Happy Memorial Day everyone! I hope you all have had a great long weekend so far. Today, the fam and I are heading to Newport Beach for our last little family vacation before we move to Utah! These are my favorite vacation items that I packed from Hawaii and I’m basically taking the same things to Newport.
I also included below all of the Memorial Day sales that have been going on over the weekend. We spent hours on Saturday going through all the sales online and picking the best items from each sale!! you can see all my favorites HERE + there’s an update on the house and moving. Hope everyone has a great holiday!
xx – kails
. . CLICK ANY IMAGE BELOW TO SHOP . .
. . Memorial Day Sales . .
Nordstrom || half yearly sale – save up to 40% off!!
Guys!!! We finally broke ground on our new house and are officially closed on this house here in Cali . We’ll are renting back for a month while we let the kids finish school, pack and while Joe finishes up his last month of his hearts fellowship. We are excited and nervous all at the same time. I still can’t believe we are going back to our home state of Utah and will live within minutes of both my sisters! It’s getting real!!
Because it’s Memorial Day weekend, I’ve rounded up the best items from my favorite Memorial Weekend sales! They have some great picks and deals that you don’t want to miss! Check it out below!!
Happy shopping loves!! And hope you all have a fabulous holiday weekend!!
xx – kails
. . THE BEST SALES . .
Nordstrom: half yearly sale – save up to 40% off!!
The Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale is happening right now!! And we all know how much I love Nordstrom — so take advantage of the up to 40% sale prices on so many amazing items!! The sale goes until June 4th, but sizes are already selling out so be sure to snag your favorite items before they are all gone!!
I rounded up a just few of my favorites from the sale!! A bunch are perfect for the spring and summer + there are some great closet staples as well!! Check out some of my favorites below. You can click on the arrow on the right of the widget to see more favorite picks!!
I’ll also be sharing more great finds throughout the day on my Instagram stories. Cause you know I’ll be making a few orders for myself and the little people because they have grown out of everything!! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!! Happy shopping!!
xx-kails
. . SHOP THE BEST TOPS + DRESSES from the SALE . .
As you all probably already know, being a mom of 5 little people means that we are allllways on the go and super busy with juggling daily events. Whether it be school, baseball practice, soccer games, dance, or just our every day tasks at home! The busier we get, the harder it has been to be able to balance it all and still try to put focus on healthy eating. Now those of you that know me know I’m not always the best at eating healthy and with a crazy schedule, it is usually the first priority to go for me. I know terrible right?! But I’ve recently found an amazing brand of delicious smoothies that allow me to be a busy mom and still have time to eat healthy, even on the go! Anything to make life easier — I’m all over that.
When I heard about OLLY Smoothies, I was instantly interested because I’ve always been a smoothie lover! When I have time, smoothies have been my go to quick breakfast, lunch and/or dinner in the past. A lot of the time that means picking one up while I’m on the go with the little people. But not anymore! I can’t get over how easy and good OLLY smoothies are, and they’ve become one of my favorite go to drinks + the little peoples! Not only are they super healthy, you guys…they taste good! (and I am picky) And all the little people can’t get enough, which is a HUGE plus!!
One of the main reasons I’ve always loved going the smoothie route, is the ease of packing (and sneaking…I know you get it moms) in lots of fruits AND veggies. Plus, if you know me well you know we are not vegetable people over here. haha. Being so busy, this is where it got difficult for me. I don’t always have the time to buy or prepare all the ingredients to get the “healthy” additions I would love to be drinking! The OLLY Super Foods Smoothie is fully loaded with a full serving of fruits and veggies and has all of the protein, fiber and vitamins you need!
THREE things I’m doing to help me keep my energy are:
drink more water : I’m trying to get at least 8 glasses a day if not more. I know this is a no brainer but trying to just get it done is sometimes harder then you think.
more vitamins + veggies : I have been eating at least one super food smoothie a day. Just to make sure I’m getting all the vitamins and vegetables (cause we know I’m not a fan of vegetables) a day. I figure right now this is better then nothing.
go to bed earlier : I have always gone to bed late. Always!! Right now more then ever I’m feeling run down + have no energy. So I’ve been trying to get to bed just an hour earlier and gradually working towards earlier.
I’m sure you all know how essential protein is to our diets. Without enough of it, our bodies can’t properly function. I’m starting to learn a lot more about this because I’ve been looking into the whole macro thing. More on that later. Being a sometimes exhausted mama of 2 babes this extra boost of energy the Super Food Smoothies offers has been a game changer! The high fiber keeps me feeling full too. So those days where I don’t get around to eating lunch on time because we are out and about, I don’t feel like I need to hit up a drive thru, because I stay feeling full so much longer!
