Now that I have started to share more about my health and fitness routine both here on the blog and over on Instagram, I’ve been getting a lot of questions on what I do for my workout. And honestly, it has varied! Up until recently I did Orange Theory about 6 days a week and really loved it! Now I have started doing F45, and though it kills me, I love the challenge. I honestly don’t feel like there is just one set thing I can tell you I do.
One thing I’ve started doing is following a few different fitness accounts over on Instagram. As I see them do tutorials for workouts I love, I will screenshot or save the posts. Then when I am stuck at home to workout, or traveling, I know I have some great options without having to search through a million options on youtube! So since I’ve been traveling so much lately, and with the crazy inconsistency of our schedule, today I wanted to share 5 Travel Friendly Workout Moves I l love, using zero equipment, that are perfect for hotels, grandma’s house, and anywhere in between!
:: TRICEP DIPS
Just thinking about these make my arms burn! They are a quick way to get in a great arm workout while traveling. If you are confined to a hotel room, you can use the bed, the bath tub, or even the seat of a chair to hold on to while you dip down.
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:: INCLINE OR DECLINE PUSH UPS
Just like the tricep dips, these are such a great arm workout and you can almost instantly feel the burn. The benefit of doing decline pushups over just a regular pushup is it forces you to actually lift more of your body weight, giving you a harder workout! For the decline you can use anything like the bed or a couch that will elevate your feet above the rest of your body. If you choose the incline option, that will put even more weight and emphasis on your lower chest and triceps.
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:: ELEVATED LUNGE SQUATS
For these you’ll want to use a couch, bed, or chair as well. You’ll put one leg up behind you on whatever you are using, and squat down in to a lunge. It will give you a major booty and leg burn!
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:: OBLIQUE CRUNCHES
I don’t know about you, but these little oblique muffin top devils are the hardest to tighten up. When I plan out my workout, I always try to include something that will target that area. This is probably the simplest option to get a quick burn. You just lay on your side with one arm out and crunch up towards your hip bone, keeping your legs together and straight.
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:: ELEVATED MOUNTAIN CLIMBER CRUNCH WITH DONKEY KICK
Last but not least is the ab + booty burn. I know this is not at all the official name, but it describes it best to me! Haha! You will start with your feet up just like the decline push up, hands in the same push up position. Then you take one leg and pull it in towards your chest and kick it back and up. Repeat with opposite leg.
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:: BICYCLE CRUNCHES (EXTRA)
I’ll usually try and throw these in if I have time.
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. . . SHOP MY WORKOUT GEAR . . .
As you can see, these are some great options for on the go. I am obviously not a fitness expert, hence my creative probably very wrong names for each of the moves. But I’m learning as I go and wanted to share some things that have worked great for me as a beginner and would be easy for you to do at home to start without all the fancy equipment! I’d love to hear some of your favorite workout moves too!
Amazon Prime Day 2019 is here and for TWO days!! I found so awesome deals for you and of course I’m sharing all our Amazon favorites! We are definitely true/addicted Amazon Prime members over here as we always have a package on the doorstep at least 1-2 times a week. Cause honestly you can’t not beat that FREE two day shipping!
Portable Charger – we love this charger so much and all fight over that we now have at least FOUR in our house. And we never leave the house without a few!
Spray Tan Machine – I get asked all the time about this and to share when it’s on sale and it is!! It’s worth every single penny.
Olaplex Shampoo + Conditioner – I’ve been using these for over a year and love what they have done for my hair. (you know me and good hair product is a MUST!)
Britax Carseats – we have used Britax since Hunter was a baby. We currently have two in Joe’s truck.
Pampers + Wipes – you should all know how much we love Pampers around here!
Freshly Picked Moccs – my most favorite baby shoe ever. These little shoes leave your baby’s footprint on the outside and are so dang comfortable for them to walk in.
Freshly Picked City Pack Bag – the current bag I’ve been using for almost a year. I love the backpack style + all the amazing pockets!! Perfect for two babies.
When you think of a really good sale, most people usually think of Black Friday. And while I LOVE it as much as the next person, I’ve really been loving the summer sales I’ve been seeing! A friend of mine just clued me in to the Macy’s Black Friday in July sale that is going on now, and you guys it is GOOD!!
