Digital Content Creator| lifestyle blogger
Blogging is something that I have always expressed my passion and excitement for (See: Introducing Life + Style With Kris). After successfully starting a college blog in 2008, I never discovered love as deep as the one I have for writing (for a career choice). So why did I stop? What made me start back ten years later?
Continue reading “Why I Started Blogging (And maybe You Should Too)”
If you have been following me on social media, then you know that I have been practicing yoga. My practice method is 2-3 times a week, and sometimes I’ll post the transitions I’m practicing on IGTv (Check my Instagram for “Self-Care Sundays”). I’ve been enjoying getting to learn more about how it can help improve my physical and mental health. Regular discipline and practice have increased my ability to find inner peace and salvation. Oh, and did I mention that I’m not an expert at this? Although I am not as trained as some, I’ve still gained a bit of knowledge about the art of yoga. We all don’t have to be Yogis!
Being at home for five/six months has taken a lot of adjustment for all of us, and it steadily affects my mind and body. Yoga has allowed me to escape to find release. I’ve learned eight poses or transitions that have helped me to relieve tension, stress, and anxiety. These eight yoga poses are great for beginners like me and are steps in the direction towards allowing yoga to heal your body.
Continue reading “8 Beginner Yoga Poses to Ease Anxiety and Depression”
Summer 2020 has been nothing like I envisioned it to be. An eventful, sunny season is ultimately my favorite time of year and honestly all that I’d hope it to be. Due to the ongoing and everlasting pandemic, COVID-19 has gotten in the way of many things. I miss vacations! I miss itineraries and sizable events/ activities. Will traveling ever go back to being what we knew it to be? I just want it to be over!
I am optimistic that we will be able to take trips like we used to, but in the meantime, I’d like to be creative and find a way to just… get away. If not only but for a short and sweet moment, wouldn’t that be nice? July is a significant month for me and represents a time of love, joy, and happiness. For starters, it is the birth month for myself (July 10th) & a host of other family and friends! CANCERS UNITE!
It’s also the month that my husband and I wed. July 2020 will always be significant, marking five years of marriage! Could you imagine being equally excited to celebrate an occasion such as this but weary about how to even approach the planning for it? To be truthful, we’d almost given up on planning anything. What was there to do? What was SAFE to do?
There may not be much to do, but there was one thing that we knew to do: we had to get away. Our research on VRBO led us to condo rentals that wouldn’t be too far from home in Gulf Shores, Alabama. We have vacationed there a couple of times before and have always managed to have a great time. We hadn’t heard in any surge of COVID-19 cases there, and the rental properties seemed to have accommodations, rules, and guidelines due to the current pandemic that we could comply with. I started to become intrigued by the possibilities of being able to escape my bedroom, office, and living room spaces.
Disclaimer: Heads up! My posts contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of those links, you won’t pay a penny more, but I’ll get a small commission, which helps keep the lights on. Thanks!
Young’s Suncoast Condo Rentals
We found a beautiful one-bedroom condo within minutes from the Gulf Shores beach. Young’s Suncoast has several properties within the area (Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Fort Morgan). The One Club condo property offered us many amenities, a few that we could take advantage of such as a restaurant and bar that delivered, 24/7 Fitness Center, and private cabanas. Check out pictures from the Young’s Suncoast website for pictures of vacation rental properties. I decided to decorate our condo on arrival day with themed balloon colors and anniversary keepsakes. Everything turned out flawlessly and set the tone for a weekend full of love, happiness, and relaxation.
White, Gold, Teal Balloons
Gold Backdrop
Feathers
Beach Bums & Sandcastles
Public beaches are open if you’re in or near Alabama! It’s dead in the middle of Summer and thanks to COVID, my family and I haven’t had any family fun at the beach. We were able to find a spot on the beach, at a safe distance from everyone else, and hang out for the day. It was nice to watch the waves (which were high that day) and lay out in the sun. I walked the shore for a bit before building sandcastles with my husband and son.
Eat and Merry
Normally when I travel, I like to dine-in at restaurants that I’ve never experienced. I truly miss life pre-COVID. We worked around restaurant closures and limited menus the best that we could and honestly owe Door Dash a huge thank you! If you don’t have this food delivery service it is worth the app to download on your smartphone. Another Broken Egg is one of my favorite brunch restaurants and every time I visit Gulf Shores, it is a must-have. Usually, I’d recommend restaurants like GT’s On The Bay or Barefoot Island Grill. If you don’t have to venture out, let the food come to you. Here’s some Door Dash promo codes for July. Hurry, they’ll be expiring soon.
