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The Everyday Grace

by Kristen Grace

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The best of 2018

December 22, 2018

Happy Saturday friends! This year flew. Sure I was pregnant for almost the entire year, but the entire year went by in a flash and now I'm sitting here with a 3-month old trying to figure out how to slow time down.

These are always my favorite posts of the year. I LOVE looking back on the year and remembering all the good stuff. Last year I switched up this post to quarters, it makes it a little easier :)

If you're interested in the previous years, you can find them here!
2014: The year we moved to Denver 2015: The year we got married 2016: The year of new babies, weddings of best friends and happiness 2017: The year of growth
2018: The year of Quinn.

Dear Instagram, we had a pretty good year together. It seemed like you all loved me being pregnant. But for me, telling you I was pregnant was one of the highlights of my year. 

January, February, and March: We found out we were pregnant January 5, so to say the year started with a bang is a bit of an understatement. We spent most of January laying low because #morningsickness. We ventured to Arizona and told our families. I blogged about the Bachelor. I loved my Fab Fit Fun Box. I told ya why I quit my job and what I'm thankful for. March, we found out we were having a girl! Oh what a wonderful start to the year. 

The Best Of: Learning Quinnie was a girl. 


April, May, and June: We went to Jackson Hole for Easter, Adam and I celebrated 3 years of wedded bliss, my mom came to visit, I turned 31 and we celebrated baby girl, twice! I told ya what I wish I knew when I started blogging, the best things about pregnancy,  my pregnancy must-haves and what to do in Scottsdale. We had a scary first trimester, so making it through our 20 week appointment was a huge blessing. I 

The Best of: Our wonderful baby showers.


July, August and September: The last three months being pregnant were hard. It was hot, I was huge and we were dying to have Quinn here. We traveled to Steamboat Springs for Adams birthday, got the nursery prepped, packed my hospital bag and prepared our hearts and lives for what was about to happen. I gave you baby updates here here and here, I told you why baby wouldn't be on social media, I gave you 12 pieces of pregnancy advice and I told you 5 things I'm thankful for. 

The Best Of: September, our little love, Quinn Grace was born.


October, November and December: Honestly these last three months have been the best blur of our lives. We've been basking in newborn baby glow. Sleepy nights turn into sleepy days, baby smiles and coos are stronger than coffee and we couldn't be more obsessed with Quinn. She's 3 months and 2 weeks old as I write this, sleeping through the night and the happiest baby I've ever seen. I told you about her birth story (25 hours!), I showed you her nursery and mamas, I spoke to you. 

The Best Of: Quinn, every day, all day. 


Happy 2018 everyone. I hope your year was full of joy, happiness and love. Cheers to the memories of the last year and all the amazing memories we'll make next year.


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At Home Teeth Whitening with Smile Brilliant!

December 21, 2018

"We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do." Mother Teresa


Toady, I'm so excited to share with you a little behind the blog secret. I've been whitening my teeth with Smile Brilliant! Everyone wants a perfect white smile, especially me. Between blogging and instagram, a white smile is super important to me. I'm not one of those instagrammers who can get away with a closed mouth smile, so having white teeth is a necessity!



I've never used a whitening kit before. To be honest, it used to terrify me. I was afraid of teeth sensitivity and weird discoloration, so I never used one. But, I kept drinking coffee and wine and my teeth got less and less white. So, safe to say, my smile is not as white as I would like. I looked into getting my teeth whitened at my dentist office but their quote came in at over $700. While I wanted white teeth, I couldn't justify the price tag. Even if I wanted to spend $700, I really didn't want to spend any more time at the dentist then my twice a year visits.


When Smile Brilliant reached out to me to try their product, I absolutely jumped at the chance to try it. The best part about Smile Brilliant is they removed the office visit and made a dentist grade whitening service for under $200. Crazy right?


Their process is simple. I answered a few questions about my dental history and before I knew it I had a Smile Brilliant package sitting at my door step. The process for making your own molds at home is very easy. They give you all the product, and making the molds takes about 3 minutes for top and bottom. You send them in a week later you have your very own custom made whitening trays.



Per the given instructions, I whitened my teeth every night before bed for 45 minutes. You can whiten for up to 3 hours, but like I said, the sensitivity part made me nervous so I started at just 45 minutes. Guys, guess what? I never had any sensitivity. After I whitened, they give you a desensitizing gel you can use and it works like a charm. I never felt uncomfortable with cold foods and never felt sensitive.


