Virtual Adventures of Nashville, TN

Right now the world feels like it is both in a standstill and out of control. From governments trying to decide what’s best for it’s people, healthcare workers trying to keep their heads above water while caring for the sick, moms and dads juggling work and home schooling their children for the first time and millennial’s loosing their hard-won, multiple part time jobs. Teaming up to stay apart is unnatural at best but it is the secret ingredient to overcoming this chapter.

Something that I have loved from individuals that are choosing to do their part and stay home are those who still give out their talents so freely. From actors reading children’s books to my favorite cello player yo-yo ma playing on Facebook live. Everyone see’s the need to somehow still make this world a better place and in my efforts towards this exact direction, I wanted to keep sharing my adventures with you!

So without any further ado, let’s go on a virtual adventure in Nashville, TN….

Let’s travel!

 

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I don’t know about you but there is just something about heading down south and wanting some feel good food. I’m not sure if its the southern ties or the cravings that come up during a roadtrip, but we were all about making our first stop in Nashville about a plate of chicken and waffles! To help us achieve this we stopped at a restaurant called Sambuca and tucked in.

After filling our bellies we opened our Airbnb app and pulled up the address to our new home away from home. The name of our place was called The Nomad Pad and its interior design definitely highlighted that feeling. To my delight, as well, the home even had its own Instagram page @thenomadpad, and they even featured some of my photography of their place. 

What did I say! ^ stunning place and I highly recommend booking with The Nomad Pad when you go to Nashville! 

And as nice as our new home was, you do not simply come to Nashville to stay inside, you must wander! First we went to one of my favorite coffee shops in the whole city, Crema. I ordered a Spanish latte while Jacob ordered a Mocha and we took a second to sit down at the bar. This coffee shop is a gem from their delicious coffee and merchandise to their lounge areas to work or play. You are guaranteed to see countless creatives and business types hunched over their laptops working away and groups of two or three laughing at someone’s tale.

Thinking about this now, during a time of isolation, warms my heart.

After sipping on our coffee for a short while, we got up to walk around the city. My favorite thing about Nashville is the amount of beautiful murals painted along its walls and walkways. You can just feel the heartbeat of this creative city with each step you take. I personally wish that more cities would follow in Nashville’s footsteps because street art is more than graffiti or tags- it is a culture all in its own. It’s speaks of the real people living and working in the area.

My favorite mural ^

While we walked we would take detours and step inside local shops, had goo goo eyes over delicious looking foods in the windows and talked about what all we would like to see and do during our time there. Walking and talking in general has always been our “thing” as a couple. So to be able to travel together and do our thing in new places has my heart the most happy and, just like that, checks off one of the items on my Nashville to do list.

What’s this list you might now be wondering? We’ll here it is:

Nashville To Do:

• Get coffee from Crema
• Buy a new plant baby
• See the murals around Nashville
• Walk hand in hand with the love of my life
• Try some “made from scratch” pop-tarts from Milk and Honey
• Find the Colosseum (aka what I call Nashville’s Parthenon)
• Eat ramen.

And speaking of ramen, that brings me to where we will have our official first date night in Nashville! Our ramen place of choice is none other than Otaku Ramen. This ramen house is so so good in the ways of giving me both butterflies in my stomach and ruining all other ramen houses for me for the foreseeable future. To put it plainly, Jacob and I got the same amount of food in our bowls and only one of us finished their whole bowl… or should I say, her whole bowl.

After Jacob rolled me out of our hot date, we had a chilly walk, drove around the city, got stopped in traffic that was leaving the Grand Ol Opry House and found ourselves back to laying on our new bed counting our blessings.

Saturday, Day 2

With the dawning of a new day it was now time for my favorite time of day, Brunch! While out and about the day before you might have caught on to me saying that I had a crush on some tasty looking. Well it was now time for me to get my hands on them. 

Taking a short drive over to the gulch area in Nashville, we found our seats at Milk & Honey. Everything we ordered was both delicious and gorgeous from various eggy concoctions, coffee drinks and, finally, two flavors of handmade poptarts! One had a strawberry jam filling and the other had chocolate and hazelnut whip. 

