Can you even believe it’s December?! This whole year has flown by! Life has been so busy with house decisions, holiday preparations, and all the kids activities! But I’m just soaking it in! Today on the blog I’m sharing what I ordered from Amazon last month! I ordered a ton of gifts for the kids for Christmas off Amazon… which you can see here. So I’m sharing the random buys from last month!
I ordered a small in this blue top and I love it! I’m all about basic tees, especially layering in the winter! Comes in a ton of colors and is under $25!
: EYEBROW GEL
This eyebrow gel is AMAZING! And only $6! I bought a different $20 eyebrow gel a few months ago and this Elf one is seriously way better. Adding it to the girls stocking!
: HAIR MASCARA
Ordered more of our favorite hair mascara so I can put it in the girls stockings for Christmas!
: HAIR CREAM
We had to stock up on our favorite hair cream! Hunter, Hudson, and I all use it for our natural curls! It’s the only product we put in after the shower and it works wonders.
: BLACK DRESS
This dress is a knockoff of SKIMS that I’ve been wanting to try it! I got the extra small and it fits great!!
: KNIFE
Joe ordered this knife because he loves to barbeque and everything, so he needed a new knife to cut up meat! He really likes it so far.
: BLACK SKIRT SET
I needed a good church outfit for winter and I’m so happy I found this set! It’s a soft ribbed material and fits perfect! It’s true to size and comes in tons of colors!
: WRAPPING PAPER SLICER
I saw a friend share about this wrapping paper slicer, so I had to buy it! It’s a game changer for wrapping gifts and is only $19.99!
: STANCE SOCKS
Joe and Hudson are obsessed with these Stance socks. I ordered some more to put in Hudson and Houston’s stocking for Christmas! They come in different color patterns too.
: FRAME TV
We bought TWO of these frame tv’s (the 55 inch) for our new house when they were on sale! We’ve had ours for a few years and absolutely love it. So we had to get more.
: DOG FOOD
Nothing exciting, but we had to stock up on our favorite dog food for small, bred dogs. We’ve used it for years and the dogs love it!
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Have you seen my gift guides yet? I also shared some great stocking stuffer ideas- so check those out here!
Today on the blog I’m sharing what I’m actually buying all my kids for Christmas!! I’ve shared my gift guides that are our tried true favorites, but I thought sharing what I’m buying my kids for Christmas this year would be helpful too. We like to keep Christmas simple and only buy things they truly want and need. Below you’ll see the ages of my kids too- so hopefully that helps!
Hunter always has a main item she wants each year that is always so hard to find. These UGG boots are so popular right now! The chesnut color is sold out everywhere, so I opted for the green color.
: SWEATS
She is always obsessed with sweats and wears them constantly, so another pair was a must!
: CLOTHES
Clothes is all Hunter ever wants! So I bought her this striped shirt that she can mix and match with everything! Also bought her some new Lululemon leggings and pullover!
: COSMETICS
Hunter is obsessed with this Sol De Janeiro body spray so I got her another bottle! Also got her this $6 eyebrow gel… it’s amazing! Way better than the $20 one I bought a few months ago. I decided to let her try out the new Dibs highlighter/blush in the color Aura duo since she doesn’t wear a ton of makeup. So I’ll add it to her stocking.
All Hudson really wants is “cool” shoes and a bunch of clothes. I was able to find a green pair of Nike dunks still in stock so if you have a kid like Hudson, run before they sell out!
: NIKE CLOTHES
Hudson doesn’t really branch out on clothes. He loves anything black or gray. So I decided to finally grab him a green t-shirt to go with his new shoes. He lives in hoodies and these cargo sweatpants 24/7, so I figured he needs another pair of the cargo sweats!
: BASEBALL GLOVE
His main sport is baseball and we wanted to get him a new mitt since he’s grown out of his other ones. Joe did the research on this one, so I know it will last!
: STANCE SOCKS
Stance socks are the only socks I’ll buy Hudson because the quality is fabulous! If you didn’t know, you can buy they infinity stand so if they get a hole, you can take it back to the store and pick out a brand-new pair. So that’s totally saved us in the sock department.
Hayden has been playing the piano with her grandma (joe’s mom) the last few weeks and has really wanted a keyboard. I found this super minimal keyboard that comes in a few fun colors! Also bought her this learning book to go with it.
: NIKE JORDANS
Most of my kids always want an expensive pair of shoes. These ones are the exact color combo Hayden wanted. They are pricey, but this is usually our kids’ main gift.
