Traveling & Closed Borders

Travel is one of the greatest freedoms and privileges in our modern time. We have the ability to dream up a location, consider how we want to get there and then to head out towards the horizon. But what feelings arise whenever we can’t just go? How do we navigate restricted boarders and the red letter “no” travel?

In the past two years I have left the country to visit foreign countries. I felt free, I felt alive but did I feel grateful? Time and time again we find ourselves taking things for granted. I think in this year alone, we can all agree that we learned that taking things for granted turned out to be our secret talent, special language and or way of life.

Travel restriction goes one step further because not only can you not travel to surrounding countries but city to city travel is limited and not encouraged. I found myself frustrated and suffocated for not being able to explore, wander and feed my curiosity.

Frustration, anger, confusion, bitterness and even apathy are all normal things to be feeling in life and in 2020. But the big question that I want to ask you, are you ok with living life through these feelings? Or do you want to stop taking things for granted, putting off plans, staying in bad habits, choosing to put yourself last, delay that one thing another year, or anything else under the sun?

I think we all want to live lives that are well loved, cherished and free even when life throws a criss-crossing moment at you. Please know that at the end of the day, no matter what this year or the next looks like, that you have a choice to start living your ideal adventure today.

This is my challenge to you, find an area in your life that you want to love better, make a plan and walk into that plan today. And because our chances of reaching our goals increases whenever we tell someone else, comment your goal down below or share it with your bestie! Not only do you achieve more goals when you let someone else in on the journey but you can find yourself to be more motivated throughout the process.

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You are loved!

-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

A Muggle’s Guide to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

A sunny morning in January seemed like the perfect day to visit Universal Studios and for this blogger, it was her first trip there! Walking up to the gates you will first walk through bag security and then to the ticket booth to purchase your pass into a fun and exciting day. Something to keep in mind if you are planning on visiting The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, you will need to purchase two tickets to be able to enter both sides of Universal.

You need two because Harry Potter is split right down the middle, dividing the park into two sides. One side offers Diagon Alley and the other, Hogsmeade Village where Hogwarts Castle is. If only seeing one side of The Wizarding Wolrd is ok with you then you can pick which side by knowing that Diagon Alley is at Universal Studios while Hogsmeade Village is at Islands of Adventure. But if you want to experience the full world of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter then I highly suggest buying both tickets.

On the side of Universal Studios, you have access to Diagon Alley and Kings Cross Station. We decided to enter the King’s Cross Station and board the Hogwarts Express, first thing. And what a start because after a short line and waiting period you are then standing on Platform 9 3/4! The Hogwarts Express isn’t just something fun to experience but it is, in fact, a ride! So sit back and enjoy the ride!

To build the excitement of seeing the Hogwarts Castle, I highly suggest walking through Hogsmeade! Here you can get sweets at Honeydukes, purchase at jumper at Gladrags Wizardwear, grab a butterbeer at The Hog’s Head and any magical equipment that you may have forgotten at home at Dervish and Banges. My favorite purchases are below!

Something that is a must for me and to many who visit the park, is getting our hands on some butterbeer! The positive bit of visiting the park around the Holidays is that they carry three kinds of butterbeers for you to try. All three are the original flavor but come in the option of hot, frozen or traditional. Because we couldn’t decide, we purchased all three! The traditional butterbeer was fizzy to me, almost like a pop or soda. The frozen butterbeer reminded me of a root beer float. And lastly, the hot butterbeer was oh so cozy and very much my favorite of the three.

After drinking like a wizard or witch, you’re more than ready to finally see the Hogwarts castle! And man did we enjoy seeing it! The castle was true to the Hogwarts dreams that all of us Harry Potter fans hold. There were wrought iron fences to keep out muggles, towering hog statues snarling their tusks in your direction, peak after peak holding secrets- a true picture of nostalgia. Best part, however, was that the castle wasn’t just something to look at- it was something you could fully experience, yes even you Muggle!

