1. I DID LOTS OF RESEARCH.
I am not a history buff like my husband. I had to dig around and learn about historic heroes and monuments, and educate myself on historic documents and speeches.

2. BRAVEN'S OUTFIT.
We had about 30+ revisions of our main character, Braven Young's "look." Everything from his hair, to his tie, to his untied shoe, to his tight skinny jeans, to the design of his long-sleeve shirt. We must have gone through forty different revisions until we found the perfect embodiment of our protagonist!

3. THE CHARACTER OF "DAD."
... is truly based on Ryan’s job! While he is not a congressman, he has worked for the United States his entire career. We had fun and embellished the nature of his job, along with the performative speech he gives at the end. Ryan often writes on behalf of the United States, so it was fun to include him in the writing process.

4. THE SETTING IS BASED IN DC! 
The only thing I knew about Washington, DC before we moved here in 2014 was that it is our nation's capital and home to the White House and some very notable monuments. Upon moving here at the age of 25 and to follow Ryan and his work, we learned so much more. Not only did we both fell in love with DC, it became home. We have been inspired ever since, and it only felt natural to write about the city.

5. THE STATUES COME ALIVE.
The biggest plot twist was added at the last minute when a few historic heroes make their debut to help Braven understand what freedom means. And *gasp* the monuments come alive! Many of my favorite parts of the book were added at the last second, including the next point...

6. MY FAVORITE ILLUSTRATION.
The image on this page was slightly different, but the moment in the book is pretty pivotal; when Braven walks up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to find the Gettysburg Address written on the wall. I wanted the reader to feel the impact this had on the character, and also the weight of the words that might have been felt when Lincoln was actually giving this speech. For that reason, I love this image most!

​7. NO ADULTS AND TOTAL FREEDOM?
There is a part in the book when Braven wakes up in his dream smack dab in Washington, DC. The catch? There are no adults to be found! This theme was inspired by the “Home Alone” plot line, my boys’ favorite movie.

8. COMIC BOOK-ESQUE.
My boys love Dog Man and action heroes, so we incorporated a bit of comic book theme stylistically throughout.

​9. BRAVEN'S HAIR.
...was inspired by professional soccer player, Cristiano Ronaldo’s haircut. Fun fact: did you know that Ryan played professional soccer too? Before he went to law school, he played for Kansas City and internationally too.

10. BRAVEN’S NAME.
Braven Young, our protagonist's name, is a combo of all my boys' names (minus Quade because he wasn’t born yet!). Beauden, Rhett, Vance = Braven. The publisher disliked it at first, but I convinced him otherwise.
We tacked on "Young" as the last name because the name said together sounds like "brave" and "young", which was fitting for obvious reasons!

What inspired you to write this children's book?
My husband, Ryan. He has worked for the United States his entire career, and his love of country has inspired our family in the best way possible. Our kids look up to him and what he does, and I wanted to capture that in a story. 
​
How did you get the idea for the book?
Over the last few years, I have become somewhat disheartened by the lack of modern day American stories available to kids. I want my kids grow up with a positive message about our country, and great way to expose them to that is through reading. The books I found were either historical non-fiction books that were too serious or books that consisted of certain topics that seemed off-base. This fueled my determination to write a book that I wanted to read, but couldn't find.

What is the theme of the story? The book is about freedom. And how a child might comprehend the meaning of the word initially. But I developed the story so the child would learn experientially that freedom is so much more. The story then takes a little boy on a journey of self-discovery, so that he can learn the meaning... and save the day, of course!

How did you get the opportunity to write a book? Did you have the idea and pitch it to a publisher? Or did a publisher approach you? Coincidentally, around the same time that I was searching for a patriotic story to share with my kids, I recieved a DM from a book publisher. He asked if I'd be interested in writing a children's book and if we could setup a time to talk on the phone. The opportunity felt surreal and in perfect timing.
I was in the car with my husband when Brian, the lead publisher of Good and True Media, called. We immediately hit it off! I was drawn to the vision he had for Good and True Media, and also his interest in my book concept. I pitched him my concept right then and there. I didn't know what the story would be about, but I knew the message I wanted to share. He matched my enthusiasm, so I knew it was the right fit!