Macy’s is a great place to shop some of my favorite brands and basics for the whole family! I love that it is a one stop shop at great prices. I searched through the whole sale and picked out my top 12 must buys to share with you today!! Below are a few items I own and love! I just added these Free People Bermuda Shorts that are $39 + these Free People High Waisted Jeans to my cart!! Don’t forget to use code JULY and shop fast, sale ends tomorrow night!
When it comes to shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, one of my MUST SHOP sections is always Kids. The kids section is full of so many incredible deals, that are often times overlooked! The timing could not be better for Back to School Shopping. I love to stock up on all the kids Fall basics, and quality pieces I know will last them all year long. One of my very favorite parts of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is the Kids section. Last year was one of the best years for the kids department, and this year is just as amazing! Since I have little people from baby (I refuse to let her grow up)…allll the way up to Tween, I’ve shopped allll the sizes and am detailing my favorites for all the kids below!
:: BABY
. . . SHOP BEST OF BABY . . .
. . . SHOP BEST OF BABY GEAR . . .
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:: BOYS
. . . SHOP BEST OF BOYS tops. . .
. . . SHOP BEST OF BOYS bottoms. . .
. . . SHOP BEST OF BOYS shoes. . .
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:: GIRLS
. . . SHOP BEST OF GIRLS tops . . .
. . . SHOP BEST OF GIRLS bottoms. . .
. . . SHOP BEST OF GIRLS shoes. . .
. . . SHOP BEST OF TWEEN GIRLS . . .
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Phew! That covers every nook and cranny of the Nordstrom Anniversay Sale Kids Section. As you can see, there are some incredible deals you won’t want to miss this year, so act fast! I love taking advantage of the free shipping and returns by ordering everything in the possible sizes I need, and letting my kids try it all on at home to see what works. It saves you the stress of hauling them in the store, but you still guarantee you get everything that caught your eye and can return the rest! And just think, now you can take the month of August off because all your Back to School Shopping will be done! Happy Shopping!
One of the biggest categories to find INCREDIBLE deals during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is Baby Gear. From strollers and car seats to sleep and feeding essentials, you can always find amazing deals. Some of our favorite things from Nuna are included, as well as a launch of some new Nordstrom exclusives from them too! While we are kind of phasing out of the baby years (cue all the tears), I still sifted through all the details and am sharing the best of baby gear with you today!
. . . CAR SEATS + HIGH CHAIRS . . .
. . . STROLLERS +SLEEPING . . .
. . . CLOTHES + ACCESSORIES . . .
As you can see, this is one of the best baby gear sales you will find all year! And I promise you most of these items will sell out SO fast so don’t wait!
After a lot of requests and the amazing feedback on our 5 Five Minute Hairstyles for Girls post, we are back again today with another quick, easy, and CUTE hair tutorial!! Today we are going to walk you through the steps of creating the perfect messy bun. We LOVE a good messy bun in our house. They are so easy to do + they get your hair out of your face. Plus they are a little more fun and creative than just a pony tail. Since I chopped my hair off and can’t demonstrate to well anymore, I enlisted Hunter to show you how its done in the video below!
And there you have it! Like I said in the five minute hair styles post, the more you practice, the easier it will be. I promise you’ll catch on quick and pretty soon doing your hair or your girls in the morning is going to be way more about fun!!
. . . SHOP OUR HAIR FAVORITES . . .
Don’t forget to subscribe to our YOUTUBE CHANNEL to always see the latest hair tutorials, as well as my mom tips + organization hacks! PLUS, we’re almost to a 1,000 subscribers – so help us meet our goal!!!
**And just a reminder, in just a few days the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale goes LIVE!! We will have exclusive early access to the sale in order to bring you all the dressing room details on fit and sale items you don’t want to miss! So be sure you are following along over on Instagram, as well as subscribed to our newsletter so you don’t miss a thing!
You guys!! I don’t know how it happened but somehow our tiny little Houston is already FOUR today!! We are so lucky to have his as a part of our family. He is constantly making us all laugh, is so sweet (when he wants to be) with his bestie Harper, and is growing up so fast!! We love him so much and thought his birthday would be the perfect time to share 4 things we love about our Houston!
