Holiday

March 21, 2018

Easter Traditions

Easter is just about here and it has me so excited! It always means Spring is just about here and good weather is coming! Like any holiday, I try to incorporate some fun Easter traditions to make it special for my little people! Since I love hearing what you guys do to celebrate, I thought I’d share some of our favorites, as well as some new ones we are thinking about starting this year!

EASTER BASKETS…

This one probably comes as a no brainer when it comes to Easter traditions, but has always been one of my little peoples favorites. I’ll throw a few treats in, but mostly I like to stick with more practical items I know they actually need and will use throughout the coming season. I shared some of my favorite ideas over in this post!

EASTER EGG HUNT…

I know, also not anything crazy different, but we don’t do your average egg hunt. I’m not a huge fan of candy and my mom isn’t either so we do things a little different. Instead of stuffing the eggs with treats, we fill the eggs with money! Some are as small as a quarter and they go up to a few dollars! The little people absolutely love it because then they can get whatever they want! The best part is we also do an adult hunt too. Tthe stakes are a little higher and we aren’t just playing for quarters! It is such a fun Easter tradition we all really look forward to!

EASTER BREAKFAST…

Growing up my mom always made holidays really special for us. A lot of her traditions I’ve continued with my little people because I love them so much! Having a big Easter Breakfast is one of them! Every Easter we buy these huge egg plates to use for our breakfast. The little people love having a fun giant plate to fill up with cinnamon rolls, eggs, bacon…the works! I love that something as simple as a different plate makes for an Easter tradition they always talk about!

For the past 9 years we have been away from family for Joe’s school, so Easter has kind of become our friend holiday. None of our group of friends really had the money to go home for a smaller holiday, so we made it special together. Honestly, our Easter’s with them are some of my very favorite memories. I know a lot of you are in the same boat right now away from close family, but these holidays can still be something so special with simple Easter tradtiions…even if they are new ones you start this year! Since we are close to family again and in our new home, I want to start a few new traditions too! These are some of my favorite ideas, but I’d love to hear what you do!

– Egg someone! : No not with actual eggs. This cute idea is to fill plastic eggs with cute notes and treats and throw them all over a friend or neighbors yard with a note saying “you’ve been egged!” I don’t know, but sounds fun and I’m sure the people will love it.

You guys always have the BEST ideas!! So I’d love to hear some of your favorite traditions or new ones your thinking of trying this year!!

photos : aubrey taiese

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Family

March 19, 2018

Spring Dresses from Baby + Tween to Mom

my dress sold out similar here + here | hunter dress | hayden dress (similar) | harper dress + headband

Spring is in the air and it has me so excited! Finally seeing the sun + the trees start to bloom again is my favorite time of year! I’m learning the hard way that Northern Utah weather is kind of a tease with spring one day and snow the next, but we have high hopes spring will come for real soon! With the weather changing, so are our wardrobes! Since Easter is usually one of the first signs and celebrations of spring, Spring Dresses are usually the first thing we think about! Normally I like to do a roundup of what I’m loving for myself, but since I’ve been getting a lot of requests for kids options too, I thought I’d switch things up and do a roundup of favorite Spring Dresses for the Family!

First of all, before I jump in to the roundup, I wanted to share a little tip. I’ve been getting asked a lot where I shop the most for our family. I definitely have my favorite go to stores. Shopping for such a wide range of ages can seem overwhelming. Knowing what fits your personal style + where you can find it is a game changer and has saved me so much time. For myself, I’m sure it is obvious. I love all things Nordstrom. I also love the unique pieces, especially dresses you can find at Anthropologie. For my little people it’s Nordstrom, Gap, and Abercrombie Kids. This is in no way sponsored, they are just the places I find the good quality + style that I love. Knowing places that fit you and narrowing down your search window saves so much time!

So with that in mind, here are my favorite Spring Dresses for baby all the way up to mom! Also incase you missed it I shared a bunch of Easter Basket ideas in this blog POST.

BABY…

Baby dresses are of course the easiest thing ever to buy. I swear there probably isn’t a dress out there that won’t look cute on a chubby little baby!

LITTLE GIRL…

Shopping for Hayden is probably one of my favorite age groups. She still loves all things pink and super girly, so dresses are so fun. It probably comes as no surprise that I’m not big into the frilly dresses, but we make a few exceptions. I am definitely more practical and try to go with something that I know she can wear with leggings to school or throughout the summer, not just to church.

TWEEN…

Shopping for a tween, while challenging figuring out sizing, has been such a fun change! Having a mini me that is starting to be able to shop in some of the same places as me has been so fun. Like with Hayden, we try to keep things more basic and versatile so its not a one use dress.

