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Saturday night, I went to a choir concert called “Beyond the Dream : A gospel concert celebrating 34 years of Dr. Martin Luther King in Orlando”. Now, My kid was singing in it. And if you know me personally – you know I am not a big fan of choir music. Like, I think it’s beautiful, but let’s be honest – ya girl don’t sing in Latin. So, there’s that. But I go to every concert – show, whatever. Because to me, it’s important to show up for people that you love.

The Aeolilans & Dr. Jeffery Redding.

Any way, this isn’t a parenting post. At this concert, a group called “The Aeolians” Sang. They are a group from Oakwood University in Alabama. But before they sang – the president of Oakwood University spoke – and let’s just say – that man set the tone for the night. He was powerful, well-spoken, and made this white girl think about who Martin Luther King, Jr. really was. Because do we ever really think about who he actually was?

He was a man that was courageous. He was a preacher. He was a dad. He was a husband. He was a rebel. He was outspoken – and at times, he alienated some of the closest people around him. But he was a lot more than the “I have a dream speech”. I am not judging white America here, I am white. But what I am judging is what I was taught. And I was taught this: “He was an African-American preacher, a civil rights activist, and he gave a speech that started with ‘I have a dream’ – then he was shot in Memphis.” Now, that’s kinda sad that’s all I really knew.

Ruby Bridges

Now, there was once a little girl name Ruby Bridges. And she was the cutest little thing that you ever saw. And she wanted to go to school, just like all little kids want to do. Well, she got voted to start going to the desegregated schools. She didn’t ask to be a Civil Rights Activist, she was six. But that little thing went. Now, if you have kids, and are any type of parent, I would definitely fight for my kids to have the best education. The best of anything, because that’s what we want for our kids, right? Well, lemme put it this way. I have three kids. I have an olive complexion. My kids, two are your standard white, one is almost clear… LOL! I can’t imagine what it would be like, for someone not to allow my daughter into school, because she is super pale. We would all agree that would be ludicrous, right? It was the same thing. THE SAME THING. And while a six year old was walking into school, she was called slurs, had grown folk throwing things at her. Adults. Throwing things at a six year old. I can’t wrap my brains around that.

So, at this concert, what I saw was a celebration. A celebration of someone who helped fight for equality along with them. Who gave them courage, when they needed it. And can I just say, I am so grateful for MLK, Ruby Bridges, Nelson Mandela, Mother Theresa, Ghandi, Walter Francis White, and all the other civil rights activists. I am grateful for people who aren’t so clouded and jaded by their own inbred beliefs that they can see, that we are all equal. We are all one. Even the bible condems racisim. It’s from God himself.

President of Oakwood University, Dr. Leslie Pollard

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galations 3:28

There’s a lot more. A lot, google it. But, that’s my personal fave. Pretty well covers all bigotry I would say.

But you want to know what I saw? I saw people come together as one. And celebrate. Celebrate freedom. Celebrate Love. Celebrate Unity. Black and white. Young and old. All raised their hands in praise, to God. We hugged. We worshiped. We sang. And we also cried. Cried for what has happened. Cried in gratitude for where we are at. And to be honest, cried because we still have such a long way to go. But, when you have groups like the Aeolians, the Orlando Choral Society, a mayor that invests, and a city who supports – we have hope. And if we have hope, we can change the world. So today, let’s be grateful for how far we have come, and vow not to become complacent. Let’s let our passion, fulfill God’s promise – and love become our armor.

For more information on how you can become involved, go to http://orlandochoralsociety.org .

Love fully. Live fully. Shine on.

Sat nam.

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So…. this year, at my company’s Christmas Party, I won an Amazon Gift Card! I was so excited! If you are anything like me, when I have no money – I can tell you 100000 things I would like. But give me a gift card, or let me have some spending money, I have a hard time making a decision.

But this time, I knew exactly what I was going to get. You got it – I got a ‘bed of nails’, or as other less dramatic people call it – an acupressure mat. Having an autoimmune disease is super tough. There are days that you feel great, and then boom – all of a sudden your body feels like that of a 90 year old woman. Stress, and by stress I mean emotional or physical, can almost cripple me. Well, guess what – everyone has stress, right? There is no way you are going to be a momma of three kids and not have stress. So, what does one do?