The price for the whitening kit is $139. The price may seem steep at first but compared to drugstore teeth whitening kits which don't work great and the dentist which is super expensive, this is a great deal.


I ended up seeing a huge difference in my smile. I really wish I would have done this sooner!


Let's do a giveaway!!
Enter here: www.smilebrilliant.com/g/theeverydaygrace 
AND here's a 15% off coupon code for your own whitening kit! theeverydaygrace15


Here are some tips from the experts to make your whitening experience even better.
  • Use only 1/3-1/4 of a syringe per session
  • You DO NOT need to use all the gels that came in your kit: most people only need 7-12 whitening sessions (2-3 syringes) to see their full results!
    • The extra gels will stay good for 1 year at room temperature or 2 years refrigerated
  • Brush your teeth with only water before whitening
  • Gum sensitivity is normal! Coat your gums with Vaseline or coconut oil to prevent this
  • Whiten daily or every other day if possible for best results!
  • It's best to whiten for 45 minutes - 3 hours per session
Are you ready for the before and after?

Guys - I promise this after is with NO filter, no editing, just me my camera and my new white teeth!



Enter here: www.smilebrilliant.com/g/theeverydaygrace


Professional Teeth Whitening

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Our 2018 Christmas Card

December 20, 2018

Christmas cards are one of my favorite parts of this season. There is nothing better than getting cards from friends and family all over the country. They are the best. Ever since I can remember, my mom has sent christmas cards, so its no surprise that I would love sending them just as much.

I'm a sucker for Minted, I love their designs, and the ease of creating cards with them The best part, you can get them addressed, return labeled and stamped. Literally all I have to do is stuff envelopes. Genius.

This year because Quinn was born close to Christmas, we did her announcement on the back! I've been waiting forever to share our baby announcements and this was so special getting to combine them.

There are only FIVE days until Christmas people. Let's do this!


Do you send Christmas cards? Only FIVE days left until Christmas!


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Mama, I see you.

December 12, 2018

It's 3 am and your hair is in a messy bun, you have sleep in your eyes, spit up on your robe and you haven't slept more than 3 hours in 8 weeks. You are stumbling to the nursery to cuddle and nurse your little one. You're the only one in your entire house (and probably the neighborhood) who's awake so you try and be extra quiet. These quiet moments are my favorite. The house is dark, my husband and dogs are sleeping peacefully but for now, it's me and her.

She doesn't know it's the middle of the night as I pick her up from her crib. She smiles with that baby smile and it takes over her entire face. Her eyes squint, her smile is huge, and she sticks out her little tongue. She is thrilled to see me. She coos and cuddles as I change her, nurse her and rock her back to sleep. She doesn't know that I'm hurrying to get her to sleep so I too can go back to sleep, but for now, its me and her.

Mama, I see you.


It's 4pm and I've been balancing work and video calls while the sweetest little babe (who only needs me) is sitting patiently next to me. She wants to cuddle as we dance around the kitchen, all while my work is messaging me about the landing page I'm helping to create. She wants to play while I'm trying to pump and scarf down my 3 hour old oatmeal from this morning. She wants to snuggle while I've got one hand on my phone and one on my keyboard. She's watching me while I work, and I hope she knows I'm just doing this for her. Today, I've only microwaved my coffee twice, and this is a huge win. I'm counting down until Adam texts me that he's on his way home from work so we can all be together again. But for now, it's me and her.

Mama, I see you.

It's 9pm and Quinn is sleeping like the perfect angel baby she is. She's been asleep for 2 hours and I miss her more than imaginable. Adam and I are laying in bed scrolling through pictures of the day and I can't help but cry because she's growing up so fast. Today she laughed at me, I tell Adam, and then I show him videos of her doing that. Today she almost rolled over and I am so proud. Today she put her own pacifier back in her mouth and I called Adam to brag. I crave for the moment she wakes up and gives me that full face smile and again its me and her.

Mama, I see you.

This season of life is so wonderful and challenging and and amazing full of love that I'm not sure I have the words to do it justice. But even with a perfect angel baby, this season of life can feel lonely! I almost feel bad saying that because we waited so long to have this sweet baby in our life. It's the best job title I've ever had.

