joe’s swim suit  ||  hayden’s swim top + bottom  ||  hunter’s swim suit  ||  harper’s swim suit
my swim suit  ||  hudson’s swimsuit

Life with 5 little people can get a little crazy! So to say we are excited for a break from some of the schedules for the summer would be an understatement! Now if only we could get Joe on a summer schedule too!! Ha! With the end of school, sports seasons wrapping up, and Joe’s crazy work schedule this past month, it feels like we have had hardly any uninterrupted family time! So we decided to take the next night Joe had off, and take a family staycation at The Grand America and it was JUST what we needed!

my top + overalls + hat  ||  joe’s tee + shorts + hat + sandals  ||  hunter + hayden’s tanks  ||  harper’s similar top + shorts + shoes  ||  houston’s top + similar shorts

I don’t know about you, but I really think staycations are underrated! They are honestly the perfect thing if you are short on time or don’t have a huge budget. We loved that we could just pick a night Joe didn’t have to work and make it happen. There was no traveling involved, and packing just consisted of jammies and swim suits so it was so easy! My kind of vacation!! Staycations are also so fun because they give you a chance to explore where you actually live. I think sometimes we take for granted all the amazing things our own little cities have to offer. So this gives you a chance to try new things that are right outside your door! For us that was The Grand America.

hudson’s swimsuit  ||   my swim suit + sunglasses  ||  harper’s swimsuit  ||  joe’s swim suit  ||
hayden’s swim top + bottom  ||  houston’s swim suit + top  ||  hunter’s swim suit

Having grown up in Utah and having so many friends from here, I have constantly heard amazing things about The Grand America. It kind of has the reputation of the “IT” place to stay in downtown Salt Lake City, and I completely see why! We fell in love from the second we walked in. The grounds are STUNNING, especially in the spring. So many amazing flowers and water features, ah so pretty! Our rooms were perfect for us too, and one of the biggest perks to The Grand America. We told them we had the 5 kids, so they set us up in a joint room. The big kids were able to have “their own room” that joined up with ours, giving us TONS of space. It is the perfect set up if you are traveling with a family!

hunter’s swim suit  || harper’s swim suit  ||  my overalls + swim suit + sunglasses + sandals

Once we got all settled and cozy, we honestly just wanted to RELAX! So we grabbed some takeout and had cookies delivered, for a pj movie party. I know that is totally something we could’ve just done at home, but the kids thought it was the best night ever. They got to stay up late and eat treats in their beds. What more could you ask for?! Haha! If I was reminded anything during this little staycation, it was that it doesn’t have to be this big extravagant thing to be worth it. We are quickly learning that some of the most simple times together are what we all remember and cherish the most. …just swim…jimmy johns + chip…watched a movie.

hunter’s swim suit  ||  hayden’s swim top + bottom  ||  joe’s top + swimsuit + hat  ||  harper’s swimsuit
hudson’s swimsuit  ||  my overalls + swim suit + sunglasses  ||  houston’s swim suit + top

Another thing we absolutely love about The Grand America is their pools! Utah’s weather has been a little bit wild lately and we had a colder day. It was nice to have the option to swim indoor or outdoor. We loved that the outdoor pool is heated. The kids could’ve stayed to swim all day. Everything about the pool area and the hotel in general, you can tell they had family focus in mind, but without compromising on quality at all. They just kind of think of everything!

hunter’s swim suit  ||  houston’s swim suit + top  ||  my overalls + swim suit + sunglasses

So if you feel like you need a little uninterrupted family time, consider a staycation. All the perks of memory making, family time, and fun are there, without the stresses of packing, traveling, and over spending. So if you are in Utah, I HIGHLY recommend The Grand America as the best family friendly spot downtown. We can’t wait to go back around Christmas and be within walking distance to all the magic of Salt Lake at Christmas time.

in partnership with The Grand America

photos : aubrey taiese 

my jumpsuit + here + sandals + sunglasses  ||  joe’s top + shorts + sandals

Raise your hand if you love a good couples getaway?! I can’t even tell you how bad Joe and I needed this little trip together. He has been working some wild hours and it felt like we hadn’t even had a real conversation in weeks! What made it even better was meeting up with a bunch of the couples from our “Residency Family” at our very favorite hotel in Scottsdale! I shared a few clips of our trip over on Instagram and had lots of questions about the hotel + our favorite places to eat, so I thought I would share a little review + recap with you here today!