After brunch we wanted to go find one more mural and that’s the iconic “I believe in Nashville” mural and to stop at one of my favorite florist and gifts shop Bloom Flowers. Little did I know that Jacob was about to become an influencer….

Please tell me you got a little laugh out of this selfie central!!

Next we were on to Bloom Flowers gift shop! This shop has so many different indoor plants you can buy, they can make you a flower arrangement in house or you can pick up various stationary. While I looked around the shop I found and bought myself a cactus!

As luck would have it, I married a man who supports my love of plants and he married a woman who supports his love of local BBQ! We got my cactus wrapped up and ready to go, jumped in the jeep and headed over to Mission BBQ. We ordered something smokey and smothered in amber goodness and had ourselves a little picnic in the Centennial Park.

The rad part about being in this park was the gorgeous backdrop of the Parthenon. Such an odd, classic beauty resting on a green lawn near the heart of the city. But I enjoyed it because it drew runners, cute couples and families to its steps and grounds. Or maybe because it was such a gorgeous day, I’ll let you decide.

Thank you beautiful Nashville for having us! And thank you for coming along with me! I hope I have encouraged you, made you laugh, scratched your travel itch or inspired you to make some delicious food while on your staycation. Please stay happy, healthy and hydrated!

-Kriss

 

Travel the World at Epcot

With being a lover of travel, there is no better amusement park than Epcot at Disney in Orlando, Florida! Travel around the world on one ticket while experiencing an introduction to eleven different cultures from iconic sights, tastes and traditions. Who knows maybe your curiosities will lead you to international travels.

Canada

Coming into the park one of the first countries you will experience is OH Canada! From majestic sights of their national flag in the wind to rows of different maple syrups to try and shops stocked with warm clothing fit for gearing you up for your next ski trip, you will instantly feel like you are away on a cabin retreat. So expect to see imagery of wildlife including beavers and moose! But if camping isn’t your thing then hold out for views of the Hotel du Canada, a Victorian-style hotel with a lush garden to explore.

The United Kingdom

Next door to Canada is The United Kingdom. From pubs to sit in and grab fish and chips to fine tea shops filled with china, you truly get the feeling of the underground and the cute English countryside. A lot of visitors to the Disney parks plan their trips around what characters are there to meet. Well if you are interested in meeting Mary Poppins or the characters from Alice in Wonderland, this is your moment. I definitely know that I am proud to say that I met Alice!

France

After getting your pub on you might be in the mood to get a little fancy. You’re in luck because with a skyline that is pointed with the Eiffel Tower, you are now in France. Expect to find artists along the way painting and selling gorgeous works of art, mimes acting out a joyous skit, made from scratch pastries and tunes flowing from an accordion. But no need to worry if you don’t speak French, simply order your favorite coffee and you’re as french as you need to be. And for me, I grabbed a macaroon to go with it!

Morocco

In a perfect world France and Morocco would be next door neighbors but in reality only Disney got it right. Enjoy a magic carpet ride as you stroll along open air markets full of everything a boho loving heart enjoys, get interior design inspiration from the gorgeous tiled fountains and archways and lastly enjoy meeting Aladdin and Jasmine in the flesh, I know I did!

Japan

Next is Japan and it cannot be missed. From the looming blue-roofed pagoda inspired by the Horyuji Temple where you can experience drum shows from the Taiko Drummers to the large, red Torii Gates along the waters edge, Epcot captures the Japanese spirit. Also expect to spend some time here because while here you can get some hand-rolled sushi and shop the “kawaii” culture!

United States

In the United States section of the park called “American Adventure” you can go down history lane with a throwback to the founding of the country, a progression of America’s flag, the use of freedom of speech and it’s impact on the nation and art exhibition of the American Indian. Some of the food fare speaks to the nostalgic 50’s and includes hamburgers, hot dogs and the classic slice of apple pie with ice cream on the side.