WOMEN…

I’m all for any excuse to get a new dress, especially a fun spring one. The colors and patterns get me so excited for warm weather. This year I am really loving the different lace overlay options, and fun patterns!

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Family

March 17, 2018

Weekly Update

jumpsuit | wedges (old) similar here | sunnies | disc + bar necklace

Happy Weekend! I hope you all had a great week! It’s time for another weekly update + for us it was a fun one! So Joe + I spent the first half of it celebrating our 14th Anniversary in sunny Arizona! It was honestly the first time we have gone on vacation together and I didn’t spend the entire time just thinking about our little people, so I’m making progress! Haha mom problems! But it was seriously the exact trip we needed! The weather was perfect and we had zero plans. We did a lot of eating…sitting by the pool…movie watching…and eating again. It was so great to just be together so we could just talk without any interruptions and relax. If you wanna know a little more of the random about us, head to this post because I shared 10 fun things you might not know!

I’ve also been getting bombarded with tons of requests to share all of our favorites from the trip with you! I promise I’m not ignoring you, so don’t worry! So Joe + I are going to make a list and share everything in a post next week. But be prepared for a whole lot of food….because that was the highlight of our agenda!

We got home Wednesday and planned on quickly packing all 7 of us up to head straight to St George, but decided it was too much. So Joe took the boys down and they are enjoying a weekend of baseball, while the girls and I are trying to fit in all things girly!

So as far as home updates go, we are tackling office organization this week! I am SO excited to have it done and functional! If you missed it, I shared how our kitchen + family room turned out too! We are really loving how everything is coming together. Seeing our ideas + dreams come to life has been so fun!

So that about sums up our weekly update! Also I hope you all had a great one too + enjoy your weekend with your people! Finally, don’t forget to check out the great sales happening this weekend too! I’ve listed my faves below!

WEEKEND SALES

Gap : Up to 50% off almost everything + extra 20% off with code GOBIG
J. Crew : up to 40% off with code NEWNEW
West Elm : 20% off + free shipping with code THEBEST
Old Navy : up to 50% off spring styles
Abercrombie Kids : up to 40% off select styles
Target : kids tees/shorts starting at $4…mens/womens starting at $5!

swim | shorts | sunnies | hat

. . . more striped suits . .

top old | jeans + here | tennies | disc + bar necklace | sunnies

swim coverup | sunnies | hat

pajama top + here | jeans here + similar here | necklaces

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Lifestyle

March 16, 2018

Our Travel Guide : St George

Ever since I mentioned that Joe + I are from St George, I have been FLOODED with requests to share all of our favorites! It is seriously the best little place to escape to and enjoy the sun, especially if you are a few hours away in Northern Utah! It’s safe to say we are experts + definitely have some tried and true favorites! Since we (well not just joe + the boys) are visiting this weekend, I thought it would be fun to share some with you for today’s Favorite Finds!

…FAVORITE EATS…

It should come as no surprise to you that allll the food needs its own category. What can I say, we like to eat! Haha! We really aren’t such foodies at home, there is just something about vacation eating that makes it that much better! Plus having grown up in St George + having our family still living there, we’ve had a lot of years to rack up our favorites!

paulas : If you like Mexican food, you will LOVE paula’s! My Grandpa’s best friend from college owned it so it has always been a family favorite. Their chips + salsa is my absolute favorite!! We even convinced her to give us the secret recipe and we make it all the time. So so good!
pasta factory : My moms friend owns it, and it has always been one of our go to spots for big family get togethers. I love that they have a good variety. I LOVE pasta so that is my pick, but joe + the little people can still get pizza! Plus their bread twists…out of this world!
larsen’s frost top drive-in : This is the cutest little family owned drive-in. It opened back in 1965 and is the best diner/drive in menu. They have these amazingly greasy goodness fries called Picadilly Chips… my mouth is watering just thinking about them.
bear paw : If you are a big breakfast fan, you’ll love Bear Paw. This is probably my dad’s favorite place to eat in St George. They have like 10 different kinds of waffles + french toast alone, + crepes, pancakces…anything you can think of!
irmita’s : I almost can’t even believe I’m putting this one on the list. It is kind of a hole in the wall, but what it lacks in looks they make up for in taste. Joe + his brothers love it and go all the time. If you like real deal mexican food, you’ll love it!
freddy’s : This one probably isn’t new to most of you, but it had to make the cut. We love a good burger + fries, and freddy’s is probably our favorite. It is the perfect place for a family because its super affordable + has a lot of options the little people love too!

