Friday Five | 6-27-25

Just a sweet picture of Bailey for you^

1. Disney Princess Half Marathon

I have two Disney things to talk about today! My sister and I were successfully able to sign up for the Princess Half for next year. The sign up process was competitive!! Thankfully my sister shouldered the stress and got us in. We have run 2 half marathons together, and decided to do this because what a cool experience to run through the parks. The race takes place on our anniversary weekend, so it looks like we will be celebrating in Orlando. Training will start in October, and I can't believe I willing chose to do this again. 😂

2. Disney Cruise Plans

Blake and I are taking a Disney cruise with some of my cousins and their kiddos this fall! We are so excited. This is a bucket list trip for all of us. This week we were able to start booking activities and excursions. We aren't going to take any excursions, because the only destinations of this cruise are their private islands. I did book some spa appointments and picked up some MagicBands for us to use. They are so cute. Blake went with a Star Wars design, surprise surprise. I thought the Mickey Cherry design was so fun. 

3. Nephew Pool Day

As you know, I've had kind of a rough month health wise, but I was finally feeling a bit more like normal this week. I kept my nephews for the day while my sister worked, and we had a great low-key summer day together. We spent several hours at the neighborhood pool, they rode their scooters, and we watched a movie. They also ate just about everything I had in the house. 

Curtains | Blanket | Ottoman

4. Challenging Yourself

This isn't a big thing, but it felt sort of significant. My friend asked me to do a little Cricut project for an idea they had. I immediately doubted myself and my ability to pull it off. Within a few seconds of getting her text, I went on Etsy to see if someone else offered what they wanted to do. I had talked myself out of even trying. Then, I gave it a go, and was pleasantly surprised that I could do it and actually feel confident in the final product. All that to say, it feels really good to challenge yourself and actually try something when you're in doubt.

5. Highs and Lows

I'm sick of being sick! Today marks 20 days of dealing with whatever weird virus/side effects I've had. This week I felt a whole lot better, and then suddenly some of my symptoms were back and worse in some ways. My Oura ring was showing that I was sleeping very well, but overall I'm definitely not operating at my normal. But, against all my efforts! I've been trying all the things to get well. 

I ended up back at the doctor yesterday, and I guess this is the High of the week, everything points to the fact that I am indeed getting better. They even took some blood just to make sure we weren't missing anything. Unfortunately, allergies are also a factor here because it's been raining SO much and everything here is green and lovely. My Doctor recommending switching up some medication and just hanging in there.  I think it's just been discouraging more than anything. 

Happy Friday!

-Kristen

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Friday Five | 6-27-25

Friday, June 27, 2025

Updated DIY Laundry Detergent Recipe

If you take a trip through the blog archives, I originally shared my DIY Laundry Powder recipe in 2018. I got away from making my own in the last few years, but after a bad reaction to traditional laundry soap I decided to get back to it! This is such a budget friendly solution to the rising prices in the grocery store. 

My recipe has evolved a little bit, so I thought I'd share the updated version!

This recipe is to fill my 2 gallon glass jar, which is enough detergent to last about a year.

Mix the following together:

1 - 4lb Box Borax

1 3.7lb box Washing Soda

2 Bars Grated Fels-Naptha OR 1 17oz Box Zote Flakes

2lbs Epsom Salts (Optional)

1 3lb Tub Oxiclean (Optional)

Scent Booster (Optional)

Use 1-2 Tablespoons per load

Tips:

- This is much easier to make if you put all the ingredients into a trash bag to mix, instead of trying to use a spoon. 

- I have a HE high capacity washer without an agitator. I use 2 tablespoons per load because I can fit a lot in one load. For smaller loads of just a few things I use 1 tablespoon. If you have a smaller capacity washer 1 tablespoon should suffice.

- Keep in mind that the Oxiclean is optional. The rest of the ingredients will still get your clothes clean, but I like the boost in whitening.

 
- The scent is also optional. Without it, your clothes will just smell clean. Not including the scent will make this ideal for people with fragrance sensitivity. I got a trial size scent booster and that does it for me.

