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For Kayleigh’s “Get to Know Me” Challenge. This is such a fun idea! I have loved learning more about the people behind the words!

A little about me:

1. I’m a licensed esthetician. When we moved to Manhattan back in 2005, I started working for a boutique medical spa as a receptionist/marketing assistant (putting that bachelor of communications to good use. lol!). During my first year of working there, I fell in love with skin. I decided to attend the Christine Valmy International School of Esthetics, and I became a licensed esthetician. When I graduated I learned everything I could from the medi spa environment and eventually went on to learn how to apply eyelash extensions– the kind where you place one single fake lash on one individual natural eyelash. Very intense and meticulous, like eyelash surgery, without blood. The most healthful way to wear extensions, so as to not ruin your natural lashes. About two years later I opened my own small esthetics studio in the Flat Iron District. It was a tiny space, but it was mine. It was SO MUCH FUN! We eventually moved back to Colorado and I cried a thousand tears letting go of my thriving little business. It didn't land the same in Colorado.

2. I have two amazing boys. From the time I was very young I knew I wanted children. I would tell everyone that I was going to have two boys. Of course, I would have been happy with girls, but I’m pretty thrilled that life gave us these two awesome dudes. Hudson Everett is nine. He was born in a blizzard on December 5th at midnight on the DOT. This is very much reflected in his meticulous personality. He is hilarious, quick-witted, curious, patient, adventurous, and affectionate. He’s a super fast Rubik's Cuber and wants to be a blacksmith and a magician when he grows up, which is pretty rad in my book. He is the most amazing big brother to…West Emerson. Our sparkly-eyed three-year-old was born on April 1st, 2020, which is definitely reflected in his personality. He smiled at us immediately and hasn't stopped since…unless he’s throwing one of his amazing and epic tantrums. He, too, is hilarious and curious, but I think the patience gene was injected to its fullest into Hudson. He is also adventurous and affectionate but has a wild streak in him that keeps us on our toes, to say the least. He wants to be a volcano when he grows up if that gives you any indication of his personality. They are quite literally the most amazing humans I know and have taught me far more than I will ever teach them.

3. I was homeschooled through 8th grade. The first time I stepped foot in a school building was as a freshman in high school. It wasn’t as bad as you’re thinking. I had skipped all of the middle school awkwardness/drama (well, the drama, at least). I was really confident. No one ever told me I shouldn't be. I never had to compare myself to anyone, except my two younger sisters, but they thought I was cool, and I thought the same of them. My mom constantly told me how awesome I was, so I walked into that school building like I owned the joint. I was quickly told all that was wrong with me…but I still made friends and found my little place in that new world. I now homeschool Hudson. I love the flexibility of it, and we get to customize our learning material and style to his interests. Of course, we do all of the core material, but if Hudson wants to learn about something specific, we can explore it to its fullest. It also gives our family the ability to travel, which we LOVE. I’m not super thrilled with the school system these days, so it’s another plus for teaching at home. And yes, my kids get lots of social interaction. That is the main concern everyone has. Haha! We do lots of social activities and have tons of homeschool friends. It works for our family, and as long as we all keep enjoying it, we’ll keep doing it.

4. My husband and I have been together since high school. We had known each other for a couple of years and started dating when I was a junior in high school and he was a freshman in college. On our first date we went to a cute little local spot with a live piano and then saw Patch Adam’s in the theater (that’s how old we are). We’ve been together ever since. Our journey has been beautiful, but not without its difficulties. We continue growing in life together, in our own way, but in the same direction. We have a deep love that gives us the strength to transcend life’s craziness and work as a team. He is an amazing human and keeps me laughing through it all. A small snippet about him: He is currently the VP of operations for a startup called Ajna Biosciences, a botanical drug development company focused on full-spectrum cannabinoid and natural psychedelic options for mental health and neurological disorders. They are doing good work. He is also an incredible photographer. At one point, before kids, we owned a photography gallery in Cherry Creek, Denver, that featured his large-scale photographs, as well as some other art designers. It was an amazing time! If you’d like a mini-virtual vacation you can see his artwork here: davidbalyeat.com

5. I wrote a children’s book. I’m so ridiculously excited about this book! It’s currently being illustrated by my (now) dear friend, Corrin. I’ll give you a little background on this one. I wrote this book amid a miscarriage– I was 12 weeks pregnant with twins. It was clear early on that they were not developing properly. I had Googled my way to hope…but that is a story for another time. As I was laying in bed this story came to me. It has absolutely nothing to do with grief or babies. It's about bugs. That’s all I will say about that for now, and hopefully someday in the not-so-far-off future, you will be able to read it. It’s damn cute, in my opinion, and a pretty brilliant idea (or so I’m told, and I also happen to think so because it’s my book) Anyway, about two years ago I was in Cheyenne, WY at a camp that my Aunt and Uncle host every year for teens. I had just said to my sister, “I HAVE to get this book published, but I kind of want to find an illustrator on my own because I have a vision of how I want the book to look.” So one week later we were helping at the camp, and I met this young woman, Corrin. We were talking and I asked her to tell me a little bit about herself. She told me she was an artist and had illustrated a children’s book (my jaw dropped open) but her niche– BUGS (jaw now on the floor). Serendipity. The rest is history. She’s creating the most gorgeous images for my book, and I’m giddy with excitement. I have to figure out the publishing, currently exploring options, but I’m confident it will all work out. You can view more of Corrin's work here: https://www.brevityart.work