**MORE FAVORITES UPDATED AS OF 2022!!

first watch
xetava
red fort
viva chicken
capriotti’s
riggattis
benji
mixed greens
ever bowl

favorite basic tee (olive sold out) | black jeans + here | similar flats | houston boots | hayden boots

…FAVORITE FAMILY FUN…

St George is FULL of fun things to do. Whether you are going with your girlfriends, family, or just your hubby, there is so much to do! I tried to narrow down all of our favorites to do as family, but really they’d be just as fun no matter who you’re with!

pioneer park : Pioneer Park is such a fun place to let your little people explore. The red rock is stunning! It is full of little nooks + boulders to crawl + climb on and get some energy out. There are amazing views of the city too!
bike/hiking trails : You don’t have to look hard to find a good trail in St George. Whether you want to take a family walk/bike ride, or try something a little more strenuous, you’ll find it there! We love going on family walks in the evenings + just enjoying the beautiful area.
tonaquint park : Tonaquint Park is by far our favorite spot in St George. It is such a FUN park. There is a huge open area that is great for running around or playing soccer. The playground area is an all abilities park, which I think is so awesome. The swings, slides, and just everything is made so even if your little ones are in a wheel chair, they can enjoy the same fun as the other kids. My little people especially love the zip line! There is also a fun train ride that goes around the whole park area that my people, especially Houston love! It is definitely a must stop if you are in the area!
town square splash pad : St George is a warm one, especially when summer rolls around. One of our favorite spots to cool down is the town square splash pad. It is not your average splash pad! In addition to the sprays + fountains, there is also a lazy river that runs down the middle. It is only a few inches deep but so fun for the little people to splash around or sit in to cool down.
children’s museum : This is right in town square next to the splash pad and a great place to cool down in the summer. It has a bunch of different “real life” interactive areas to play, like a grocery store, airplane, post office, etc. It’s only $5 and my people love it!
boating : One of our favorite things to do in St George is go boating with Joe’s family. Both Quail Creek + Sand Hollow are within about 15 minutes of St George and so fun! Sand Hollow has a great “beach area” for the little people to play or to set up a picnic area and just lounge too.
golf : St George is known for its amazing golf courses + it’s one of Joe’s favorite things to do with his brothers when we go down. There are so many good courses to choose from, but their favorite is Sand Hollow.
red moutain spa : This spa is incredible! It is actually a tradition that for Christmas my dad treats all of us girls to a mini spa day here. They have a yummy lunch that they put in a package deal with 1 or 2 services for a discounted price. It is such a gorgeous place to just relax + catch up with my favorite girls!
fiesta fun : This is a new addition to our list but quickly becoming a favorite! They have all kinds of things to do including mini golf, bowling, laser tag, go carts, pretty much you name it! We love reserving their “b lounge” for family parties. It is like your own private bowling room with 4 lanes, its own seating + bathroom. It is the perfect way to still have the bowling fun as a huge group, but keep all the little people (especially the wild babies) trapped in one space!

These are our family favorites, but I’d love to hear all of yours too so we can try them out!!

xx kails

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Home

March 14, 2018

Our Home: Family Room

rug | gray chairs | coffee table | pillows | ivory + gray stripe blanket | top | jeans + similar here | slippers || harper : top | jeggings | headband || houston : top

Today we are continuing our home tour, and taking you inside the other half of my favorite area in the house, the Family Room! Our little family spends so much time together in this space. I wanted to share all the details that went into designing it and how we made it feel like home!

As I mentioned in our kitchen reveal, I really consider this main room as the heart of our home. Most importantly I wanted it to feel comfortable and welcoming. I wanted it to be a place where my people wanted to come together and just talk about their days. Since it is a statement area of our home, I also wanted it to reflect our modern + unique design aesthetic. So I took this wish list and went straight to the master mind, Ashley, and together we came up with a space I love!!

blue couch | coffee table | pillows | cream blanket | end table (sold out)

As you can see in the kitchen + dining reveal, it is a very bright but neutral space. Since I had that as the foundation, we knew we wanted to add some fun pops with the furniture in the family room. Article is full of the exact modern look I was going for. Their pieces are unique and high quality, without reflecting it in the price tag. I saw the Sven Sofa before we even moved in and knew I had to have it! I love the combo of kind of mid century meets modern clean lines. Ashley convinced me to try pairing it with the velvet Kits Sofa. I’ll admit, velvet made me nervous, but you guys it is amazing! The texture and pop it brings to the space is exactly what it needed.

When it cam to accent chairs I changed my mind about 1000 times. You may have seen the fun pink ones we originally went with. Article was so great to work with all my crazy changes! The Noah chairs were the perfect thing to finish off the seating. Gray is so trendy right now + a color I love, so they are for sure a favorite. The seating is all so comfortable while still giving a clean modern look. I love that we have the space to accommodate not just our people, but also to be able to host our extended family + friends.