Italy

In contrast to the United States and its short history is the long reign and existence of Italy. Italy’s section of the park nods to its history of art, architecture, wine and slow living. You can find a smell replica of the Trevi Foundtain, shop at the corner wine stand, taste lemoncello shaved ice and smell flowering rose bushes along your walk.

Germany

Give me all of the snacks in Germany town because its Oktoberfest and pretzels are for sale! Strolling up to this section of the park you will feel like you are in mixed world of fairy tales and ancient Medieval times from the clock tower to the coat of arms and banners over each door. You can take part in a street finger puppet production or sit back and enjoy some soccer. Either way I suggest finding some childlike joy while marveling at the handmade cuckoo clocks.

China

If you are feeling tired from all of your traveling, then China is for you! From relaxing stone statues in the zen garden to a 360 film titled “Reflections of China,” you can take a moment to rest while viewing virtual sights in nature in the beautiful country of China. After the movie is over and you’d like to continue resting, sit down and enjoy watching a live performance from the Jeweled Dragon Acrobats. Feeling inspired by the strength and skill of the Chinese? Then step over and meet the legend and warrior herself, Mulan!

Norway

This is a huge tip for all of the parents of Anna and Elsa fans. At Disney the Magic Kingdom you see this pair sisters on floats and singing on stage but the best place to meet them is at their home which happens to be in Norway at Epcot. Here you can have a meet and greet with the sisters, take on a Frozen themed ride and enjoy merchandise from the movies. Who knows maybe you’ll even run into Olaf!

Mexico

Depending on how you started your adventure in the park, Mexico may or may not be your last stop but if it is then what a way to go! This part of the park is full of music from Mariachi bands, Mexican food full of spices, a Mesoamerican pyramid pointing you up towards the heavens and a threatening volcano to set you right along your way!

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As you can see, there is a lot to experience in this fantastic park! Like I said at the start it is a great park for my fellow travel buffs but its great too if you want a more laid back experience that offers a wealth of insight to other walks of life.

You might not be interested in this park if you are looking to go on a lot of rides. At Epcot there are only a few rides to go on so definitely keep that in mind. But in case you didn’t know, that big golf ball looking structure at the beginning of the park actually does have a ride inside! So never fear my adventure loving friend.

And for my 21 and older friends, definitely google “Drinking around the World” for an extra creative way to experience this park!

Thank you for going on this exciting adventure with me! Whenever I think of Disney, I will always think of Epcot and want to go back. But because Disney has so much to offer there is one other park I want to try out! So next week please come back for my final amusement park trip and review at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!

-Kriss

Disney’s The Magic Kingdom Experience

Last time on the blog we ventured into the world of Harry Potter. What a wonderful moment that was for me to share another travel experience with you and to also add amusement parks to the list of travel locations featured here on the blog. Today we are going to continue on this ride with the addition of… I think you probably already guessed it, Disney’s Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida. Because who doesn’t need a little more magic and childlike joy in their day!

One of my favorite things about this park and Disney in general, is that it is an experience from the moment you set tire on their roads to foot on their walkways. The Disney experience starts long before they swipe your ticket and scan your thumb (little hint at their welcoming process). From how every doorway is dressed, light post is themed and each new view of the park is breathtaking.

The Magic Kingdom is the jewel in the crown of Disney in Orlando, Florida. Wherever you go you simply have to turn and find the castle to be reminded of that fact. It almost has a way of awaking your inner prince or princess no matter your age.

And because I am such a sucker for that feeling and experience, heading to Fantasyland was my first priority when entering the park.

Check out Belle’s house! How charming and true to the story with watermill and all.

Fantasyland was number one for me because of the types of stories and characters that were located on that side of the park. Characters like Peter Pan, Rapunzel, Mad Hatter, Snow White, Ariel, Gaston, Pooh & Tigger and Merida, to name just a few!

I’ve found that one of the best ways to see the characters at Disney is to go to where their homes are in the park. There you will be able to go to experiences like “Story time with Belle” and meet them in the process, just like I did!

