August was a crazy month for our family! We fully moved into our rental, the kids started school, and we tried to squeeze in a few last summer activities! Because we were getting settled into the rental, I shared with you guys some of my favorite home finds for the rental. And I’m glad you guys love them as much as I do! Keep scrolling to see the top sellers from August! It’s a good mixture of home and fashion.
It doesn’t surprise me that this sweater set was the #1 top seller last month! It’s comfy, versatile, and easy to dress up or down! It comes in 8 other color options so you are sure to find one you love! Wearing a size xs for reference.
Fanny packs have been a popular trend this whole summer! They are the perfect size, hands free, and look good with any outfit! Since the Lulu belt bag is always out of stock, I decided to try out the amazon belt bag. The amazon belt bag has all the same compartments as the Lulu one and is $20 cheaper! It comes in 34 colors too!
You guys absolutely loved when Hunter shared about this purple graphic tee! It’s seriously the cutest color and style. She loves the oversized fit too! She’s wearing a size small for reference.
I’m so glad you guys love these shower caddies as much as we do! We needed some storage space in the showers in our rental, and I loved the look of these! They have held up so well. And not to mention that they are under $22 for a set of 2! You really can’t beat that price.
Free People came out with a dress version of my favorite sweater set and I’m so excited about it! I’m loving this salt color, but it also comes in pink, black, and a light blue. This dress is a must have for fall!
This bluetooth label maker from Amazon is a game changer when it comes to organizing! I label everything in my kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, kid’s closets, literally everything. It links to an app on your phone and you can type what you want the label to say. It is seriously my favorite thing! And it’s on sale for under $30!
I got so many questions about this jumpsuit when I posted wearing it! I’ve had it for years and seriously love it. This pink color is currently out of stock, but there are other fun options. This jumpsuit is so versatile, and can be worn during any season.
I am so glad I decided to purchase this oval wedding ring from Amazon. It looks so real and you’re not going to believe me when I tell you that it’s only $51.99! I love wearing this ring when I’m traveling, running errands, out by the pool, etc. It’s such a good option if you don’t always want to wear your actual wedding ring or worried you might lose it!
This sweater set from Free People has been a top seller the past few years and it does not surprise me! I seriously have this set in 3 different colors, I’m that obsessed with it. I dress this set up for date night and going out, but also use it as my comfy travel outfit! It’s so versatile. I have size xs for reference.
I’ve used these food storage containers for years and I love how simple and organized they make my pantry look. I also found these $25 pantry/kitchen labels on Amazon and love them. You guys know how much I love labeling! These are great items to purchase if you want to up your pantry organization game.
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That wraps up the top 10 sellers of August! If you’re looking for dresses that are under $50, then check out my last blog post here!
I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve been living in dresses all summer so I wanted to share my favorites that are under $50! The great thing about all these dresses is that they are so versatile. They can be dressed up or down and all of them will pair so well with boots and cardigans for fall! When it comes to finding good quality dresses at an affordable price, Amazon is the place!
I quickly fell in love with this mermaid dress from Amazon! I absolutely love the square neck and puff sleeve duo. And not to mention that this dress is so flattering! This dress is perfect for any event, and is the perfect dress to wear as we transition into fall/cooler weather. I’m wearing a small, so it does run true to size. It comes in four other colors and is under $45!
Another favorite dress of mine is this flowy polka dot dress! I pretty much wear this year round! You can dress it up or down, and I think pairing these white boots with it would be so cute for fall! I absolutely love the sleeve detail and I think the length is perfect. It comes in 22 other colors/patterns and are under $31! Wearing a small!
I think this square neck dress speaks for itself! I mean look how gorgeous it is…the pattern detailing, the smocking, the length, the sleeves, everything. Not much else you can ask for! AND it’s only $30.99! This dress has the prettiest color options for fall so be sure to check it out. Wearing a size small.
Everyone needs a black dress in their closet because it makes the perfect staple! When I found this black puff sleeve dress for under $35, I knew I needed to try it out! I seriously love it. I’ve been wearing it all summer and I can’t wait to pair it with some booties for fall! I’m wearing a small and there are other fun color options too!