Another favorite about this space is the light + brightness the windows bring. I had been warned about Utah’s dreary winters. Being used to so much sun in California, I knew I wanted to pull in a lot of light. The windows completely brighten everything up! You know i love my greens so the Fiddle Fig brings life to the space as well. A fun + easy way I like to add more texture + dimension is by using baskets instead of your typical planter pots. Something about them just feels more homey and cozy!

The coffee table, end tables, + rug (that I’m OBSESSED with) all came from AllModern. They really pull everything together. I love that the rug brings warmth to the space without being too harsh. These fun pillows from Tonic Living were the perfect final touch and created the cohesive + cozy space we were looking for.

Also I forgot I have been getting a ton of questions about our fan! It’s one of my favorite pieces of the room! I got it from Lighting Design and I worked with Mendee. She was seriously amazing!!! And helped me pick out so many other fixtures for the house as well. Honestly a great company to work with if your looking for anything lights!

It took a lot of trial and error + changing my mind a few times, but I could not be happier with how it turned out. I can’t wait to make memories + watch my little people grow up here in this home!!

couch | gold pillow | pink velvet pillow | pink fuzzy pillow

end table (sold out) | vase | gold sculpture (old) similar

photos : aubrey taiese + design : ashley cooper design

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Family

March 12, 2018

10 Things You May Not Know About Joe + I

top | jeans | wedges (old) – similar | clutch – similar | sunnies || joe : shirt | jeans | shoes

Today we are celebrating our 14 year Anniversary!! I seriously can’t even believe its already been 14 years! I swear we were just young and in love! haha! In honor of our anniversary, I thought it would be fun to tell you more about us, so today I’m sharing 10 fun things you may not know about Joe + I!

1. We’ve known each other for 22 YEARS!! … Yes you read that right!! 22 YEARS! We met when we were 12 years old!! Haha such babies but we’ve pretty much been best friends ever since! I shared more of the details as well as a few funny stories over in this post on Valentine’s Day.

2. Joe grew up in a family of 5 boys. I grew up in a family of 3 girls! Ha can you get more opposite?! Sine we had known each other for so long I figured there would be no surprises for either of us when we got married. I remember about 2 weeks in, Joe came to me saying there was a weird film on the counter top in the bathroom and he could not figure out what it was. That was his introduction to hairspray!! The other biggest surprise was the toilet seat! I grew up with just girls, and as a result, my dad just always put the seat down. It was never something we dealt with in our house. However, in a house of boys, it was the opposite! I remember being so weirded out + confused of why he never put it down!

3. Joe always knew we’d have 5 kids, even though I always said 4. He never told me he felt that way until I got pregnant with Harper, but he said he knew it from before we had any of our people that 5 would be our number.

4. Joe + I are both OBSESSED with ice cream! When we were first married, we lived right down the street from an ice cream place called Scoops. We would walk over EVERY..SINGLE…NIGHT to get ice cream. And when I say “get ice cream”, I don’t mean one scoop…or even two. We each got a full PINT! As a result, I probably gained around 15 pounds in the first month of our marriage. Joe called me Lady Lumps because thanks to the pounds I actually had boobs for once! It is still such a big joke in both of our families. Living in Kentucky was a problem too! They have the very best Blue Bell ice cream. We would buy GALLONS at a time and make milkshakes every night. So one thing about us…You will never find our freezer without ice cream!

5. When Joe + I were dating, I told him I always wanted to name one of my kids Hunter. It didn’t matter if it was a boy or girl. He liked the name too until we found out our first was a girl. He was terrified that as a result, she would grow up and hate her name around 16. We don’t worry about it now, but still so funny to me.

6. Joe played college baseball on scholarship at SUU! (thank goodness for scholarships) Hudson has completely taken on his love of baseball! I love watching him play + relive my days watching Joe.

7. If we had to pick one thing to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (that wasn’t ice cream) it would hands down be Chips + Salsa, because we both love Mexican Food!

8. Joe actually originally wanted to be a pharmacist! However, right before we got married, he changed his mind to being a doctor. After lots of schooling he is now a Cardiac Anesthesiologist and absolutely loves it!

9. I lived in St George my whole life and would have been more than happy to keep it that way forever! The warm weather and gorgeous scenery, as well as the community was something I was used to. I did hair as well as coached cheer and was very content! Joe and his school was probably the only thing that could’ve torn me away from it. We lived in Kentucky for 4 years in addition to California for 5! I am so glad we are making our home here in Utah! We love being close to family + being able to visit our hometown regularly! St. George will always have a piece of my heart!

10. Another big one is we completely balance each other out. Joe never stresses about ANYTHING. If he could he would live in a box…in basketball shorts and a t-shirt. But I am the complete opposite and love all things fashion + home design…and am a complete stress case 90% of the time!