It’s also so important for our bodies to get protein after exercising to help rebuild muscle. I like to give the Olly Kids Protein Smoothies to the little people after a hard game or practice so that they can get the protein they need to refuel.
These smoothies have given me peace of mind! Knowing that even though sometimes we might be in the van all afternoon/evening going from practice to practice, none of us have to miss out on the vitamins and nutrients we need has been so amazing you guys! Tell me some of your go to options – I’d love to hear!!
Since we found out that we were having Harper, I’ve been on the search for a really good recliner. We bought a lazy boy recliner over 10 years ago when we had Hunter, but it was time to finally update after four more babies. I asked you all on Instagram what your favorite rocker + recliners were. Most people said they did nursery gliders, but we knew we wanted one that reclined. Not a huge Lazy Boy and I wanted it to look really modern. I searched for weeks and finally read all the reviews and compared a ton and we ended up going with the Monte Design recliner + glider.
I rounded up the top four rockers/recliners that you all recomended + suggestions from friends, and more. I think getting a rocker/recliner is definitely an investment piece!! So before buying, I would think about how much time your going to spend in the chair. I was willing to pay a bit more because I knew how much time we spent in out last rocker. I love to nurse in it, rock my babies to sleep and hold them when they are sick and need to be upright. We wanted to be able to kick back and sleep like we have done with all our other babies. We pretty much lived in our Lazy Boy and I knew it would be the same for this chair as well. Plus our little people love to cuddle up in it and read stories… so for us it is a timeless piece.
. . SHOP NURSERY DETAILS . .
. . top four rocker/recliners . .
Monte Design: I love this one (this is the one we have). It fully reclines and I love that it is a recliner + a glider in one chair. We went with leather because it wipes up nice and I love the modern look it gives. Plus it’s really comfortable!
Oilo Glider: I love the big arms and that the sides go up high around your head so you have something to rest your head on. I was able to try this rocker out for the shoot for a few weeks. I really liked the glider aspect of it, but we knew we wanted a recliner as well.
Pottery Barn Kids: a lot of people said they like this one. I tried them out in the store and really liked them. They were super comfy, soft, and I loved the fabric options! But again it came down to we wanted one that would fully recline.
Target: Here is a not as expensive one for those people who aren’t ready to invest in a rocker yet. This one is a glider + a recliner like mine. I love the modern look to this one!
Really in the end TEST them out if you can. Go with what your budget allows. I would much rather have a cheaper crib and spend more on my recliner that I can mover from room to room and use after baby. Also, read reviews but don’t always go strictly off of those — because again everyone has their own opinion. haha. And remember if your going to have more babies buy the one you love and you know you’ll use the most. That is my suggestion. I wanted this recliner with Houston and went with a way cheaper option and I was kicking myself the whole time!!
I’ve been getting a ton of email + questions on how to get your baby on a sleep schedule. I’ve done a few blog posts in the past on our favorite sleep products, and one about sleep training Houston + a few more. But today I thought I’d share just a few of my favorite tips on how to get your baby on a sleep schedule. Now by all means I am no expert but these are just some things I have learned with my five babies.
make sure baby is fully fed + burped : I personally think the best way to start baby off to a great sleep or a full nights rest is to make sure they are fully fed annnndd burped. This seems to be my babies biggest hangup — when they’re not burped ALL THE WAY. My babies usually have a couple of burps and seem to be bit more gassy. So if I just hold them upright and wait an extra 10 minutes after their feeding they can usually stay asleep without any gas bothering them. I’d much rather spend an extra 10 mins after feed then them waking up in 45 minutes because of the tummy ache.
dim lights + sound machine : dimming the lights or closing the shades helps cue sleep time. Plus who wants to sleep in broad daylight. haha. The sound machine. I like to use one to help drown out noise. BUT to also get my babies used to constantly hearing noise when they sleep. My older people can live + play and I don’t have to worry about the baby waking up.
swaddling : is a huge thing at our house + I like to think of myself as the master swaddler around here! The tighter the better – really. Swaddling contains baby’s flying arms and helps them feel safe and secure. (gives them “boundaries” to push from and makes them feel like in the womb again) You can see more why I loved swaddling so much + learn how the correct way to swaddle HERE.
stick to the same routine : this is more with bedtime but it helps with naps too. At night I like to wipe my babies down or give them a bath, change their diaper, feed them and of course swaddle them. Doing the same thing in the same order every night, helps baby start to learn the cues at bedtime. I also like to make sure there’s a sound machine.
try to be home when it’s nap time : (or wear a wrap) I always try to make sure I’m home around nap time. It is hard, but most days my babies sleep is more important then running errands. I know newborn sleep so much that it’s nearly impossible. My babies always sleep better at home versus on the go. Plus, when they’re being put down at the same time every day in their own bed with all the cues above I feel like they start to recognize nap time and bedtime a lot faster.
