Every month, I will be going live on my Instagram stories to interview and feature someone doing really incredible work. I will interview those who are selfless, resilient, giving and uplifting. People like Casey, who are just all around so infectious and amazing to be around.
Read MoreWe tried to take Winter to a local restaurant this past Friday. When we showed up, I thought it would be a blessing that it wasn't too crowed when we arrived. Nope, I was wrong. By the time the appetizer had come, Winter had played with everything in my purse, climbed on top of every empty seat, grabbed the squirt bottle from the server's station and screamed in protest a few times. Needless to say, we chugged our beers, pounded the app and bailed as quickly as we could with a huge sigh of relief when we made it back home. Some moments, I feel like I am raising a wild animal.
Read MoreI am slowly starting to put the life vest back on. The life vest that I always knew was there but was maybe too proud or too weak to grab for. For the last year, I have set unrealistic expectations for myself. When I am at work, I give 150%; I pumped three times a day while I was nursing, which meant I never got a lunch or any other break and I often felt like I was failing my colleagues because I couldn’t stay late for meetings. At home, I gave 300%; I took care of Winter, I grocery shopped, I tried to cook, I stayed up late to clean the house, worked on my blog, texted my family and friends, and responded to comments on Instagram all while trying my best to stay positive and enthusiastic.
Read MoreA few weeks ago, I had the honor of planning the second heymama Denver chapter event held at a gorgeous space called Union 27. The focus of the event was social media: how to speak to your customers, build loyalty and drive growth via your most relevant channels. We had the chance to sit with a wonderful mix of panelists who taught us the tricks of the trade.
Read MoreA few weeks ago, Perry and I harvested the pumpkins that we grew in our previous house that was rented out over the summer (the tenants are amazing and still share the crops with us). When we planted these pumpkin seeds, Winter was a mere five-months-old. We both find so much enjoyment growing her goodies and we were super impressed with how big these pumpkins got this year.
Read MoreWinter,
Every time we approach a mirror and you see your reflection, you smile. You grin ear to ear as you look at yourself in the mirror. I wish I could be more like you, grateful, non-judgmental and simply happy with the image staring back me.
Read MoreWinter has two bottom teeth coming in! It is such an exciting milestone but can be a difficult one to navigate for both parent and baby. So, I asked the greater community of Instagram to provide any teething tips and was overwhelmed with the knowledgeable responses. I haven't tried all of them but I figured I would compile a list in case you too are needing some ideas.
Read MoreLast week, I had the honor of partnering with heymama to plan and co-host a launch event in Denver. When I started talking to Katya Libin, the co-founder of heymama, I explained to her how lonely it had been for me to be the first woman out of my group of friends to have a baby. I conveyed to her how I used social media to connect to other like-minded mamas; adding, that it would be a dream of mine to be able to use my creativity, drive and empathy in a role that would allow me to connect and advocate for other women while working from home.
Read MoreWe sat at this trailhead near our current house just days before we found out that our offer on our new home had been accepted. I've heard the real estate market all over the country is competitive and the Denver metro area is no different. To say that we were shocked that our bid was accepted above the other seven other offers made is an understatement. It definitely took a few days to sink in.
Read MoreThere are so many products out there for mom + baby. It can definitely be confusing to know what to buy or use. Perry and I took the approach of trying to buy the least amount of stuff and get to know our daughter's like and dislikes before we went crazy at the store. However, we all know that hindsight is 20/20 and there are a select few products that we wish we would have known about earlier and plan to save and use when baby number two comes (which is yet to be determined).
Read MoreWhen we first bought this house the garden plot was quite small. In the two years that we have lived here it's nearly quadrupled in size. Perry and I both grew up helping our families garden so we always knew that it was something that we would want to teach Winter how to do at a young age. There is something magical about the whole process! We think that gardening will be even more special this year now that Winter is at the age where she is starting to eat solids. When Perry and I first started dating, I was intimated to start gardening again since it had been years since I watched my grandparents tend to one. I think the first step to getting over your hesitation is to simply try it! Below is a list of 5 easy vegetables to grow and why. I promise you don't need a green thumb to grow these bad boys. All you need is a small pile of dirt, some seeds, water and sun.