Walking up the cobbled walkway towards the castle you’re soon entering the one and only Hogwarts. Once inside the school you are now waiting inline to ride the Forbidden Journey Castle Tour. But unlike other waiting line, you are surrounded by a dark, moody atmosphere with moving portraits, lit lanterns and sculptures and props inspired by the films. Some say that there are actual props from the movies in various parts of the park.

Depending on how busy the park is and on your schedule for the day, you can plan accordingly for more rides or more wanderings. Because the day we visited was busy, we decided to head to Diagon Alley to explore the areas we had missed. Here you can make a withdrawal from Gringotts, find what wand calls to you at Ollivander’s, learn some tricks and a laugh at Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes or buy your school robes at Madam Malkin’s Robes for all occasions

Speaking of Gringotts, this is an attraction that everyone looks forward to. The bank holds a indoor roller coaster that goes deep down into the mines but also exhibits the sinister stares of the dragon perched on top of the bank. But the bank is felt from any street in Diagon Alley. There is a rumbling deep down under the ground, snarls and smoke until the dragon lets out a roar of fire. The fire is so hot that you can actually feel the heat being breathed down upon you!

Like every other tourist I always tend to get myself a little something. My souvenir from Harry Potter World was a chocolate frog to take home and enjoy with my Maraduer’s Map mug. Not only was the frog cute but it was also solid chocolate- and that doesn’t hurt. I got it too because I was curious who I would receive on the card inside. Turned out that I got Helga Hufflepuff aka my Hogwarts house!

Like so many who grew up with a new Harry Potter book coming out each year, the thought of being fully submerged into that world was the ideal world. Whenever Universal announced their new addition of Harry Potter attractions to their park, I instantly added it to list of my must go places.

My biggest take away is that when you go that you choose a time where the park isn’t typically busy. We went at the beginning of January after the holidays were over and also whenever the schools were still on Christmas break. Aka the park was crazy packed! At points it was completely impossible to move around the mass amounts of people. This can end up being very difficult if you have little ones or are planning to go in a big group. So I highly suggest that you do your research of when is the best time of year to go for yourself and your fellow companions!

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Next week on the blog we will continue with our amusement park fun and head on to all things Disney at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. Please subscribe to get instant access to new blog posts and updates!

-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

Gent, Ghent, Gint

The city of Ghent, Belgium confuses me. Why? Because I’m not too sure the spelling of the city as a whole. From Google maps to local signs, it seems like everyone spells it differently. But what this city doesn’t confuse me on is my new found and deep love for it! Going into our time here I had zero expectations for it. I figured that it would be cute and a little bit slower paced compared to Brussels but as of today, it is my most favorite city in Europe!

Our commute to Ghent started off with gray skies that threatened to pour on us at any moment but by the time we got off of our train the sky was blue, no matter what direction you looked. My heart loved how everything looked, felt and smelled- but my stomach kept reminded me of its existence. So we walked to an address that I had previously found on the interwebs. We ordered breakfast sandwiches and french toast….but quickly found out that because of the language barrier (English to French) we had actually ordered some type of scone with berries and whip on top. It was a nice comedic moment for us that truly set the tone for the rest of the day.

But speaking of my Googling, I did have one main location that I wanted to visit while in Ghent and that was it’s well preserved Medieval Castle built in 1180 called The Gravensteen which offers its visitors panoramic views of the city. After brunch we set off in the direction of the Castle which took us over canals, through graffiti alleys, around modern architecture and cathedrals.

We walked over canals, smelled more chocolate in the air, sampled Gent’s famous candy called the Nose of Gent, heard church bells tolling and then we came upon our destination! With 10 euro each, we were able to climb up and explore every part of the castle. There were suits of armor, weapons of old, tales of torture, enough stained glass that my mom would melt over, winding spiral staircases and then the best view in the city. Aka cue the view!

Once we were back on the ground I knew what I wanted to do next and ironically it couldn’t take place on the ground but on the water. We found a canal touring company, tucked into our spot on the boat and saw another view of this lovely city. I highly recommend seeing any European city from this viewpoint but don’t get offended if you’re the only one of the three people proudly showing off your single language skills to your tour guide.

