Joe + I are getting ready to head to Cabo to celebrate our 20th anniversary and we are so so excited! We were supposed to go to Bora Bora, but with the move and everything going on it just didn’t happen. We were able to book a quick trip to Cabo for a few days and we can’t wait to spend quality time together and focus on us! It’s been a busy year already so we’re thankful for some time away together. I’ll be sure to share where we stayed and our recommendations when we get back, but today on the blog I wanted to share everything I’m packing for our trip!
When it comes to swimsuits, I pack a few favorites and this year I found a ton of good ones from Amazon + Walmart! They fit great and you can’t beat the prices! This one is a dupe of a more expensive brand and I honestly love the dupe even more because it’s more supportive! Definitely recommend!
…SWIMSUITS…
: COVERUPS
For this trip, I’m packing my new favorite shorts + tank from Abercrombie! They are perfect to throw over any swimsuit. I also bought this cover up from Amazon and absolutely love it!! Can’t forget about my favorite linen pants too!
If you haven’t ordered this makeup bag yet, you’re missing out! It holds so much and you can’t beat the price. I always make sure I bring my favorite face sunscreen, go-to face wash, brow gel, vitamin c serum, and more! Sharing the rest below. Don’t forget to use code KAILEE15 for 15% off everything from Tula!
…BATHROOM BAG…
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Thank you for being here! I’ll be sure to share all about my trip when we get back!
Today on the blog I’m sharing my March Amazon buys! I can’t even believe it’s April already! If you missed my last blog post, I shared 5 swimsuits I’m loving, so be sure to check that out because they are GOOD! It’s starting to warm up here in St. George and I am so happy about it! With moving and getting settled into our new house, I’ve been ordering alll the things!! Sharing everything below!
I ordered this scalp massager for both Hayden and Hudson because they have so much hair! The massager makes it easier to wash their hair and scrub their scalp. Hayden just puts her shampoo on it and scrubs her whole head! It also stimulates blood flow to your scalp, so it’s good for hair growth too!
: YOGA MAT
I bought 2 of these black yoga mats for our home gym and we really like them! I use it for workouts that require me to be on the floor. Only $20 and also comes in pink and blue!
: CLEAR ORGANIZERS
These clear organizers are amazing! I use them in my pantry but you can use them in the bathroom or office too! What I love about them is that they have dividers that you can take out and make them different sizes, etc. We use them for tupperware lids, cake supplies, etc. They’ve been a game changer!
: HAND SOAP PUMP
We have a black bathroom so I ordered a few of these soap pumps and they look really good! Only $9.99 too!
: WHITE SET
I ordered this linen set for Cabo and love it! It’s the perfect dinner outfit. Fits true to size and comes in a ton of colors!
: FOOD CONTAINERS
I bought a few sets of these glass containers for our pantry! They hold so much and you can use them for really anything…..flour, pasta, oats, protein powder, protein bars, rice, and the list goes on! Definitely recommend!
: SWIMSUIT
This swimsuit is SO good! The material is great and I love the one-shoulder! It’s a one-piece but has a fun cutout on the side which makes it unique. Comes in tons of colors and you can’t beat the price! Fits true to size- wearing a small!
: SHELF DIVIDERS
I ordered these shelf dividers for my closet, specifically to organize my purses and I love them! They look so clean and organized.
: MOP SET
With moving into our new house, I wanted to clean the walls really well. I ordered this lightweight mop that comes with a wringer set and it is so perfect for mopping the walls or the floors! We just use hot water to clean the walls and this set makes it really easy.
: RUG
I kid you not, we have FOUR of these rugs! We bought 2 of the ivory color and 2 of the light grey. It comes in all different sizes. They are sooo soft and have held up really well! The price point is really good too!
: WORKOUT BANDS
I love these workout bands! We’re trying to get our gym all set up, so I needed some new ones! They come in a pack of 3 and are under $20! Definitely recommend!
Today on the blog I’m sharing 5 swimsuits I’m loving! We’re getting ready to head to Cabo so I’ve been ordering all the things and thought I’d share them here! I shared a ton of swimsuits last summer on the blog and they’re all in stock so go check those out for even more options!!
