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kayla throwing up a peace sign in manarola cinque terre, italy

Why You Should Put Cinque Terre, Italy On Your Bucket List

by Kayla Smith January 18, 2019

The hidden gems of what to see, eat and things to do in Cinque Terre, Italy and why you need to go there.

I’ve traveled all across Italy from Milan to Rome and Florence to Venice, but nothing quite compares to Cinque Terre, Italy. A lot of the bigger cities crawl with people 24/7 but they dwarf in comparison to the charm and magic of Cinque Terre, Italy. I’ve never been one to be speechless. However, when I was standing on the edge of a cliff over Riomaggiore, I had no words. There’s a magic about Cinque Terre, Italy that doesn’t compare to anywhere else in the world. I’m sharing my favorite parts about each city and where we ate because the food is enough of a reason to go haha!

Things to Do

A big reason Cinque Terre, Italy should be on your bucket list is because there’s something there for everyone. Each one of the cities have their own unique charm. I’ll share some of our favorite things from each of the cities and which ones stood out the most to me.

Riomaggiore

Out of all the cities in Cinque Terre, Italy, I think Riomaggiore is my favorite. On our first day, we spent half of Christmas day exploring the town. There was NO ONE there which I liked since the hustle and bustle of Rome became overwhelming at times. It’s the first city from La Spezia and the train station is very easy to navigate. Some of the other ones are NOT easy (but we will get into that later haha). There’s two sections of the town. We hiked up the first one and once you get up to the overlook, there’s a small pathway that leads down to the marina and some rocks overlooking the ocean. It’s semi-difficult to navigate since the railings are really rusty but the view is so worth it!

From the marina, we hiked up to the city square, All the houses are painted in pastel colors which makes for beautiful pictures. Our pictures here turned out amazing and the sunset was UNREAL! If you need a spot to watch the sunset, pick this city because it’s the prettiest out of all of them.

cliffs of riomaggiore cinque terre, italy overlooking the railing in cinque terre, italy Kayla and Taz overlooking Riomaggiore in Cinque Terre, Italy Kayla standing in the square in Riomaggiore Cinque Terre, Italy

throwing up a peace sign in Riomaggiore Cinque Terre, Italy

Manarola

Manarola is the most popular city in Cinque Terre, Italy for good reason. The colorful houses and amazing views are unreal. Add in delicious seafood and you’re set! If you’re a seafood lover, this is the city for you! However, we are not and struggled to find a place that sold anything other than seafood spaghetti. Despite our food trial, the trail leading up to the overlook gave us a 360 degree view of the city. It’s by far the most crowded of any other place but the pictures are worth it! We could’ve spent all night here.

Kayla overlooking Manarola in Cinque Terre, Italy sunset in Manarola Cinque Terre, Italy Kayla and Taz in Manarola Cinque Terre, Italy

Corniglia

Corniglia is probably the smallest city in all of Cinque Terre, Italy. This city is the hardest to navigate since the train station spits you out at the bottom of the cliff and you have to climb (A LOT of) stairs to actually get to the city. There’s no other way up so it isn’t the most accessible. However, I appreciated being able to burn off some of my endless amounts of pizza and pasta haha. AND the views are stunning just like the other cities in Cinque Terre, Italy.

overlooking Corniglia Cinque Terre, Italy

Vernazza

I LOVED Vernazza! It’s an adorable fishing town with a marina and tons of grapes everywhere. If you get a chance to go, walk down to the marina and spend the afternoon down by the water. There’s a ton of places to go eat and walk around. We also went on a hike up by the old church. There’s a view of the entire city that’s absolutely breathtaking!

overlooking Vernazza in Cinque Terre, Italy Kayla overlooking Vernazza in Cinque Terre, Italy

Monterosso al Mare

Monterosso al Mare is the smallest of the cities in Cinque Terre, Italy. We didn’t spend a ton of time there but the beach is so relaxing. There’s a ton of rocks to walk out on and it would be the perfect place to lay out in the summertime. It’s an adorable little town with a lot of spots to fish and swim in Cinque Terre, Italy.

standing on the rocks in Monterrosso al Mare in Cinque Terre, Italy standing on the beach in Monterrosso al Mare in Cinque Terre, Italy

Place to Stay

I wanted to share one of the best Cinque Terre hotels because we loved our hotel so much! Here’s our experience:

Cinque Terre Hotels

My family loved staying at Firenze al Continental. There aren’t a lot of Cinque Terre hotels but this is the BEST place to stay if you are looking to visit Cinque Terre, Italy. It’s the main city of La Spezia where you can take the train to visit all of the five cities of Cinque Terre, Italy. I would recommend staying in La Spezia over any of the Cinque Terre cities because lugging suitcases up the side of a cliff would be absolute misery. We stayed on the third floor and it was by far our favorite hotel on the entire trip. The staff gave us directions and a ton of help and laid out an incredible breakfast on the top floor every morning with a view of the entire city. We all wish we could’ve stayed there the entire trip!

hotel in La Spezia outside of Cinque Terre, Italy

Food to Eat

Cinque Terre Restaurants

La Bottega Del Fritto (chain)

We visited four of the cities in Cinque Terre, Italy. We went to Vernazza and loved the adorable town! You can walk down the entire city and see two other cities from where you are. On our way back to the train station, we got chips (fries) at La Bottega Del Fritto and they were DELICIOUS! They give you your French fries in a little cone with a stick so you can stab them and eat without getting your hands dirty. The fries tasted equal parts crispy on the outside to soft on the inside. I could’ve eaten three more cones!

eating french fries in Vernazza Cinque Terre, Italy

Gelateria Vernazza

After we devoured our fries, we walked across the street to the Gelateria Vernazza. It has some of the best gelato in all of Italy! I got chocolate and stracciatella (chocolate chip) and it came with a little waffle chip on the top. It was a nice treat from all the walking around.