Any inspirational themes or books found in this story?  Yes! My boys are big into superheroes and Dog Man comics, so there is certainly a superhero and comic book element. In addition to that, one of my boys' favorite movies is Home Alone, and as I was envisioning the story, I kept imagining a little boy venturing into the city, but being able to experience a similar kind of ultimate freedom. Kind of like in Home Alone when Kevin McAllister gets to experience freedom being left at home without his parents. My boys LOVED the idea of being able to do whatever they wanted with no adults around, so I wanted to mimic that theme, while also teaching a valuable lesson (in true mom form).
​
​Tell us about the book writing process! Did it come naturally? ​I LOVED the book writing process. I am a creative person and LOVE to write, as many people see by following my Instagram account. Writing a children's book was an ideal start to my book writing journey because I could be as imaginative as I wanted, while also ingraining strong values into the words and creating an uplifting message.
​
That said, the beginning of the writing process didn’t come as naturally as I thought it would. As mentioned, I knew what I wanted to write about - because it was similar to our family's story, but I had a hard time starting it. This is where my publisher came in and we were able to brainstorm the bones of the story. Once we got the bones, I couldn't stop writing. The story was a constant formatting of the messages I wanted to share, and I'm very happy with how it turned out.

​What were your inspirations for the illustrations? I wanted a patriotic vibe, but I didn't want it to be too cheesy and certainly didn't want it to be sterile. I wanted it to be colorful and fun, but also classic. My inspirations came from books that my kids have loved: Creepy Carrots, Naughty Mable, Dog Man. Not only with illustration styles, but also with the layout of the pages. To hold readers' interest, we kept a sporadic cadence to how the pictures were presented. Some pages have one big illustration and others have several illustrations per page.

How did you find the illustrator? Oh, gosh. I scoured through soooooooo many illustrators’ work on a website called MB Artists until I came across Juan Manuel Moreno. He is a true talent and has worked with Disney, Warner and Scholastic. He was a dream to work with. Any time I had an idea, he made it come to life tenfold. Any time I had small revisions, even the slightest adjustment to a facial expression, he made the change.
​
Who was the book written for? Honestly? I wrote the book for myself, as weird as that sounds! There is a quote by Carol Shields that goes, "Write the book you want to read, the one you cannot find." As a mom to four boys, I wrote the book I wanted to find for my kids, but couldn't. Once I knew what kind of book I wanted to write, I wrote it for my boys. My boys love superheroes, so I knew the protagonist had to embody a modern-day hero; someone my boys could see in themselves. My boys also love adventure and conflict, where the hero ultimately ends up on top, but, boy, did he have to fight to get there. Our main character, Braven Young, is exactly that. And finally, I wrote it for the moms that follow me in hopes that they, too, would find this message meaningful.

What is the ideal audience? The ideal audience is four to ten year olds, however, my two year old loves the story, and I could also see kids older than ten enjoying it!

How did you come up with the main character's name, Braven Young? Braven is a combination of all of my boys' names combined: Rhett, Vance and Beauden. Unfortunately, our newest son, Quade, wasn't born, so he was left out of the mix (guess I'll just have to write another book for him!). We loved the last name Young because when said together it sounds like "brave" and "young,” which fits our protagonist perfectly.

Where is the setting of the book? Washington, DC. I was born and raised in Orange County, California. I never really left until I met Ryan on a random trip I decided to take to visit Dallas, Texas. My plan was always to move to Texas and get my masters in business there, but lo and behold I met Ryan on that trip. The catch? He had committed to a job in Washington, DC. He was accepted into the Attorney General Honor's Program, which meant he would start working in the Justice Department as a federal prosector. Of course, I encouraged it. Instead of going to Dallas, I detoured and followed him to DC. I ended up getting into Georgetown University, and we fell in love with the city. We started our lives in DC together, had our first son here, and have so much history here. There seemed to be no better place to write about.
​
Anything else you want to share? For more about The American Dream of Braven Young, ​check out 10 Things About the American Dream of Braven Young.

Gearing up for baby to arrive, and I am finally in prep mode! So. I wanted to share what a fourth-time mama brings to the hospital. Many of the items below are time-tested items. Items that I use to make the hospital feel more home-like and cozier. Things that will keep me comfortable. Things that will keep baby comfortable.

I try my best not to overpack. After all, babies are pretty simple! That said, I do like to make the experience special and cozy. Sure! I love bringing my special blanket from home. Yes! I love bringing a custom swaddle for baby. Labor should be something that is memorable, and sometimes being prepared helps you achieve that even more.

Below is a list of items I bring. Please comment and share what you can't live without!

