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

Eat & Drink Berlin

Jacob and I had tunnel vision for our trip to Germany and that vision was on the food and drinks. Jacob was excited for the traditional German food and beer while I was excited for fresh baked pastries, international food and mugs of strong coffee. Today on the blog I want to share some of our tasty stops along the journey.

— Food —

The beauty of Europe is that most people aren’t originally from the country that they currently live in, they travel often or they grew up in a household whose traditions differ compared to the society around them. So then you get this beautiful melting pot of languages, customs, ethnicities and foods. Jacob and I’s plan of action: eat a different cultures food for each meal.

Along the journey we experienced the following nationalities cuisines: Indian, German, American (tried to wiggle our way out of this one but it is what it is), Mexican, Australian, Turkish and Korean.

Some of my most favorite spots where found in the a.m. Because breakfast. These places also offered my favorite beverage, which is coffee and you can find all of those down below.

^ German Currywurst

Lunches consist of whatever we could find wherever we were at the time. Our overall relationship with food on our trip was adventurous but it was also one of our more stressful moments. I think this is because of all of the options around without fully knowing the extent of the things.

^Turkish Döner

One place we stumbled into eating at was at Potsdamer Platz. It is a glorified mall where the mentality is that its a place where you can live, work, eat and have fun all in one spot on the map. While here we saw their different choices of food but decided to go with the Australian restaurant. I had brunch, no surprise here, while Jacob expanded his love of meat. He ordered a meal that came with three different meats including tandoori chicken, Crocodile and Kangaroo.

Dinners were larger and were where we spent more money on food. The one that stands out the most to me now was our Korean BBQ night. It was Monday night, our dressy date night, and we just randomly picked this spot. We were sat inside in front of a grill and we, I, panicked. I had no clue what I was to do or how to do it. We quickly learned from our awesome waiter and went to cooking. I want to say that this was my favorite because of how interactive it was, how we were able to focus on each other and learn something new.

^Korean BBQ

— Coffee —

On our first morning of the trip we stopped in the Okay Café. We were the very first customers that morning so we got to really take in the beauty of the place, take our time to order, we talked about the day and enjoyed the sound of rain through the open windows.

^Okay Café

Coffee shops and cafes were my sweet spot but also the area where I struggled with German. A lot of the menus in restaurants and coffee shops had English under the German descriptions, but some were vague. I kept ordering the wrong kinds of coffee and kept chasing the craving for a strong cup of coffee. But the best part of this hunt was ending up in many different kinds of shops for coffee.

^Brick Coffee and more

In some I grabbed pastries, pretzels and full breakfasts while taking in the atmospheres and rest. Most of the shops we stopped in were just around the corner from our Airbnb, another amazing part of the experience. You don’t have to walk far before finding another coffee shop that has outdoor seating.

^Myxa Café Berlin

One of our mornings we went to the Brezel Company. We both grabbed a pretzel and a coffee for our breakfast. Americans, more than likely, are used to eating larger breakfasts but something about the simplicity of our breakfast that morning really made me feel good. It was salty from the pretzel and it was slightly sweet from the macchiato.

^Brezel Company Café Neukölln

— Beer —

Beer was the heart and soul of Jacobs drink cravings. He wanted to try as many historically traditional beers as he could but also wanted to learn more about the history and science of beer making in Germany.

In the previous Berlin post I shared how we went on a walking tour of Berlin on the first day of the trip. Towards the end of the tour they let the group know about a beer tour that the company offered. So on Saturday night we joined a 3 hour beer tour of Berlin.

While on the tour we tried 7 different beers, learned how to drink them to get the full flavor, learned about men and women’s roles in the making process and history, visited the oldest breweries in Berlin and got to meet other travelers from around the world.

My favorite part of the tour was… the pretzel, or brezel, with it’s sweet mustard sauce. Like I said before the beer lover in my relationship is definitely Jacob. I loved watching him learning so much, enjoying different brews with their different amount of hops and then scooting over my beer after I got my sip in.

If you are traveling around Europe anytime soon and want to check out this tour company you can find their website here.

In conclusion, Berlin is for food, coffee & beer

Lovers!

Next Week on the Blog! I will be sharing our honeymoon Airbnb home, its neighborhood and about the slow moments of our trip. Please stay tuned and eat a pretzel this month because its national pretzel month!!

-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/

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

Fort Wayne, Indiana

Where to even begin! This past weekend I went with my darling best friend Emily to Fort Wayne, Indiana for a girls weekend trip. She was the driver/navigator and I was the “things to do” planner, even more proof that we just fit well in each others lives!

The trip started Friday afternoon when I drove to Em’s house then we finished the trip together to Fort Wayne. On our first night of the trip we went to a Rend Collective concert at a local church in the area. I love the opportunity that I get whenever a band tours and I get to experience them, their music and the deep passion they have for what they do. And it becomes amplified whenever that band is a Jesus loving band.

