It’s been a while since I’ve written on Melissa Kaylene. Like 15 months since I’ve written on Melissa Kaylene. What once began 10 years ago has been hard to maintain over the last couple of years. My life, like so many others, has been a rollercoaster of instability and daily changes. But I do miss writing here. And I think I’ll always continue to write here – if not for you; just for me.  I’m currently sitting in a backyard that’s not mine. It’s a large backyard with an inground pool, grapefruit trees, a lemon tree, and palm trees. The mountains that surround Palm Springs are in the bac ..read more

How was your Halloween? Read below to see how we celebrated ours – Halloween 2020 edition. What a year this has been. With every holiday it seems that we are finding ourselves recreating the wheel. Events are canceled, people are encouraged to stay home, and celebrations look so much different.  After spending Easter at home with no extended family, and the Fourth of July without our usual traditions, I decided that I would host something for Halloween – and I’m glad I did. In years past our neighborhood was the highlight of activities on Halloween night. Every year since we moved here ..read more

Finding a backtrack to happiness: I used to write a lot. When I was a child I didn’t have very many hobbies or extracurricular activities, but I always enjoyed keeping a journal. It was written in sporadically, but none the less I would share all of the mundane things that I had completed throughout the course of a day in my writings. Sometimes I would write beyond my daily activities and share some of my thoughts; feelings. That happened more frequently as I got older. When I got pregnant at 17 priorities in my life obviously shifted drastically. Everything that I did for happiness became les ..read more

It’s been a while since I’ve written on Melissa Kaylene. Like 15 months since I’ve written on Melissa Kaylene. What once began 10 years ago has been hard to maintain over the last couple of years. My life, like so many others, has been a rollercoaster of instability and daily changes. But I do miss writing here. And I think I’ll always continue to write here – if not for you; just for me.  I’m currently sitting in a backyard that’s not mine. It’s a large backyard with an inground pool, grapefruit trees, a lemon tree, and palm trees. The mountains that surround Palm Springs are in the bac ..read more

How was your Halloween? Read below to see how we celebrated ours – Halloween 2020 edition. What a year this has been. With every holiday it seems that we are finding ourselves recreating the wheel. Events are canceled, people are encouraged to stay home, and celebrations look so much different.  After spending Easter at home with no extended family, and the Fourth of July without our usual traditions, I decided that I would host something for Halloween – and I’m glad I did. In years past our neighborhood was the highlight of activities on Halloween night. Every year since we moved here ..read more

Finding a backtrack to happiness: I used to write a lot. When I was a child I didn’t have very many hobbies or extracurricular activities, but I always enjoyed keeping a journal. It was written in sporadically, but none the less I would share all of the mundane things that I had completed throughout the course of a day in my writings. Sometimes I would write beyond my daily activities and share some of my thoughts; feelings. That happened more frequently as I got older. When I got pregnant at 17 priorities in my life obviously shifted drastically. Everything that I did for happiness became les ..read more

Looking for some celebration inspiration? Today I’m sharing photos from my daughter’s low key surf and turf birthday.    I’m sure if you’ve followed along on this website for any length of time you’ll have noticed that I like to share photos and ideas from the birthdays in our family. What a better way to make fun memories? This month my eldest, Anika, turned 17 years old. How that is already possible is beyond me. She was just 8 years old when I began this website! The past couple of years we’ve done some pretty fun stuff. We did a backyard glampout and movie night for he ..read more

This blog post has been sponsored by the Vidalia Onion Committee. Links featured within, not inclusive of the official Vidalia Onion Committee website or previously sponsored content, are not sanctioned by the Vidalia Onion Committee. Summer is so close! I feel like once the weather starts warming up and the days become longer all I want to do is have a relaxing day outside, starting with brunch on the deck. Brunch foods are pretty much the best foods all put together in adorable arrangements for everyone to enjoy. It’s a feast not only for your stomach but your eyes as well.  When I crea ..read more

Who just had a birthday during this pandemic? This girl. Scroll below for some fun 35th birthday ideas. I know. There have been crickets around here for a while. I feel like every time I try to get myself organized then something just comes along and throws a wrench in that plan. This time, of course, it was COVID. I know I’m not alone with this one. Going from having a busy routine to utter chaos and quarantining all while my husband and I still maintained our regular working schedule but suddenly found ourselves attempting to stay on top of three kids’ schoolwork schedules is not for weak ..read more

Today I’m talking about caregivers, and basic tips that you should know if you are a caregiver. February is in full swing and it seems as if Christmas was just last week. My kids are in their second semester of the school year and are keeping themselves busy with extracurricular activities like cheerleading, basketball, and Girl Scouts (it’s cookie time!). The majority of my time recently has been spent either working or helping manage my parents’ care. I had to have my Mom placed into a nursing facility last year, and my Dad has just relocated to be closer to me as he has found himself in a ..read more