FOR MAMA

• Nursing Tanks - My favorite are Cake Maternity Nursing Tanks. I bring two. I prefer tanks over bras because I can wear them without feeling exposed. Bras you still need a shirt over, so it kind of defeats the purpose!
• Silverettes Nursing Shields - TMI but my boobs get super sore from breastfeeding and these things have been life savers! They help you heal faster and protect you from sticking to your clothing and painfully having to remove yourself.
• Haakaa - a pump that saves the milk from the breast you aren't using to nurse. You'll probably want storage for this too. Not sure if the hospital can refrigerate for you?
• Nursing pads - in case of leakage and you don't want to get your clothes all grimy.
• Leggings - Something comfy after baby arrives. Usually maternity leggings! (Use code: BROOKE for 10% off)
• Sweats - one pair of leggings / one pair of sweats. My favorite pair are linked!
• Lounge shorts - depending on how hot it is, shorts are nice after delivery for sleep or to lounge in.
• Pajamas - nursing friendly.
• Barefoot Dreams Sweater - open sweater to throw on over nursing tanks. Linked my favorite. It's not cheap, but if you nurse your baby you will LIVE in this.
• Slippers - these are my fave. Nice for walking around the hospital room.
• Socks - my feet get freezing during labor!
• Flip Flops - nice to shower in and walk around hospital in (when you don't want to wear slippers)
• Laptop - I love the recap my labor story and it's nice to feel connected when you're alone at the hospital. I send Ryan home to be with the boys and to get a good night's rest. So the comfort of connection is nice!
• Phone Charger - some people get the ones with long chords. I just plug it in to a shorter one and take breaks!
• Snacks - I get hungry during and after labor. So hungry! It's nice to have snacks for both Ryan and I. Cliff Bars, suckers, cashews, nuts, crackers, etc. Probably wise to google what you can eat during labor. Often times, they don't let you eat. And the time they had a slushie / ice machine, it was broken!
• Pillow from home! - Perhaps one of the most important items. I hate hospital pillows. They are so stiff. Nothing makes it homier than having your own pillow from home. Bring a pillowcase that you don't mind getting dirty. Could be blood, breastmilk or spit up.
• Blanket from home! - Again, I love feeling cozy after birth and the hospital can feel quite sterile. Having my own blanket makes the world of a difference! I love Ugg and Barefoot Dreams.
• Soft toilet paper - I've given vaginal births in the past, and if it happens that way again I love having my own SOFT toilet paper. The hospital toilet paper is not pleasant.
• Toiletries - I bring makeup and of course all of my face (toothbrush, toothpaste, wash and moisturizer), body (wash and razor), hair (shampoo, conditioner, brush, hairbands) supplies. I only feel fresh after I shave and wash my hair after labor. It's a must!

FOR BABY

• Dr. Brown's Nursing Pillow - it's nice to have support while nursing your little one. Any nursing pillow is great!
• SewMine Name Swaddle - Personalized swaddle for baby. I love using my own new swaddles for the little one. People often recycle swaddles from time's past or use the hospital swaddles, and yes, those certainly get the. job done. But, there is something nice, identifying and memorable about baby having his or her own, new swaddle(s) in the hospital. I remember each of the patterns of swaddles my boys used and have saved them. I will do the same with this baby! I bring two.
• Hat for Baby - babies get cold. Nice to have a cute little hat for him or her! These are my favorite personalized name hats.
• Going Home Outfit - haven't picked this out. But something cozy and cute! I love Kyte Baby and Angel Dear.
• Socks - I prefer the hospital room cold because I tend to overheat with all of the raging hormones. That means I need to keep baby extra warm.

Our Disney World trip is coming up, and our family is beyond excited. Over the past few months, I have been planning like crazy. As such, I have had many requests from people asking to share how I planned, where we are staying, what parks we are attending, our itineraries... and all of the details. So! I figured a blog post would be most helpful.

​I will start with basic information, then get into a Q+A and finally, share our itineraries and schedules for our trip! Oh, and of course a link to our cute, matching Disney tees at the end.

Do I need to plan?
A very popular question and I'd certainly say that this depends on your personality. Are you go with the flow? Don't care that you go on many rides? Simply, want to savor the experience? Or... does not getting the most out of your Disney vacation stress you out? Do you want to maximize every, single moment and have a go-to schedule so that you know what to do and when to do it?

