Hi, my name is… Kristina Perez
I’ve lived in Peoria almost two years and I love it because…We live right next to a mountain where there’s access to trails, beautiful sunsets, and wildlife every day.
A typical day in my life includes… The day starts off with my three-year-old daughter silently watching me sleep and then yelling, “It’s the morning time, wake up!’ Shortly after, my five-month-old son starts crying and my husband and I are up, whether we want to or not. From there is a mad dash to clean, feed, and clothe the kids while doing the same for ourselves. All the while my daughter is singing and showing me how the dress “spins out big” and my son is squawking loudly and rolling around. Then it’s off to the babysitter and work at the City of Peoria Office of Communications. On my way to work, I’m answering phone calls and text messages from coworkers and reporters. Once I’m in the office, I turn the TV on to monitor local news and read updates on Twitter, Facebook, and various news outlets. Shortly after is usually my first meeting of the day. By the end of the day, I’ve done any number of things like met with a variety of city departments, wrote press releases, pitched morning TV producers, updated our website, helped our graphic designers make flyers and content for social media, spoke to several reporters, created a marketing and advertising strategy for a local project, and so much more. I’m very rarely sitting at my desk, doing most of my work on the run on my iPhone or Mac laptop. I enjoy learning from and speaking to different people every day, including residents, business owners, experts, media, and more.
My family… Is one of my choosing and making that I am proud of and couldn’t live without.
One thing I cannot live without is… A comfy spot to sleep and chapstick.
My favorite movie I could never get tired of watching and why… I love watching movies in the theater with the giant screen, surround sound, buttered popcorn, Milk Duds and a cherry Coke. There aren’t many movies I don’t like so it’s hard to narrow it down to one favorite.
When I was younger, I wanted to be… A writer, professional soccer player or fashion designer, traveling the world with a home base in New York City.
The song I would sing at Karaoke night is… Anything by Adele, Evanesence or No Doubt.
The one person who motivates me is… My husband. He’s ambitious, creative and he has an amazing way of gently pushing me along when I need it, allowing me to be me and loving me for it. He’s endured a lot in his life and is wise beyond his years.
The last thing that made me laugh out loud was… Hearing my baby boy giggling loudly because his sister was tickling him.
The perfect day would be… Any day involving more than four hours of sleep, good food, and a beautiful day outdoors with my family.
My favorite local place to visit is… Driftwood Coffee, I’m a sucker for a good coffee shop with yummy smells, comfy places to lounge and unique artwork to look at – and I’m not even a coffee drinker!
My life… Is crazy right now. I’m in the thick of raising two little ones while juggling a fast-paced, full-time career in communications, staying physically active, and visiting with family and friends whenever possible.
The best gift I’ve ever received was… My custom sapphire engagement ring given to me by husband. There was so much thought and love put into that ring. Every time I wear it and look at it, I think of all the memories and future we’re building together.
My dream vacation would be to… Travel the world with my family and an unlimited budget, exploring caves, mountains, rivers, treetops, beaches, breweries, delicious food and historic landmarks. We’d have to start in Sweden to learn more about my heritage and family.
The best piece of advice I’ve ever received… Failure is necessary for success and perfection is the enemy of happiness.