eating gelato in Vernazza Cinque Terre, Italy

Pizzeria Masaniello

I’m almost positive this is the name but it’s in La Spezia right down the street from our hotel. They make incredible neopolitan pizza and it’s absolutely delicious! Beware that the servers only know broken English so make sure to point to what you want on the menu if you don’t speak Italian. My sister asked for a #12 which is a ham and cheese calzone and got a #21 which was a pizza covered in eggplant, artichokes and bacon with a PUMPKIN sauce. A bit of a stretch from a basic calzone! Haha. Taz got the Diavola (pepperoni) and I got margherita which are much safer options.

pizza in la spezia outside of Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre, Italy should be on your bucket list if you love adventure, delicious food and traveling off the beaten path. I loved the chance to explore and discover new places that I had never seen before in pictures or posted all over Instagram. I could’ve spent an entire month exploring the coast of Cinque Terre, Italy and I can’t wait to go back one day. If you have any other questions about my trip or some suggestions of what else to do, feel free to reach out!

XOXO Kayla

January 18, 2019 0 comment

standing in front of the colosseum in rome italy

Lifestyle Travel

Rome, Italy: Top 7 Must-See Attractions

by Kayla Smith January 11, 2019

written by Kayla Smith

Here’s everything you need to know before booking your trip to Rome, Italy!

We just got back from spending 10 days traveling throughout Italy! Rome, Italy was our first stop and it is one of my favorite spots. We spent a lot of time exploring the city and eating alllll the food. I wanted to share the best things we did on our trip and break down some of the things you should know before booking your next vacation. Going to such a big city can be overwhelming but I hope this blog post helps relieve some of the stress. I’m talking about the top 10 must-see attractions along with some of the best places to stay in Rome, Italy and our favorite restaurants. Here’s what to know before you go:

Things to Do in Rome, Italy

Colosseum

On our first day in Rome, we went to the Colosseum. My mom reserved our tickets online and that was AMAZING since the line to get tickets would take hours. We decided to go without a tour guide so we could see as much or as little of the Colosseum as possible. Also, if you follow a tour group around, you can get all the same information. We walked along the top, middle and down onto the stage area. There is no access to the catacombs underneath the stage unless you pay more money so we opted out of that.

What To Know Before You Go: When buying a ticket online, the tickets are good for 1-2 days. If you miss your designated time, you can technically get in anytime that day and tickets are good for both the Colosseum and Roman Forum but you can only visit each place one time.

couple at the colosseum in rome italy standing under an arch in rome italy inside the colosseum in rome italy

Roman Forum

I had never been to the Roman Forum before and it’s absolutely HUGE! Walking around the Roman Forum was one of the highlights on our trip because seeing all the architecture is breathtaking. Plus, the road dates to before the birth of Christ. The slight history nerd was FREAKING out I was so excited! I could’ve spent all day here! There’s so much to see and I didn’t even see all of it after 3 hours there.

What to Know Before You Go: Climb to the very top and you’ll see the best view of the entire city of Rome! There’s also running water fountains along the trail with fresh water to drink.

roman forum in rome italy overlooking the roman forum in rome italy standing by a wall in the roman forum in rome italy

Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain is the oldest running aqueduct in the world! When I first came to Rome, Italy, the Trevi Fountain was under construction. I was devastated that I didn’t get to have my Lizzie McGuire moment. Now, the Trevi Fountain isn’t covered with scaffolding and enough people to fill a small country are gathered around it. There were So. Many. People. It was easily the most crowded area I saw in Rome, Italy besides the Colosseum. If you’re standing looking at the fountain, go all the way to the right hand side against the wall. It’s a more open space to take photos rather than head on.

What to Know Before You Go: A ton of men go around offering to take pictures for you on your phone. This may seem nice but rumor has it they pretend to snap the photo and then take off with your phone. Be aware of the people around you and the risk you run from having a stranger snap your photo. Trade with a friend or another couple nearby. Trust your gut and you should be just fine! Also, I recommend going early in the morning just as the sun rises for optimal lighting and for better pictures with less people.

sitting in front of the trevi fountain in rome italy

Pantheon

The Pantheon is soooo cool! You cannot take pictures inside and I wish I could’ve. The inside is a huge dome with a hole in the middle so when it rains, water pours inside. Weird, right? It’s a former Roman temple turned church so definitely take some time to go see it. Plus, it’s a great photo-op!

pantheon in rome italy

Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi

This is one of my favorite spots in all of Italy! There’s a gorgeous fountain in the middle of a square. During the first time I went to Rome, Italy, the square filled with artists during the summer sharing their handmade sentiments and oil paintings. During the winter, it is the center for Rome’s Christmas market. There’s chestnuts roasting on each corner, candy shops, windows filled with ornaments and a giant carousel. It’s SO magical! No matter what time of year, it’s a spot you must take some time to stumble upon.

fontana dei fiumi in rome italy

The Vatican

On our second day in Rome, Italy, we went to the Vatican. It was PACKED! I’ve never seen more people in one spot before. We didn’t buy any tickets in advance but we were able to get in fairly quickly. If you want to get in early, I recommend buying them ahead of time. It is so easy to get lost in the Vatican without a tour guide, but when you’re on a tour, you don’t get to see everything. Get a map if you can find one. We didn’t grab one at the beginning and backtracked a lot of the time we were there. My favorite parts of the Vatican are the Egypt exhibits and the Roman sculptures. The Sistine Chapel is incredible but I can’t stay in there long with the sheer amount of people stuffed into the room. (I get very claustrophobic…)

What To Know Before You Go: Your time in the Vatican ends in the Sistine Chapel. There’s an exit that goes straight into St. Peter’s Basilica and the other exit brings you back to the entrance of the Vatican. If you don’t want to wait hours to get into the basilica, take the other exit. We made that mistake and it cost us a lot of valuable time.

view from the vatican in rome italy inside of the vatican in rome italy ceiling in the vatican in rome italy

