A few of my favorite photos from the year, including too many of the prized pup:

A year that begins in Africa can be nothing short of magical; 2011 didn’t disappoint.

Holy crikes. That’s how you do a year right. Thank you 2011! (I hear your younger sister 2012 brings great promise.)

~K

Needless to say, her fan club went bananas crazy with pride, including ringing a cowbell. She had rows of people screaming like mad for her and every yelp was well deserved.

Because if you are going to have a nurse in the family, let it be a super smart one who can lead!

And then, because this is Adam and Kim, after way too much pizza and libations — we bowled:

Yep. She’s even gorgeous bowling. Smart and gorgeous. I know. 

So damn proud of her!

~K

Thankful for a quick and lovely trip back to Phoenix that was just long enough to make me miss Nelson and the mountains. Celebrated my grandfather’s 85th birthday, had lunch with family in Tucson, howled with laughter during several dinners with the crew, and even got to visit my church.

There wasn’t enough time to see all those I love and miss, but there was enough to make me miss my new home.

Sometimes the cactus is always greener.

~K

And if history has anything to say about it:

Santa Fe

S

Portland

Yellowstone

Sun Valley

It’s going to be a weekend to remember.

~K

I will not make this blog for the next year: WHY COLORADO IS BETTER THAN ARIZONA. Or, sadly, WHY ARIZONA IS BETTER THAN COLORADO.

With a few small exceptions.

Mexican Food — Colorado vs: Arizona

Christo, almighty. Mexicans! Where are you? I miss my bretheren, especially those who know how to run an amazing restaurant with a healthy, fresh and tasty menu. The lack of quality Mexican food in these parts is dumbfounding. For my Arizona friends, get on your knees today and thank the heavens for Gallo Blanco. Or Barrio Cafe. Or Ajo Al’s. Or even my former employer Rosita’s. Because everything in Denver so far has been a fancy version of Macayo’s. Yellow cheese. Runny refried beans. Green chile that is called “Bronco sauce” because somehow, it comes out orange. ORANGE.

Ew.

Score one for Arizona.

(Unintended benefit: I’m eating a lot less Mexican food. Hola, pants that fit.)

On the other hand, my new homestead has no rumors of a certain former Alaskan resident buying a ginormous McMansion in the dusty hinterlands of north Scottsdale. Perhaps the only way Arizona politics could get worse, on a day when the news included sheriffs in the county jails being arrested not only for running drugs for prisoners but also being impregnated by drug king pins (you cannot make this nonsense up), is the addition of the Palin family to the foray. Apparently she wants to take Kyl’s senate seat. Palin and McCain both representing my home state?

Score one for Colorado.

~K

I forgot my camera cord at a friend’s house the night before I left. So, until I unpack the duplicate, a few more photos from the scavenger hunt that Jason just emailed over: (He was on the team, behind the camera.)

Obviously, we did not have any fun at all. Not a bit. (I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit teary looking at these. I love these folks so much.)

How am I ever going to get all of these people to move north? Well. As the great Adele says, “Don’t under estimate the things I will do.”

~K

I spent my last day in the Valley, among other things hugging many friends and hiking Camelback Mountain.

A sign I will always be Arizonan at heart? My tan officially matches the landscape.

The car is packed, including my bikes. I’m off to a new home in Colorado. Thank you all — near and far — for your well wishes, gifts, notes, meals and parties during this crazy month. What a month it’s been! I will miss this great desert, in great part to the many, many people of Arizona I love. I will miss you dearly.

Now, please start looking for flights to Denver. I will be preparing the homestead for your many visits, especially those with a relocation mission.

xoxo,

K

My current moving alert isn’t red. Or orange. It’s beige. I’m surrounded by beige. Boxes, boxes everywhere. It’s mayhem.

My happy spin on the current homeland Code Beige!: packing is a lot of fun for a girl who loves to organize. I currently own only socks with pairs. Only towels, pillow cases and white T-shirts without that random mascara stain. Only earrings that I’ll actually wear. Only shoes I really love. Only dishes, books, fabric, yarn, plants, and furniture that I plan on using for a very, very long time.

