Lifestyle

August 31, 2023

August Amazon Buys

Another month gone and another month full of random amazon buys! Sharing everything I ordered this past month below!

AUGUST AMAZON BUYS

shacket + no show socks + scotch guard + hair cream + black set + khaki set + nonstick pan + flip flops + calcium supplements + pill organizer + whitening toothpaste + travel shoe holder

: SHACKET

I ordered this shacket in 3 different colors! It’s the perfect staple for fall to throw over everything. I ordered a small and love the oversized fit!

: NO-SHOW SOCKS

I wanted some versatile no-show socks that would work for me, Hunter, and Hayden so we ordered these ones and they work great! Under $20 for 6 pairs!

: SCOTCHGUARD

This scotch guard fabric protector is amazing!!!! I use it for my bed, the girls’ bed, and all our shoes! 10/10 recommend!

: HAIR CURL CREAM

Hudson and I had to stock up on our favorite curl cream! We go through it so quick. I just apply it in mt hair after I wash it. I don’t brush it or add anything else, just put in this cream! AND it’s on sale right now!

: BLACK SWEATER SET

This black sweater set is the DUPE for the Free People Hailee Sweater Set and it’s less than half the price!!!! Comes in a ton of fun colors! I got the black and the khaki color. I ordered the small and it fits true to size!

: KHAKI SWEATER SET

Of course, I had to get the long sleeve version of my favorite sweater set! I seriously love it! I got the xs in white, khaki, and deep grey! Comes in a ton of fun colors for fall and winter!

: NONSTICK PAN

I had heard so many good things about this nonstick pan, so I finally caved and ordered it! It’s always nice to have an extra pan around and this one is SO good!!

: FLIP FLOPS

I’ve been wearing these flip flops non-stop! Such good quality and match everything.

: CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS

I’m low on calcium so my mom recommended these supplements. She likes the caramel but they tasted gross to me, so I ordered the milk chocolate flavor and really like them!

: PILL ORGANIZER

I bought this pill organizer to hold my tylenol, vitamins, etc. It makes it easy for traveling and it fits perfectly in my belt bag. Only $5 right now!

: WHITENING TOOTHPASTE

We had to stock up on our favorite whitening toothpaste! I’ve used it for months and love the results.

: TRAVEL SHOE HOLDER

I saw this travel shoe holder and knew I needed it! Every time we travel, I hate shoving my shoes into my suitcase, so I ordered this shoe organizer! I got the large size and it fits 3 pairs of shoes!

. . .

What was your favorite Amazon purchase this past month?

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Family

August 28, 2023

Life/House Update

my dress

If you’ve been following my newsletters that I release every Thursday, then you know I’ve been journaling what happens throughout the week! So if you want to keep up on a weekly basis and hear all about the craziness, you can subscribe here! Today on the blog I wanted to give a house update, kid’s update, share more about Joe’s weight loss, and share about how my mom is doing with her kidney stones!

OUR LIFE/HOUSE UPDATE

: HOUSE UPDATE

We got the bids back on our house and we’re a million+ dollars over our budget. So now we’re back to square one. We’re trying to decide if we should wait it out to save more money, or downsize the house, or repick materials, etc. We got a lot to figure out. We’re not trying to rush anything, so we’re just taking our time to make sure everything is how we want it. It looks like we won’t break ground for quite a while.

We bought the house we’re in now thinking we would only be in it for a year to a year and a half. Now we don’t really have a timeline for when our new house will be done… hopefully it will be done in about 2.5 to 3 years. So now we’re looking for a house that will fit our family better. There’s a bigger house being built across the street, so we put an offer on it. They didn’t accept it so I was pretty sad about that. But we’re just going to wait it out and trust God’s plan that we’ll find something that will be more comfortable for our family for the next few years.

: KIDS UPDATE

Hunter absolutely loves going to school in St. George! She said there’s more traditions and dances at this school, so she’s really excited about that. She has a great group of friends and friend groups from different schools! She’s dating a cute boy and she’s just overall doing so good! She started varsity for the first couple games she’s played and she’s loving it! It’s been so fun to watch her.

