Kristen Woolsey

Happy Friday!

One | Book of the Month for May

I was so excited for my BotM box for May! I actually chose 3 books! A cute little summer line up of pool reads. These are all To Be Read, so I'll keep you updated if any are 5 star reads. I have a link that lets your try Book of the Month for $5! I don't really hold onto books, I usually pass them on to a friends or a Free Little Library, but I do love the look of my book shelf with the BotM titles since they line up so nice.

I went with: The Shippers, Our Perfect Storm, and Good Joy, Bad Joy

Two | Waterless Diffuser

This is such a great passive diffuser. It's cord free, so you can stick it anywhere. Plus, no water needed! I've really enjoyed walking into the room where this diffuser is on a timer. Right now I have it filled with a Green Clover and Aloe scent which is a Disney Resort copy cat. So fresh!!

Three | Outdoor Concert

We had the best night out recently! Our city hosted an outdoor concert in the park under the most gorgeous oaks. It happened to be glorious weather too. The band was Paul McDonald & The Morning Doves (I think). He was on American Idol like 15 years ago, but what a great performer. Other than having a fun night with our friends, the people watching was the best part of the evening.

You can't really see it in the photo, but I am obsessed with the dress I wore for the evening! It came in my Wantable box and I immediately took the tags off and wore it. They really know me, I've gotten some great boxes recently.

Four | Whimsical Decor

I have really been gravitating towards cute things that make me smile! I added these fun little bronze snails to our window ledge and it's exactly on brand for whimsical. If you're the type with a home library, I think these would be just darling crawling over books.

Five | Quince Dress

Eeeek, I'm so in love with this dress! It fits like a dream and the quality is just right. I'd love one in every color please.

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-Kristen

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Friday Five | 5-22-26

Friday, May 22, 2026

One | Melbourne, FL

We were able to squeeze in a great weekend visiting family in Melbourne! We were only there for a few days, but we did quite a bit. Including: a zoo visit, multiple games of pickleball, a beach day, a trip to Ron Jon the surf shop, lots of yummy meals, and card games.

Finding that teeny tiny starfish was a life highlight!

Two | 75 Hard

Blake and I started 75 Hard this week. I have been looking into the challenge for the better part of year, but felt like there wasn't going to be a better time to try it! Blake surprised me by saying he was down to go for it too, but I'm so glad - that's going to make it easier. If you haven't heard of 75 Hard, it's a mental toughness challenge. It's 75 days of sticking to 2 45 minute work outs (one outdoors), a diet of your choice, 10 pages of non fiction reading, a gallon of water, no alcohol, taking a progress photo each day, and no cheats. If you miss one thing, you have to start over. It's obviously hard, that's in the name! But, after succeeding in running a half marathon, I was craving another way to challenge my self discipline. None of those things are impossible, just inconvenient. We'll see! So far so good.

Three | Embroidered Hat

An impulse buy if there ever was one, but I love this hat! It's such a cute, slightly elevated baseball hat. Perfect for spring and summer. A great gift too, if you know someone who loves their plants.

Four | New Phone Case

An impulse buy, but I could not love my new phone case more! The pattern is from Rifle Paper Co, and it's called Studious Dogs. The cutest!! I would have gotten the matching Kindle case if they had my size. All the doggies are cute, but of course I'm partial to the pug with the pencil in it's mouth.

Five | Rainbow Time

I call every morning when the sun slips into our living room 'rainbow time', because we have the most beautiful prisms cast into the room. I have a cute little sun crystal, and a disco ball planter that adds just a bit of joy to every day.

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-Kristen

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Friday Five | 5-8-26

Friday, May 8, 2026

Me hanging out at an Open House last weekend ⬆️

Aside from my work shirt, I really love this outfit! The skirt is so comfy and so are the shoes. I get compliments on my necklace every time I wear it.

One | Laguna Beach Reunion

Nothing could have possibly taken me back to 2003 like watching the Laguna reunion! I loved this show, and completely admit to it influencing my fashion and music choices at the time. It was cool to see how everyone is doing - some have been famous this whole time, and others have chosen more normal lives.

Two | My Little Garden

My brother in law made me a really cool tiered garden stand, and I was so happy to get a few plants going! My lime tree also got relocated and seems to be thriving in it's new spot. This side of the house gets the perfect light for plants, so I'm trying to take advantage of it.

