ache.

then we found a Walmart and bought some souvenirs for our family and a breast pump! i actually packed my dual electric Medela pump but naturally something went wrong with my tubing and it totally wasn't working. bum. mer. back to z hotel!

'ooo, wait, this is the selfie cam.'

it was still cloudy when we got back but we couldn't wait any longer!  we went out to the beach anyway to explore and take in the views.

and have a mini photoshoot.

well we definitely weren't in galveston anymore!

enjoying this life.

we went back to the room to get ready to go to our anni dinner. i found this dress at H&M for 30 bucks! 2 weeks prior to that day it would not zip all the way up.  nixing refined sugars from my diet... that'll do it.

i see ya with the fancy lighting, Red Velvet.

we had an awesome, intimate dinner at Merriman's! we arrived after dark so we couldn't see the magnificent view they are known for, but i couldn't have cared any less! i was so happy to just be there with Sonny at that very moment.  before we tore up that food, we took a pic for #8. to God be all the glory.

it was super dim in the restaurant so excuse my flash and these horrid angles, yall. i had half lobster enchiladas with asparagus and fillet mignon with garlic potatoes.  the portion sizes weren't outrageous, so i had plenty of room left for dessert.

Sonny had fillet mingon as well with swordfish and seasoned veggies. it was just right!  we were satisfied, not stuffed. i was so ready to go IN though, hahaha.

then Sonny had a big ol' cup of coffee cause he was STRUGGLIN' to stay awake!!! it was only 8 there but 1am in Houston.

dessert was a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream paired with this chocolate-filled 'purse'. we broke through the dough with our spoons and it oozed right onto the plate. yummerz.

meanwhile... i was constantly wondering what my babies were up to! my mom sent me this pic of Dego getting a good ol' fashion kitchen sink bath. so bittersweet cause i couldn't reach out and kiss his little face.

same plate, different day!

the weather was picture perfect that day.

so i put on my two piece (H&M, 10 bucks) and hit the beach solo cause somebody needed a nap after breakfast. immediately before i left,

knock, knock!  what an unexpected, pleasant surprise. a day late, BUT they spelled our name correctly and brought us dessert so it was all good! i ate a couple and went on my way.

this.

soaking it all in.

i was bummed we couldn't get into Mama's Fish House for our anni dinner, but we DID snag a lunch reservation, yay! we headed there to see what all the buzz was about.

this was a very, very good sign in my book.

:)

strawberry lemonade!

bread, butter, and a complimentary sip of cream of mushroom soup.

a real, fresh lei! nice touch.

tank tops weren't allowed, so our waitress brought Sonny and made him put his guns up.

i feasted on the Opa,

and this.... this was THE best coconut rice i've ever tasted. i saw it on the menu and added it to my meal cause i had to have it!

Sonny got the stuffed Mahi Mahi. clearly there is a reason this restaurant is ranked #2 in the NATION!!!! everything was scrumptious. everything.

Hana Banana Macadamia Nut Crisp topped with the cutest little sea turtle cookie. lick-the-bowl DELISH.

so we had a delima...we ran outta ice cream with a bit of macadamia nut crisp left to go.   our waitress solved that problem and gave us another scoop on the house. that's going the extra mile right there. she was incredibly sweet and took fantastic care of us from beginning to end.

the restaurant faces the shore and the windows were all wide open to the ocean air.

what an experience. stuffed and off-balance. cheese!

the very next morning, we set out to do some sight-seeing and hiking.

but first,

we hit up the 'Bucks for some caffeine before we rode out, map in tow.

the winding roads seemed to just go on and on and on...  it was fun being completely submerged in nature.

checking out the Nakalele Blowhole.

the sign says: 'Warning. Stay clear of blowhole.  You can be sucked in and killed.  It's not a waterpark.'  although the sign did make me a bit nervous, i wanted to get way closer naturally. but Mr. Egwuatu said no.

as good as it got.  i later googled to see other tourist photos of this spot and found this one:

we could have gotten a lil closer, Sonny, dang.

anyhoo, on to hiking!  i was really looking forward to a good, long hike. we drove back to the Kapalau Hiking Trails and hopped out.

