Feature Friday with Kelcey Bridger & Janelle Azevedo

Can you believe it's already Friday?! TGIF y'all! We've had the busiest last few weeks that we can remember since the show and it's not slowing down any time soon. We have a couple of fun collaborations coming up that we can't wait to tell y'all about. But for now...

We are ecstatic about this week's Feature Friday because it's slightly different than what you're probably used to seeing on here. Based on their answers, Kelcey and Janelle have such an adorable story, one that is somewhat bittersweet, but is nonetheless inspiring and real. It's one that we're sure a lot of people can find similarities with their own story, which is comforting because it makes you realize that maybe we're not so alone after all. Take a look and see what we mean below:

Where are you from? Kelcey: Originally Chowchilla, California. Moved to Holdenville Oklahoma in 2009. Janelle: Tulsa, Oklahoma

Where do you live? We live together in Tulsa, Oklahoma

What’s your Instagram handle? Kelcey:@kelcey_kay, Janelle:@janelleazevedo

Age: Kelcey: 24 Janelle: 22

Relationship status: Dating. 

How long have you guys been together? 2 years

How did you guys meet and where? We met online. I (Kelcey) was working a summer job in a small town next to Ardmore, where Janelle was living for the summer on an internship for school. we connected and we were dating a month later!

Choose a movie title for the story of your relationship: The Lucky One 

What is something you have had to overcome as a couple? When we started dating we lived three hours apart. We met during a summer where we both lived out of town and when the summer ended and we went back to our schools we did the long distance thing for a year before we had to make a decision, one of us had to move or it wasn’t going to work. So I (Kelcey) moved to where Janelle was and found a school to finish my degree at and we ended up moving in together 6 months later. 

Tell us about your first date! Our first date was actually a movie night in! We spent the day building a fort built out pillows, blankets and kitchen chairs and binged watched Orange is the new black.

How would you describe your home décor style? Minimalist with industrial influences. 

What is one thing still left on your bucket list? Janelle: own a motorcycle. Kelcey: own everything at Target. 

How old were you when you came out and what was your experience like? Janelle: when I was 20 I actually got (metaphorically) backed into a cornerin a doctors office when I was being tested for mono with my very religious mom in the room who kept asking questions about who I was kissing. I tried to brush it off as much as I could but I had to tell her it was my girlfriend and she told my family. In the beginning my family took it really hard and i felt really awkward around them for a while, but I also was so happy with Kelcey I started telling everyone else and things have gotten much better since!

Kelcey: When I was 18 my parents found a text from my girlfriend at the time, who they knew as my best friend, and they took that very hard. Growing up in a small town and having a children’s pastor as a mother didn’t cushion that situation at all. I lost all of the people I considered friends at the time and really just had to start everything from scratch. When I met Janelle and we started dating I just slowly became ok with who I am and we learned to grow in who we were together. My family still isn’t ok or doesn’t support it but we’re all learning how to move forward with it and I’m hoping for the best. 

Best advice for staying together? We think the three things that keep us strongest together and that we would gladly hand out as advice is make each other a priority, have strong communication, and don’t get too comfortable. Janelle and I both do our best to work hard at what we both do but when we come home or go out and do something that we are the priority.We are focused on each other and the time we need to grow our relationship. With that we also think that openly and honestly communicating with each other is so important. Last, Living together and being around each other a lot can make us kind of forget to continue to pursue each other and we get comfortable in our routines, so we make an extra effort to not get too comfortable and always pursue each other. 

What is the thing you love the most about each other? Kelcey: The thing I love most about Janelle is her heart. She has a heart that strives to be as Christ like as possible and I absolutely adore that. She pushes me everyday to challenge myself and to never be comfortable in my walk with God. 

Janelle, you have made my life better in every way possible. You have helped me grow and honestly see and love the person I am today. I adore you and you adored by a loving and gracious God and I am so thankful he loves me enough to bless me with you.

Janelle: Among many things, the thing I love most about Kelcey is how much she cares about people and how effortlessly she can make someone feel important. She has this confidence in who she is that lights up a room and attracts people to her. She inspires me in many ways to be better every day.