I’ve been a fan of Rend Collective for a few years ever since I heard their song “Lighthouse” on a local radio station. Whenever I heard it at the time I was going through a somewhat dark season of my life. It was dark and felt uncertain at times but the song reminded me of God’s goodness, His provision and just the fact that He does see me, He see’s us all of us in our highs, lows and even when we thought we didn’t exist to Him.

After the concert we went back to our Best Western hotel room to get all geared up to enjoy a soak in the downstairs hot tub. The funny bit was that when we got there we met three, and then eventually four, drunk on wine lady bowlers. We all talked about where we are all from and hearing that they knew about both Em’s and my hometowns made me smile with how everyone truly is connected in one way or another.

After that chill yet social time in the hot tub, and also whenever our “max hot tub time” ran out, we went back upstairs to pass out and fuel up for our busy busy Saturday!

First on our list was, of course, brunch because that’s just what girls do. We had so many options in Fort Wayne for coffee shops that also had a menu fit for a foodie. Our pick ended up being Fortezza Coffee, and I’m so glad.

Whenever I was in Grand Rapids I met and fell hard for caffe miels! Partly because of my love for nutmeg and partly because miel’s just sound like you’re meowing. So when we first got to Fortezza I was kinda bummed because they didn’t have that as an option on their menu. However, the barista looked rad, and how could he not be with his “filter coffee, not people” tee. So I just asked if I could still order one. Of course he said yes and my morning just got even better.

Emily and I ended up picking the same coffee and breakfast sandwich. She had never tried a miel before but loved the idea of the nutmeg. Long story short- she loved it! Our coffee was served and then our food followed.

After brunch we wanted to wander but not at the expense of freezing. Naturally we went to the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory that was about a five minute walk away. Ticket prices were great and we both ended up agreeing that it was one of the best Conservatories we had even been to. My most favorite moment was when we reached the very back of the greenhouse. There was a desert room that was filled with cacti and succulents. And the temperature was the cherry on top. It was dry, cool and the glass ceiling let in the most beautiful sun-rays. We ended up lounging on two benches and just talking about life, dreams and our general thought processes as of late.

A little friendship fun fact about Emily and I is that we are both going to school for the same thing, which is Art Therapy. I mean we both are in that season of “is this really what I want because grad school,” but truthfully that shared experience makes my heart so happy even if things seem a little unsure. I think the lovely bonus of that mutual career goal is that we just end up having a lot in common. So whats a potential Art Therapist to do on vaca? But go see some art.

However, like some planning goes the gallery ended up being closed. But the kicker is that the building itself is a work of art. Meaning that the front, sides, back, courtyard and even the roof was covered in street art and murals. I even peaked through some windows and the back fence to prove it!

After an impromptu photoshoot with the outside faux flower installation, we got to serious business and ordered some “snoop” burgers from Bravas. That burger is now in my top 3 favorite burgers. It was just so rich and somehow creamy. And with my decision to pair it was a house coleslaw, I tell you what! The shop also just was overall chill and in a quiet part of town. It just felt cozy as Emily and I enjoyed the pure silence that comes from loving what you’re eating.

With the hustle and bustle of a busy, adventurous day, Emily and I decide to head back to our hotel to wind down. Between comfy clothes and our own separate queen sized beds, we kicked back for a couple of hours before finishing our saturday with another coffee/tea run at Conjure Cofdee, thrifting, getting sushi for dinner and relaxing with the lush products that Em picked up for us.

On our Sunday Funday we decided to keep the spa like feelings from the night before, going. Because of my inability to sleep much past 9 a.m., I woke up around then and just laid in bed thinking about the weekend and wondering if Emily was alive. Ha! Just kidding! I had just forgot that she burrows under her blankets in her sleep. When she got up we went downstairs to load up on the continental breakfast. I got a collection of scrambled eggs, steel-cut oats with some honey glazed granola and raisins plus one of the pears I brought with me for the weekend. We brought it all upstairs and had breakfast in bed while watching a couple of episodes of The Office.

With how all good things come to an end, we packed up our bags, got in the car and headed out. But the kicker is that we weren’t heading home just yet! About fifty minutes southwest of Fort Wayne is Upland, Indiana. And honestly I have been meaning to visit for a really long time. My best friend from high school choose to go to Taylor University and from there she met her man, had two gorgeous babies and settled in.

One of the places that she devotes a lot of her time to is a coffee shop called The Bridge Cafe. She is the head barista, baker of all things yummy, photographer of the coffee shop and has a place on the shelf to show her personal photography (plus probably so much more)! So to say that I was kinda stoked to finally be there, visiting her, trying my first lavender caffe miel- was wonderful!

You can see her work at https://www.birchandolive.com/

& Back home we go!

Thank you for sitting in on my storytelling time! The weekend brought a lot of good conversations, rest, exploring, food and drink and it all makes me wish I had named my blog something like- this freakin blessed life. Because I count myself incredibly lucky.

I hope you all are well!

XOKriss