Last dress I wanted to share was this floral puff sleeve dress! I honestly didn’t think I would like this longer dress, but I’ve seriously loved it! It also comes in a pretty rust color that I think would be beautiful for fall. It’s under $45 too, so that’s a win in my book! Great quality and wearing a size small.
As the weather starts to cool down these next few weeks, there is no better time to invest in a pair of fall boots than now! I love boots because they are so versatile. They pair so perfectly with a dress or a sweater and jeans. Seeing all the new boots is making me so excited for the season to change, and that is crazy talk from someone who loves summer! Haha! Scroll down to see my new finds for under $40 as well as my favorite boots from last year!
Okay how fun are those boots?! All of these boots come in multiple colors, so there are tons of options. I’m really loving the cognac platform boots, they would pair perfectly with any dress! I love the heel on them too! I’ve always been a fan of western boots, but they can be pricey. So when I found this Target option, I was so excited! They are the perfect height, just right above the ankle. All of these boots are great options for fall and you seriously can’t beat the prices.
These boots were my favorite last year! So excited to pull them back out this fall! They run true to size and add the perfect touch to any outfit. I absolutely love the detailing on the tip too. You can pair these boots with dresses, rolled up jeans, and skirts! I even have them in another color, I love them that much!!
I seriously love these boots! Can you tell I’m obsessed with the western styled boots? It doesn’t surprise me that they are popular again this year. These boots are such good quality and run true to size! Multiple color options too. They are quite the splurge, but they are worth every penny!
The boots pictured are from Nordstrom, but they only have the black color in stock. So I went on the hunt to find similar boots at a better price! I found these almost identical boots on Amazon for under $50! They match anything and I love that these boots have a lower heel. Everybody needs a pair of cognac ankle boots for fall, so this would be a great choice!
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I don’t know about you guys, but this post is making me so excited for fall fashion! Hope everyone was able to find a pair of boots they love!
Hey guys! It’s Hunter here with another Teen Takeover. Today I wanted to share my thoughts about being the oldest child and how I keep strong relationships with each of my siblings. Even though we don’t always get along, I really am thankful for them and know that they are the ones who will always be there for me. So, I’ve learned that it’s important to create memories with them and make the most of the couple years left I have at home with them!
I like being the oldest, but I also don’t like it sometimes. I like being the oldest because I get to do more than the other kids, like staying out later and things like that. BUT, I’m basically a lab rat for my parents. My parents have never raised another teenager so it’s like they’re testing everything out on me. So they can be really strict and that makes me pretty mad sometimes… but overall, I like being the oldest. I guess you could say there is a “privilege” that comes with being the oldest, so I make sure I’m responsible and being a good example to my siblings.
: MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HUDSON
Hudson is such good brother. We have a great relationship with each other because we are always talking and messing around with each other! But we’ve had to build trust to get there. I really trust Hudson, so I’ll tell him things and he’ll tell me things. We are really comfortable with each other so that has definitely helped us develop trust in our relationship. And I think that’s probably the most important part of any relationship.
: HAYDEN
My relationship with Hayden is really strong. We are constantly talking and telling each other our secrets. We have this thing called the “sister trust” and we’ll do our little handshake when we know we can’t tell anyone else besides each other. That has really helped us bond together as sisters. You need someone you can trust, so I’m so glad I have Hayden. The main thing about our relationship though, is that we are always laughing when we are together! We genuinely love spending time together.
: HOUSTON
Houston is honestly like my little twin! He’s my little buddy. We are always teasing and roasting each other, which always leads to laughing together! He is the funniest kid and super competitive too. I think the biggest thing I’ve learned about growing strong relationships with my siblings is to do stuff with them that they like to do. For Houston, I’ll read with him, help him with his math, and play games on the phone with him. It’s the little things!
: HARPER
I stay close with Harper by giving her my time. We’re about 10 years apart and she’s the youngest so there is not much we have in common, but I really try to spend quality time with her. I make sure I play games with her and not only activities, but just talk to her. Even though she’s young, I love when I have a conversation with her! She knows my friends and talks about them so that’s really fun. Our favorite thing to do is take pictures together and that’s such a simple thing to do, but it creates memories and I want her to remember me living at home.