T-minus 56 hours left in Phoenix. Time to write a new story!

May the movers be gentle,

K

My friend Dan, the Relation Chef, was in town last night to whip up a special menu at Scottsdale’s Posh. I don’t typically eat such fancy meals on a Monday — or ever. For that matter, 90% of the time I stay home in my jammies comfortably curled up with my excuses, and don’t go to such dinners.

But I wanted to support Dan and I love Posh. I figured it would be a wonderful meal.

In fact, it was the best meal I’ve ever eat in a restaurant. Huge statement, right? Best. Hands down, best. That egg dish? It was called the 62 degree egg. It had these mushrooms and crispy spinach and some sort of potato layer at the bottom. It was rich, savory, salty and simply delicious. For my main dish, I had the beef wellington — which included that gorgeous tiny scoop of mustard ice cream. Mustard ice cream! Sounds ludicrous, but melting on top of hot, perfectly cooked steak? Holy heaven. A+.

Additional perk: everything was just pricey enough and just tiny enough I felt French. Sitting there sipping my giant glass barely full of chardonnay, I savored every drop and bite. It was a good reminder to eat this way more often — enjoying every sensation and not eating quickly and too much just because you can.

I am so proud of Dan and so glad I went. It is such a delight to see friends finding success with their passion. Watching him work in the kitchen last night was impressive. I hope this is the first of many “best” meals I enjoy at one of his restaurants.

~K

This weekend was one that I will never forget. From the unique + thoughtful going away party a couple girlfriends coordinated — Adios Arizona Urban Adventure — to the Mumford + Son’s concert, with a brief foray afterward in a party bus, to Easter brunch with friends that ended in south Scottsdale far too late. Phew.

Phoenix, I just can’t quit you.

I’ve said “see you later” to so many sweet friends in the last few days. I’ve never slept less and danced more. I’ll let the photos paint the picture because I’m too tired to be clever — just as you should be on your last Monday in town.

Adios Arizona Urban Adventure:

Mumford + Sons, Party Bus:

Easter!

Juliann + Mariah — thank you for the best going away party. Clever, thoughtful and so much fun!

And to the Disbrows + Wrights, my many thanks as always for including me at your table.

~K

Since my first recordable cassette tape player, I’ve used music mixes to communicate what I can’t.

Tomorrow night my friends are throwing me one hell of a going away party. In turn, I’m making party favors — my “Arizona –> Colorado!” two disc mix.

What I hope it says is: I love you. More than you could know, I love you, and this town and this state. I love the cactus, Camelback Mountain, always having a tan, the best Mexican food outside of, well, Mexico. I love how my friends’ parents adopted me after my parents moved to Texas. I love that I always have a place at Sunday dinner. I love my church. I love my community garden. I love the African in the guest room, even though he still doesn’t know how to run the dishwasher (or unload it) 2.5 years later. I love the schools I attended. I love the birds chirping outside as I type this, especially the baby quail.

But more than anything, I love the little ones. It’s my friends’ kids I will miss the most.

CD 1: Arizona

1. Windows are rolled down: Amos Lee

2. Far Away: Ingrid Michaelson

3. Dots of Maps: Say Hi

4. Summer Wind: Frank Sinatra

5. Carefree Highway: Gordon Lightfoot

6. There is no Arizona: Jamie O’Neal

7. Desert Song: Edward Sharpe + the Magnetic Zeroes

8. Draw Me a Map: Dierks Bentley

9. After the Storm: Mumford + Sons

10. Arizona: Brian Haner

Disc 2: Colorado!