Well, you learn to eliminate your stress as much as possible. I meditate, I pray, I exercise, I watch what I eat like a hawk. I take my medicine. I write. I journal. And now? Yep. I lay on a bed of nails. And as crazy as it sounds, if you suffer with back pain in anyway shape or form, get this thing. And no, I am not being paid to review this at all. This is just one girl wanting others to have the same relief I have had.

My bed of nails!

So, here’s a little bit of history on it. They claim that the bed of nails has been used as a relaxation aid for 5,000 years. Thousands of sharp spikes apply pressure to skin and muscles supporting restful sleep, relaxation, mental clarity and well-being. And guess what? It really does. Now don’t get it twisted. It is one of the weirdest things I have done, that actually works.

So, you have this mat – with these hard plastic spikes all over it. You it down, strip down, and lay back. I undress from the waist up, and roll down on it. One vertebrae at a time. Now, it is gonna be uncomfortable for the first little bit. But then, you feel a warmth take over your whole back. The first time, I did it for about 10 minutes, now – it’s about 25. I listen to a guided meditation while I do it, but if that isn’t your thing, you could totally watch TV, too.

And here is what I have noticed. I feel calmer. I do sleep better. But my favorite? When I wake up – I don’t feel stiff. So, Kristie tested. Kristie Approved. Get on amazon and get ya one!

Love Fully. Live Fully. Shine on.

Sat Nam

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A few weeks back, on my personal facebook page, I posted the below :

You wanna know why that’s funny? Cause it’s true. This new year, I have been quieter. Well, this whole holiday season, (see the last blog). But I was still here, reading, and lurking… LOL! And I saw a little bit of everything from folks. From “New Year, Same me” to “Almost time for the gym to get busy” to “Make New Year’s Resolutions- but not about your body!” (I really saw that one, too!) And all of this made me think, about my own take on the new year.

I like it. Is it just another day? Sure. But is it a block of time? It is. I also like the beginning of a football game. I am a huge Baltimore Ravens fan, and there was nothing I used to like anymore, than Ray Lewis coming onto the field and doing his chicken dance. I loved it. And why? Because you knew that the game was about to start. Race on. It’s my starting line.

I am a Virgo. Competitive by nature. So it was no shock to my own self when I realized I was making baby goals in my mind. And some were big and some were small. Then I was thinking about how to achieve them, and then it hit me. Like a ton of bricks.

Last year was a tough year for me – mentally and physically. I realized in late September/early October, there is a difference in being a doormat and standing up for yourself. I am so lucky that I have some amazing people around me – who supported me – and talked me through this – and even encouraged me. Now, although I am not comfortable with it, I am trying to do it more often. It isn’t my nature, you understand – my nature is to be a people pleaser. So often times, I shut up and take it. Just not to make waves.

Sis, that’s just ridiculous. I have learned that you can stand up for yourself without being a raging lunatic. You can say “Stop.” You can say, “I am not going to allow you to speak/treat/talk to me that way.” You can create boundaries. And you can forgive the whole time you are doing it. I am realizing that disagreements, along with standing up for yourself, doesn’t mean the person hates you – or that you are killing a relationship. It just means, you are saying, this doesn’t work for me.

I am not a ‘wave-maker’ now, but I am heard. There’s a difference. I feel like, I have a right to be heard, as do you. And we should be able to express ourselves, exactly like that. I also believe, that if someone is doing something good, we should be supportive, right? As humans, all doing this life thing together, we should be nicer. I literally just said, we should be nicer. Why, oh why, aren’t we nicer!?!?

Well, and there was my answer. In 2020 – and from this point on – I am going to work on being more consciously grateful. Consciously Kind. And also, maintain respect for myself. And if I can do that? Well, I would dare bet – a lot can change, right? And notice, I said that I am going to “work on it.” I might not do it great, I might have days where I fail miserably. But what I do know is this – I can always do a little better than I did they day before.

I put this photo on here, because this was definitely – my favorite day this year.