This swimsuit is flattering on anyone and the material is sooo good! The cut isn’t too high or too low, it’s just perfect. It’s full bum coverage too! The bra pads are not removable. They’re sewn in but they’re not super thick which I love because it’s just enough to give some coverage. Wearing a small and it fits true to size! AND it’s only $27!
Love this 2 piece! I actually really like the material. It’s not as supportive as the other swimsuits and it’s a little more cheeky than others. But I love the high-waisted bottom!! And the one-shoulder makes it so fun. The tie on the side is adjustable so you can tie that wherever you want. This swimsuit also fits true to size- wearing a small!
If you order one swimsuit this year, order this one!!! I seriously ordered this swimsuit in 3 colors! It’s that good! I love the cut-out on the side because it’s not like a full one-piece. The pads are removable, the material is great, and it’s full bum coverage! Again, I love the one-shoulder swimsuits so I’m excited to wear this one on the boat all summer! I also ordered it in black and the black is just such a good staple! Wearing a small- fits TTS!
This swimsuit is a little too revealing for me… and it’s pretty cheeky. It sure is gorgeous though and it comes in a ton of colors! I love the fact that it’s a one-piece but it looks like a two-piece. Only $31.99 and fits true to size!
I’m in love with this one-piece from Walmart! It’s not full bum coverage but not a thong either, it’s just enough. Comes in a few colors and is only $15.98!! You can’t beat that!! It’s juniors sizing, so I sized up to a medium and it’s perfect!
Earlier this year I shared my 2024 goals and I thought it might be good just to check-in and tell you how everything is going. I started off really well with my goals, but things have gotten busy…and maybe some of you can relate!
My spiritual goal was to read the Book of Mormon more and finish it by the end of the year. Honestly, I get to it sometimes but I feel like it’s been on the back burner. If I don’t read my scriptures the minute the kids go to school, then it doesn’t happen. That’s the best time for me to read them, just first thing in the morning. I just wanted to read more in general and I’ve been reading this minimalist book on Amazon and I really like it!
With all the house showings, traveling for cheer, moving into the new house, and everything else going on I feel like all my spare time goes to work. So I’m still trying to find a balance with everything.
: FINANCIAL GOAL
We have been great about sticking to our financial goal which is to just keep saving and preparing for the final house! We’ve had to buy some new things for the house, but I’ve tried to buy things that I will also love for our future new-build.
: PHYSICAL GOAL
My physical goal is to workout 4 times a week and eat high-protein snacks! I did really really well with this goal until last week when we started moving into the new house and things just got hectic. We’re putting together our home gym, so I will get back to it and get into a routine because it really does help clear my mind and starts my day off right! I’ve been working on growing my butt for my workouts, about 4 times a week. I do feel like I’ve gained muscle because my pants fit a little tighter in my butt, so I feel like I’m on track!
I started taking creatine probably 3 weeks ago so I can’t say that I’ve noticed a difference yet, but a ton of people have told me that this helped them gain muscle so I think I’m going to have to do it for at least 6 months. I’ve been trying to eat 3 meals and a chocolate protein shake every day. I was doing really well until the last 2 weeks. The FairLife drinks have 30g of protein and those are my favorite hands-down, so if you can find those you need to try! All of my kids love them too.
: WORK GOAL
I’ve tried to be done with work when Hayden gets home, which is about 3 o’clock. But I don’t really have a choice! When everyone gets home, it’s so busy that we have to eat dinner at 4:00. So I work a little bit at night but I try to hold off until 9 o’clock when all the kids are in bed or just not work at all so I can enjoy some quality time with Joe.
I also wanted to make more time for myself and take one day a week to just go to lunch with friends. I do still take one day a week to go to lunch with Hunter and it’s such a highlight of my week! With all the house showings, I haven’t been able to find time to go with friends or even my mom, but I stick to going with Hunter once a week and that’s been a huge thing for our relationship.