Cooking With Krystal: Herbed Turbot

Herbed Turbot

with roasted vegetables and purple potato fries

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Fish

•   1lb turbot filet

•   1 tsp sea salt

•   1 tsp black pepper

•   1 tsp crushed thyme

•   1 tsp crushed oregano

•   1 tbsp crushed garlic

•   1 tbsp ghee

Vegetable Medley

•   1 bundle broccoli cut into chunks

•   1c baby carrots sliced in half

•   2 yellow squash cut into slices

•   1/4 onion cut into slices

•   1 tbsp crushed garlic

•   1/2c bone broth ( I like Bonafide Provisions )

Fries

•   2 purple sweet potatoes cut into fry shapes

•   1 tsp sea salt

•   1 tsp black pepper

•   1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

Fish

1.      Preheat oven to 400F and prepare fish by placing it on a baking sheet sprayed with coconut oil cooking spray.

2.      Sprinkle with sea salt,pepper, thyme, and oregano. Then cover with another baking sheet, and place in oven for 12-15 mins.

3.     Take fish out again and leave uncovered for another 2-3 mins to give it a little crispiness to the top.

4.      Check for fish to have no opacity throughout the center for doneness.

Vegetables

1.      Chop all vegetables and place in sauté pan that has been sprayed with the same cooking oil as the fish on medium heat.

2.      Pour in bone broth , garlic, sea salt, pepper, and ghee. Let the vegetables simmer with a top on the pan for about 10-15 mins.

3.     Check the doneness of the vegetables to your liking. Some may like them a little crunchy and some may like them all the way cooked.

Fries

1.      Cut your sweet potatoes length wise into fry shapes and set on a sprayed baking sheet.

2.      Sprinkle fries with sea salt and pepper. Cover with another baking sheet or aluminum foil and cook for 15-18 mins on 400F in oven.

3.     Once fries are done drizzle with olive oil and enjoy!

About Krystal

Krystal has a passion for healthy living and wellness and obtained her Bachelors of Science in nutrition from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Her national certification through NCSF as a CPT, along with another in the world-renowned TRX training system and AAHFF for nutrition, make Krystal a versatile fitness professional. Visit her website, K's Kwik Klean Kitchen to learn more about her!

A Fall Tablescape Featuring Pottery Barn

If you've been following us for a while, you know that our favorite season is fall. We love absolutely everything about it: the weather, the food, the clothes, and the overall cozy feeling the season brings. But by far the best thing about fall to us is getting to decorate our house. More specifically, making it feel like an inviting and welcoming home during our favorite time of the year.

We collaborated with Pottery Barn for a three part series to bring you ideas on how to spruce up your fall decor this year, but with a fun little twist. We will be showing you how to decorate three different parts of your home using seven key items so that your money, and your creativity, will go a long way. The three areas we will be focusing on will be the dining room, the front door, and the fireplace mantle. Part 1 of the series is the dining room, so let’s get right to it!

When setting up a tablescape, it’s always best to start with the runner as the foundation, and build upon the rest from there. Once the runner is set, frame out your area by placing the topiaries where you want them on the table, usually about 2-3 feet apart depending on table size (ours is 9 ft). We placed faux fall leaves in the topiaries to make them more seasonal. Then, start placing your larger items on the table like the pumpkins and the seasonal decorations (the candy holder and wine holder). How cute are those "walking dead" condiment holders? We filled ours with candy corn for a fun, tis-the-season treat.

After the larger items are set, next place the garland since it will take up the majority of the space. We weaved ours around the pumpkins in a zigzag pattern so that it looked nice and full. Once you have the garland where you want it, begin filling in the empty spaces with the smaller items, such as candles, gourds, and little pumpkins. For a make-them-look-twice decoration, try adding these fun beaded spiders that are surprisingly life-like at first glance. They also let your guests know you don't take yourself too seriously ;).