Here is my answer based on experience. A few years back, I took the boys (when Rhett was 4 and Vance was 2) to Disneyland. We went at the last minute and was actually gifted the tickets by friends. I grew up going to Disneyland and was pretty familiar, so we just entered the park and kind of went for it. The day was great! We did a park hopper and truth be told, didn't get on many rides because of the crowds. All in all, it was fun... but if I knew then what I know now (having researched Disney World like crazy), I would have planned our day entirely differently and would have gotten much different results.

So, if you want your Disney experience to be maximized, I say 100% YES, you need to plan. Plan in advance and plan quite a bit. Disney is full of wonderful experiences for those who put in the effort, and to make the cost of admission worth it, I say... PLAN.

Where do I start with planning?
I'm going to keep this simple and offer three avenues of planning....

1. The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World: this 700 page book was recommended to me by a trusted friend and I kind of rolled my eyes at the thought of buying a $20 book and reading it. Again, why would I need to plan this much and read this stupid book? Couldn't I just figure it out on my own? Well, yes. Kind of. But, it will take you much longer. After reading this book, it is my number 1 recommendation. The book familiarizes you with Disney practices, the different parks and rides and what to expect. It offers timelines and budgets and ratings for EVERYTHING. Not only did I enjoy reading it, the boys and I started making a nightly habit of reading about each of the parks and all of the rides. We were then able to narrow the list of rides we wanted to prioritize riding, which is super important (more on this later). In addition to the book, is an app called "WDW Lines." This app will come in handy when it comes time to create your itinerary.
2. Disney Tourist Blog: my favorite Disney blog. Sure, I would pop around to others and ultimately didn't take every, single park itinerary of theirs to heart. But all in all, this is a solid blog with all of the facts. My advice is to focus on reading the 1-day park itineraries. This will familiarize you with the rides that Disney bloggers and experts recommend, and how to go about maximizing your day at each park. Also, sign up for their email list. Usually, I wouldn't sign myself up for anything because who likes to be spammed with emails, but in this case, the emails have been incredibly valuable, especially in the time of COVID. **Disney Food Blog is another great blog.
3. Instagram or Facebook Pages: this avenue I've used the least because when I plan, I want to be very focused. Having a random page popup on my Instagram in a random moment isn't the most helpful. But, I have gained some useful tidbits from these pages. Simply google best pages for your personal preferences. My favorite is @disneyfoodblog and @brbgoingtodisney. I believe they have a YouTube, as well!

Where to Stay?
Clearly, there are MANY accommodation options when it comes to Disney World. The key is to understand the types of accommodations. Meaning, are the hotels Disney Resorts or not? Are they on-site or off-site? My personal recommendation is to stay on-site. There are certainly perks to doing so, including early access and close proximity, among other things.

What our family wanted to consider was all of the aforementioned, plus we also wanted a resort that was a little more balanced. Something that would be fun for the adults AND for the kids. Something that was totally Disney, but not in your face 24/7 Disney. Thus, we landed on Four Seasons Orlando.

Why? While Four Seasons Orlando is not a Disney World resort, it is an affiliated resort and is also on-site Disney World, which means that it is in close proximity to the parks. Again, totally fit the balance we were trying to strike! Four Seasons Orlando would give our kids the full Disney World experience, but would also allow the adults to partake in a more relaxing adult-type vacation. Quite honestly, I had heard that Disney World can be a bit of an overload, so to come back to a resort that was more Disney World in my face, wasn't something I necessarily wanted to do. Four Seasons offers that nice balance. You still feel like you are amongst the Disney theme, but adults can also feel like they are on a vacation oasis.

Because Four Seasons is technically on-site, it is in close proximity the parks. You can get to the parks in about 10-20 minutes max and they provide complimentary shuttle service. On top of it, Four Seasons is a renowned resort and top notch. The room quality is incredible, they have a Disney concierge to help with any Disney planning and questions, and the resort restaurants are incredible with high quality food.

After you purchase the Unofficial Guide to Disney World, start reading it.. ASAP. I recommend purchasing the book six months (4 months at the latest) before your trip. This will give you ample time to start perusing and planning. The book will give you a glimpse into resorts, what to bring, budgeting, etc. Simultaneously, cross reference what you learn with what the blogs say. While I'm not going to get into everything in this post, I did want to talk about how I started and where I got my info from!

What parks to attend?
This is totally personal preference. But I will say that you will gather the information you need to make this decision best in the book, Unofficial Guide to Disney. Here, you will read about all of the parks, get to know the rides and understand what each has to offer.