From weeping willows along the riverside to locals drinking wine and feeding pieces of baguettes off of their dinner plates to ducks, the lifestyle here in Ghent will truly leave you inspired, have you reevaluate how you spend your leisure time and make you want to find more joy in the simple things in life. To celebrate the ending of our day in Ghent and to start living out their way of life, we bought two decked out waffles and sat along another beautiful canal to enjoy the nightlife springing up around us.

Thank you all for sharing in my Ghent tales and support my love of travel! It truly is as they say “the only purchase we can make that makes us richer.” So to further enrich you here on the blog, next week I will be sharing Brugge, Belgium! Please stay tuned and if you would like email updates of new posts, please subscribe below!

-Kriss

Brussels, Belgium

One day in our Harrison Home (catchy huh? I should make an Instagram page for it) we were talking about how in the world we were going to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary. Some people go all out for this moment while some like to spend it at home going through their photographer’s amazing captures of the day. Both are definitely a good idea but for us we felt the need to go a little crazy. By crazy I mean we decided on a foreign location, booked the plane tickets and nine day long stay at an Airbnb all within four days… yeah we did that.

Personally, I have never daydreamed over the idea of spending much time in the country of Belgium. My thoughts always wandered to Greece, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Spain and just about every other country in Europe but Belgium. However, even though it was never an idea in my head I soon realized just how blissful I was about to be while walking the cobblestone streets of the country oozing the fragrant smells of chocolate and waffles.

We are clear for takeoff!

On the afternoon of October 14, we started our journey. From Indianapolis we took a short plane ride to Chicago (shoulda coulda drove) then we boarded our eight hour flight to Brussels, Belgium. Jacob and I’s plans for the plane ride were polar opposite. He had a strict schedule of sleep, snack, sleep, dinner, sleep, arrive in Belgium. While I, on the other hand, was filled with envy over his ability to sleep on the plane. I am a deep lover of travel, of exploring new land, of trying new food but I am not a fan of the journey to the destination. Try as I might I can never sleep on planes so my plan for the eight hours was simple, watch all of the movies and not focus on how much time is left until arrival.

Good news is that it worked. Sooner than I realized, we were there and it was 9 a.m. local time on Tuesday the 15th of October! We grabbed our checked bags, got our euros, bought transportation passes (this step made me miss how effortless it was to get transit passes in Germany) boarded a train and road into the heart of Brussels ready to explore.

Whenever you research the city of Brussels you instantly see that one of the hottest locations to visit is the Grand Place. It is the queen of courtyards that gives all of its glory to the surrounding buildings dressed in gleaming, gold in the sunlight. Here you can find restaurants, coffee shops, hotels, gift shops and more. It really is a one stop shop that will stop you in your tracks.

Because of the nature of our stay in Brussels, we were able to come back to this city center many times to enjoy its splendor, the excited onlookers like us and the feeling of being apart of the heartbeat of this city. I am also glad that we were able to come back here a few times because even though it is still beautiful while rainy, it is even more special with a blue sky backdrop.

Moving past the Grand Center you will find four roads to take. Each of these roads leads to more gorgeous, old style buildings with cafes, vintage finds, chocolate and waffles. But if you want a mini mecca of chocolate, waffles and a little something to tickle your funny bone, find the junction of Rue de l’Etuve and Stoofstraat.

Here you can get your chocolate and fruit smothered waffle while viewing a local celebrity, little Manneken Pis. This local celebrity has two other comrades that are roughly a 10 minute walk in either direction. They are called the three Pis and they just happen to be sculptures of a boy, a girl and a dog peeing very proud and free. I personally found this to be the weirdest thing but I’m not mad about it.

But don’t let this area confuse you. Brussels is the capital of Belgium and also the largest city in the country so there is still so much more to see. So with this fact, Jacob and I took off towards another section of the city where we found a gate that gave us a nod towards our honeymoon in Berlin. This gate is called Cinquantenaire and is located in Jubelpark. It is apart of a lush park with plenty of green grass for a picnic to history museums full of war planes and cars of the world. Neither of those things interest you? Well there happens to be a food truck there serving up more waffles and coffee to help bid your time.