: COSMETICS
Hayden just turned 12 and is starting to be interested in hair, makeup, and nails. So I got these $8.99 hair bows for her stocking! And our favorite hair mascara!
: NAIL KIT
This nail kit is under $20 and has been such a fun activity for the girls to practice on each other. So I wanted to get another set with some more colors.
Houstin is a simple kid and doesn’t ask for much. He started flag football this season as the quarterback and has really wanted to perfect his throw, so we got him this training net!
: NIKE SHOES
Just like the older kids, he’s asking for a cool pair of Nike shoes. We have spent money on Jordans before, but the shoelaces are a pain in the butt so we found these velcro ones and they’re half the price of Jordan high-tops.
: REMOTE CONTROL CAR
This remote-control car was another one of his asks. Joe did the research on this item, and it has really great reviews! Only $44.99 too!
: STOCKING STUFFERS
I like to do practical items for the kids’ stockings. Things they will actually use after a day or two. Houston is our book and game lover, so we got these dog man books since they are right at his level. And I did branch out on the Play-Doh, but I’m one of those moms that absolutely hates slime! The consistency of the cloud Play-Doh is different so I’m hoping it won’t be as sticky as normal slime.
Harper is always our most surprising one. This year she asked for a gumball machine. I found this darling one on Amazon for under $20!
: MOUSE BONUS ROOMS
Harper already has the Maileg mouse house, but wanted to add on 2 bonus rooms. So I bought this one and this one. I love this open-ended gift because the girls can imagine and play for hours!
: MAILEG MOUSE
Along with the 2 bonus rooms, of course she needed a new mouse and some accessories! I love the quality and love that they are an heirloom, item that we will pass onto our grandkids.
: WATCH
She also wanted the popular Shark watches. I read the reviews on these, and they seem to be wonderful! They come in a ton of different color combos and are waterproof!
: DR. MARTEN BOOTS
Like the big kids, we try to get every kid a new pair of shoes. She really needs a shoe that can be worn for church and school. My older girls wear their Doc Martens everywhere and they’ve lasted years. So I finally got a pair for Harper!
Today on the blog I’m sharing ideas for STOCKING STUFFERS. Stocking stuffers are what my kids look forward to the most! So I wanted to be very intentional with what I added to these stocking gift guides and add items that your kids are sure to love! Scroll down to see stocking ideas for your toddlers, little and big kids, and your teenagers!
Harper’s Tonsillectomy was last week. Everyone has been so sweet to check in on Harper and ask how her recovery is going! She’s doing really well, besides some ear pain. But she’s been a champ! I’ve gotten lots of messages from other moms who have kids getting their tonsils removed soon so I just wanted to share some things that have helped Harper’s Tonsillectomy recovery go smoothly!
WHAT’S HELPED WITH HARPER’S TONSILLECTOMY RECOVERY
: MEDS
Make sure you stock up on the meds!! We ran out a couple times which was not good. Get the flavors your kids will like drinking. And be sure to alternate Tylenol and ibuprofen every 3 hours! With boogie and Harper, I just set an alarm so I wouldn’t forget. If we didn’t miss it, she was fine but if we missed it, she was in a lot of pain.
: STUFFED ANIMAL
Our kids have always wanted a stuffed animal or blanket with then when they go into surgery. It helps comfort them as they go back into the surgery room. This bunny has been Harper’s favorite for years.
: NUMBING SUCKERS
If your child is getting their tonsils removed, you HAVE to get the numbing suckers prescribed from your doctor. They are a lifesaver! They provide instant relief so that they can take their medicine or eat. They’ve seriously been a game changer for Harper.
: STANLEY WATER BOTTLE
We’ve made sure Harper’s Stanley is always full of some liquid so if she wakes up in the middle of the night, she can drink it. We’ve made her carry it around with her everywhere to make sure she doesn’t get dehydrated.
: CRAFTS
Harper has been bored out of her mind, but my mom got her this unicorn craft kit and she’s loved it!! It comes with 8 different crafts so it’s keeping her busy. She’s also loved her stick-on nails.
: ENSURE PLUS
We learned about Ensure Plus years ago from a doctor. It has a ton of calories and protein that has helped Harper not lose a ton of weight while recovering and not eating as much. The chocolate flavor actually tastes really good. She drinks one to two of these a day! They’ve really helped Boogie gain some weight too.
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Good luck to all the mamas going through this right now! You aren’t alone!