St. Peter’s Basilica

St. Peter’s Basilica is one of my favorite places in Rome, Italy! It’s 100% free to go and it’s STUNNING! The line is crazy long to get in but if you also have tickets to the Vatican, refer to my tip above. It’s absolutely massive and has some of the best architecture in all of Rome. If you go, don’t forget to go down to the crypt where all the previous popes are buried and apparently St. Peter’s body is down there too along with a spike from the cross of Christ.

standing in line for st peter's basilica in rome italy standing in front of st peter's basilica in rome italy

Place to Stay in Rome, Italy

Rome, Italy Hotels

The Crosti Hotel is one my favorite Rome Italy hotels I’ve ever stayed in. My family loved staying at the Crosti Hotel! It’s really close to the Termini train station, but if you are wanting to be more centralized I recommend going somewhere else. However, the train station also has a subway entrance with many tracks to take you to all the local attractions. Our room was HUGE! We had a queen bed, two toilets, a bidet, a shower and a pull out couch in a separate room. It was nice having all the space and we could’ve easily fit another person (or two) on the pull out couch. The shower is absolutely tiny but that’s pretty much any shower in Europe. Every room included a safe which gave us peace of mind when we went out to explore Rome, Italy.

What to Know Before You Go: Before booking, you should know that there are two different types of rooms: hotel rooms and apartments. Hotel rooms are in the building and the apartments are three blocks away. Taz and I had a hotel room and the rest of my family was in an apartment. It was kind of crazy that they are so far away, but definitely keep that in mind if you’re going with a group. Also, breakfast is only complimentary with hotel rooms and not apartments since the apartments have their own kitchens.

crosti hotel apartment balcony in rome italy

Rome, Italy Restaurants

We ate a TON of yummy food when we went to Rome, Italy and here’s some of my favorite places that we ate during our time there:

Tre Scali Gelato

Dessert is always first, right? This gelato shop is right next to the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi. I got the Stracciatella gelato (aka chocolate chip) but there’s a ton of gelato/sorbet flavors. It’s one of the cheaper options I was able to find and they definitely don’t skimp out on how much they give you.

tre scali gelato in rome italy

Vito E Dina

This restaurant was the best one we ate at the entire time we spent in Rome, Italy! The portions were larger and it tasted incredible. We got fresh bread with every plate and my sister said it was the best food she ate on our entire trip. I ordered the Fettuccine Bolognese. If you go, order the pasta because you have to taste it!

vito e dina in rome italy fettuccine bolognese at vito e dina in rome italy

Pizzeria del Secolo

We found this place right down the street from our hotel. It’s a pay per slice pizza restaurant which is great if you’re on a budget. It definitely wasn’t the best pizza I had during our entire trip but it was still tasty. My sister and I died over the patate (potato) pizza with the white sauce. It’s DELICIOUS!

Those are all the things to know before going to Rome, Italy! I wrote about all the places to go, hotels to stay in and food to eat. If there’s any other questions you have before booking your vacation to Rome, Italy, don’t hesitate to ask! I would love to answer any and all questions you may have. If you are booking any other trips this year, here’s my post all about my trips to Paris, London, and Edinburgh.

XOXO Kayla

January 11, 2019 1 comment

Lifestyle

My Favorite Things From 2018

by Kayla Smith January 3, 2019

written by Kayla Smith

2018 had some of the best investments I’ve ever had!

I am the living, walking definition of a shopaholic. I get a lot of different products to test out and share my reviews of. These are just a few of my favorite things I wear/use multiple times a week and will use for years to come. I also put together a list of my must-watch tv shows, favorite books and podcasts you have to listen to!

Fashion

Black Sunglasses: I wear this black sunglasses almost daily! They’re so inexpensive and look super chic.
Round Bag: I’m sure you’ve seen these round bags everywhere on Instagram, but there’s a good reason. I love mine and it was one of my favorite things to wear throughout the spring and summer.
Paper Bag Pants: If you follow my Instagram stories, you’ll know I live in these pants. They’re super comfy like sweatpants but you can easily get away with wearing these to work or school.
Adidas T-Shirt: You can find me wearing this t-shirt multiple times a week. It’s so soft but the fabric doesn’t get very worn compared to how many times I wear it. Plus, it’s blush which is an automatic yes from me.
Velvet Hangers: This sounds weird but velvet hangers CHANGED MY LIFE! There’s nothing that feels better than matching hangers in my closet. They’re super thin and my clothes don’t slip off like a normal plastic hanger. Make the switch and you’ll thank me later!
White Converse: I’ve always wanted a pair of white converse and I finally got a pair. They’re my favorite shoes to wear with jeans, casual dresses, joggers, shorts, literally everything. It did take a bit for me to break in but once I did, I wear them all the time.

Beauty

Velvet Scrunchies: 2018 is the year of the scrunchie! I fell back in love with scrunchies and wear my hair in one every single night since it doesn’t crease my hair. I love the velvet ones to add some texture to it and add a little extra something to an outfit.
Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask: This sleep mask is what dream are made of and one of my favorite things! My lips feel incredible every morning when I wake up and my lipstick goes on smoother.
Matrix So Silver Shampoo: If you’re blonde, I swear by this shampoo! I use this every time I wash my hair and it helps me last between trips to the salon.
Bye Bye Undereye Concealer: I fell back in love with this concealer this year. Honestly, it’s hard for me to find a good concealer since I’m pale but there’s a good range for this one. It keeps my eyes looking bright and awake which I love.
Japonesque Fluff Concealer Brush: Speaking of concealer, this brush was life-changing for me. It blends my concealer better than a beauty blender and doesn’t waste any product.
Clear Toiletry Bag: I loved using this bag and it’s one of my favorite things for traveling. It’s easy to tell everything I have inside and it is TSA approved for airports.
Living Proof Dry Shampoo: I gave in and tried this dry shampoo at the end of 2018 and fell in love! It works amazingly and lets me go longer between washing my hair. Plus, it smells amazing.
Almay Lipsticks: Almay was so kind and gave me all of their new Lip Vibes lipsticks. They’re all super creamy and pigmented. I love all the colors and they’re so much fun to wear since they don’t dry out my lips.