After that, you can put the finishing touches on your tablescape by setting the table for guests. We went with a less formal feel by not placing silverware, but made sure that our napkins matched our runner for a custom look. As a fun little something extra, we sprinkled small, faux leaves around the table to give it a pop of color.

Since our dining room table was getting all of the attention, our buffet was looking a little sad and underwhelming, so next we turned our attention to it. We kept it simple, however, by adding lanterns with faux candles, fall garland, and vases flanking either side of it.

We filled the vases with dried branches (we used Sky Pencil Japanese Holly). When styling a room we always like to incorporate hints of nature any way we can, whether it’s live plants, faux plants, or even branches from your own backyard. It’s a simple way to bring the outside in!

Up next, we will turn our attention to the outside of your house to show you how to reuse these 7 items to make your front door/entryway feel welcoming and festive. We want to give a huge thank you to Pottery Barn for collaborating with us during our favorite time of the year! Stay tuned for part 2 of this series!

-Full list of products used-

• Pumpkins- Faux pumpkins, mosaic pumpkin, filigree punched ceramic pumpkins, German glitter pumpkins
• Faux Candles- flicker LED candles, premium flicker OD candles
• Garland- faux pomegranate and pinecone garland, fall garland
• Topiaries- preserved potted boxwood ball topiary
• Vases- Large yellow Sonoma Vase
• Lanterns- Malta Lanterns-Bronze Finish
• Seasonal decorations- Walking dead condiment snack bowl & serve bowl and stand, scattered pumpkin napkins, harvest pumpkin runner, beaded spiders, plum bundle

Our Secret Project Video

We went to Nashville this past weekend for a less-than-24 hours-trip that we can't wait to tell y'all about! In the meantime, we just posted a video on our YouTube highlighting it and we gotta say, we had a blast. It was us, Thomas' sister Sydney, and our neighbor Tania, AKA the whole cast from our show that aired on HGTV this past summer, Down to the Studs.

This video, more than any other video we've posted, shows all four of our personalities so much and reflects how we truly act around each other every time we're together. We're always laughing and cutting up and you'll see what we're talking about once you watch the video. Check it out below!

We Started Decorating for Fall Because Duh

It's not secret that fall is our favorite season. We've said it on here before and you will hear us saying it again (this is your official warning). It may be 92 degrees here in Tennessee but that doesn't stop us from plugging in pumpkin wallflowers and listening to the You've Got Mail soundtrack on repeat. So, we started adding a little more stuff around the house here and there and actually plan on giving y'all a fall house tour in the next couple of weeks after we post some collaborations we've been working on.

Our favorite is the jack-o-lantern pillow. It's just as comfy as it looks, too! We also added some faux pumpkins to the mantle as well as some branches from our back yard. Again, we plan on giving a full on tour here pretty soon, but we thought we would share this sneak peak for starters.

We hope y'all have a good weekend!

Feature Friday with Justin Carlo

Happy Friday y'all! We got back late last night from our beach vacation and we feel rested and rejuvenated to tackle this weekend. We have an exciting opportunity that we will be traveling to Nashville for and we can't wait to tell y'all about it! Should be able to share it next week.

Today's Feature Friday is so much fun because his story is one that we think a lot of people can relate to. Justin has a way with words and we found ourselves nodding our heads a lot in agreement with what he had to say. Also, Meryl Streep. And wait until you read who is inspiration is- you might just find that it's you! Take a look below to see what we mean...

Where are you from? Pittsburgh, PA

Where do you live? Los Angeles, CA

What’s your Instagram handle? @justinmcarlo

Age: 28

Relationship Status: Single

What is your favorite place you have ever travelled to and why? Melbourne, Australia - I ended up living there for six months with a couple friends. It’s just such an amazing city to be in. The food is incredible, it’s extremely bike friendly, there are parks everywhere, I was able to try something or go somewhere new every day.

Choose a song for the story of your life: I really want to make the joke of saying that “Boys” song by Charli XCX, but I’ve been on a Disney music kick lately, and I have to go with “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana.