I’m sure you’ve all heard of the very common Christmas tradition of getting Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve. I love pajamas and thought it was the sweetest tradition, but we put our own spin on it and we’ve loved it alllll these years later! While I loved the idea behind the tradition, I didn’t love the timing. I am a sucker for Christmas pajamas! I wanted to be able to wear cute pajamas all season long! So we had the idea to open our pajamas on Thanksgiving night instead! It has become one of our very favorite traditions for 13 years now! Sharing a ton of pajamas options for the whole family below!!
WE’RE MOVING…again! If you’re subscribed to my newsletter, you all found out about the new house/move yesterday!! If not at the bottom of every newsletter I spill a bit more “GIRL TALK” about my personal life than I do here or even on IG stories. It just feels like such a safe place. But for those of you aren’t subscribed have I got an update for you!!!
A few months ago, we were really feeling a pull to find a house that would fit our family better (at least for the next 3 years) because we’ve put our build on hold. The current house we’re in we were only planning on being here a year and a half while our dream home got built. Well change of plans! Haha.
We really didn’t want to leave our neighborhood, especially because we live down the street from my parent and Joe’s. AND we didn’t want one more big change for the kids. Lucky enough there was a house being built across the street!! So we put an offer in, confident they would take it, and they didn’t take it. We were pretty bummed. Well, 3-4 months later we put in another offer and GOT IT!! So we are moving AGAIN…just across the street!!
The house fits our family perfectly. It’s not huge but the way it’s laid out with rooms + an extra laundry room I truly feel it was made for us!! And the interior of the house is super modern with cement floors in the basement! Which if you know me this is such a sweet cheery on top. It should be done the end of January, and I honestly can hardly wait!! The kids are over the moon excited that we are just going across the street and that they ALL don’t have to share ONE bathroom anymore!! It’s been such a rollercoaster, but such a blessing and I can’t wait to share more as things unfold.
The last year of our lives have been completely chaotic and in limbo and we really felt like we’ve been listening to what God’s plan for us. And it’s never been what we expected or planned for. But somehow, it’s always worked out. Of course, not in the timing we would have thought. But in God’s time. So if you’re in a place of limbo and uncertainty, just remember God’s plan is always better.
Thank you for all your prayers over this past year. We have felt them deeply. Thank you for being here on this crazy ride called life. We love you and can’t wait to share more.
Last week Joe and I went on our first cruise EVER! We honestly had mixed feelings about it. We want to try another cruise before we decide if we are cruise-goers. But it was such a cool experience and of course we loved our quality time together. Today I’m sharing all the details about what cruise line we used, what ship we were on, where we ported, etc!
We sailed with Royal Caribbean out of Galveston, TX on the ship, Harmony of the Seas. I think it is one of the biggest boats out there. The ship was absolutely incredible! It was like a mini city floating on the ocean. We had an ocean view deck in our room, which was a complete game changer for us!
There was so much to do on the slip like dry slides, water slides, karaoke, ice-skating rink, swimming pools, hot tubs, gym, spa, etc. Tons of places to eat too! They had shows all throughout the day. The water shows were our absolute favorite. They also had a basketball/pickleball court, mini golf, a wave rider, and more for the kids! I honestly don’t think you could ever get bored on this ship.
The trip was four days total, so we slept on the ship for four nights. There was only one stop and that was in Cozumel. We didn’t really plan any excursions, but they had a ton of options like hiking, jeep tours, etc. We just explored the shopping area and ate at a really good restaurant!
We seriously didn’t do very much besides sleep, eat, take naps, workout, and just enjoy each other’s company. We each got a pedicure and a massage, which was absolutely amazing! For me at least, haha.
The food honestly reminded me of an all-inclusive hotel and wasn’t bad at all! There were so many options that everyone could be happy. We got to meet up with some friends for lunch and it was so fun to see them!
Of course, we had to stock up on our favorite hair gel! I use it on Houston every day and it holds so well!
: MIGHTY PATCH
Hunter and I love these mighty patches for our zits! We put them on overnight and peel them off the next morning and it removes the whiteheads! It helps you not pick your face!
: SUSPENSION STRAP
Joe bought this workout strength strap and loves it! We had one in our last house for a couple years and we just needed to replace it!
: COVER UP
I ordered this cover up in tan and red for my cruise and absolutely love it! I also ordered this swimsuit in a size small and am so excited about it!
: SKIN REPAIR SPRAY
My cousin recommended this skin repair spray and it’s totally helped my redness! Hudson has even used it for the redness around his nose and it works so good!
: CREAM HENLEY
We bought this cream henley for Hudson for family pictures and I am so pleasantly surprised with the quality! Definitely recommend!
