Exterior Illumination with Treetopia

“Is your house on fire, Clark?” “No Aunt Bethany, those are the Christmas lights.” Raise your hand if you LOVE that movie!! Not going to lie, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is basically our kickoff to the Holiday. I swear to you my husband reminds me of Clark, SO much, and he will do just about ANYTHING to have a beautifully decorated, Christmasy home, inside AND out.

It’s a huge thanks to Treetopia to helping us (largely him, not gonna lie) fulfill the vision for what we were lacking. “We just need something right there on the porch,” Asa said. So with some Internet browsing and remembering how great this company is, we (he) did it! These Pencil Artificial Trees are 7.5 feet and really the perfect size for the doorway. We decided not to decorate them, as we’ve had some SUPER high winds recently and we just wanted to be more precautious than anything; however, how cute would they be all decked out?!

Our son Pierson is basically his Dad’s Mini Me. He helped EVERY step of the way and was with his Dad from START to FINISH. Even with a fever when these pictures were taken, he wanted to come outside and show how proud he is of their finished product. Since I am posting this on a Sunday, the day before CYBER MONDAY, you should probably know that Treetopia will be having sales as much as 60% off their products! That sale WILL end December 2nd, so if you don’t get the chance to order don’t panic; they have SUCH reasonably priced trees and so many to choose from. They also have wreaths, garland, and storage for all our Holiday needs!

You might remember that we got our indoor tree last year from Treetopia as well. Asa and I felt like it is such a nostalgic tree for us, reminding us of OUR childhood trees growing up. There is something about the rich color and all the family ornaments we put on, we just love it.

Treetopia has green trees, colorful trees, prelit trees, white trees, and even Halloween trees!! We are so thankful to have partnered with them again this year to aide in our Exterior Illumination (as Asa likes to call it), because really, the company truly is SO good. Check out our link here for the outdoor ones we got this year, these are perfect and would fit anywhere!

Thanks, Husband, for doing ALL OF THIS and so much more to make our Christmas SO SPECIAL. I really am SO thankful for you and how you love all of us. What memories our kids are getting…this time of year especially is so magical!

Spruce Your Space with Tuesday Morning

This post is sponsored by Tuesday Morning but all opinions are my own

If you’ve followed me a while, you’ve probably noticed that a lot of my posts are about social gatherings and us hosting our loved ones. ‘Gather’ is the word that was our family’s word before it became popular ;) When we lived downtown in a rougher part of town, we stood by that one word and hosted as often as we could. The neighborhood boys would often be on our porch, swinging with me on our swing. We would help them with homework, pass out ice cream sandwiches, and enjoyed every second of loving the people around us. This is our third spring in our new home (I can’t believe it’s been that long!) and what we love most about THIS house, is the natural light + the back deck. We have had so much fun turning our deck into a regular hosting space, and with the help of Tuesday Morning, I feel as though we’ve made it even better and brighter! Last summer I felt as though I couldn’t find the right pops of color accessory wise, so when we went browsing through our nearest Tuesday Morning, they did not disappoint. All the textures and patterns make me so happy and also make me feel like way less of the boring person I often feel that I am ;) (We’ve talked about my wardrobe struggles, right?)

Whether it is to come outside after the kids are in bed to just breathe in the quiet and coolness of the air, or to have our Sunday lunches with friends and family—the deck has become my sanctuary at home. Something else that we picked up from Tuesday Morning were some new flower pots. Asa loves to garden and does an amazing job. I am the flower lady, and no joke, weekly will get fresh flowers to have around our house. I also love to have potted flowers though, and find a lot of joy in pruning and watering during the spring and summers. These pots are so beautiful, and add to the different textures spread out around our back deck.

I think it can be really easy to forget the spaces that exist in our home, even when we walk by them or through them every day. Tuesday Morning really made revamping our deck possible, and I can’t encourage you, my readers, enough to do the same! The transformation that this deck has seen has been incredible. When we moved in, obviously nothing was out here. Piece by piece we’ve added to it, discovering our personal style and what we really love along the way. For me, it’s cozy blankets and pillows that I can curl up on/under with a good book or while talking to a friend. For my husband, it’s having the space with enough chairs and seating to host as many people as we can. (His love language legit, is hospitality.) We have been really impressed with the savings we received while shopping at Tuesday Morning, as well as the uniqueness in items that we found.