This one is pretty obvious if you know him or look at our pictures. All of our other babies have been right on average or even a little chubbier, but not our Houston. I can’t tell you how many times we get asked if Houston and Harper our twins because he is our tiny guy and she is our little chunk. They basically are the exact same size and we just love it. To give you an idea of how small he is, he can still fit in size 18-24M shorts!!! Haha! We have figured out a sneaky little way to get him to eat more, and it is all about the competition. If we make dinner into a contest between him and Harper, it is game on for that boy!! He always wants to take double the bites as her, and do whatever he can to win! Which is a win for us too!
:: HE SAYS THE SWEETEST FUNNIEST THINGS I NEVER WANT TO FORGET
I don’t know about you guys, but when my kids say sweet little things “wrong”, I never want to correct them. It is just so sweet in their tiny voices. Houston has some really funny things he has been saying lately that I don’t ever want to forget!
“Are you kiddin me?!” – This is his constant reply to any funny story or thing he doesn’t quite believe
” Where are my dankies?” – He has quite the collection of blankets he has to sleep with but he sweetly refers to them as “dankies” and I never want him to learn the real word.
“Can we play baseball yesterday tomorrow?” – This one might just be my fave. He says “yesterday tomorrow” for any future time frame he is talking about and we all think it is the cutest.
” I am NOT a baby!” – You have probably noticed that I have always referred to Houston + Harper as “the two babies” whenever I talk about them. Well just over the last month or so he has caught on and if I slip up and say it he makes sure to remind me “I am NOT a baby! Harper baby!”
:: SHOP HOUSTON’S FAVORITE THINGS ::
:: LOVVVVVES ALL THINGS BALLS
I’m pretty sure his obsession with any kind of balls started before he could even crawl. He has always loved them and carries them around with him wherever he goes. If it were up to him, he would live out in our batting cage hitting balls with dad all day long. And when we go to nana’s house, you can always find him perfecting his swing over on the putting green. We love watching him play and can’t wait to see his love for it grow even more as he gets older.
:: IS VERY PARTICULAR ABOUT THINGS JUST LIKE HIS MOM
I am the first to admit I am very particular about how I like things. My love for things to be clean and in their place is not a secret to very many, and Houston is my only child this has rubbed off on. He DOES NOT like his hands or face to be dirty or messy at all. When he eats he always wants to use a specific spoon and just likes things very routine. I think it is so funny and love it because he is the only one that is just like me…and it drives Joe crazy! haha!
When we asked what he wanted for his birthday, he repeatedly tells us the exact same thing. A “rainbow tic tac birthday cake” + tic tacs and a golf club for his presents. I’m a little nervous my cake isn’t going to be what he had in mind, but he is pretty forgiving!
As you can see from these little things, he is such a sweet little guy and so easy to love. He is the perfect big brother to Harper, and the big kids can’t get enough of him. We are so lucky to have the silly and happy light he brings into our family and can’t wait to celebrate him all week!
I don’t know about you guys, but as a mom of 5, I pretty much always feel rushed in the mornings. My focus is usually on helping them to get ready + out the door for the day, so I noticed I was tending to run out of time for myself! I knew I needed a quick yet effective morning skincare routine if I was going to be able to make it happen. So after a little trial and error I found my top products I am in love with and swear by. I use them on a regular if not daily basis, and made sure they are the most effective things worth investing in, with the least amount of work + time on my part! So since I know quite a few of you are in the busy mom mode too, I thought I would share my routine with you today!
Ok so let’s get into the routine! Below I’ve listed what I use in my typical order, as well as why I love each one so much! Like I said, I keep things very minimal and simple so we are saving on time, but still being effective!
:: TULA PURIFYING CLEANSER
First up is face wash! It should come as no surprise to anyone that I love Tula. I’ve used them for years, but I can honestly say that even within just a couple weeks of using them, I noticed a difference in how my skin both looked and felt.
The first product of my morning skincare routine is theirPurifying Cleanser. I love the gel texture! My face feels so clean and refreshed, but it doesn’t leave you with that tight dry desert face feeling after using it like a lot of other face washes tend to. It is full of probiotics to help nourish your skin to give it such a nice glow. The size is pretty big, and you honestly have to use like a pea size to be able to wash your whole face, so it lasts forever! It is worth every penny, especially with the discount (KAILEE for 20% off) and personally wouldn’t be something I’d switch out for a cheaper option.