What is your proudest accomplishment? I’d say my proudest accomplishment is each time I’ve moved to a new city. Growing up in a small town I didn’t think I’d ever be able to go anywhere else. I’ve now moved to, and lived on my own in half a dozen major cities. It’s always made me very proud to stand on my own two feet, and to pay my own rent!

How would you describe your home décor style? Minimalist. I’m a big fan of clean spaces with no clutter or knick knacks, unless it has sentimental family value, or something from my travels. I’ve moved around a lot in the last few years, so I haven’t really accumulated many possessions. I’m just now starting to have my own things and to be able to decorate. Probably shouldn’t admit this, but I actually have yet to even get a real bed, air mattress living isn’t so bad though!

What movie can you watch over and over again and not get tired of? This is an odd one, but I have to say, August: Osage County. It’s a pretty dark movie, but I love the writing and performances. It’s gritty, but there is some comedy thrown in there too. It’s the kind of writing I hope to do one day. Also, Meryl Streep.

What is something you wish you would’ve known when you were younger? That being gay is okay! It wasn’t something that was ever talked about when I was younger, and you didn’t see it in mainstream television, film, or music. I was terrified that my friends would hate me, and my family would disown me, but the exact opposite happened. I thought I wouldn’t be able to have the career I wanted if I were gay, but now that’s why I want the career that I do. I want to write movies with queer characters, that tell queer stories. I want stories like that to have more exposure, so more people see them, and less people have the fears that I did when I was younger.

What is one thing still left on your bucket list? My ultimate bucket list goal is to run a marathon on all seven continents. Yes, even Antartica. Right now I’ve got two down (North America, Australia), and five to go.

How old were you when you came out and what was your experience like? 25. I don’t just mean I was 25 when I told everyone, I was 25 when I was finally able to tell myself. I struggled with it for as long as I can remember up until then. I was even dating a guy for about a year before coming out. We called it “secret boyfriends”. It sounds immature, but in the back of my head, I thought I’d keep doing that until the right girl came along to change things. Right after that relationship ended, I met another guy that completely caught me off guard with how much I liked him, unfortunately that didn’t work out either and I was devastated. That’s when I realized I wasn’t just going through some phase, and the right girl wasn’t coming. I was finally able to accept that was who I am, and that was what I wanted. Then over the next year or so, I came out to all of my close friends and family. It was an overwhelmingly positive experience; I couldn’t have asked for better reactions from my friends. It’s taken my parents some time to accept, but I’m trying to give them the space to do so on their own terms, just as I had to do myself. Now I’m proud to be a gay man, and I can’t believe it took me as long as it did to accept myself, but I’m glad to have had the initial coming out experience that I did.

What have you learned about yourself in your coming out process? That I’m much stronger of a person than I ever thought I was. I was always so shy and scared of everything growing up and throughout high school. Coming out has made me more confident, more independent, and more sure of who I am, and who I want to be.

Who is your biggest inspiration and why? Right now, it’s anyone in the LGBTQ community who is outspoken about themselves. Whether it’s someone attending a march or protest for equality, or someone like Lena Waithe giving an awesome acceptance speech at the Emmys, or a gay couple posting a YouTube video or Instagram post about their lives together, or just simply someone showing up for a pride event, covered in rainbow or not. I’m inspired by anyone who is proud to be unapologetically themselves.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

We snuck off last minute for a little mini vacation :). We will check back in with you guys in a few days for Feature Friday!

Have a great week!

Feature Friday with Wyatt Stark & Cody Schmitz

Happy Friday everyone! What are y'all up to this weekend? We have a guest from out of town coming to stay with us for the weekend and we have a couple of things planned to do while she's here. It's supposed to be back up in the 80's and sunny all weekend, so needless to say we are welcoming the next few days with open arms. 

Friday around here also means it's time for FEATURE FRIDAY, and this week we are featuring another inspiring couple who know how to have fun with each other while looking completely adorable together. We found their words touching (especially the last question) and we are so excited to share their story with you this week. Take a look and see what we mean:

Where are you from? Wyatt (left) is from Fort Scott, Kansas. Cody is from Concordia, Kansas.

Where do you live? Kansas City, MO.

What’s your Instagram handle? Wyatt: @wyatt.stark Cody: @_codygene

How long have y’all been together and how did you two meet? Who asked out who? We have been together for eight months. We first met through Instagram; Cody’s profile showed up as a suggested follow on my feed. I always thought Cody was so cute, but I was too nervous to follow. With the help of my friends, I built up enough courage to follow Cody, and he followed back immediately! 

Choose a song for the story of your relationship: 1234 by Feist.

What is your favorite thing about each other? Wyatt: My favorite thing about Cody is his patience. He has seen me at my worst and has been patient enough to sit with me through hard times. I also love his sense of humor. I’ve never met someone that I can laugh so much with.

Cody: I love how silly Wyatt is! He doesn’t show his goofy side to everyone, so I feel very lucky to get to laugh so hard with him every single day.

How would you describe your home décor style? We love midcentury modern design as well as Japanese Zen! All about opening the interior with big windows, high ceilings, minimal clutter, and lots of light!

Any big plans for the future? Where do you see yourselves in 10 years? Wyatt: I see myself living in a city and still running everyday. I also love baking, and would love to discover the ins and outs of owning and operating my own bakery. 

Cody: I will continue to write and make films! I hope to be a published author and produce visual work that inspires me.

 What is your favorite memory together? We saw our favorite band, a Korean pop group called Twice, in concert. That was so special! 

What is one thing still left on your bucket list? To meet Twice in person!

How old were you when you came out and what was your experience like? Wyatt: I came out when I was 19. I wasn’t sure what my peers would think, because I attend a private Christian university, but those who know me have been very supportive. Coming out has helped me grow to know and love myself for who I really am. My life was changed for the better.

Cody: I came out when I was 20. Before that I was open with only a few close friends. But after learning about what had happened at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, I felt that those brave lives needed to always be remembered through strength and love, not more fear and hate. Now, I learn so much about my community and social issues every single day. Coming out has made me a more empathetic, vulnerable, and open person. I am so thankful for it!

Have you faced any backlash or hardships as a couple? We have heard our share of incendiary comments when we have gone out in public, but the majority of voices are so loving and supportive that it has become much easier to focus on the good. We are so lucky to be starting our relationship in a time when preconceived notions are changing every day.

What is one piece of advice you would give to others on how to make a relationship last? Always make the kindest assumption about one another in every situation. Check the stories you are telling yourself to see if they’re true, and then really listen to one another with empathy!

5 Sales Going on This Weekend

If y'all know us at all, you know that we don't ever buy anything at full price. We wait until things go on sale, or we hunt until we find it cheaper somewhere else. Have we ever mentioned that PJ is the king of deals? Like, seriously amazing at finding the most amazing pieces at half the price? Well, this weekend you can be the king of deals, too!

We've rounded up a couple of sites that are having sales this weekend and a few of the items we are digging from them. Check it out:

Pottery Barn has this cute Halloween pillow that is cracking us up. Regularly $25.50, on sale for $20!

We're digging this Army canvas laundry hamper from Wayfair. There's something about a cool hamper that makes you want to do laundry isn't there? Regularly $28.95, on sale for $15.99!

Paraphrasing Nora Ephron, something about fall makes us want to buy school supplies. This backpack from Urban Outfitters is perfect for school or, as we like to do, using as an overnight bag when traveling. Right now it's 20% off!

This one is sentimental to us, because PJ got this for Thomas' mom about a year ago. This brass wishbone from West Elm is the perfect back-to-school fall gift to wish someone luck on their first day. Regularly $19, on sale for $14.99!

Lastly, how cool are these Optimist Monogram mugs from Anthropologie? Fall= new mugs every single year because it's just an unspoken rule, and these would be a fun new addition don't you think? Regularly $12, on sale for $7.95!

P.S. check out our new YouTube video here!

