The light at the end of this home renovation tunnel is now clearly visible. While there were plenty of days in the last few months when I was just over the whole thing, I’ve been doing my best to maintain perspective, be thankful for the gift it is to be able to renovate a home, and the excitement about seeing our vision for this house come together. When we moved back to Iowa we were shocked at how scarce the … Read More
Motherhood Year 1
Ainsley isn’t quite a year old (just a month and a half to go!) but I’m already starting to think about the first year of motherhood as I plan for her first birthday party. Yes, we’re throwing a big birthday bash for our 1-year-old, yet another thing I said I would never do. (God’s teaching me a LOT about using the phrase “never”) I’ve been making a list of the top pieces of advice I would pass along to a … Read More
An Intention for 2016
Truth be told, I wrote a whole list of intentions down in a blog post and was ready to hit “publish” but as I was laying in bed last night, thinking about the year to come, I paused. My list had a whole bunch of things, like feeling good in a swimsuit and reading more books and what not. Fine intentions, and things I still probably pursue in the year to come. But as I was thinking about what truly … Read More
Merry Christmas!
An early Merry Christmas to you, friends! Today I wanted to share a few of our holiday photos that were taken earlier this fall. It’s amazing to me how quickly Ainsley changes. She looks so different now than she did when these photos were taken less than two months ago! Tis the life of a baby, right? There are a lot of reflective, mushy and very true things to say about 2015. It was SUCH a big year for our … Read More
Diaper Bag Dilemma – Solved!
I’ve always had a thing for pretty purses and handbags. For as long as I can remember, it’s been my go-to indulgence accessory. That is, until I became a mom. I dutifully committed to carrying a very traditional diaper bag when Ainsley was born, because most of the pretty, fashionable diaper bags I looked at just didn’t seem very functional. And while I might love fashion, I wasn’t willing to sacrifice function with a little one in tow. While I … Read More
I’m breaking up with Target.
Photo via Unsplash I’ve been thinking a lot about my new small town life lately. Needless to say, moving from Minneapolis to small town Iowa has been a big change. Sure, I grew up in this small town, but living in a community as a child vs. an adult is a totally different ball game. I’ve phoned my mom a dozen times asking where to get/do certain things. Where do you drop off dry cleaning? (Answer: Joe’s TV and Appliance, … Read More
Ainsley Update: 8 Months
I have pretty much fallen off the monthly update bandwagon completely, but since I talk a lot about motherhood and Ainsley, I thought it was time to give a little update. Although I don’t think I’ll resume monthly updates, my plan is to check in from time to time with all things Ainsley. Development Ainsley has been doing so many new things lately! She is now confidently crawling around the house (she started crawling about a month ago) and pulling … Read More
Marriage Matters
We had family photos taken a week ago by a dear friend of mine who is raising money for their family’s adoption. Family photos are my favorite, at least once they are over and done with! Once I have the photos in my hands I’m so thankful we captured this moment in time, when our daughter is tiny and our family is healthy and our lives feel so full. What a sweet season this is for us, after a … Read More
What I’m Loving: Fall Edition
1. One Love Organics: Vitamin B Cleansing Oil + Makeup Remover This has been my go-to face wash for a while, but I especially love it in the winter when my skin is prone to dryness. It doesn’t 2. Dead Sea Mud Mask by Pure Body Naturals This mud mask is gentle on my skin but leaves it feeling smooth, refreshed and clear. I use it about once a week. 3. The Lounge Bralette by Victoria’s Secret Seriously the most comfortable … Read More
Make Motherhood Your Own
For the last three days I’ve had the JOY to spend three uninterrupted days with women from around the country at The Influence Conference. I met up with my sister-in-law, Amber, and good friend, Laura, for some much-needed girl time, a break from daily routines and time to think about the bigger picture in life rather than the day-to-day tasks. Did I mention this was my first overnight trip away from Ainsley? I had big plans for sleeping, but I … Read More
What’s In My Bag: Influence Conference Edition
Tomorrow I’m leaving my favorite people (and my baby for the very first time overnight!) and heading to Influence Conference for the second year in a row. Conferences? Gah, conferences. I have such a love-hate relationship with them because my secretly introverted self feels so. dang. uncomfortable. But once I just do the dang thing? It’s always worth it. I’m working on going out of my comfort zone more and more these days, and I think it’s doing me a … Read More
Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit Giveaway
Hi, friends! I have an exciting giveaway for you all today. A few weeks ago, I mentioned that the Baby Merlin’s Magic Sleep Suit was one of my must-have baby products for the first handful of months. I wasn’t kidding when I said that it made all the difference in how Ainsley slept. That girl didn’t like having her arms swaddled, and the Baby Merlin was just comforting enough to help her sleep without causing frustration from not being … Read More