I’ve honestly been struggling to schedule time for myself, but I’m just giving myself a couple weeks to get the house in order then we go to Cabo and then Florida with the girls so I’m just trying my best to schedule downtime. The one thing I’ve been doing is taking a bath at night and that’s been so relaxing for me. I’ve been using the Salty Tub, they do detox baths and they are amazing! It’s not a quick bath it’s just a really peaceful experience with no electronics and I’ve loved it.
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I hesitated to share this post about my struggles, but I think the main part of this blog post is just to show that I’m not perfect. No one is! We set goals and just because we miss a day or something does not mean we are a failure, we can still get back on track. Thank you to everyone who supports me and follows along! I am so grateful for you!
Today is mine + Joe’s wedding anniversary!!! We are celebrating our 20th anniversary and while I know people make it to 50+ years, 20 still feels like such a big number!! I love hearing more about other people’s relationships and what works for them, so I thought it would be fun to put together a little post on my top 5 tips for a happier marriage that works for us! Every relationship is different and this might not all be what works for you but I hope it is helpful! For our 15-year anniversary, we did a Q+A, so if you want to check that out here it’s a fun read!
I don’t know what it is about marriage, but I think we all kind of assume that our spouse knows so much about us, they should be able to read our minds too. Does anyone else feel that way? I started to notice that a lot of Joe + I’s disagreements or frustrations would stem from me assuming he knew what I meant or wanted, even when I wasn’t saying it.
For example, he would ask if it was okay with me if he went and did something with his brothers. I had had a long day with the little people and didn’t want him to go, but I would reply with “yeah fine…whatever”. My answer was no, but I wasn’t saying it. I was expecting him to take my tone of voice or body language into account and assume my answer. By saying what you actually feel or think, instead of expecting them to figure it out, you will save a lot of unnecessary confrontation.
While this may not be the case for everyone reading along here, we are in the depths of raising our little family. Having 5 kids comes with a very demanding busy schedule. It is so easy to let the craziness of it all push our relationship to the background. We just don’t have time. But you guys, your marriage and that relationship is the most important piece to the family puzzle!! Making your spouse a priority builds the foundation for your family to grow on.
For us, this means making regular date nights a must. Some weeks are busier than others, but we find a way to make it happen. For you, that could mean finding a babysitter while you go grocery shopping together, or getting your favorite takeout after you put the baby to bed. As long as you are setting time aside to focus on your marriage and that connection. I used to feel so guilty leaving our kids, until I realized if we aren’t strong as a couple, the whole family suffers.
#3: Check In With Your Spouse Regularly
Life gets busy and sometimes we just get into our routine. As long as everyone seems happy we just kind of go with the flow. I don’t know about you, but I notice when we get that way, I can get frustrated. Again I’m assuming Joe knows what I need. Something that has helped our marriage is to have a check-in with each other once a month. We talk about anything we could use the other’s help with. Areas where we might be struggling. It is kind of a reset for our family game plan so we are on the same page.
#4: Know Each Others Love Language
If you haven’t read this book, you need to read it together! Knowing your spouse’s love language can be such a game-changer in your marriage. If you are unfamiliar with the book, the love languages are Words of Affirmation, Gifts, Quality Time, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. We all have a different way we feel the most loved. A lot of the time, yours will not be the same as your spouse’s. I often catch myself doing things to show my love for Joe that I would want him to do for me, instead of working in his love language. Focusing your affection in a way that they appreciate it the most makes such a difference.
#5: Always Try to Put Your Spouse First
Being a busy exhausted mom – it can feel impossible. Your husband can get pushed aside as your focus is constantly on taking care of your little people. I catch myself doing this a lot and not making Joe a priority. We have both noticed that if we try, as hard as it can be, to put them first and give them the benefit of the doubt and respect, it makes such a difference in our attitude toward each other and the feeling in our home.
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Our marriage is far from perfect. We still struggle and disagree daily. But we’ve been at this for 20 years now and I do feel like these are some tips that have helped our marriage to be stronger and happier. I would love to hear any tips you try and focus on in your relationships too!
