Hello!

hello.

I just realized that I never really introduced myself, so... hi!  My name's Kristen, and I shall now embark on a mission to tell you a little bit about myself, because blogging is a social thing, and introverted though I am, I still want you all to get to know me if you'd like to!  I've decided to use some of my Instagram pictures to help illustrate this post, because though we're all adults here, I hear that most people still have a short attention span while reading (skimming!) blog posts, myself included!  So if you're busy or whatnot, feel free to just take a quick glance at the pictures and then come back later when you have more time.

basics.

  Alright!  Let's go over the basics.  I'm a Kindergarten teacher who is originally from Indiana but migrated to Hawaii because I was tired of the cold winters (and this winter, I am especially glad that I'm here and not there) and also because I just needed a change of scenery.  The move was really hard for me, mostly because I had to pack up all my things and get over here within a week's time so I could start my teaching job, but also because I was essentially starting a whole new life apart from my family.  When I look back at that decision now though, I know without a doubt that it's the best and bravest thing I could have done for myself.  I got to meet all kinds of new people (including my boyfriend) and get to know my island family a little bit more.

In my spare time (haha, what is that tho...), I like to craft, cook, and bake.  I'm also kind of a book nerd, which you will come to realize if you spend any amount of time on this blog, and I love to write fiction of my own.  This year, I want to start exploring this island more and take time to appreciate the aina (land).

family.

I moved in with my boyfriend last August with our two dogs, Layla and Mia.  Layla's the terrier mix you can see in the picture above (though she's much bigger now!) and Mia is an Italian Boxer (which just means that she's a little smaller than your average Boxer).  Our house includes a loft and a reading nook, which is pretty cool because I always wanted both of those things in my dream house.  We're renting this house, though, which means most of my DIY projects have to be renter-friendly, and right now, that's fine with me.  I'm not ready to tackle any big projects right now!  

blogging.

I started blogging back in Jr. High via Livejournal and then Tumblr.  But as for the genesis of this particular blog... last summer I started reading other people's blogs and found them very inspiring, so I wanted to try my hand at writing my own.  And more than that, I wanted to stick with it.  Having a blog really gave me the motivation to try new projects because I was excited to post about them and share them with other people.  Right now, my current focus for this blog is to inspire others to live a positive, enriched, and self-fulfilling life while sharing my own journey to become my BEST self.

later alligator!

And that's all for now!  On this blog, I'm hoping to start monthly themes, be it exercise or something more abstract, like hope or staying balanced.  Stay tuned!  

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