As the day grows darker and into the evening hours finding a delicious restaurant, pub or bar isn’t an issue. Most restaurants offer English menus to their non- French speaking guests. However, if they happen to not have this option my advice is definitely to download the Google Translate app to your phone (not sponsored but that would be a dream). There is a camera option in the app that if you hover your camera over, say a menu, it will translate the words right in front of you. Hence making it easy to eat within your tastes, preferences and dietary needs.

On our evenings in Brussels we ate gorgeous amounts of pizza from a shop right around the corner from our Airbnb. I will share more about our new neighborhood in a later post but for now we are saying goodbye to Brussels with an evening view of the sky while on a ferris wheel ride.

Next week come back for part two of my Belgium series as we board a train to the city of Gent. Expect those iconic European canals, unique treats, stunning views and more places to save for your future trip to Belgium.

Salut!

-Kriss

Colorado Springs, Colorado

Picking up right where we left off in my previous post Boulder, Colorado Jacob and I were onto our next adventure together in Colorado Springs! I like to think that we are perfectly matched as travel companions. I first found this out whenever we took a weekend trip to Saint Louis four months into our relationship.

I say we are perfectly matched because he likes to plan the part of the trip that I’m not the craziest about. He finds us the perfect home away from home, our wheels and the flight to get us both there. From there I find all of our entertainment ideas, places to eat and drink and help piece together an itinerary to help the trip flow.

Monday, May 27th, 2019

While we were in Colorado Springs, I personally think that Jacob booked the best Airbnb possible for us. We stayed at the Golden Egg Cottage. It was a modern, tiny house built right next to morning views of a hen house. We loved the location because it was close to everything but we also love the story of the family who own it!

After resting in our new home we packed back into the subaru for a much needed trip to grab coffee before going down memory lane from when Jacob once lived in Colorado Springs. The coffee shop that we went to was called Switchback Coffee Roastery. It was less than a mile away from our airbnb and so naturally it was tucked into a residential area. I thought that was quirky and perfect at the same time.

I love my coffee and sometimes need my coffee, but I would never call myself a coffee snob. However, the decor of this shop spoke to me. The interior was painted in all white with accents of yellow and decorated with plants. It felt modern but in a down to earth way. We ordered out personal favorite lattes and took a seat for a mini coffee date together.

^Forever stealing Jacob’s coffee because he gets the better latte pours. Oh my millennial heart.

Jacob wanted to take me here because it was apart of the locations he would visit when he lived here before. I have been waiting to seeing all of these places for a long time because they help me to better understand the person that I’m in love with. Could it get any better than that?

After coffee, he drove us to the downtown area of the town where he used to work, bars full of memories from his single days and lastly where he and our boy tyson used to live and play. Of course it didn’t match the imagine I had in my head, but it was better because of the constant view of the mountains that the areas had. Those big, beautiful, sloping mountains!

Still a bit drained from the previous days we agreed to have a charcuterie board night at the Airbnb with some good ol fashion Netflix! I’m honestly glad we decided to end the day this way because vacation is fun but if you don’t take the time to invest in the person you’re with, I feel like you’ve totally missed the mark. And for us, being on the same schedule with nothing distracting us, was everything.

Tuesday, May 28th, 2019

Something you may not know about me is that I like my sleep, I love my rest! So when on vacation is it a bittersweet moment whenever my travel companions suggest waking up early so that we can have a full day. But the key to this dilemma is promising me breakfast. So after peeling myself out of bed, we made it down to the Garden of the Gods Market and Cafe.

^^And you thought I wasn’t going to add a picture of the hens.

I ordered a lavender latte along with my eggy, brunchy concoction while we settled in for our planning of the day’s hike. We planned to first drive through the Garden of the God’s so that we would have plenty of time to hike both Mt. Cutler and Mt. Muscoco and then to end up at the Broadmoor Seven Falls park. And they mean seven waterfalls!