Well I hope that gives you a little more background on the both of us so you can feel a bit more connected!! I wasn’t planning on sharing some things (lady lumps/scoops), haha but it just happens!! Hope your all having a great day!! Now we’re off to enjoy our anniversary!!

dress (sold out) similar || joe : shirt | jeans

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Family

March 10, 2018

Weekly Update

jumpsuit + here + here | flats (40% OFF) | jacket – similar | sunnies | disc + bar necklace || suitcase

Today’s weekly update is coming at you from SUNNY Arizona, so you can imagine its a happy one!! Joe and I escaped to celebrate our 14 Year Anniversary so we are in heaven! We can’t wait to have a few days of sleeping in, with no schedule, as well as not having to share our food with anyone! Haha! So far the only thing on our agenda is a couples massage + dinner over at Omni Scottsdale Resort + Spa at Montelucia. The pictures look gorgeous, especially the spa! This girl needs some pampering so we can’t wait! Haha! Really, our schedules are so crazy, so any time I can get with Joe is my favorite!

So as far as a weekly update goes for the house, we have progress on the office! All of the cabinets were finished so it is ready for me to tackle organizing and putting everything away! Can’t say I’m looking forward to that pile of fun, but it will be nice to have it be a usable space. In addition to being organized, having the first thing you look at not be half dumping ground half construction zone will be amazing! Another update you might have seen over on my Instagram Stories that Park City Blind + Design came to start installing our blinds! Our huge windows are one of my favorite parts of the house, but privacy when we need it is going to be great too!

So about does it for our weekly update! Don’t forget to check out the sales below, because there are some good ones! There are some awesome deals on both home + fashion for the family going on this weekend so don’t miss it!

WEEKEND SALES

Gap : It is the FRIENDS + FAMILY sale!! It is one of the best sales Gap has all year and its site wide so don’t miss it! ! Get 40% off + FREE SHIPPING with code FRIEND
J. Crew : 30% off spring styles with code WORKIT
West Elm : 25% off 1 item + free shipping with code YESWAY
Old Navy : tees + tanks starting at $5 + 50% off swim
Abercrombie : up to 50% off select styles
Target : up to 25% off home + up to 30% off patio ONLINE ONLY

swimsuit | sandals | shorts | sunnies

jumpsuit (sold out ) similar + here | top || harper dress | cardigan | headband | moccs || baskets + here

top | joggers | slippers | phone case + pop socket

sweater (sold out) similar | jeans | flats (40% off)

top | cardigan | jeans | slippers || harper dress | cardigan | leggings | headband | moccs || houston top | jeans

dress | boots || harper leggings | headband

overalls (sold out) similar + here | disc necklace | phone case + pop socket || harper moccs | headband

harper pajamas | headband | bib || fiddle leaf

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Holiday

March 9, 2018

Easter Basket Ideas

Time is flying by, and if it means winter is almost over I might just be okay with it! Haha! Spring is one of my very favorite times of year. We can finally start to play outside more, the little people are full swing into all of our favorite sports, and it just feels like such a happy time! For me Easter is always the sign of that new fresh season coming in and it gets me so excited! The aisles of Target are already full of yummy treats + cute finds, so I wanted to share a few of my favorite Easter Basket ideas for all my little people! I’ve broken it down into each of their age groups to make it easy to find some fun options!

..BABY…

Harper is still little enough that she doesn’t really know its a holiday or “expect” anything, but of course we like to make it fun for her! It’s no secret that we are obsessed with these headbands + moccs. I think I’ll include a fun new springy color in both! I also love to get a small snuggly toy + book too! Super simple and always trying to incorporate items I’d be buying anyway! Also a lot of you asked about the sippy cups the babies were drinking out of the other day and these also make the perfect gift!

…TODDLER BOY…

I don’t know about you, but for us this is the age that is constantly on the GO! Houston is always ready to do the next thing and sometimes I feel like I can barely catch up! He is pretty easy to please, and his Easter basket is probably the easiest one! Like with Harper, I try to throw in a few practical items. My favorite is a new swimming suit + some fun flip flops! I do this for all of my people and it always gets them so excited that warm weather is coming! Since it’s not always warm yet, I like to think of little toys for inside + outside. Really just simple things he loves like bubbles or sidewalk chalk for outside, and markers + sticker books for inside! Also, with his puppy obsession, I’m not sure I’ll be able to say no to this!

…LITTLE GIRL…

Little girls are so fun! If yours are anything like Hayden, she is all things girly. If it is pink or sparkly she is in, so I love finding things for her! I love this adorable nail sticker set + I think she’ll die over this . She loves playing outside with Houston so I think she is the perfect age for this fun jump rope! I’ll be including a swim suit + flip flops for her too! Can you tell I’m excited for warmer weather?! haha! She also LOVES anything that makes her feel more grown up, especially shopping, so I think she’ll love a Target Gift Card for a future kids date!