- There some mixed opinions on including epsom salt. It's said to have softening abilities, but some might choose to omit depending on their water hardness. You can also use plain white vinegar as a softener. Epsom salt hold onto scent well too, so you can add a few drops of essential oils to your salts for an added scent. 

And, because sharing is caring, I now offer my Laundry Soap vinyl decal over on Etsy! I love this font, because it's like my handwriting - but better. Blog readers get a discount when they use the code: kristenwoolseyblog at checkout!

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-Kristen

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Updated DIY Laundry Detergent Recipe

Monday, June 23, 2025

Friday Five | 6-20-25

 

1. Santal Oil

Consider me influenced! I heard that this aromatherapy oil was amazing, and I thought I'd give it a try. You just add a few drops to your diffuser. A little goes a long way! It's a LUXURIOUS scent that gives off fancy hotel spa vibes. It's described as a blend of amber, vanilla, cedar, spices, musk, and sandalwood.

My Diffuser

2. Liquid IV

Because I've been sick, I've been desperate to get well again! One thing I'm trying to do is make sure I'm very hydrated. This is the first time I've tried Liquid IV. I went with the cotton candy flavor. At first taste, I found this kinda strange. It's very salty, obviously. But, I started drinking it while working out first thing in the morning, and for some reason it tastes so good when I'm active. Once I realized it's more of a gatorade experience rather than a water, my mind wrapped around it, and I really like it! I'm going to try watermelon next because I think that will be really good with that salty taste. 

3. Etsy Shop Update

After an unexpectedly long hiatus, I've got my shop fully up and running again. It's good to be back! Feeling a little inspired, I also added a few new vinyl decal listings this week. Including a fun one which sprung from my own need to customize my new planner that starts in September. 

4. This Week's Low

I'm still getting better after our bout with whatever plague/virus we fought last week. I have been operating at like 85%. It does feel good to get some of my energy back, but I swear this has been so humbling. I still cannot hear out of my right ear! 

5. This Week's High

One thing I've learned about myself is that when things feel out of my control, I like to control something. Usually, I fill that with some kind of organizing or decluttering project. And, that's exactly what I did this week. Getting our house back in order after being sick felt soooo good. The mini project I feel the most happy about was reorganizing our laundry space. 

With a cleaning business, I've collected quite a bit of products and tools. I also wanted to separate out what we use at home versus what I take to my client's homes. I ended up purchasing a door organizer we had at our old house that I really liked. Game Changed! I love it. On the door I've stored the products I want to use in our house, along with some back stock and some other odds and ends. Then, above the washer and dryer I've placed my tools and supplies for the business. 

I also bought a couple of function items like new collapsible laundry baskets that are awesome! 

Rug

A Satisfying Before & After:

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Happy Friday!

-Kristen

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Friday Five | 6-20-25

Friday, June 20, 2025

Recent Reads #42

Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry ★★★

Emily Henry books are an automatic buy for me. I either love them, or they are kind of a miss. I find it so interesting which ones resonate with different people. Her newest book is about an author, Alice, who is hoping the write the biography of a mysterious movie star named Margaret that has been in hiding for years. But, she doesn't know there is another author, Hayden, up for the same job. For me, this book was just okay. Her writing is lovely, and I did love the characters. I was not interested in the least for the backstory of the actress. 

One Golden Summer by Carly Fortune ★★★

We are back in the world of Carly's first book Every Summer After, hearing how things turn out for Charlie, the brother. Interestingly, the main character in this book is also named Alice. Pros: This book has such a strong sense of place. I really felt like I was at the lake during the summer! So highly recommend if you are looking for a beach read. Cons: Miscommunications galore. Quite a bit to skip, if you skip the 'spice' like I do. 

Alice's Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carrol ★★★

I am making an effort to read classics this year that I've never actually read. Alice is a little girl who falls through a rabbit hole and enters into a fantasy world. I can imagine enjoying this book as a child, or reading it with a child. But, as an adult, it just felt like a weird fever dream. 