buuut Sonny's achilles tendons had other plans. they've been giving him trouble for months now and that day was no different. we hiked for about 15 min before we called it quits :(

we still had time before the breakfast buffet ended so we sped back to the hotel.

i saw this class going on while we were at breakfast the day before so after we ate i went to change into my 'kini and jumped right in.

next up, snorkeling! first timers, here.  we had NO idea there were so many fish at our feet and that they were that close to the shore. crazy! even after 15+ years of knowing this guy, there are still so many firsts to experience together. 

the next day we literally CHILLED and lounged around. we also did some really boring stuff like driving to the Sprint store to check on Sonny's phone's memory card slot. i totally dropped his phone when i hopped out of the pool earlier that week and was hoping i didn't jack it up too bad and lose all our pictures. whew.

we came back to our room and ordered in!  Sonny got this banh mi sandwich,

and i ordered a gluten-free hawaiian pizza. we wanted to see Straight Outta Compton that night but didn't want to fall asleep in the movie theater.

last day :( ! we woke up and got all our stuff together and headed to check out of our hotel. no breakfast buffet that day; we headed to a recommendation from one of the valet guys minutes away: Slappy Cakes!  if Food Network says they're the bomb, i had to go see for myself.

our patiently-waiting-to-be-seated usie.

basically, you make your own pancakes right at your table!!! i do this at home for the boys, so this was right up my alley. what a fun concept!

spot on, Food Network.  i confidently claim Slappy Cakes as having THE best gluten-free pancakes i have ever eaten. EVA.

aaaand an extra stack for the road didn't hurt. finished'em before we got to the airport though.

we said our goodbyes to Red Velvet and took the shuttle to the airport. this was it! finally homeward bound.

maui to honolulu, honolulu to phoenix, then phoenix to houston.  somewhere along the way we devoured this together.

back home to our babies!!!! our families held it down and took excellent care of our boys while we were gone and we are so grateful for their support and willingness to help. back to life, back to reality....which is pretty darn good.

THANK YOU FOR READING!

Q: where should we go next year? i ask cause it'll be my turn to plan ;)

what itch? 7 year anni wkend

 aaaahhh!! so many pictures! well thank God for pic collage apps or this blog post would be 2 miles worth of scrolling.  we had a low-key, relaxing time in Lakeway (right outside of Austin) at the Lakeway Resort & Spa this past weekend for our 7th wedding anni. time for a new mattress.

this sweaty selfie was taken after my last workout before our anni weekend began.  i had only managed to unbraid half of the what seemed like 1 million braids in my head at that point, so i threw on a head scarf and got some upper body and cardio done regardless.

 not gonna lie, i worked out with the anticipation of some good food in my near future! intensity is everything and i turned it UP. here's my stair slaver workout: (video coming soon)

after i posted this pic of my go-to traveling snacks on Instagram i remembered it would tip Sonny off about our trip, whoops.  it's my year to plan and i hadn't told him a thing about leaving to go anywhere. oh wells.

i hardly ever leave for trips without:

• fresh fruit (nectarines this time)
• bottled water
• turkey jerky (high protein snack)
• Quest Bars ( i like Double Chocolate Chunk and Sonny likes Cookies & Cream the best)
• gum to combat mindless munching! that gets me in so much trouble
• roasted, unsalted nuts
• granulated stevia (for my coffee, tea, and oatmeal when eating at restaurants still operating in the stone age)
• Beats headphones + Spotify
• fitness or foodie mags

off we went!  breakfast, snacks, and breast pump in tow.  i actually sat in the passenger seat first but soon as my butt hit that seat Sonny reminded me that it was my year to host.  yeah, yeah.  i actually had another stop planned along the way, but the weather ruined it! i did NOT even check nor consider the weather when i was planning everything, seriously. i just knew it would be clear, hot, and sunny as usual. no. so i'll save that stop for a later date.

we're here!  however, our room wasn't ready since we arrived earlier than expected.  we were hungry again though so we hit up the resort's breakfast buffet per the front desk attendant's suggestion.  boy was he right!  everything, and i mean everything was as delicious as it looked. so.many.options.  we love a good omelette bar and both got egg white omelets loaded with veggies.  no surprise there.  Sonny is prepping for a few upcoming shows and did his best to stick to his meal plan.