We Are Family
I envisioned a tropical vacation trip out of the country (it would’ve been my first time) for my fifth wedding anniversary. I’d previous thoughts about taking a cruise or a trip to the Bahamas. However, circumstances allowed us to create memories in other ways. Fun Fact: My husband and I didn’t get to have a real honeymoon after our wedding. The trip to Gulf Shores allowed my family and me to find innovative ways to bond. Usually, vacations are filled with activities, events, and itineraries. Quality time indoors while you’re away from home is typically minimal but, it deepened our communication with each other. For example, we played Zingo (a fun sight word game for toddlers) for a family fun night. Landon enjoyed identifying words on his (and everyone else’s) boards and getting a taste of winning at games.
What Summer travel plans did you have to change due to COVID-19? Will you still be taking any trips with the Summer almost coming to an end? Have you taken any trips yet this Summer? Leave a comment below.
Disclaimer: Heads up! My posts contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of those links, you won’t pay a penny more, but I’ll get a small commission, which helps keep the lights on. Thanks!
On Instagram last week, I talked in my stories about wanting to try body waxing at home. I am still uncomfortable and apprehensive about going out. COVID-19 is like that guest that can’t seem to take a hint when they are on the verge of overstaying their welcome. Even though Mississippi (which is the state that I live in) has deemed it “safe” for residents to get back to some sort of normalcy, I will still be hosting Self Spa Nights at my home until further notice. I mean, I waxed my eyebrows in March, gave me and my husband pedicures in April, what’s a little body waxing? It should make for a fun activity!
My followers on Instagram agreed that I should try body waxing and recommended that I try Veet’s 3-in-1 Legs & Body Wax Strip Kit or Sensitive Precision Beauty Styler (which is an electric trimmer for facial hair). I decided to conduct a poll because I didn’t know which one I wanted to try out first. Both products seemed like a great fit for what I was trying to accomplish. The people voted and decided that the 3-in-1 Wax Kit was what they were so eager for me to try. A lot of you had positive feedback about what you liked about it and what it was able to do for you. “I can wax pretty much everything with this!”, “This stuff works!”, and “It smells so good. It does such a great job removing hair.” was all that I needed to hear.
I purchased my wax kit from Amazon since I don’t plan on going inside stores to shop. You can easily get yours from Wal-Mart or Target while you’re out, but if you’re like me and shop online for the convenience, I got you. Grab yours here: https://amzn.to/3dIHMO5
One kit includes:
I did not realize that I ordered a two-pack until it arrived at the house, so I have (80) wax strips total. I knew that since it’s been six weeks since the last shave that I needed to make sure I had enough. FYI: one box is enough. Take a look at the box contents below.
The use of these gel wax strips was simple and easy. I decided to wax my underarms and legs and you can watch as I review my experience in the video below. There are just four easy steps. Gently peel the double-sided wax strips apart using the grip tabs. Next, apply the strip to the skin, grip tab side facing downwards. Rub several times in the hair growth direction your hair grows.
Pro Tip: Always pull back the strip against the direction of hair growth, keeping the strip close to the skin as you pull.
Hold your skin tightly stretched, grasp the tab, and pull the strip back on itself as quickly as you can! The faster you pull, the more hair you remove! After waxing, clean away any wax left on your skin with the Perfect Finish Wipe.
Very easy! I was so pleased and happy with the end result. I did have to clean up mid waxing because I waxed the same area more than once. It became TOO much gel TOO fast. LOL! The instructions for use do recommend to wax in a consistent pattern to make sure you don’t miss hairs. However, DO NOT wax over the same area more than once. My leg hairs did not show well in pics or on film due to lack of hair. Veet has made waxing at home super fun, quick, and easy. I was able to wax in under 25 mins! That was super convenient for me because my Landon (my son) was ready for me to spend some time with him. Saturdays at my home have been deemed “Party Saturdays” by him and I wasn’t following the rules.
Let me know your experience with using Veet’s 3-in-1 Wax Strip Kit in the comments below. If you are looking to do more self-care things like this when you’re at home, give this a try. I have decided that I just might not ever return to a spa for waxing services ever again! Oh and if you’re not already, make sure you’re following me on Instagram and YouTube so that you can catch my posts and videos.
Congratulations High school graduates of 2020! Hats off to all of you who will be graduating this month. You’ve made it through grades K-12 and the grand finale to your academic challenges would be to master your last semester in the middle of a global pandemic. You deserve to celebrate! I know that prepping for graduation has not been ideal this year. Most of your graduation ceremonies will take place on a live stream or in your parents’ garage and, unfortunately, a traditional ceremony can’t commence, given the circumstances. Don’t let this stop you from enjoying this milestone in your life! I know that sheltering in place is hard to work around, but we need to start preparing ourselves to make small adjustments when this is over. After all, there’s so much you’ve got to learn and experience now that your general studies are over. Embrace this moment in time, for when you get to college, it’s a whole new world!