…KID BOY…

Hudson is growing up so fast it is crazy! I swear he was just at the age where he still thought bubbles were cool! haha! Like the rest of the world, he (and Hunter) are fully obsessed with all things SLIME! ugh! I really cannot stand it. But in the spirit of letting them be little + have fun, I’ll probably throw some slime making ingredients in his basket. He also LOVES all things sports! I thought this glowing soccer ball you can use at night looks so fun + a gift card to Top Golf! We love doing gift cards for all of our people so we can use them to go on our kid dates I talked about here earlier this week! I think those ideas + a swim suit + flip flops will be perfect!

…TWEEN GIRL…

How Hunter is already a tween is beyond me! As much as I hate that she is growing up, it has been so so fun to have a mini me. I love a good shopping date out with her because we are starting to be into the same stuff, AND she shares my love of ice cream! Gift cards for a fun girls night out are on the top of my list for her! She also loves her iPod and has been asking for a new case or pop socket . Her love of makeup and wanting to wear it is still going strong, but luckily for now we’ve compromised with tinted chap stick! And for more practical, like the rest of my people I’ll do a cute swimsuit + flip flops!

I really like to try and keep things a simple mix of practical as well as things that will encourage more family fun time. It doesn’t need to be a crazy huge deal, just something to make your people feel special! I’d love to hear some of your favorites to include!

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Home

March 7, 2018

Our Home: Kitchen + Dining Room

When it came to designing our home, Joe + I both knew we wanted the kitchen area to be the focal point of the home. We knew we wanted to create what we loved, so it was worth investing in. For us, we truly consider it the heart of the home. The kitchen is where we spend the most time together as a family. It was important for us that it was a warm, inviting, happy space where we all wanted to gather. It is the place where we come together for dinner as a family. Some of our most cherished conversations happen here. I am so in love with how it turned out, so today I wanted to invite you in to the heart of our home, our kitchen + dining room.

harper top | leggings | barstools | hardware

When we first started designing, my complete indecisiveness kicked in. After searching Pinterest + Instagram, I found a designer I knew could help put all my thoughts together and create what I was looking for throughout the house! Her name is Ashley, and if you are in need of design input she is your gal! From simple accessory details to full room layouts, she has helped us so much!

My main goals for the kitchen + dining room were clean,white, light, and bright. I loved the look of the ever so trendy all white kitchens, but I love to be different and a little outside the box too. The wood we used on the cabinets was the perfect solution. It brings in the warmth the space needs so it doesn’t feel completely sterile. We had them line up the wood grain exactly so it keeps the clean, modern lines. I love that it gives it such a unique look, while still staying timeless.

Another HUGE part in designing the kitchen and dining room was picking out appliances. The thought of it gave me so much anxiety because I really had no idea where to start. During the time we were designing our plans, we went to the St. George Parade of Homes to get some inspiration. As we walked through, I started to notice that every appliance and even overall kitchen space I liked, was done by Boulevard Home Furnishings. They were everywhere and I knew they were the answer to all my concerns! Plus my parents had gone to Boulevard for years for all their appliances so I knew they were the ones!!

I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing they were to work with. They listened to all my random ideas + requests, and turned them into one cohesive plan. They were able to help reel it in when they could tell something wasn’t going to fit my overall goal. When things got delayed and crazy back ordered on our fridge, instead of just saying that’s how things go, they upgraded our order to a nicer fridge, so we could have a functioning fridge for our family. You can really tell they have you as their number one priority. The very best part was that they are a one stop shop, so you know everything will flow how you imagined, instead of hoping 5 different companies all promise the right things!

Having family gather in our home often was important to us. That meant a lot of cooking! I knew I wanted to go more high end on the oven so we ended up with Thermador and I couldn’t be happier! Boulevard answered all my questions and concerns + showed me the best option! It has your typical regular oven size. In addition to that it has a second small oven, that can be used as a warmer. It was so helpful to have at Christmas when you are trying to cook a million things at once.

I’m a crazy person and want to show everyone my fridge too! I showed the snack drawer I’m obsessed with over in this post and I wouldn’t have even known it was an option without them. And the ICE MACHINE!! My little people love it as much as I do, and it is our most used appliance! If you’re anything like me and just feel like you don’t know where to start with appliances, I promise you will feel better talking to them or going to check out their show room.