Three | Smell Like A Cookie

Do you want to smell like a sweet, vanilla cupcake or cookie? If so, I have the perfect body spray for you. The Sol de Janeiro Cheirosa 71 smells just like a sweet treat. I got the travel size and you only need a spritz or two.

Four | Race Medal Display

I finally figured out what to do with my collection of race medals! I have been keeping them in a closet, and felt like they really should be displayed somehow. I got a shadow box, and rolled up the medals using clear elastics. It turned out really cute! A fun conversation piece.

Five | Recent Reads 📚

Because it's been so long since I've done a post, I have too many books to recap! I'm going to shorten the list to the ones worth mentioning:

This Story Might Save Your Life by Tiffany Crum - Loved this story about 2 best friends who have a podcast together. It's not really a thriller, but has a nice paced mystery! I kept thinking, I really want to listen to their podcast! Highly recommend the audiobook.

The Frozen People by Elly Griffith - This was a premise about a detective who's company actually goes back in time to discover evidence.

Little One by Olivia Muenter - A very interesting book about a girl who grew up in a cult in Florida. Our main character sure has got some issues, but I really like Olivia's writing.

The Astral Library by Kate Quinn - Not what I expected at all. Kate Quinn is known for her historical fiction, so I was really surprised this was about a world where you can live inside a book. She gets a little ranty about social issues but this was obviously an ode to her love of libraries!

Into The Blue by Emma Brodie - Gosh, what gorgeous writing! I was immediately transported to the time it was set in. I've also never really heard much about the techniques employed by actors before, so that was interesting. The chemistry between the two leads was fabulous - just had to skip several chapters for explicit content.

Two books that were captivating but I also hated: Yesteryear and Best Offer Wins. The most unlikable people doing the most unlikeable, unbelievable things!

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-Kristen

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Friday Five | 5-1-26

Friday, May 1, 2026

Dress

For my nephew's Spring Break this year, my family spent a week in the FL Keys! We all needed this vacation sorely. My brother and his wife flew in from New Orleans, we caught a flight too, and my sister drove down.

Our rental was in Marathon, but we spent time in a few places including Key West. Here are the highlights:

Pigeon Key - My great grandfather was an engineer who worked on the original 7 mile bridge, and was stationed on Pigeon Key - so this was a cool stop! They have cute little train ride, a history tour, a museum, and a great beach to sit on.

Three State Parks - Blake and I have the goal to visit all of the State Parks in Florida. We were happy to check 3 off the list while we were in the Keys. We visited Bahia Honda (Great for the beach and for a view!), Curry Hammock (Great for peacefulness and kayaking), and Ft Zachary (Just great! I would spend every day here if I could. They rent chairs and umbrellas!).

Sushi Sunset Cruise - We took a pontoon boat tour out in Key West to watch the sunset and they served a buffet of sushi. Just a delight!

Butterfly Conservatory - Highly recommend the butterfly conservatory in Key West to everyone. It's a beautiful greenhouse that is home to thousands of beautiful butterflies - and flamingos!

Hemingway House - One day in Key West we all went in different directions, and Blake and I went to the Hemingway House. It was such a cool home, and I loved the setting. If you are a cat person, it's a must.

The only bummer for me this week, was not being about to go out to the Dry Tortugas. I had no idea it was so competitive to get on the ferry, and by the time I checked it was booked for the whole summer. We checked every day, and tried to do the walk up wait list. Unfortunately, it didn't work out for us, so we will just have to go back so we can check this National Park off our list!

-Kristen

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Spring Break in The Keys

Friday, April 24, 2026

Brooks Running Shoes

My very favorite shoe! I've gone through maybe 8 or so pairs. I think everyone has their Cinderella shoe - and this is mine. It just feels great to run in. Their customer service is also outstanding. When I fell and damaged my shoe after just a few weeks, they sent me a new pair!

Body Glide

Perfect to prevent chaffing. I use it on my legs, and where my clothes rub.

Honey Stinger Chews

Running gels are not for me! But, these chews are the perfect pick me up during long runs. They give a boost of energy - with sodium and carbs. Plus, they keep your mouth moisturized which I appreciate.