A new fantastic point of view. No one to tell you no, or where to go. College is going to teach you things about yourself and you should be prepared for some of the experiences headed your way. College doesn’t come with a manual or an attachment PDF file on how to maintain during your tenure there. I’m sure that this post won’t be the only piece of advice that you’ll receive, either. Family is going to persuade or dissuade some of your decision makings. The beauty of all this unsolicited advice is to take heed but still “do you”. To truly enjoy this dazzling place that you’ve never known, sometimes you do have to let your heart decide.
Be Ready To Meet The New You
I know that self-discovery while in grades K-12 was an emotional and physical rollercoaster. Usually, high school can do a great job of making you believe that you’ve got everything figured out (including self). You should know that you are going to change quite often after your first college experience. This will give you opportunities where you can develop and transform into who you truly are or want to be. Imagine being shy and reserved throughout high school but begin shedding those outer layers, exposing your newfound appreciation for your overtly outgoing personality. Imagine being a procrastinator in grade school and developing into a person that’s OCD about organization and punctuality. College can bring some amazing qualities and attributes that you most likely did not know resides within you!
Go To Class… On-Time!
This should be common sense, but the one thing I know about the younger me is that I was not always present in class. Of course, if you’re enrolled in courses at a University or two-year college, why wouldn’t you be attending class? You’ll be surprised at the overwhelming plethora of things to do on campus. All of those activities can make going to class seem inferior to what you feel is more important at the time. Don’t listen! Go to class! It’s even more important if you’re going to be staying on campus. There’s not going to be anyone around to make sure that you’re up on time for class. Your roommate could but I wouldn’t rely on that too heavily. They’ve got their schedule to follow. Invest in a reliable and sturdy alarm clock (not just the one on your phone). Note: Select courses that don’t start super early! A 7 am or 8 am class is not good for anybody but early birds.
Join Programs & Be Social
One way to make friends with peers is to meet them. There are SO many people to meet in college! They’re from all over the world and they’re looking to create the same experiences as you. I met several colleagues through campus programs and activities being offered. Getting involved in something like a fraternity or sorority might be one of the things to interest you. Joining the student newspaper or Resident Assistant program might also be some things to look into. I guarantee you that there will be plenty of phenomenal activities to take part in and you should take advantage!
Live on Campus
If you’ve decided that you will attend your local college or enroll in online courses, I hope that I’m not too late to persuade you to try out the dorm life. Please consider staying on campus! I know, I know. You don’t like the idea of sharing a tiny space with someone you don’t know. You’re timid just thinking about the idea of showering in a common “private but public” space and prefer the privacy in your bathroom. I had those same sentiments but still gave on-campus housing a try. Honestly, staying in dorms for three years of my college life gave me one of my biggest unforgettable moments. It’s such a fun experience and gives you another opportunity to meet new people through roommates and other hall residents. Think of it as your first taste of living on your own by making it your new home. Decorate your room with basic dorm room essentials! Amazon is giving students the opportunity to sign up for Amazon Prime for just $6/mo. Just in time to stock up on things that you need before August gets here.
College Isn’t The Only Option
School may not be for everybody. If you haven’t committed to a school yet, what is holding you back? Do you have other plans for your life? You could. For those that are looking to join the workforce as soon as they’re able to cross the stage, take your time to research job opportunities. There are systems set in place like trade schools to help you learn your passion craft. You’ll have to keep in mind that you’re graduating high school right now. Some if not most jobs will require previous experience and/or advanced training. Then there’s another option. You could join a branch of the military. If you’re looking for someone to advocate that decision, I regret to inform you that I can not support the decision. However, I could and would respect it. I’ve seen a couple of my friends turn military life into something to aspire to have. My advice would be to weigh the pros and cons. It’s still an option that’s available and one for you to consider. The other option you could choose would be opting to attend a two-year college first. That’s certainly one that would be high on anyone’s list that may be graduating from high school! You should be finalizing your decisions on whatever you’re planning to do after high school soon.
Seize The Moment
The only thing that there’s left to do is to enjoy your new life! You’ve made it to college and that’s a major deal. Look at you and how far you’ve come! College is going to bring you memories that are going to last a lifetime. Get excited about those Homecoming nights & the captivating nightlife. It’ll feel as if you’re in a movie. Participate in tailgates and social gatherings as much as you can. You and your peers will rewrite college culture and make it your own! I’m certain that the libations and spirits will make for a great time. Enjoy this rollercoaster ride and worry about dating and children later. Spend this time chasing your dreams and enjoying even the bumps the road.
To those who have graduated, what advice would you give to the graduating class of 2020? What things have you learned throughout your time in college? What is something that you wish someone would have told you before you started at college?