You'll need to take into consideration the ages of your kids and also their preferences. We are going with another family, who was dying to attend Animal Kingdom. This gave us good insight, but on the flip side, I knew my boys were dying to ride all things Star Wars (which is located in the Hollywood Studios Park). My friend had originally mentioned they may skip that park all together. What I'm trying to point out is that the more familiar you are with the rides in each park, the vibes and what each park has to offer, the better you will be at deciding which ones to attend.

What parks are we attending?

• Hollywood Studios
• Magic Kingdom
• Animal Kingdom

Based on the research I did and the information I gathered, attending three parks was plenty for us. Again, we were equally as excited to spend time at Four Seasons Orlando and didn't want to overdo it at the parks.

We decided not to do park-hoppers since our kids are so young. The effort and time it takes to go between parks can be exhausting. Better for us to stick to one park per day and get the most out of each one than to be moving around.

What days to attend which parks?
This information can best be found in the book I recommended! You can check "crowd levels" to determine when crowd levels will be lowest at each of the parks. We determined we wanted to see our most desired park first being Hollywood Studios, do it big with Magic Kingdom and then end on a lighter note with Animal Kingdom. We have a day-off break in between Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom, and then scheduled Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on back-to-back days since we wanted our last day to be a pool day at Four Seasons and that is what our vacation time permitted.

Counter service dining verses table service dining.
Counter service dining is more casual dining where you order at a counter and find a table (first come, first serve) to eat at. Table service is the type of dining where you are served. You usually have a reservation ahead of time, or can sometimes (luckily) walk up and wait for a table to open up. Table service will either have characters or not - this is restaurant specific.

You'll want to decide how you are going to dine ahead of attending the parks. Some families MUST eat at table service. The perks? Getting out of the heat into an air conditioned building, being served, getting a moment to rest away from the parks, a fun experience, decent food. The cons? Expensive, takes away from ride time, if you have a toddler, will the toddler sit still? Is the cost worth the food and experience? 

Counter service pros and cons. Pros: quick and easy, relatively less expensive than table service, less time eating and more time riding, great for active kids who won't sit long at tables. Cons: still expensive. May have trouble finding a table due to crowds. Food quality. Eating in the heat.

After considering ALL of this and the fact that we are staying at the Four Seasons (where the food is incredible), our family decided on counter service. Ryan and I would rather spend our time and energy on rides and shows rather than table service food and experiences. Because we get our character dining fix at the Four Seasons, this also helps. Our actual strategy is to bring the kids' lunches since our boys tend to be rather simple when it comes to food. We will pack PB+J's, snacks and plenty of water bottles for the kids. If it happens that counter service looks easy and appetizing, Ryan and I will order our food there (I have selected my top counter service restaurants based on my research and have built them into the schedule). Again, the boys could case less about "good food", so PB+J's will be just fine to get us through the day! If they demand something else, there are plenty of quick options.

All of this said, we chose ONE table service dining experience that simply looked super cool online. It is located at Disney's Hollywood Studios and it's called the Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater. We chose for an earlier dinner. I went to book it ahead of time (which you have to do) and it was already booked. If this opens up, we will try out the table service on our first day at the parks (we are going to Hollywood Studios park first before any of the others). If we like the table service experience and think it is worth it, we will consider it at the other parks (if reservations should open up).

How to create a 1-Day Park schedule for the family?
After you choose the parks you will attend, you'll want to familiarize yourself with all of the rides. It sounds like a lot of work, but once you narrow down your kids' heights and preferences, it's actually not as much as it seems. Again, the boys and I would gather together nightly and read about each of the rides in the Unofficial Guide to Disney World, then we would watch some YouTube videos that would show us the rides. Some may think this could spoil the rides, but I felt it better to know that my kids would actually like certain rides than to weight 45 minutes only to approach boarding and one of the kids to have a meltdown about not wanting to ride.

So, after we had all of the information about rides and shows of preference, I would then go to the WDW Lines app and organize my schedule. The beauty of this app is that it is based on algorithms and wait times. It will allow you to select all of the rides you want to go on and then it organizes your schedule FOR YOU based on shortest wait times and proximity of rides to one another. I used this schedule and cross-referenced it with the blog, Disney Tourist Blog, I recommended.

For the fun part! Below are our actual 1-day park itineraries for Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Again, these will be different for everyone because not everyone prioritizes and prefers the same rides. My best advice is to arrive at the parks 45 minutes prior to opening time and choose the highest priority rides and most highly demanded rides first-thing in the morning. Another good time to ride those in-demand rides is closer to park closing. Enjoy!

