When we moved to Maui over 4 years ago I was very concerned with what most American’s considered “givens”. I cared that my hair was properly curled before heading out, I made sure that my bikini top and bottoms matched, and my boys always left the house dressed from head to toe, shirt, shorts and even shoes. This all lasted about 2 weeks. Before I knew what had happened I no longer knew what my boys toes looked like clean, their shirts were collecting dust in the closet, I dressed every morning in a bikini which may or may not have match, and I most certainly never did my hair since I was surely to dunk into the ocean at some point during my day.

our first week on Maui-a couple things I am noticing that have not happened since that 1st week in Hawaii 1) I was wearing long shorts or skorts or whatever the style was 2) I had a diaper bag 3) the boys were in  shoes and matching socks that I had bought just to wear with those outfits

3 months later at the park across the street (hehe)

There was however one thing that took me over a year to give in to. On Maui there are some flip flops, they sell them at the grocery store, they are called “Locals”. They are rubber flip flops or slippers (slippahs) as people in Hawaii call them that sell for about $5. Everyone wears them and by everyone I mean everyone. Local Hawaiian men and women of all ages wear them, tourists always buy themselves a pair and all the mainland Americans that have found their way to Maui and now call it home have a pair or two. They even have them in the tiniest sizes, every 1 year old that lives on Maui learns to walk in “Locals”.

Why did I not buy into the craze?

Because they are ugly. Well, not really ugly its just they are plain ol rubber flip flops that look like you bought them from the grocery store. Not only does everyone wear them but they wear them with everything. Their swimsuit and their going out on the town clothes-translation-they never match.

One day, over a year after I had lived on the island, I decided to give them a try. I headed to the local grocery store and picked myself out a pair. They were navy blue with a red strip across the base and a black rubber strap. I thought they were very stiff and uncomfortable, but I bought them anyways.

one week later-

all my other shoes were forgotten. I only had eyes for my Locals. I now understood. My foot was perfectly formed into the base, they had the perfect amount of stretch and the best part-they matched everything, even my going out on the town dresses.

me at Mcdonalds when i was pregnant with Trek in my Locals

I wore a hole into the bottom of my 1st pair about 1 year after I bought them. I upgraded to the $7 locals, but they weren’t the same. When I was on Maui 3 months ago with Trek I bought another pair exactly like my first ones, the $5 ones with the red stripe on the base. It is convenient to travel with them since we pack light and they match everything. (ok not really)

Today as we were hiking I realized something about my Locals. They are the sturdiest flip flops ever! We go hiking in bare feet or flip flops, another wonderful  thing we gleaned from our time in Maui. I have hiked countless trails, mountains and waterfalls in them and they have never broken or even slipped. Jarrett has powered through 3 different pairs of flip flops since we started travelling 7 months ago. We will be hiking and the top of his slippers will just rip off from the base. Actually I see many dead flip flops thrown into the bushes on our hiking trips that have suffered the same fate. Yet me and my Locals hike on without a worry in the world. I understood my true feelings on our hike today when I dropped one Local slipper into the flowing river and almost sacrificed my camera in order to save it.

So here’s to you my Local slippers. Thank you for getting me to and through 5 countries-here’s to 5 more!

(when I wear holes into the soles of this pair will one of my friends in Hawaii mail me a new ones!?)

Just cause every post seems incomplete without a picture of Trek-here he is nursing while I got my tattoo for him and my 2 big boys