So yes, the 3am wake up calls are hard, but ya know what? They'll be over soon enough and I'll be wishing for those 3am smiles and coos.

Mama, I see you. I see your hard work. I see your tears. I see the love you give your family while balancing work and the house and dinner and the laundry and the dogs and the tedious tasks that most of the time go unnoticed. I see the way you fight for your family. I see how hard you work. I see the worry you have every day wondering if you're doing a good enough job. I see the stress. I see the love. I see you. I feel you. I'm with you.

Mama, we're in this together.

When people ask me about being a mom, my first response is, I wish I did it sooner so it could be me and her.


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Why You Should Use the Freshest Spices Possible for Cooking

December 7, 2018

It's almost Christmas which means lots of cooking and baking. Did you know if you were to check the spices in your spice cabinet, most would probably be expired? Trust me, go check, I'll wait. 
The difference between fresh ground spices and lesser quality comes through loud and clear at the dinner table. Gourmet quality spices are packed with more flavor than you will ever find on the standard grocery store shelves.

Maximize the Flavor of Your Recipes // The fresher your spices are, the more your food will be infused with flavor. Every recipe you make will provide maximum enjoyment for the taste buds. Using gourmet quality spices helps elevate your final results to a level you can proud to serve your friends and family.
Bold Flavors Last Longer // Gourmet spices that are not allowed to sit around for months in a warehouse before reaching your kitchen will provide a bolder flavor for a longer period of time. Purchasing the freshest spices available ensures you that every time you grab them to use as you cook, you'll still be greeted with the full flavors that are noticeable from day one.
Serve High-Quality Foods Every Time You Cook // Using lean meats, high-quality grains, fresh vegetables, and gourmet quality spices will make a huge difference in the meals you serve daily. Everything will taste healthier and everyone will fully enjoy their meal.
Make Every Meal Taste Like a Special Occasion // Using a fresh, quality spice selection turns any normal dish into something special. Your family or guests will think you spent a ton of time preparing a special meal. You have the ability to make each meal seem like a birthday or anniversary celebration. It's the easiest way to begin gathering everyone to the dinner table without any arguments.
Much like seeking out the freshest meats and vegetables for cooking, the spices you use can make a big difference in every recipe you try. It's worth switching to a gourmet quality spice selection to improve the results of your cooking efforts.

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Quinn's Nursery Tour

December 4, 2018

This post has taken me forever to write and I'm so excited to share it with you guys!

When we found out we were having a girl I was so excited for so many amazing reasons. One, obviously because we were having a daughter, and two, imagine how cute the nursery would be!

I honestly had no idea how I wanted to decorate her room, all I knew was I wanted it to be soft pink and girly. Her room is almost done! We are only waiting on some art work for her room. Quinn is lucky to have her nana (my mom) and her papa (father-in-law) painting her something!

I'm so obsessed with these flowers.



My friend and photog Abbeigh Blake Photography shot our newborn pictures and got some amazing ones of her room! Without further ado -- Quinn's nursery!

It took me forever to find something to hang over her crib. I didn't want something too heavy and I love how wispy and dainty these flowers are. Plus, I love that they stand out against the wall. 

This little mobile is my favorite too. It's little felt roses and plays twinkle twinkle little star. It melts my heart every time I turn it on. 

Her bedroom wall color is Sherwin Williams Intimate White - it's the perfect light pink. 

When we were designing her room, I jumped straight to Pottery Barn. They have some great quality furniture and I really love how their white matches all their furniture so you can mix and match different pieces from the store. 

Here's the link to her ceiling light! I loved the lights at restoration hardware, but really didn't want to spend $200+. This light is only $75! It's the perfect light in her room. We switched out the functional light bulbs for pretty light bulbs and it just looks darling. 





Her room isn't huge, so I didn't want a ton of bulky furniture. I love this short little bookshelf. Perfect for all her sweet books, pictures of Adam and I and her noise machine and humidifier. It's the perfect height for under her window and again, matches the white of the crib.

The sheepskin is from her Nana Jane. It's made for babys! They love the feeling when they lay on it, plus you can clean it. She does tummy time and lays on it every morning! This one is linked here -- it's short wool.


When we started with her room, I knew I wanted a chair that was cute and comfy. I knew I would be spending a lot of time in this chair, singing to her, reading to her and rocking her. This little corner of her room is one of my favorite spots. 