Just for fun, this is where I purchased our matching Disney shirts HERE.

And, our Mandolorian matching tees can be found HERE.

While I've been fortunate enough to nurse my sons collectively for almost three years of my life, I've always had a hard time when it comes to stopping. Whether it's the emotion or physical changes, stopping breastfeeding and transitioning to this more independent step for my child hasn't always been easy. With my first son, I experienced the emotion of stopping. With my second son, I experienced engorgement and pain. With my third son, I experienced hormonal shifts so intense with a heavy onset of anxiety and overwhelm. But in the midst of it all, it is necessary to carry on to this next step, when mother and child are ready. After all, we all stop breastfeeding at some point in time, and as I've said in my posts, this doesn't make you any more or any less of a mother whenever that time comes.

Not only is the transition from breast to bottle hard for a mom, but it can also be quite difficult to find a product that baby is able to transition to. The American Pediatric Association recommends that babies switch to whole milk at the age of one. But still, this may leave some mothers questioning. Is my baby getting the nutrients he or she needs? And for some who have babies with milk allergies, they wonder, are there any other milk alternatives?

Sensitivities and nutrition play a key role as babies grow and development. So much that mothers began to demand a product the filled the gap in the market. This is why I wanted to share a product that our family has come to love called Else Nutrition.

Else is a clean label, plant-based alternative for complete nutrition beyond baby's first year. Else was founded by infant nutrition veterans with a mission is to create real, plant-based alternatives for parents who desired a clean-label option for their families. Again, their first product filled that much-needed gap in the market, which gave parents a real choice. A choice that met the gold standard for nutrition and parents' standards for a clean label. 

Else is endorsed by leading global pediatricians and nutritionists, globally-patented Complete Nutrition Drink for Toddlers (12 months+), and is FDA compliant. The product is made using the cleanest possible production process, derived primarily from three essential ingredients: almonds, buckwheat and tapioca. A clean production process means these minimally-processed whole food ingredients do not require the chemical altering necessary with traditional dairy and soy-based formulas. 

Available in a 36-serving canister, the creamy consistency tastes great, contains zero dairy or soy, and is free of the hormones, antibiotics, palm oil, and corn syrups traditionally found in infant and toddler formulas and milks. 

Again, Else is part of a growing movement of parents who are demanding more from the formula industry, in the baby and toddler nutrition aisle and beyond. It’s a real alternative for those looking for a clean label option, for families with a plant-based lifestyle or sensitivities

Else has been a great way to transition Beauden away from breastmilk and to fit those nutrient gaps in his diet. Usually, I mix four scoops of Else with warm water - as the instructions provide. However, sometimes I love to add Else into one of my favorite smoothie recipes for all of the boys, including my three and five year old! Because Else offers such clean and nutrient packed precision, I feel confident that my boys are getting the kind of clean nutrition they need to develop and grow.

Many of my followers have asked what I put into my "green smoothies" that I serve my boys. Here is my recipe, featuring Else Nutrition. Not only a clean and nutrient dense products, but also one that tastes great!

RECIPE:

• 4 scoops Else Nutrition Powder
• 1 cup Almond Milk
• 1 cup organic Spinach
• 1/2 cup organic Pineapple
• 1 Banana

Simply, add all ingredients to a blender and blend! Beauden drinks this like crazy, as do my older boys. Heck, I even enjoy a few sips here and there.

In closing, a mother's job can be hard at times, but I believe it doesn't have to be! When it comes to feeding your baby, feel confident in your decision to provide them with the very best. For us, that is a healthy dose of Else Nutrition!

As a stay-at-home mom, I've had to get creative with how I keep my day organized, productive and joyful. With three boys under the age of six, it can be a challenge. As much as I love my job as a mom and seek to yield the best results, so much of how my kids behave and how our day turns out is outside of my control. 

Through this, I've realized that the only thing I CAN control is myself. And I've had to find constants in my life to promote stability and self-care when my days at home with kids can be so crazy. What are these constants? Well, they are self-care practices that I do each day, preferably in the morning, that set my day up for success. Three of the constants I practice each morning include making the beds, working out and getting myself ready for the day. If I can do all three of these things, I consider my day a success. There is also a fourth item I practice all throughout the day. This is the use of Young Living Essential Oils.

I was introduced to Young Living Essential Oils, and quickly learned more about what differentiates the brand. Not only has Young Living been the leader and first mover in the industry, but they also promote the highest grade essential oils.