:: TULA RE-SURFACING GEL
Next up I apply Tula’s Toner. I LOVE LOVE the gel consistency. It goes on so smooth and easy. I use it to help balance out my skin tone + prep it for the rest of the products or makeup I’m going to apply. Another perk is that it helps remove any bits of makeup that I missed in washing my face. Code KAILEE works for this amazing stuff as well!
:: FORM RX VITAMIN C SERUM
As most of you already know, I’ve really been putting a lot more focus on taking care of my skin, including working with the team at Form Med Spa on regular treatments. They recommended I start using this Vitamin C Serum, and so far I have loved it and the results I am seeing. It reverses the signs of again by boosting your collagen, corrects hyperpigmentation, and protects your skin from UV damage. So so many benefits and it is so simple to add to your routine! You can use code kailee10 for 10% off.
:: PMD CLEAN + PMD
I used to be a regular user of the spin brush, but after reading so many mixed reviews and horror stories about mold, I just couldn’t do it anymore. I use the PMD about once a week on my skin to help get rid of that dead skin so all these products I’m investing in can really do their job.
But recently I heard about their PMD Clean and fell in love!! It honestly feels like a luxury face massage from the comfort of my own bathroom. I will take either the Purifying Cleanser above, or my vitamin c serum and apply it with the PMD Clean. It vibrates over 7000 times per minute, so you know it is cleaning well but also tightens up your skin. The heat option is one of my favorite little features. It feels so good and it helps all these amazing products you are using penetrate deeper into your skin and really be more effective!
If I had a number one skincare product I would give to every single person if I could, it would be this moisturizer. It is AMAZING!!! I’ve been using it for years and still stand by it. I love that it gives you such a moisturized soothed feeling without leaving that greasy shine some moisturizes give. It is full of probiotics + is like a super food for your face! If you were to invest in any product for your skin, this should hands down be the one, and with the 20% off code (KAILEE) it is a steal. I always make sure to have a few on hand so I never run out, and it is quickly becoming one of my favorite things to gift girlfriends.
:: FORM RX TINTED SUNSCREEN
One of the most important things I put on my face DAILY is sunscreen!! But you guys, I can’t stand the feel of regular sunscreen on my face. So sticky and blah! Insert my new favorite thing, Form RX tinted sunscreen. It doesn’t have any of the sticky feel of most sunscreens, which I LOVE, it feels just like a light moisturizer. And somehow it is magical and the color looks good on just about every skin tone, and evens out your skin tone just enough that you feel like you can go out and not need all the layers of makeup in the summer. It is THE BEST! If the price scares you, you honestly use the TINIEST bit for your whole face, so one bottle lasts forever. And you can use code kailee10 for 10% off!
:: FINISHING POWDER
As far as makeup goes, I honestly don’t wear it very often. I have my lashes and brows done, so I feel like with the tinted sunscreen above I can head out and feel pretty put together. But I recently stumbled upon this finishing powder and it is amazing. I swear it is like magic. It is suppose to “blur” your skin so it all just blends together in a natural look, eliminating any fine lines or pores. I cannot believe how great it works. It is made with rose wax and almond oil so it almost feels like it just hovers on top of your skin, it doesn’t weigh it down at all. I absolutely love the glow it gives your skin while staying so lightweight.
These last two are new additions to my morning routine, but I’m already LOVING them so I had to share!
:: TULA BRIGHTENING EYE BALM
I’ve already shared about this at least 5 times over on Instagram. I feel like it is a tired mom’s best friend!! If you’re anything like me, the dark circles under you eyes tend to show up a little more often than you’d like. This new brightening eye balm is the magic cure to that. You can choose to wear it under or on top of your makeup. It just adds a bright glow under your eyes, giving you that wide awake look we all want. At the same time it has like a cooling sensation that feels so good. Ah I just love it so much! It has already sold out twice because it is so popular, so grab yours with my code (KAILEE) quick before it is gone again!
:: TULA EXFOLIATING SUGAR SCRUB
I just snagged this gem from Tula a couple weeks ago and am loving it so far. It is not something you would use daily, but more like every few days to once a week. It is an exfoliating sugar scrub that feels so so good on your face. While it deep cleans your pores and removes any dead or dry skin, it nourishes at the same time with probiotics so your skin looks so smooth and healthy when you are done. Hunter is already stealing this one from me because she is loving it too!