So, join me on this gratitude journey. Try everyday, to think of a few things that you are thankful for. Big or Small. Then write it down. And here’s the key- don’t make it the same three or four things. Because then it becomes reciting, not feeling and thinking about it. And I am making my own rule here, My top two – will never make the list – and I say that because consider it unspoken. I am thankful for God and my faith, and for my kids.

So, I will start us off.

  • Love. I am grateful for love. Being loved. Loving others.
  • Modern Medicine and Alternative Medicine. When you have some of the health issues, I have had – you learn to appreciate both.
  • Having my best friend. A tell all. Another human to do life with – that gets you without judgement.
  • Coffee. I love coffee. I love the habit of it – the way it starts my day off.

So, big things, little things, and things in between. Tell me, what are you grateful for? Maybe, I am taking something for granted, that I need to appreciate a little more!

Love Fully. Live Fully. Shine on.

Sat Nam.

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I mean, let’s be honest – I didn’t really go anywhere. I was here. In Orlando. Maybe at work, maybe at home. But yeah, if you look at my Instagram or my Facebook, I took a small step out of the social media world for a bit. I mean, don’t get it twisted, I would scroll. I would see your sweet pics, funny memes, etc . But I needed to take a step back from putting myself out there.

Why? I think, I struggle with self love – a lot. And to be honest, I was using my social media to look for it (self love) in the outside world. I mean let’s be honest. We put the best pics out there. Stand in the “right” pose. (When you all see me on social – you are seeing the best me. I don’t get any better than that. LOL! That’s it – that’s the top of the Kristie line. ) I digress – you can’ t find self love in the outside world, now can you? That’s quite the oxymoron. For some strange reason, I want to present myself as if I am completely put together. And even if I vent, I want it to look the right way. And why? Imma tell you in a second.

But I’ll tell you something else. I struggled with jealousy. I really did. When I would see, in my perception, the perfect family – perfect clothes – perfect kids – perfect cars – perfect vacations. They seem financially set. Spiritually grounded. I really would let my inner voice beat me up. The things and insults I would hurl at myself – well, I wouldn’t say it to my worst enemy. It took an unexpected mentor to say to me – “Baby, you are that to other people. They see you as the perfect one. Always postive. Always coiffed. Always, always, always.” And she was right. And that’s when I thought – step back and do some serious soul searching, girl.

Here is what I realized. It’s okay to be a mess. It’s okay not to post that you are a mess. It’s okay to post that you are. It’s fine – and you owe no one anything. We don’t have to prove ourselves to each other, and feeling like you do? Well, that was my ego talking. My ego wanting to be stroked. My ego saying, tell me I am good. Tell me I am pretty. Give me value.

Then that moment where I realize, I am valued. By so many people. And it isn’t because of social media. It’s a little boy climbing up in my bed and saying, “Good morning, mommy”. It’s my daughter, asking me to come by her job so she can introduce me to her work friends. It’s my oldest son, leaving me a note that says “I love and appreciate you.” It’s grabbing my hand and the car. Kissing my head. That being said, I had to punish the same little boy for talking back. My daughter crying and screaming because she had a blowout. My oldest son being blatantly hateful – because he needs a nap. But even then, I am valued. Even in the dark moments. I am being a good mom by punishing my son for being sassy. My daughter, albeit she gave me a heart attack, she called me to rescue her. To tell her what to do. And my oldest? He walked up to me later and apologized, and said he was beat. All on his own. So with each good there’s bad – and it’s that way for everyone.

So, I will keep posting. I will keep writing. It might get read, it might not. It might be liked. It might not. My hope is this. That I will become more aware of myself, more grateful, less critical, more loving, and more accepting. That when I see something that makes me feel jealous? Well, in that moment, I am going to take an inventory of my blessings. I am going to pray that my heart loves more. That I care more.

And hey, you wanna know what I have figured out? There’s nothing wrong with me. I’m worthy, I matter, I’m significant, because I exist. Not because of anything I have accomplished. I am not less worthy because of anything that has been done to me or anything I have done. Same goes for you, too. Ya know why? Because we are human.

To wrap it up, I love each and everyone one of you – and I hope you have a Very Merry Christmas! And below? Well, Here is some pics from the past month or so. Enjoy!

Love Fully. Live Fully. Shine on.