Using your own strength to climb a mountain is one of the best feelings. I remember at times being completely out of breath because of the altitude but knowing that when we reach the top it’s all going to be worth it. What I didn’t expect was that all of a sudden it would start snowing! Snow in late May/early June just blows my midwestern mind but I know that’s part of the mountain culture. I’m just glad that I was able to capture it in some of my pictures.

After hiking 3 mountains, seeing 8 waterfalls, collecting flowers, seeing wildlife and earning a night free of footwear we tucked into some delicious food to both fill our bellies and to warm our hearts. The hearts bit comes from the fact that our dinner consists of food we ate a lot of while on our honeymoon and its food you must try asap.

The entree is called Doner Kebab and it is a Turkish dish. It will give you the happiest of smiles because it tastes bomb. From options of meat to amazing falafel (my go to choice) with tons of fresh veg, spiced yogurt sauce and pita on the side- its hands down the best. And where we found it in Colorado Springs, they did a great version of it!

Wednesday, May 29th, 2019

On our Wednesday and last full day in Colorado Springs we did some sight seeing of Old Colorado City, I made some purchases at Heartshake Studios, Jacob bought some of his favorite beer at a brewery built inside of an old school house while I selfied and we had a fancy date night at The Rabbit Hole to celebrate the end of a vacation well had.

Cute things make me want to take cute pictures. So thank you Heartshake Studios for the inspiration!

^Best, hands down sweet treat that I’ve had for a long time from the French Bakery in town! Crunchy croissant exterior with a flaky interior and a smooth center of cream cheese goodness! Goes oh so naturally with a cup of black coffee.

Thursday, May 30th, 2019

Waking up before the sun, and the hens, we grabbed our luggage and made our way to the Denver Airport. We very much loved our time in Colorado and can’t wait to come back!

To keep up-to-date with the goings on, on my blog page please fill out the email subscription box below and you will get email notifications in the future.

-KrissCross

Boulder, Colorado

Finally on Our Way

The Colorado talk started at the very beginning of Jacob and I’s relationship. It was on our first date, at a coffee shop no less, where he told me about how he lived there and how that time changed him and his life. And as we became more serious in our relationship, I knew that one day I would visit this awesome state. Now here we are nearly two and a half years later!

The fact that I had yet to visit Colorado was kinda surprising to me. I have been very lucky to be able to travel a lot so far in my life but Colorado was a state that I can’t say I’ve visited until now. There is no reason for that other than lack of time or resources, because I’ve been very captivated by the state and the grand scale of nature that it provides in abundance. And if you read my previous blog, Plant Lady, you’d know that I’m a bit of a nut about nature.

So on the morning of May 25th, I was a excited heap of my a girl. Our flight wasn’t until that evening so I made myself busy in hopes that time would fly by. I packed my bag, shout out to all of the last minute packers, with everything I would need, double checked my just packed luggage, deep cleaned the house, snuggled our dog as much as he would allow, yoga sequence, googled locations to visit and once everything was done- I waited.

Traveling is always a bit of a multi-step process, am I right? So for us it looks like driving an hour to the airport, the usual airport steps of checking in, plane ticket, security and more waiting, sometimes flight delays, hoping your flight neighbor isn’t too nosey about your life or a loud sleeper, getting off the flight, finding your rental car company and if you’re really lucky- driving another hour plus to get to your end location. And that right there was our day!

After everything worked out so well, I made a friend in my flight neighbor Drew, we got our subaru rental and by dinner time we made the hour and a half drive to our cabin location in the mountains near Boulder, Colorado- the last to arrive to the party. And boy was it a party!

Staying at the cabin that weekend was all of my in-laws. On one branch of the tree was four generations while on the branch of the tree that I married into, I was one happy leaf to be there. It’s hard for all of us to come together at one time because the family all lives between roughly six different states from one side of the country to the other. The weekend was going to be a great time just because everyone was there.

Waking Up to the Mountains

Sunday morning was our first morning of the trip and the slower morning of our time with the family. Jacob and I were put up in an East facing bedroom where I had a front row seat to seeing a Colorado mountain for the first time.