That sums up my tried and true power products for skincare. They make getting ready and taking care of my skin quick and easy so I can always make sure it still happens, even when life gets crazy. I’d love to hear what your go to must have skincare items are too!
It’s The Most WONDERFUL SALE of the year!!! We are t-minus 17 days away from Early Access of the Nordstrom Anniversay Sale!! This sale is hands down my very favorite of the whole year. Unlike most sales that are trying to dissolve old products to make room for a new season, the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is full of BRAND NEW fall styles you don’t want to miss at discounted prices!
But I’m not going to lie. The stress and pressure to shop all the things at the sale can be a little overwhelming. But have no fear, I’m here to help!! I’ve shopped this sale for YEARS and have learned a few tips and tricks that have saved me not only time, but the regret of missing out on some steals! So today I’m sharing 5 pre-game tips that will make your shopping experience go so much smoother, as well as 10 Items you are sure to see on sale that are worth keeping your eye out for!!
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:: BE PREPARED TO SHOP AS EARLY AS YOU CAN
One of the biggest and most important tips to shopping the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is to be ready to shop the second it goes live! Early Access for the sale starts July 12 @ 12:30 PM Eastern Time. To shop Early Access you MUST be a Nordstrom Card holder. If you don’t have a Nordstrom Card yet, this is the best time to get it because as a perk to signing up before the July 10, you get a $60 Gift Card!!! So basically you are adding one more cute item to your bag free of charge!
Since these are all fresh new fall styles + releases at incredible prices, they sell out fast! It is normal for the hottest deals to sell out before the sale is even open to the public on the 19th. So save yourself the FOMO and sign up now!
:: HAVE A GAME PLAN
Unlike most sales where you can just kind of browse and find anything that sparks your interest, to fully benefit form the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale you need to go in with a game plan. Now is the perfect time to go through your closet, your hubby’s closet, and your kids and do a little clean out. Get rid of the old and make a list of what you really need. That way those items can be your priority pieces, and you aren’t just throwing money out on things you are already stocked up on because you are frazzled. Think long term as well. These are fall pieces so while you don’t need that amazing leather jacket or pair of knee high boots now, you won’t want to be paying full price for them in a few months either.
:: IF YOU WANT IT AT ALL, GRAB IT
I know that statement goes against my typical advice. Usually I am a big believer in minimal wardrobes and shopping and only snagging the items you 100% need. The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is the only time where I promote your mindset being “if you want it…even a little…grab it”! Items in this sale sell out so fast that you might juts refresh your page, or wait to hear back from your bestie on if she likes something too, and you will be too late. Now I’m not saying to blow your bank account and keep everything. The beauty of Nordstrom is that they always have free returns. So instead of regretting not grabbing something before it sold out, you can go a little wild, and then sort through what you really need when you are less frazzled and more focused.
:: SAVE YOUR SANITY + SHOP ONLINE
If you think the sale sounds a little crazy, imagine trying to fight the crowds and find your size in the actual store. I highly highly recommend shopping the sale online from the comfort of your own home! You will stay more focused and find what you need. It can be shipped directly to you or you can take advantage of their curbside pickup, which I love.
If you are worried about sizing and fit on items since you won’t be going in store, don’t be. I am taking my assistant a couple days before the sale goes live and spending a full day shopping EVERYTHING and taking DETAILED notes. We will have a dressing room guide similar to this one, where we will detail fit, sizing, comfort, pictures, everything you could need, so you will know what is worth grabbing.
:: KEEP YOUR KIDS IN MIND TOO
While the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is a great place to stock up for your fall/winter wardrobe, don’t forget about your kids too. It is the perfect time for back to school shopping + stocking up on all those fall staples. Some of my favorite, most worn kids items come from this sale, but they sell out quick! (You can check out our favorite kid picks and tween picks from last years sale at these posts) Just like I go through my closet pre-sale, I will go through theirs too and see who needs what items and go from there. I ALWAYS buy a bulk bunch and let the kids try them on AT HOME so we aren’t adding any unnecessary stress. Anything we don’t love the look or fit on, we return for free!
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Now that you are prepped and ready to shop, lets talk specifics. While the sale always has some new trends and surprises for the upcoming season, there are always some items that are repeated over the years and worth keeping your eye out. I’ve narrowed down my 10 favorites that I always watch for, that you’re sure to see on a great deal this year too!