Hudson just started football. He hasn’t played since he was 8 so he’s just loving it! Now that we’re in a smaller town, the kids are able to do more sports. Hayden was on 2 cheer competitive teams, so we just narrowed it down to one team and she’s still enjoying it. Harper is in ballet and gymnastics, and she absolutely loves it. We missed the soccer cut-off for Houston, so he’s just been hanging with us and going to all the kid’s games! The kids are still happy to be in St. George. They’re loving the weather, school, and just being by family!

: JOE’S WEIGHT LOSS

A couple of you noticed on Instagram that Joe has been slimming down and you’re totally right. He’s lost almost 25 pounds! He’s been doing the Tirzepatide shot with G.O.A.T. Athletic Spa. With all the stress of work and things not panning out exactly like they were supposed to, he put on some weight and hasn’t been able to lose it, so he decided he just wanted to try it out. It’s not something he plans on doing forever. I’m working on a blog post right now to share all the details about this, so be watching for that!

: MY MOM’S KIDNEY STONE UPDATE

You guys have been so sweet to DM and check up on my mom. Just a little backstory…she had been in pain for about 2 weeks and didn’t tell anyone. The other day I went over to her house and she wasn’t there, she was at a medical center and they told her to go right to the ER because she had kidney stones. I guess kidney stones run in the family. Her dad had them too. So she ended up getting the surgery and it went well. She did get a stent, but they’re removing it on Wednesday. Overall she’s feeling much better than she did 2 weeks ago. She has the same pain that I had where it hurts to sit down. She missed Hunter’s last soccer game so she was sad about that. She’s getting them tested to see what caused her to get them. Mine was from drinking too much greens, so we’ll find out about hers soon. She’s so glad she did the surgery!

. . .

Hope everyone’s doing well and enjoying their last few days of August!

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Lifestyle

August 22, 2023

The Top 10 Best Sellers of Summer

sweater set[color rust] + similar shoes + hat

Is anyone else as shocked as I am that we are almost done with August?! This summer seemed to fly right by! Today on the blog I’m sharing the top 10 sellers of the summer! I’m sharing all the products that both you and I loved this past summer and trust me, you’re going to want all of them.

TOP 10 BEST SELLERS

brown swimsuit + belt bag + cropped tank + sweater set + olive pants + black dress + ruched top + blue swimsuit + black shorts + silk skirt + stanley drinkware

swimsuit + hat + beaded bracelets + bangles

: BROWN SWIMSUIT

You guys went crazy over this swimsuit I shared earlier this summer! I love the high waisted bottoms; they are so flattering on everyone. Under $35 and comes in a ton of fun colors + patterns! Be sure to SIZE UP. I originally ordered a small, but it was too big. I ordered the medium and it fit perfectly!

kahaki set + belt bag + hat

: BELT BAG

The Lululemon belt bag is a top seller every summer because it’s the perfect accessory for summer! It’s hands-free and fits all your essentials. I take mine everywhere… gym, running errands, grocery shopping, etc. If you’re wanting a cheaper option, this belt bag dupe from Amazon is unreal and under $20! We have a few of them and they are amazing quality.

tank top + skirt + similar shoes

: LULU ALIGN TANK DUPE

I love the Lululemon align tank for working out, but I couldn’t always justify the price, so when I found this $22 dupe from Amazon, I knew I had to try it! It’s seriously just as good as the Lulu one! It comes in tons of colors and fits true to size! I wear the small and it fits great. You guys also loved this pleated skirt! It’s the cutest skirt for summer work outs!

sweater set + shoes + fanny

: FREYA SET DUPE

It doesn’t surprise me that this Freya Set Dupe from Amazon was a top seller this summer! We all love the Free People Freya Set, so when I found this dupe for HALF the price I was thrilled! The quality is so good that I seriously ordered it in 3 more colors! I wear the extra small and it fits true to size!

