New Blog

So I'm going to use the lack of updating as affirmation that this blog has served its purpose as a single place to update family/friends on my life in Hawai'i. Now that I have a "real job" and am working during the week, there has been a lot less to talk about--my life has become much less interesting. However, I do make it a point to take advantage of what is on the island on my weekends, so if I may redirect you to my new blog which will just be little updates (probs heavy on the pictures) of fun stuff I'm doing out here including Sunday Fundays, new hobbies (had my first kiteboarding lesson!), and I'll be going on a 4 day backpacking adventure along the NaPali coast in Kauai. Super pumped about that! The new web address is

http://www.kayleighahudson.blogspot.com

Aloha!

Sparknotes

It's been awhile and my head hurts and gets quickly jumbled with what's been going on since May when I last posted. My life looks completely different than it did then. Here's sparknotes version of each month:

May - lived in Waikiki with my tsunami friend Hannah. After 4 months of no funds and collecting parts I got Julia (Land Rover) back. Started on the job hunt. Oh, and dad was diagnosed with lymphoma and was going to start chemo treatments.

June - got job as hostess at a restaurant right on the beach called Shorebird. Don't get me wrong--I enjoyed always having a gorgeous view and ocean breeze while I was working...but it wasn't at all like I'd imagine  beach front restaurant on an island job would be like. Fastforward to the end of June when I totaled Julia (the truck I had just gotten back the month before after 4 months of not driving her. RIP Julia). Dad started chemo treatments and was handling them very well and had high spirits. I spent a good deal of time riding the complain train about my $8/hr part time job but God is faithful even when I doubt and somehow....bills got paid that month. I've given up trying to figure that one out. I kind of hated my life in June.

July - still at Shorebird. Realized I was ready for a "normal" schedule again. I hated working Saturdays and my nerdiness started to show when I started itching to do something accounting-ish and I started full-time job search. Stumbled upon Nordic PCL Construction, Inc. available positions, interviewed, and got the job. Things were starting to look up, even if I wasn't so much.

August - started my new job. Not the most challenging work, but it's busy and I like the company and especially the people. Who knew that you could put 5 women working in a cluster of cubicles and there be NO DRAMA. You read that right. None. Everyone works hard and helps each other out. We all just get along in general. So wonderful yet I still kind of don't believe it. Alice, Ginnie and Katie came to visit which was absolutely refreshing and wonderful and I just love them so much. Also got great news from dad's doctor that he was almost cancer free

September - getting the hang of the job thing. We have a great group of young people and we hang out pretty regularly. My cousin Maria and her friend (and now my friend too) Becca came to visit. It wasn't even super planned until a few weeks earlier. Loved having them here. 

October - I don't think there was much to talk about in October. Although it might've been sometime around Halloween that our Tuesday night routine of shooting pool (it's the super cheap night) started up. I'm slowly getting a little better...but it's fun to just hang out with coworkers we don't see during the week. (not everyone is in the office...we usually don't see people who work on jobsites unless it is after hours). 

November - played in another ultimate tournament. Even though my tent could not handle the wind on the beach for camping, it was a fun weekend. Especially the little hat draw beach tournament on the last day. Love playing in general on the beach. Spent Thanksgiving with the Elliotts and a coworker relatively new to the island (transferred from a Canadian district) came along for her first American Thanksgiving. Fun times with a great family!

December - Worked a lot in the beginning, and sucessfully made southern style bbq (this will earn it's own entry later) then went home for a little over a week for the holiday. Stella is growing up so much! Jenny came to spend Christmas with our family, and then Ginnie/Alice/Katie are awesome friends and came up for a few days after. I was bummed I didn't make it to SC, but was so glad to have a little SC come up to me. 

January - Mom and dad came to visit! Glad to finally be able to show them my life now. Good balance of being touristy but also seeing what I do in Hawaii. By day 2 dad had his routine - found his breakfast spot, then read the news while mom laid on the beach. I think they could've gotten used to that lifestyle... Some friends in Pharmacy school did a rotation on Maui. I went to spend one weekend there, and they came to spend the next on Oahu. This prompted our first Sunday Funday where a group of people from work and a few others went on a hike on the pretty side of the island then hung out on the beach and wrapped it up with barbeque at Joe's house. I made my bbq again. Love my one crockpot "dish"!