bacon, sausage, pancakes, french toast, migas, fruit... sensory OVERLOAD.

next, a couples massage i have been anticipating since i booked the appointment. we were already full and lethargic from breakfast and the massage was the icing on the cake for Sonny. at one point he was over there drooling.

the view overlooking the pool from the spa. the gym was right across from the spa and you knoooow we checked that out next.

impressive! you can get an excellent full body workout done in there, oh yeah. hotel gyms are high on our amenity list and this one gets 5 stars from us. they had my beloved arc trainer, treadmills, a full rack of dumbbells, and a bunch of machines including a Smith machine. lovely.

our room was ready by this time so we headed to check it out and take the most incredible, uninterrupted nap, EVER.  boooo to the weather though.

it didn't start clearing up until the day we left, but we will certainly be back with the kiddos so they can have the time of their lives out there on that slide!

 next up, an early dinner before the big Mayweather fight.  so this was my first time seeing my hair straightened (my beautician wrapped it at my appointment friday and i kept it that way) and i was blown away.

 may not seem like much to anybody else but man my hair has come a long way as far as length and texture! i decided not to get another perm but i knew that as soon as the tiniest drop of moisture hit my head, it would never be the same!  after wearing my braids for a year (shout out to my gorgeous, mobile (yes, she will come to you), braid lady, Ogechi) with 3 short breaks in between, they really are the best fit for my sweaty, on the move lifestyle. they'll be back very soon, but i enjoyed being girly and flipping my hair around town all weekend, lol.

one of my regular Lifetime class members, Sally,  lives in Austin and really hooked me up with the scoop on where to go in ATX.  she suggested we stay downtown close to 6th street with the youngins' but after i told her how Sonny just wants to actually relax on his vacations she said to stick with the hill country, (i.e., Lakeway).  we hit up Oasis and saw a little bit of the sunset.  through the fog.

after perusing the menu for forever i finally decided on salmon with sweet potato cakes, grilled veggies w/ a side salad, and Sonny went with a grilled shrimp salad. i ate most of those chips.

then, we stopped by the landmark Whole Foods Market in downtown Austin for snacks and gelato! so many nostalgic memories here for me. you can read about one of them in the IG post i made that day <3

gosh i love this store.

especially this aisle.

unpictured are the plantain chips and chocolate covered raisins i killed before the fight even started.

was it just me or was the Mayweather fight...boring?? anyway, the next morning we were both up super early as usual and headed to the gym before breakfast. who forgot their workout shoes? :'(  so unlike me!  i went anyway but i don't advise working out in flip-flops around weights, guys. in addition to the shoe fiasco, i had one of THE dumbest workouts ever.  complete waste of time. i was so worried about my hair puffing up i didn't want to move. and i love to move. i think i did the arc trainer for like 8 minutes super slow, then some dumbbell curls, lunges, and squats holding the dumbbells. didn't sweat a drop. ridiculous. i love my hair like this so much but unless i flat-iron it every single morning (and i definitely won't) then i just can't rock the straight look with my lifestyle. THE struggle.

we got cleaned up, explored the resort a little more, then headed to hit up the omelette bar again.

7 years in the marriage game! hard to believe i've known this dude for almost 14 years. we had plans to go out on the lake that fell through, so we hit the Lakeway Galleria Outlet Mall to look around and get some lunch and fro-yo.

found a new fave flavor i've never had before-- taro. yum! i discovered it at Red Mango back in houston too.

pistachio & taro fro-yo randomness.  worth every bit of dairy bloat.

while walking through the galleria, i did a double-take after seeing the word Chiso!  close enough. what a rare sighting.  from there we went back to the room to pack up because #Texans. yeah, they were apart of last years Miami trip too.  so was the Mayweather fight now that i think about it!

i requested a fridge to our room to freeze and store the milk i was pumping.  gotta get it out, and gotta get it done.  we headed to watch the Texans game at Sally's beautiful home in the hill country before heading home to our boys.

our actual anni this year is on monday, september 15th, and instead of going out to dinner, we went to the gym and sipped on anniversary protein shakes.

wouldn't have had it any other way.

happy 7th anni, Mr. Egwuatu!

thanks for reading:)

le

8th month recap

group B-strep test is up next, guys.  HEY FIT FOODIES!  i'm gonna get in as much last minute preggo blogging as i can these last few weeks (or days, that's cool too).  my 8th month has whizzed on by

*bloop*

and i'm knocking on week 36 in like 2 days, praise God!