shirt + pants + shoes + fanny

: OLIVE PANTS

I am obsessed with these olive pants, so I’m so glad you guys love them as much as I do! There are so many fun ways to style them and they are perfect for any season! They come in other fun colors, so I’ll probably be ordering more! I’m wearing size 25 petite and they fit true to size!

dress + boots + hat

: BLACK DRESS

I absolutely LOVE this black dress from Walmart! And you can’t be the price… only $27!!!! I love that you can dress it up or down during any season. I’m wearing the extra small and the length and fit is great!

shirt + skirt + boots + fanny + hat + sunglasses

: ABERCROMBIE TOP + SKIRT

It doesn’t surprise me that this top + skirt was both top sellers this summer. This ruched top was my go-to this summer because I can style it so many ways! I loved pairing it with this silk skirt as well. The skirt is amazing, I even ordered it in black. It’s on sale right now so go snag one for yourself! (Wearing an xs in both).

swimsuit

: BLUE SWIMSUIT

This swimsuit from Amazon is amazing and I’m so glad you all love it too! The colors are so fun. I’m wearing a size small, and it fits perfect. Comes in a ton of fun colors and is only $34.99!

shirt + shorts + belt + boots

: LEVI SHORTS

These black shorts were a big hit this summer. I swear I wore them almost every day, haha. They match with everything and have the cutest hemming. Definitely a summer staple!

stanley tumblers

: STANLEY DRINKWARE

Stanley drinkware are top sellers all year round! Our family loves all our Stanley water bottles, we have a huge collection. And better yet, I have a discount code that gets you 20% off all flipstraw bottles, like the ones shown above! Use code KAILEE20 for 20% off!

… MORE TOP SELLERS …

. . .

What was your favorite purchase this summer?

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Brown Amazon Swimsuit

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Everywhere Belt Bag

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Align Tank Dupe

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Freya Set Dupe

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Abercrombie Top

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Silk Skirt

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Amazon Swimsuit

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Black Levi Shorts

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Stanley Drinkware

KAILEE20 for 20% off

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Lifestyle

August 16, 2023

How I’m Feeling About Turning 40

similar shorts + belt + shoes

Happy 40th birthday to me!! To be honest, I feel like we’ve been celebrating my 40th birthday since the middle of July!! Haha. My sweet residency girlfriends surprised me weeks ago for a weekend getaway trip to California (I shared all the details here). I had no idea at the time, but it was everything I needed! Just thinking about those friendships gets me teary-eyed. And 2 weeks ago, Joe surprised me with a weekend in Desert Color with the whole family! It was the best weekend together.

sunglasses + similar shorts + sandals

Amidst all the celebrating, I’ve been a little emotional about turning 40. Not because I’m getting older, but just because it’s the end of an era. Like, I’m done having babies. I’m done having little kids at home with me during the day (all of my kids are now in full-day school). Like these little things that I thought would last forever are now gone. And also, because I guess I just felt as though I haven’t done enough to be 40. I thought I’d be all proper and grown up. But I still feel like the same 18-year-old Kailee.

I always imagined that by 40 I’d have everything figured out. And well… to be completely honest, I felt like this last year of our life’s we’ve had nothing figured out! Or so we thought we did, but then God had other plans for us. I imagined I’d have mastered things like not feeling stressed (ha, jokes on me) or I’d be cooking fabulous meals every night in the kitchen without needing a recipe, just like my Grandma Hunter. I imagined I’d be having weekly lunches with my girlfriends and be in such a fabulous schedule that I’d be going to the gym every day too. I guess I just thought that I’d feel different, more grown up, and it turns out I don’t.

I’m still the same “speaks her mind” kind of girl, the one who always wants a plan and a list for everything. The same girl who worries about things I have no control over and gets irritable when I’m tired, cold, or hungry. I’m still the same spunky teenager who talks way too much and eats too much ice cream. I’m still stubborn but fun, and I’m still addicted to being “busy”!!

my shirt + hat

But at the same time, I know more about love and loss. I know what it feels like to lose 4 babies. I know how it feels to fall in love with your best friend. I know how it feels to wake up every morning beside the one you love and know that no matter what life throws at us, we’ll get through it as long as we’re together. Even though life feels so overwhelming at times.