Lifestyle

Reusable Grocery Bags: We tried our best to reduce the amount of waste from grocery shopping so we got reusable grocery bags. They can hold A LOT more than a normal plastic bag and they lasted the entire year with zero rips or holes.
Erin Condren Planner: I already talked about my Erin Condren planner here, but it’s too good not to mention again. It’s the best way I’ve had to organize my life since I remember things better by writing them down rather than typing them out.
Yeti Microphone: When we started The Early Retirement Podcast, we knew we needed two microphones. This one is relatively inexpensive and work amazingly. They work well for two people as well so we downgraded to just the one now.

Books

Leave Your Mark: This book changed my life regarding social media. If you use social media for a blog, business or even personally, I definitely recommend reading this and taking these skills to heart.
Crush It: Gary V. is a SAVAGE! I listened to this audiobook and he gives the step-by-step process on how to crush it in everything you do. This is an incredible business book but also just a pump up book for anybody.
Crushing It: This is the sequel to Crush It. This book follows real-life people who took the concepts and skills from Crush It and applied it to their lives. It goes through their successes in a variety of fields. I skipped around a lot in this book but I think the information is incredible.
Present Over Perfect: In this day and age, it’s soooo hard to be present with all the distractions we have. Present Over Perfect changed my mindset and brought me to tears many times. Every single person needs to read this. I’m not usually a self help fan but this book is seriously life-changing.
You Are A Bada**: Along with Present Over Perfect, this is another must-read self help book. It’s a huge pump up book that boosted me up into believing I can do and be anything I want to be.
Girl, Wash Your Face: Rachel Hollis is incredible and she debunks popular myths in this book. I read this book in two days because I loved it so much I couldn’t put it down. She gears the book towards women but men can definitely read it too.
Big Little Lies: If you love books filled with twists and mystery, this book is amazing! I read it in my book club and literally gasped out loud when the murder finally happened. Such a good read! It addresses some real life hard things which can make some parts really somber but super relatable.
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before: This is a lighthearted book filled with teen romance. Netflix made an original movie about it but the book is so much better and it is book one in a three book series.

TV Shows

Survivor: Taz and I went HARD this year and dove straight into watching Survivor. A guy I knew from high school was on the past season so we got very into it. We even watched a couple past seasons including the very first season. It was so bad it looked like an old home movie haha. It’s a fun reality tv show and relatively clean so that was definitely a plus.
Magic For Humans: This is a funny, feel-good show to watch. There’s only one season on Netflix but I was BLOWN away at his magic tricks. Some are very cheesy but others left me questioning life haha.
Sherlock: I watched Sherlock for the third time this year and it’s worth every second. Every episode is about 90 minutes long and you’ll be on the edge of your seat with every episode. The final season is INSANE and if you are going to take any advice from me ever in your life, WATCH THIS! It’s sooooo good.
Stranger Things: Everyone raves about Stranger Things but it’s for good reason. I’m not a scary movie type of girl but this one is a healthy mix of scary and intense. There’s a little language but relatively clean.
Making a Murderer Season 2: Holy moly this show blew me away! Taz and I watched the first season of Making a Murderer and had a lot of questions, but the second season debunked every flaw we caught. It’s very one-sided but getting the details of the real-life murder case is crazy cool. If you haven’t watched this show yet, it’s definitely one of my favorites.
Evil Genius: THIS SHOW! It’s a similar documentary-style show like Making a Murderer BUT this one is absolutely insane. I won’t give you the rundown of the show but if you’re interested in murder mystery shows, you’ll love this.

Podcasts

I listen to a lot of podcasts. (Seriously, A LOT since they’re my favorite things!) There’s wayyyy too many I could mention but these are ones I listen to over and over again. Taz and I have our own podcast (The Early Retirement Podcast) and these are a couple others I love.

Awesome With Alison: This podcast is the first podcast I ever began listening to. Alison leaves me feeling “awesome” after each episode and I feel empowered to do anything I set my mind to. I’m actually listening to her latest episode as I speak.
What We Said Podcast: Jaci Marie and Chelsey Curtis interview different people and cover a variety of topics. I die laughing every episode and is another podcast that leaves me feeling lifted up at the end of each one.

Those are all my favorite things in 2018! Let me know some of your favorite things from last year and what I should try out for the upcoming year.

XOXO Kayla

January 3, 2019 0 comment

Lifestyle

2018 Year In Review + Plans For The New Year

by Kayla Smith January 1, 2019

written by Kayla Smith

Here’s some of our highlights from the year and some things we are working on in 2019!

Our year was filled with the highest-highs and lowest lows, moments of victory and failure, laughter and a lot of tears. The entire end of our year felt like one big question mark, but we are starting to get some direction with how to go about in the new year. Here’s our year in review!

January

In January, I rang in the New Year by cutting 8 inches off my hair and I loved the change!

Taz and I had the chance to go to the Ice Castles in Midway, Utah. Ever since I moved to Utah, I wanted to go and we loved it! It’s such a cool experience so if you ever get the chance to go, I highly recommend it! Also, we celebrated my birthday with some of our dear friends and a TON of snow. I’m excited to have my birthday next year without the cold haha.

February

February FLEW by! We celebrated Valentine’s Day together and went on a little vacation down to Southern Utah. Taz was actually born down in St. George so he has a lot of family down there. We saw his grandpa, stayed with some of his cousins and went to Zions National Park. Neither one of us had gone in years and it was breathtaking! I wish we took advantage of all the places that were in our own backyard in Utah but that just gives us an excuse to go back.

March

March started out with a bang! I spent a lot of time with my girlfriends. My friend invited me to a Girl’s Night at the local rec center and I held a SNAKE! I was only freaking out a little haha. Then, my best friend, Kim had her baby shower. It feels like a lifetime ago!