Don’t forget to hold out for your favorite treats around the park. They have a little something for everyone. Here I purchased french macarons in the flavors espresso, caramel and vanilla!

While still in Fantasyland, I made sure to stop by and take a selfie at Rapunzel’s, from Tangled, tower and part of the park. Personally because she is one of my favorites, it could have been bigger. But with the recent expansion guests can have the full experience with big characters like Snow White, Belle and Ariel.

If you aren’t much into these characters no fear because Disney’s Magic Kingdom has six separate sections all with their own themes. Theses areas are Main Street U.S.A., Tomorrowland, Fantasyland, Frontierland, Liberty Square and Adventureland. 

On my visit list was to go up in the giant treehouse of the Swiss Family Robinson. The last time I was at the Magic Kingdom I was 9 and in third grade. From the first trip there was a picture of me at the helm of the “ship” in the treehouse. So seeing it all from an adult perspective was fun ans proves that the park is for all ages.

But like I said, from every part of the park you simply have to turn to experience the castle again. I love this park because you can truly enjoy and explore the Cinderella castle from all angles. From shows on its stage to walking through the center of it to having a chance to book princess treatments up inside the castle- it can be exactly what you hope for.

At the end of the day whenever everyone is tired and ready to sleep like the seven dwarfs, make sure to stay and experience the end of the day show at the castle. There are lights, singing, fireworks, some pixie dust and a heart full of joy to experience.

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Thank you for joining me today as I shared some travel tips, a park review and plenty of magic. Please subscribe to get instant access to new blog posts and updates!

-Kriss

Holidays in the Tropics

We know the classic image of Christmas where there is fresh snow fall outside and a warm, lit fire inside where loved one’s are gathered together and drinking hot cocoa. But what if instead of snow you have sun and palm trees? What if you have glasses of lemonade and not hot chocolate or cider? We’ll you’ve come to the perfect place to see what the Holidays look and feel like in those warmer climates. Welcome to Christmas in Florida!

This year we planned to spend Christmas in Orlando, Fl. For someone who has never spent Christmas away from her Indiana roots, I knew I was in for some interesting events. But the thought of having Christmas without the possibility of snow or cozy sweaters, well that’s another story. To some this is the ideal situation but spoiler alert, it’s not all flip flops and tan lines!

One of the events we were eager to try out was beach life in winter. With swimsuits on, sunscreen rubbed in and towel in hand, we made our way to the beach. The temperatures were comfortable, the sun was warming but the water was… well lacking. I will admit I definitely went for a drip but it didn’t take long for me to go back to sun bathing.

Something I didn’t consider about our beach visit was the fact that there are tiki bars and restaurants all along the coast. We happily ordered ourselves some food and refreshing slushies. I was 100% in my happy place: good company, good food and complete detachment from unnecessary things.

She likes long walks on the beach and limited sun exposure.

If beach days aren’t your kind of days then I highly suggest pulling up a chair, pool side. Luckily when we were in Orlando we stayed at Jacob’s parent’s house whose neighborhood has a gorgeous pool and lounge. The water was cold, maybe even colder than the ocean, but I didn’t mind because there were a generous amount of unused hammocks to take advantage of! Some of us swam laps, some read books and some, like myself, enjoyed the simplicity of just being.

Once toweled off and dressed for the day, you can easily see the efforts gone to decorate every light post, archway and tree in pure Christmas splendor. The balance between the tropical feeling and the Christmas spirit is almost comical yet still makes its festive impact. So if you need to do some shopping for the holidays, expect to find Christmas trees, ribbons and bows, ornaments and stars while you are out and about.

Shopping in Winter Park, FL is perfect for those who love locally owned shops filled with coffee, unique gifts, antiques, high-end fashion and good food.

If you are missing snow while on your stay, I suggest pulling up a cozy Christmas movie. Because even though it is still technically winter in Florida you won’t exactly get that kind of precipitation. You will, however, experience highs and lows where some days will be 80’s and sunny with others being 50’s and rainy. This makes packing tough but if you’re the type of personality that loves change, this weather was made for you.