Have you ever been to YOUR local Tuesday Morning?? Click here to find your closest store, and I would hurry, while summer is on the horizon, because availability is limited and you want to make sure you find THE best items that woos YOUR heart and soul. Whether Asa and I sit at that colorful round table drinking coffee on the weekends or are curled up together on that chaise lounge, we are SO impressed with how Tuesday Morning helped us tie everything we’ve purchased together. Revamp your forgotten spaces, Friends. Do something for you, bring your favorite people into your space, and let Tuesday Morning help!

Get Your Shopping On with Evereve!

I was listening to a Podcast recently and they were talking about the clothing store Evereve. Have you heard about this clothing brand? Megan Tamte is the Co-Founder, Co-CEO, and I can relate with her the most because she is a Mama, just like me. Her dream was to open a store that loved and empowered women and fellow moms, and to create a comfortable and kid friendly space. Not only did she do that, Y’all, she actually now has 80 stores across the country, as well as an online site where you can purchase from, and she stands passionately behind her message to mamas around the globe: “We’re cheering for you as you balance playdates and date nights, work and weekends, the daily routine and your dreams.”

All of that being said, I am so excited to have partnered with Evereve to spruce up MY spring closet. I have been rotating outfits for a very, very long time, and it was so nice to be given the opportunity to shop and choose new styles that I feel comfortable and beautiful in. I remember my first email with the company, I told them that I am not a fashion blogger or someone who writes often about clothes/style, and she responded saying, “Don't you worry about a thing. We just expect you to be you. You take beautiful images and we want them to feel authentic and real to you.” I was immediately in and gave a very excited YES when it came to collaborating. I work with a lot of different brands and companies, but when you get the ones who actually fully BELIEVE in you and empower you to be 100% yourself?? Those are the keepers, my friends.

Here are 3 outfits that I absolutely love from Evereve, and I think they are great for spring AND summer!

These cut-out wedges can be worn with almost anything! Jeans, skirts, dresses, even cropped pants! I’ve worn them with several outfits now and always get so many compliments. I’m also a fan of how comfortable these white pants are; they can easily be dressed up OR down. I like wearing these pants with this striped woven tee, but I also wear this tee with dark jeans and sandals. Being able to mix and match the same pieces is definitely ideal for me as a mom who is always looking for ways to save money and be conservative with what I buy.

Now let’s talk about color! I so often am prone to getting grays or neutrals when it comes to tops and blouses, I literally think 90% of my closet currently consists of navy, gray, olive green, and white. When I saw this tank top, I had to get it to add some sunshine to my closet, and it can also be worn with so many different pant options. These are my new skinny ankle jeans, and they’re definitely my new denim favorite. I have also gotten so many compliments on them (especially from my husband, which always feels good am I right??) ;)

This black jumpsuit I purchased with weddings in mind. I am a professional photographer and I always try to wear comfortable and breathable pieces while I shoot weddings. This one will absolutely do the job, and I can also wear it to work, on the go, and when running errands with my kids. I’m wearing it with my new Dr. Scholl’s sandals, which are SO SO SO comfortable! They’re like walking on clouds! The platform wedge gives me just enough boost that I feel taller (something I’m all about since my husband is 6’4) without making me feel like I may break an ankle :)

I think all my Mama friends are going to want the necklace I’m wearing in all of these looks: it is dainty and elegant, and can be worn with literally any outfit! At the price of $34, I really think this is a piece you’re going to want to add to your collection!

So what do you think after scrolling through this post and looking at these outfits? Does it make you want to shop? Mom or not, this store has something for every female! Check out the Evereve locations here, and important for my Louisville gals, they are opening a BRAND NEW store over at Oxmoor and it’s coming June 2019! I cannot wait to go IN PERSON to do some shopping, especially on those ‘treat yo self’ days. Something I want you to remember: you are important. You are loved, you are beautiful, and you are YOU. If you’re already a fan of Evereve and shop there, yay! This is SUCH a good and authentic brand!! And if you are brand new to this company, also yay, because I hope you will be inspired to do some browsing and pick a piece or two (or ten) that screams your name.