1. I gotta move: Ben Kweller

2. Rocky Mountain High: John Denver

3. Colorado: Chevy Chase

4. Colorado Sunrise: 3OH!3

5. Hold you in my arms: Ray LaMontagne

6. Sn Hands: Local Natives

7. The Long Way Home: Norah Jones

8. A Change is Gonna Come: Sam Cooke

9. Don’t Fence me In: David Byrne

And in turn, I know you love my sense of adventure and wanderlust. And my sappy mix CDs.

~K

I am dragging my feet this morning. I have a stack of paperwork to conquer to figure out how to get transform these lovely people legally into my lovely tenants.  Can’t I just call someone to come over and figure all of this out for me? I made a “husband on retainer” joke at brunch yesterday to hear an earful from girlfriends that their husbands would be procrastinating too and I should really reconsider my notions of marriage. Apparently, figuring out contracts and negotiating isn’t at the top of fun list for anyone.

And of course there is the packing. And the consulting gig I start this morning full time. So, logically I’m sipping coffee at a cafe, reading the news and blogging. And reviewing the photos of all the fun things I did do this weekend — like hiking yoga with the girls.

We did this once before after purchasing a Groupon this winter. Last time we took a class at South Mountain. This weekend we hiked at Dreamy Draw. The first class was gentle, rolling hiking and yoga. Yesterday was bootcamp by comparison. Our teacher was on fire — running back and forth on the trail telling us to “swing our arms” and “push it ladies!” It was a nice change and we were a sweaty mess by the end. (What a contrast from the snowball fight the week prior.)

My new Monday morning routine: review weekend photos, wish I was on the trail with friends, smile at this charmed life, say a prayer of thanksgiving, pour another cup of coffee.

~K

Correct answer.

I found myself walking a clay pigeon shooting range course with Adam and Matt yesterday. Add this to the lengthy list of “things I never thought I’d do, but actually turned out to be fairly entertaining.” I didn’t shoot a thing, other than the aforementioned photographs and judgmental looks, but I did enjoy the wildlife, time with the boys, and being fully immersed in a Wild West gun culture that I’ve otherwise successfully sheltered myself from.

Think lots of big trucks. Big men. Huge guns. Now, also think sports cars. Tiny women. Smaller guns. Everything in between was represented at the range. And the judgment should have been on me for being so snotty about being outside of my element.

Guns are not my cup of tea. I don’t care to ever own, shoot or have one in my house. That said, to each is own. And these boys had a blast with their target practice. I spent a bit of time in the sun, photographing flowers. Missions accomplished.

~K

Saturday, I met the future tenants on my little home. I’m tiding up a few pieces of my life in Arizona that have remained gray far too long.  As the dominos fall, I skip, smile and then quietly cry when I can get a moment alone. As my friend Candace said, it’s a bittersweet time.

Two short weeks left in this home, that I’ve had for 8 years, and this town, that I’ve had for 31. Holy Moses.

~K

They included a hilarious and sweet mix of sentimental goodbyes, including my favorite — from Debbie: “I will miss your lectures about my over-consumption of gummy bears. Diabetics should not eat gummy bears.”

Lecture? Who, me? In all fairness, I have never seen an adult eat more candy. The woman loves it. And she’s diabetic. And it completely freaks me out she eats so much sugar. So, my “lecturing” was in love.

I also really like this note from Alma, who is recently back from maternity leave. It says (in highlighter) “We will miss you and the maternity policy!” I spent a good bit of time writing a paid maternity leave policy that ended up soon cancelled. Alma was one of the lucky few who was able to use it before it was revoked.

The door also included a fair number of Colorado, Africa and Arizona inspired images. The snowflake seemed like a particularly creative use of art supplies available in the office.

And because apparently my coworkers really do know me, I was presented with a going away bouquet of fruit in lieu of sheet cake. Because they’ve all heard me say more than once, ‘This office NEVER NEEDS ANOTHER SHEET CAKE.”

I learned so very much working in HR — namely how not to repeat secrets. I’m still not great at it, but I understand the importance of this trait in the workplace more than ever. I am thankful for the many things I learned in this job and will miss more than a few of my coworkers.

~K