February, part 1 - Had February's Sunday Funday early this month...and on a Saturday. 15 of us rented kayaks and went out to the Mokes (Mokuluas....little islands right off of Lanikai's shore) and hung out for the day. Such an awesome time, and it was fun to walk around the mostly lava-rock island exploring little tide pools, etc. 

Jadeveon Clowney is a Gamecock and tonight I will eat steak with the Elliotts and do their taxes so they can pay off their children. I love those children so it will be quite a fabulous Valentine's Day.

til later.....

Potpourri

Went to the mainland for not long enough for all I wanted to do. 

First stop: Naw'lins for Jazz Fest

where I tried new foods...some so good, some not so good

...and I made new friends, including one with a mullet

...and saw my friend Drew

...along with 100,000 of my other friends

...and sloshed around in mud in my $6 Wal*Mart off-brand keds that I purchased prior to going. So glad that for once I considered in advance the miserable time I would've had in my slippers (flip flops)

Second stop: LBC, VA for Maggie's wedding. I'll post pictures once I get them from Maggie. Until then, here's the bestnieceever Stella:

Third stop: SOUTH CAROLINAAAAA! Where I had a lovely time and even got to spend a day in Charleston with the fam (KTJ and Chewy--you were missed). The last time we were together was right before Chewy left for his South American adventure (even that time being sans KTJ). Despite us growing up and living our post-college lives, it was still typical family time complete with genius ideas that (in retrospect, naturally) weren't thought out completely which only made it that much more typical. Make sense? It does to the fam.

good genes run in this family--we aren't afraid to say it

Hawai'i better prepare for August when these two +KTJ land. 

my BFF Ginnie. Don't hate her because she is beautiful...hate her because she was the last one on the tube before it deflated. 

beach in Charleston...I miss the southerness of it.

Back in Hawai'i now. Moved to town to find a job. The girl I'm staying with this month is great...she is from Tennessee. The only problem with this is when she misses home and "Rocky Top" comes out of the speakers...seriously though, such a blessing for her to offer her futon to me for the month! If it weren't for tsunami scare 2k10 our paths wouldn't have crossed and we wouldn't be friends.

Lastly, how could I post on Mother's Day without a picture of my own?!

Love her.

He is Risen!

Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. 

Birthday was good. There were friends around, but it was weird not having my friends around. Ginnie and I are having a joint birthday dinner when I'm in South Cackalacky for a hot minute in roughly 2 weeks! I'm only in Cola for 3 days but I will eat as much Miyos and Grouchos as my stomach will allow, and then some.

The day after my birthday was my first "beach ultimate" experience. I've had plenty of practice lying out soaking up the rays, but running back and forth in sand? Dang it wears you out quick. So fun, nonetheless. Here's a "super slo-mo" (ABDC fans, anyone?) of a little endzone play our captain put together


This time next week I'll be en route for my mainland mini-cation....Louisiana, Virginia, and South Carolina or bust! I hope it's warm everywhere. I've grown accustomed to a particular climate...

vaSTAYcation to Moloka'i

I think I can stay up as late as I want tonight because I don't have to work tomorrow but then I'm quickly reminded of 5 little reasons why that won't happen. So we'll make this quick and visual-friendly. Think of it as a picture book...with some words.


oh, idk, my elementary school bff Carter? came to visit during her spring break from Alabama. So fun to hang for a week although I will tell you it is hard to balance having to live here and entertain someone who is on vacation. (vacationing and living in Hawai'i are totally different). It was fun showing her the island and relaxing. We celebrated St Patrick's Day in Chinatown which was a crazy but toned-down version of St Pats in 5pts. Naturally we went to a luau as well. Paradise Cove should start having a punch card or something for how many times I've brought people there. At least they have good military rates. We also hiked Koko Head at sunrise during which my stomach was NOT cooperating--I'll spare the details. It was still beautiful and I enjoyed the time with Carter and my ex-future-neighbor Hannah.


oh, idk, my mom's bff Angela? and her hubbybubby spend a few months each year on Moloka'i. We all know momma di'int raise no fool so naturally I took advantage of the free oceanfront condo (don't want to forget the views of Maui and Lana'i and that other small island that starts with a 'K' from their lanai) and tour guides with a seabring convertible. After hearing about it from Buddy and Vincent all of these years it was great to spend a couple of days with them and see the island and soak up the rays. In their resort I was definitely Cameron Diaz a la In Her Shoes and met so many cute elderly couples who have been going there for years as well. I sat there while they smoked and shared their wisdom and advice for me to take full advantage of my youth. We covered the whole island so here are some pictures.
 

