I am really hoping to kick it up a notch on sharing more of my home designs with you. I have always loved patterns and textiles, but it wasn't until we bought our first home in 2014 that my love for learning about interior design and shooting ignited.
Instagram has led me to some wonderful designers out there that inspire me and push my creativity. Here are the 5 top interior designers to follow on Instagram. I know you will have a blast following along with them too:
Read MoreAfter completing a 10 week course in mindfulness last fall, I have been trying out different apps to make sure I keep up with my practice. Mindfulness is just like working out: If you don't use it, you lose it so to speak. It's important to make a concerted effort to practice on a daily basis to reap the benefits. It doesn't have to be a huge chunk of time. I typically aim for at least 10 minutes a day and can tell a difference when I don't get it in.
Read MoreAfter I wrote that blog title I looked down and saw chills all over my body. You see, when Perry asked me to marry him, I didn't have one inkling that we would be a couple that would struggle as much as we did after having Winter. Sure, there were things we needed to work on, but our foundation, how in love we were, and our hopes and dreams for the future, were never signs that we would begin to crumble like the weight of the world was set upon us. But we weren't immune to stress. Our relationship bent and withered and frayed. We had to fight long and hard to keep it from breaking and now that we are on the other side of it all, I couldn't be more proud of us.
Read MoreFor the longest time I dreamed of creating an eating space that is both inviting and playful; one that really allows our love for the outdoors to shine. While we know that this is not our forever home, more than ever I am wanting to nest. I want our space to reflect our mindset and what Perry and I often crave---serenity, curiosity and zen-like vibes. In our last home, I was perhaps too quick to put things on the walls, so this time around, I have been very mindful of what we bring into our home.
Read MoreWe are just a few days from our Hawaii trip and couldn't be more excited. Perry has always wanted to go to Hawaii and for his birthday, we decided to take the plunge and book a trip. The timing is perfect because Winter still flies for free. Despite her free flight, it's crazy to think that we are essentially paying the same amount for a two week vacation as we did for a six week one when we went to Cambodia and Thailand back in 2014. It's a tough pill to swallow how much our trip is going to cost, but we know that it will probably be a once in a lifetime trip and we couldn't think of a better time to do it.
Read MoreWhelp. I did it again. Just a month after getting my roman numeral 11 on my finger (read about the significance, here), I went and got another tattoo that means the world me: a tiny origami crane. Okay, now I think my tattoo collection is complete.
You may have noticed that my blog logo has always had an origami crane. It's been a symbol that has played such an intricate component in my life. So what's its significance?
Read MoreIn December 2016, I decided to take Love & LaRock on with full steam. I post to Instagram at least six days per week, put a blog post up twice per week, and shoot content every Friday. I have noticed that while Insta-Blogging brings so much joy and has connected me to many wonderful people and brands from all over the world, it’s also had some negative ramifications on my mental state.
Read MoreI have always been quite the worrywart. It’s probably my least favorite personality trait of mine. I have always heard that worrying can become even more in the forefront of your life once you have kids and that has undoubtedly been proved to be my experience thus far. I have been working very hard to squash the worry bug because I while I think some fear serves purpose, letting it dictate your daily thoughts is not a way that I want to live.
Read MoreI’ve been thinking a lot about how and what I eat. I think we all have moments in our lives when our relationship with food becomes somewhat detached and we forget to stop and really think about where our food is coming from and what it tastes like. Do you remember your last meal? What did it smell like, taste like, look like? As I am typing this, I realized that I just inhaled a cold bagel with cream cheese while simultaneously petting my dog with my foot and pausing to check the ding on my phone. Ugh, that was definitely not a satisfying experience. It makes me think of the many times I have been at work and I have just shoved food in my mouth while walking from one meeting to the next or while typing up reports and answering emails. I think in a culture that views multitasking as efficient and busy as good, we are perpetually living in a state of doing and chaos, which leaves us feeling run down, exhausted and always feeling like we should be accomplishing more.