Be still my heart. Is there anything better than watching your husband with your daughter? It is my favorite thing to watch them and see their sweet bond. Quinn absolutely lights up when Adam comes home from work or walks in a room. She's daddy's little girl already. Adam has created a routine with Quinn where he puts her to sleep every night. He feeds her, gets her ready, rocks her and puts her down. It's the sweetest moments.

I absolutely love her bookshelves that hang above her chair. When we were designing her room, I knew I wanted to incoorprate her older cousins somehow. She has 6 amazing older cousins and I know they are going to be BFFs. I had each of them paint a little canvas for her room. The big cousins, Tomas, Izzy and V painted whatever they wanted and Leo, Otto and Jack did their footprints and handprints. I love the bright colors and their sweet little hand and foot prints. It's such a sweet thing for Q to have something from all 6 of them!

The dolls and piggy banks are other sweet gifts she's received from family and friends at our showers. Quinn is so loved by many and I love that its shown in her room.

these are my favorite moments.


This is by far my favorite room in our house. It's cozy and bright and full of love. Thanks for walking through her sweet little room with me!


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Recipe: Paleo Chocolate Muffins

December 3, 2018

One thing I'm learning about recipe posts is that none of you want to read a long story before getting to the recipe. I get it. You don't want to hear about my weekend or my problems. You just want the goods.

Well, here ya go, the best chocolate muffins in the world. They are paleo, chocolatey and so delish. Tell your friends.


Ingredients:
  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (or any kind of oil)
  • 1/3 cup maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup almond meal
  • 1/4 cup coconut flour
  • 1/3 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (or carob chips!) 
How to Make: 
  1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
  2. Line a muffin tin with papers. 
  3. Beat the 3 ripe bananas with a mixer until well blended and no chunks. 
  4. Add the coconut oil, maple syrup, honey, egg and vanilla, mix on medium. 
  5. Add the almond meal, coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and mix on low. 
  6. Stir in the chocolate chips. 
  7. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins. 
  8. For extra, sprinkle chocolate chips on top! 
  9. Bake for 18 minutes (or high-altitude baking for 23 minutes!) 
  10. Enjoy! 
 The batter, try not to eat it all before you bake it :) 


Happy Monday!

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My favorite jean jacket + a Patagonia Giveaway!

November 14, 2018

Two posts in two days! I told ya I'd be coming back. And today, I'm back with the BEST giveaway! 

$250 to Patagonia, my favorite winter weather clothing store! Be sure to enter on the blog and on Instagram! Just think of all the amazing things you can buy! Just in time for thanksgiving and black friday! 

Can you believe a week from tomorrow is Thanksgiving? How are we already here? We're taking Q on her first flight next week and safe to say I'm freaking out a little bit! I know we have to fly with her eventually, but I really don't want to be that parent on the plane with a screaming baby. 

Can you send me your tips? How do you fly with a baby? Did you bring gifts for your neighboring passengers? Wear your baby? Nurse her? Tell me everything! 

To the jackets -- I had a ton of questions about this jacket when I posted it to Instagram. It's one of my favorites because it covers my butt (#postpregnancy probs) and it's cheap! Jean jackets are kind of my obsession and today I'm sharing my favorites, plus where you can shop them! 

Treat yo'self, get to shopping. 







Now that you've shopped for yourself, it's time to win some moneyyyy! Everyone loves patagonia and now you have a chance to win $250! Tell your friends and good luck!


 

Just in time for winter, I am teaming up with some of my favorite Colorado Instagramers to give away a $250 gift card to Patagonia! To enter complete the task in the widget below. For extra entries headed to each of our Instagram accounts and look for the Patagonia Giveaway post! Blue Mountain Belle Mountain Chic Musings Everyday Grace Liz PaciniChels Elizabeth Griffin Mckenzie
a Rafflecopter giveaway

You’ll receive one entry per completion. Winner will be chosen at random, using a random number generator on Thursday, November 29th and contacted by email or Instagram DM. This giveaway is open to the U.S. and Canada only. Void where prohibited. By entering the giveaway you acknowledge that you are agreeing to subscribe to each bloggers newsletter if applicable.


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Quinn's Birth Story

November 13, 2018

Two months later and I'm finally sharing Quinn's birth story. Life has been kind of nuts and this post has taken me way longer than anticipated, but better late than never right?