Halawa Valley where we enjoyed a little picnic on the black sand beach

Halawa Valley, the view behind us

the road to Halawa

old church where only the cement shell is still standing. There are still some services held here.

A new friend I met on a little morning walk

I could live in an ocean front condo for a few months of the year...

Kalaupapa, the old leper colony where people were exiled until a vaccine was introduced making it noncommunicable

Dixie Maru, named after a Japanese ship which sunk a few miles off the coast. I don't know if I spelled "dixie" correctly as far as the ship is concerned, so I just chose the southern way.

Papohaku beach park

Kaluakoi which used to be a nice little resort until a few years ago when it shut down. That's a story for later.

My new undertaking is hula and I debut this Easter Sunday at both a sunrise service and regular service. We'll see how this goes...

ON THE CALENDAR: oh, idk, my college bffs since freshman year Ginnie, Katie, and Alice? are trying to plan a little trip in August. When I think about it I sometimes come very close to peeing a little bit out of excitement so if it really does happen and all 4 of us are on the island at the same time...I'm packing some depends. 

Baby, it's cold(ish) outside

If only February was just a couple days longer I would've been sure to post during the month. Regardless, I feel like the second month of 2010 was a rather eventful one. I worked alot which meant bills got paid, I have a potential job after tax season, played in my first ultimate tournament, made a friend at my first ultimate tournament, hung out with said friend from ultimate tournament once, Sarah Grace Pike Hamilton and her baby bump came to visit, Megan is going on a mission trip to Uganda, we got annihilated by a tsunami, and (drumroll) Megan and I have a very affordable apartment to move into for the summer!

Kaimana Klassik is an annual tournament on the island where teams come from the mainland and even a few from abroad (Japan and Ireland) over Presidents Day Weekend. There is a womens and open division. I jumped on board last minute when the women's pick up team needed a few more players. It was a great weekend and I'm glad I went. Wait, let me clarify--after setting up my tent solo on the beach in the fierce wind and cold rain after dark I eventually shivered my way to sleep and so I'd say starting the next morning I was glad I went. We played 4 games each day and by about halfway through the 3rd game each day my legs would shift into full-on rebellion. There was easily a couple-second lag between my brain telling them to move/run and them actually responding. Naturally, this motivated me to workout more but other than a salsaerobics class with Sarah such motivation has (once again) not materialized into anything productive. I figure I already have enough to talk about for February, so starting to workout regularly would only add to that so if I need something to spice up the month of March perhaps I'll give it a go. I made some friends, one in particular being the injured girl on our team. Turns out she enjoys swing dancing and so I went with her to a little dance thing that happens on Thursday nights in Chinatown (hmmm....dancing on Thursdays...sounds familiar). It was a cozy and quaint atmospherd (sort of a la Earlwood Bappy when they had their thing going on) and I enjoyed it. Hope to make it back again.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Megan is going to Uganda May 5-15 for a mission trip with Children's HopeChest. She is a multi-talented individual and is using her talents to be able to leave something behind in Uganda. She is making (absolutely adorable) pillowcase dresses for the girls in orphanages there. If you'd like to help you can either donate $25 to sponsor a dress (donations can be made to CHC for tax deductibility purposes), or donate supplies (old pillowcases, ribbon, thread, old fabric scraps for appliques for the dresses). If you'd like to help at all, email me (kayleighahudson@gmail.com) or Megan (daviesmk@gmail.com) and we can give you more information.

ANOTHER ANNOUNCEMENT: Sarah came to visit for 10 days so MKS (Megan-Kayleigh-Sarah) bonding time was in full force for the last bit of February. It was awesome hanging out with the three of us in one place again. Plenty of beach time so I got my tan back, had fun taking Sarah on some touristy adventures (Polynesian Culture Center, Pearl Harbor, etc), and of course we made the legendary seven layer bars which came in handy while we climbed to higher ground the next day for the tsunami warning. If I didn't die while skydiving, it wouldn't be too bad either if I died while eating seven layer bars. It was sad having to drop her off at the airport, but we are thankful that her husband (slash babydaddy) let her and her babybump come play.