Another favorite part of the kitchen + dining room is the seating options. I knew I wanted a big island to prep food on, but also to have a bar area. I love that it is big enough that we can stick the babies chairs on the island so they are right in the action with us! The little people love being on these stools right up at the bar to help with food prep or even for homework! Greta, who designs + makes them is incredible. She is a welder (honestly I don’t think I know another women that welds) + first time mom herself! Every single thing she makes is by hand, and the quality is out of this world!

The feeling of just being together and comfortable in the space was so important. I love that we were able to accomplish it. You can usually find us all piled around the island (sometimes even on top of it) eating or having our latest dance party, and I could not be happier about it!

Oh and for all those asking about the floors..I found it for you here!

xx kails

table + chairs + bench | pillows | black planter | dining pendants

cement pot | cutting board + round here

play kitchen | wreath | play utensils

photos: aubrey taiese

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Family

March 3, 2018

Weekly Update

The weekend is here!! We get Joe all to ourselves this weekend with zero plans so I could not be more excited!! With it being Saturday I wanted to pop in and share a little weekly update in addition to a few awesome sales that are going on right now you won’t want to miss!!

I started off the weekend a little rough when I woke up so so sick on Sunday. It was so bad! It honestly felt like I was swallowing knives due to such a sore throat! Joe + Hunter took care of everything from meals to babies + me as their patient while I stayed in bed all day! Joe wrote me a prescription for an antibiotic and I’m feeling 100 times better. Hallelujah!!

As far as a weekly update goes for the house, it feels like we are finally getting close to being done! Yes we’ve been in it for almost 3 months now, but we are FINALLY getting there. Our cabinet guy stopped in yesterday so he could take final measurements. He should be done next week! Then we can finish the office, which is the last big space we have left! I just wanna jump up and down I am so thrilled! Your life feels so much more put together when your house is too! Haha!

We are headed to Arizona next week for our anniversary which is especially exciting! We are so excited to have a little WARM getaway just the two of us. It will be so nice to just relax and see the sun again! I can’t thank you enough for allll your recommendations! We will be sure to share the highlights here on the blog + over on Instagram!

Also if you missed it, one of my very favorite sales of the year is happening now! I shared all of my favorite buys (most of which I already have and LOVE) in this post. But act fast! It ends today! There are a few other great sales going on now that I linked below! Hope you all have the best weekend with your people!

WEEKEND SALES

Shopbop : 15-25% off with code GOBIG18 (check out my favorites from the sale here!)
Gap : up to 50% off almost everything + extra 20% off with code GOFORIT
J. Crew Factory : 40-60% off everything + extra 40% off clearance with code MORE
J. Crew : 30% off + extra 10% off full price items with code DIYUMSN
West Elm : up to 25% off bedroom furniture
Old Navy : all kids + baby up to 50% off AND up to 50% off all jeans
Abercrombie : up to 50% off select styles

my top + joggers || kids similar pajamas here + here + here || harper : headband || white duvet

top | jacket (sold out) similar | jeans | boots || hudson : pants | jacket | tee

top | jeans || harper : top | leggings | headband || white duvet

top | joggers | slippers | phone case + pop socket || harper : pajamas | headband

leggings | tennies | top | water bottle || harper : top | jeggings | shoes | headband

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Family

March 2, 2018

Favorite Finds: Snack Prep

jeans | slippers | black tee | cardigan || bamboo dividers | snack bags | labels | white bins | wire baskets

For this week’s Favorite Finds, I decided to do something a little different, that I have been getting a lot of questions about! A couple of weeks ago, I showed a little clip of our post Costco snack prep over on Instagram Stories. It is honestly such a life + time saver for us, I had to share how we do it + why it is one of my favorite mom hacks!

Before we start any snack prep, we always take a trip to Costco. This is in NO WAY sponsored! It totally doesn’t have to be Costco, but them selling in bulk helps. And you guys, I just found out they DELIVER!!! Yes you read that right. Deliver to your door! Mom dreams coming true everywhere! haha!

Insta-cart is actually the ones providing the service. You just go online and pick the items you need, and one of their shoppers goes and does it all for you. In my opinion it is completely worth it + your first time is FREE I’m not buying all the random things I see while I’m there that we don’t really need. Saving money + time, in addition my sanity?! Yes please! Plus, BONUS! If you use code KWRIGHT301A4, you can get $10 off + Free Delivery! Like I said, NOT SPONSORED, it is just been such a life saver I had to share! Back to snack prep!!

Once we get everything home it is a team effort. Everything comes out of the box. Items like Granola Bars or Apple Sauce go directly in the “snack drawer”. If something is not individually wrapped, we portion it into little snack bags. Our main items are usually items like gold fish crackers, popcorn, pretzels, wheat thins and muffins (which we cut in 1/2). The bagged snacks go in the snack section of the pantry. We specifically made this area of the pantry right at their level. Everything is easy for them to access whether its for snacking or school lunch prep. (For a closer look inside our pantry we, you can go here.)

