FREE SHIPPING ON EVERY ORDER!!!!

Ok, now I am really having to curtail the shopping therapy courtesy of COVID-19. #puravida is offering FREE SHIPPING on EVERY order, regardless of total amount, until March 31st! If you've wanted to make a purchase but didn't want to spend $40 to get free shipping, now is your chance to make that order!

They also have some super cute items under their SALE category at 30% off, like this super cute palm tote:

You can use my coupon code of "KristenLee21" to get ANOTHER 20% off, so this tote ends up costing only $16! (It's almost half off the original price.) And...did I mention FREE SHIPPING????

Click http://bit.ly/2T3dX1E and have my coupon code automatically applied to your order. Don't you deserve something colorful and happy to deal with having to stay quarantined? You may as well get it on sale with no shipping costs!

Retail Therapy

With all this COVID-19 craziness happening, people can really get overwhelmed quickly. How do you handle your anxiety?

I am definitely a therapy shopper. I'm struggling to stay off of Amazon right now because I know I would buy ALL the things I have saved for later, and my bank account can't handle that right now. So what's a girl to do?

Thank goodness for #puravidabracelets and their new inventory! I even used my own 20% off code to save some money! I bought a few presents I'll need for upcoming events and didn't spend a ton of cash! The bright colors #puravida uses in their bracelets also helps brighten up an otherwise dreary kind of day in the world.

Visit www.puravidabracelets.com and use "KristenLee21" as the coupon code to save 20% off your entire order! You are also eligible for free shipping if you spend $40 or more! Go ahead and indulge a little bit...go check out their inventory now and get the newest items at a great price! 

Pura Vida Rep: Sand Status!

I'm so excited! Thanks to folks visiting my custom link and/or using my discount code, I've reached the first PV Rep Status! I got a great bracelet pack in a bigger hemp bag, some Pura Vida Rep stickers, and business cards to hand out with my discount code on them. Going to get my hair done this afternoon, so I'm going to give a few to my stylist to see if he can hand them out to anyone that's interested.

Lots of new items are out right now and you don't want to miss out! Go to www.puravidabracelets.com and enter "KristenLee21" as your coupon code to get 20% off your entire order!

Gotcha Day

I got so busy working and preparing for my man to come home that I forgot to post about my littlest man's gotcha day. I adopted Stevie Wonder Colby Lee five years ago, and life hasn't been the same since. He is mostly blind, but gets around great for a dude that can't really see. (Although sometimes I think I should get him a helmet.) He growls at everything, but especially his food, cookies and toys. He loves to play growl with his big brother...who could honestly do without that. While he doesn't do well with other dogs, he absolutely loves people. In fact, because my boyfriend has been gone to Raleigh all week for work, #lilstevie has missed him so much that he's jumped up in his lap in the computer chair and Todd is having to balance his laptop on top of Stevie as he snoozes away. (Cue the sweetness factor for both my little guy and my main squeeze.) While he can be a devil dog at times, I am glad I rescued him from the hoarde of dogs he was born into in Texas, and even after all the trouble I went through to get him here, I'm so glad he's my second child. 

Hibiscus in March

Since we brought our hibiscus tree inside for the winter, I think we've majorly confused it. Harry (yes, I name my plants) seems to really like it in the kitchen, and we are being blessed with these beautiful blooms a few times a week. 

These are one of my favorite flowers. It's such a shame the bloom only lasts for a day. Helps remind me of warmer climates, frosty beverages, warm water and sand between my toes!

Wine Corks & Jewelry Quirks

My handsome guy really got me into wine, specifically red blends. (I used to be a Riesling girl because I had absolutely no knowledge of wine.) He's been drinking wine a lot longer than I have, but we both have always saved the corks from finished bottles with the intention of completing some craft with them. (I also had some corks I ordered off Amazon to create a bachelorette party gift for my long distance best friend a few years ago...so I had wine corks that had never been used to add to the mix.)

Since I'm trying to move in and merge our lives together, I needed a bigger space for my jewelry so I can see what I have and stop wearing the same things over and over. Enter Pinterest and the idea of the wine cork jewelry board. 

I bought two wood framed glass pictures from Dollar General for $12.00 each, got some extra hot glue sticks and hooks. I set out my pattern of how I wanted the wine corks to look in the frame. Not going to lie...went through a lot of glue sticks, burned myself a few times, broke a couple of nails (even with dipping powder on them!), and wasn't thrilled with my first attempt. Being the perfectionist I am, I ended up starting over with the second frame I purchased. The second time around, I felt like I actually got the hang of it. If I had enough corks left over to make another one, I definitely would do a few things differently, but I'm really pleased how this one turned out. 

I have plenty of space for all my #puravidajewelry as well as some other items...with a few hooks to spare! It's so much easier to see what I have now and it's nice to have it on the wall and not take up dresser top space.

I still have some wine corks left, but not enough to complete a full project. I did however use the corks I bought for my craft project a few years ago to make us new coffee table coasters to complement our wine book:

My handsome doctor actually LOVED the new coasters and we've been using them since he returned home from his work trip on Friday. 

I'll definitely be looking to collect extra wine corks so I can continue my crafting! This was so much fun to do and was a good way to keep me busy without spending too much money.

And remember, click http://bit.ly/2T3dX1E and use "KristenLee21" as your coupon code at checkout to receive 20% off your entire order of #puravida!

I LOVE Pura Vida!

I was able to use a coupon code and got a TON of #puravida jewelry at a fraction of the cost, just in time for spring. I think I have a bracelet and anklet for every occasion and possible outfit. I even got a new ring and earrings, too! 

