We had the good fortune of connecting with Kristal Leon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kristal, how does your business help the community?
A big part of my blog is writing children’s book reviews. From an early age, I noticed that my daughter loved reading books. When I was introduced to a couple of Indie Children’s Book Authors, I immediately fell in love with writing about their children’s books and sharing the messages their books had. My passion for sharing the wonderful messages of these books became so popular on my blog that by the end of my first year of blogging, I had over $1000 worth of children’s books. So, I donated all of the books to Book First Chicago, a nonprofit organization that collects books to help create libraries in low-income Chicago Public Schools. And that was the beginning of that. Currently, we have another $1000 worth of books ready to be donated, and we are still collecting more. I hope to donate at least $1500 worth of books this year. Last year A Sailors Wife also donated $1000 worth of toys to Lurie Children’s Hospital during Christmas for the Patient Play and Toy Fund. This year, we decided to create a fundraiser to raise money to donate to Lurie Hospital. Our goal this year is to donate $2,500. A Sailors Wife philanthropic efforts are rooted in our purpose of helping children worldwide discover the love and joy of reading and the value that Children’s Books bring into the minds and hearts of our little ones.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
One of the things that sets me apart from others is my passion for helping others. Before anything else, my blog was created to help others. A Sailors Wife is not about me. It’s about helping my community through parenting, military life, motherhood—basically, all of the above. I hope that my experiences, life, tips, tricks, and resources will help others. I want to help make other’s life just a little easier. I got to where I am today with a lot of dedication, passion, and determination. Whenever I have bad days or feel like I’m not doing well with my business, I always remember why I chose to be a blogger and why I chose to create A Sailors Wife. There’s a quote by a great friend of mine, Jonathan Masiulionis, “When we are blessed with health, wealth, skills, and talents, they are not ours to hold onto. It’s up to us to be custodians for these gifts, to utilize them for the highest and greatest good and to share them with others.” And honesty, this is exactly how I live my life and conduct my business.

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
I love this question so much because I just wrote a 3-day itinerary for those visiting Chicago, and I shared so many great ideas for things to do in the Windy City. First and foremost, I have to say if you have children, you have to check out the Swissotel in Chicago. They have a kids suite that will literally make you not want to go home. They fill the kid’s room with toys and games galore, and then you walk over to the next room, and you have a living room and master room and three bathrooms, all with the most beautiful view of the skyline of Chicago. Now for the food, you know that Chicago is known for its deep-dish pizzas. Of course, I have to recommend that you check out Lou Malnati’s or Giordano’s. Also, I recommend you check out the rooftop restaurants because the view will not disappoint. There is a lot to do in Chicago. One of my favorite things to do Downtown has been to take a cruise down the Chicago River, visit Navy Pier, and take a bike ride on the lakefront. I highly recommend Bobby’s Bike Hike for bike tours. You won’t regret it.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The person I have to give recognition to is my husband. A year ago, when I decided to start my blog, we had a lot on our plates. We have two dogs, three kids, we are a military family, and so much more. However, even though I was taking on a big task, my husband continually supported my ideas, ambitions, and goals. I don’t think I can ever repay my husband for the amount of support he has given me. I feel bad for him at times because I can get a little crazy when I’m passionate, but he is always there to listen and support.

Website: asailorswife.net
Instagram: www.instagram.com/asailorswifeblog
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/asailorswifeblog
Twitter: www.twitter.com/asailors_blog
Facebook: www.facebook.com/asailorswifeblog

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