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SOCIAL MEDIA

1. Smoothies & Shakes

A recent obsession has been enjoying a delicious smoothie instead of cooking. Many trips to Tropical Smoothie have been made this summer! I got a good deal from Good Morning America on a Nutribullet (does that make me sound like a senior citizen or what?!) and now have been enjoying smoothies at home. We needed a new blender anyway. My favorite recipe is a chocolate protein powder, peanut butter powder, almond milk, and frozen banana for a Reece's inspired protein shake. 😋

2. New Camera!

Blake totally caught me off guard and surprised me with a new camera. I've loved my Canon Rebel for over a decade, but I've said many times how cumbersome it is to bring when traveling. I never regret taking photos with it, but my phone just ends up being so much easier. I've wanted a compact mirrorless camera for a while, but it was just a huge wish list item - something I didn't really see getting any time soon. With so many trips coming up, I can't wait to use it. I've been playing around a little bit with it, and have been so impressed. Next thing I'm hunting for is a cute little crossbody camera bag. 

I took the next two photos with the new camera just for fun:



3. Red Era

I find myself gravitating towards red! Also gravitating towards sleeveless sweaters. I have a few now, and I think they will be so nice for our fall and winter which are quite warm. 



4. Cactus Incident

I had a strange thing happen this past week at work. We were inspecting a property out at the coast, and it was so beautiful there. Alas, as we were measuring the outside of the home, I ended up with a cactus in my calf. (!!) It did not hurt going in, but pulling it out was awful. Only one needle was really embedded in my skin, and unfortunately it must have pierced a vein because the bruise I still have over a week later is impressive. 

5. Vinyl Record Additions

I love listening to our record player! Our collection of records is small but mighty. I like to have our very favorite artists - mainly nostalgic ones. I also love love to have favorite movie soundtracks. I just added the Princess Diaries soundtrack to our vinyl collection. 


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-Kristen

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Friday Five | 8-29-25

Friday, August 29, 2025

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-Kristen

This post contains affiliate and referral links! | Blog Disclosure

Three Recent Outfits

Monday, August 11, 2025


Now that I have had my Oura Ring for 3 months, I feel a little more qualified to share my thoughts! I chose the Gen 4 ring in Gold. If I went with the Gen 3, I could have saved some money, but I feel strongly I chose correctly. The 4th generation ring is so much thinner and more comfortable than the 3, so I love the feel. 

Sizing was intimidating to me at first. You can order a sizing kit so that you can be sure to get the right fit. I went with a size 8, and I'm really glad I did. (The sizing is just like a real ring from a jewelry store, for reference my wedding ring is a 6. ) What I didn't think about is how your fingers naturally swell and shrink day to day and hour to hour. I find that I actually move the ring to different fingers often! Typically, I will wear it on my middle finger on the left side. I find it very comfortable to sleep in as well.

I do have a silicone cover for it for working out and cleaning. My ring has gotten a little bit scuffed already, but I want to emphasize I'm very hard on my hands. 


As a person who loves information, this ring has been amazing. I'd say it took a few weeks for it to really learn my baselines, but it provided helpful information from the first wear. Here are some of my favorite metrics:

Sleep

The sleep data is incredible. Each day you are given a score based on how long you slept and what quality of sleep you had. I strive to get as close to 100 as possible, but I'm usually in the 90s. I'm always shocked at the accuracy. For example, if you have alcohol usually your heart rate doesn't lower to your normal rate while you sleep - so my ring can always tell if I've had a drink. One thing that I typically score low on is latency, which is how long it takes you to fall asleep. I learned that if I lay in bed and watch tv it thinks that I'm just not falling to sleep. So, I've tried to adjust my nighttime routine and not watch tv in bed. 

Readiness

You also get a readiness score based on how you slept and your previous day(s) activities. It's basically like, you had an awesome night of sleep and recovered well from your work out yesterday, so you should be able to kick butt today. Or, you slept terrible and you've been burning the candle at both ends - take a rest day. I love this because it adjusts your activity goal for the day. This is awesome because my Apple Watch would always make me feel guilty for taking it easy certain days. For example, I had an extremely active day yesterday and accidentally had caffeinated hot tea before bed so I slept poorly - and my activity goal is just 350 calories versus the last few days when my goal was between 400-500 calories. 