Read MoreI got my first tattoo when I was 18. I have always loved them and kinda thought I would end up with a sleeve or married to someone with a lot of tattoos. Turns out, I didn’t get as many tattoos as I thought I would and Perry doesn’t have a single one! There was a moment when I thought he might get one. It was right after we got married and were traveling in southeast Asia. He got a rash underneath his wedding ring. It bothered him so much and he teased me that he was allergic to marriage, saying that he may end up getting a ring tattoo. Within a few weeks, the rash cleared up and I haven’t heard a peep about a tattoo since.
Read MoreThe 4th of July is around the corner and I wanted to make something easy and fun to decorate our patio with and to show off our American pride. These red, white and blue planters took me 20 minutes to make. Below is everything you need including guidance no how to make them:
Read MoreI started writing the Marriage After Baby series to document the good, the bad and the raw bits of marriage. I think it is so important to be transparent about relationships because it is definitely not like the a romantic movie may depict it, as marriage is no walk in the park!
Read MoreWinter is getting to the age where she doesn't always want to be in front of the camera. It takes so much work to constantly build content, answer emails, and connect with others. While my blog is mainly centered around my experience as a mother, I need to respect the wants and needs of my child and keep her best interest in the forefront of my heart. Now, Brittany and I NEVER make Winter do anything that she doesn't want to do. However, it does get stressful at times when we have, say, 4 products or concepts to shoot in one day. And while I am not complaining, because I would rather have too much work than none, it's a delicate balance to be a motherhood blogger. It's a huge decision to not only document your life as an adult but to also capture your child's upbringing on a weekly basis. I have more to say about this on a later date.
Read MorePerry and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary this past week. I get a lot of questions on how I met Perry so I figured I would take you all down memory lane and post our engagement photos with the blurb I wrote on our wedding website on how we met. For our shoot, we went to Bishops Castle in Colorado. I rented a stunning sequin dress from Rent the Runway and Perry dressed up in the finest getup he owned. Our dear friend, Joni, took the photos and killed it on the lighting. Would you believe this castle was really, really dark? It was so fun dressing up like a queen and king for a day even though it was below freezing this day.
Read MoreI am almost through my entire first bottle of antidepressants. This is a big deal for me. It’s like getting down to the final pills in the first bottle is some type of symbolism that the depression I felt beforehand is just a speckle of dust lying at the bottom the floor, almost entirely obsolete.
Read MoreFather’s Day is right around the corner and I wanted to do something homemade and super special for Perry. For Mother’s Day, he surprised me with this amazing plant stand out of his grandfather’s old barn wood (view the stand, here). So to keep with the theme, I knew I wanted to do something plant-related.
Read MorePerry teases me because I tend to be at tad bit indecisive. One minute I talk about cashing in on our house and moving to Argentina and the next I am discussing my plans to pop the top in our current home and stay here forever. While I think my indecisiveness drives my husband crazy, I know that it can be good when it comes to consumerism, especially when it comes to buying big ticket items. Being indecisive makes you push the pause button and really think about your choices. So actually, Perry should be thanking me because I am virtually saving us money any time I can’t decide on what to buy, haha.
Read MorePerry and I have had our fair share of stressors when it comes to raising Winter. She has breath-holding spells (read more about our experience, here), she has already entered into the tantruming phase of her life, and recently, we ended up completely stuck and lost on a bus in the middle of the redwood forest with a very car sick,puking child without cell reception. I know when difficult parenting situations arise, the panic, pressure and chaos can easily take over, and it’s hard to keep your cool whether you are alone or with your partner.
Read MoreEvery day that I leave for work, I wonder what Winter is doing, what it must be like for Perry to get to work from home and if I am doing the right thing for my family. I’ve opened up before (here), that while I would love to stay home, it’s not a reality for me right now (dang those student loans). Being a working mother means that I have limited time with Winter and the last thing I want to do on the weekends is run errands with a toddler in tow.
Read MoreWell, it's official. We are going to Hawaii this summer and we couldn't be more excited. The travel day is about 10 hours from Colorado to Hawaii (including one layover). We have made several airplane trips with Winter since she has been born and have definitely learned what keeps her busy without the use of screen-time.
Take a peak at the list below to view my favorite tried and true travel toys for toddlers.
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