The Love Haters by Katherine Center ★★

Katie is a video producer and has a really cool opportunity to do a feature on a Coast Guard rescue swimmer, Hutch in Key West. She lied to get the job and can't even swim, but she's going to fake it till she makes it. Ugh, I hate to say it, because I typically love Katherine Center - but this was just not for me. The story lost me many times. In fact, I fell asleep reading it, twice. The plot was just strange, and quite unbelievable (the kind you can't ignore). The characters weren't really connecting...I dunno. Maybe a dual POV would have helped.  

Wild Dark Shore by Charlotte McConaghy ★★★★🟎

Dominic Salt and his 3 kids are caretakers of a tiny remote island near Antartica in a notso distant future marked with serious climate change. Rowan washes up on their island and they nurse her back to health but are very suspicious of her. 

This was really really good. The atmosphere and setting were so interesting. The mystery and reveals were just the right amount of thrilling but not overly twisty. The ending was so stressful! I did not care for the instalove lusty relationship situation, I feel like there was a lot of missing development there. A few trigger warnings on this one you may want to look up. 

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-Kristen

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Recent Reads #42

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

Friday Five | 6-12-25

1. Dressing For Summer

Don't get me wrong, I am a summer girl! I love the heat and the sunshine. But, getting dressed this time of year is difficult. I'm constantly wearing moisture wicking workout clothes instead of 'real clothes'. So, just trying to make an effort to still put an outfit together from time to time...I really liked this one!

Shirt: J.Crew | Shorts: Old Navy | Shoes: Rothy's | Sunglasses: Amazon

2. Gallery Wall

I mentioned in my last Friday Five post that I had been rearranging and changing things up around the house. One of the things I have been wanting to do is take down our stair gallery wall. A tough decision because I love photos so much and it was also a big deal to measure this wall out when we put it up. But, I've felt that it was time and finally took it down. Command strips for the win! Our house is just so compact, and I felt that this was cluttering it up. Now that it's down, I'm really happy with the blank space. We have plenty of pictures still up! 

3. A Sweet Note

When we went to Disney last week, we stayed at my sister's house the night before we left. My nephew Lennox had this little sign up for me since we would be sharing a room. I just melt at stuff like this! Most kids do a Keep Out! sign or No Girls Allowed!..not Lenny. He's so sweet and I loved being roomies with him. 

4. This Week's High

I'll be honest. I struggled to come up with a high. It's been ROUGH. I lost my dog sitter for an upcoming weekend, and it was unexpected. After a search online, I panicked because the surge pricing for a holiday weekend is insane in our area. For someone I don't know. I have two amazing dog sitters we use and love who were unavailable - the one that canceled on me was our back up's back up. I even started searching for pet friendly Airbnbs to take them with us and trying to figure out how that was going to work. Anyway, I randomly reached out to a friend who I hoped would be around, and she lovingly agreed to come stay with the pugs. Such a relief, and you better believe she is getting the biggest gift basket ever. 

5. This Week's Low

This entire week was a LOW. I have been extremely unwell since last weekend. After a trip to the doctor, and testing negative for all the things - he diagnosed me and Blake with just some kind of virus. It's been terrible. I've basically been on the couch for 6 days straight, with zero energy. Also, I ended up having to go to an Urgent Care because my ear had me coming unglued. I had suspected it was infected, but my primary doctor didn't see anything. By the next day it was so painful, I could hear every pulse of my heart. It was indeed infected. Trust your gut people! 

I don't even want to talk about my mental state 😂. When it rains it pours. It's been a very stressful week, and being unwell made it all worse. 

Interestingly, my Oura ring knew I was sick before I did. It's fascinating! About 2 days before I had the first symptom, it warned me that my body was showing major signs of strain. It's been very accurate. You can put your ring in 'rest mode',  and it will still monitor your vitals but not push you to be active. So nice! 

Happy Friday!