6. I love food and I love to cook. I have this thing with food. It’s a love affair. If you want to talk about food, I’m your girl. If you want to smell all of the produce in the grocery store, I’m your girl. Do you want to go out to eat? I’m your girl. Do you want to cook together while smelling and taste-testing every ingredient? I’m your girl. I’m sure this stems from my very southern family. Every family event revolved around what we were eating. We don't have a picture that wasn't taken around a massive dining room table covered in biscuits and gravy with all the fixin’s. I have a genetic predisposition to be completely smitten with it. When I’m eating breakfast, I’m thinking about what I’m having for lunch and dinner. The colors, the aromas, the textures. Obsessed. This leads me to cooking. I love to cook, and I am best known for taking a recipe and flaring it up. Does it call for ½ tsp of vanilla? How about 3 teaspoons. Four cloves of garlic? Ten is better. A teaspoon of basil? Let try out a tablespoon instead! I have been cooking long enough that I know what spices compliment eachother, so sometimes I just change the recipe altogether– Kristen-izing them. And forget it, homemade popcorn… I am the self-proclaimed (and also nominated by my family) Queen. The Popcorn Queen. Who needs degrees and licenses with a title like that? Something to be proud of! How hard can it be to mess up homemade popcorn? Well, come on over and try mine. You’ll see the error of your ways. Haha! I kid, but really, I’m good at it. My dream is to one day publish a recipe book of my grandmother’s recipes (Arkansas southern cooking and Louisiana Cajun cooking) but with my own spin. I have a clever title, but if I told you, I’d have to… well, we’ll just leave it at that.

7. I make up songs about everything. I sing silly songs all day. Sometimes my oldest rolls his eyes, but I know he secretly loves it. Cooking? “Yes please, yes please, macaroni and cheese, yes please, yes please, macaroni and cheese.” My niece (I call her peanut brittle) “Hey little peanut, peanut brittle, hey little peanut, peanut girl.” Dirty diaper? I’ll spare you. You get the picture. Life is a lot more fun with silly songs. You should try it. I’d love to hear what you make up about the mundane tasks of life. It adds a sprinkle of joy! We also do a family dance party at least once a week, with random spurts thrown in. We like to have fun.

8. I have severe asthma. I have had asthma as long as I have been able to draw breath. Actually, that’s not true, but I’ve had it since I was young. I am 100% dependent on a rescue inhaler to live. Aside from that, I do everything naturally. You won't find any other pharmaceuticals in my house. It’s all herbal tinctures, homeopathy, supplements- natural remedies. But if I didn't have my inhaler, well, I don't have to tell you what would happen. I have been told by several naturopaths and a doctor of Chinese medicine that my asthma could be trauma-related (from childhood), and I have been on a long path of healing, but the asthma remains. I have also tried to heal myself naturally, and have found some things that bring bits of relief, but still experimenting. Even though it is severe, I don't let it stop me from enjoying life. I have actually learned how to not breathe, really well. I had Covid (I think) and what would have normally put someone in the hospital, I was an expert at (not) breathing through. It's sick, I know, but it’s been a part of me for so long, that I have evolved to just deal with it. I hope one day I can throw my inhalers away and breathe, but until then, I am thankful for Western medicine where it is needed.

9. I am an “artist”. I can look at just about any drawing and draw it. I wanted to be an artist when I was younger. I loved to sketch, paint, color– anything that involved using my hands to create something beautiful. Even though I didn't pursue that path, it is still something I enjoy and is very therapeutic for me. I did not want to illustrate my own book, although I have a second book unrelated to bugs that I have already drawn sketches for.

10. I have a deep, deep, deep love of nature– the known, the unknown. If you’ve read any of my poetry, you may have already come to that conclusion. For a few years of my life (ages 12ish-16ish) we lived on an actual mountain. Like, winding dirt roads, drop-offs, cliffs, bears, mountain lions, and lots of gorgeous Pine and Aspen trees. It was simultaneously the most peaceful and tumultuous time of my life. My mom had breast cancer (she is cancer free!), my parents were going through a (terrible) divorce, and I was going through puberty. That was a killer combo. Almost. But as I stood on the cliff, I was literally grabbed by the beauty around me and peace washed over me. I took a few steps back and never returned to that spot again. I used to ride my bike through the trees, listening to a classical music tape in my Walkman, and watch the light shift through the branches. Nature was the only thing that could hold the tremendous amount of energy I needed to express, and it was where I found comfort. I was held by the trees, the rocks, the wildflowers. When I needed solace, I went outside. The same is true for me to this day. I love to tent camp, hike, dip in the river, walk barefoot in the woods... you get it. The wild is my sanctuary. It's where I connect to all that is me and more. I find that when I sit in the woods, I can feel/understand it on a level that is beyond thought, and the gifts that are given to me are beyond words. I know it sounds cheesy to some, but until you find yourself being pulled back from the edge by the smell of the breeze, the sound of the wind in the trees, the ethereal array of light and color… You may or may not understand my tremendous love for it all. But I hope you do, in your own way.

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Thanks for hangin’ with me!

“Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”

-Khalil Gibran

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If you want to know why I have silver hair, you can read about it here:)

I would love to learn more about you! Here’s the link for Kayleigh’s challenge: