Yosemite Lakes

Yosemite

July 30, 2021 by raya coleman

Where: We stayed at Yosemite Lakes RV Resort
For reservations, I recommend going to the site I linked here a few months in advance & checking back regularly for cancellations since they do book up quickly during the summer months.

Getting there: We left San Diego at 5am and after a few stops for breakfast, lunch, and gas, we arrived at 2:30pm. I suggest planning your arrival time as close to 10 or 11am as possible since that is when people are checking out and spaces are opening up. All sites are first come, first serve so there are no assigned spots.

Staying there: The sites all offer full hook ups for RVs & tent spots have water hook ups. Cabins & yurts are available with AC, an outside grill, and a tv inside! The cabins and yurts are booked on their website ahead of time. The best spots are creek front and can be hard to come by but we lucked out! The spots closest to the creek are not very spacious. If you are looking to camp side by side with friends/family I would suggest going a little further away from the creek for the larger spaces. The spot we stayed in was under $100 a night! The most popular DM I got while we were there was “what space did you stay in?” - space 69 to be exact! It was a short distance to the park, putting green, bathrooms & more. The local campground store had everything you can imagine from food & camping supplies to souvenirs. We joked we could have packed nothing and purchased everything once we got there.

Getting around: We brought our golf cart from home to putt around on which came in handy when heading to the store which was a good distance away. I highly recommend bringing a golf cart or bicycle to get around the campground.

What to do: To book your reservation to get into Yosemite Park, click here. There are plenty of hikes ( Half Dome, El Capitan) and different river spots (Rainbow Pools, Sliding Rock) to explore. There are many creeks you can pull off the road to fish/swim in. One of our favorite things to do was pull off the main road and drive until you hit the river (check your maps for accuracy).

Click here to watch my RV tour!

Most Requested Links:
Abel’s water shoes // Royce’s water shoes // My water shoes // Our chairs

Outfit Links:
Swimsuit Link use code RAYA20 to save // Pink Romper look

Ten Tips for a Remodel

July 21, 2021 by raya coleman

1) Pinterest! Having a vision board is not only helpful for you but for your contractor! If you can show them exactly what you have in mind, it’s easier to set realistic expectations! Saving & printing your inspiration is key. (Feel free to search the hashtag #ColemanKrib for our Inspo)

2) Choosing main features first: Large furniture (I.e bathroom: vanity, livingroom: couch, dining room: table) Selecting these pieces first allows you to set a realistic budget…and always plan to go over a little. hehe

3) Talk it out! You would be surprised at how many great ideas your family & friends have for a space! Many features in our home came from other people! Our steam shower: my Brother-in-Law’s idea, the ice machine in the backyard: our contractor’s idea!

4) Budget to purchase decor pieces together. Purchasing these items together helps to prevent the random knick knack look. It allows you to see these pieces and plan out where they will go and also will help to prevent from over purchasing decor!

5) Choosing neutrals. Best tip for those who have a hard time deciding! This also makes it easy to add pops of color and holiday decor into a space!

6) Less is more! It’s so easy to “fill” a space but simplicity often creates a more homey vibe in a space!

7) Textures! Adding different textures to a room will help make the room look & feel like it comes together. Like a faux fur rug under a woven basket next to a green tree/plant (I am a big fan of faux plants)!

8) Start from the bottom. Start with the flooring, baseboards, paint, and then move to fixtures, lighting, and decor. Planning your remodel from the bottom to the top ensures your budget is safe for all of the “big” things & gives a simple to-do list for all involved.

9) Thinking of the future. Planning out a space for the future will be a life saver on your wallet! Ask yourself: who and what all will occupy the space? Will there be enough seats for guests? Will all of your children be able to use the space? If you sell, will this benefit the appraisal of the home?

10) Fall in LOVE! Don’t feel pressured to stick to an idea or piece for the space if you are unsure. Go with your gut. Wait until you are in love with the idea, it will help keep the creative juices flowing and make the project FUN…even amongst all of the dust.

Click through the gallery above to see fun before & afters of our house or click the button below to watch my home tour!