Featuring one of those cold and rainy days out on the patio with hot coffee and an unfeatured sweater moment.

For me and so many other’s who celebrate Christmas because of their faith in Jesus, making it about Him is everything to me. From preparing my heart to remember the true meaning of it all to praying over the individuals whose gifts I am wrapping to the activities I make sure to set time aside for. I love Christmas because it sets things back in their rightful place. By this I mean making time for family and friends, for giving and for finding peace because of His existence.

We went as a family to the Christmas Eve service at Faith Assembly Orlando, Fl

To find feelings of magic, family and stillness while on vacation in a tropical climate, this trip was that much more meaningful and memorable. So, no matter where or how you celebrate, whether it’s warm or cold, celebrating the big moments in life will always boil down to who you spend it with. This Christmas will be one that I will remember for a very long time if not forever and I hope that whatever season you found yourself in this past holiday season, that you experienced some of that Christmas magic.

Next week on the blog I am sharing a geek out worthy post! I am sharing my experiences from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. Oh yeah! We are talking trains, broom sticks, owls, spooky rides and delicious brews. To get instant updates to new blog posts and news please subscribe to receive email notifications.

-Kriss

Best Holiday Market: Carmel Christkindlmarkt

Winning the title of North Amercia’s Best Holiday Market, the Carmel Christkindlmarkt has brought the old world charm of Christmas in Germany to Indiana. The Christmas market tradition stretches back to the middles ages in Saxony, Germany. Since then the joys of the traditional Christmas markets and customs have spread from town to town, around the world and has found a home in the Midwest.

On the day of our visit to the market they were celebrating Nikolaustag, or St. Nicholas Day. The tradition is that on the night of December 5th, children set out their shoes for St. Nicholas to fill with sweets and gifts. And depending on if they were good or not they will be visited by St. Nicholas or his sinister sidekick Krampus. It is similar to the Christmas Eve tradition on December 24th with the visit of Santa Claus, however we got lucky and there is no bad guy to this story.

The market is located in the City Center of Carmel and is decorated in traditional German flare with tempting treats, beverages and the opportunity to do some Christmas decor and gift shopping. One of  the activities that many people took advantage of was renting a pair of ice skates and taking turns around the pop-up ice skating rink in the very center of the festivities.

Something that I noticed was a bit of a tradition was the Carmel Christkindlmarkt mugs. These mugs are called Gluhwein Stiefel and for 2019 they came in either a white boot or a green train version. I was drawn to the boot so after purchasing one from one of the vendors, I hunted down some much needed hot chocolate. There were a couple of different options but I went with the Java Haus because the name speaks for itself.

After warming up with hot chocolate by the fire, we started feeling our hunger pains. One of the cozy things about the market was the fact that it was all things German. If you’ve been around the blog for awhile you’d know that we spent our honeymoon in Germany, so naturally being surrounded by German things brings us back to our romantic trip submerged in the culture, including the food.

While we were on our honeymoon in Germany, we definitely had our fill of pretzels, schnitzel, currywurst and bratwurst. So while browsing the menu’s at Carmel’s Christkindlmarkt we were instantly greeted with all of our favorite indulgences. Jacob’s pick was currywurst that came with a roll while I chose a traditional bratwurst on a similar roll. Personally, I was very happy with my choice!

^my horrible yet proud joke of the night was “all of the shops were great but this one was the wurst…”

Something we rather enjoyed about the market was the well-rounded planning that Carmel put into the event. They advertised visiting the market first and then taking the Christmas trolley into the Arts and Design District for more Christmas decorations, holiday shopping and local eats. So with that great plan in mind, we took it and follow their wonderful advice. Soon we found ourselves browsing around cute shops while holding hands and letting our date night in Carmel wind down.

