memorial day weekend in photos.

hope everyone enjoyed the long memorial day weekend if you had it. with schools out, we've been busy with graduation season, so this long weekend was much needed to recoup and relax.

to start off the weekend, i met up with long time blog friend, laura! we've been online friends and pen pals since 2010, and when she said she was coming to hawaii, i knew we'd have to meet. we met for dinner at piggy smalls and chatted about anything and everything while enjoying yummy food and drinks.

lap cheong crusted opah.

'milk & honey'

laura (formerly of the blog of worldy delights) and ben started a great new blog about mid-west living. keep up with them here:

stl living

view from the hawaii convention center

went to watch my niece's dance competition at the hawaii convention center. on the first night, she took GOLD for her solo dance. after, we had soodubu (soft tofu soup) at one of my favorite places, cho dang.

sunday was a chill day at home. it was hot, and foxy couldn't wait to swim. here she is waiting ever so patiently.

of course, on memorial day we took flowers to the graveyard. this particular cemetery is located near the beautiful ko'olau mountains where it is always lush and green. it poured while we were there, but we took that as a blessing.

the veteran memorial cemetery lined with american flags.

post-cemetery, we fueled up (japanese food from maruki tei) before partaking in some memorial day shopping.

we ended the weekend at the beach house...check out the mangoes!!

the absolute best part about a three-day weekend?

the four-day work week that follows!

Tree Classics Christmas Wreath GIVEAWAY.

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas (singing).

the shopping centers have their holiday decorations up, and the weather has been slightly cooler this weekend...plus all this discussion about thanksgiving and black friday has me feeling festive.

let's jump start this black friday week with a christmas giveaway. i know we haven't had our turkeys yet, but i want you to be able to receive and enjoy this prize before it's too late. Tree Classics, maker of the world's finest artificial trees and wreaths, is celebrating its 40th year by teaming up with 40 bloggers to give away 40 christmas products. 

close-up view.

one lucky winner will receive this beautiful 24" Classic Noble Fir Wreath with clear lights. it's made with high quality real feel™ needles and conveniently comes with lights. how great would this look on your front door at night? you could even get creative and add things to it for extra oomph.

giveaway ends 12/1, open to U.S. only

enter using the rafflecopter widget below.

good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

want to win more great items from Tree Classics? check out their blog for a list of bloggers participating in this 40 for 40 giveaway!

tree classics: facebook | twitter | blog

thanksgiving home decor.

i look forward to the holidays every year, but then it's gone in a flash. i'm all for surrounding ourselves with the holiday spirit by bringing festive touches into the home. you don't have to transform your entire house (unless you want to!) but a pillow here, a candle there, a wreath on the door is all it takes to get into the mood.

here are a few fun picks. a cozy throw for chilly evenings with hot cocoa, cute lights for an outdoor cafe feel,..and my favorite? the turkey candle. because, who doesn't want a turkey candle? aside from the wreath, these items are all on sale! in addition, many of the websites are offering 5-15% off just for signing up for their newsletters allowing you to save more. this is also a great time to stock up for next year's holiday season.

what are you thankful for this year?

(pottery barn | crate & barrel | west elm)

shop these and other thanksgiving decor here:

how to wear red white and blue. 02

quick story...for years, i have been wanting to have an ugly christmas sweater party. i think it's a fun way to show off individual personalities and a great way to celebrate the holidays without the pressure of having to dress up. while i haven't hosted that party yet, i'm always on the lookout for the perfect ugly christmas sweater.

enter the show Shark Tank. i rarely watch tv but happened to catch an episode at a friend's house in which two guys were pitching their line of ugly christmas sweaters and their company called Tipsy Elves. naturally i was intrigued and was totally rooting for them.

fast forward to now. imagine my excitement when Tipsy Elves reached out to inform me of their american flag products just in time for fourth of july. i was excited simply because i knew exactly who they were (and where to get my ugly christmas sweater!).

while Tipsy Elves started out with christmas sweaters, they have expanded to become your one-stop-shop for holiday apparel. i am loving my american flag sweater...i mean, it doesn't get any more patriotic than this! check out their website for more red, white, and blue clothing items and accessories.

(American Flag Sweater c/o Tipsy Elves; Paige denim; JORD watch)

keep up with Tipsy Elves: instagram | facebook | twitter

shop the look:

gift wrapping ideas.

my favorite part of a gift is the wrapping. after all, gifts are on display under the tree for a while before they get opened...they should be nice to look at.

pretty or creative packaging can make even a $5 gift feel regal. each year, i choose a style or theme and wrap all my gifts the same way. it doesn't have to cost a lot either...just look for things around your home. even newspaper or brown paper bags can become works of art! i love wrapping things in plain kraft paper, because you can personalize each gift if you wanted to. here are a few simple ideas i love:

photo: myparadissi.com

this is one of my favorites. i love using brown wrapping paper, then topping the gift with a simple sprig from your christmas tree or a cinnamon stick. you can also use twine to secure your topper.

photo: bloglovin.com

same concept here except using a box + tag.

photo: craftsalamode.com

love the burlap name tags here.

photo: goinghometoroost.com

super cute "chalkboard" idea

find more ideas on my pinterest gift wrapping board

Follow oomph.'s board Gift wrapping ideas on Pinterest.

wrap it or bag it?

do you enjoy wrapping gifts?

get the supplies:

casual sequins. leggings.

how do you dress down dressy?

throw a sweatshirt on it. or sneakers. or both.

you don't have to save those sequins or velours for parties. i wore these sequined leggings to a christmas party a few years ago, and i always pull them out at the end of the year. it's the holiday season. it's ok to be festive even if you're just running errands. i deem grabbing peppermint lattes with friends a totally appropriate occasion for rocking the triple S...

sequins + sweats + sneaks.

what's one thing you find yourself dressing down each year.

(suburban riot sweatshirt; charlotte russe leggings (similar), nine west sneakers; metallic tattoos via oomph)

shop the look:

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stocking stuffer idea for the kids!

enter to win a love coupon book from Datevitation

get $10 off  + free shipping with code: OOMPH

weekend in photos.

here's a few snaps from our 4th of july weekend.

how was yours?

did you watch any fireworks?

typical.

swimsuits + towels line the railing in between beach sessions.

morning coffee.

homemade ice cream + berries & whipped cream.

waiting for the fireworks at kawela bay. #nofilter

festive nails.

fresh picked lilikoi.

kalbi on the grill.