Feetures Socks

I've noticed that socks matter. On long runs, my socks can rub the bottoms of my feet. Feetures are the perfect running sock. They have cushion, but aren't too thick either. Pricey, but well worth it.

Bib Boards

These are the coolest little race day accessory! These snap onto your race bib and replace safety pins. No holes in your clothes!

Running Belt

This running belt has a really slim profile, but fits a lot! It's great for your phone, and storing those gummy chews.

Air Pod Hooks

My AirPods would never stay in my ears on a run - these little rubber hooks slip onto your AirPods and hook over your ears. I use them ALL the time!

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-Kristen

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Favorite Running Essentials

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

1. Gate River Run

Ugh. I was absolutely crazy to sign up for this. It was 1 week after my Half, and I thought what a cool way to keep the running routine going. A 15k is a lot less miles than a half, right?! This was BRUTAL. I've done the Gate once before and found it really challenging. This year it was in a new location because of construction. Jacksonville really shows up for this race, and I love the vibes throughout the neighborhoods!

The race didn't start until 8am, and this weekend happened to be HOT. It was already too warm at the start, and it just got hotter from there. The most challenging part of this race is a huge bridge at mile 8. By then, the sun is beating down and you have to go up hill. The finish line has also been moved, so you can't see it for the longest time. When I tell you people were falling out right and left! I've never seen someone so pale. Lot of people are doing shots and chugging beer throughout the race, so that led to a lot of vomit on the bridge too.

I was not very proud of my race, but glad I finished. The post race celebrations were also out in the sun, and not a shade tree to be found. I can't tell you how many people we saw calling out for medics after the race! If they had just started it an hour earlier it would have made all the difference.

After a yummy lunch, we hit up the beach and that was worth all the suffering! 😂

2. Skylight Calendar

My amazing sister rallied our families to all chip in to get us a Skylight Calendar! I have had one in my Amazon cart for like 2 years, but never wanted to spend the money. It's been amazing. We are so reliant on our digital calendars with how busy we are. The Skylight syncs with all our calendars and has amazing chore/routine checklists. Our Skylight also came with meal planning features too. We've only had it a few weeks but it's made our communication so much better. I really like tracking our dogs medication schedule with it - Blake and I are completely on the same page with when Bailey got her last dose.

3. Warrenties

I just have to say, I appreciate brands that stand behind their products!! First, my Oura ring suddenly had a weird battery problem. Normally, my ring lasts for almost a week without having to charge, but it started having to be charged daily. I chatted with Oura and they logged into my ring, saw that it did indeed have a problem, and promptly sent me a new one. Took less than 5 minutes.

When I fell in January, I damaged my brand new Brooks. I had them for like 2 weeks, it was so sad. With a race coming up though, I didn't want to delay breaking in another pair. My aunt reminded me that Brooks has a 90 day trial, and so I just shot my shot and asked them about replacement...and they are sending me a pair! This might be my 8th pair of Ghosts, so I appreciate that they were loyal back to me.

4. Books I've Read Recently 📚

Happy Wife by Meredith Lavender - As I type this, I am having trouble remembering this book..if that tells you anything. Nora is the 2nd, younger wife to a wealthy man in Winter Park, Fl. Will goes missing, and Nora tries to figure out what's going on while navigating their elite community.

James by Percival Everett - 5 Stars! Jim is a slave that finds out he's going to be sold. The same Jim from The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - but from his POV. I don't think you need to have read Huckleberry Finn to enjoy this. Slavery is horrible to read about, but this is so captivating.

Everything Is Tuberculosis by John Green - Fantastic! Who knew Tuberculosis could be so fascinating. TB has been the most common viral disease for almost all of human history. John Green's writing makes reading about social/political impacts of a disease so interesting.

5. Disney Photo Pass

For my Disney Half, I knew I wanted to be able to get all the race photos. I did a lot of research, and so many people recommended the Photo Pass. It's kinda pricey, but you can get all of your photos for a month and it includes everyone in your friends/family list. We got our money's worth! Not only did I get great race photos, but we also stopped and took a bunch while we were there over the weekend. Additionally, Blake's cousin took a trip a week later and I was able to send her all their photos too. There were so many cute ones!