Q&A Part One - We Answer Your Questions

Hey loves, I get lots of questions each week from you all, so I thought I'd put together a little Q&A Post with some of those questions (and feel free to ask your own questions for the next post!) so that you can discover the things you've been pondering. So here it goes!

Question: What made you start your blog?

Answer from Kristy: I first started Southern In-Law to let my friends and family know about our Louisiana adventure - little did I know the blog would take off the way it did!

The blog was a simple way to share dozens of pictures and the stories from our trip and soon I started posting recipes which became a huge hit. 

Today the blog is our little baby and something I am so grateful for. Not only has the blog helped my to find and develop my passion - it's allowed me to meet so many incredible people and have many amazing opportunities. 

I often get asked how you get readers on a blog and as I said in my blogger insecurities post - I think it's really important that you don't write just to impress others, but be true to yourself. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm often told the best thing about Southern In-Law is that Jesse and I are "real" and we totally are - we don't ever make out to be anything that we're not. I'm not going to tell you I have 5 prada bags and pjs from Hermes because the truth is, my favourite pjs are $8 cupcake ones from Kmart and I'm the queen bargainista. 

Don't lose yourself to become more popular because it's silly. With everything in life you should; 

Work for a cause, not for applause, 

Live to express not to impress, 

Don't strive to make your presence noticed, 

just make your absence felt.

My favourite quote, quite fittingly by an anonymous author.

The first time Jesse came to Australia

Question: Were you ever scared that you and Jesse wouldn't like each other when you met?

Answer from Kristy: Of course I was, I was a teenage girl! Like any girl I worried what he would think of me - was I as pretty as my pictures? Was I funny? Was I smart enough? Tall enough? Entertaining enough? Would he get bored of me? 

Did I for a second worry about what I'd think of him? Oddly enough, no. I was too self concious and worried about myself. 

The day he arrived I was so nervous at the airport. I hopped from foot to foot, paced the floor, ate 101 tic tacs to distract myself, watched the clock, checked my phone, checked the arrivals board - and then I saw him and everything melted away. Though, I did rush him to hurry up so I could hug him for the first time. 

You know how you have those friends who you see after a long absence and start right where you left of? It was just like that - only we'd never actually been together. It just felt right.

Answer from Jesse: Yes, I was a little afraid before we saw eachother.

Question: Jesse, what do you think of Kristy's cooking?
Answer from Jesse: Simply amazing, clean and full of flavour (From Kristy: shucks! Gonna make a girl blush :P)

Question: What do your family think of your blog?

Answer from Kristy: As I've said before, the blog is almost like an additional family member - it's something we always talk about and something they are a big part of - my family often come with me to events, taste test different recipes or try out different products - and sometimes, they're the ones getting sent things not me!

My family are very much supportive of the blog - and my extended family and friends are too. I'm incredibly lucky!

This is Kelly's reaction to the below question

Question: Have you ever thought of starting a fashion blog? I love your look!

Answer from Kristy: Well, first of all I have to say thank you, Sarah! But I think to start a fashion blog you have to be fashionable and the truth is - I'm not sure I am (as my girl Kelly agrees!).

I find alot of fashion bloggers are all about labels - and I'm not like that at all. I'm the queen bargainista and don't like to spend too much on myself ever. I generally buy clothes that are inexpensive but comfortable and suit my style - rather than looking at the store they come from or the name on their tag. 

When I'm at home, you'll find me in comfy clothes - yoga pants, activewear (even though I'm sitting on my behind), hoodies, big sweaters etcetc. When I'm working or out, I generally switch between business casual and quite feminine - I love blazers but I always pair them with girly blouses. I'm not allowed to wear heels because they make me tower over Jesse and I kind of stick to favourite shoes, rather than having a wardrobe filled with 300 pairs. 

So the answer is; no, I wouldn't start a fashion blog but yes, I will definitely be doing some fashion posts! 

Question: Do you die your hair?

Answer from Kristy: I've never dyed my hair once. I was born with blonde hair and lots of curls and as I got older, my blonde hair turned darker until it reached the colour it is today. My hairdresser won't let me dye it as she loves my natural colour and says that each of the strands shine a different colour in the light.

Depending on the light, my hair changes colour and it actually has auburn and blonde highlights in it.

Question: What do you and Jesse like to do together?

Answer from Kristy: Jesse and I are really similar so we enjoy doing most things together. We tend to have either lazy days or busy days. Lazy days are generally spent at home, watching movies or just hanging out at home. Busy days for us vary dramatically - it might be shopping or going to the movies, seeing friends or heading to a cafe for a coffee, seeing a show or heading into the city to explore. We're also a fan of picnics and occaisonally I convince Jesse to go for a walk with me ;) 

Since Jesse's only just moved here, we also like to explore new places - so we often like to plan trips to the mountains or to the coast to see something new. I also love having people over for dinner so we try to do that often.

Answer from Jesse: Usually we like to spend time in the city, try new things we haven't done and also spend time with our family.

Question: How did you find out you were a coeliac?
Answer from Kristy: You can read my full Coeliac Story here. I never thought I was a coeliac until the test came back. In fact, I walked into the doctors office confident that this would be the first test I'd ever fail in my life - but my track record of passed tests (medical and school) continued and the ugly coeliac gene was there. The doctor was shocked and, truth be know, I cried - out of frustration and much due to the fact that I hadn't yet found how to enjoy gluten free food. 

I was incredibly sick before the doctors ever thought to test me for coeliac disease - and if it hadn't been for one gastroenterologist who wanted to try and show me I was being ridiculous for cutting out gluten, I mightn't have ever known. 

Now I have a whole new team of doctors who are incredibly supportive and helpful - and my lovely GP, Gemma, will do anything to have me feeling better. Her medical knowledge is insane and she picks up on things that any of my old doctors would have missed (like my B6 toxicity!)

Question: Does Jesse eat gluten free or do you cook with gluten?
Answer from Kristy: The answer to the is kind of yes and no - Jesse often eats gluten free foods, just because we often have the same meals or I cook with gluten free pasta because it's easier to cook everything all at the one time. 

As you'll see with all of the recipes on the blog, they're all super adaptable and I cook the same for Jesse. Whilst he might have a gluten free meal with healthy chilli and brown rice one day, the next he might have an asian noodle stir fry with wheat noodles (because I haven't been able to find good gluten free noodles).

Question: Jesse, what's the best thing Kristy cooks?
Answer from Jesse: That's not a fair question! How can I pick? 

The Chicken Bacon Rice Bowl was my number one for a long time (from Kristy: and what everything else gets rated against!) but then she made her Tahini Soy Stir Fry and it's my current favourite. She also makes really good banana muffins (and the Banana Polenta muffins make a regular appearance at the SIL house) but the chocolate cake is our favourite dessert.

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So I don't overload you with questions, let's leave the other questions for another post very soon!

But tell me, is there anything you'd like to know? Both of us will answer your questions in the next post too!

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