WE MOVED! First week in California

This pacific island girl has moved to the California coast! And my life looks wildly different than it did last year. Heck, it's a stark contrast from my life just a few months ago. Some big milestones and life goals were met -- wowowee -- and there are even bigger...

AmSam crew in Hawaii

Met up with some of our AmSam friends during our layover in Hawai’i. I love that our connection to our AmSam crew is so strong because of our shared experiences in Samoa. Time and space may have separated us over the years but we’ve had such an amazing community, and...

Life Lately: 5 months of change and evolution

Helloooo there. It's meeeee. Nerelleeeee. It has been a hoot of a while — and I have missed this space of mine to document my ever-changing life, romanticizing it in a way, and to express my gratitudes in words and images. A summary of the most inexplicably changing...

Underwater Mama

Black and white edits of some maternity pics that Ian shot of me at almost 32 weeks pregnant with Alava. And some random color edits I liked as well of most of the same pics.

Coconut Point sunrise with Alava

It felt so good to be back home. Everything was just as it was. Except it wasn't. Same same but different. Coconut Point. Sunrise. Me and Ian. Different how? We have been joined by our sweet darling baby Alava. We moved out of our place at Coconut Point, the cutest...
Documenting Underwater Field Work in Ta’u

Documenting Underwater Field Work in Ta’u

Just wanted to share some photos from back in March, when I went to the Manu'a islands to document marine sanctuary field work for education and outreach. This was from day 1 of our field work. The science team conducted reef monitoring surveys within the marine...

Afternoon at Fogama’a

Afternoon at Fogama’a

Photo journal from earlier this year. A very lovely afternoon spent at Fogama'a Cove with friends. We sat in the shade, stayed hydrated, chit chatted, snorkeled a bit, and sat in the water the rest until our fingers and toes got as wrinkled as raisins.

Where I Get It From (Mom and Dad)

Where I Get It From (Mom and Dad)

Now that I'm moderately older—nearly 30, wow—I can see it more clearly.  The small things that add up. The parts of me that look and feel familiar.  From mom: my hands, my sensitivity. From my dad: my nose, my stubbornness. Traits I have previously dismissed because I...

Life Lately: Let Me Upgrade You

Life Lately: Let Me Upgrade You

Hello hello! It's been a verrrry long while since I've sat down to ramble and write out my life lately updates, so I don't really know where to begin! I've shared photo diaries scattered here and there over the last several months, but the transition from 2020 to 2021...

LeMax Co. Grand Opening

LeMax Co. Grand Opening

LeMax Co. is a newly established shop locally owned by the Malauulu / Misipeka family. After some time of planning and sourcing quality affordable goods, they finally opened their doors on February 15, 2021. You can find their beautifully laid out shop located in...

Blunts Point Hike

Blunts Point Hike

A little photo journal from our spontaneous hike up Blunts Point a little while ago with my husband and Yodi... trying to update the blog as much as possible over the next few weeks! 🙂 From February 28, 2021