Jeans are always always a guaranteed feature in the sale. I usually try to grab one go to denim pair, as well as a good black pair.
:: BASIC TEES
My favorite basic tees or something right along the same lines are usually included too. Like I said before, this is such a good time to stock up on the basic fall staples, not just the big unique items.
:: CARDIGANS
It should come as no surprise to you that I LOVE a good cardigan. They are the perfect fall staple for layering and the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is my favorite place to stock up. They almost always have a super affordable BP option as well as the cozy feels like pajamas Barefoot Dreams Cardigan.
Since the sale is all brand new fall styles and trends, jackets and coats are often in the spotlight. They have had amazing leather jackets (pictured above) the last two years, and they may just be my favorite sale purchase. The quality is amazing as well as the price. Mine are still in amazing condition, but I’ve got my eye out for snagging Hunter one this year.
:: DRESSES
Some of my very favorite basic day time dresses have come from the sale too. I love dresses in the summer, spring, and fall, because they are so easy to layer and dress up or down.
:: BOOTIES
A good pair of booties is one of my very favorite things to get during the sale. They always have at least 2 or 3 great neutral staple pairs that would go with so many things.
:: WORKOUT STAPLES
Who doesn’t love a new workout outfit?! They are definitely my favorite kind of motivation. The Nordstrom Sale is known for having some top brand athletic shoes on sale every year, as well as some great leggings and sports bras!
I mentioned this above already, but the kids section is one of my favorites to shop during the sale. They have so many great staples like jeans, joggers, shoes, dresses, everything at such a great price for back to school!
:: BABY GEAR
If you are pregnant or have a new little one, baby gear is one of the hottest items that sells out the fastest. Great top brands discount everything from Car Seats to Strollers down to incredible prices! Check out some of the hot itemsthat were featured last year!
I hope with these tips + tricks you can snag just what you want, avoid any fomo and stay stress free!! If you aren’t already following along over on Instagram, you’ll want to make sure you are! That is the quickest place to let you know as soon as our detailed dressing room post goes live, where we will share stories during the actual shopping, and have an amazing sale giveaway you won’t want to miss! And last but not least, be sure to sign up for our newsletter where we will be sending even more details and sale exclusives! Happy Shopping!
Growing up with 2 sisters, we spent a lot of time doing each others hair! I honestly think practicing on them is what gave me my love of hair and made me want to go to hair school. I’ve “officially” done hair since I was 18…so forever..haha and love sharing my tips and tricks with you! After sharing a cute hairstyle on Hayden over on our Instagram, I had a ton of requests for more quick and easy hair styles for girls! So we whipped up a video tutorial sharing FIVE 5 Minute Hair Styles for Girls! They are quick and easy and I promise with a little practice you will not only have them down, but love having them in your rotation!
As you will see in the video, a couple of the hair styles involve braids. If you are feeling like you need a refresher on your braiding skills, or just want to check out a couple of tips to make braiding a little easier, head over here to this BASIC FRENCH BRAID VIDEOand this DUTCH BRAID VIDEO! And to shop all our favorite go to hair products from brushes to squirt bottles, you can head here!
I hope these quick hair style ideas are so helpful and make getting your girls ready just a little easier. That time in the morning together should be more for making memories, than stressing out and arguing over hair!! Just remember, when it comes to hair it doesn’t have to be extravagant. Take 5-10 minutes with one of these quick options and you will look and feel great!
Life with 5 little people can get a little crazy! So to say we are excited for a break from some of the schedules for the summer would be an understatement! Now if only we could get Joe on a summer schedule too!! Ha! With the end of school, sports seasons wrapping up, and Joe’s crazy work schedule this past month, it feels like we have had hardly any uninterrupted family time! So we decided to take the next night Joe had off, and take a family staycation at The Grand America and it was JUST what we needed!
I don’t know about you, but I really think staycations are underrated! They are honestly the perfect thing if you are short on time or don’t have a huge budget. We loved that we could just pick a night Joe didn’t have to work and make it happen. There was no traveling involved, and packing just consisted of jammies and swim suits so it was so easy! My kind of vacation!! Staycations are also so fun because they give you a chance to explore where you actually live. I think sometimes we take for granted all the amazing things our own little cities have to offer. So this gives you a chance to try new things that are right outside your door! For us that was The Grand America.