Happy shopping, Friends! And thank you so much, Evereve for sponsoring this post and being a company that I 100% believe in.

Springtime Refresh with Mixbook

I’m a professional photographer and I’m a MOM. That means one thing: I LOVE PICTURES. I’ll never forget when I got my first DSLR after graduating college. I had big dreams, but I never really imagined that I would someday be photographing weddings, working with brands, and documenting my OWN children’s lives. That part is one of the most important to me. In 2012 I had my first baby, I blinked, and somehow I now have an almost seven year old and a five and a half year old. The days are sometimes long but the years are incredibly short. Thanks to my camera, and Mixbook, I can freeze so many moments in time and remember my babies in whatever stage I photographed.

I think I heard about Mixbook from another blogger friend of mine, back when she used them for Christmas cards. I loved how they turned out so much and really wanted a new canvas for our living room, so I reached out to them. Not only was their customer service beyond helpful and fast, the quality of the canvas was incredible. I am a huge stickler on quality, Y’all. If I take a blurry photo, that’s one thing, but if my photo is clear and crisp, I fully expect my prints (even large ones) to be too. Mixbook didn’t disappoint! For as long as I can, I will be using this company for my canvas needs (and prints!).

When we first moved into this house, there were a LOT of blank walls. We unpacked boxes and had everything put away in a matter of hours (not even kidding), but I can remember slinking down against the kitchen floor looking into our living room. This big giant wall stared back at me, screaming, “FILL ME WITH PHOTOS!” but I had NO idea where to start. Leave it to my husband to always save the day…he started grabbing picture frames we had and laying out a design right there on the hardwood floor. After we finalized how we wanted it to look, he told me to order prints. Let me tell you…that took a looooong time for me to decide on. I have thousands and thousands and thousands of photos on my hard drive—and I had to narrow it down to like, 20. Ha! Needless to say, we got the job done and as much as we love it, this spring we were itching for a refresh. Our kids have changed so much in the almost 3 years we’ve been here, and a lot of new memories have been formed. “Let’s order some new prints,” I told Ace.

Some of the most important memories that I wanted to have on display were of my horses (I still can’t believe I finally own not one, but TWO), and our pups. Our beautiful Chocolate Lab passed away on April 15th, and we wanted a few more of our favorite photos to hang of him. One of the coolest new additions is the metal print in the very left corner of that top photo (the Christmas one)—we really want this wall to have different textures, colors, and patterns. The metal print is a 20x16 and we chose the flat option (you can also get curved.) Once again the quality is on point, the colors are vivid, and we really love it! (Can I be real for a second? The two Christmas themed photos next to each other messes with my OCD tendency something fierce, buuuuut my husband re-arranged this wall and hung all the new photos on his own? So I really can’t complain.)

The super cute photo of toddler Pierson and Reese kissing on the front steps is one of Mixbook’s poster prints. I love how much variety there is when it comes to printing. You can even get 5x5 prints specifically for printing off your phone; cute square prints to hang anywhere! Beyond this gallery wall, I ordered my mom a calendar for Christmas this year; due to crappy sickness, we couldn’t make the trip to Michigan, but I watched her open it on FaceTime and she absolutely loved it. I also got some 4x6 prints for my classroom gallery wall, and my students love seeing all our family photos, especially the animals :)

It was after our Chocolate Lab passed away that I was finalizing our order, and let me tell you, I did it COMPLETELY wrong. I ordered the wrong sizes, only a few 8x10’s, and my mind was complete fog. The next day Asa checked our Mixbook account and texted, “Babe…did you realize you didn’t order these right?” I figured I had, as it was late at night and I had not been feeling well. I hurriedly reached out to customer support and asked if anything could be done, and guys, they were wonderful. They helped me cancel that order, fix my changes, and everything turned out wonderfully!! We are VERY thankful to Mixbook for helping us have these tangible memories. Y’all should head to their website, they do photo books, calendars, and a variety of cards. (They’re also who we ordered OUR Christmas cards from this year!) As a professional photographer, I will always recommend this company to my clients. You can’t beat their customer service and the quality of whatever it is you choose to order!

*Thank you, Mixbook, for partnering with us for our living room refresh! We love all the photos SO so much!*