Hey y’all! Guess who? No, I didn’t fall off the face of the earth. Although, it felt like it. I missed y’all and finally feel like I’m in the right headspace to write and share again.

So let’s go back a year. COVID-19 hits and the world shuts down. And here I am … a mom and a blogger. I tried to be postive and make the most of the bad situation. Sharing the paint colors we finally had time to use on all the house renovations we’ve been saving for when we had free time.

“Hey y’all look at these new floors, here’s all the info”

“Three Ways to Tye-Dye at Home”

“Who needs homeschool tips? Let me tell you how I get through a day of schooling”

“Let’s try-on all these fun stay-at-home comfy sets I just found”

Helpful for some, sure. But I just felt so ridiculous and small when so many other bigger things were happening. Like millions out of jobs, loosing people to sickness, whole lives flipped upside down. Did anyone really care what I ordered from the Target curb-side pick-up?

I continued at least posting on Instagram till August. And then I just couldn’t anymore. I felt like a sham and the most tone-deaf person. **This isn’t to call anyone out or say that’s what I think of bloggers who continued with normal content; I am in fact very grateful they did so** I also am very aware opinions differ and no matter what I said, if I did talk about the bigger picture like my heart was longing to, someone was going to be upset. And in case you’re new here … Hi, I’m Kristina and I don’t like confrontation hahaha

Spring was gone. Then Summer; it simulataneously felt like the longest and shortest summer ever. And then school rolled around and it was fall. A shred of normallcy came back. We were so lucky that our hockey organization found a way to play safely. It wasn’t perfect, but my boy was on the ice. We joined a co-op and with COVID measures, we were able to attend that in-person, weekly. And since we have been homeschooling for years now, nothing really new there.

I wasn’t me though. The pandemic has been so hard, not to metion the shit-show that is American politics. I lost pieces of me. The creative, inspired pieces of me had died. All the things I loved for myself, shopping, styling, makeup, writing, reading, it was all gone. I didn’t get dressed anymore, well other than joggers and sweatshirts. I stopped wearing makeup. and doing my hair. Which there’s absolutly nothing wrong with that if it’s your jam … but it ain’t me. I’m the girl who gets dressed up to go to the mailbox. I imagine I’m not the only person who got lost while staying at home.

I continue trudging through and we get to New Years. I couldn’t do another 2020. I was so unhappy, depressed, and anxious all the time. Regardless of what else was going on in the world, MY 2021 was going to be amazing. I could not do it anymore. And I started finding me again.

I started journaling. I started praying more. I started limiting the media I was intaking … in case you didn’t know, social media can be an absolute dumpster fire … and I forced myself to get dressed. Probably overdressed, although I don’t believe that’s a thing. And y’all, it started working. Who woulda guessed?!

It’s April now, over a year later, and I don’t feel all the way me again. Some days I sleep too late and don’t wash my hair. But most days, I’m there again. It’s honestly just like the world, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Here’s what I learned :

• Kids are resilient AF (but also go stir-crazy fast)
• There’s a lot of hate in the world but kindness is far more abundant
• I have a more severe Starbucks, Target, and Amazon addiction than I feared
• House Renovating is fun
• I disagree with a lot of people on a lot of things and we can still be friends
• When things look too bleak, it’s possible to find joys
• Sometimes it ok to sit in the bleakness though, give it its moment and then move forward
• Masks are the WORST (I get it, they’re important, you know you hate them too)
• Social Media is the biggest blessing and curse to society
• All politicans suck. Can we just start over?
• Grocery Delivery services are my new favorite thing and I won’t make it if they ever go away
• I miss lipstick
• TikTok is FUN (and yes, Gen Z, I’ll rock a middle part, but I’m keeping my skinny jeans)
• Some things just aren’t important.

So, I’m back. Here I am. But with a few cavets. I going to be writing and sharing things that mean something to me. Business as usual. But no more fluffer just because I need to post something. Not to mean I’m going for a Pulitzer here, this is still a lifestyle blog, but my heart will be there. And if that means some days I don’t post or its not polished and curated, then oh well. I don’t think the world will shut down.

All the love,