Taz and I celebrated Easter together and had the opportunity to attend the worldwide conference of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It was amazing! We are sad we can’t be there in person now, but they also stream it online.

April

In April, Kim had her baby! She’s absolutely precious and I love seeing videos of her on Marco Polo.

We celebrated Taz’s birthday with some of our amazing friends and family. Taz’s grandma was in town so we spent the day at the temple and had an amazing time!

May

In May, we celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary! I don’t know how I got someone as wonderful as Taz, but I’m certainly glad I did.

My previous roommate, Bree also got married later in May. She looked gorgeous and we loved getting to see some of our old friends again.

Also, we ran our first 5K together, I became addicted to Pacqui chips (which are no where to be found in Florida!), and the pool opened so May was one of the best months of the year!

June

Our friend, Jake had a birthday party at the beginning of June. We wanted to give him a gift he would never forget so naturally we rented a baby fox from a local pet rental company. The fox (Wally) was SO cute and I wish we could’ve kept him forever.

My sister came into town to go to a church camp called Especially For Youth (EFY). We had a lot of fun eating yummy food and going to a lot of fun events around. Plus, we had to squeeze in a pool day and trip to East High where Disney Channel filmed High School Musical.

An interactive museum called The Hall of Breakfast opened in Salt Lake City and they invited Taz and I to visit. It was a BLAST! We had the best time exploring, but that wasn’t even the best part. We met Colin and Sara! The next day, Sara and I saw each other at another event. We became soul sisters and talked the entire day! The next weekend, we went on a double date, became best friends within a few hours and we spent every single weekend together the rest of the summer.

At the end of the month, we went on a double date to try axe throwing. I was SO scared! I definitely thought I would drop an axe on my foot and the date would go south really fast. Thankfully, no one was hurt and by the end, Taz could throw both at the same time.

July

This was probably the best 4th of July I ever had! We began the morning with Matt and Maddie going to a hot air balloon festival and ate breakfast at my favorite place in all of Provo: Cafe 300! BUT, now it closed down and I’m so sad about it. Later that day, we met up with Colin and Sara for the 4th of July carnival and fireworks. Sara and I got the cutest pineapple cotton candy too which I had never seen before.

During the next week, Sara and I went to an incredible pool party hosted by another local influencer and Taz and I went to my cousin, Ali’s wedding!

We wanted to go to the Young Living Lavender Fields again before the summer ended. We called Sara and Colin to all drive down together. The pictures turned out beautifully and that still stands out to me as one of the best days this year!

August

Taz and I decided to move back to Florida so I could pursue my blog full-time and he could revamp his photography business. I put in my two weeks notice and we literally sold EVERYTHING! (You can read all about our crazy moving adventure here.)

Before we left, we went with our friend, Trey to hike Donut Falls, had a going away party and shipped most of our things to Florida.

Since my sister is most likely moving to Utah in 2019, Taz and I drove our car to Arizona to leave with my grandparents for her to use when she comes back. We began our drive and stopped in St. George in Las Vegas to see family and friends. We enjoyed a few days in Arizona spending time with my grandparents and flew the rest of the way to Florida.

September

We loved being back in Florida! We spent a lot of time at the beach and with our families. Taz and I ate a lot of good food, jumped right into our photography business, Taz Smith Photography and we launched the Early Retirement Podcast.

At the end of the month, we celebrated my father-in-law’s 50th birthday and my brother’s 12th birthday. It’s so nice living close so we can be around for fun things like this!

October

We went with my sister to a local pumpkin patch and took some cute pictures. We dressed up with my siblings as the Scooby Doo gang for Halloween and it may be one of my favorite costumes yet.

My mom used to live in Belgium for her study abroad. The family she lived with came into town so we enjoyed all the yummy chocolate they brought!

November

Taz and I brought my siblings to the county fair. We had so much fun and filmed a little video about it here.

We drove over to Tampa and stayed there the rest of the month. During the month, we had fun exploring Hyde Park Village, Ybor, and other areas for our family photoshoots. We even got to go to Indian Rocks Beach for the first time since we spent our honeymoon there.

On Thanksgiving, we spent the day with Taz’s family and then went Black Friday shopping with his sisters, You can watch our adventures here!

December

December’s been a crazy one with the holidays. My sister and I volunteered with Habitat for Humanity. It was a women’s build so we are hoping she gets into her house at the beginning of next year.

My previous coworker came into town with her family. We loved getting a chance to catch up with her and spend the day at the beach.

My entire family is now headed to Italy! I’m sure I’ll be posting a ton of pictures so stay tuned for that. Taz and I are a little nervous but super excited! (UPDATE: it’s crazy fun and we are loving every second in Italy!)

Our Plans for 2019

Taz and I are really starting to take off with Taz Smith Photography. We love the people we meet and interact with from that. We are currently booking for the beginning of the year and have some spots open throughout January and February.

I’m hoping to continue with my blog and work smarter not harder. I’m also currently taking on some new clients to help with their social media and various other projects they need. From 2018, I learned being your own boss is HARD. It takes a lot of sweat, tears, long nights, stress and headache. BUT, it can be very rewarding, fulfilling and one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself.

Some days, I feel bad because I don’t feel like I accomplished much this year, but when I go back and read about all the things that happened, I’m blown away! Even though I didn’t cross off all of my achievements I wanted or do everything I wanted to do, I’m still fulfilled in what I could accomplish. 2019 will be a year harder than any of them to date but I’m excited for the things we will get to do this year! If there’s anything you’re working on in the next 365 days, let me know what it is! I would love to hear it.

XOXO Kayla

January 1, 2019 0 comment

Lifestyle

Last Minute Stocking Stuffer Ideas Anyone Would Love

by Kayla Smith December 20, 2018

written by Kayla Smith

Stocking stuffer ideas that will work for anyone in your family!