Our day started like any other day. It was a Monday morning, Adam's alarm went off, he snoozed it twice, got up, showered and started getting ready for his day at work. I usually sleep in a little after he wakes up and this day was no different except I slept horribly. I was up from about 2am-6am panicking about work and maternity leave and the whole bringing a baby into the world thing.

Adam got out of the shower at about 630am and woke me up and as soon as I sat up in bed, it felt like I peed a little.
Before we jump in to the nitty gritty of labor and delivery, this is your fair warning that I use words like placenta and water breaking and umbilical cord. Continue at your own risk :) 
Let's back up a little. I had been planning Quinn's delivery since I got pregnant. Her due date was September 11 and honestly, I didn't want to have a baby on 9/11. The second I found out I was pregnant, I was hell bent on not having a 9/11 baby. Everyone knew; my doc, my friends, my parents, we were not having a baby on 9/11.

At my 39 week appointment, I scheduled my induction date for the night of 9/11, therefore guaranteeing I didn't have her on 9/11, but instead on 9/12. Call me crazy but I had it all planned. My parents and Adams parents were driving to Colorado the morning of 9/11. My maternity leave was set to start on 9/11. We were all set. I was even scheduled to go to my first moms bible study on September 10.

But, at 6:30am on September 10, my water broke and everything I thought I planned went straight out the window. Being this is my first baby, my expectation of having my water break was like a scene in the movies. You know in Sex and the City when Mirandas water breaks all over Carries shoes and ruins them? Not even close to my experience. I wasn't even sure my water actually broke. I went to the bathroom and more came out but still I wasn't convinced. It just kind of feels like leaking. At this point, Adam is googling things, calling his mom and I was on the phone with our doc.

My doc said it sounded like it broke, but to be sure I should head to the hospital and have them test it. So Adam and I rushed around the house like a maniac, letting the dogs out, making their food, curling my hair, ya know the important stuff. I made some peanut butter toast, Adam threw our hospital bags in the car and we were off.

I remember on the drive to the hospital thinking holy cow, our lives are about to change in the biggest way possible and could Adam drive a little faster. I could barely eat my toast but my best friend Lyndsey told me I have to eat before the hospital because then you can't eat anymore. I forced down two pieces of toast as we pulled into the hospital.

7:30 am: We were at the hospital and I was getting hooked up to monitors. After some brief monitoring and some tests, it was confirmed, my water broke! It kind of amazed me how casual this whole process was. I mean, hello, I'm pretty sure I'm in labor, why weren't people freaking out? I sure was.

At 9am, they moved us over to a labor and delivery room and I got hooked up again. Do you know how bad it hurts to have this IV put in? It goes in the top of your wrist and damn, it hurts like hell! Then they checked me. I was 2cm dilated {pause} 2 centimeters. This meant I hadn't dilated in over 2 weeks. I had been walking and eating dates like it was my job and hadn't dilated any. My doc came in and said, "Honey, this is gonna be a long day, I bet we don't have a baby until midnight or later." What I heard, "After all your planing, you're going to have her on September 11."

And ya know what? I didn't care one bit. I couldn't care less. I wanted her to be here so badly. All my planning was out the window, we were having our baby and whatever day that happened on would be the best day of our lives. Quinn was making her debut when she wanted and I can already tell this little one is going to be a strong-headed little babe.

We called our parents and they were on the road! Luckily, my brother was in town for work so he took an Uber to the hospital and was able to be there for the entire day and night!

At noon, they hooked me up to Pitocin to get me moving. Friends was on the TV, we were all chatting about the normal stuff and for a minute I kind of forget about the labor part. By 1:30pm my contractions were 4 minutes apart but I was still only 3 cm. The pain wasn't horrible at this point, just kind of felt like intense period cramps. The cool part was the monitor I was attached too could tell me when they were ramping up so I could kind of mentally prepare. I figured, if this was labor it was a piece of cake.

How wrong was I.


The day passed so quickly. Unfortunately. I was not progressing as quickly. We watched a lot of day time TV, chatted, I napped. It was such a cool and surreal day. I just kept trying to soak in every moment. Honestly, when I look back sometimes I wish I could do the day again. The feeling of knowing our lives were about to change was such an insane feeling, one I will never forget.