Cycle Tracking

This is awesome, and I think some people can really use this information. Your ring takes your temperature and is able to track and make predictions for your cycle. It's pretty accurate for me anyway. 

Other Data

The Oura ring also tracks stress levels and resilience. Both of these scores did not appear for me until wearing the ring for about a month. My resilience to stress actually increased this week to 'exceptional' which felt like a big win. The ring also gives you a Chronotype and a Cardiovascular age. No surprise I am a morning person! My cardio age is my actual age, so I'm challenging myself to improve that. 

Activity Sensing

I'm still wearing my Apple Watch for activity tracking, like when I go for a run. The watch does a great job at keeping track of distance and your route, etc. One thing that frustrates me about my watch is that I would be working my butt off cleaning or doing yard work and unless I was actually recording a workout the watch would not detect it. My ring catches it all! It will suggest that I've been doing housework or other activities and actually give me credit for them. Huge for those of us who are active but not actually working out. 

Other Features

You can 'tag' your day with all kinds of various tags. Things like anxiety, caffeine, getting a massage, getting a flu shot, staying in a hotel....basically you tag your day as much as possible which gives insight into why your scores ebb and flow. 

The symptom radar blew me away. Two days before I actually had any symptoms, my ring said that I was showing Major Signs of strain. I came down with a terrible virus and spent most of June unwell. You can put your ring into Rest Mode where you just focus on getting better, and it will pause activity goals. So intelligent! Had I listened to it and rested when it first detected those symptoms I might not have gotten so sick. 

There is also a little AI assistant that I find pretty helpful! You can ask it for suggestions or analysis of your numbers. 

Cons

To be honest, I can only think of one con. The price. These rings are not cheap! But, I absolutely think the quality is there and you are paying for a flagship product. There is also a subscription fee to use the app which I think is a racket. I paid upfront for the year so I haven't really thought about it since. 

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-Kristen

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3 Months with My Oura Ring

Monday, August 4, 2025

Thank you so much to PetLabCo for sending us the products mentioned in this post to review! As always, opinions are my own. Links are affiliate.



This July marked 9 years with Bailey and Winston! We rescued Bailey on June 29th 2016, and found out immediately that she was pregnant. It was a crazy time! We had so much going on in our lives, and then we threw in a new pet to the mix. Our poor Bailey was so neglected, we really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. She ended up having an emergency c-section and most of the puppies didn't make it. (I recapped it here, and I honestly have a hard time reading about it.) We kept one of her puppies and that's how we ended up with Winston! 

Bailey

Bailey is now about 15 years old and doing really well! She has poor vision, but doesn't let it slow her down. She has our house memorized, so we don't really notice it until we take her someplace new.

We are so happy to have Bailey in our life. We had no idea what we were taking on when we got her 9 years ago. I'm so thrilled that she has now spent the majority of her life with us living in complete luxury. 

Winston

Winston has been such a fun dog! He's got quite the personality and has since day one. It's actually pretty cool to have had him since he was born! Winston is now 9, and he is getting a little gray in the face. He's also getting a little rounder, since he's gotten in the habit of sneaking some of his mother's food. 

The main struggle we've had with Winston is his seasonal allergies! We still have not narrowed down exactly what he is allergic to, but I'd say his seasonal allergies are the most under control they've ever been right now. His coat and skin are looking really good! 

We have also tried a few PetLabCo products I'd love to share with you today!




Allergy & Immune Chews

If you are like us, then your dog has woken you up in the middle of the night licking their paws like there is no tomorrow! Winston has always dealt with this, so we have been extremely open to anything that helps out. The PetLabCo Allergy & Immune chews are designed to support your dog's gut health and can help with things like occasional itching and licking. The soft chews are small and look like what we give as a reward, so it's very easy to add this into your dog's routine. Honestly, now Winston's skin and seasonal allergy situation is better than ever! 

Probiotic Chews

I am personally taking probiotics for all the benefits they provide, so it makes sense to me to give one to my dog too! Supporting their gut can have so many benefits like healthy immune responses to seasonal allergies, and healthy digestive function. The PetLabCo Probiotic chew can also help with yeast imbalance, which Winston definitely has dealt with. I like that these soft chews are very soft and crumbly, so they are great for picky eaters! That yeasty smell we had gotten so used to has really gotten so much better! 