: SCAR TREATMENT
One of you recommended this scar ointment for Harper’s scar and it’s been great! We apply it each morning and night.
: WOVEN BAG
I ordered this woven bag for my cruise to use when we port! It holds a lot and folds so it packs really well! Under $25 too!
: SOCKS
I bought these ruffled ankle socks to wear with my clog birks and I’m so excited about them! Pack of 3 for under $15!
: GIRLS DRESS
I ordered this beautiful dress for Hayden for family pictures! I also ordered this dress for Harper for family pictures! Both are great quality!
: BODYSUITS
I ordered this 2-pack of bodysuits and I’m obsessed! I got a size small in the coffee/beige pack and they are the best closet staples for fall! Under $40!
If you’ve seen my stories on Instagram the past few weeks, you know that I’ve really tried to prioritize 30 minutes each morning to workout! It’s totally shifted my mindset and helps me be a better mom and person overall. I follow Aubrie Edgington’s workout app and it is SO good! Definitely recommend because I always get asked what workouts I do. Today on the blog I wanted to share essential workout gear you need for the fall + winter months! Because let’s be honest, when you like your workout outfit, your workout goes much better! Look good, feel good, right?! Sharing my favorite workout tops, bottoms, and jackets below!
There are so many good workout tops that I have and love! The long sleeve top showed above is a MUST HAVE! I love the higher neck and long sleeves. I’m wearing an xs/small in the washed black and it fits true to size!
My other go-to top is the Lululemon Align tank! It is butter soft and has built-in bra padding! I wear a size 4 for reference! It is pricier, but there is a dupe on Amazon that is just as good! Comes in 25 colors AND is only 1/3 of the Lululemon price! That’s a win in my book.
My favorite workout leggings are the Align leggings from Lululemon! They are butter soft, just like the Align tank. The leggings are high rise, so they cover all the right places! I get a size 4 and I love the length and fit!
If you’ve been around for a while, you know that The Way Home shorts from Free People are my go-to shorts! I probably have them in about 10 colors(size xs)!
I’ve had the black jacket shown above for YEARS (hence the short blonde hair)! The quality is amazing. Comes in a few other colors but the black is timeless! It’s the perfect jacket to throw over your workout outfit! Wearing a size 4! See my other favorites below!
Time for another life update! Life is flashing before my eyes. Every day is busy, but my heart is oh so full. The weather in St. George has been lovely. It doesn’t feel like fall here yet. We definitely love the warmer weather, but it’s so different to not be surrounded by the beautiful mountains. We miss those drives up the canyon! But anyways, I just wanted to give you all an update on Joe, the kids, our house situation, and more!
A life update we are really excited about is Joe officially starts his job at the hospital on January 1st! He’s been working at the surgery center a couple days a month, but he’s excited to start his routine at the hospital and get that going.
Update on his weight loss shot: A few weeks ago, I shared about the shot Joe is taking for weight loss. If you missed that blog post, here’s all the details. He’s still taking the shot once a week, but he skipped it twice. He didn’t take the shot the week of his race, just because he doesn’t have as much energy or eat as much as he should when he’s on the shot. He also didn’t take the shot on the week of our trip with Hayden. He’s at the same weight, but now he’s just focusing on gaining his muscle back and doesn’t care to lose any more weight. We have this scale that measures body mass, so now he’s focusing on fat and muscle percentage. So we’ll do another update in 4 weeks and let you guys know how everything is going!
: KIDS UPDATE
The picture above is from the Color Run that Houston and Harper waited months for!!!!
Hunter’s soccer season officially ended which is sad. We made a same-day trip up to Logan and back for her soccer playoffs! Her team lost 3-2, but they played so good. It was a great first year of soccer at her new school!
Hudson is in the middle of football season. I don’t even recognize myself because I’ve totally turned into a football mom! I learned all the positions and just absolutely love watching it. He hasn’t played for 6 years because he got a concussion when he was 8. But he decided to start it up again this year and he’s thriving!
Poor Houston hasn’t been up to much. We missed the soccer sign-up date, but he starts flag football and basketball in 2 weeks! He’s so excited, so I can’t wait to watch him. Hayden’s first cheer competition is next month so we are all looking forward to that! She’s loving her team. Harper is doing cheer also and loves it!