By mid-afternoon the pain was getting worse but I was still not dilating quickly. I sat on a bouncy ball, laid with my legs on a ball, Adam massaged my back and I was trying to be tough but man, labor hurts! Adams parents arrived around 4pm, it was so nice to have them there, especially his mama. She's a nurse and made me feel so much better about how I was feeling and what was going on.

630pm and I couldn't take the pain anymore. I called for an epidural. The fun thing about epidurals is that is requires more stuff. Like a catheter and you aren't allowed to walk around anymore (I mean, your legs are numb, but still). But wow, what a life changer. A lot of people asked if it hurt and honestly no. I was in pretty intense pain, as if my back was in a vice, so 5 minutes of getting it put in was totally worth it. Plus, they numb the spot first and I could barely feel it. The IV they put in first thing in the AM hurt worse. After the meds were in I took the best nap of my life as the lower half of my body warmed and numbed.

8pm: 4cm dilated. The doc was right, this baby was not coming today.

1145pm: 6 cm dilated. So starving. I get why they don't let you eat all day, but sheesh. I had about 4 jello's and 6 popsicles. All I wanted was a burger!

1230am: My parents arrived! Hooray! At this point, Adam's parents had gone to the hotel to get some zzz's, my brother was asleep on the couch and we were all very sleepy.

3am on September 11: I was 9 cm dilated! I've never been so excited in my life. She was coming soon!

I kicked everyone out of the room at this point except Adam and the moms. Sorry dads and brother!

4am: My contractions were brutal. I was in the worse pain ever and called for the anesthesiologist. When they give you your epidural, they give you a boost button to allow you to give yourself more pain meds. The boosts weren't working. The anesthesiologist came in and said, "honey I'm gonna make your legs go numb for 3 hours." He gave me more meds and I took another 30 minute nap. God bless my anesthesiologist.

630am: I was 10cm and my contractions were like every 2 minutes. My nurse suggested since I had been in active labor for so long that I should rest an hour before pushing. Thankfully my mother in law was there and shaking her head "no" and that I should just get to pushing. Honestly, I think if I would have rested, I would have lost all my adrenaline. I said let's get to pushing and we were off.

When I was planning labor, I envisioned me and Adam in this blissful room listening to music as I labored and brought Quinn into the world. I didn't want anyone else in the room.

How did labor actually happened? I asked my mom and mother-in-law to stay to help hold my legs while Adam stood near my head to coach and get me through. I thought I would be too embarrassed, but the nurses said having people hold my legs would help get her out faster and at that point, whatever or whoever could help get this baby out was welcomed to stay. I'm so glad they stayed.

It's weird because in that moment  my feelings were pain, anticipation and excitement. That feeling of embarrassment was the last emotion I ever felt. I was no longer concerned with people seeing me or what was happening down there. We were all so focused on Quinn coming in to the world that all the other details kind of disappeared.

I won't get into the gory details of pushing, but I pushed for 10 seconds, 3 times in a row, with 10 seconds off and then I'd go again. 10 seconds has never felt longer in my life. Not going to lie, pushing is hard work. 40 minutes later, Quinn was here!

As you all know, we kept Quinn's name a secret our entire pregnancy and we didn't even tell our docs when we got to the hospital. So as soon as she came out, the doctor asked her name and we both said Quinn. It was so cool to surprise our moms with Quinn's name as she was born. It was well worth the wait.

7:09am: Quinn arrived and it was the most perfect moment of my life. Adam cut the cord, they handed her to me on my chest and I looked up at Adam and just started bawling.

There is nothing as amazing as seeing your baby for the first time. 24 hours of labor has nothing on the pure joy it is to finally hold your baby. I'd do it 100x again.

Let's get to the pictures.






Thank you all for all your love and support over the last 2 months. It's crazy to believe 2 months has already passed since this incredible day. We're so in love with miss Q and can't wait to watch her grow.

I promise I'll be back to some more full time blogging soon :)


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Joligrace: My new favorite makeup case

October 10, 2018

Long time no talk friends! I'm in the process of getting back into blogging post Quinn's arrival but I gotta be honest, it's tough! Our day is divided up into three hour increments and between showering, laundry and the occasional naps I don't have a ton of time left.

But, stay tuned. I head back to work next week which will hopefully get us into a little bit more of a routine. I've got some fun things coming to the blog and I cannot wait to reconnect with you guys! Thanks for hanging in the last month and letting us soak up all the newborn snuggles.