When it comes to design, you can sum me up in probably a handful of words. Modern, Clean, Minimalist, Bright, Simple. Hotels are often times not my jam. I just can’t handle all the cheesy themes and dark colors (hiding dirt and germs) they often have. So when I first laid eyes on the Andaz Scottsdale, you could say I was in love. Joe found it last year when we came to Arizona all on his own and I was honestly blown away. It is basically set up as a neighborhood of modern concrete bungalows. My design heaven. They are connected by sidewalks lined with tons of greenery and desert flowers.

We loved it so much we had to come back again this year with friends! Since we had let the hotel know we were coming as a group of couples, they set us up so just our groups bungalows had a common courtyard in the middle. We each had a couple chairs and it was so perfect to be able to have our late night conversations and not have to pile on someones bed in the hotel room, or just to come and go from the pool and restaurant together.

Your little sidewalk from your bungalow takes you right over to the resort pool as well. It is a big open area with tons of chairs and places to relax. I loved that while the resort was fully booked, we still felt like we had our own private space. It wasn’t small or cramped at all, like a lot of hotels. The restaurant on site is just as amazing and we could’ve eaten there for every meal!

my top  |  jeans + similar  |  sandals

As if the grounds and exterior of the resort wasn’t enough, the actual rooms and bungalows are just as amazing! Everything is so CLEAN, and open and the natural light in every room is my favorite. The modern furniture and accents are so my style and give it such a new fresh feel. You honestly feel like you are staying in a your own private home. The hotel feel just isn’t there at all!

Although we really could’ve stayed at the resort for food and fun the entire weekend, the location itself is one of my favorite parts of the Andaz. You could easily get a quick Uber or take the super fun scooter rentals over to the restaurant and shopping district of Scottsdale. The food scene in Scottsdale is unreal and we had a hard time narrowing it down to just enough spots for a weekend stay! If you need recommendations, we shared all of our favorite eats + your amazing recommendations in our Arizona Travel Guide.

If you are planning a couples trip, I highly recommend Scottsdale in the Spring! I grew up coming here to visit my aunt so it holds a special place for us. We honestly love it and plan to make it a regular vacation spot!  The Andaz is the perfect place to get away and you will honestly feel like you are in your own little private oasis!

top  |  jeans  |  belt  |  hat  |  sandals  |  bag  |  suitcase

Joe and I just got back from a little weekend getaway in Scottsdale with our Residency Family! We call them family because after going through the ups and downs of Medical Residency together, they honestly became as close as family to us. It was the perfect little getaway, and exactly what we needed to reconnect and have some time just relaxing and having fun!! I shared quite a little bit about our trip over on Instagram, and have had SO many questions on everything from swim suits to food, and all the details on where we stayed. Since I didn’t want to overwhelm you, I’ve broken it down into two posts! Next week I’ll be sharing our top things to do, see, and eat in Scottsdale, so today I’m covering inside my suitcase! All my favorite swim suits, cover ups, sandals and new spring favorites!

One thing that was HUGE for us this time around, was the fact that Joe and I shared ONE single carry on sized suitcase. Yes you read that right! I know it was only a weekend getaway, but keeping things minimal was so so nice. I learned on our trip to Hawaii that focusing on multi-functional pieces is a GAME CHANGER. I’ve shared my best packing tips and tricks here for you to check out, but I’m not gonna lie, I was pretty impressed with myself! So with that in mind, here is what I packed in my suitcase this go around!

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swim top  |  swim bottoms  |  disc necklace  |  bar necklace  |  watch band

:: SWIMSUITS

One of the reasons I was most excited to go to Scottsdale was to see the sunshine! Northern Utah is still feeling pretty moody about staying warm! Haha! So of course one of top things to throw in my suitcase was a good swimsuit! A girl can never have too many right? Haha! As much as I hate shopping for them, I love finding great timeless pieces, and the one I grabbed for this trip definitely fits that! I’m obsessed! I had heard so many great things about the quality and uniqueness of the suits from Albion Fit, so I gave it a shot and instantly fell in love!! The fit was perfect and holds you in in all the right places! I loved the uniqueness of the cut and the more neutral simple colors. I highly recommend their suits!