Sat Nam.

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I’m gonna tell this story completely Sophia Patrillo style.

Picture it. Orlando Florida. November 5, 2019. Back in February, I had made plans to do the “Eat to the Beat” with my oldest son, for the Boys 2 Men Concert. I had completely forgotten about it, until two weeks before, when I got a reminder email. And when I got that email – I was soooo stoked! You know, it was like a little gift you got yourself, but you had forgotten about it. It was awesome.

*Backstory – Eat to the beat is a dining experience at Epcot here in Orlando. You go have a nice dinner at one of the Disney Restaurants, and then you get preferred seating to the show. For Boys 2 Men, that’s a big deal.

I tell/remind Tariq about it. He is excited, but not to the extent I am. He is more excited about eating at the Spice Table in Morocco at Epcot than the concert. He’s only 20, remember this. Anyway, we leave work around 2 pm, and head out to Epcot. And let me tell you – I am super excited. Like super excited. We walk around, and then show up at the Spice Table for our 4:15 reservation. And it was amazing.

The food – delicious. The company – impeccable. I mean, everything was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. We had a seat sitting at the lagoon, which was super cool, too – we watched the boats go back and forth, people riding over – it was great.

  • Me and the boy!

Once we are done, we walk over to the American Theater, and get in line for the show. It’s the 6:45 show, so it is dark. The gates open… and we are in. And can I tell you – I literally had the best seat ever. It was perfect.

Then, It begins to sprinkle. And then, a full on monsoon. Did I mention that the American Theater is an amphitheater? No? Well, it is. Luckily, I was one of like 5 rows that were covered. We watch, while people are scurrying to get covered up in their ponchos, shopping bags, or whatever they could find. Then we hear the announcement.

GREAT SEATS!

Ugh. I felt for the soaking wet people. This happens for about 10 minutes. Then… the whole crowd starts singing… “End of the Road”. And it was awesome. Some of the guys (set up guys) come out on stage and are filming this crowd singing in a complete monsoon. It was kinda great. A group of strangers united, and sung together, just from their heart and to get through the storm, (and I’d say the physical and emotional). Just as another announcement begins to start, BOYS 2 MEN WALK OUT.

THE CROWD SINGING IN THE STORM!

Ok, One of the best moments ever in life. Shawn, Wanya, and Nathan walk out. And what are they singing? End of the Road. And it was amazing. Wanya looked at me one time while he was singing. My son was cracking up because he saw his 42 year old momma being a fan girl. And the night was now in full swing. Until the end of the song, that is. And Shawn says, “I am so sorry guys, Disney has cancelled the show, but we had to come out and sing one song for you guys.” B.L.O.W.N.

But then, my son was like, “That is so awesome that they came out and did one song! I get why you love them so much! The are so talented, and that’s so great that they came out in a storm for their fans! I am a Boys 2 Men fan now!” To be honest, his positivity was a touch annoying to me, but hey – I wasn’t going to make it worse by calling him out on it. So, we start our hike out to the car. And it’s storming.

Key info – the American Theater in Epcot – is literally the farthest point away from the gate. So we had a hike to go. And it was storming. And it kept storming. More and more. Once I got to Spaceship Earth, I was falling out of my shoes. So, I had to carry those. So yes, I left Epcot – soaking wet. Makeup running down my face. Barefoot. I literally did a walk of shame out of Disney.

We were at that point, where you don’t even walk fast anymore. You just walk in the torrential downpour that you are in, because it won’t help. And I wanted to cry. I was disappointed. I wanted to see Boys 2 Men. I wanted to have some great memories with my kid, who is a grown man. The older he gets, the more I cherish these times- because I know how fleeting they are.

We get in the car, and my eyelashes have literally fallen off my face. Not my originals… LOL…. the fake ones. I look over at my son and he cracks up. And he says, “This night was great! I will never forget it!” And it hit me. I couldn’t see the forest for the trees.

What did I want? A great dinner, a memorable night, to see Boys 2 Men, and go home happy. What did I get? Just that. And when I reflected back on it – it was nothing what I thought it would look like. It was even better. My son gained an appreciation of one of my favorite groups ever – because they came out and did a song when they weren’t supposed to. My dinner was great. I will never forget walking soaking wet through Epcot barefooted. It wasn’t how I pictured, at all. But it was great. Life seems to be that way.

