Downtown on Main: January 2013

Perhaps it’s the single digit temperatures and shameful weather we’ve been experiencing here in Salt Lake City that made me cry real big tears this week when I had to bid ‘Aloha’ (it means goodbye too, peeps) to the big island of Hawai’i. Real tears. The kind of tears that make your heart break and your face turn red and contort into all sorts of hideous shapes. You know the kind of tears I’m talking about.

I spent a blissful week in the purest of paradises, and because I’m a true island girl at heart and by birthright (thanks Dad!), I felt right at home. Needless to say, my heart’s home obviously has very little to do with frozen slush and puffy jacket’s and ears that get so freakin’ cold they almost fall right off your head and shatter into a million pieces. No. My heart wears hibiscus flowers and flip-flops and resides, for most of the year, somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on the islands of my ancestors. What can I say? I can’t help it. It’s in my blood.

Brace yourselves. I’ve been lost to the blogging world, but I’m back! (you were worried, right?) And you’re about to get days and days and more days of endless Hawai’i posts. I’m just not ready to let go yet.

Aloha ‘oe!

Brace yourselves. This bad boy is long and probably only interesting if, well, if you’re me. And yes, I know, I’m late, but since this is my blog… my rules.

However if you do think this is interesting (ya big weirdo), you can save yourself the trouble of having to scroll through this mess by following me, @kindlykait, on the ‘Gram.

All-in-all, 2012 was a good year if I do say so myself. I’m especially glad to see that slowly but surely, my hair IS getting longer (and greyer, in fact). I could’ve almost sworn that 2012 forced my little follicles into hibernation, but alas! my dead skin cells are still active! That’s worthy of some bottle poppin’! Can I get a high-five or what?!

NYE and V-Day 2012: We really loved each other (don’t worry, we still do).

Downtown living is such a dream… kind of.

Lou and I birthed The Beehive Ball.

And then the sun returned. Thank goodness because Winter was such a draaaag.

Honey turned the big 2-7.

And we snuck away to San Diego.

And Arizona.

We lost our voices at Jazz Games and made players smile. #gojazz

Mom won awards. Typical.

Baby Ian turned ONE.

Lyndsey graduated and we surprised her pants right off! Okay, not the pants part.

We romanced in the living room while Frankie enjoyed the sun.

And speaking of the sun, we watched the moon pass right in front of it.

We caused a ruckus at Lagoon, and were bright as rainbows at the Pride Parade.

And then my Sweetie girl went to Heaven. #sadface

We soaked up the Summer in Goblin Valley and Little Wildhorse Canyon.

And we fell really, truly, deeply head-over-heels for Yellowstone.

Then as if life wasn’t crazy enough, my family went nuts and got three puppies.

And we traveled to Bendover, oops I mean, Wendover, to see Boyz II Men. Again.

We soaked up more Summer sun in Flaming Gorge, Utah.

Baby J got married in Montana!

And Honey and I saw Glacier National Park from high in the sky.

The pups kept growing. (And this is also about the time I started re-sizing my IG pics, because it’s way cooler this way, right?)

Mom moved to Cedar and we got a real taste of “small-town-fair-fun”. Mom also tried her first funnel cake. I know, right?!

And since Mom’s in Cedar now, many many many trips to Zion National Park ensued.

I campaigned. And loved it. #goamerica

Sissy birthed Baby Mae and her babes are still making me weak in the knees with Mama bear hunger.

I got a new job and now I get to see cool things like pictures of guns and visit cool government buildings on the daily. #gome

We spent some quality cabin time in Joes Valley, Utah, and four-wheeled like fools. (no really. I even got a bee sting to prove it.)

More hiking through Zion.

I turned 27 and Frankie is still my lover for life.

I voted like my life depended on it… because well, it kind of does.

I said TTFN to my BFF Jax. Dropped her off in beautiful Colorado and shed some tears, but she’s a rockstar, which means she’s sure to kick Colorado’s bootay.

Frankie remained the cutest feline on the block.

And then like, “Woah!” the holidays flew right on by. We attempted to share in the Black Friday festivities at Walmart, but we left with nothing but shame.

My baby sister got engaged, and Honey and I lasted another year together. (Because he’s all sorts of easy going and makes my job of loving him pretty darn simple, you know.)