O_o :P   >:( :'( :| #flipacoin

early AM workout classes & breakfast:

so, getting up at 4:15am to teach my classes is only getting rougher.  but i'm hanging in there! that's my automatic answer for my gym members every time they ask me how baby and i are doing, lol.  that's really all i can say though, seriously.  sure i'd rather get those extra hours of sleep but i feel good after i get on up and most days and the urge to workout is still strong.

mmhmmm, don't forget that. aim to move every single day, even if it's just walking around your hood.

i am asked how i am still doing HIIT training  this late in the game.  modifications! lighter dumbbells, monitoring my heart rate, using my knees instead of toes for pushups...just a few examples. see vid below!  plus i'm doing way more coaching/encouraging/motivating and 'working' the group exercise room more. the classes are NOT about me anyway- it's all about the members!  i'll do a quick demo of a high intensity/plyometric move though, then quickly modify it just so i can keep moving with the members.

[wpvideo lBg6kZRN]

 eating, on the other hand.... i know my appetite is flaky cause baby boy is growing rapidly and fattening up for his grand exit/entrance, but after breakfast and a small lunch (even after working out), i could honestly be done for the day.  the rest of my meals are pretty much forced since i'm still very active,  so WE need those cals and nutrients to keep coming. and they shall.  so i have my pre workout snack (usually banana w/ peanut butter) on the way to the gym, then tackle my real breakfast afterwards as usual.

here are some breakfasts i've been rotating (clockwise starting from the top L):

1. spinach, tomato, and mushroom scramble (1 whole egg, 2 egg whites) with strawberries and blueberries

2.  4 egg whites over a whole wheat english muffin & topped with homemade guacamole w/ blackberries & a halo

3. spinach & mushroom egg scramble taco (La Tortilla Factory 80 cal light low carb, high fiber flour tortilla) w/ shredded part-skim mozzarella & pineapple salsa w/ berries

4. plain greek yogurt with strawberries & blueberries and dribbled with maple syrup (also a great post-workout snack)

individual workouts & lunch/dinner:

i have been enjoying taking classes to the fullest these last few weeks!  why?

1. i'm not up there teaching so i can stop at any time :P
2.  i get ideas and inspiration for new moves i can use later in my own classes and just experiencing another instructor's style, music, and motivational sayings
3.  group fitness is FUN and keeps me motivated!  i look forward to it. period.

i do a combo of the following every week:

• TKB - turbo kickboxing
• Zumba
• Barbell Strength (Lifetime Fitness signature formatted class)
• Step (don't knock it lol! keeps my heart rate nice and steady... great cardio workout vs. the boring treadmill and elliptical)
• Weights - since i'm not lifting crazy heavy, i'll do a full body workout in one day most times using basic exercises for each muscle group. 3-4 sets of 12 does the trick. looking forward to getting back to my postpartum 6 Pack USA workouts though.

lunches and dinners (starting clockwise from top L):

1. homemade Chipotle inspired salad (i cut the chicken into chunks and marinated it in Weber Kick n' Chicken seasoning blend)
2. Kick n' Chicken pan seared chicken breast with pan roasted brussels sprouts and grilled pineapple
3. pan seared whiting (cheaper than tilapia at Walmart right now so i gave it a try) grilled squash, and fresh coleslaw
4. salmon & avocado deviled eggs sprinkled with sweet & smokey paprika and black pepper with raw sugar snap peas and sliced roma tomatoes on the side.

the bump and i will be walking down the aisle in my brother's wedding this weekend! can't wait to party and celebrate gaining another sister. fun times ahead. and cake.