There are times, that we don’t see how awesome something really is, because it isn’t what we thought it would look like. I am not where I thought I would be at 42. But I am learning, that this is exactly where I am supposed to be, in this moment. And just because things are not what “your plan” was, doesn’t mean that where you are isn’t exactly where you need to be to project yourself to best potential.

So, Boys 2 Men, you are still my fave. And, I will make it to see you again – but it will be hard to top this memory.

And hey, I’m gonna own my Disney Walk of Shame.

Love Fully. Live Fully. Shine on.

Sat nam.

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Well, well, well. Here I am. Eating Crow.

Ya know all that crap I wrote about getting my nails done? How I hate holding hands with people, but I am going to do it? Budget it? And make it happen?

Yes. I know. It is horrifying.

Well, that was a lie. Ya wanna know why? BECAUSE I AM NEVER GETTING MY NAILS DONE AGAIN! (That could be a lie, too – but it’s gonna take a minute. ) You want to know why? Pain. That’s why. Pain.

You know how they say beauty is painful or something like that? I don’t think they meant slamming your finger in a door and ripping the perfectly manicured nail off my long, bony fingers. And yes, I realize I made my hands sound like witch hands. Whatever, It’s Halloween. And MY FINGER LOOKS LIKE MY COSTUME!

I will say this, I had put off blogging some, because it was really hard to type with my nails. Maybe God was saying, “Kristie! Wake Up! Stop being vain, and do what you are supposed to do!” I wish it had been a little less vicious, not gonna lie. LOL.

So, I don’t often eat crow. But today, I bow my head, and say – “I’m gonna stick with my natural nails for the standard days – and get me some press-ons when I need a boost. Because. This was traumatizing.

Canuck the Crow gained fame for stealing a knife from an East Vancouver crime scene. (Facebook/thecrowandI)

And by eating crow, I don’t mean the super cool murder-y Canuck. I mean, the colloquial idiom, pure humiliation after being proven wrong – when you take a strong position. Yeah, I had to eat crow.

And for you viewing pleasure and add a little-lightheartedness to this – here is a pic of my favorite crow, Canuck. Canuck is a mischievous little crow, who according to the Audubon society:

Canuck, a hand-raised crow from Vancouver, Canada, that was caught making off with a knife from a crime scene in a McDonald’s parking lot earlier this year. The incident was a violent one: A man set fire to his own car and threatened the police with a knife. Shots were fired. Afterward, in swept Canuck, plucking the knife from the crime scene and even causing an officer to give chase. Eventually the bird dropped the weapon and avoided any criminal charges.  

Audubon Society

So there ya have it. I should stuck with my gut. If I had, maybe my finger wouldn’t look like Cancuck dropped his murder-y knife on it.

Live Fully. Live Fully.

Sat. Nam.

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Who loves to decorate their homes for the holidays? I know I do. I normally go all out on Halloween, but this year – I really haven’t done so much. I’ve been super busy – so maybe I will get some stuff on the outside soon. That being said, I love decorating for fall – but I hate paying for it. So, I thought I would give you some ideas, that I have done, which I LOVE – and they all originated from ….. THE. DOLLAR. TREE.

Those who know me, know I love the freaking dollar tree. There is so much potential there. To do these, you will need some basic craft supplies, but everything else is a dollar.

For the first one, here is what you are gonna need. First, the non-dollar tree stuff. Chalk paint and a glue gun. A lot of this stuff I already had on hand, so this first project literally cost me two dollars. Not too shabby for a cute little sign.

Here is what I used that i got from the dollar tree. One stretched canvas, a black permanent marker, twine, a little bag of different wooden cutouts (the pumpkin), orange paint, black paint, and the coffee cup cardboard piece. The coffee cup piece was actually a cute little photo holder that I found. They have a few different styles of them, but I got one for my room, and then – I had never used this one. So … Now I did! I pulled off the clip, and broke off the easel part in the back… and there ya go.

The cup I used!