Cooking With Krystal: Basil Chicken Zoodles

Basil Chicken Zoodles

with an almond lemon basil alfredo sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Pasta/Chicken

•   2-3 medium zucchinis

•   1lb chicken

•   zest of one lemon

•   1/4c green onion chopped

•   1 tsp sea salt

•   1 tsp black pepper

Sauce

•   3 tbsp kite hill almond cream cheese

•   1/2c low sodium or sodium free chicken broth ( can add more if to thick)

•   1/4c green onion chopped

•   1/4c chopped basil

•   juice from half of a lemon

•   tsp sea salt

•   tsp black pepper

•   1 tbsp crushed garlic

Instructions:

1.      Warm a medium saute pan at medium heat.

2.      Meanwhile use your zucchinis to make your “zoodles” ( I used my kitchenaid mixer with the spiralizer attachment.)

3.     Add your chicken to your heated saute pan with all pasta/chicken ingredients except for your zoodles. Cook and flip for about 15-20 mins until chicken is thoroughly cooked.

4.      Meanwhile in a medium saucepan combine all sauce ingredients and let simmer on low-medium heat until all ingredients are melted and combined well. If it still seems too thick you can still add more of the chicken broth to help thin it out.

5.      After the chicken is cooked, set aside on a plate and now use the same saute pan to cook your zoodles. Add them to the pan and cook covered for about 8-10 mins. on low-medium heat.

6.      Once all are cooked put your zoodles in a bowl and mix in chicken then top with your sauce and add extra fresh basil for some added flavor. Enjoy!

About Krystal

Krystal has a passion for healthy living and wellness and obtained her Bachelors of Science in nutrition from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Her national certification through NCSF as a CPT, along with another in the world-renowned TRX training system and AAHFF for nutrition, make Krystal a versatile fitness professional. Visit her website, K's Kwik Klean Kitchen to learn more about her!

An Early Fall Weekend

This past weekend, while the weather was devastating in other parts of the country, it was absolutely beautiful in Tennessee. We had the windows open and the doors cracked, letting the sunshine and cool breeze pour in. It was a fleeting, early fall weekend, with temperatures rising back up into the 80s in a few days once the rainy and windy weather ceases.

We want to apologize now for all of the fall posts that are coming your way in the next couple of months. We are absolutely obsessed with fall and all the feelings that come with it. Are we #basic? Probably. But we aren't exaggerating when we say our town turns into Salem, MA from Hocus Pocus during the Halloween/fall season. So can you really blame us?

(Trick or Treat Yourself pillow, Jack O Lantern pillow, Silver Beaded pillow, Windsor dining chairs)

The Lost Art of Writing Letters

When was the last time you sat down and wrote out a letter to someone just to say hi? Or even sent a thank you card, instead of a thank you text? It's been a while for us, too. 

There's something so exciting about opening the mailbox and seeing a letter addressed to you in someone else's handwriting isn't there? That someone would take a few minutes out of their busy life to write to you, whether it's a birthday card or just to say they're thinking of you, almost means more than whatever the letter even says. 

Technology (cell phones and texting, social media, email, etc) makes it so easy these days to stay in touch and writing letters has become a thing of the past, something that takes too long and is almost inconvenient. But, we both agree that receiving a letter in the mail unexpectedly means so much more than getting a text or sometimes, even a phone call. We love what one of our good friends, who always writes letters, said about the whole process in general:

"I have always written tons of letters. I am obsessed with mail. My Gigi and I always have written as early as I could write. Anyway, as I got older I realized I did mail the exact way she would. Mail would arrive and you know, you are usually just home from work when you discover and there might be sale papers to sort or junk to recycle or bills to pay...I always open those first and I savor- even delay! - opening a personal letter (so rare! so special! the suspense!) and you change out of work clothes and make a tea or a drink or a dessert and you sit down and open it and read it and re-read it and enjoy it peacefully. Such a small thing that I truly love in life! Even if all I write about is daily life."

Isn't that beautiful? Maybe it's because it's starting to feel like fall or maybe it's because life is finally getting back to normal since the show, but we are so inspired to start writing more and texting less and have already written a few letters to loved ones. We picked up a few cards at Target (the picture above), but really any piece of paper will do, because it's the thought that counts.