Today on the blog I’m sharing Easter Basket gift ideas for your kids and teens! If you know me well, you know that I’m all about simplifying. I’m not all about the toys and junk. I always fill up the kid’s Easter baskets with things to prep for the upcoming spring and summer seasons! We usually do smaller Easter baskets because we like to fill up most of the Easter eggs with dollar bills instead of candy. But, I’ve rounded up a ton of ideas for Easter gifts for your kids so you are sure to find something they’ll love! I’ll be highlighting a few of the items and why we love them as well!
My kids are always needing new goggles for summer and these ones are great! You can’t beat the price either!
: SANDALS
I get Harper a new pair of sandals every year and these ones are to die for! They will match anything- perfect for school + church! Harper also has these Tkee flip flops and loves them!
I always get my boys a good rash guard to use all summer! We love the Quiksilver ones and this one comes in a few other colors! They’re Houston’s favorite!
: STANLEY
Each of my kids have their own Stanley water bottle. They each have a different color, so they know who’s is whose. They are perfect for sports or playing by the pool! They keep water cold for so long and don’t leak!!
Both Hunter and I are obsessed with these Tkee flip flops! We both have the “pout” color and they are our go-to sandals. They are great quality and have lasted us forever! Lots of color options too!
: TANK + SHORTS
I always get Hunter a good tank top and shorts for Easter that she can wear all spring + summer! They both come in different color options and are just good closet staples.
Hudson is always losing his sunglasses and needing some for sports and summer, so these ones are a great option because they’re only $20! They come in all different colored polarized lens!
: NIKE SHIRT
All Hudson wears is Nike!! So I’m always getting him some basic staples and this shirt is his favorite. He has it in multiple colors!
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Hope everyone has a great Easter! Need a good Easter morning breakfast? Here’s the recipe for our favorite cinnamon rolls!
Since it’s getting warmer, I ordered these new workout shorts and I love the compression on them! They fit true to size too. And come in a ton of colors!
: LAVA STONES
We bought 3 of these lava stone packs to put in our new fireplace. We wanted to swap out the logs for these and they look really pretty! So I’m excited to put them in the new house.
: BCAA
Joe takes this BCAA stuff everyday and it’s been helping him build and sustain muscle! He loves the watermelon flavor and it’s sugar free.
: MEN’S JEANS
Joe needed some new black jeans and these ones are SO good! They fit like a glove!
: LEVI SHORTS + VEST
Hunter bought these shorts + vest for her Cheapskate dance and it ended up looking so cute! Both fit true to size.
: COVER UP
I have this cover-up in red, but wanted it in this apricot color for our trip to Cabo next month! Ordered a small. Love the length and the quality!
: WHITE SWIMSUIT
I also ordered this swimsuit for Cabo and honestly love it! It fits true to size and you can’t beat the price! Only $30!
: WHITE TEE
Hunter actually ordered this white tee for herself because I have the blue one and she’s always trying to steal it! These tops are unbeatable. Amazing price point and the quality is so good! Runs true to size!
: HEEL BALM
Joe loves this heel balm for his cracked feet! Just another one of Joe’s random purchases, but it works really well!
: STEP STOOL
I ordered a few of these stools for the kids so they can reach the top of their new closets!
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What was your favorite Amazon buy last month?! You can see my January 2024 buys here.
Time for another life update! Can you believe it’s almost March? We’ve been so busy with kids’ activities, the new build, and Joe’s new job. I feel like we’ve been all over the place! So I figured it was time for a life update!
Big update on the new house! The builders are telling us we can move in on March 15th (which happens to be the kids’ spring break, so they are thrilled)! We are so excited. All that’s left to finish are the wood stairs, the carpet, and the landscaping! If you want to see the process unfold, I have 2 highlight bubbles on my Instagram you can browse through.
: KID’S UPDATE
I’m sure most of you saw, but we were in Vegas last weekend for Hayden’s cheer competition and you want to know the best part?! Hunter competed on Hayden’s cheer squad too! She was asked to fill in a few weeks ago and has now secured a spot on the team. It was such a fun experience to watch them be on a team together because that probably won’t happen again! Their team did the best they’ve ever done and scored the highest they’ve ever scored! They also got a bid for the regional summit!!! It’s not nationals, but it’s a big competition that you have to get a bid for. Hunter has been such an encouragement and motivator on the team!