-Kristen

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Friday Five | 6-12-25

Friday, June 13, 2025

Disney Diaries

I think this is our 3rd year of taking my sister's boys to Disney at the beginning of summer vacation. It's me, my mom, sister and the kiddos. Although, last year we brought the husbands and that was awesome too. Going in summer can be brutal, but we feel like we have a good thing going! 

Day 1 - Animal Kingdom

Our first day brought us to Animal Kingdom - the home of the boy's favorite rides. They both adore riding Expedition Everest, and so we made that our first ride of the day. We also made sure to ride both Avatar attractions and the Safari. It was such a humid hot day, and we had gotten up so early so we called it at about 2:30. We checked into the Carribean Beach resort and spent the rest of the afternoon and evening at the pool! 

What I Wore: Athletic Dress (with detached bottoms for easy bathroom breaks! Genius!) | Brooks Sneakers | Mickey Socks | Belt Bag | Belt Bag Charms | Body Glitter

Day 2 - EPCOT

Now for the grown ups favorite park! We loved staying at Caribbean Beach because of the Skyliner. Such a great way to get around! We spent the morning at the front of the park and did every single ride. We did purchase Lightning Lane, and I think it's worth every penny even though it's annoying to spend so much. After riding Guardians of the Galaxy (everyone's favorite!) we got caught in the rain. My sister was smart and brought ponchos - but they ended up being terrible! It was like being wrapped in Saran Wrap. My mom went into the nearest gift shop and bought us 'real' Disney ponchos and they were the bomb. 

We didn't mind wandering the rain after a margarita in Mexico anyway. And a frozen orange delightful thing in Paris...

One of my favorite Aunt things to do is to take the kids off by myself for a little while so their mom can have a break. We did this last year and it was one of my favorite memories ever - just me, Blake and the the kiddos. So, this time I took them on 2 more rides and through a gift shop while my mom and their mom got to put their feet up in England. It's just great quality time and they are on their best behavior because it feels special. 

We ended our day in Japan for dinner, which was amazing, and then we jumped on the Skyliner for 'home'. Not before stopping at a gift shop and me spending an absurd amount of money on Crocs of all things! My socks were so wet from the rain and I was just dying to get into some comfy shoes. I've never owned Crocs before - and here we are. 

What I Wore: Mickey Tee | Fabletics Shorts | Belt Bag | Adidas | Sunglasses

Watch Band | Crocs | Body Glitter

Day 3 - Hollywood Studios

I actually only took a handful of pictures this day because we were BUSY! We started the day around 9:30 and left the park probably 12 hours later. Most of our Lightning Lanes were for the later afternoon so it was a slower start with a few shows and one wait-in-line situation. I think after it was all said and done we did every single ride and almost every attraction in the park by the end of the day. The boy's other aunt came and brought them a friend so that made it nice. 

I actually made my shirt with a comfort colors cropped tee and a Grogu patch I found on Amazon. And I wore my new Crocs! Very comfy, and I was able to wear them all day in the park without much thought. My shins were really sore the next day, but so were my sister's so I can't blame it on the shoes. 

What I Wore: T-Shirt | Amazon Shorts (Highly recommend these! GREAT pockets) 

Crocs | Loungefly Backpack | Ears | Body Glitter

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You may like my other Disney posts! Or my Disney Favorites Shopping Page!

-Kristen

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Disney Diaries

Sunday, June 8, 2025

Friday Five | 5-30-25

1. High of the Week

Having Monday free of all obligation was SO nice! Blake, my parents, and I did a quick 'hike' on a Greenway near our house first thing in the morning. It was warm, but not too hot yet. I think we walked for a total of an hour. Then, we changed and headed to our neighborhood pool. I kept thinking that I should be doing something! It was a true day off. 

2. Low of the Week

I was at a clients house, and got all set to leave - and my car wouldn't start. UGH. Such a pain. It's really probably time to upgrade my CRV, but I love it so much I don't want to. Car shopping sounds terrible. Anyway, fortunately this wasn't a big deal - just needed a new battery, not an alternator like I thought. Of course my battery was 3 months past warranty, so this wasn't a cheap experience.  

