June 09, 2017

Family Beach Trip!

June 09, 2017/ Kristen Hale

This stretch of beach is very much like a second home. I've visited this place every year for over twenty years and it never ever dulls in it's extraordinary way of smoothing out the wrinkles in my mind. Watching my son build sand castles, learn to body surf and pick up seashells in the same sand that I did as a little girl is a wildly special experience. And since Stevie's family and my family took this vacation together every year for years, this is a cherished place for both of us. It just doesn't get old. In fact, as the trip comes near, we lean into the joy of planning and preparing for it. It's like we both know that we are about to drop all of our fears and doubts and stresses into that ocean and receive an overwhelming ovation of peace and soulful prosperity.

I have the funniest memory of Stevie when he was like 17 and I was 13. He and my cousin David used to troll the beach wearing puka shell necklaces and attempt to hit on girls. I thought he was so lame.

And then I married him :)

It seems like every year that we visit this beach, we have handfuls of life possibilities that we discuss while we walk along the water. Something about walking along the shoreline absorbs all the questions of our circumstances.

I remember walking the beach hand-in-hand while we excitedly discussed getting married.

Walking this beach, nervous and excited to move to Boston for him to go to Harvard. What would New England be like??

Walking this beach, thrilled about moving to New York City. And scared about pursuing my dream of being an actor in that crazy place.

Walking this beach (okay, waddling), gigantically pregnant and anticipating how our life would change as we added a member to our family. If we only knew the magnanimous source of passion and joy Everett would bring to us - and now Daxton, too!

Walking the beach, weighing the option of job opportunities, moving potentials, dreams, family, struggles, victories, an a myriad of other elements.

Walking along this shoreline has really helped us work out a lot of things over the years. Thank goodness for those meandering walks, where the ocean itself has been like a voice of reason in our discussions. And now we are joined by our sons in enjoying this special place. I am overcome with gratitude for this shared haven of sun-splayed comfort and peace.

Time stops here. The days run together and I almost forget that I have a phone or a camera or that technology even exists. It's always exactly what I need, at exactly the right time.

Life is so beautiful, friends. I hope you find a place where you can drop your worries and doubts and hopes into your favorite body of water this summer. Even if it's only the neighborhood pool, there's something neutralizing about those waters :)

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April 06, 2017

Little Black Swimsuits.

April 06, 2017/ Kristen Hale

Bathing suit shopping is never really fun. It always seems to come astonishingly soon after the holidays, when the sugary coat of treats is still clinging to my overwintered skin. Alas, this year beckons with a set of circumstances that are even more varied for me personally, because I've got a nice layer of newborn baby fat that will be joining along for summer's joyride. I'm okay with it - nursing my baby is a gift and I am truly grateful for the opportunity to be doing this gig again. (And while many people believe breastfeeding helps you lose baby weight, many people don't know that breastfeeding also keeps you from losing the last bit of that weight in an effort to cling to excess fat stores for the baby. Good times, guys.) I would absolutely be lying if I told you I'M TOTALLY FINE WITH LOOKING THIS WAY, because that's not the case. Don't we all want to be the best-looking, fittest version of ourselves? But in my case, the best version of myself is exactly what I am right now - healthy and happy and sustaining 2 human lives. Boom.

Enter the black (bathing suit) market.

I've tried on a handful of these, and I'm still mulling over sizing and whatnot because it's only April and I want to buy suits that will work for me throughout the summer. Who knows what size I'll end up being at the end of the summer? Exactly what size am I am right now? I have no idea. But I do know that black is a gal's BFF and one-pieces will be my jam this summer. So here we go, a few that I loved in a range of price points. Hope you find something you've been looking for, too!

Will you guys let me know if you like posts like this? I'm happy to share more roundup-type posts if you find them helpful and inspiring - but if they're a bore I'll just keep my online shopping to myself :) Let me know in the comments, I'd love to hear from you! And happy spring break shopping to you!

March 30, 2017

A Weekend in St. Augustine.