Finally before I go (because I should've been spending this time cleaning the room....typical) Megan and I will be moving into town from at least mid-May to mid-August. We're subletting from a couple traveling in Spain over summer break. It is an awesome location with a great view and WALKING DISTANCE TO A SOCIAL LIFE! It'll be nice not having to factor in a 30min-1hr commute (depending on traffic) just to hang out with someone. We also happened to meet a neighbor while at Tripler for Tsunami Scare 2K10. A downside will be not having 5 little kiddies attack me with "Kayleigh's home!" accompanied by hugs and kisses everytime I walk in the door. Future roommates sure do have a lot to live up to...

okay, seriously. Clean up time before I go into work (on my day off)

1 little, 2 little, FIVE little Elliots!

HALLELUJAH PRAISE THE LORD THEY'RE HOME! A week and a half ago Carrie came home to Hawaii with Mykah and Jackson. So awesome to see their family finally complete! A first family photo:

What a happy beautiful bunch. Colin loves to be a big brother and help. Maddie didn't waste anytime showing Mykah around the girls room, being sure to point out the closet and all of their pajamas they get to share. Gracen (who is half Jackson's age yet almost twice his size it seems) just loves having more people to chase, cups to drink from, and how there's too much going on to always have an eye on her. Mykah and Jackson are absolutely precious. Mykah is quite the livewire who wastes no time to run and jump into my arms when I come home. Jackson also is the biggest (figuratively, of course) cuddle bug who looovves hugs and kisses. He'll sit in my lap for the longest time and you just can't say no to his tooth-ish wide mouth grin, or adorable puckered lips looking for some love. Oohh I just love all 5 of them like crazy and look forward to watching them all grow together as a family. 

Work is getting better now that things are picking up. Right now it gets busy, but not too busy. Stays consistent which makes the days go by faster. However the next two weeks are known as hell peak because everyone should be receiving the rest of their tax info. We'll see how I feel about things then. I have this one precious old lady who I can't wait for her to come back tomorrow for me to finish her return. She's in her 80's and asked me if I had any grandparents and when I told her none were living, she all but adopted me on the spot. I can't wait to be a funny old lady (I can wait, but you get what I mean). That reminds me that I need to find a rocking chair somewhere...when I frequented Windy Gap I got lots of practice rocking on the porch, but since I've moved across the country I've been slacking.

So now it's time to tell you about my new adventure yesterday! Marlene (temporary roomie) leaves for Spain tomorrow, so yesterday I had the day off and her uncle took her, Megan and myself diving to spear tacos (octopus). So awesome. It was an overcast day so there were 0.0 tourists and we had flat island and the surrounding waters to ourselves. This was my first time snorkeling and after working out some disagreements with my gear, I was loving it. We brought an underwater camera and so I'll add pictures. Uncle found an octopus who was home and even though I did more cheering on and supporting than actual spearing I totally felt like an amazon woman or something. Later when uncle was cleaning out the insides a vicious green head eel (I think he called it a green head...I don't know, uncle just said you don't mess around when they're near) came out of nowhere since he smelled feeding time. I got a picture of it and escaped with my life so no worries. We popped out it's teeth/beak which comes in two parts. Megan is and artist so can we say FRIENDSHIP NECKLACES?! I don't know if I'm still even friends with anyone I've had real frienship necklaces with before, but I now see the foreshadowing in that they came in the shape of a broken heart. I'm not sure, but I'm pretty sure Megan and I will be the only ones with octopus teeth necklaces. Thinking back, there was that one summer I was working at camp in Florida and Spike sent me a "Best" sweatband where she had the "Friends." We're still friends. I still have that sweatband somewhere.

After our adventure we went on a little hike to some ww2 bunkers where we introduced Marlene to the jumping picture. Lots of those. On the way down, naturally I slip and fall and of course there is a perfectly placed rock right under my left cheek (I'll let you figure out which cheek I'm referring to) and nailed it perfectly. I know I have plenty of padding, but I do not have buns of steel so you can imagine how this hurt. I couldn't help but say the first thing that came to mind (again, use your imagination). There is now a giant black/blue/purple splotch. TMI? Maybe. Probably. But every time I sit or lie down I am reminded of it and blogging is to be somewhat a reflection of my thoughts. Well I think I'm bruised as hell and it hurts. To top it all off, after looking at pictures I realized the shorts I was wearing are completely unflattering from behind and nobody has ever bothered to tell me this.

As usual, Yogurtland helped make things a little better and all in all, a good day. So, until next time something worth my mom reading about happens, aloha.