Having grown up in Utah and having so many friends from here, I have constantly heard amazing things about The Grand America. It kind of has the reputation of the “IT” place to stay in downtown Salt Lake City, and I completely see why! We fell in love from the second we walked in. The grounds are STUNNING, especially in the spring. So many amazing flowers and water features, ah so pretty! Our rooms were perfect for us too, and one of the biggest perks to The Grand America. We told them we had the 5 kids, so they set us up in a joint room. The big kids were able to have “their own room” that joined up with ours, giving us TONS of space. It is the perfect set up if you are traveling with a family!
Once we got all settled and cozy, we honestly just wanted to RELAX! So we grabbed some takeout and had cookies delivered, for a pj movie party. I know that is totally something we could’ve just done at home, but the kids thought it was the best night ever. They got to stay up late and eat treats in their beds. What more could you ask for?! Haha! If I was reminded anything during this little staycation, it was that it doesn’t have to be this big extravagant thing to be worth it. We are quickly learning that some of the most simple times together are what we all remember and cherish the most. …just swim…jimmy johns + chip…watched a movie.
Another thing we absolutely love about The Grand America is their pools! Utah’s weather has been a little bit wild lately and we had a colder day. It was nice to have the option to swim indoor or outdoor. We loved that the outdoor pool is heated. The kids could’ve stayed to swim all day. Everything about the pool area and the hotel in general, you can tell they had family focus in mind, but without compromising on quality at all. They just kind of think of everything!
So if you feel like you need a little uninterrupted family time, consider a staycation. All the perks of memory making, family time, and fun are there, without the stresses of packing, traveling, and over spending. So if you are in Utah, I HIGHLY recommend The Grand America as the best family friendly spot downtown. We can’t wait to go back around Christmas and be within walking distance to all the magic of Salt Lake at Christmas time.
Summer is HERE and I could not be happier!! This sunshine puts me in the very best mood!! We are still adjusting to the little people all being out of school for the summer, but are cramming in as much fun as we can while we have them!! Since summer is in full swing, I thought the perfect subject for our Friday Faves would be one of my favorite Summer Staples…hats! I’ve rounded up a few of my favorite styles to share with you, as well as why I think each is a great summer staple to have in your closet!
First on my list of must have hats is straw hats! These are 100% one of my summer staples. Of course I love the look of them as an accessory, but they are the perfect hat for protecting your face from the sun. The straw hat is my go to for summer, especially trips to the pool because it is so lightweight so it doesn’t make your head sweaty. I love bringing it on vacations because you can go from wearing it at the pool, and then dress it up for dinner with a dress. It ooks great with your hair up or down, making it the perfect secret weapon for those no wash hair days!
Felt hats are another staple in my closet. I basically have a whole wall of them hanging up because I love them that much. I’ve always felt more confident and put together with a hat, and the felt hat especially is so flattering. Felt hats are a particular favorite because you can wear them at an angle showing the front of your hair, or all the way down. I personally like the style shown in this picture and the one above that have more of a stiff wide brim versus the floppy so you don’t have to worry about readjusting or anything.
If you are considering trying out the felt hat trend, Gigi Pip is the place to look. I swear 75% of my hats, especially the felt ones are from Gigi. Ginger is a dear friend of mine and I 100% stand by the quality, fit, and just overall amazingness of her products. And bonus! You can use KAILEESHIP for free shipping!
Last but not least is baseball hats. I love these so so much! They are my very favorite to pair with a t-shirt + jeans or shorts. I love that you can just put your pony through or do a cute messy bun and you look completely pulled together. Even if you are secretly hiding a grease ball under there. I always always grab a ball cap for the kids games to protect my face from the sun as well. Plus I don’t think there is a person out there that doesn’t look cute in a baseball hat!!
. . . SHOP BASEBALL HATS . . .
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Hats really are such a great summer staple to have. Not only do they make “getting ready” quick + easy, but they also keep you protected for the sun. It is a win win! I know a lot of people hesitate stepping out of the box with hats because they don’t think they look cute on them, or they can’t pull it off. But I’m here to tell you a good hat is just like a bold lipstick! You are the only one that thinks it is too much for you. You will rock it and be so happy you added it as a summer must have this year!