So, Once that was done, I took a piece of sandpaper and scuffed down the front of the cardboard piece. Then I took my chalk paint, and painted it! I used the regular lines that is on the cup, to create the gray holder and black lid. And I just mixed my dollar tree black paint with my chalk paint, to make the colors. I dug through this little bag of wooden shapes, and there was a pumpkin. So I used the orange paint, in one of those craft things that the dollar tree has for Halloween projects for the kiddos. I didn’t take a pic of it – but its the little paint tubs that are connected… and it was wayyy to orange. So, I mixed it with the gray. Voila!

Literally – for the background, I used a permanent marker. And just drew it on there. to make it look like ship lap. Sorta. Then I hit Pinterest to find a cute little saying. And I loved that one! It made me smile.

Then, made a bow with the twine, glued it on, glued the cup to the board – and done.

I love having a festive house! This is a perfect little touch of fall to sit in a window sill, side table, even hang. I sat mine in my kitchen window – with a Rae Dunn “Pumpkin” Candle beside it. All for two dollars. Look at the things you have around you – I get you can make something amazing! And to be honest, if you are in a bigger city, check a few dollar trees out – they get different stock. What’s your favorite season, and craft for the season?

Live fully. Live fully. Shine on.

Sat nam.

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This statement was said to me. No kidding. And it was followed up with, “she wears the diamond studs – I wear the hooops). Now, what this young lady was trying to convey to me, was the reason that she was about to beat down another young lady. She was showing their differences to me. Bad example, but nonetheless, an effort was made. Anyway – I squashed the brawl from happening – no nails were broken, no earrings taken out. All was right in the world.

I have coffin nails now. I love them. The are pretty, soft pink, and I feel put together when my nails are done. I had stopped for a while, a long while, because it was expensive. But, I got a gift card for my birthday, and I am covered for a few months from that. After that, I have worked it into my budget by cutting out a few other things, because I like the way I feel put together.

I say that, to say this.

Get Ready. It’s gonna be a shocker.

I HATE TO GET MY NAILS DONE. I HATE IT. I ABHOR IT. IT’S THE WORST THING EVER.

I hate – SO MUCH – sitting across from someone who I don’t know, and casually hold hands. Let’s just talk about casually holding hands. I hold hands with a small number of people. My man, my kids, my parents, and yeah – that’s it. And let me explain it more.

I will hold my man’s hand, like in the car, being cute – for a few minutes. Or, I will let him hold my hand or guide me at the waist if we are in traffic and we are pedestrians. That’s it. My kids – I will hold their hands to get them through a crowd – traffic – and my little guy, a parking lot. But you wanna know what doesn’t happen? I don’t hold random people’s hands. I don’t.

Now, in this discussion that I have had numerous times, people have said – “A massage is weirder!” No, no it isn’t. One – we aren’t 15 inches from each other’ face – eyes open. Two, they are massaging your back, legs, whatever – I can’t get those parts myself. Not when you are getting your nails done.YOU ARE HOLDING A NAIL TECH’S HAND! AND HAVING A CONVERSATION! OR ATTEMPTING IT! OR NOT! WHAT IS THE PROTOCOL? WHAT IF YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SAYING? IT STRESSES ME OUT!

Pedicures? Less terrible. But I don’t love it. I can read a magazine. Until they bring out the scrapey thing. I HATE THAT! Also, if I say don’t use it, don’t use it. I don’t care if you think I need it. I don’t like it. Please don’t use it.

So you might say, “Kristie, why are you torturing yourself?” Well, vanity, I would guess. I like it when I look at my hands and the don’t look like withered hands of a much older woman. Broken Nails from digging inside cars with stains of different paints and enamels. When I look down and my fingers look pretty – I feel better. It’s vanity. Vanity for me. And I like the result. Just hate the process. Almost exactly like the gym.

Now, just to prove it isn’t normal to hold hands with adults that isn’t your tribe throughout your day, I’ve attached some pics. Enjoy – and yes. We all cracked up over this.

  • Rebecca and I casually holding hands while going over a final bill.
  • Nikki and I casually holding hands while walking down to accounting to check on her vacation paperwork.
  • Sara and I casually holding hands while we teamwork the crap out of drying this car!
  • My pretty nails.