I know how it feels to never know where you’re going next, because some medical school “match system” gets to decide. I know the saddest + excitement of moving every 4-5 years. I know what it feels like to leave your hometown and everything you know to move across the country. I know how it feels to say goodbye to dear friends that feel like family because you’ve had to lean on them for so many years since your family didn’t live close.

I know that there is so much more to life than simply existing. I know that life is full of challenges and setbacks and the most important thing is to just keep going. Even when nothing makes sense. I have learned to just trust God because His plan is ALWAYS better than your own, in the end. I know that I’ve wasted far too much time worrying about the future, that I forgot how to live in the present.

I know that life is far too short, so figuring out what’s important is the real key to happiness. And I still struggle with this balance. I know that good friends are worth their weight in gold, that true friends will be there no matter how many months or years pass!!

I know that it’s okay to fail and fall flat on your face. But it’s equally important to learn from those failures and get back up again. I’ve learned that’s it’s better to forgive than to hold onto grudges. Because honestly, you never know what’s going on in someone else’s life. I also learned that someone else’s actions are a reflection of them and not you.

I know that it’s okay to not be okay. I know that my good qualities outweigh my bad, that I’m not perfect but I’m learning. And that for the first time in my whole life I am more me than I have ever been. Unapologetically.

I know that I’ve accomplished + achieved so many wonderful things in my 40 years. None of which I ever give myself enough credit for. But the thing I am most proud of is being a mom to these five crazy people. It will forever be my greatest accomplishment. And I am grateful, every second of every day, that they are mine and I am theirs.

my dress + shoes || hunter’s dress + shoes || hayden’s boots

Life is not easy. It’s not meant to be. But sitting here today at forty years old, I feel so grateful to be here. To be able to watch my kids grown up and have the chance to raise them. I might not feel older or “changed” but I do know I’m everything I was supposed to be, and I am looking forward to seeing what the future has in store for all of us.

. . .

Thank you for all the birthday wishes!

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Family

August 10, 2023

Life Update: Summer in our Temporary Home

I wanted to share an update of how our summer has been in our new home and how everyone is adjusting to the smaller space. If you missed it, we moved back to St. George, our hometown, in the spring. If you missed all those details, I’ll link that blog post here. Overall, the kids are doing great and loving St. George! School starts next week and everyone’s excited about that!

OUR UPDATE

: OUR TEMPORARY HOME

We bought a house to live in for the next 2 years while we wait for our custom house to be built. The kids and I moved here in March and Joe moved down the end of April, so we’ve officially been here together as a family for about 3 and a half months!

We bought this home in the same neighborhood where we’re building so that the kids can have same friends and go to the same school. It’s a little tighter than we thought it would be… the kids are growing quicker than we anticipated. All the kids are sharing one bathroom. The babies basically share the master bath with us, and it hasn’t been too bad.

: JOE’S JOB

Joe hasn’t officially started his job in St. George yet, he’ll start in the late fall. So he’s still traveling up to Salt Lake to work a few times a month and working at a few surgery centers in St. George.

: BUILDING UPDATE

a lot of things have come to friction that we weren’t planning on. Things like zoning, walls, and a just a few complications. We’ve had to redesign the home a little bit again due to a few errors. The house is officially design, we’re currently getting it bid out. So it takes time to get everyone’s bids. We probably won’t break ground until mid December. We’re going to take you all through the process, everything just takes longer than you anticipate. I feel like we’ve been building a house for the past 3 years haha.

: KIDS UPDATE

The kids are starting a new fresh year at school next week! Hudson starts his first year of middle school, Hayden is starting her first year of intermediate, and Hunter will still be in high school. Hunter made the soccer team and has already had a couple games. She started varsity the other day and is totally thriving. She always says her life is like a movie. She still has hard days, but overall, all the kids are happy and optimistic about everything. Having both sets of grandparents around the corner has been the best thing. We couldn’t have asked for more. Even though we’ve totally downsized, everything about life here outweighs that. We’re just so happy to be in St. George.