-----> if you are preggo and need help with staying on track (or starting) a healthier workout and nutrition regiment for you and your little bundle-to-be, please check out www.pregnantnotpowerless.com and sign up!  even if you're not preggo but know a woman who is, please tell her about this awesome program created by one of my inspirations and fellow fit mom @babyfatboss on IG. follow herrrrrr! <------

tears to the weekend

i sure did hate to see this past weekend go!

 are you still running?? the 5 and 10ks have not stopped and neither should you.  the weather is getting warmer and warmer, so stay hydrated out there.  i'm doing a 10k at the end of this month (look for it over there in the sidebar) with my buddy Kara; i'm excited about our running date!

http://thegreen2green.com/

weekend recap:

 i started my saturday with my fav class- 1 hr of total conditioning @ lifetime.  my hubby usually goes to play basketball for his workout, but for some reason everybody took this past saturday off as there were no hoopers in sight according to him!  so, he hit me up for a brunch date right after i finished up.  we tried a new place this time, Otto's Deluxe Grill.  unfortunately, we won't be back as Sonny felt he could have made his meal himself, at home. touche!  kudos to us for trying something different though, right!?

pretty cut and dry, eh? i got their sampler breakfast- scrambled egg whites, ham, one pancake, and hash browns.  ham was the only option other than pork sausage and bacon.  that really is a blueberry pancake.  ultimately, the hash browns were the highlight of the meal for me.

moving on, my east coast boos were in town for a friend's wedding!!

i've never met a woman more giving than Ijeoma (r). as the saying goes 'you can't please everybody',  but this girl sure does try!  i am so honored to be her friend.  she looks amazing, as usual!

this is my fellow blogger, crazy talented, close friend Dami  and i having a grand time @ the wedding.  you MUST check her out (Parchment by Dami) as she is simply incredible at what she does.  she made the invitations for my co-ed baby shower last year, and she is currently working on the invites for my little man's first birthday party next month!

plantain was on the menu so i was super happy. Dams loves me so much she gave me all of hers.  ok i asked first.. she was taking too long O_o

jellof rice, stewed goat, hen, fish, plantains, and a green salad was also served.  Sonny always hints for me to add more Nigerian dishes to my repertoire... workin on that ;)

 i didn't get any of that beautiful cake cause i had to head out early, bummer.

i started my Sunday off with taking Dams back to the airport :( we headed to church when i returned, and then on to celebrate my husband's 10 year reunion with his fraternity (line) brothers and their wives @ Brio.

i stated with their field greens salad that came with tomatoes, gorgonzola, and pine nuts, and balsamic dressing (on the siiiiide)

the shrimp and crab crepes sounded SCRUMPTIOUS so i tried them...very good!

 Sonny sent his plate back after one bite! it was just a fritatta, but that creamy sauce was prolly what did it for him.  he ended up playing it safe and trading it for a tilapia and spinach dish. ( as if we don't eat that enough @ home lol)

i knew our little guy would catch a nice long nap since we had been out all day, and he did just that on our way home.   so i went straight to the gym and got in an hr of cardio while my window of opp was wide open! we ended the evening with some tv and lounging.

ok back to today!  i'm trying a different recipe for dinner tonight so i'll let you know how it goes.  i'm hoping after it sits for a few hours and the flavors marry that it will turn out pretty tasty.  i'll call it a soup for now, we'll see..

sweet jerk soup  (haha)

the stuff:

• 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• jerk or any type of seasoning you like, to taste
• 1 carton low sodium chicken stock/broth
• 1 large tomato
• 1 bag frozen okra
• 1 med sweet potato
• bunch of fresh cilantro
• 1 bag frozen spinach
• 1 med shallot
• 1 yellow onion

do this:

chop up the shallots and onions and cook them until translucent (2-3 min).  add your chopped chicken breasts and cook until there is no more pink.

can be found in the bulk aisle @ HEB - thanks, Nkechi!

then, add in your fresh cilantro and jerk seasoning.

go ahead and pretty much add in everything else. your chopped sweet potatoes, tomatoes, okra, spinach,

 and more jerk seasoning.

mix.

once combined, add in your box of low sodium chicken broth.

put the top on and let it simmer for a good 20 minutes.

so far, it's really sweet.  the only thing i'd do different next time is either use another seasoning OR use less sweet potato. the combo of them both is too much.  i'm gonna make some brown rice to serve it with.  have a great night and enjoy your dinner!!

le