One little question transformed an average 2020 mid-week hometown hike into a memory I’ll never forget: “Wouldn’t it be funny if we just moved? To, like, Hawaii?”

It was only ever meant to be a joke! We laughed it off immediately, but for some reason, it started to feel less and less like a joke with each passing day. The transition to fully remote work that defined the year for so many people meant my husband, Ian, had officially joined me in the work-from-home life. And while Utah was the place I’d always considered home, the freedom to work anywhere suddenly made anything feel possible, even a move across the Pacific.

Everyone thought the idea was more than a little crazy, but you’re talking to a girl who ran her first marathon with the stomach flu! If it sounds crazy, it’s probably got my name written all over it.

So in October 2021, we sold or donated most of our belongings and hopped on a plane with everything we still owned in just five suitcases—one dedicated entirely to our ever-growing game collection, if that tells you anything about our priorities. While moving four time zones away from our family was hard, it didn’t take us long to feel right at home in Oahu, thanks to the Hawaiian “ohana” that welcomed us with open arms. And here, we’ve joyfully embraced a simpler way of life that invites us to celebrate experiences over stuff.

We immersed ourselves in the local culture, gaining immense respect for the unique traditions all around us. We crisscrossed Oahu searching for the most magnificent views, waterfalls, and beaches.