Today, I'm super excited to tell you all about my new makeup bag. I'll be the first to admit, I am semi high maintenance. There I said it. When I travel, I like to bring all my stuff. The last thing I need is hotel shampoo and conditioner. I like to bring the products I need, makeup, lotion, hair stuff, it's just the way I am. Because of this, I find myself bringing like 10 bags of products. It's annoying.


I've never been able to find a big enough bag for both makeup and products and my hair styling tools. That was until now.

When I found Joligrace, I knew I found the solution to my high maintenance travel problems. A bag big enough to carry everything (even my curling iron and blow dryer!). This is huge people. Plus, it's so dang cute and durable.

A little about Joligrace -- Joligrace makeup cases are waterproof, wear resistant, easy to clean and they will fit everything you need. They also make big makeup cases, nail cases and other size travel bags. I got a large because... I need it. 

The thing I love is it has room for all your makeup brushes, hair brushes, makeup and more. The dividers are removable so you can make the spaces larger or smaller too, perfect for all your products. 

The best part, right now they are having their end of summer sale, with deals up to 50%! Now is the time to grab whatever bag fits your fancy and your travel needs. 



Get to shopping gfs. You deserve it. And then book a vacation because you deserve that too. 

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5 Things I'm Thankful For in September.

September 28, 2018

This post is going to be heavyyyy Quinn related, but I can't help it. I'm basking in new baby glow. This month has flown by in quite a blur, but it's been the best sleepless baby blur I could have ever imagined.

Before we get to all the things I'm thankful for, I gotta give a birthday shout-out to my gf Lyndsey!
Happy Birthday Lynds! Thanks for being such an amazing friend, mama guru and life-coach. I'd be lost on this mama journey without you! I love you! Have the best day! xx

ONE //  Well this one is a given, but Quinn being born was the obvious highlight of this month and my life. I could gush and gush over her forever and I probably will.




TWO // Watching Adam become a dad. Watching him with Quinn makes me cry. She is too young to understand how lucky she is to have him, but I cannot wait to continue to watch their bond grow. 

THREE // My mom, dad, mother-in-law and father-in-law coming for Quinn's birth. What a blessing to have such incredible family around us. 

FOUR // My best friend Coti coming to love on Quinn this weekend. Oh I am so lucky to have such supportive friends who love her the way I do. 

FIVE // Three weeks of Adam being home. In all of our relationship, we've never had 3 weeks off together. Doing these first three weeks together, home with Quinn has been such a huge blessing. I'm so thankful for him. 

Happy Friday friends, what are you thankful for this month?

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Apolis Market Bag

September 25, 2018

Happy Tuesday friends! Long time no talk! Needless to say, I've been basking in newborn snuggles, coos and bliss. Quinn is officially two weeks old today (how is that possible!) and I'm finally finding my groove. I'm currently working on Q's birth story and all about the 24+ hours of labor it took to get this little babe.

Anyways, thanks for hanging in while I put this blog on the back burner for a little while. I promise I'm working my way back to the blog and all the good stuff.

Today, I'm so pumped to share with you one of my new favorite products. I've been getting really good at using non-disposable bags at the grocery, saving plastic and paper and why not do that with a cute bag that has an incredible cause.


Apolis Market Bags are my newest obsession. Heres a little about the company:

To us, the Market Bag is a product that does well to represent what Apolis is all about. The whole project started when Apolis co-founder Raan Parton had the idea to make a waterproof grocery bag, and has become a line that has sold over 100,000 units. These sales have translated directly into jobs, healthcare and security for a group of mothers working at our factory in Bangladesh. It has been amazing to see how our two companies have grown in direct correlation with each other. When we are able, we speak with them over the phone and it is always a positive force in our lives to see the attitudes that our partners in Bangladesh carry with them every day. Through the Market Bag, along with our line of products from Bangladesh, we have been able to provide over four years of work to mothers in Bangladesh. The linear job creation arc of the Market Bag is something that we strive to have in all Apolis products. We are pleased that every person can now take part in this story in a way that is personal, by creating a Customized Market Bag.

I love that Apolis is creating a product that has a worldwide impact and a local impact. You can go to their site and make a bag with whatever saying you want! I've got some Denver pride, hence my bag. But you can have it say literally whatever you want.

Enjoy shopping friends! What are you going to put on your bag?




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Meet Kristen
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