I’m the queen of procrastination which is why I’m still not done with my Christmas shopping and I haven’t even thought about stockings. If you’re in the same boat, here’s my go-to stocking stuffer ideas anyone would love to get. I mostly have ideas for women but some of the gifts could go either way. I grouped them into categories so no matter their interests, there’s something for everyone.

Fashion

Fuzzy Socks: These fuzzy socks are one of the best stocking stuffer ideas to fit into the bottom of a stocking. I usually get a pair every year and it’s my favorite cozy gift.

Initial Necklace: This is a really thoughtful idea that would work for any girl. An initial necklace is very simple but meaningful.

Blue Light Glasses: I mentioned these blue light glasses on my blog before but I knew I had to mention them again. I wear mine every single day to avoid getting migraines from looking at my screens for too long. This works well for men or women so you truly could gift it to anyone you know.

Beanie: If it’s cold where you are, popping in a beanie or two are great stocking stuffer ideas! I know I have one in mine so I don’t totally freeze while I’m in Italy. Here’s a cheap option and it’s small enough to be rolled up.

Blanket Scarf: A blanket scarf is another good option if you are in a colder climate. I love blanket scarfs since they can double as a blanket.

Beauty

Bath Bombs: Give some bath bombs as stocking stuffer ideas. They’re the best thing to give to relax and take away their stress from this time of year.

Eye Masks: If they love to travel or need their beauty sleep, they need this eye mask! It blocks out all the light and make it easier to have a deeper night’s sleep.

Scalp Massager: I’m dying to get one of these scalp massagers. It helps to stimulate hair growth and helps shampoo/conditioner get distributed evenly in the shower. It’s one of my favorite stocking stuffer ideas for both men and women.

Face Masks: I love putting a couple face masks into stockings. My favorite ones are these and I try to use them one or twice a week.

Eos Lip Balm: This is my favorite lip balm to use! My lips get so chapped, especially in the winter. Throwing a couple of these in is one of the best stocking stuffer ideas. This one is my favorite flavor.

Essential Oils: I don’t use essential oils very often, but this is one of the small stocking stuffer ideas many people would love to get. Throw in a car diffuser and you’re set!

Body Scrub: I use body scrub every single time I take a shower, It helps make my skin feel super soft and gets me a closer shave than I can get before. This is my favorite one and I’ve used it for months.

Lip Mask: I use this lip mask every single day before I go to sleep and it helps me get soft, smooth lips. Plus, it tastes great too! Pair it with a container of lip scrub and they make the perfect stocking stuffer ideas.

Leave-In Conditioner: I love gifting items that they would use on a regular basis. I use this leave-in conditioner every time I wash my hair to leave it soft and silky. This is a cute travel size one that would fit perfectly.

Scrunchies: I can’t forget scrunchies! I sleep with one in my hair every single night because it doesn’t leave indents in my hair. I recently started using this kind and I LOVE them!

Tech

Electric Lighter: Taz is obsessed with this electric lighter! It is charged from a USB port instead of running on gas. Pair it with a yummy candle and you’re set!

Battery Pack: I can’t tell you how many times this battery pack has changed my life. This is seriously one of the best stocking stuffer ideas for anybody in your life. It charges my phone completely three times or more per charge.

Book Light: I put this book light in Taz’s stocking when we were first dating. It hooks right onto the book you’re reading and folds up tiny.

Hard Drives: You can never have too many hard drives especially if you need to back up a lot of files like we do.

Apple Watch Stand: This is the cutest apple watch stand! It keeps your watch charged and in a safe place.

Travel

Journal: This journal is one of the best travel stocking stuffer ideas! It’s a great way they can document their travels so they can look back on their memories for years to come.

Luggage Tags: A personalized luggage tag helps to distinguish luggage from other people and it’s a thoughtful gift for the frequent flyer.

Passport Holder: I just got a couple passport holders before my trip. This one is adorable and has RFID blocking so no one can steal information.

Kitchen

Mug: I love mugs! You can get one that has a funny saying or one that’ll keep their drink cold/hot for hours. I fill mine with their favorite candy for a fun surprise at the bottom of their stocking.

Tea Filter: If they’re a tea lover, this adorable filter is perfect! They can put in their tea leaves and it filters for them by hanging over the edge of a cup.

Popcorn Bowl: The best stocking stuffer ideas for a movie lover are a collapsible popcorn bowl and a couple yummy popcorn seasonings. Throw in a couple of their favorite movie candies and it’s perfect!

Bottle Opener: This bottle opener is so cute! I love pineapples and this one is so pretty.

Misc.

Coloring Book: My mom, my sister and I love coloring together. Gift a coloring book whether it’s a child or an adult.

Baggu: These are really cute reusable tote bags to use for groceries, a purse or anything you need.

Card Games: Taz and I love playing card games with family and friends. Every year, we try and get a couple new ones to learn. Our favorites are Exploding Kittens, Spot It, and Cover Your A$$ets.

Restaurant Gift Cards: Throw in a gift card to their favorite restaurant or a new one they haven’t tried before. Taz and I love to go try new places so this is one of our favorite stocking stuffer ideas.

Movie Tickets: Movie tickets are also a fun thing to find in your stocking. We always go see movies Christmas Day or a day after so go as a family to see the newest movie coming out.

Turkish Towel: I LOVE my turkish towel! I use it as a towel, blanket, table cloth and so much more. It dries faster and absorbs more water than a normal towel so it’s a must for me.

These are all my go-to stocking stuffer ideas. I know Christmas is one of the craziest times of the year so I hope this list helps you get some ideas of what to do without having to think hard about it. If there’s any that your family does, leave those down in the comments below! I’d love to hear them. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! I’m so blessed by having you guys here. Thank you so much for supporting me.

XOXO Kayla

Fashion

Beauty

Tech

Travel

Kitchen

Misc.