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Do you rent? I do. And for a long time, I have hated it. I felt like as a forty-something, I should have my crap together. I should be a homeowner. You know, the old “you are throwing your money away by renting” adage. That was until the day the house flooded. Three times. In two days. It was awesome. (No, no it wasn’t.) In that moment, I decided to embrace my renting status. All the contractors who showed up. The tree root guys. The plumbing guys. The water damage guys (who were my favorite and nicest ever). Anyway – I paid zero dollars. On something that I am sure would have been upward of a zillion dollars. And I know there is insurance – but this would not have been a covered loss. Let that sink in. (I used to sell homeowner’s insurance, I know.)

Well, what’s the worst part about renting? The lack of being able to add personality. I hate that. I have wrote posts about that before – so I am not going to go down that rabbit trail. But let me tell ya. I didn’t like my kitchen. It wasn’t terrible. It was plain. Builder’s grade-ish? No color. No personality. Oak cabinets that the sun had bleached. Beige formica counter tops. Beige walls. WHAT’S A GIRL TO DO?

Sit and watch YouTube, that’s what. But one day, I decided to search “Renting and Kitchen Redo” And I discovered the world of contact paper. Now this person, put contact paper on their counters. Super cute. Looked better. Then I found a video that someone put contact paper on their floor. (They covered old and dated linoleum – and it looked fantastic – although – I was thinking it would be super slick, not sure.) I saw Ikea hacks, paper added, a ton of ideas. But I needed a complete makeover. Oh. Did I mention I am on a tight budget? LOL! So this has to be as budget friendly as possible.

Well guys, I ain’t trying to brag. I’m lying. I’m bragging. I nailed it.

So, that being said. It’s all contact paper – mostly. Let’s start with the biggest. The cabinets. I didn’t paint the cabinets – because that would get me in trouble with the rental company when I move. I covered them with contact paper. White contact paper. Then, I painted the contact paper – to make it look really done. And guess what. It worked.

Second, the walls. Contact Paper. I mean, there’s not a lot more I can say. That’s it.

Third, the counter tops. Contact Paper. And this is the look. For 54 dollars. My fellow renters – this took me a week, of after work/ a Saturday/ and a day of kids puking. Truth. It’s worth it for a couple years of happy. Comment and let me know what ya think! (My before picture is before I moved in, but to give you an idea.)

By on

Are you racking your brain? Trying to figure out what is 111 days away? It’s CHRISTMAS!!!!!!! Are you excited? Groaning? I am a little bit of both, to be honest.

Christmas in one of my favorite times of year, but it’s also stressful. Especially, when it is the gift buying season and you are on a budget. Like any other parent, I want to shower my kids with everything that they want on Christmas – but I also know that I can’t afford it – and even if I could – that’s not a good idea. I used to pride myself on the mounds of gifts I could get under the tree. Now, that my kids are older – it is really hard to get from them what they want. I noticed that for like the past two years.

Now, don’t get me wrong, my kids get presents. They have grandparents, family, friends, and they are far from deprived. But have you noticed as your kids get older, they seem to want less? Or really, have a hard time telling you what they want?

I am so grateful for my 20 and 16 year old. They are the most satisfied, non-greedy, giving souls to walk this planet. They really get the true meaning of Christmas. My nine year old, well, he can make you a list today. (I think my older two could also when they were his age, LOL!) So, at least for the older two, I am trying to get some creative ideas for them for Christmas. Some homemade items, that they will love, and maybe some ‘experiences’.

During the Hurricane, I got busy. I made an amazing birthday gift for a friend of mine, and I started on one gift for my oldest. I mean, I have to start now -if I am going to make stuff, right? So I am feeling pretty good about that – but I am at a loss as to what to do for a 16 year old girl. And does anyone have any good ideas for an experience? I would like to do that for all three.

So, I need your help. Give me ideas. What do you do for your kids during the holidays? How do your kids feel about homemade gifts? Have you done the whole “experience” thing before? Help a sister out! Send me some ideas, I’ll do some reserach, and maybe – we can figure this out together and have the coolest, cost-effective Christmas!

Love fully. Live fully. Shine on.

Sat Nam.