My most favorite part of the market, was the time of the day that we got there. We were there early enough to catch the sun setting behind the market. So in the sea of Christmas lights, evergreen trees and crackling fires, everything was cast in a rose gold glow. However, this same glow and the previous warmth of the day tricked us into thinking that the night would follow suit. I definitely advise some good, Christmasy layers to keep yourself warm and to not be shy to blasting some heat in the car at the end of your night.

Do yourself and your loved ones a favor this holiday season and go check out this Christmas Market before its last night on December 21st! All the information you will need is on their Facebook page linked here >Carmel Christkindlmarkt. Next week on the blog I get the privilege of sharing more of our holiday season with you all! And how we are celebrating this year may or may not surprise you!

-Kriss

Scandinavian Saint-Gilles Airbnb

Welcome to our Airbnb located in the Saint-Gilles neighborhood of Brussels, Belgium!

Climbing up four floors, we reach our minimalist, Scandinavian home away from home. With being a lofted penthouse, skylights and windows offered plenty of natural light to highlight the simple beauty within the home and framed views of terracotta roofs against the sky. We decided that we truly couldn’t have picked a better place.

For anyone who has traveled in Europe, you know just how convenient the transportation system is compared to the US. So during our time away from the loft we found ourselves walking anywhere between 11 and 13 miles per day (hello half marathon)! This fact alone states how tired you could expect our bones to be by the end of the day and sometimes into the next morning.

Choosing to take rest in a such a minimalist space, I believe, truly allows for rejuvenation. There is just something so perfect about having exactly what you need in just a few basics that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye. And it just so happens that both Jacob and I see the Scandi style as pleasing and ideal for a relaxing environment (huge win).

In this space we made excited trip plans, took in the silence, gorged ourselves on pizza from the shop on the corner, talked about our future, aired out drenched clothing from exploring during rainy days and watched sunrises to sunsets. My advice to every kind of relationship from friendship to romance- is to travel. There is this special kind of magic that occurs whenever you are one on one with your travel companion. It transcends every other kind of encounter.

You can bicker, you can explore, you can share truths and you can feel alone together too. Each opportunity leads you to know more about their pain and their weaknesses but more so their hopes and dreams. It is my goal to never stop dating my husband and especially never stop learning him. It is the greatest freedom and blessing to know that he feels the same way.

And it is this very truth and joy that makes me certain that we will always keep travel in our relationship through the seasons in life to come. So we want to thank you for coming along with us as we explore God’s good Earth and the mysteries of marriage. Cheers to the wrap up of our Belgium travels and now onto some killer US locations….

Next week on the blog come back for Christmas! YES! Christmas is finally here again and I will be sharing some Holiday Cheer by giving coverage to a warm and cozy Christmas event going on here in Indiana.

-kriss

Happily Ever Harrison

On the morning of September 8, 2018, I woke up to a quiet, rainy morning. It gave me time to focus my heart on what the day held for Jacob and I and all of the past chapters in life that got us to this point. I felt God in the rain and in the silence.

Soon my ladies came over to start getting ready for the wedding! It was so much fun getting ready with each and everyone of them and then later giving them the gifts that I personalized for the each of them. Like I said to start this blog post, so many chapters in life took me to this wedding day and in each of those chapters Christ brought alongside a women whom ended up becoming a sister, whom was like minded and we grew together in the same chapters of life.

 

On the morning of our wedding day Jacob and his guys got ready at a local hotel. While getting ready our photographer Stephen stole Jacob away for a moment to plug in deeper. We decided to write each other letters for the morning of our wedding. My words brought tears to his eyes while his brought warmth to my heart. I still can’t get over how the years grew us into the perfect partner for the other and even when I became impatient for him to come into my life- I wouldn’t change it for the world!

 

Going from our getting ready location to the venue spaces was…. honestly not my favorite nor my brightest shining moment. But with the love, understanding and shoe box turned into a fan to cool me down- we got every decorated, dress and lined up for action!

 

Whenever I stepped onto the aisle to walk towards my husband, I was overcome by joy. I always thought that I would burst into tears, oh wait I did that the whole time we rehearsed, but in the real deal I was beaming with joy. I am so proud of the man that I got to walk towards, proud for the relationships I had with everyone in that room and proud that Christ never gave up on me.