:: shop my favorite swim suits ::

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my jumpsuit + sandals + hat  ||  joe’s tee + shorts + sandals  ||  suitcase  ||  planter

:: MIX + MATCH BASICS

As far as the clothes that I packed, I really tried to focus on good mix and match basics. Things that could easily be dressed up for going out to dinner, but still totally casual for around the hotel or doing some shopping. Versatile is key for me when packing my suitcase.

For bottoms, I went with basic jeans (can’t go wrong with a classic) and then a pair of white jeans to add a little pop. Tops I did a basic black tee and a graphic tee. I went with black because it is a classic pair with jeans, but throw on some jewelry, nicer sandals, and the white jeans and you have a dressed up look for a night out.

pants  |  top

We did a little shopping and I snagged a couple of fun pieces like these stripe pants and cute basic top in yellow. I love getting to shop summer clothes a little early in a warm location so I am stocked up for whenever Utah decides to be ready for summer!

my jumpsuit + here + sandals + sunglasses  ||  joe’s top + shorts + sandals

Last but not least, were two jumpsuits. This one that I wore there is also from Albion and SO DANG COMFY. I felt like I was wearing pajamas.Jumpsuits are a travel favorite because they can so easily transition from day to night and really work with any plans you have! I love the classic look of this black one, but am always up for a fun pop too like you see here. Like I said, I kept it super simple, but loved that I still had options!

:: shop my favorite mix + match basics ::

. . .

white tunic  |  sandals  |  sunglasses

:: VERSATILE SHOES

Since we were only gone for a quick 48 hours, I only took two pair of shoes. I asked for your vote over on Instagram and honestly loved hearing your opinions and how invested you were in my choice! Haha! You can never go wrong with these flip flops. They are of course perfect for a day at the pool, but I love that they look high end enough to go with your night look too. My other choice was these leopard flats. I don’t know about you, but I’ve pretty much adopted leopard as a neutral! I went with them because again, they are so great with jeans, swim, jumpsuit, anything!

:: shop my flip flops + sandals ::

. . .

my jumpsuit  |  sunglasses  |  disc necklace + bar necklace  |  watch band

:: TOILETRIES 

First up is of course my travel sized Tula line up. I love that I don’t have to switch up my normal routine when traveling, because they have all my favorites it a convenient travel size kit. The kits are so good, that I actually gifted them to my girlfriends that were on the trip with us! It comes with my favorite cleanser, moisturizers, exfoliating wipes, and eye cream. They are still so much product for their smaller size and totally worth the price with my 20% off code! (code : kailee )

In addition to those, the only other must haves this time were my Vitamin C Serum and Tinted sunscreen from Form. If you are looking for a good face sunscreen, this is it!! I love that it protects my face AND I don’t have to put heavy makeup on just to lay by the pool. It is just enough to even out your skin tone. So so lightweight and not greasy at all! (use code kailee10 for 10% off!) Besides those, I threw on some of this amazing lip mask and that is it!

For hair, the only thing that is really a must have for me is dry shampoo! Haha! This is because I rarely wash my hair while we are traveling. Then you have to drag along all the tools and products you need for that too. I can maintain clean looking hair with my hat and dry shampoo power couple! Having my new short hair this time around was kind of a bonus as well. I didn’t have all that long hair to deal with, and I’m not gonna lie, I’m kind of loving it!

And last but definitely not least when it comes to beauty is my tanning stuff! I’ve shared here before that I love this tanning machine. But it is such a pain to bring along traveling, especially when you are just doing a carry on. So you can imagine how THRILLED I was when I found the same brands travel solution set. It was exactly what I needed to keep up with my tan through the trip. Highly highly recommend!

:: shop my travel toiletries ::

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I think that covers all the things inside my suitcase for this trip! Super simple and condensed and I loved it! If I missed anything or you have any packing questions, please ask here or on Instagram! I am happy to help!