3. Freshening Up The House

I don't know what got into me on Tuesday, but I came home and started moving things around. Do you ever get the itch to redecorate or rearrange furniture? There aren't too many configurations we can do with the furniture in our house, but I managed to fix some things. For example, although we have a home office, I find myself working downstairs the majority of the time. So I've set up a desk in my bedroom and was able to move a few things around in there to give us a lot more space. That sparked searching for new bedding. Ours has gotten strangely rough feeling. Then because I moved a piece of furniture upstairs, I switched things up in the guest room again. And then, the gallery wall on the stairs came down. (I've been wanting to do that for a while. Love all the pictures, but I felt like it was just too much visually.) And then! I finally ordered new curtains for the living room. This has been bothering me since we moved in. The ones I had were too short. This is my favorite upgrade so far! These curtains are SO affordable and SO nice. 

Two more things I'm on the look out for are a new ottoman for the living room, and a new bed frame for our bedroom. I'd seriously buy the same one again, I love it - but something happened (maybe in our move a few years ago?) with the support on the bottom and it's not fixable. 

4. Mission Impossible

Blake and I went to see the new Mission Impossible movie on Sunday. We absolutely love going to the movies. Especially on a rainy Sunday! This movie was just outrageous 😂. If I were to review it, I'd sum it up by saying Tom Cruise had to show off all his tricks one more time. The drama! Some of it was very exciting, but I found it weird that they used so many flashbacks? It was like they didn't expect you to know what was going on the whole time. But, that actually made it really really long. Overall it was fun to go to the movies but I don't think I'll ever watch it again. 

5. Color Palette 

Above, you'll see a picture of an outfit I wore this week, that I got several compliments on because of the colors. I think because I have more of a tan right now, and the yellow just pops. Anyway, that sparked my interest in the color season thing you've probably seen on the internet. Basically, everyone has a color palette that looks best on them based off their skin, hair, etc. 

I don't want to pay for a consultation right now, so I asked ChatGPT to help! It suggested that I am a Soft Autumn which I think I agree with. So now, I'm doing research on that color palette to see what I can wear more of. I also want to play with the makeup colors it suggests work best with my features. This is kind of fun! 

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-Kristen

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Friday Five | 5-30-25

Friday, May 30, 2025

What I Wore

Reef Sandals

I wear these Reef platform sandals ALL the time! Love them so much in brown, I also bought the off-white. These are the most comfortable shoes - I could wear them all day, every day. 

Old Navy Dress

This is such a great dress for spring and summer. Worn with those favorite sandals above! I've worn this to a causal family dinner, and then also to a fancier dinner out. Pairs great with a denim jacket!

Draper James Dress

I purchased this dress when we visited Charleston earlier this year. We were walking and shopping, and were so excited to see a Draper James store. Turned out it was their grand opening weekend. We had such a great experience shopping there, with lots of attention from the sales associates. I tried this on, and when it fit like a glove, I ignored the price tag. I paired it with some cute little espadrilles from Amazon. 

Amazon Dress

I gravitate toward light, flowy dresses in the summer - so I grabbed this one to freshen up the rotation. Very very comfy, but not exactly breathable. I should have known seeing that it's a poly blend. Again, paired with the Reef sandals. 

J Crew Dress

This may be my favorite purchase all year - I love it! From the fit to the floral pattern...it's just so great. I actually went back and bought Blake the matching tie! Paired with my gold Tieks here.

Amazon Top and J Crew Shorts

And for something a little more casual - you'll find me in this all summer! This Amazon top is so affordable and I love how you can dress it up or down. Paired with my beloved Adidas and favorite necklace set. 

J Crew Vest and Shorts

The cutest set ever! I'd say that the vest is true to size, but the shorts run big. I actually went back and bought some linen pants to coordinate with the vest as well so I can wear it more often.

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-Kristen

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What I Wore

Monday, May 26, 2025