We Can Do Hard Things!

On Saturday, we woke up bright & early to support Mallorie in her Healthy Kids Triathlon. This was her second year participating, so she knew what to expect, but she still had some unexpected rough patches during her race (mainly due to a biker crashing into her on the bike portion). But, she picked herself up, brushed her tears away and gave it her all! 

Back To School Beauty Kit Tutorial

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SkinClearingMakeup #CollectiveBias 

With a good chunk of the country heading back to college in the next coming weeks, I thought it would be fun to put together my favorite beauty & skincare products and create a chic college survival kit! 

There's nothing better than putting together a little DIY gift for a friend to let them know you care! 

4 Things Every Woman Needs To Do Often

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PeopleRewardsClub #CollectiveBias  

Time is precious, no matter what stage of life you're in, but when you have little ones that are dependent on you for all their needs-it makes it exponentially harder to have some "me time". 

Any alone time or opportunity to get "away" always feels like a vacation, and I try to relish it (even when it's only five full minutes to myself).

Play. Eat. Repeat.

Thank you CLIF Kid for sponsoring this post. Be sure to check out the new CLIF Kid Zbar Filled and encourage your kids to get outside and play!

Back in California, the highlight of our girl's week was playing at the beach, jumping in the waves and hunting for sand dollars with grandma. We started taking them to the beach when they were just old enough to crawl (and were a little weary of the texture of sand:D). I think I might have gotten more out of those first few trips back then, but I'm so grateful we persisted because now the beach is one of their favorite places to explore & play.

Since being back in Cincinnati, we have been making sure to keep consistency for the kids and continue to have lots of day trips, educational activities, and outdoor play.

Frozen Yogurt Bark Recipe + Kids Morning Checklist

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #HorizonLunch  #CollectiveBias

We've spent a good chunk of our summer creating recipes, fine-tuning old ones and eating way too many sweets. But in the process, we have created some really delicious recipes that I think you and your family will enjoy.

Yogurt bark is one of our favorites, because it makes for a super quick breakfast or snack & it's made with ingredients moms can feel good about. They're incredibly easy to make and will help to keep kids full, plus aid parents during the back to school breakfast craze. 

If you’ve never made frozen yogurt bark before, now is the time to do it!

10 Things You Should Definitely Bring To College + A Fabric Transfer Tutorial

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CreateWithHP  #CollectiveBias

Whether you're a first time freshmen about to start college, or a seasoned veteran (like myself:D), there are a few things every student needs to take with them to college to ensure a successful school year. Today, I’ll be sharing some true essentials for college + some advice I've learned along the way.

Belize + Our Stay at Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort...

A special thanks to my friends at Hamanasi for hosting us during our anniversary week and setting the bar high for coastal retreats!

Our newfound obsession with scuba diving & love for adventure is what originally led us to Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort.

But once there it was their incredible service, picturesque beaches & diving, mouth-watering cuisine, and rich culture that made our stay there unforgettable.

DIY Back To School Paper Organizer

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BoxTopsHero #CollectiveBias.

Anyone else feeling excited for the school year ahead? With the back to school season upon us, I have been brainstorming ways to stay organized as well as get my kids to share my excitement for the upcoming year. This paper organizer is chic, practical and perfect for keeping you and your little ones organized.

Back To School Productivity Hacks

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #samsungtargettech #CollectiveBias 

This fall I will be doing something I have been dreaming of doing since I had my first child: going back to college and finishing my degree. Starting college is stressful enough when you’re 18 years old. But when you add ten years to your age, plus a full-time job, a spouse and a few kids, starting college (or going back) can be a major challenge. 

Whether you have a side job, are going back to school or just want to be more productive during the kiddos naps, I hope some of these tips will work for you as well as they have for me.

A Dreamy Minimalist Sanctuary...

A special thanks to Annie Selke for sparking today's post! As always all opinions are my own!

I’m a big believer in creating a space in your home that is all your own, your sanctuary. We all need a place where we can unwind, relax and retreat after a long day's work. After transforming our master bathroom last month, this space has easily become my favorite room in our home. 

But in order to make it a spa-like haven, and more fully enjoy the space, I had to add a few simple things...

Belize At A Glance

Our first trip to the beautiful country of Belize was a whirlwind of beauty, adventure, and relaxation! It was the perfect way to celebrate our tenth anniversary!

Tenacity of a Sunflower

We woke up bright and early to run a few errands and then spent the remainder of our morning exploring a local sunflower field & playing at the park. It was so beautiful and the weather was reminiscent of fall, so it was pure bliss.