We slept with the window open so at around 4 in the morning some far off noise woke me up and from that moment on I was awake for the day. I dug out my journal and got set up for the sunrise. And when it came, the room blazed alive with the rays of the sun and my heart felt every bit of it. The view awoke my memories of Tolkien novels with quotes about mountains and adventure while my soul felt the hope and strength of Jesus Christ.

I was humbled by the size of the mountains because of the beautiful symbolism of life, journey, hurdles and victories that they represent. And in that moment where I was under fluffy, down blankets feeling the cool breeze of the morning while my husband was fast asleep next to me, it’s as if everything fell into place. Surely this moment was the confirmation that this trip was going to mean something to me and to everyone in that house.

Adventure Awaits, but coffee first.

Around ten that morning, the ball started rolling. With most everyone awake, the house was quickly filling up with activity. Coffee was made to help fuel breakfast prep and early conversations about the days plans. Half of the group would walk down to the town called Nederland, just ten minutes away, while half would go into Boulder.

I was all over both ideas but with only having time for one, I chose Boulder with the boys. Jacob, his older brother Jeremy and two cousins Michael and Jon plus myself got into the subaru and took the winding road down to Boulder.

With it being Memorial Day weekend the streets were buzzing. From a carnival to live music to vendors and their tents set up around the shopping areas, there was a lot to see.

We first opted for walking around the shopping areas to wander around quirky finds and relax in roof top bars. Goodness knows that I wanted to buy all of the things but I carried on with the group knowing that I’d find some awesome souvenirs later.

After a full day on the town, we all drove back to the cabin and tucked into a night of snacks, card games, old SNL episodes and rest.

Memorial Day

This year on Memorial Day it wasn’t just different because we were in another state, it was different because half of the day was spent celebrating the stars and stripes by being at the Boulder Boulder 10k race and cheering on all of the runners in the family. For months Jacob and various family members trained for this run. At a point I too was training for it but because life was full with finishing up my degree, I had to put off my race day for some other time in the future.

I didn’t get that many pictures that day because it was was a bit of a mad dash for everyone involved. We woke up at 5 a.m., got ready for the day, everyone had to pack up because we wouldn’t be coming back later and head out before 6 so the runners could get dropped off and warmed up for their start times.

I felt incredibly and hysterically out of my element with all of the different types of stretches and strategies, energy supplements and wardrobes surrounding me- I mean I also was wearing jeans and a sweater while everyone else seemed to be head to toe spandex. But I, also, couldn’t have imagined being anywhere else. I was beaming with pride for Jacob. When he finally made his last stretch of the 10k, I just saw it all on his face, determination yet exhaustion. It yet again made me sure of the man I chose to do this adventure called “Life” with.

After the race, we all joined together one last time for a family lunch, rounds of hugs and promise’s of “see you soon”‘s.

Next on the blog is the part two to our Colorado trip! This leg of the trip will be lived out in Colorado Springs, Colorado with lots of ideas for hiking, eats, drinks and shopping. Stay tuned and if you haven’t already, sign up below for future email notifications for new posts and updates on my blog.

-KrissCross

Bloomington, Indiana

If there is one thing I know how to do, it’s finding ideas and planning trips! At least I’m banking on that fact!

This time around I took a day trip with my best friend Heidy! I love the short window of time you get in a day trip. It helps you focus on exactly where you want to be.

For my trip with Heidy, I honestly just wanted to get in some solid girl time with her. There is something irreplaceable about Heidy and the friendship she offers up with her full heart.

It’s this heart that made me instantly want to be friends with her this time last year! And its a turning point that lead me to ask her to be a bridesmaid in Jacob and I’s wedding this coming fall- and might I add it’s in 135 days!

But back to our day! Last Saturday we left town around 11 a.m. and made the hour ish long drive to Bloomington, Indiana. I have always loved the drive because of the winding roads and just my general interest in living in Bloomington. We left town around this time too because it would set us up to getting in around noon and getting our fill of Thai food!

One of my favorite places to eat in Bloomington is the Siam house. I almost always go here for lunch if I’m visiting and I can guarantee that I have always gotten the pineapple curry. Its just the best combination of savory, sweet and spicy with that medium heat!