Hudson was asked to play in a baseball tournament with his old team. They came down from Salt Lake and he was so excited to play with them again. He had one of his best games yet- he hit 3 doubles! It’s just crazy because he’s way taller than me now. If you look at pictures from a year ago, he was a few inches shorter than me so it’s just crazy to look back on. He’s starting to fill out and has been working out every morning and is dedicated to putting on some more muscle. So it’s just been crazy to watch him go from boy to teenager!
After seeing the girls perform, Harper wanted to be on a cheer team so badly so I told her if she could do a back handspring then she could try out. She’s working on that and you can see on my Instagram that she made her own workout schedule! She has her first-ever dance recital coming up in May and she’s thrilled! As far as Houston’s update, he started baseball and he’s on a competitive team which is just a bunch of our friend’s kids and my cousin is coaching so Houston is stoked! Our neighbors have a batting cage so I love it because Houston just goes over and hits with his friends. He’s just in pure heaven. Both him and Harper start soccer in a week so we’ll be back into full fledge of sports!! Busy times but you gotta love it!
: JOE’S JOB
Joe has officially been in his job for almost 2 months! If you’ve been around a while, you know we moved a year ago for his job, and he’s JUST started it. It has been a season full of unknowns, but now that he’s in the job, we know it was all worth it. In Salt Lake, he had a 45-minute commute to work. Now it’s only 3-5 minutes. He LOVES it, and it’s been such a good thing for our family!
: BEING IN ST. GEORGE
We’ve loved being in St. George surrounded by family and loved ones. If you missed our last life update, you can read it here. I talked about how we’ve been in St. George for 1 whole year!! We stopped by the new St. George temple this past weekend and we all loved it. It’s a different color scheme inside than most other temples. It was purple and green and purple is my grandma Hunter’s absolute favorite color so it was really cool because we all felt grandma’s presence there with us. Overall we are just so happy to be here and the beauty that surrounds us. If you ever stop by St. George, here is our travel guide of all our favorites!!
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Thank you for being here and following along our crazy, busy life!
Today on the blog I’m sharing THE best chocolate chip cookie recipe! Everyone’s always asking for the recipe so I knew it needed a place on the blog. The original recipe comes from our really good friends from residency and the husband would make the best chocolate chip cookies! So this recipe is from our good friend Ben, but we’ve made a few little tweaks over the last 10 years and now they are perfect!
– INGREDIENTS –
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
2 1/4 cup of flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
chocolate chips
– INSTRUCTIONS –
mix together the sugars, butter, vanilla, and egg
mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt
combine everything in your mixer
add in chocolate chips of your choice
bake at 375 for about 10 minutes
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We hope you guys love these chocolate chip cookies as much as we do!! See all our other favorite recipes here.
With it being Valentine’s Day, I thought it might be fun to get a little personal and share how Joe and I met! I always love hearing people’s stories and what brought them together. With this being the day we celebrate the ones we love most, I thought it was the perfect time to share ours!
Joe and I met when we were 12! His family moved to St. George right down the street from us when we were in middle school. The first time I saw him we were walking home from the bus stop and he had curly hair and I remember having the strongest impression “you are going to marry him.” I hadn’t even talked to him! I never told a soul about that until my wedding day and I finally told my mom. It was so fun living down the street from each other- we had the same friend group and we are actually all still close!
In high school, we went on dates but he said he didn’t want anything serious and thought we should date other people. Mind you, my entire senior year I dated as many boys as I could, and he didn’t date a single soul!
After high school, things started to get a bit more serious. About 6 months later, Joe left for Florida to serve a two-year mission for our church. You can read more about that here. While he was away, I dated a ton, finished hair school + started my full-time job as a hairstylist, started coaching the high school cheer team, bought my first truck, and traveled a lot with my girlfriends. He came home 2 years later – 10 days before Christmas and we were married in March!!
Now here we are, almost 20 years later with 5 kids living back in St. George where it all started. My heart is just so full! I am so thankful for Joe and the life we are living together!