ProBright Advanced Dog Dental Powder

I was reminiscing about when we had puppies, and how good puppy breath smells! That could just be me. What is not great - is grown up dog breath! The PetLabCo ProBright Advanced powder is actually clinically studied* to target tartar build up and help freshen your dog's breath. You just add a scoop (with the cutest tiniest included scoop!) and add it to your dog's food once a day. No toothbrush needed! Our pugs do not cooperate with daily teeth brushing, so I'm thrilled to have this option. It could not be easier!

*A 28-day study found ProBright Advanced significantly reduced a key odor causing compound in dogs. In a 90-day clinical study, dogs taking ProBright Advanced daily had a plaque index score that was 25% lower than the control group.  


All in all, we are so grateful to have had these 9 years with our pugs! This past year was a tough transition from 3 to 2 dogs, and we still think about Delly every single day. Bailey and Winston add so much joy to our days, and really a sense of purpose. Our days are centered on them! We have to wake up early to ensure they've been fed and walked. We can't leave the house for too long. And, getting a dog sitter for our vacations will forever be such a hurdle and stressor! I just wish I could clone myself and stay behind with them. We are grateful for any product or routine that makes their little lives better!

-Kristen

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Pug Update (Featuring PetLabCo)

Friday, August 1, 2025

Do you know what a tomato plant smells like? I feel like it's one of those IYKYK things. I personally love the scent! The Mrs Meyers scent is a pretty darn close match!

Mrs. Meyers Basil Cleaning Concentrate

I use this concentrate for everything! It works great on floors and as a multipurpose spray. I find it's a really economical way to buy it too. 

Now Liquid Coconut Oil 

A little goes a long way, and I finally used up my last bottle. We use this for a variety of things, including removing make up. Blake also uses it in his hair (the man has the driest hair of any human I've ever met). 

Sponges

No explanation needed, these are just great. 

Tub and Tile Concentrate

I have loved this concentrate for years! You mix one concentrate bottle with water in a spray bottle. Works great for maintenance cleaning. 

Grab Green Garbage Disposal Pods

These are so good! The scent is awesome and it really helps keep your disposal clean. 

My Free Gifts:

Also pictured are a ton of free samples! Really impressed with the Grab Green Laundry Pods and the Upcircle facial toner

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-Kristen

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Grove Co Haul - July 2025

Wednesday, July 30, 2025



Consider me influenced! I got an ad for Wantable - specifically their Coastal edit. I have tried Stitch Fix in the past and thought it was a fun way to try things you may not pick out for yourself.

Wantable lets you request specific items, which I really liked. You can also turn down pieces before your box is curated. Interestingly, everything I kept in my shipment were pieces I specifically requested. 

Here's what I got: 3 pairs of Shorts, 2 Dresses, 4 Tops, and a Bag. The bag was free if I chose to keep one of the other items. 

Here's What I Kept:


This dress was an immediate yes! The fit, the color, it was perfect. I can't wait to wear it on our upcoming cruise. 


Hard to photograph, but this a navy blue ribbed top with ruffle sleeves. I love this piece and I know I can dress it up and down. 

I wasn't sure about this top, but ended up keeping it! I don't have anything like it, and I enjoyed trying something I might not have purchased on my own. It's a beautiful green stripped tank that's ribbed. I can see myself reaching for this all summer. 


This top had my name all over it. I wish I could have exchanged it for a small instead of a medium, but they were sold out. It's a little long for me and loose on me, but there are days when I know that will be so comfortable and I'll be happy to wear it. Now the shorts pictured were returned. They fit me well, but GOSH I haven't worn anything this short in my life. 

I Returned:
I returned a second navy top that was really really similar to the one above, but much too big. 


This dress was pretty, but it was very thin and I knew I'd be self conscious in it. I also returned the two pairs of shorts pictured below. I know I'm getting older but I don't think I'm ready for bermuda shorts. Somewhere between these and the short shorts above would be ideal -haha! 

.         


This was so fun to try out! They have other style edits that I'd consider ordering from, but I'd also like to see what a custom box would turn out like. You can leave notes for your stylist so that they can curate items you actually need. Have you tried Wantable? or a similar service? 