Read MoreI know that no gift could ever trump the best gift which is being a mother of course but I figured with Mother's Day around the corner, I would put together some gift ideas that feature some of my favorite small shops. So Mamas, let's treat ourselves :)
Read MoreOn one of the last snowy days in Denver this winter, I dressed our Winter in her bear suit and we headed to Meek Vintage to check out their shop. I have been following the owners, Kelly and Emma Meeks, on Instagram for a while and was excited to see their new storefront that opened this past November. Have you ever walked into a place and immediately felt this overwhelming sense of familiarity and peace, like you just walked into your own home? That's the exact feeling I experienced as I walked through the doors at Meek. Not only is the decor calm and inviting, the store well-organized and well-thought-out, but Kelly and Emma have the most welcoming and sincere disposition.
Read MoreI have spent many years thinking about the type of mother I want to be and when I became pregnant, I became more focused on what I would want to teach my child. Recently, I accepted a challenge to make a #MothersPromise to Winter. To collect the thoughts I have had throughout my time on this earth as a woman and now mother, I wrote the following letter in her baby book. I never want to lose sight of this promise I made to her, so I also printed it out and put a copy in the desk drawer at my work. I read it from time to time so that I won't lose focus of the steps outlined in the following letter to keep my promise.
Read MoreI’m trying to live a more purposeful, minimalistic lifestyle, but I have always been one to put sentimental value on materialistic things, collecting and archiving EVERYTHING. In some cases, I’m very grateful for this, saving memorabilia such as tickets to the first concert Perry and I went to together (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros), my Phoenix Suns basketball card signed by Dan Marley (who was also my first crush!) that I got when I was nine, and my childhood blanket.
Read MoreAt 32 weeks pregnant, our good friend Joni, Perry, our dog, Rio, and I set out to Evergreen, Colorado to document the belly bump. Our first stop was Evergreen Lake. When we arrived, there was the sweetest father/son duo fishing on this patch of rocks that Joni had scoped out earlier. She wanted to shoot there because it had great light. We mustered up the courage to kindly ask them to move down the lake a bit so we could get some shots.
Read MoreWinter,
This is the story of how you came into the world. You may not understand all that I am going to explain to you but if and when you decide to have your own kids, I want you to know how you were born and I want you to understand that it will remain my favorite day in the world because it's the day that I finally met you, my sweet girl. We kept your gender a surprise. I wasn't too thrilled with this idea at first but your father explained how important it was that he too feel as connected to you as the immediate maternal bond is. He conveyed how romantic it would be if he could present you to me by saying, "Here is your son" or "Meet your daughter". Because I am such a hopeful romantic, I swooned at the thought of your father's introduction and agreed to wait to know who you were at birth.
Read MoreWinter and I start our mornings out nice and slowly. If we have somewhere to go that day, she’s usually the first one to get dressed. We co-slept up until Winter was two-months-old but now that she sleeps in her crib, I have to soak up the bedtime snuggles while she's awake. I will always treasure these quiet mornings we had together when I was on maternity leave.
Read MoreI started my maternity leave five days before my due date which was October 28th. I had envisioned myself working two days past my due date because Halloween sounded like a good end-date but after a particularly challenging Friday, my husband took one look at me and said, "You're done. Let's get you nice and relaxed so you can have enough energy to have that baby". My employers agreed to the start date and my arduous wait for Winter's arrival began. She was nine days late and I needed to be induced (I'll share my birth story another time). I had only been with my employer for a year and half before taking maternity leave which meant I had accumulated a lousy two weeks of paid leave. I am so grateful that I have a career, yet I have to say that the USA maternity and paternity laws are lacking in so many ways. From the time Winter was born, I got exactly 88 days before going back to work (well, 89 if you count that the my first day back was a snow day and I did not have to work). That's 2,112 hours which looks like a big number yet feels like the fastest roller-coaster ride of my life.
Read MoreI am...
A cuddle seeker. A wife. A mother. A daughter and sister. A broadcaster and the resident over-feeler. A listener. A giver. A worrier. A healer. A Spanish-speaking enthusiast. A bluegrass lover. A husky owner. A garden grower. A(n) educator.