When you send someone a letter, you're showing them they are worth your time, that you're thinking of them no matter how far away they are, and you realize that sometimes a thing that seems outdated or inconvenient or time consuming might actually be worth taking a second look at.

How to Help Those Affected by Hurricane Irma

We can't believe we are writing a post like this for the second time in a month, but here we are. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this horrible storm. It's devastating, heartbreaking, and truly unbelievable. 

If you would like to donate, you can do so here, at Global Giving's website. Also, The New York Times wrote an article about how to avoid scams when donating to disaster reliefs like this one, that's definitely worth reading. 

Again, you are in our prayers and we will do what we can to help, any way that we can. 

image above via here

Feature Friday with Josh Scoles

TGIF everyone! We've been looking forward to this weekend for weeks now because tomorrow, Saturday Sept 9th, is the event we are emceeing: Arts for CARES! We are so excited to be a part of this event to help spread awareness for HIV and HIV-related illnesses. It starts at 7p and goes until 10p. Tickets are $120 and there will be performances, light hors d'oeuvres served, and an open bar. We hope to see y'all there!

This Feature Friday we are highlighting a jet-setting, "at-home chef" who has some pretty inspiring words. Reading these responses has us itching to travel and we hope to be able to say we've been to as many countries as Josh has one day! Take a look below to see what we mean...

Where are you from? Patterson, California

Where do you live? Orange County, California

What’s your Instagram handle? @joshscoles

Age? 28

Relationship Status? Single

What is something you think people should know about you? I was raised in a very small town in central California. I was fortunate enough to spend my early twenties living in France, Japan, Canada and on a cruise ship before moving back to California for work. Self proclaimed foodie, and at-home chef with a passion for whiskey.

 Choose a song for the story of your life: This is a hard one. I'm not sure I could pick one song to sum up the entire story of my life. Here are some songs that are definitely on the soundtrack to my life though: My Hometown- Bruce Springsteen/Every Little Thing She Does is Magic- The Police/Stay (Wasting Time)- Dave Matthews Band/Good Time - Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen

What is one thing you would tell your younger self right now? "You have absolutely no idea where your talents and ambitions will take you. Persist, and become the best you can be, and you will find rewards in that alone."

How would you describe your home décor style? Mid-Century Modern. I love clean lines, light walls, and a room that is accessorized with personal belongings and items that have a story or meaning behind them.

Any big plans for the future? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Continuing to do my best and challenge myself. Although I set goals and milestones, I like for my path to unfold before me. I've learned in the past that life is full of forks in the road, and you rarely see them coming. In 10 years I hope to be someplace where I am settled, thriving and surrounded by love.

Tell us your favorite quote and why: "There's the whole world at your feet."- Bert, Mary Poppins. I have found inspiration from this quote many times. It reminds me that we each have the opportunity to learn, grow, and pursue our dreams.

What is one thing still left on your bucket list? I would love to do a cross-country road trip through the US. I lived abroad for three years and was able to do some amazing traveling, but now I'd like to see more of my own country and all it has to offer!

How old were you when you came out and what was your experience like? I never really had the typical coming out "moment". Most people found out as time went on, but I'm positive that many people knew before I even realized it myself, which made the process a bit easier.

Have you faced any backlash or hardships since coming out? I have been incredibly lucky to be surrounded by the most loving and encouraging family, friends and work environments. Any hardships I may have faced are simply from life, not my sexuality. Surrounding yourself with a caring and kind community of people is key.

Who is your inspiration (either fictional or real) and who do you look up to the most? Everyday I find inspiration from my parents. They have taught me so much over my life, and lead by example in everything they do. I've seen them be strong, powerful, kind, logical and at times vulnerable. Those are qualities that I find outstanding and strive for.

Cooking With Krystal: Cauliflower Rice and Fig Harvest Bowl

Happy hump day everyone! Today we're starting a new series on the blog called Cooking With Krystal, where we will post yummy recipes that are easy to make and, even better, healthy for you. We'd like to introduce you to Krystal Goodman. Krystal and PJ dated back in high school and have remained super close since then.