While I have been sheltering in place, I have had so much free time. Idle time eventually led to scrolling through websites and apps on my phone. Next thing I knew, I have spent more money than I probably should have shopping on Amazon these last few weeks. Every single day for a solid three weeks to a month, I have found myself on Amazon or websites like them buying some essential and some non-essential things. Clothes, shoes, makeup, purses, beauty products. I’m not even kidding! I probably left something out it’s been so much. It doesn’t help that having things like Amazon Prime, that will guarantee your item’s arrival within 48 hours taunting you, either. While I have made it a point to grab my hand soaps and sanitizers online, I’ve been also making it a one stop shop for a lot of other things I’ve been needing but lacking. So I’ve decided to share a few things that I’ve purchased from Amazon within the last month. Don’t worry! I wouldn’t share anything that I would think that you couldn’t benefit from. I know that you’ll be thrilled to be introduced to these products and probably can’t wait to put them in your cart. I hope you look forward to seeing posts like this once a month. I must admit, Amazon has impressed me with the quality of the items I’ve purchased. Let’s get started.
Continue reading “My First Amazon Haul!”
The world has been under stress while trying to remain calm in the midst of chaos. The arguably most infectious virus, COVID-19, continues to sweep the nation indoors! I have been following the frightening headlines since February to present day, and you know what? I’M TIRED! Two weeks ago marked the last time that I would have punched a time clock, the last time my son would see his friends and teacher, and the first time I was forced to distance myself and my family from the outer world due to safety concerns. Our regular routine as we once knew it is no more. I’ve had to get innovative to keep some sanity and normalcy, to keep from spiraling out into a depression. The thing about home is that this is our resting place, our “safety net”, where we come to take a break from the things we used to do everyday. Now our home is home to Miss Mama’s P-4 Academy, the Buchanan YouTube GYM, and our updated version of “The Office”– minus the paper sales. All of these headquarters reside right in our forever transforming living room.
Continue reading “Social Distancing: Choosing to Self- Care & Keep the Faith”
Time waits for no one.
With everything that is happening in the world right now, I can’t help but sit and reflect. Life has a funny way of slowing you down. It’s been forcing me to really sit down and put some long thought into what I reaaallly need to be coming to terms with. What’s that? So glad that you asked. Life is short and if you let it, it can pass you by.
I know you know the sayings, just like I know the sayings. We’ve heard them quite a few times throughout our lives, but is it just a saying or is it really that real? While I have been choosing to isolate at home by way of social distancing, I’ve been thinking of all the things that I should be doing. That I have been putting off or simply making excuses as to reasons why they can’t be done. I’ve let myself get distracted from meeting my goals, guys!! I’m thirty-one years old and there’s still so much that I want to do. The younger me thought that I would’ve been “settled” and boyyyy was I wrong.
Hold up! Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been enjoying life but I’ve realized that there are things that I have not had the chance to do yet; that I thought I would have by this stage in life. I haven’t and will not give up on them, as there are other things I want to experience again because it makes me happy. Who doesn’t want to experience something that made them once happy over and over?
So, I’ve decided to come up with a list. A list of things that I would like to do before reaching the next “major milestone” in my life. I did the math. I’m thirty-one now. In four years, I will be thirty-five. Four years should be enough time to knock off a few goals, right? Did I come up with realistic ideas that can be achieved? How much can one achieve in four years? It’ll at least give me some things to look forward to doing. As long as I am manifesting my goals, I can keep being the driving force in actually accomplishing whatever it is I want! I’ve attached my list below and included a few that I’m working on already, to give myself a head start. Read the list and wish me luck! Maybe, just maybe, you’re inspired and want to make your own list. That’s awesome! Leave me a comment below so that I can follow along with you!
Hello online family + friends! If you are reading this post, then you’ve found your way over to my lifestyle blog. Over the years, I have been open with my life and have shared some of my young adult experiences with many of you. I took a break from it to focus on navigating through my journey to find my purpose in life. The journey has led me back to where I once began. I’ve been missing sharing things online with all of you.
I’ve always been able to tell a story or paint a picture with words. I miss creative writing! Instead of going directly to the sources of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for captions, how about I put it all in one place. A blog!
Anybody that wants to know updates in my life (like what Landon is up to these days), or wants to know more about my views and opinions (music, food, fashion, life) is all here on my personal blog. I will also be providing regular updates regarding my product bath bomb line, KREATIVE. You will be able to shop directly from the blog– all in due time.
I hope that you guys really embrace this new blog just as I have. With the right content, the opportunities are endless! I just think that this is the smarter + easier way to stay up-to-date with my lifestyle! Be sure to continue to follow me on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for updates so that you don’t miss the posts!