: ARE WE CRAZY?

There’s a house being built across the street from us. It’s a little bit bigger. It has a gym and a pool. We’re debating if we should buy it, since it will be quite a while until our new build is done. Our house is just so small, there’s really just no room to invite friends. We feel bad for Hunter because we want her to comfortably have friends over, so we’re contemplating buying the house across the street just to get us by and not feel as squished. We never know what we’re doing. Whatever God tells us what to do, we do. Had you told me a year ago that we’d move to St. George, I would’ve never believed you.

I wanted to share this because sometimes we feel like we’re the only people who are in limbo or not sure what to do next. Joe and I are always bouncing from idea to idea and just go with what feels right for our family. So if you feel crazy or uncertain at times, you are not the only one!

. . .

Thank you for being here and supporting us every step of the way!

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Lifestyle

August 7, 2023

July Amazon Buys

Another month down and I can’t believe it’s August! The kids start school next week so they’re getting ready for that! Today on the blog I’m sharing what I ordered from Amazon last month. It’s always random, but last month I ordered new workout wear, boat gear, and more! Check out all the details below.

JULY AMAZON BUYS

blue swimsuit + hair packets + boat cleaner + makeup brush case + sweater set + green tank + makeup bag + roxy rash guard + egg holder + sex book + clear toiletry bags + pleated skirt + roxy hat + workout shorts

: BLUE SWIMSUIT

I ordered this blue swimsuit because I thought it was so fun with the neon green bands! I ordered a size small, and it fits great. Under $40 and comes in a ton of different colors!

: SWIMMER HAIR PACKETS

I am continually buying these hair packets for my girls during summer. The packets help so their hair doesn’t turn green from all the chlorine! We shampoo their hair first, then use the packet, then shampoo again. It’s a game changer.

: BOAT CLEANER

Since we bought a boat, I’ve been on the hunt to find a good exterior cleaning product, and this Hot Sauce boat cleaner works great for hard water spots!! Definitely a must have if you have a boat.

: SWEATER SET

You guys know how much I love this Free People dupe sweater set from Amazon! I have it in the cream color but couldn’t resist ordering it in more colors! I ordered it in the pink, rust, AND deep brown color! It’s just that good. (I order size extra small and it fits great).

: WORKOUT TANK

I absolutely love this workout tank! I have it in a few colors, and just ordered the pale green last month (size small). It’s exactly like the Lululemon align tank dupe, but only 1/3 of the price! Comes in a ton of colors too.

tank + skirt + shoes

: MAKEUP BAG + BRUSH HOLDER

I was in the need for a new makeup bag and absolutely loved the look of this one! It holds so much and is only $25.99! Perfect for traveling too. I also ordered this makeup brush holder that I thought would be perfect for traveling too!

: ROXY RASH GUARD + HAT

I ordered this black Roxy rash guard and Roxy hat for lake days! Absolutely love them both. Ordered a small in the shirt and it fits perfect!

: EGG HOLDER

I’ve seen so many people sharing about this egg holder, and I finally purchased it! Only $22.99 and holds 36 eggs!! Looks clean and organized in my fridge. 10/10 recommend!

: HOW TO TALK TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT SEX BOOK

Joe and I ordered this book because a friend recommended it. We’ve had the talk with Hunter and Hudson. Honestly, it’s an on-going talk with all our kids. We mentioned some things to Hayden when it’s been appropriate. So I just wanted to read this book for any tips on how to talk about it more in depth with her.

: CLEAR BATHROOM BAGS

I ordered this 4-pack clear toiletry bags and really like them. I’m using them for travel, makeup, pool, really anything I need t0 keep waterproof! Pack of 4 for only $12!

: PLEATED SKIRT

I ordered this pleated skirt in the scorched red coral color (size small) and LOVE IT! It’s a Lulu dupe and is only $29.99!

: WORKOUT SHORTS

I ordered these running shorts to pair with my cropped workout tanks. I ordered these in an extra small in the color Java Coffee and love how they fit. Super comfortable too and come in a ton of fun colors!