Young living provides: "Non-negotiable benchmarks for delivering a product that our customers can feel great about are multifaceted and exacting. We’re proud to offer an extensive line of essential oils and essential oil-infused, plant-based products that represent the best of nature—through the standards of our Seed to Seal program.

Young Living embraces a rigorous quality control standard to help ensure our products meet strict specifications. Seed to Seal is our set of standards that helps ensure that with every pure essential oil and Young Living product your family uses, you’re enjoying the benefits of our global resources, industry leadership, and over two decades of innovation. The result? A pristine final product that you know has been created with conscientious Sourcing, Science, and Standards—the three pillars of Seed to Seal.

As the leader of the essential oils movement, Young Living is paving the way for every other essential oil company to improve processes that protect our planet and ensure the highest quality standards."

Young Living has proven that they are top-of-the-line when it comes to quality and standards. Additionally, I love the variety of products they offer. Everything from laundry detergent to hand soap to lip gloss to baby wipes to roll-on oils, Young Living has it all. For the essential oil junkie or the mom dabbling in oils, your needs will be met with Young Living.

While I have many favorite Young Living products, I wanted to share my go-to favorites, especially for those just starting out. These are great for moms dabbling in the beginning stages of using essential oils.

First, I highly recommend the Aria Ultrasonic Diffuser. A diffuser is a device that breaks down essential oils into smaller molecules, dispersing them into the air for a pleasant or calming effect—depending on the oil that is used in the diffuser.

Using a diffuser is a low maintenance way of providing self-care throughout your day, while permeating wellness inside of your home and transforming your space into a tranquil abode! Again, diffusing certain oils (and I will tell you which are my favorites) will help evoke a certain mindset.

​If you're a mom and are anything like me, sometimes you need to be inspired. Other times, you need energy. Other times, you need to be calmed. Using a diffuser partnered with the use of essential oils is a quick way to get myself into a certain mindset that I may not be able to get into on my own.

Not only is a diffuser great at getting you into a good state of mind, but the particular Aria diffuser also acts as piece of jewelry in my home. It is made with natural wood with a delicate glass top. People compliment it all of the time! Simultaneously and possibly my favorite aspect, is the calming sounds that the device plays (at your selection) while turned on. Or, if you want personalized sounds, you can plug your device into the diffuser and play your own beats.

The great thing about using a diffuser is that you can mix and match different oils to fit your particular vibe or to evoke a certain mindset. Young Living recommends using five to twenty-five drops, but starting with five and then working your way up as you get used to using the oils.

A great way to start (and how I started) using oils is the use a scent you already love! That way you won't be overwhelmed by a new smell and your brain will associate the familiarity. For instance, I love the citrus smell, so I began using citrus throughout the day. Also, the Starter Kit is an absolute must. It is a great introduction to some of the best-selling essential oils. For moms on the go, I recommend the roll-ons. I keep them in my purse, in my makeup drawers and travel with them for an added pick-me-up throughout the day.

Back to using the at-home diffuser. After you get the hand of using your diffuser with one scent, Young Living recommends going to the next step: pairing two scents. Just like anything, think of scents that will pair nicely together as wine might pair nicely with food. What scent compliments the other? As a basic starting point, YL recommends beginning with these classic pairings:
​

• Thieves® and Lemon
• Peppermint and Lavender
• Cinnamon Bark and Orange
• Frankincense and Cedarwood
• Eucalyptus Radiata and Rosemary

​Below is an infographic from Young Living that might help you begin to pair and compliment essential oils...

The great thing about essential oils is that your kids will also get the benefits! Is your little one feel restless? Try a calming recipe. Is your little one distracted? Use the focus recipe. Is your little one feeling scared? Try the courage recipe. When using essential oils around your children please follow Young Living's recommendation here:

Question: Can essential oils be used on children?
Answer: Many essential oils are appropriate for use on children but should be diluted with a carrier oil prior to use. Some Young Living products come prediluted with carrier oil, as indicated on product labels, and are intended for direct application on children. You can dilute 1–2 drops of essential oil such as SleepyIze™, RutaVaLa™, Gentle Baby™, and Peace & Calming® with a carrier oil and apply to the bottoms of the feet.

There you have it! The possibilities are endless with essential oils, and especially with Young Living Essential. As I mentioned, Young Living carries everything from baby wipes to laundry detergent to makeup. The sky is the limit!  

​I believe that mothers need tools up their sleeve to be able to bust out in times of need. Essential oils are one of my favorite tools that help ensure a successful day!