March 30, 2017/ Kristen Hale

That view. With all its softness and familiarity and yet - it's never the same. The cerulean blue sky whispering to the teasing peach, melting into an ombre ocean. The steady mercury tide, measuring predictably in and out like the beat of my heart.

There is something about seeing the ocean after such a long time of not seeing the ocean. That view somehow washes me with calm, a reassurance that everything is just as it should be. There is no second-guessing by the sea. Only acceptance and an overwhelming sense of love.

The salted air and the birds of paradise and the glossy foliage - they just do my heart a whole lot of good. I find that a visit to the ocean costs a lot less than a counseling session (well, that's probably debatable if you're asking Stevie), but the outcome is often the same for me. It untangles all the wiry emotions that have bent their way around my brain, creating confusion and chaos and anxiety. But at the very first sighting of the sea, my lungs fill with deeper breath and something I've been holding on to for far too long is released, and I am always freed of it's tangles.

It's a very good thing we have, me and the ocean.

I come from a long line of ladies who love the ocean and consider a visit the same as therapy. My mom, my sisters - we all have a love for the tide, the shells, the humid breeze, even the messy matted hair. Chances are if you're reading this, at least half of you can relate. Nothing I've shared is profound or new or novel - it's simply true. God created wonders on this earth for us to seek out and enjoy exploring. Proverbs 22:5 says, "It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and it is the glory of kings to search out a matter." I like that verse so much. I love this place endlessly.

We visited my sister and her amazing family a few weeks ago in St. Augustine. This little city holds so many special memories for me and Stevie because we honeymooned here (almost ten years ago!) We came down here once when we were dating early on, with a group of people, and it's where I realized I really loved him. Something about this place always makes me feel so much peace about where I'm at in life - I always get reassurance that I am doing exactly what I should be doing.

We did all the things on this trip - walked the downtown (favorite shops are Red Pineapple and Sea Glass), ate the best popsicles (the Hyppo Pop!) and did what most parents of a oodles of children do - eat at home. There are sooo many awesome restaurants in St. Augustine, but in this stage of life, we didn't dare try to take ours out to dinner with us :) My bro-in-law Brad took us out on his boat to a deserted island, where we had a lunch of barbeque sandwiches and mac n cheese. I'll be honest - I felt like quite the fish out of water. I've been on boats a lot before, but it made me realize that we aren't native boating types - the first moment Brad started driving the boat, both of my boys started howling and Everett literally threw his body on the ground of the boat shrieking. Me and Stevie just looked at each other like, "Ummm this is bad." Thankfully we got both of them to calm down, but it just made me feel like our family is so suburban. Haha oh well. We are.

We even had an overlap evening where my younger sister Rachel and her husband Chuck came in town, so all of my siblings and spouses were together. It was the first meal the six of us had together without my parents also being present and it was wonderful! We all felt so hilariously adult, having our adult chit chat about our lives.

Stevie and I escaped to the beach and played around with Everett at sunset. Daxton didn't love the March wind that was in all its glory, so we had to make our oceanside visits brief. But we savored every moment and of course I'm already making plans for a return visit. Is it just me, or do you always need just one more day when you go to the beach?

Thanks Kara and Brad, for letting us invade your space and sleep in your children's rooms and fill your house with our clutter and noise and snacks aplenty. Love you to the sea and back.

P.S. - Similar orange kimono here, jeans here, essential oil diffusing bracelets here, essential oil diffusing necklace here, sandals here.

June 28, 2016

Family Beach Trip!

June 28, 2016/ Kristen Hale

It's just always felt like home, here on this beach.

Probably because it is home, in a way. I've been coming to this stretch of coast on the Florida gulf every summer since I was about 7 years old. I might have been 8. I'm not really certain. But every summer, without fail, my feet have hit these sands and my heart has spilled over with relief and gratitude into the bubbling foamy sea. This horizon has absorbed a lot of my heart cries over the years - sadness over break ups, joy over making the squad, relief from finals, anticipation for my wedding, anticipation for moving to Boston, anticipation for moving to New York, anticipation for having a baby... the list goes on and on. This has been the place where I've "worked out” a lot my life challenges, had my conversations with God, while staring into this azure sea.

