School starts next week and I’m honestly so sad about it! I love summers with my kids, and I love having them home with me. Anybody else?! I’ve gotten a lot of questions about what Hudson is wearing this year for school and honestly, he does all his own school shopping! So today on the blog I’m sharing what he ordered for his freshman year!
Like I mentioned before, Hudson does his own school shopping! For reference, Hudson just turned 15 and he’s 5’10”. This year he made a big order from Pac Sun. He loves all their shorts and graphic tees, and the prices are very affordable. He always gets a few Nike staples as well. He picked out these Nike shoes for his birthday, and he always orders this shirt in a couple colors. He loves their fleece shorts too. Everything he ordered fits true to size. He wears a size small in all the shorts, and he loves his tees oversized. So he gets a L or XL in those!
Happy August! Another month gone by, and I’m so excited to share my July Amazon buys! Sharing everything I ordered last month below! I didn’t go crazy.
I ordered these vitamins because I’ve seen a few friends use this, so I wanted to test it out! It targets hair growth. I think it would be great for teens who are wanting help with their hair and don’t need collagen yet. It tastes amazing and I’m just finishing up my first bottle and about to order my second.
: BREAD MAKER
A good friend recommended this bread maker and holy crap it is a GAME CHANGER! I’ve been making a ton of cinnamon rolls and this has made my life so much easier. It’s on the pricier side, but so, so worth it. I’ll link our favorite cinnamon roll recipe here.
: SHOWER STEAMERS
These shower steamers are like a bath bomb for your shower! My mom bought Hunter some and so of course I wanted some too! They are amazing, who doesn’t love a little self care?!
: HAIR CREAM
I tried this new air dry cream for my curly hair and I absolutely LOVED it!!!!! I put it in my hair when I got out of the shower and I let my hair air dry and the cream worked so well! It gives me the prettiest curls- and no frizz! Definitely recommend.
: APRICOT SET
I ordered this cute set in the apricot color and I’m excited to wear it the next few months, it’s perfect for transitioning into fall too! Comes in lots of colors!
: PAJAMA PANTS
Hudson wanted these snoopy pajama pants and he’s been wearing them every day, haha!
: DRESS
I thought this t-shirt dress was so cute, so I had to try it! It’s the perfect length, under $20, and comes in over 35 colors!!
I tried this new cinnamon roll recipe last week and my kids LOVED it! A lot of you were asking for the recipe so I wanted to share it on the blog! We got the dough recipe from a sweet friend of ours and the filling and frosting recipe from the Food Nanny’s book- she never disappoints!
– INGREDIENTS –
dough:
1 cup milk
1 cube butter
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar + 1 tbsp
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1 tbsp yeast
filling:
6 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
frosting:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 tbsp butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
– INSTRUCTIONS –
For the dough, this is the bread machine I just bought and used. My good friend recommended it. It’s a little pricey, but honestly SO WORTH IT! We use it all the time for rolls, and dough for sweet rolls! You literally just dump all the ingredients in and push start. An hour and 50 minutes later and the dough is done!
When using the bread machine, put all the ingredients in listed order and go to the basic dough 1:50 setting and hit start. Once the dough is done, roll out the dough into a flat square, brush melted butter on it, and spread the filling all over! After you’ve spread out all the filling, roll up your dough into a log. Cut the log into 12 rolls, about 1 inch wide. Then saran wrap the rolls (make sure you spray cooking oil on the saran wrap), then place a towel over them and let them rise for 1 hour.
After the 1 hour, place your rolls into a baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes, until they are puffed and light golden! I make the frosting while the rolls are in the oven. Once the rolls are baked, top them off with the delicious cream cheese frosting and ENJOY!
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We hope you guys enjoy these cinnamon rolls as much as we do!!
Hunter is back from Bali!! And she had an amazing time. It feels so good to have her home and the kids have loved hearing all about her trip! Today on the blog I wanted her to share her thoughts about her trip to Bali and I’m sharing my thoughts as well. I’ve gotten lots of questions about her trip, so I figured I’d share everything here on the blog because that would’ve been so nice for me to have when I was getting her all signed up and ready.
HXP is the company Hunter did the trip through! We got on their website around Thanksgiving time last year and saw what weeks they had available for Summer 2024. So we looked at our calendar and chose which dates worked best for our family. When we registered, Hunter got to choose the top 3 places she wanted to go! You can read through all the different places they offer around the world. So Hunter applied for her top three and she was hoping she would get Bali. And not everyone gets one of their top 3 picks, but it’s still so exciting wherever you’re sent. They first assign all the kids that are 18, then 17, then 16, that way the older kids get the top priority. About a month later, they sent us the email that she was assigned to Bali!! It was so exciting. Parents can also go and young adults can be leaders after they turn 18 and are graduated, which Hunter is super interested in. Hudson really wants to go in a couple years too.