December 20, 2018 0 comment

Lifestyle

Christmas Movies You Must Watch This Holiday Season

by Kayla Smith December 17, 2018

written by Kayla Smith

Here’s some of the best Christmas movies that we love!

Every year. Taz and I love to watch allll the Christmas movies leading up to Christmas. After a long day of working, we like to destress and spend some time together by watching a movie. We still have a ways to catch up this year on all our Christmas movies, but here’s some of our favorites that are a must-watch! This is a great way to bond with your family whether it’s just you, a boyfriend/girlfriend, a spouse or a bunch of kids. Anyone can enjoy these movies together! Movies are some of our favorite ways to be together and I hope that will the same with you.

Best Christmas Movies:

A Charlie Brown Christmas 1965
A Christmas Carol 1951
The Christmas Chronicles (Netflix) 2018
A Christmas Prince (Netflix) 2017
A Christmas Story 1983
Elf 2003
Frosty the Snowman 1969
The Grinch 2000
The Holiday 2006
Home Alone 1990
Home Alone 2 1992
It’s a Wonderful Life 1946
Jingle All the Way 1996
Miracle on 34th Street 1947
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation 1989
Polar Express 2004
The Princess Switch (Netflix) 2018
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 1964
The Santa Clause 1994
Scrooged 1988
White Christmas 1954

Let me know if we need to add some more Christmas movies to this list and which ones are your favorite. I know there are a TON out there so give me all the recommendations. If you want the ultimate Christmas playlist or any of my other holidays posts, click here. Merry Christmas!

XOXO Kayla

December 17, 2018 0 comment

Lifestyle

The Ultimate Playlist of Christmas Songs for the Holidays

by Kayla Smith December 13, 2018

written by Kayla Smith

Here’s my list of Christmas songs I listen to over and over again!

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! I wanted to put together the ultimate playlist of Christmas songs so you don’t have to go searching for everything yourselves. (You’re welcome 😉 ) This year, I made sure to include some of the classics but also a couple Christmas songs from modern artists that you’ll fall in love with. If you have Apple Music, you can get my entire playlist here. If not, I wrote it all out so you can put all the Christmas songs together on Pandora, Spotify or anywhere else you listen to music.

The Ultimate Playlist of Christmas Songs:

Looks Like A Cold, Cold Winter: Ingrid Michaelson
What Christmas Means to Me: John Legend & Stevie Wonder
Grown-Up Christmas List: Pentatonix & Kelly Clarkson
All I Want For Christmas Is You: Mariah Carey
Mistletoe: Justin Bieber
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas: Michael Buble
I’ll Be Home For Christmas: Michael Buble
Hallelujah: Pentatonix
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays: *NSYNC
Mary, Did You Know: Pentatonix
Blue Christmas: Elvis Presley
That’s Christmas To Me: Pentatonix
Wonderful Christmastime: Paul McCartney
A Holly, Jolly Christmas: Lady Antebellum
The First Noel: Kaskade
The Christmas Song: Nat “King” Cole
Jingle Bells: Michael Buble
Drummer Boy: Justin Bieber
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town: Jackson 5
Christmas Baby: Darlene Love
Last Christmas: Wham!
White Christmas: The Drifters
Santa’s Coming For Us: Sia
Underneath The Tree: Kelly Clarkson
Candy Cane Lane: Sia
Santa Tell Me: Ariana Grande
Snowman: Sia
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas: Sam Smith
This Christmas: Christina Aguilera
Merry Christmas Darling: Christina Perri
Christmas Time Is Here: Josh Groban & Tony Bennett
Christmas Must Be Something More: Taylor Swift

Those are all my favorite Christmas songs! If there’s any I missed or that I should include, comment down below or shoot me a message and I’ll be sure to add it on. If you want to read any of my other Christmas content, click here. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

XOXO Kayla

December 13, 2018 0 comment

Lifestyle

White Elephant Gifts for $15 or Less for Your Holiday Party

by Kayla Smith December 8, 2018

written by Kayla Smith

Here’s some hilarious white elephant gifts that are sure to be a hit at any party!

Every year, my parents’ friends host a crazy white elephant party. Everyone brings hysterical gag gifts and it’s INSANE! Since we are back in Florida, we were invited. Taz and I browsed Amazon and found so many hilarious ideas that I had to share with you. Hopefully, you can get some ideas or it will inspire you to host a white elephant party of your own. If you want to access to all of the white elephant gifts in one spot, click here!

Pimple Popping Toy

If you love pimple popping videos, you may actually want to buy this pimple popping toy. Pop to your heart’s content and then refill when you’re finished. Whether this is satisfying or disgusting to you, you have to admit it’s pretty hilarious!

Remote Controlled Cockroach

Just looking at this makes my skin crawl! I HATE cockroaches! You could scare the crap out of someone with this since it actually moves.Get this as one of your white elephant gifts or order it for April Fools.

Banana Saver

I had no idea a banana saver existed. Protect your favorite yellow fruit in this case that will prevent any damage from happening to it. Then, clip to your backpack or belt loop for safekeeping. I don’t know what I would think if someone actually used this but I’ll try not to laugh haha.

Singing Toilet Roll Holder

This singing toilet roll holder is SO funny but I can imagine it getting old fast haha. The more it spins, the more it sings Christmas songs.

Dinosaur Taco Holder

Bring Taco Tuesday to the next level with the dinosaur taco holders! I would actually love these! They’re too cute, It comes in two other types of dinosaurs too so pick your favorite to gift.

Loch Ness Monster Ladle

Taz actually got me this loch ness monster ladle last year in my stocking and I use it all the time! It’s cute and functional.

Cat Scratcher

This is for your friend that needs a little more bonding time with their cat! I’m so allergic to cats that even looking at this makes me feel itchy.

People of Walmart Coloring Book

We brought this coloring book and it was a hit at the party! Seriously, this is one of the best white elephant gifts I’ve ever seen. The pictures are priceless! I shared my favorite pages here.