 

Something that we couldn’t do on our wedding day, is have the kind of day that we did without our bridal party, their loves, our families and friends! So here is a highlight of them in the roles that I love that they got to play on our day…

 

Between Ceremony and Reception we got in some family and bridal party pictures, those will be posted soon, and also a break! Wedding Days are no joke. So much to balance and so many people to see. But I was so excited to get our Reception started, hear some toasts, eat some amazing food, take our first dance, hug our loved ones and have even more excuses to makeout!

 

 

 

Thank you all for joining me and celebrating with me!

-XOKriss

Our Story: How it all Started

I can’t believe that we are finally here at our wedding weekend! It feels like only yesterday that I met my sweet Jacob and now I will always know that he will be with me and I with him! And to better celebrate here on the Blog this week, here is our love story!

Around 2017’s new years weekend, Jacob moved from Colorado to Indiana while Kristen was currently living in Indiana. He was moving back to Indiana to start a new job while she was pretty settled into her life there. She just so happened to work at the same library where he worked security while he was at University.

It was an afternoon on a chilly January Monday, when Jacob and Kristen first saw each other. She was busy at work at the library when Jacob stopped by. He was only there to stay Hello to a few of his ex coworkers before going home for the day.

Whenever she first saw him, something in the air changed. She felt a pull to him and a spark that she had never felt before. He wasn’t what she expected but every piece of her was telling her that he needed to be in her life for whatever reason. The only way she could sum up that feeling was by remembering all of the past prayers in her lifetime for a sign of her “one”.

While he was in the library, he noticed her but was more so focused on why he had come to the library in the first place. He made his rounds, laughed and caught up with some of the old friends he knew and then was on his way.

What he didn’t realize was that while he was talking to patrons and employees of the library, she was at work learning more about him. Everyone who knew him from before had nothing but the best things to say about his character, spirit, heart and work ethic. These truths made her learn things about him that others didn’t realize. There was something about him that set him apart, that made him the sweet and genuine person that he is. And she knew right away that he loved the same unchangeable, never shifting Jesus Christ.

At this point in time he wasn’t fully moved back to Terre Haute. He was living about 35 minutes away. So on his drive back home from the haute, he gets a FaceBook message and it ends up being from the girl he saw working at the library. So what does he do? He writes back but still in complete confusion.

Before she sent the message to him, she had two questions to answer:

1. Did he love the Lord like she could feel on him?

2. Was he even single?

And the answers came back yes and yes. Sooner than she realized it, he messaged her back.

Two days later the two of them met for coffee. Both just trying this out to see what it would be like. She was dressed all in black with stoic body language while he was in athletic wear with bubbling energetic energy to match. They couldn’t be more opposite so no one could blame them for what came next- the friendzone.

They both friend-zoned each other but for whatever reason, maybe it was her first heart pull to him or his deep curiosity in what she was really about, they kept hanging out together.

Their time started with a couple of coffee shop hangouts, then grew to 4 hour long phone conversations, to long walks in parks, taking pictures together, holding hands, first kisses in parking lots, professions of love on marble bridges then like a turn of the page to a new chapter that starts with a man on his knee just wanting to love that girl with everything he has for as long as he breathes.

She may have made the first move and felt the first skip of heartbeat but he was the first to tell her how one day he would marry her. She knew and he knew somehow all along that they were meant to be. And as they say, the rest is history!

-XOKriss

Eastown Grand Rapids, MI

A couple of months ago and a couple of blog posts way ago, I visited my best friend in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In that post I mentioned how she is pregnant! Guess what? Her sweet Clementine June was finally born four weeks ago. And with that amazing news, Jacob and I found a sitter for Tyson, packed the Jeep up and drove the 5 hours north to nuzzle a bundle.