Here's $25 for you to use towards Wantable!


-Kristen

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Trying Out Wantable

Monday, July 28, 2025




1. Nate Bargatze Show

My cheeks still hurt from all the laughing and giggling we did at the Nate Bargatze show this past weekend! We really enjoyed him, and the other comedians that opened for him. It's so nice to hear a comedy act that you can laugh at with your whole family. 


2. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara in Chocolate Brown

I picked up this mascara during the Prime Day sales and I'm so glad I did! I've used it on and off for the past few years - and it's as good as everyone says. But, this is the first time I've tried it in brown. I absolutely love it! Paired with the Grande Lash serum and my eyelashes have never looked better!


3. Star Trek Strange New Worlds Season 3

We had our friends over to watch the first two episodes of SNW and we had such a good time! It was really just an excuse to have them over, but we all loved the new episodes. Strange New Worlds is all the fun antics of the original series, but none of the cheesiness. We also love that it's family friendly, and there isn't anything objectionable in it so far. Are you watching? 








4. A Week With Our Niece 

We've loved having our niece Gia with us this past week. We've done a lot of fun things like pottery painting, and we took her to the movies. We also had a really great day together at Wakulla Springs with our nephews too. She's got me addicted to Nerds Gummy Clusters - have you had these?! 

5. The Rookie

I recently started watching The Rookie, and have enjoyed it so much! Little did I know Gia also loves this show, so we basically watched a whole season together. I'm on season 3 now! We have loved a lot of Nathan Fillion's shows all the way back to Firefly. Castle was such a good show, and I feel like maybe he wanted to be a police officer this time so they made this show up. 

Happy Friday!

-Kristen

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Friday Five | 7-25-25

Friday, July 25, 2025

       

Monday 

Apple Fitness + Strength with Kim (Upper Body, 30 Min) | 1.5 Mile Walk

What I Wore: Brooks Sneakers | Fabletics Shorts

Really happy to be starting off the week with a good workout! I burned about 120 calories with this upper body workout. Blake and I also fit in a 30 minute walk after dinner, which was so nice. It was late enough that it had cooled down a bit, and we saw a double rainbow! My Oura ring also recorded another 10 minutes of activity, which was housework. 

Tuesday

Apple Fitness + Strength with Jenn (Lower Body, 20 Min), Core with Kyle (10 Minutes) | 1.5 Mile Walk

What I Wore: Walmart Shorts | Amazon Crop Top | Amazon Sports Bra | Brooks Sneakers

Another workout where I burned about 120 calories. This was a lower body workout - my least favorite but probably most needed. Blake and I did this one together! While he got ready for work, I popped out and walked Winston, brought him home, and then continued to bring the total walk time to 30 minutes.

Wednesday

Apple Fitness + Strength with Jenn (30 Mins, Upper Body), 1.5 Mile Walk
What I Wore: Brooks Sneakers | Amazon Shorts | Old Navy Top

My legs were SO sore from Tuesday's workout, so I knew today needed to be arms and upper body. We also went for a walk after dinner, even though it was pretty late. I was so happy to do that, but I think it made me go to bed much later than I would have normally. 

Thursday

Apple Fitness + Core with Sam (30 Min)
What I Wore: Fabletics Shorts | Comfort Colors Cropped Tee | Brooks Sneakers
So, now my legs and my arms were killing me, so I had to go with core. I absolutely love the core workouts, they are so good! I find the variety is really nice. I also had a very big cleaning job Thursday, so I was SPENT by the evening. I like that my Oura ring gives me decent credit for cleaning. It's physical labor and my apple watch just doesn't pick that up. 

Friday

2 Mile Run
I really should have started this run about 30 minutes earlier than I actually did. The sun was OUT! But, I'm proud to have got this run done. My playlist was not helping today, so I really need to figure out what will be more motivating to listen to. 

And for a little Instagram V Reality....here's what I looked like at the end of the run. 🍅

Our Home Gym: Yoga Mats | Hand Weights | Liquid IV | Airpod Hooks

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-Kristen

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Workout Diary #4

Friday, July 18, 2025


Hello!

Hi friends! I'm Kristen, and this is the Life and Style of a mid 30's Floridian living the Best Life Ever, with her husband and two pugs. Runner | Avid Reader | Small Shop Owner