In addition to the snack prep in the pantry, we’ve also started doing it in the fridge too. I saw my sweet friend Shannon from Clean Eats Clean Treats post a mouth watering picture of the genus idea, and I loved it! It is actually one of the main reasons we picked and love this fridge from Boulevard Home Furnishings (also where we got all our appliances + they are amazing to work with!) It has the perfect easy to access snack space! For fridge snacks we try to have string cheese, individually portioned fruits, yogurt, cuties, apple sauce, etc.

It is really so simple, but has been such a game changer. I feel like my little people are so much more independent. If they need a snack, they know they can go grab one baggie. We especially love the system for being on the go. You can usually find us going from one sporting even to another after school, so my people know to just grab a couple baggies as they hop in the van. I even find myself using it on a regular basis too, so I don’t over snack. It is so nice to be able to grab a baggie of popcorn while I’m working…instead of the whole bag and eating way more than I meant to!

That about sums up how snack prep at our house works! I’d love to hear any snack prep hacks you have too!

photos: aubrey taiese

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Lifestyle

February 27, 2018

Behind the Scenes of Blogging

A few months ago I mentioned my team + I were meeting to plan upcoming content for both here on the blog + over on Instagram. I could not believe the insane amount of direct messages, asking who “the team” was…or saying they thought my blog was just me on my own! Since I had so many requests for details, I thought I’d give you a little behind the scenes of blogging!

I first started blogging about 10 years ago. While we were in Kentucky for Medial School, I wanted a place to share what was going on in our lives with friends + family. So I started a little blog (raise your hand if you were a fellow “blogspot” user?!) haha…and everything was super simple. When we moved to California, I was closer to family. Instagram was the new thing, so I kind of let my blog go. Fast forward a few years later. I noticed I would get asked a lot where I bought clothes for my little people…or our Disneyland tips…and wanted to have one place to keep it all, so the blog was reborn.

It honestly started as just a place to connect with people I knew. I was doing it all myself, and it was just a hobby for me. As the years went by, companies started to reach out to collaborate on products they saw I was already using. My “big break” came with my first offer from Nordstrom. I think that is when I knew I wanted this to be something bigger, and something to help provide for my family. All through the years I continued as a one woman show, but as both the blog + Instagram has grown, my family has too. It may not be the case for everyone, but I knew if I wanted to continue to spend time and be a part of my little peoples every day life, I needed help.

Cue my angel being sent from above. Haha! A little over a year ago I hired a full time assistant. She saves my sanity on a daily basis, and since hiring her, I honestly don’t know how we ever survived before! Joe and I love her because she has made it possible for family to be my number one focus again. She helps with anything and everything from emails + contracts, to scheduling our calendar + bringing me ice cream when she knows its been a rough day. We honestly consider her a part of the family!

I think as women it is really hard to ever ask for help. Knowing what I do now, it is always better to have a team that wants whats best for you by your side. A lot of people ask what I do for a job, and blogging is the answer. It is 100% a full time (+ overtime) job. It does provide a 2nd income for my family, and if it didn’t, I wouldn’t be willing to take the time away to put into it what I do.

In addition to details about “the blogging team”, I’ve also been getting a lot of questions about photography. How do I have time to get ready for pictures every day? How to I get my little people to cooperate? Let me just let you in on a little secret. If it seems too good to be true it probably is. Haha. I have a photographer. About 2-3 times a month my assistant and I put together a list of all the things that we need to shoot and I go get them all done with my photographer. That means that although it may appear that I have my crap together every single day, and always get ready (because I am in my posts), that is not always the case. I shoot multiple outfits at once and spread that content out throughout the month.

Instagram Stories is real life for me. Wearing my robe…not getting ready every day…kids in Christmas jammies..that is my real every day life. I’m not saying I’m a fraud, but lets be honest…no mom I know is that put together! Not every picture you see is professional. My iPhone does a great job too, and my bigger kids are pretty good at shooting some for me too!

As far as them being in the pictures, that is something I never force. I ask, and if they aren’t feeling it, they don’t have to be. They know we are a team. I support them in their sports + other activities, and they support me in this. Joe probably hates it the most, but is willing too cooperate for our sunday selfie!

I honestly love this community we have here. I love being able to come to you for advice + your tips just as much as I love sharing. The relationships we have here are so important to me. I always try to take the time to answer your comments, questions, and direct messages. I never want this to seem like a one sided friendship. It means so much to me that each of you are here and let me be part of your every day! I hope this helps answer some of your questions! If you have more I missed please let me know! I’d be happy to answer!

xx kails