. . .

What was your favorite Amazon purchase last month?

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Amazon Swimsuit

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Pleated Skirt

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Align Tank Dupe

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Makeup Brush Holder

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Fashion

August 3, 2023

Teen Takeover: What I’ve Ordered for Back to School

shirt + pants (color: gray) + shoes

Hey guys! It’s hunter here with another teen takeover! Every year I share all the new clothes I’ve ordered for school so that’s what I’m sharing today. I’m going to be a junior and I’m really excited! I have good classes this year. I’m taking ASL so I can learn for sweet bode!! I made the varsity soccer team so that has been going good but I’m just excited to start having some games! It’s going to be a really good year because I feel more settled in st. george and I’ve been making lots of friends.

MY BACK-TO-SCHOOL PICKS

striped top + sandals + black top + blue cargo pants + beige cargo pants + long sleeve graphic tee + nirvana top + black cropped top + open-knit sweater + adidas shoes + vans + green cargo pants

: TOPS

I always pick out basic tops and graphic tees because they can be styled so many ways. I love the striped top from zara in the first picture. the neckline is my favorite. I ordered a size medium in it, so be sure to size up one size. I also ordered this solid black tee from urban in a size medium. Comes in other colors too!

I ordered 3 graphic tees that I’m really excited about. I ordered this long sleeve graphic tee that I can wear when the weather starts to cool off. It’s just a one size fits all graphic tee and I really like the way it fits. I also ordered this nirvana t shirt dress in a s/m. They call it a dress but I’ll definitely wear it with pants. I really love the blue option of it too. the last graphic tee I ordered was this baby tee from urban (ordered a medium).

Last top I ordered was this open knit sweater. I ordered it in a small. Comes in a few different colors and patterns but i just got the ivory color because it will look good over any of my shirts!

shirt + pants + shoes

: BOTTOMS

I ordered 3 new pants for school and they are all cargo pants because I’ve been obsessed with them! They’re in trend right now and look good with everything. I ordered this pair in the gray color in a size 26 and they fit true to size. I also ordered these blue cargo pants and I love all the details on them. they run a little bit bigger just fyi. The last cargo pants I ordered are these green ones from pac sun! They are one size fits all and they fit really well.

link to shirt

: SHOES

I ordered these doc marten sandals and love them! I’m more of a sneaker girl though so i ordered these black adidas shoes and these old school vans. I made sure to choose shoes that I can wear with everything!

MORE FAVORITES

. . .

Happy back to school!

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Lifestyle

August 1, 2023

The Best Lemon Garlic Chicken

My mouth is watering just thinking about this yummy lemon garlic chicken marinade!! Like a lot of my favorite family recipes, this one came from my Aunt Tina. She is an amazing cook and always has the yummiest recipes to share!! This Lemon Garlic Chicken is one of our staple go to’s that we will prep a bunch of at the beginning of the week and eat for leftovers or lunches throughout the week. It pairs great with rice for a quick + easy meal idea! Hope you love it as much as we do!

our traeger

: LEMON GARLIC CHICKEN

– INGREDIENTS –

1/2 c olive oil

4 tsp dijon mustard

6 large garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

zest and juice of 2 lemons

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

– INSTRUCTIONS –

Whisk together the olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic, salt + pepper, and lemon. Pour over your chicken and refrigerate for 2-12 hours.

Remove chicken from marinade and grill until done.

** Check out more of our favorite family recipes here!

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Family

July 27, 2023

Back to School Picks for Kids

harper’s dress + tissues

Can you believe it’s that time again?! I swear the kids just got done with school! When does everyone’s kids start school again? Ours is quickly approaching, so I wanted to share some items we picked out for the kids so far! This year we aren’t doing a ton of back-to-school shopping because when we moved to St. George, we bought a lot of summer stuff. St. George doesn’t cool down until October, so that’s when we’ll get whatever else the kids’ need. We’re really trying to simplify this year so we didn’t do a ton of shopping, more of just what they need. Linked our favorites below!