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That in a nutshell is how Joe and I met. He is the best person I could ever ask for to go through this crazy life with!
Can you even believe it’s February?! Hope everyone is having a great year so far! Today on the blog I’m sharing all my random January Amazon buys! New church shoes for Hudson + Joe, my favorite label maker, and more!
You guys know I’m all about organization and storage! I ordered this wreath organizer and LOVE it! It comes in different sizes and you can’t beat the price!
: MEN’S SHOES
I ordered these shoes for both Joe + Hudson for church! They are of amazing quality and come in lots of different colors. They fit true to size too (I got Joe the wide ones + Hudson the regular)!
: BEACH TOWELS
I’ve used these towels for over a year and they are the best! Lots of color options but I love sticking with the tan-striped ones. So I had to order more to add to our collection. We can never have too many pool towels around here.
: CORD ORGANIZERS
These cord organizers are a game changer! They hook to your kitchen gadgets (crockpot, blender, kitchen aids, etc) and you can wrap up your cord! Comes in a pack of 6 for under $10!
: PANCAKE BATTER BOTTLE
How genius is this pancake batter bottle?! You can add the ingredients right into the bottle and mix it up! Then you pour it right onto your pan to make a pancake! No more mess!!
: LABEL MAKER
Anybody else been in organization mode?! This is my favorite label maker! It’s a Bluetooth label maker and has all different kinds of settings! If you want a more affordable option, this one is my other favorite.
: RUG
I ordered 3 of these rugs for our new house! So I haven’t opened them yet but they are the perfect neutral rugs for the kid’s rooms. They are so pretty.
: CLEAR ORGANIZERS
I ordered these clear organizers to hold my Colgate wisps! The whole family uses them so we each got a box to keep in our bags and backpacks! They could hold whatever you want, they are a good size!
: PAPER TOWEL HOLDER
I love the simple modern look of this paper towel holder! It comes in different colors but I ordered the black. You can stick it under your sink or under a cabinet- it’s amazing!
: SHEET ORGANIZERS
I organized my linen closet and couldn’t believe how many sheets I had! I found these sheet organizers on Amazon and they are a game changer! You can get “queen, king, or full, etc” on them so you know which sheet set is which. It really is genius!
Hey Guys! It’s Hunter here with another Teen Takeover!! For today’s teen takeover, I’m going to walk you through my daily skincare routine and my must-have products! Before I get into my routine, I wanted to share my tip with you. I think the biggest thing with skincare as a teen is to keep it simple. There are lots of products being pushed at you, but it doesn’t have to be crazy. My mom says the best thing is to just get into the habit or routine. I agree that that alone makes all the difference. So let’s talk about what I do!
In the morning I keep it simple. I don’t want to wake up any earlier than I have to (haha) and since I take care of the bulk of my routine at night, there aren’t a lot of things to do. I always start by putting on this 24/7 moisturizer from Tula that I love. It is seriously the best and I won’t use anything else. I love the way it makes my skin feel. You can use my mom’s code KAILEE for 15% off. After I do that I just put on some of this lip mask to help keep my lips from getting dry + a little mascara and I’m good to go!
: PM ROUTINE
I don’t know about you, but I LOVE taking a bath. It is just so relaxing at the end of the day. When I’m in the bath I will use this new Tula Exfoliating Body Scrub. It is SO good and makes your skin silky smooth. After the bath, I will apply this body moisturizer (also from Tula…promise this isn’t sponsored, they really are that good). The littlest bit goes a long way and again it makes your skin feel amazing.
Once I’ve done all that, I will wash my face. I use this face wash! It gets your face feeling super clean without making it all dry like a lot do. Then I will apply Tula’s toner to my skin. After that, I will apply the 24/7 moisturizer I use in the morning and end with my under-eye stick and the lip mask. Use code KAILEE for 15% off the face wash, moisturizer, toner, and under-eye stick!
The last thing I do before bed is apply my Babe Eyelash Serum! If you haven’t tried that, you need to!!! I honestly can’t believe the difference in my lashes. It has made them so much longer, and for me it even makes them come in darker!! You can try it out with my mom’s code KAILEE20 for 20% off!