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I am so grateful for my siblings. I love being their oldest sister and always want to be a person they can trust! Thanks for reading! If you’re interested in any of my other Teen Takeovers, I’ll link them here.
We are trying to get our rental all organized and feeling like home, so I’ve been ordering tons of bathroom and kitchen things to make it feel simple and clean! Even though it’s a rental, I still want it to be our style and feel put together. I’ve found some great items so I wanted to share with you all.
Organizing our rental bathrooms and kitchen has been so refreshing! Amazon has some many good options when it comes to organizing and making things look simple and clean. I’ll highlight some of these items below.
: MIXING BOWLS
We needed some new mixing bowls so I ordered this set of 5 mixing bowls on Amazon and I really really love them so far. The bowls have non-slip bottoms, measurement markers, grater attachments, and I love that there are 5 different sizes of bowls. Only $45 too!
: SMART OVEN/ AIR FRYER
Since we left all our appliances at our last house, we decided to buy this smart oven/air fryer/toaster! Our friends had such good things to say about it so we decided to order it and we have LOVED it! I love the look of it too and that it doesn’t take up much space.
: OXO CONTAINERS
I had these oxo containers in my last house and they were a game changer when it came to pantry organization! You can seriously store whatever you want in these containers… flour, oats, snacks, sugar, rice, etc. They are under $25 too! Make sure you snag a few of these to up your pantry organization game.
: ZIPLOCK BACK ORGANIZER
I am so glad I ordered this bamboo ziplock bag organizer! It has helped keep our plastic bag drawer really organized AND it was under $30! That’s a win in my book.
The showers in our rental home have no ledges to put things on, so I ordered these black corner shower caddies! They come in a pack of 2 for $22 and they hold up so well!
: SHAMPOO + CONDITIONER BOTTLES
I wanted our bathrooms to look more cohesive and clean so I decided to order these $30 labeled shampoo + conditioner + body wash bottles! They’ve helped minimize our bottles in the shower and get rid of extra crap we don’t need. Not to mention that I love the look of them! So if you’re wanting a more clean look in your shower, then these are a good way to get started.
: PLASTIC SOAP DISPENSERS
In our previous home, we had all the soap dispensers built into the bathroom counters so I bought this 5pk of plastic pump bottles for only $15! I ordered plastic ones because I knew that the kids would probably knock over glass ones. I also ordered the hand soap labels to put on these pump bottles. They’re waterproof and don’t smudge so that’s been really nice!
: SHOWER CURTAINS
I ordered two of these $17 waffle shower curtains and the fabric is really nice! I ordered the white color so it looks simple and clean. We ordered these shower curtain liners as well.
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That wraps up part 2 of all my Amazon purchases for the rental! If you missed part 1, here’s the link!
You guys! We are officially moved into our rental! It has been a busy couple weeks, but we are so so grateful to be fully moved into the rental. Moving is no joke! I have made Amazon order after Amazon order trying to get everything we need! I thought it would be fun to share all the random items I’ve ordered. This is just part 1 of everything I’ve bought… part 2 will come out next week so be looking forward to that!
I’m going to highlight some of these items and better explain what I ordered them for, how much they were, and my review on them.
: VACCUUM SEALED STORAGE BAGS
These compression vacuum sealed storage bags were so helpful as we were preparing to move and packing up our things. We used these sealed bags to pack pillows, blankets, baby clothes, and things we knew we wouldn’t need to use while we are in the rental. And better yet, they don’t take up much space at all! They come in a pack of 6 bags and are under $30.
: CLOTHES RACK
The laundry room in our rental has absolutely no hanging space so we ordered this $40 clothes rack that we can mount to the wall! It holds a lot of clothes so I’m glad we purchased!
: LED BEDROOM LIGHTS
Hunter wanted to order these LED lights for her bedroom! They are seriously so cool! She ordered the 100ft of lights and it was only $17.99! You can change the color of the lights and they can also sync to the music you are playing. Such a fun buy!
: EXERCISE PUZZLE MATS
I am so glad that we bought these puzzle gym mats! We ordered 2 bulks of them because we wanted to create a small home gym in the unfinished basement and these have worked great so far! They are under $40 too!