Toilet Golf

This is to keep anyone entertained when they’re locked in the bathroom. Everyone fought over this one so maybe it’s a funny one to gift a family member too.

Belly Fanny Pack

I think this one speaks for itself. I had this at one point and was happy to trade, but it would be interesting to see everyone’s looks if you wore it to Disney!

These are just a few of the white elephant gifts I found. You can find the rest of my picks here. Literally all of them are total jokes so it’s super fun to gift and laugh about. You can gift any of these or some other fun gag gifts you find. Let me know if you get any of these or if you were gifted one that had you laughing.

XOXO Kayla

December 8, 2018 0 comment

Lifestyle

First Impressions of the Erin Condren Hardbound LifePlanner

by Kayla Smith November 21, 2018

written by Kayla Smith

The Erin Condren Hardbound LifePlanner vs. The Traditional LifePlanner

I’ve used an Erin Condren LifePlanner for a year now and love it! There’s something about writing my schedule down that helps me remember better than when I type things into my phone. I’m a hardcore planner girl and always have been. My favorite thing about my Erin Condren planner is the personalization. They have tons of ways to make it your own by engraving your name, different sticker packs, pens and so much more. I decided to test out the new Hardbound LifePlanner and compare the old and the new side by side. You may think that they are exactly the same but there’s a few key differences between the two.

Size

The Hardbound LifePlanner is 8”X10” for the vertical layout or 5”X8” for a horizontal layout. The traditional LifePlanner is 7”X9” making it just slightly oversized. Both planners I have are the horizontal layout which I prefer to take notes and mark dates/deadlines. The Hardbound Planner is easier for me to carry around without feeling overly bulky. However, the layout is significantly smaller which I will get into detail next. I love the cover of the Hardbound because my regular LifePlanner began getting scratched within a few weeks. This new version is a lot more durable especially if you bring yours with you no matter where you go like I do.

Layout

Like I said before, the layout is significantly smaller on the Hardbound LifePlanner with a small notes section on the side. This made it really hard for me to include more than one date per day so I relied more on my week layout rather than the calendar. My original has a larger layout with additional spaces next to each day for even more notes. If you are a VERY busy person, you may want to stick with the original, but if you don’t have a ton going on, the Hardbound LifePlanner will work perfectly.

Price

This is the biggest difference of all: PRICE! The original is $55-$60 and the HardBound Planner ranges from $25-$30. It’s HALF the price of the original. The only differences I can tell are these:

There’s no stickers included in the Hardbound LifePlanner
The original LifePlanner has some additional goal setting pages and coloring pages in the back

There may be other differences, but from the amount of time I’ve been using this new planner, they aren’t noticeable. I’ll update this post if I come across any others. I’ve been loving the Hardbound LifePlanner! It’s a much more affordable option and a great gift idea this time of year. If you’ve always wanted a chance to try out an Erin Condren planner, now is the time. I’ve used many planners over the years and this is the one I always go back to. Let me know if you’ve tried one before and your experience with it. I’d love to hear from you!

XOXO Kayla

Erincondren.com gave me this product to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

November 21, 2018 0 comment

Lifestyle

A Second Look At My Cash Investments

by Kayla Smith November 15, 2018

written by Kayla Smith

This post is sponsored by Vanguard but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

How we afford to create memorable moments!

At the beginning of the month, the county fair popped up right next to my house. I grew up going to it all the time and I hadn’t had the chance to go in over five years since we lived in Utah. My husband, Taz and I became super excited and we knew we wanted to make our way over there sometime that week. My brother and sister also wanted to come. Once of our main goals in moving back to Florida was to spend some more quality time with family. I’m the oldest and Taz is the second oldest child in his family. All but one of our siblings live at home and we want to be as involved in their lives as possible. We ate dinner and went to the fair together.

Our Night at the Fair

In true Florida fashion, it started to rain as soon as we got through the gate but it quickly went away and we were able to begin going on rides. I have crazy motion sickness, but I was trying to be a good sport about it. Even the little kid rides make me dizzy sometimes! Taz and my siblings decided to go on a viking ship ride, but I vouched to watch everyone’s bags. A torrential downpour began as soon as they got on the ride. They began laughing and screaming. (I recorded the whole thing here). Each one of them came off soaking wet and we never laughed so hard.

After that, we went through a house of mirrors. Taz led the way through every twist, turn and dead end through the maze. The best part was seeing the mirrors at the end. My brother loved seeing how tall or short we looked and kept giggling the whole time.

My favorite part of the whole night was when we rode bumper cars. It’s always been my favorite ride. We had a heck of a time and I loved every moment of it. I love going to the fair and it was one of the best times Taz and I got to spend with my siblings. We were so happy it was able to happen since we were able to save enough money to invest in quality time together.

The Importance of Cash Investments

According to recent data, if you hold $10,000 in cash, you could earn about $170 in a year, at the current average yields of money market mutual funds. In a bank savings account, you’d only make about $10.*

$160 may not seem like much money to most people but it definitely adds up! All four of us were able to eat dinner and spend a memorable night together at the fair. Since Taz and I became business owners, it was important to us to know our options and how to get the most out of our cash investments. Some companies, like Vanguard, align better to our interests in what we want for our family. If you haven’t looked at your cash investments in a while, figure out if you are getting the most out of your cash or if your provider is the best for you. I don’t know if this is for you, but check out more at Vanguard to see if you’re getting the most out of your cash investments.

XOXO Kayla

*This illustration uses 1.69% average yield for money market mutual funds and 0.09% national average yield for bank savings, both as of 9/30/2018, according to cranedata.com and bankrate.com. These rates are not guaranteed.

Vanguard is owned by its funds, which in turn are owned by their investors.

All investing is subject to risk, including the possible loss of the money you invest. Bank deposits are guaranteed (within limits) as to principal and interest by an agency of the federal government. There may be other material differences between products that should be considered before investing.

cash investments

November 15, 2018 0 comment