With full, happy bellies we started on a walk that would end up stretching about 3 miles (and I wasn’t even mad). We avoided the college party goers scene for some courthouse views and mini shops.

But the funny bit about us two ladies is that the thoughts of dessert doesn’t usually stay too far away! And that is even more true whenever we kept passing by shops with pastries and chocolates. So we wanted to find sugar stat!

We chose- drum roll- Rainbow Donuts! With a name like that and options such as donuts, cupcakes, cookies and coffee- how could you go wrong? The thing that makes this shop different is that their products are all vegan. And even though we’re not vegan, we still like to try new things!

However, my last experience with this shop wasn’t the best. I had a mixed berry glazed donut that just came off sour and dry. This time around I got two donuts to double my liking chances! One was a wild strawberry donut and the other was a cookies and cream donut. I liked the second best but I don’t think I can officially say I’m sold on their donuts.

After we got our donuts in their cute brown paper sack we headed to where we were going to eat them- Hopscotch Coffee.

Hopscotch is another place I’ve been to in Bloomington but this time it was kinda a first too. We went to their roasting building a couple of miles away from their sit down coffee shop.

I knew I would just love it for its A-frame nature, its minimism and the pop of my favorite color orange! And it didn’t disappoint.

The funny part though is that after walking that far to get there, it dawned on us that we actully wanted to sit down and talk with our coffee and donuts! So we made out like a baby and went to their other location!

To get there we took the B-line trail, photobombed a wedding, smelled all of the gross scented white flower trees and I got in some cute pictures of H.

The day ended with hunting for new journals at Hobby Lobby and TJ Maxx, a sunset drive home and talks of planning a overseas trip in our future together! Fingers crossed!

Thanks for always being good to me Btown!

XOKriss

Grand Rapids, MI

This past weekend I traveled up to the mitt and spent some much-needed time with my best friend Ashley.

On our first full day together I got some much-needed extra sleep, had brunch with Ashley and her husband Jake and then us ladies headed out to the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park. They were having a month-long butterfly exhibit in which hundreds of butterflies are free to fly around from flower to flower. Sadly none of them decided to land on us.

Ashley and I have been friends for a couple of years and our friendship has seen us through so many different seasons in each other’s lives. One thing I value about our connection is that I never have to fear to be me. I am far from perfect and I have my fair share of good days and bad days. But with Ashley, I can always count on open arms and the warmest of hearts. I definitely encourage you to find her on Insta @mrs.ashley.lewis and hint hint it’s a good time too because she is preggers!

After getting a dose of butterflies, plants for days and a little too warm for my bodies liking, we headed out to Madcap for coffee and conversation. Meeting up with someone over coffee will always be a favorite pastime for me. It warms my soul in ways that few things can and allows time with that one person, for a true connection to be had.  And goodness did we have fun talking!

^In this picture, I just really enjoyed seeing this man enjoying where he was and how peaceful that looked for him.

Our day ended up in some delicious Thai food at Bangkok Taste Cuisine in downtown. I ordered red curry with coconut milk, various vegetables and chicken (spoiler alert: I’m not vegan but I’ll blog about this topic later)! Best part was that the order was so large that I could take half home to eat for breakfast the next day.

And I sure did! Sunday morning dawned and we were all up to get ready for church. Ashley had taken Jake to church earlier that morning because he is in the praise band, then came back for some downtime at the house with me. I always miss my church and the family I have found there whenever I am away. It makes me think about ways in which I could go deeper and be more of the body of Christ. But with that said I still enjoyed my time at The Well that Sunday morning and the life that it spoke into my life.

After church, we indulged in donuts for lunch. A whole meal spent just eating donuts = the life! I think the best part about it was where we were at. We got our donuts from the shop Cindy’s Donuts and Ice Cream but when we got there the Sunday crowd was definitely gone and we got to enjoy the whole place to ourselves. This feeling of calm and peace would be exactly how I would sum up the whole trip. I feel like it gave me a break from my norm, gave me perspective and -my favorite- gave me some wonderful moments with great people!

Till Next Week!

XOKRISS!