: WHITE TRASH CAN
Joe and I really did our research on trash cans and we ended up ordering this white one! It holds 20 gallons and was the biggest one we could find. I’ve really liked it so far, especially because you can store garbage bags in the back of it.
: NITROBULLET BLENDER
We had to order this nitrobullet blender because everyone loves making their protein shakes in the morning! We have loved this brand of blender, especially because it’s a great deal! Only $70. Easy to use too!
: CHEST FREEZER
Our rental freezer in the kitchen does not have much space, so we bought this white chest freezer from Amazon. Nothing too exciting, but it has worked great for us and it holds a lot!
: HEAVY DUTY STORAGE BAGS
Another great purchase was the blue heavy duty storage bags. We used these to pack stuffed animals, clothes, toys, and more. They made for an easy transition to our rental.
: SWIFFER SWEEPER MOPS
Last thing I wanted to quickly mention was that I ordered the swiffer sweeper because our rental has dark floors and I don’t want to mop everyday. We had dark floors in our California home and my swiffer sweeper was a life saver!
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That wraps up part 1 for all my Amazon orders for the rental! I know these are such random items, but I’ve been impressed with everything I’ve ordered and have enjoyed making our rental feel like home. Part 2 will be all the items I ordered for bathroom and kitchen organization so stay tuned!
Today’s my birthday! I always love doing birthday blog posts, so I thought it would be fun to answer my most asked questions! You’ll find out how old I am in the q+a, but I’ve honestly loved my thirties. I’ve never been more confident than I am now. I feel content with myself and all that I’ve accomplished so I’m really excited for this next year of my life!
BIRTHDAY QUESTIONS + ANSWERS
: WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
St. George, Utah.
: HOW OLD ARE YOU? WHAT ABOUT JOE?
Today I’m 39 years old! Joe is turning 40 in 2 weeks.
: ARE YOU LDS?
Yes! We are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. You can learn more about our church here.
: WHAT’S SOMETHING YOU’VE LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF?
I’ve learned to trust my gut and trust my own instinct. Everyone is going to have an opinion and not everyone is going to agree with you, so you’ve got to just trust your own intuition.
: WHY ARE YOU MOVING INTO A RENTAL?
We just wanted to be careful and didn’t want to end up with 2 house payments. We wanted the money from selling the house to go right into our new build so we didn’t have to take out as much for our loan. It’s just the safer option for us.
: DO YOU HAVE VENEERS?
Yes, I do! I’ve written a whole blog post on this so I’ll link it here.
: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
My favorite thing about myself is that I’m a go-getter! I don’t ever stop. I’m very ambitious. I want to do everything and I want to do it really well. But that can also be a bad thing, haha.
: HOW DO YOU GIVE EACH OF YOUR KIDS ALONE TIME/ MAKE THEM FEEL SPECIAL?
This can be really hard. I have seasons in my life where I feel like I do this really well and seasons that I don’t. We usually do mom dates, but life is crazy right now. I’ve learned that it’s quality over quantity when it comes to this. If you can only give each of your kids 5 minutes of your undivided attention each day, that’s better than 20 minutes of here and there, being on your phone and trying to talk to them. I really try to soak up our driving time and ask my older kids how their day was. With the 2 younger kids, I don’t do that as much because I feel like I’m with them all day long. I have a hard time with Hayden, so that is partly why we are doing homeschool with her.
: HOW DID YOU AND JOE MEET?
I wrote a whole blog post about our story! Here’s the link.
: BEST PARENTING TIP?
Take all the advice and read all the books, but pick what works for you and leave everything else on the wayside. That’s my biggest tip. Listen to it all, take it all in, and then only take what you feel is best for you + your family. That’s been the biggest thing for me.
: WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST INSECURITY?
I’d have to say that my biggest insecurity is that I doubt myself. I never feel like I’m doing good enough. Am I doing this well enough? Am I being a good enough mom for my kids? My doubts mostly revolve around motherhood and if I’m giving my people what they need, are they going to remember this, etc…
Hopefully soon. We’ve had lots of delays with the closing of our home and our loan. So we are hoping in the next 2 weeks! (all prayers needed)
: HOW WILL YOUR NEW BUILD SIMPLIFY THE WAY YOU LIVE?