The rad bit about traveling with your love is that even the in-between moments are fun. We talk so much about life, travel, what God is up to and about where we see Him taking our future. There are a whole lot of different topics we have yet to understand or even face, but because of the heart of gold that lives within my guy and the hope that he has in the Lord- I know that we will find our way.

But for this journey! The stopping point was Marie Catrib’s in Grand Rapids, Michigan for lunch! They specialize in Mediterranean cuisine but have a long list of other loves, baked goods and treats! For me this was my second time back to this restaurant, and that was on purpose! The last time I went with Ashley and it was a huge moment for our relationship but it was also a stopping point along the journey to see another guy.

Ugh! What Kriss? You’re going to talk about an ex? Yeahhh, it happens. But really for where I stand now, that trip and what unfolded during it set the stage for my life to calm down, to focus on Jesus and to be ready for what love really is. So of course now that we are 50 days away from “I Do, forever and ever” it felt right to end that chapter in that way.

So, we order a pot of Turkish coffee to split, one falafel for me and one Shoarma for Jacob. It was his first time trying Turkish coffee and we can both agree that it went so well! And as we settled in for the grub, we had fun people watching and talking about our other approaching trips like… um our honeymoon!

(don’t worry, a full honeymoon reveal post is in the making!)

After lunch we walked about a mile down the road and found ourselves at Rebel Reclaimed, the coolest gift shop you could ever find! From stationary from Rifle Paper Co, gorgeous houseplants for the buying and quirky/crude jokes written on colorful mugs-they had it all! But one thing they did not have was a beer for Jacob.

We popped out of that shop and crossed the street to Harmony Brewing. He tried a couple of sour-ey beers while I sipped on a glass of ice water. Sometimes I wish that I liked beer and could enjoy bar hopping with Jacob but I’m not down with the flavors. My go to drink will always be coffee, hot coffee.

But don’t you worry, I got a treat! I got one scoop of delicious blueberry ice cream from Furniture City Creamery! I usually go for chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, never anything close to a fruit flavor but that ice cream was the cutest pair of bees knees! It was so delightful and perfect for the warmth of the day!

I think I can hear some of your thoughts, where is this amazingly, perfect baby that you traveled to see? Well since baby is so fresh, Ashley and Jake had a doctors appointment that started around the time that Jacob and I would be pulling into the GR. So this is why our day quickly turned into a day date! But not for long!

As I was finishing my last crunches of waffle cone, my phone beeped from Ashley texting me that they were home. So with walking hand in hand, Jacob and I got back in the Jeep and drove the massive 11 minute drive to the ripest clem I ever would meet!

Clementine was perfection. She really was even in her fragile state, she was incredibly strong. As I watched my best friend be a mom, and an amazing one at that, I was thinking about what this little girls life could be like. I’m so happy that Jesus chose to give her the parents that she has because if I know anything about them, they will love her, cherish her and fight for her!

For the rest of the evening in Grand Rapids we would continue to experience this beautiful balance of life, of slow moments, of treats and the feeling of summer time, of new friends and relationship milestones and one happy girl who I’m lucky enough to call me.

-XOKriss

Also one last thing! Before you roadtrip, you must brunch and wow did we need some brunch aka coffee for me! Look at that legit ” I woke up like this” face!

Our Engagement Moment

How does one pick and plan moments to be captured forever? How can a piece of technology capture the love that connects me to you?

On a Thursday morning waking up in the home of our photographers in Michigan City, Indiana and at 3:30 in the morning, Jacob and I held hands and bowed our heads together. Taking this moment to connect and to reflect on the heartbeat that is behind “us.” We prayed for the day, for our future, for our photographers and for our love to be captured in the moments that were soon to come. Using this engagement session as a time capsule for the years to come. So here is the evidence my friends: here is our love for the one we get to love, cherish, honor, support for today and the days to come.

/ / / The sun rises when you are near / / /

 

/ / / And all of my fears disappear / / /

/ / / You are the one I want, You are the one I want to love / / /

 

57 Day till: #itsharrisontime

 

-XOKriss

 

You can find our Photographers at: https://rainstormphoto.com/