All the trips are different prices, you can see pricing on their website. The further out of the country you go, the more the trip will cost. They do have options in the United States too, because I don’t think they let 14 or 15 year-olds go out of the United States. But, if you’re interested in this, make sure you get on the website around November/December and get signed up. They highly highly recommend you do not go with friends. Like don’t try to match up your friends at the same time. Hunter hardly knew anyone in her group and even though it’s scary, it gets them out of their comfort zone!
Honestly, my trip tp Bali was a great experience for me! It was very eye-opening and I would recommend going on it. It was a total of 18 days which is a lot for teenagers, especially during the summer, but it’s so worth it and it went by fast. I felt like I was only there for a week. But like I said, it was very eye-opening. I got to see what the third-world looks like and how they live their life. It’s just very different from where we live, I don’t think I’m gonna ever complain again. I feel very grateful for I like the places I live, the food I have, etc. The food was hard because it was literally chicken and rice for every meal. Sometimes we had fish too, and we would have to take out the bones and stuff! I lived off of the G2G protein bars [code: KAILEE] because I didn’t like the meat in Bali but wanted to make sure I was getting my protein in (I love the peanut butter ones). I’m really glad we packed extra snacks for me to have at the worksite.
One thing that I enjoyed was the people! It was so cool to see a group of teenagers all come together and bond so fast! I honestly believe that because we didn’t have our phones, it helped us be very present and bond much more than we would have if we did have our phones. We were able to get to know each other so quickly and be much more vulnerable with each other. I realized how much a distraction my phone is and, not even just the phone, but like worldly influences in general and how much they distract us and take us away from like what we could be missing. Teenagers tend to hide behind their screens but we were forced to become close and it was such a blessing because we were able to see each other’s needs and really develop a connection. I met so many good people and even though we were all so different, we are all such good friends and bonded through this amazing experience!
The kids in Bali were one of my favorite parts too! They are all around the streets, I just loved seeing them and I loved serving them. We were building a school on a beach and the kids would be there every day to talk to us and help us. So you develop a very tight connection with those kids and some of those kids bond to you very fast. The first few days we did some exploring around Bali, but the rest of the trip was service work and it was really good. I felt the spirit there and I would probably do it again. It would be so fun to be a leader on an HXP trip someday.
: MY THOUGHTS
Okay, here’s my thoughts as the mama! It was really stressful to get her all packed because she was our first kid to go. And the anticipation of sending your daughter to a third-world country for 18 days was a little crazy, but I never felt like she was ever going to be in danger. And she’s just so responsible that I didn’t have a worry about her flying by herself and getting from plane to plane. I totally felt calm and like I trusted her to do that on her own. Once we were all packed, it was fine. I bawled like a baby when we dropped her off at the airport and she left! The travel time was 27 hours plus and at least five plane rides to their final destination. The first 3 days were literally the hardest because her and I have such a close relationship. She’s always busy during the day, but she always comes into my room at night and gives me an update on everything. So the fact that she didn’t have a phone or anything to contact me with was the hardest thing for me the first few days. But there is a parent on every trip that will upkeep the Instagram that you can follow along. We were hooked to Instagram!! My kids would wake up first thing in the morning and want to check it for any updates and pictures of Hunter. She was a whole 25 hours ahead, so when it was morning for us, it was night there for her. So we definitely looked forward to those updates.
But honestly, after like the first three days, I could’ve let her stay a month! It would’ve been hard, but just the environment that they’re in is so uplifting. They’re constantly serving and feeling the spirit. They had morning and night devetionals, so it keeps them in a good place mentally and spiritually. She struggled with the food, but other than that she had a great time. We got a letter from her a few days before she came home and her letter was so sweet. She told us she was having a great time, and she was so thankful for her life back home. She also talked about how the kids in her group became her best friends. The letter was so comforting for Joe and I, we could’ve let her stay another few weeks 100%. Joe and I also wrote a letter and Joe emphasized to her that she needed to embrace this trip because it’s the only time she won’t have to think about too much, or check her phone, or worry about who she’s hanging with that day, or worry about cheer or soccer, or whatever it is! She got to disconnect from the everyday crazy of the world and just live in the moment. And I think that is something that money just can’t buy. I would definitely do it again. Hudson repeatedly said he was so jealous, he’s like I wanna go every single year. He was just was so envious of the experience and not having the phone.