It’s basically the same size as our last house, but the layout is different. All the kids and all the rooms are on the main floor, so the basement will be for entertainment. In our old house, when Hunter and Hudson had their friends over, they wanted to be loud downstairs and that’s where the little kids slept, so we are wanting a separate area for entertainment and friends. But the 2 boys and the 2 younger girls will still share rooms, so not much is changing besides the layout.
: GOALS FOR NEXT YEAR?
This year my goal has been to be present and that will always be my goal! To be present where I’m at and to fully enjoy things in the moment.
: HOW DO YOU KEEP PLUGGED INTO YOUR ADULT SIDE WITH KIDS?
Honestly, I have to schedule it in. I have to schedule dates with Joe, alone time, workout time, and make time for myself. I think it’s really healthy for my kids to see that I put myself and Joe as a priority.
: HOW DO YOU STAY ORGANIZED? DO YOU USE A PAPER PLANNER?
I keep everything on a google calendar. I’ve used a paper planner before but I don’t always carry it with me, so it gets complicated when schedules change and everything. I have an open notes tab, so anything that is going through my head during the day I just throw it on this note, it’s like a to-do list. Then at the end of the night, I go through those notes and schedule them into my google calendar. Google calendar is a game changer!
: HAVE YOU EVER HAD BOTOX ON YOUR FOREHEAD?
Yes! I go to Elase Medical Spa and I get it in my forehead and in my crow’s feet which is my eye area. I get it about 2-3 times a year.
: ARE YOU EXCITED OR SAD ABOUT SCHOOL STARTING BACK UP?
I love routine and schedules, but I’m one of those moms that loves to have my kids home. So I’m actually really sad. Even with the move and how crazy it’s been, I would still rather have my kids home. In a perfect world, I could homeschool all my kids and have them home with me all the time!
: WHAT’S ON YOUR BIRTHDAY WISH LIST?
My ONLY birthday wish is to break ground for our new build!
: WHAT IS THE #1 LIFE LESSON YOU HAVE LEARNED?
The #1 life lesson I’ve learned in the past few years is to take time for yourself! I’ve learned that self-care is not selfish. If you aren’t taking care of yourself, and your mind isn’t in the right place, you can’t take care of your kids to the best of your ability. I totally notice when I’m not saying my prayers, writing in my gratitude journal, meditating, working out, and taking time for me, I don’t have as much patience with my kids. I’m a better mom when I do things for myself. So that is something that I’ve really tried to implement in the last few years.
: FAVORITE SLC RESTAURANT?
Ruth’s Chris Steak House is our favorite!
: WHAT IS YOUR SKINCARE REGIMEN?
I did a whole blog post about my morning skincare routine here. I’ve used Tula for a long time along with a mixture of other favorites. My Tula code is KAILEE.
: BEST PLACE TO TAKE A KID ON A 1 ON 1 TRIP?
If you didn’t know, Joe and I take each kid on a solo trip when they turn 12. I have a whole blog post written about it here. We let the kids choose where they want to go in the US, besides Hawaii. We went to California for Hunter and Hudson chose Boston! Both trips were so fun! We just let the kids pick, so I think you can make anything what you want it to be.
: FAVORITE PERFUME?
It’s called Valentino and I get it from Nordstrom. Here’s the link for it.
: ARE YOU GOING TO ORGANIZE YOUR NEW HOME OR ARE YOU GOING TO HIRE A PROFESSIONAL?
I’m going to do it. I feel like I’ve learned enough over the last 9 houses we’ve lived in, about what works and what systems need to be in place for our kids. There are some rooms and some jobs that you can hire a professional if it’s something you can’t tackle yourself. I might hire someone to organize our garage because the garage is not my favorite thing to organize.
: WHY ARE YOU BUILDING A NEW HOUSE?
We truly loved our old house, but we want to have more privacy. No neighbors behind us, smaller schools for the kids, and be closer to Joe’s work.
: WHAT IS ONE PLACE YOU WANT TO VISIT THAT YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN BEFORE?
Definitely Bora Bora! I’m not a big exotic traveler, but Bora Bora is one place I dream of going because staying in the overwater bungalows would be amazing!
: DO YOU HAVE DEBT?