: HOUSE UPDATE
We put everything on hold so we could completely enjoy summer and Hunter’s soccer season. So now that’s all over, we’re starting everything back up. We’re analyzing where we can cut back (since we were a million and a half over budget). We’re just really trying to decide if we should just wait it out longer or if we should downsize. So many thoughts going through our head. Hopefully in the next 2 months we’ll have a game plan. We’re still crossing our fingers that we can buy the house across the street in the meantime, just to have more room for our family.
: UPCOMING CRUISE
Joe and I are going on our first ever cruise! Once a year we always try to do a trip, just the two of us. After moving so many times and trying to figure out everything, we haven’t had time to get away. So, we’re going on a quick 3-day cruise! We’ve never been before, so we’re excited to see what it’s all about! I’m excited to just have time together to reconnect.
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Thank you for reading! I hope everyone’s doing well!
When our kids turn 12, they get to go on a trip with Joe and I! You can read all about our 12-year-old trips here. We let the kids choose anywhere they want to go in the United States (besides Hawaii). Hayden chose California, kind of similar to what Hunter chose. Hudson chose Boston and that was really fun too! It’s my favorite tradition! I got asked about where we went, where we stayed, where we ate, so today I’m sharing all the details from Hayden’s solo trip!
: WHERE WE WENT + WHAT WE DID for Hayden’s Solo Trip
Friday morning, we drove to Santa Monica, CA! When we got there, Hayden just wanted to shop! Honestly, she’s the middle child and she’s in-between sizes so I feel guilty because she’s been a little neglected in the clothing department. The 2 older kids order their own clothes, and the 2 younger kids wear hand-me-downs. But, we went to Zara Kids (her favorite) and got her a bunch of good basics!
On Saturday. we went to the Santa Monica pier, and she got to ride a few rides there! We walked down the beach and rented some bikes too! We rented bikes from Bikes Joyride rentals and it was so much fun. Every night, we rented a movie and watched it together in the hotel room! She got to stay up late so that was fun for her.
Sunday we spent the day at Six Flags and then ate PF Chang’s for her birthday dinner!
Monday morning we came home. The drive was good because we could just talk to her for so long! It was perfect!
We stayed in Santa Monica a block from the beach. It was Hilton Santa Monica hotel and suites. Where we stayed, everything was walking distance which is so nice because you don’t have to worry about parking. We literally scootered everywhere!!!
Overall, these trips are about having one-on-one time with our kids. Hayden didn’t care to do anything extravagant, she just wanted to be with us. And I’m so thankful for the quality time and memories I had with Hayden this past weekend!
These months are flying by! Can you even believe it’s October? Today on the blog I’m sharing my September Amazon buys! A new apple watch band for me, the best portable charger, my favorite sweater set, and more!
When I saw this watch band, I knew I had to order it! It’s so classy and I love the gold! It’s the perfect accessory for fall!
: BLUETOOTH EARBUDS
Joe ordered these wireless earbuds for when he goes biking or running. He’s had them before, but Minnie chewed them up so he had to order a new pair, haha!
: ANKLE SOCKS
Hunter and I ordered these ankle socks to wear with our sneakers and they are so cute! They’re perfect for boots too and just overall a good sock to have for fall + winter!
: ODOR ELIMINATOR SPRAY
We got this odor elimination spray to spray down all the nasty pads for football and soccer! It honestly works great.
: SWEATER SET
Ordered this rust-colored set in a size small and absolutely love it! So fun and comfy for fall! Lots of ways to style it too!
: SWEATSHIRT DRESS
I ordered this sweatshirt dress because it’s the DUPE to my Free People one! The Amazon one is great quality and way more affordable. I ordered a size small so I can have some more length!
: NO-SHOW SOCKS
I ordered these no-show socks for Harper and Hayden and they work great! 10 pairs for $17!
: WAFLLE KNIT SHACKET
You can’t have too many shackets for fall! I ordered this waffle knit one in a size small and love it! Comes in lots of fun colors too!
: GLOVES
These gloves were one of Joe’s random purchases. He ordered them so he can keep his hands warm the next couple months at all the sports games! They’re Under Armour gloves so they are great quality. He got size XL!
: PHONE CASE
These are our favorite phone cases for Joe ad the kids! They ordered all the fun colors this past month.
: TANNING MOUSE
I was recommended this tanning mousse from the esthetician at the St. George day spa. I’ve only tried it once and so far, and I liked it. But it doesn’t come out brown, so you can’t see where you’re applying it. That’s the only part I don’t like.
: PORTABLE CHARGER
This portable charger is my FAVORITE! It will fully charge your phone 2 or 3 times. I’ve been taking it to Hunter’s games because I video so much and it’s just so amazing.