She's in insane shape and always makes the tastiest, healthiest food. In fact, she's so good at it that she launched K's Kwik Klean Kitchen, a personalized meal-prep business, in the fall of 2014. You can find her on Instagram at @k_goodnutrition.

A little more about Krystal...

Krystal has a passion for healthy living and wellness and obtained her Bachelors of Science in nutrition from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. She also has experience in Nutritional Counseling, Clean Cooking, and received her Personal Training Certification. Her national certification through NCSF as a CPT, along with another in the world-renowned TRX training system and AAHFF for nutrition, make Krystal a versatile fitness professional.

Moreover, Krystal launched K’s Kwik Klean Kitchen in the fall of 2014, creating the perfect clean-eating meal-prep and meal plan solution for life’s demanding schedules. From weekly meals, to serving individuals with her nutritional expertise in meal planning and counseling; catering to each and every need. Nationally certified by the American Academy of Health and Wellness, Krystal’s knowledge of nutrition extends far beyond her incredible penchant for cooking.

Krystal has also shown her expertise at Blackberry Farm, an award winning five star bed and breakfast known for its nutrition and wellness, as their personal trainer and nutritionist. On the farm she leads group fitness classes ranging from an outdoor high intensity class to an aqua fit class. With her nutrition knowledge, she leads nutrition lectures, one-on-one nutrition consultations, and juicing sessions for guests.

Today, she's making a cauliflower rice and fig harvest bowl. Um, yum. Check it out:

Cauliflower Rice and Fig Harvest Bowl

Serves 4

Ingredients:

Bowl

•  1 package frozen or raw riced cauliflower

•  1 lb chicken

•  1c chicken bone broth ( low sodium)

•  1 large sweet potato cubed

•  1 net full of brussel sprouts thinly sliced

•  1-2 figs sliced thinly

•  1/3c pistachios

•  1-2 cloves garlic crushed

•  tsp sea salt

•  tsp pepper

Fig and Thyme Balsamic Vinaigrette

•       1/3c extra virgin olive oil

•       1/2c balsamic vinegar

•       3-4 sliced figs ( depending on how sweet you would like it)

•       1 tsp garlic powder

•       2 tsp thyme

Instructions:

1.   Prep your veggies: chop the brussels and sweet potatoes to have them ready for cooking. Heat a skillet at medium heat .

2.   Spray your skillet with cooking spray and add in the sweet potatoes and brussels and cook until both are soft in the middle, about 15-20mins. Add a little olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and garlic.

3.   Meanwhile, heat another skillet at medium heat spray with cooking oil and add chicken tenders with a little olive oil, sea salt, and pepper to taste. Cook for about 12-15mins until chicken is no longer pink in the middle.

4.   In a sauce pan, heated at medium heat, add chicken broth, cauliflower rice, garlic, sea salt and pepper. Let it cook for about 10-12 mins until cauliflower is no longer hard.

5.    In another sauce pan, at medium heat, start your vinaigrette by adding in all ingredients as it gets hot, and mash your figs to make it a thicker consistency. Once the figs are cooked down, let the sauce simmer on low until all other ingredients are done.

6.   Once everything is completed, mix together in a bowl making 4 servings and enjoy!

Okay, brb, drooling all over the place. Is anyone else all of the sudden starving? We want to thank Krystal so much for sharing this recipe with us! We will definitely be adding this to one of our "we want to be healthy tonight" meals.

American Horror Story: Cult

Bed from here

Are you as excited as we are for the season 7 (!!!) premiere of American Horror Story? We've been watching it since 2012 and it's one of our favorite traditions to kick off the fall season. So, because of the premiere, we naturally had to break out the fall pillows and throw. And a little wine and popcorn never hurt anyone either #amirite? 

We have a couple of other fall traditions that we are excited to share with y'all in the next month, including what movies we watch, one pumpkin treat we can't live without, and a fun collaboration on how to decorate for this season. Can you tell it's our favorite yet?