No, we don’t. Just the debt from our house. Right after medical school, we put as much money as we could into paying off those medical school loans. We’ve always lived within our means and don’t buy anything we can’t afford! (besides school, cars and home) Even when we were first married, if we wanted a new couch, we saved up until we knew we could buy it all at once. If we did put something on a credit card, we made sure to pay our credit card off in full every month.
: WILL THERE BE A POOL AT YOUR NEW BUILD?
Yes! It will be the exact same size and exact same sport pool!
: WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR RETIREMENT?
We would love to have a ton of land with nobody by us except family. I would love a milking cow and some chickens so that we can live off our own land! Not necessarily have a full blown farm, but be able to have milk and eggs so that we can make our own cheese, butter, etc. Our family’s dream is to have us all live on the same 15-20 acres and share the duties! Joe has a retirement fund so that gets taken out of his check every month.
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That wraps up my birthday Q+A! Thank you to everyone who put in questions. Should we make this a tradition?! Cheers to year 39!
I swear my little people just got out of school and now we are preparing for school to start! It’s so crazy how fast summer flies by. We’ve been doing some shopping for back to school and I’m excited to share what we’ve found with you all!
Harper is going to school full-time, so we’ve found her some great basics for school this year! If you know anything about me, you know I’m all about the basics! Although Hayden is going to be doing full-time homeschool, I felt that it was important she got to pick out clothes she likes and feels comfortable in. I’ll link all our favorite girl finds below! Most of the items work for both little girls and big girls.
When it comes to my boys, they are all about finding comfortable tees and shorts. We always go with graphic tees and comfy shorts! Houston will be attending school full-time and Hudson will be 50/50. So, we were able to find some good staples that both the boys will love for school and hanging around the house! Most of these items come in both little boy and big boy sizes. Check them out below!
That wraps up our favorite picks for both girls and boys this school year! We’re all about affordable basics for school so I hope everyone was able to find something fun for your littles! If you missed Hunter’s blog post about her teen back-to-school favorites, make sure you check it outhere. Good luck everyone with the new school year!
Hey guys! It’s Hunter here with another Teen Takeover. Before school starts, I normally share a round-up of some of my favorites for back to school. But honestly with soccer tryouts (I made the team!!) and helping my family move, I haven’t had much time to school shop. So I’m going to share some items that I found throughout the summer and some things I’ve recently ordered online (hoping those will get here in time for school). It’s crazy how fast summer has gone by, but I am so excited for sophomore year!
When it comes to tops, I’m all about comfort! My go-to favorite tops are usually graphic tees, oversized hoodies, and good basic tops. Anything I buy is pretty versatile so that I can wear them with jeans, sweats, or shorts. I found a couple fun graphic tees at Nordstrom this summer so I’ll link those below!
My favorite bottoms for school will always be boyfriend jeans, mom jeans, sweats, and shorts! Basically, bottoms that can be paired with any top! I linked my favorite bottoms below so make sure you click through them!
Shoes are always the most important for me! I love finding good basic shoes that also show my personality. I always try to find a good pair of Jordan’s too and I finally found some I love! Converse and Vans are always my favorite picks for school too! Linked my favorites below.
My go-to accessories are simple necklaces, bracelets, rings, and dainty gold hoops. My favorite accessory this summer was my $17 gold initial necklace from Amazon! I wore it with everything. See my other favorites below!
. . . SHOP MY FAVORITE ACCESSORIES. . .
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I know that back to school shopping can be stressful, so I hope this post helped you all and gave you some ideas, whether you are a teen or a parent of a teenager! Feel free to send me some of your favorite back to school finds!!
I wanted to update you all about what is going on with our new build, our home sale, and our new rental. It has been hectic going through this process, but my family and I couldn’t be more grateful for how it’s all worked out.
OUR LIFE UPDATE
: NEW BUILD
So the update on our new build is that we were supposed to break ground a month ago but everyone knows that this process takes longer than expected. We are trying to get a jumbo loan and it’s just been crazy. We’ve been trying to get a couple different loans to get it but long story short, owning our home and trying to start building our new home at the same time is where we were having a hold up. So that’s why we put our house up for sale! We will keep everyone updated when we break ground. We are praying that it will be in the next couple of weeks when we finally close on the loan. The builder is telling us that our home will probably take about 16 months so we are hoping to be in there by next Christmas.