I hope some of my tips and tricks I’ve used for my babies over the years might be able to help some of you with your little ones. These might not work for everyone but they worked for us and our babies. Getting baby on a sleep schedule is not an easy task. If you have any suggestions or tips you’d love to share I’d LOVE to hear them. Thanks for all your encouraging support here in this space + I always love hearing back from all you guys!!
I can’t believe our Hawaii trip has come and gone already!! Really right now time is flying by and I feel like I’m just trying to hold onto every moment + memory. We had such a wonderful time — but to be honest Joe and I were wore out afterwards. haha. We’ve never gone an a vacation for this long or that far with two babies. They were actually really really good we were just always holding one of them or feeding one, or trying to hold and rock a baby for nap time. I don’t think my arms have never been worked out so much in one week!! Other then that we all had a blast + the little people begged us to stay a few more days. Can you blame them?!
So on Instagram I ask you all to share your suggestions of fun things, places + food to eat in Oahu. We had a lot of good feed back so I’m sharing a few of our family favorites + a few new things we tried from all your suggestions!! Also I linked to all our my swimsuits and outfits from the trip below. Hope your able to snag some fun items for summer!!
Waimea Falls + beach: the falls is a simple paved trail (that you can easily take a stroller on) that leads to a gorgeous waterfall at the end. They have life vest for everyone – even babies and you can swim to the waterfall. It’s definitely a must for families. The beach is just across the street and has some of the most aggressive waves I’ve seen. This is Joe’s favorite beach of all time. It totally depends on the time of day – pertaining to the waves because the last day we went the waves were so calm and the kids could get in and play. But it’s really a fun place to watch people body surf.
Polynesian Culture Center: this was our first time visiting the center and I don’t know why it took us so long. I would definitely go back and actually wish we had more time there. We did not to the luau (mostly for time sake) but stayed for the show + fire dancing and it was amazing!! Really worth every penny!!
Laiae Temple + Visitors Center: we visit the temple e.v.e.r.y. single time to go to hawaii. I always feel such a peace there and it is the most beautiful building + has the prettiest landscaping ever. We love to go into the visitors center and watch few 5 min family videos and then let the kids run around on the grounds. You can learn more about it here.
Kailua + Lanikai beach: this little town is more down south on the island and a sweet reader told us about annnd I’m so glad she did!! It was such a cute town with TONS of places to eat and the beach there has this perfect little inlet of water that the kids could play at — and Houston didn’t have to worry about getting knocked over by any waves. It was honestly amazing!!
Haleiwa: is yet another one of our favorite small towns near the north shore (where we stayed and always stay) a few of our must do things are Matsumotos – shave ice, paddle boarding . the Acai bowl truck (so yummy) and some other little bakeries on the main road. etc.
We stayed at a private villa/condo at Turtle Bay. You can stay at the hotel there but they also have villas you can rent out from a private party or from the hotel. We have stayed in the same villa twice and the guy that owns it is wonderful. I personally like the villas because they have a kitchen and washer and dryer so it is really convenient for families especially big families with babies. haha.
Let me know if I left anything major out? I could go on and on and have been sent a ton more ideas from you all — so I think I might even have to write another post to share those all. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend AND if you have stuff you have loved doing, eating anything on Oahu please share in the comments and I’ll compile a big list and share with everyone!! Love your guts!!
Since summer is almost here, I thought I’d write a fun little post about my favorite 6 nail colors for the spring + summer. I’m pretty sure white and pink will always be my go-to/favorite nail color, but lately I’ve been venturing out and trying more fun, cute colors. Below are my favorite picks for spring + summer!!
white – (coconut cove) : just a staple for ever and always!!
pink – (haute to trot) : my new favorite pink color
coral – (on the list) : I love this brighter / warmer color for summer + I think it makes you look a bit more tan!
light purple – (dress call) : still need to try this one. Hoping next time I do my nails.
light blue– (saltwater happy) : I got this blue done on my hands around Christmas time and a ton of you went crazy over the color. It was really a fun different one + I wear jeans almost always so I thought it went well with most of my outfits.
neon – (looks to thrill) : I have a neon that is BRIGHT pink on currently and wore it to Hawaii!! Neon is a summer favorite!
. . SHOP THE POST . .
Also, in case you haven’t seen it yet, I have to tell you my new favorite nail polish. Essie’s new gel couture nail polish is hands down my new favorite nail polishes!! It’s the new shellac/gel nail polish. It lasts up to 7-10 days, there is no light needed and it is so fast at drying. All you do is put on the color (no base coat needed) and then the gel top coat and that’s it! This is perfect and fast and does NOT trash your nails!!