Pura Vida provides instructions on how to care for your jewelry so it really lasts, and they employ artisans worldwide with full time jobs. I'm also able to do a little good with some of my purchases by giving back to a great cause. I've donated to mental health awareness, save the elephants, save the butterflies, and opioid addiction, just to name a few.

If you're looking to expand your summer jewelry connection and support some talented artists or a cause you are passionate about in the process, click http://bit.ly/2T3dX1E and enter "KristenLee21" in the coupon code field to get 20% off your entire order. I know you'll love your Pura Vida just as much as I do.

New picture of all my #puravidajewelry on display once I finish making my wine cork jewelry board! Stay tuned!

I LOVE anything with waves...

Stickers...notebooks...tumblers...jewelry...you name it. If it has waves on it, I'm a sucker for it. That's why I absolutely adore my wave jewelry set I gifted to myself for Christmas from Pura Vida:

The matching necklace, bracelet and ring help me think of relaxing on the beach and hearing waves crash against the shore.

If you need some reminders of beach life or want to support a cause you're passionate about, click http://bit.ly/2T3dX1E and use coupon code "KristenLee21" to get 20% off your entire Pura Vida order. You can also sign up for emails and text messages to keep you updated on the newest items!

Until next time, stay wavy.

My First Born

Enjoying a lovin' session with his daddy...nine years old, fighting diabetes, and still such a happy, good natured guy. I am so lucky to have Walter as my first dog. He's saved my life more times than he knows. 

Isn't my main squeeze the most handsome guy?

I'm so lucky to have found a caring, loving, extremely intelligent, handsome, good man that I hope will stick around through my crazy from now until eternity and beyond. I've had to kiss a lot of toads to find my prince, but now that our stars have aligned, I'm not letting go.

Our one year anniversary is coming up in March. What are some good present ideas I should get for him to celebrate the past 12 months, and hopefully the next 928383839383838383838 days together?

Aren't we amazing together? #swoon

Our Pseudo-Keto Dinner

I'm on the South Beach Diet, and definitely not losing as much weight as I would like to. Dieting is hard. But a few nights a week we make our own meals that my boyfriend and I can share together. We love cooking together and I love to share this time with him after a long day.

With a potential winter storm approaching, we both thought chili sounded like a good idea. But how to make it keto? I looked at several recipes and finally derived my own. And it came out pretty dang good!

Recipe below the photos. 

Pseudo-Keto Chili

2 lbs ground beef

1 green bell pepper, minced or chopped 

1/2 large onion, minced or chopped

1 clove garlic, minced or chopped

1 jalepeno, seeded, minced or chopped

6 oz can tomato paste

1 12 oz can diced tomatoes

Carroll Shelby's Chili Mix

2 cups beef broth

Salt to taste

Sour cream and cheese for optional toppings

1. Add ground beef, green pepper, onion, garlic, and jalepeno to a large pot. Cook until meat is browned over high heat. Drain excess fat.

2. Add most of the can of tomato paste, the can of diced tomatoes, the chili seasoning packet, and the two cups of beef broth to the pot. Still well to incorporate.

3. Place lid on pot and reduce heat to simmer for ten minutes.

4. For a more soupy chili, add additional beef broth. 

5. Add sour cream and shredded cheese if desired.

Definitely a hearty meal and we didn't even miss the beans! This recipe is going down for another meal while we still have some cold nights ahead. 

Check out Pura Vida for a good cause! And fun jewelry.

I'm so excited! I am now officially a Pura Vida Ambassador! This amazing jewelry is fun to wear, can go with any outfit, and they support a variety of charities which you can support as well...just by buying a cool bracelet! You can also customize your own bracelets and use them for fundraisers, or customize your jewelry with engraving. They are so much fun to wear, and I always have compliments whenever I have some on.

Click here to visit the Pura Vida website and use the coupon code "KristenLee21" to receive 20% off your order!

Stay tuned for more pictures and specials...you won't want to miss out!

Coolest Wine Book. Ever.

So my boyfriend and I love wine. Red Blends, to be exact. We will try any of them, but we definitely have our favorites (which I will discuss in a separate post.) But we don’t know much about wine, and we will never obtain sommelier status without starting somewhere.

Enter the scratch and sniff wine book for beginners. It was a great price on Amazon and had good reviews. I gifted him this for Valentine’s Day, and we have already started exploring it. The scratch and sniff sections really DO work, and the author does a great job of making the boring parts about learning about wine interesting. It also comes with a navigational map in the back to help you select a wine.

All in all…I would recommend this book as a gift for your budding wine enthusiast. It was a great addition to our date night 

Click here to view the product on Amazon and order one your wino...er...wine connoisseur. 

And so it begins...

At almost 40, I want to ensure that I’m living life to its fullest potential and sharing the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between in an attempt to keep wonderful memories alive and help others along their journey.

As an admitted Amazon addict, allow me to share some of the coolest purchases I have made along with some tips for ensuring you get the best price. Also, let me share some other items I love and have hopes of obtaining. I'll also document some of the highlights and low lights of this whole adulting thing. Including posts about my favorite things - my sweet, sweet man and our AH-mazing special needs dogs.

Unless this blog really takes off and I can actually get paid for writing, I have to have an “adult” job…and I always seem to have entertaining stories to share that may help others that are also learning how to adult.

“Even when you’re a pessimist, find one bright spot to focus on. One positive thing can change your entire perspective. Or, just go to the beach. The beach fixes everything.” 

-Kristen Lee