: HOUSE SALE + MOVE
If you didn’t know, we sold our home! We sold it fully furnished. They literally wanted everything… like I’m talking sheets, mattresses, towels, etc. So, we are starting over when it comes to all of that stuff. We did get a full price offer, so we are so grateful. When we signed the papers, we had 13 days to be out of our home. We thankfully found a rental that is still in the same area as our home so that our kids don’t have to change schools, church buildings, etc.
By the time we had gotten accepted for the rental, we only had 6 days to move out all of our stuff. And you think that it’s mainly just moving clothes, but there’s so much stuff you don’t think about! We have been moving all our storage, holiday decorations, sports stuff, 7 bikes, everything in our bathrooms, etc. It has been a lot more than we thought. We also have to furnish our rental, so we’ve been going to IKEA to get new couches, a dining table, barstools, bedding, etc. We also ordered new mattresses from Cariloha so everyone is excited about that, [Cariloha code: KAILEE20]. Truthfully, this selling and moving process has been overwhelming, but again, we are feeling so blessed.
: RENTAL
Our rental home is a lot smaller than our house we sold. The boys will be sharing a room and so will Harper and Hayden. Hunter will have her own room, so there’s not much change there. The rooms are little, their beds barely fit in there! The pantry is TINY compared to our current one and the closets are really little. So those are the only things that are going to be hard to figure out. The rental has an unfinished basement, so there’s tons of room for storage. All that storage space will be wonderful since we don’t need to unpack everything since we’ll be moving again in 15-16 months when the new build is done. As for the yard, it’s completely dead and there is no pool in the backyard.
Even though this house is a lot smaller than our house, I’m looking forward to less cleaning and soaking up more time with my kids. Simplifying is something that gives me peace so I’m looking forward to having less “things” and having more time to do the things we really want. The other day Hunter said she was actually excited to move into the rental. It’s kinda exciting now for the kids because it’s new, but I know it will hit us all soon. I’m sure there will be mourning for our last home. Hayden came into my room last night crying. She’s having a hard time with all the emotions. She is mostly excited but gets sad when she thinks she only has a few more nights in her bed. I’m really trying to teach the kids that memories are in our minds and not attached to things.
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There’s an update for you all about our new build process and moving into our rental! We will keep you all updated when we break ground. Once again, we are just so so grateful. Thank you to everyone who has been so supportive throughout this process!
Although I’m a sucker for good deals, there are a few things that I have splurged on. I wanted to share with you some of my favorite splurge items, but don’t worry because I am also sharing with you the dupe options for less! I wish I would’ve known about these dupes before I splurged so I’m hoping that you will all find something you like for a great price!
First item is these popular Free People “The Way Home” shorts! I have these in multiple colors and wear a size xs. I love the thick waist band and that they are high-waisted! These shorts are $30 and come in 38 colors. I would recommend them to anyone. BUT I have to tell you about the dupe shorts I found on Amazon for only $18.99! I ordered the shorts from Amazon and loved them! The only difference is that the Amazon shorts run a little big, so I would size down when ordering.
If you know anything about me, you know that I wear my Budha Girl bracelets every day! I have been obsessed for years (I wear the small size). These bracelets are lightweight, waterproof, don’t make any noise, and are the perfect accessory for any outfit! However, these bracelets are a bit pricey. Luckily, I have found dupe bracelets on Amazon! On Amazon, they come in a set of 5 and are under $10! They have amazing reviews too! If you have been wanting bracelets like these, this Amazon option might just be what you’re looking for!
This Free People Jumpsuit has been one of my favorite staples for years. It is the perfect staple for any season! It comes in 4 colors and is $70. I know that $70 can be quite the splurge, especially when there is one almost identical on Amazon for cheaper. The Amazon onesie comes in 26 colors and is only $32.99! How much better can it get? Either of these onesies would be great options!
The Lululemon Belt Bag has become so popular, and I totally understand why! They are such good quality and are perfect for running errands or going to the gym. They are $38 and they sell out so quickly. So, if you are looking for a cheaper option that stays in stock then the amazon dupe belt bag is perfect for you! It’s $17.98 and comes in 15 colors! That’s a win in my book.