I’ve slowly been stocking up on colors — and I love that I can touch up my nails when I’m out of town and don’t have to drag along my light!! Now tell me your favorite colors for spring and summer!! I’m looking to add a few new colors to my stash!! Love you guys!!
When we heard about the Flower Fields down in Carlsbad, itt sounded like the perfect way to get out of the house and enjoy this beautiful spring weather with the kids! You guys! They are so beautiful! There is so much to see and do! We went with our friends and had a blast! They have a fun playground for the kids, a cute area where they can mine and sift through the sand to find special gems, a gorgeous flower maze and so much more! One of their favorite things to do is run around and fill up their “passport” with stamps!
Houston is right at the age where he wants to be able to run around and play with the older kids. So I decided this was the perfect time to try out our new Bugaboo Bee5 Stroller.
You guys,I can’t say enough good things about this stroller! It was the perfect help on this adventure! The storage amount is unbeatable. And that is saying a lot lugging things around for 5 little people! It is so light and easy to control. I felt like I could do it with one hand and it was easy for the big kids to push around too! If your mama life is anything like mine, where your hands always seem to be full, these small details are a HUGE help!
This might sound a little tacky too, but I hate being in such a gorgeous place, and looking back at all my pictures and seeing a big dark stroller as an eye sore in all of my pictures!! If you’ve been around here long enough, you know I love all things fashion. That love goes for accessories and gear too, including our stroller!
I love that for this outing, the bright color of the stroller matches so well in all the happy spring pictures! Bugaboo offers so many customize-able options. You can make your stroller fit you and your personality. If you want to stick with a sleek, completely neutral look, you can. But then at the same time you can go super personal and change out details. By the time you are done you have exactly what you want. No settling for a limited selection.
Bugaboo Strollers also have extendable sun canopies, which is something I have to tell you about! As I’ve mentioned here before, I’m always so worried about my little people getting too much sun! The canopy on this extends, so I can put Houston or Harper in for a nap and not have to worry about any unwanted sunburns or sweaty babes! It has been a serious game changer for us!
We can’t wait for a summer full of family time with baseball games, beach days, vacations, and of course shopping ahead!! What are your favorite fun summer activities?!
Happy Tuesday friends! I am so excited to FINALLY share with you Harper’s nursery — just in time to pack it all up for the move in a few weeks – haha!! I was able to co-design the nursery with my dear friend Annalisa, owner of Oilo Studio. We did Houston’s nursery together as well. You can see that HERE.
Since our house is very small, we went for a more simple + clean look for Harper’s Nursery. That being said, we also knew we would have more room in the new house so we adjusted a bit, knowing the over all look in the new house will be perfect!! I just love how it all came together!! Annalisa/Oilo Studio was so amazing at helping me make the vision of my last baby’s nursery come together and I couldn’t have done it without them!! Plus, I can’t express how much I love how it turned out! Seriously, aren’t baby rooms the funnest? I’ve linked allll the details below, but if you have any questions, leave them here!
I am so excited because we are in Hawaii!! After a long week of baseball, soccer, tennis, running errands and packing, my whole family and I are finally hear today and can’t wait to play!! We will be staying on Oahu for the next 7 days up on the North Shore. We are wanting to just hang out, eat great food, do a few hikes, and visit some amazing beaches. If you guys have any great recommendations on food places, beaches or awesome hikes please let me know!! We would love any and all recommendations you all may have! I’ll still be posting a few fun posts and Instagram pics while in Hawaii, so stay tuned! Till then, here are my favorite outfits from this last week. Hope you all have a great week!
I have always been a huge fan of lipstick and wear it every time I go out. It’s probably my most favorite item of make-up. Even if I don’t wear any make up at all, I’ll put on some lipstick before I leave the house and still feel + look put together just by adding a little color to my lips. My favorite has always been the MAC lipsticks and I love their nude and pink lip colors. I love that these colors go with everything, no matter what color my outfit is!
My all time favorite go to lip color is ‘angel‘. It goes on so smooth and has such a slight nude/pink color that it accentuates my lips perfectly. Not too much vibrant color, but enough to make them pop just enough while still looking natural. It seriously is the perfect soft pink color!
One my other favorite lip products is the prep + prime. My sister and I discovered this awhile ago and I don’t know why anyone didn’t tell us about it – forever ago!! I put on the prep + prime before I put on the actual lipstick. The prep + prime helps condition and smooth your lips and acts as a sort of primer that keeps the lipstick on longer and helps it last throughout the day. I’ve definitely noticed a huge difference with how long my lipstick stays on since I’ve started using it! Definitely a game changer ladies! Now tell me your favorite colors or brands!! I’d love to try out a few.
