January on Kauai – A Busy, Beautiful Start to 2025
The year 2025 started off busy with work! The hotel always feels extra full in January, thanks to all the snowbirds visiting from the mainland. People are eager to escape the snow, and honestly, who can blame them? It’s January... what fun even happens in January? I’m not sure, but I can tell you that Kauai is the place to be this time of year. The weather is perfect, the ocean is calm, and everything just feels alive.
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We kicked off the new year with a visit from our BYU–Hawaii friend, Kami! She brought a whole group of friends from BYU–Provo. They were loud and proud about being from Utah—we were asked several times at the beach if we were from Utah, too. I don’t know what it is about Utah folks, but you can always spot them wherever you go!
With the new year also came new insurance—aka, time for new glasses! Such a classic adulting moment. Gavin and I went to the eye doctor together, and the doctor was shocked that Gavin doesn’t wear glasses at all. He is that blind. It's actually a bit concerning. We had the best time picking out frames. I’m obsessed with my new gold frames, and I’ve been getting a ton of compliments on them at work!
On our days off, we made the most of the sunshine. Gavin spent time flying his dragon kite, and let me tell you—flying a kite is harder than it looks! It took us a while to get it in the air, but once it was up, it looked so majestic against the blue sky.
I also spent one afternoon hiking with a hotel associate who asked me to show her the tree swing in Kapa'a. She’s a total sweetheart—the kind of person who might love her dogs more than most people. We each had one dog in hand as we made our way up to the lookout. She couldn’t believe she had lived on the island for over 20 years and never been there. She kept repeating it over and over! Of course, we had to take some pictures with the dogs on the swing. If the dogs aren’t in the photo, did it even happen? Classic Lisa—she’s a total chatterbox and will talk your ear off, but I was happy to show her something new on her home island.
Our next adventure was with Chase, Anita, and little Theo! They’ve become some of our closest friends. We’re always at their house playing Overcooked, hanging out, or watching shows. It was extra fun to have them join us for paddleboarding. It was Theo’s first time on a board, and he was a little nervous at first, sitting stiffly in his life vest. But after a few minutes, he warmed up and started pointing out everything! To the sticks in the water, the chickens on the grass, and even how tall the bridge was. He kept us all entertained! We ended up splashing around in the (very) cold rainwater. Theo wasn’t a fan of that part, but luckily his parents brought a towel and wrapped him up tight. Once he warmed up in the sun, he and Gavin had a blast throwing big rocks into the water. They could’ve done that ALL DAY “Let’s see who finds the biggest rock,” “Let’s see who makes the biggest splash,” “Who can throw the farthest?” Eventually, I had to convince Gavin it was time to stop. We wrapped up the day at the beach before grabbing some Mexican food on the way home.
To cap off the month, Taylor Swift released the Lover cardigan! And yes, I caved. I already have SO many of her cardigans and had told myself I’d stop... unless she released one for Lover. And she did! My wildest dreams came true. It’s soft, white with pink hearts, and absolutely perfect for heading into February. A true cozy-girl essential.