This cropped tank from Lululemon is my go-to for workouts (wearing a size 4)! It has built-in padding and is butter soft! However, it’s $68 so it’s definitely a splurge. But don’t worry, I’ve found a dupe from Amazon for only $20.98! The Amazon option comes in 22 colors! You can’t go wrong with either of these tanks, but $20 is hard to beat!
Last item I wanted to share is these Chelsea boots from Nordstrom! These boots are water-resistant and fit true to size! They are on sale right now for $69.90, but even for them being on sale, it’s a splurge. I searched for a great dupe and finally found one on Amazon! The Amazon chelsea boots are so similar to the Nordstrom ones but are only $39.99! Both of these boots are great options for Fall coming up!
That wraps up my splurge vs save on my favorite items! I hope that these “save” options will be helpful for you all when looking for an affordable belt bag, a pair of chelsea boots, a cropped workout tank, and more! Now I’m dying to know what your favorite splurges or saves have been!
Is anyone else as shocked as I am that we are weeks away from heading back to school?! I am not sure how I feel about it! This Summer seemed to fly right by! It has been a minute since we did a roundup of your favorites, so I put together a fun roundup of our best sellers of Summer!
I’m not surprised that this bodysuit from Target was a best seller this summer! It has been everyone’s favorite staple! It comes in nine colors and is only $16. I am not the biggest fan of bodysuits, so I just don’t button the bottoms! You’re missing out if you haven’t snagged one of these yet!
I could never live without my Lululemon belt bag! This summer I fell in love with the mini version of the belt bag. It is the perfect size for the gym or running errands. I also found a belt bag dupe on Amazon that has multiple color options and is only $17. These belt bags can be worn as a fanny or as an over-the-shoulder bag. It doesn’t surprise me that these were a hit this summer because they are the perfect accessory to add with any outfit! Not to mention that they are practical and hands-free.
I’m all about bright workout outfits, especially during the summer. This align tank and leggings from Lululemon quickly became my favorite duo! Especially when I add my favorite mini belt bag.
This sweater and short set from Amazon were one of my favorite purchases this summer so I’m glad you all loved it too! It has been the perfect cover up for vacation and lounging around the pool. And for this sun hat, I can’t rave enough about how much I’ve used it this summer! It is a men’s hat, but I ordered the s/m size and it has worked perfectly. Plus, it’s only $20 so you can’t beat that!
This Free People set was a hit this summer! I’m so glad you all loved it as much as I did. I’m wearing the xs size and it fits perfectly. There are 6 other color options and I seriously just want to buy them all! You really can’t go wrong with this set.
I’m very picky when it comes buying sunglasses because I worry about quality and how they will fit on my face but these Quay sunglasses from Amazon have been my go-to this summer. They are the best quality and only $50! You need these sunglasses in your life!
I can’t say enough good things about Free People Movement. They carry the best workout attire and have so many fun options. My favorite picks this summer were definitely this crop tank and shorts! I’m all about the bright colors this summer so I knew I had to try these out! I am so impressed with the quality and how well they fit. For reference, I ordered the xs/s in the tank and xs in the shorts.
My kids are obsessed with their flip straw tumblers! I got each of my kids their own to use for sports, summer activities, etc and they have loved them. They are the perfect size and I love that the flip straw doesn’t leak! That’s a win in my book.
It doesn’t surprise me that this biker set from Amazon was a top seller this summer! It is so comfortable and comes in multiple colors. And even better, it’s under $30! This set is a must have for summer so be sure to grab it. I’m wearing a size small for reference.
This K18 hair mask has been my favorite for years! This mask helps with hair damage restoring strength, softness, and smoothness. And it works for all hair types! To all my blonde friends – you need this! I see a major difference in my hair when I am consistently using this mask. It’s worth every penny!
I’m all about finding flattering swimsuits that run true to size and this colorblock swimsuit from Amazon met all my expectations! It is AMAZING! It has great bum-coverage too. If you are looking for flattering swimsuits that are affordable, Amazon is the place! Shop all my favorite Amazon swimsuits here.
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That sums up our top 15 sellers of the summer!!! I love seeing you guys love the same things I do! Hope everyone is having a great summer!