I'm also sharing something that I feel strongly about, and I often struggle with. It's at the core of who I am,  I'm hoping maybe it will be of help to someone else!

Mom Aids & After School Printable!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #RITZFilledBackToSchool #CollectiveBias

We have been busy this summer making lots of memories. We traded in our Buckeye state for the California coast back in June, and then spent a week in the unbelievably beautiful Winter park.

 

The girls have had ample beach-play, cousin-time, and hours of park outings. They've done a great job of soaking up every last minute of summer!

Flowers For Days

The weather on our last week in California was brutal, the temperatures were consistently in the high nineties, so we tried to spend a good chunk of our time by a pool or by the ocean.

One early morning though, we braved the sweat and sun for the sake of these gorgeous sunflowers and picturesque views.

My Probiotics Journey

A special thanks to LoveBug Probiotics for sponsoring Today's conversation and for allowing me to be their ambassador!

The first time I noticed any food sensitivities was the fall of 2013 (right after doing Medifast). I had lost a ton of weight with that program, but I started having weird symptoms such as food sensitivities when I had grains and some highly acidic fruits.

The thought that I had done permanent damage to my body terrified me! And, I wasn't sure how to undo the damage. Plus, I noticed that I felt sick all of the time, with stomach aches, constant colds, and excessive weight gain. My immune system was struggling!

Happy Fourth of July!

We are so blessed to live in such an amazing country where we get to enjoy so many wonderful freedoms. I am so incredibly grateful for all those currently serving in the military and that have served so valiantly for our country!!! 

Master Bath Remodel

Saturday was a long day spent installing & painting the Board and Batten wall trim. The process took a lot longer than expected (like most of my projects), but there’s finally a light at the end of the tunnel, so I'm sharing a sneak peek of our bathroom remodel.

Summer Picnics + GIVEAWAY!

A special thanks to PackIt for sponsoring today's conversation & giveaway!

We spent much of our vacation playing at the beach, making sand castles, taking in the beautiful sunshine, and having picnics.

We tried to make it a point of getting out and doing something fun every day (no matter how tired mommy was:D). I don't know why, but I always foolishly overestimate my level of stamina without my amazing husband around. Anyone else do this when they're flying solo?

Sunny California

I’m back with the first of our pictures from our grand California adventure (we’ll call it that because it was not restful enough to be called a vacation and it seems a much bigger deal than “trip” would imply) and I’m already trying to figure out the best way to print and frame all of these for our home (okay, maybe not all of them). 

We spent our first full day in San Diego, at a beach that promised beautiful sand + sand dollars + a fun amusement park nearby. It was a beautiful way to spend our first day in sunny California and we were in our own slice of paradise.

Here are a few pictures from our first beach day. 

Perfectly Soft Buttermilk Pancakes

Is there anything more beautiful than a giant stack of pancakes fresh off the griddle on a Saturday morning? Add a glass of milk, a healthy amount of agave syrup and you have the perfect way to start your weekend. Don't you agree?

Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa Tacos

 I am so ready for our summer vacation to begin! We are kicking off our summer early this year and visiting family in California next week. I can't wait to be enveloped in all that sunshine and warmth! It's going to be a blast! But since we are still super busy, I need to keep our meals simple and effortless. 

These slow cooker Barbacoa tacos are exactly what we need for these hectic days, plus everyone loves them! 

Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day everyone! 

This Mother's day was incredibly peaceful and rejuvenating. Simply perfect.
Kyle and the girls made me breakfast in bed and pampered me with heartfelt letters. It was such a sweet gesture and It reminded me of how lucky I am to be their momma, and get to share my life with such loving, kind and selfless souls!

Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies & Cookie Guide!

These cookies are ultra soft, thick, and have just the right amount of chocolate chips baked in to calm my cookie-loving-heart.  

Is there anything better than a fresh batch of soft chocolate chip cookies? 

I think not. 

And these chocolate chip cookies will take your life to the next level. 

Strawberry Avocado Spinach Salad + Berry Vinaigrette Recipe

While it’s not quite summer yet, strawberries seem to be popping up in every store I go at the moment. So, I picked up a few cartons of these delicious strawberries today and couldn't wait to make my Strawberry avocado spinach salad.

2017 Rock N Roll Nashville Marathon Recap

Kyle and I headed out to Nashville Friday morning, thanks to his sweet parents flying in to town and watching our girlies (they are so amazing!). It was so much fun to explore Nashville with my sweetheart!