This is the kind of place that I have grown to need. To love and to cherish. We all have a place like this, right?

This time around, I got to watch my husband teach my little son how to play frisbee. I smile because this is the same beach where I learned to throw a frisbee so many years ago, when Stevie and I were dating and he couldn’t just sit still and read books with me for 7 days in a row. This is where I learned to love the feeling of the sea spray on my face while I angled the disc just so and sent it soaring across the shoreline to my partner in crime. And now, watching my not even two-year-old son experience the same bewildering joy - well, that’s what I think they call nostalgia. And aging. And really, really wonderful.

I did a rascal job of actually capturing a lot of moments through the lens during this beach week, and that was actually on purpose. This is the kind of week where I put away my phone, neglect all beauty products, and wear little more than bathing suits and pajamas. I shut off from the outside world, partly because the Internet connection is so poor anyway, and just eat ice cream and have conversations with family and stare at the ocean. So these are the few rare shots I took when I actually remembered to pull my camera out and capture the moment.

I hope you get the opportunity to retreat somewhere this summer. Everyone deserves a reprieve from from the hovering chaos of calendaring and task lists.

Everett ate so much Pirate's Booty during beach week. He kept crying and asking for "more boooooty!!!"

Stevie playing with Lake, king of the cousins (because he's the oldest!)

Our only family shot of the week. I really wanted us to get showered and dressed in white for "real" family photos, but let's be honest - when you have the choice of staying on the beach and watching the sun plunge into the ocean... or forcing your … — Our only family shot of the week. I really wanted us to get showered and dressed in white for "real" family photos, but let's be honest - when you have the choice of staying on the beach and watching the sun plunge into the ocean... or forcing your boys inside to bathe and "get pretty" for pictures, what's it going to be? You can see what we chose.

He LOVED lying in the shoreline and letting the water move him to and fro. It was the funniest. I've got to start taking more video :)

He's a self-cheerer. I really love that about him.

A baby pool on the beach is SO the way to go, you guys. Endless hours of fun to be had.

What tough men. Filling up the baby pool :)

No, my niece wasn't picking up trash. Uncle Joshua hid a treasure map in a bottle for all the little cousins! He sent them on a treasure hunt around the beach and guess what the treasure was? Fruit snacks. He won "best uncle" award for the week.

P.S. - For those who asked, my bathing suit is from Victoria's Secret (top is sold out, but similar here and here and here, bottoms here). :)

May 25, 2016

Dreamy Summer Bathing Suits for Gorgeous YOU.

May 25, 2016/ Kristen Hale

It's swimsuit season. Whether you're ready for it or not, it's here friends. I know swimsuit season can strike a lot of terror in the hearts of women, but I am on a serious mission this year to dispel the body shame that seems to creep in with these summer months. Female bodies are BEAU-TI-FUL. These days I am feeling prouder of my body than ever before, because I've experienced it carry my baby, nourish my baby, and recover (sort of, ha) from the ordeal. Obviously, things are NOT the same, but I feel a lot more gracious towards myself after having gone through the experience of giving birth. More than ever, I am proud of what my body can do. And I'm not going to let a string bikini scare me from going outside this summer! Although the days of string bikinis might be behind me... who can wear those and chase a busy toddler around? #unicornmoms

With Memorial Day coming up this weekend, I wanted to share a round up of dreamy bathing suits that I'm crushing on. I am loving one-pieces these days (much to my husband's chagrin, he can get over it), because they allow me to be more active with my son. Plus, the designs are getting so cute, with creative cut outs and graphic prints - so fun! Of course, I'm always a fan of the Victoria's Secret Bikini Mixer, where you can mix and match the fit that is best for your body type with a zillion colors and prints. We ladies need to be able to customize!