: WHAT TO PACK
HXP has a packing list on their site- so we literally packed everything they had on the list. Also, the bathroom situation was less than ideal. There was no toilet paper on the worksite so make sure to pack wipes. And be sure to pack lots of snacks! Also a WATCH! We got this watch and she said it was so nice to have since everything is on a schedule and she didn’t have her phone to check the time. HXP gives you a backpack to use but people told us that she would want a bigger one, so we ordered this one for her and it was so perfect! It holds a ton of stuff, which was so nice to have for the travel days too.
I think the only thing Hunter wishes she would’ve done was pack some nicer clothes. We packed mostly grungy crappy clothes for the work site because we knew everything would get ruined. She only brought two shoes on the trip We got these tennis shoes and these Tevas off Amazon and she literally threw them away when she got home because they were so hammered. We ordered a ton of things on Amazon, like tennis shoes, joggers, a digital camera, and more. Everything we ordered on Amazon is linked here.
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Thank you to everyone who was so supportive of us while Hunter was in Bali! We love you all!
Our MAIN big appliances are from Boulevard Home!! We’ve gotten all our appliance from them over the past 15 years. Honestly their customer service is hands-down! Remember, this home was a spec home. As soon as we knew we were buying it, we asked if we could switch out some of the appliances. The builders were great to work with as well as Boulevard Home.
A built in fridge and freezer (or cabinet ready) were a must for me as I feel like it completely elevates your kitchen! Boulevard recommended this fridge and freezer combo and we have been so happy with them!
Today on the blog I wanted to share my FAVORITE prime items that we have and love! There are so many great options for each category, so I’m here to share my top must haves for each category! Happy shopping!!
MUST HAVE AMAZON PRIME DEALS
ELECTRONICS:
We love these PORTABLE PHONE CHARGERS!! We have three of them and they are a must-have for travel! On sale for $17.99!!
The RING DOOR CAM is a must have, especially with kids! We love their indoor cameras too.
We’d had this 55in FRAME TV since it first came out and absolutely love it! And the price is sooo good! It’s literally $648 off!
All of our kids have the ECHO DOTin their rooms. We love to play music with them + use them for alarms. The Echo Show is a great option too!
I absolutely love the color of this APPLE WATCH! And it’s 32% off right now!
These AIRPODS are on sale for $168.99- originally $249! Such a great deal!
These stacking MIXING BOWLS w/LIDS are a favorite at our house and great quality! 20% off!
This FLOOR/WALL MOP has been a game changer for cleaning our walls and floors!! It’s so handy!
If you haven’t tried the NINJA CREAMI yet, this is your chance! It’s such a good price and you will get so much use out of it!
I ordered this GREEN MACHINE a few months ago and I have loved it! It’s the best upholstery cleaner for rugs, couches, and anything fabric! On sale for $82- I’ve never seen it that low!
This Dyson VAUCCUM is life-changing!! Cordless and 36% off!
Can you believe we’re already into July?! School starts next month for my kids and I can’t believe how fast summer is going! We’ve slowly started school shopping for the girls and a little bit for the boys- so I wanted to share our picks here and I’ll be sure to share more as we get things ordered!
When it comes to school clothes shopping, I love picking out BASICS that they can wear year-round! We found these $16 cargo pants from Walmart and they are adorable! There are so many fun ways to style them too- both Hayden + Harper love them! We also bought these tank tops which are another great staple and they come in lots of colors!
My girls love their Nike sets for school too- so I always stock up during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale! I be sure to get them a few Nike items and 1 or 2 pairs of shoes that will last them all year! Sharing some of their picks below…
I haven’t ordered anything for the boys quite yet. All my boys wear is Nike so I love to stock up during the Nordstrom Sale- which is available for early access now, but goes public on Monday!! And again, I love picking basics for the boys too. A few simple plain shirts, a good jacket, and 1-2 pairs of shoes. Here’s everything I got in my cart!
TOPS + BOTTOMS
SOCKS + SHOES
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Hope everyone is having a great summer! If you missed our family summer bucket list ideas, you can find those here!
Today on the blog I’m sharing what I got Houston for his 9th birthday! I had a few people ask what I got him so I figured I should just share it on the blog! He’s an easy kid and it doesn’t take much to make him happy!
Today on the blog I’m continuing the “Our Home” series and sharing all the details about the kids’ room! Harper (7) and Houston (9) share a room and I love how it’s all come together! I wanted their room to be very minimalistic and easy to keep clean, especially their closet. Sharing all the links as well as design information below!