Links by Room:
Guest Bathroom // Entryway // Sitting Room // Cloffice //Master Bathroom // Master Bedroom 2 // Bar Cart // Dining Room // Master Bathroom // Vanity Setup // Home Gym //

House Tour Video

Chicago

July 16, 2021 by raya coleman

Where: where to stay
We stayed at the Trump Hotel located near the beach. Trump International Hotel & Tower is in Chicago's River North neighborhood which connects to different sides of the city for easy navigation and walking distance to all the must see sites of Chicago.

When: We went near the end of May and the weather was a little all over the place. Started off windy with a slight drizzle to sunny and warm. I would suggest checking the weather prior to packing since the weather changes on a dime. The saying “don’t like the weather, wait 20 minutes” rang true for us so packing layers is a must!

What : what to pack
cross body purse, comfortable walking shoes (wether that be sneakers or sandals), layers! : tanks, tees, light jacket & heavier jacket, umbrella depending on the month you go!

What: what to do
We started off our trip with the Architecture Boat Tour, definitely a must! Be sure to do the river & lake tour to get the most of your tour and to see the entire city view! This was such a perfect way to greet Chicago and the start of all of the yummy food & drinks we had on our trip.

We took the kids on this trip so finding family friendly activities was our mission and Chicago didn’t disappoint! We took the kids to the Field Museum to see Sue the largest t-rex ever found in the US as well as the other amazing exhibits they offered. I wish we would have planned 3 hours for the Field Museum but we were able to see a ton in the hour and a half we were there. The Shedd Aquarium was on our list but tickets were sold out when we arrived. My suggestion would be to buy tickets online ahead of time to be sure you get in! There were so many options for museums, the Chicago Children’s Museum was also on our list to see but didn’t get to.

For the best views of the city, there were so many options! We ending up picking the 360 Observatory at the John Hancock Tower. Buying tickets ahead of time was another MUST… also, be ready to wait! We waited over an hour in line to take the elevator up but the view made it all worthwhile. At the top, we bought souvenirs, had a few cocktails, and took in the views. The kids were pretty hungry at that point so it was nice to be able to walk down to Bennnihanna’s for a yummy dinner & show from the chefs.

We really enjoyed walking all around the city and checking out all of the best rooftop bars & restaurants. If I had to pick one CANT MISS restaurant from our time there, it would be the London House Rooftop Bar just across the street from the Trump Tower. It had great drinks and appetizers, enjoyable views, and the convenient location didn’t hurt!

Obviously, you can’t go to Chicago without visiting the Bean & the children’s park which were both an easy walk from our hotel. The park had more than 3 jungle gyms for the kids which Abel & Royce were all over. During our trip the Bean was fenced off due to the pandemic. If you saw my Instagram photo with the Bean you’ll notice I was able to get a shot without the fencing in it. If you are as dedicated to the craft as I am (lol) here’s how to get that shot: walk around the south side of the Bean, through the trees theres a wall there. You’ll climb up and shimmy on down that wall until you have the Bean directly behind you. Your photographer will have to raise the phone up high, and there you go! Proceed with caution (lol).

The highlight of our trip was getting to go to a baseball game at Wrigley Field! We bought tickets for the Padres vs Cubs game before we even had our flights booked. Our seats were behind the 3rd base line and they were great! Highly suggest getting to the area a few hours early to enjoy all of the fun restaurants and bars buzzing with excited fans. If you are looking to get a picture in front of the infamous Wrigley sign, I suggest doing so at least an hour before the game starts to lower the amount of photo bombers (lol).

As for food: Oh my, I need to do a second blog post just on all of the amazing restaurant options + the incredible Chicago dog (you’ll never eat a hot dog the same way again)! We enjoyed so many random places we just ducked into like The Green Mill (which is where Al Capone was known to hang out in his day) & STK steak house! We honestly didn’t have one bad meal the entire trip no matter which area of the city we found ourselves!

With Chicago’s endless options, planning our trip was honestly a little overwhelming. There were so many things we didn’t get to do like Navy Pier, Magnificent Mile Shopping, and more. For us, 6 days and 5 nights were not enough. We are definitely looking forward to a second visit!