When it comes to kids’ closet, I like their closets to be as decluttered as possible. We don’t keep any toys in their closets, all of our toys are kept in the playroom!
Labeled baskets have worked really well for us! We put the baskets where the kids can reach them to avoid clothes all over the ground, which is why I love the lower hanging racks for hangers too. My biggest tip would be using baskets because nothing has to be folded or perfect – it can just be tucked away in the basket- out of sight out of mind! Easy for the kids and less stress for mama! And don’t forget to LABEL- here’s my favorite clip labels + label maker.
I ordered way too much from Amazon last month! Between Hunter’s upcoming humanitarian trip (she leaves today) and summer in full-swing, I ordered A TON. Sharing some of my favorite June Amazon buys below!
I ordered these CD players for Harper, Houston, + Hayden to use for audio books this summer and they are loving them! We have been getting audio books from the library, so it’s been fun for them to go and choose books to listen to. I got Houston the blue color and Harper + Hayden the pink!
: TANK TOP
This tank top is the dupe of the Lululemon Align Tank and it’s so good! Very very similar to the Lulu one and the price is much better! Comes in tons of colors and fits true to size!
: POOL BALL
This watermelon ball has been a hit this summer! The ball fills with water so it’s dense, and the kids can pass it and dribble it under water! It’s really cool + the kids are loving it!
: LINEN PANTS
Who doesn’t love linen pants? I bought 2 of these to wear this summer and I’m so excited about them! The waistband is stretchy and is such fun detail too.
I ordered this dress to wear at my cousin’s wedding and it was perfect! It’s the prettiest floral pattern and is perfect for summer. The back is very open, so I had to wear my favorite sticky boobs in place of a bra. Dress fits true to size!
: DIGITAL CAMERA
Hunter ordered this digital camera for her HXP trip! I’m excited to see all the pictures when she gets back. Under $50 and we also bought her this case for it. Everything we’ve ordered for her trip from Amazon is linked here (there’s a lot more)!
: STEAM CLEANER
I saw my girlfriend use this steam cleaner to clean her grout and windowsills so I had to order it! Haven’t had the chance to use it yet, but I’m so excited! Anything to make cleaning easier, right?!
: EARRING PILLOW
I got two new piercings on my ear and they’ve been pretty painful! Everyone told me to buy an earring pillow, so I ordered this one and it’s totally helped my sleep! You lay your ear in the hole so it’s open and not applying pressure on it. Game changer and the price is great!!
: KNIT SET
I ordered this set in beige-apricot and army green to wear around the house this summer! Also works for a pool cover-up. Fits true to size and comes in a ton of colors!
: TEVAS
Hunter + I thought these Tevas were so cute! She ordered them for her trip. She’s always loved Tevas, so she usually gets a new pair every summer and I love the colors of the ones she ordered!
: FLIP FLOPS
I bought these flip flops for Houston! He needed some good new flip flops for summer. Under $20 and come in other designs!
: PLEATED SKIRT
I love wearing skirts in the summer and I thought this pleated skirt was adorable! So many ways to style it and comes in a ton of fun colors for summer!
Our Ninja Creami has been used so much this summer already! Who doesn’t love ice cream on a hot summer day? And even better, who doesn’t love HEALTHY ice cream?! Today I’m sharing our family’s two favorite protein-packed Ninja Creami recipes that your families are sure to love! If you haven’t bought a Ninja Creami yet, this is your sign! This Ninja Creami from Walmart is on sale AND free shipping!! They also carry the deluxe version– which is a great price too!
after 24 hours, remove the lid and place pint into the machine
hit the LITE ICE CREAM button (it will mix for a few minutes)
take it out + add 2 tbs fairlife milk + hit RESPIN
add in any toppings you’d like + ENJOY!
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I hope you guys enjoy these recipes as much as we do! Last week I shared our favorite Acai recipe, so be sure to check that out too! If you have any summer recipes you love- please send them my way!
I decided to start a whole series of our house details like we did with our last home! Over the next few months, I’ll be highlighting each room on the blog sharing the details, organization, and links! Today I’m sharing all the details about our pantry!
Maggie + Co was the designer for our house – she picked almost everything out! She was a HUGE reason why we bought this house because her style is so similar to ours! I got all the design details of our pantry so here you go…
Wall Paint: Benjamin Moore- Oxford White (eggshell finish)
Organizing my pantry brings me so much joy!! When it comes to the pantry, I like keep everything categorized, contained, and LABELED! This is my favorite label maker, but this one is also great and a more affordable option. Sharing everything I’ve used below…