Countertops: Cambria USA (company), design is called Brittanicca
Backsplash: Cambria USA (company), design is called Brittanicca Block
Fabricator/Installer: Granite + Marble Design Co. (214)356-7018
Farmhouse Sink: Sinkology
Faucet: Brizo
Pendant Lights: Goodman Pendants

​We bought our home in August 2018. The home was brand new construction, but also known as a spec home. What is a spec home? A spec home is a home that a builder builds more than once in an area. It usually has the same exterior, floor plan, fixtures and finishes with maybe a few minor tweaks from house to house. Builders keep things the same to save on time and money, which differs from a custom build (also new construction), where the buyer is able to custom pick everything in the house - from countertops to flooring to floor plan. Everything.
 
The great thing about a spec home is that you can (usually) get a better price on the home than you can on a custom build. The bad thing is that certain design choices have already been selected for you. This was the case for our home. We found the house after the builder had finished. Thus, he was in control of the design elements. Not us.
 
While choosing a spec home takes away the headache of having to choose and deliberate over every last detail, it also means that you might end up with design elements that aren’t your favorite. That was the case for our kitchen. As much as I loved and appreciated our home, I wasn’t head over heels about the kitchen. Was this the end of the world that I didn’t love the speckled gray granite countertops? Not at all. But! Did I always wonder about switching them out? You bet.
 
I gave myself two years of living in the house to make up my mind about the countertops/kitchen update. At the two year mark, I decided I’d start understanding costs, and began reaching out to countertop experts in the area for bids to see if I wanted to move forward.

​After having met with several granite and marble install companies, I had a pretty good understanding about cost. I knew that the countertop and backsplash install would be an investment, but I felt confident that if I used the right products that it would add value to our home in the long run, AND I would LOVE it while living in our home. The kitchen is the heart of the home, is it not?
 
I didn’t want to use just any material, I needed to understand the cost-benefit analysis between marble verses quartz verses granite, etc. I easily narrowed my choice down to quartz. Quartz is a manmade material. This means it is not porous, like most natural stone products, and doesn’t absorb residue. Quartz is also kid-proof and essentially indestructible. With three boys who like to eat, color and generally make messes, I needed something that looked nice, but could withstand wear and tear.
 
After I narrowed down the material, I needed to choose a quartz manufacturer. I quickly learned that some quartz products are better than others. What does this mean? Well, it means the “look” and construction of the stone is different in terms of quality depending on who you choose. After doing my research, I learned that Cambria USA was top of the line. 
 
Cambria is the only company that begins with all white and clear quartz. This guarantees that the final product will be consistent with what you see in a showroom. Cambria also uses up to 93% quartz in every slab ensuring a more natural look than most other quartz products. In learning more about the workmanship of their particular product, I was drawn to this excerpt from their website, which eludes to why I chose this particular product. It says, "From cutting to polishing, the stone is slowly transformed. Nowhere is that more evident as when a slab moves through the polishing stage. Like artisans perfecting gemstones, Cambria’s craftspeople soften the grit of the stone with each successive polish, coaxing out the natural luster of the quartz. With every pass, its innate brilliance shines more deeply, revealing a beauty that is not only pleasing to the eye but also—because quartz is one of the hardest minerals on earth—incredibly durable, suited to everyday wear and tear."
 
Not only that, y'all know that I feel strongly about supporting family-owned businesses and American made products. The company's mission statement was a huge draw for me personally. It states: "Cambria® is American-made by a family-owned company in Minnesota where legendary craftsmanship, hard work, and a relentless commitment to the highest quality are the cornerstones for everything we do. There is no second best. No exception. If it isn’t perfect, it will never carry our name." As such, I felt that Cambria USA hit all the marks.

​Now that I chose to use Cambria USA quartz, I needed to select a design. I worked with Laura Wendling, a Cambria rep, who has impeccable taste, to help select a design that would compliment my existing kitchen. I had dreamt of a predominantly white kitchen and hoped for a design with some pronounced, yet natural veining that exuded both elegance and style. I wanted to achieve the look of marble without all of the baggage and heartache that goes along with it.
 
This is when Laura introduced me to a Cambria USA best-seller called Brittanicca. Brittanica  offers a creamy marbled background of neutral white that provides a stage on which gray islands and peninsulas meander among intertwining ashen veins dotted with veiled charcoal speckles. Needless to say, I was sold the instant I locked eyes with it in the Cambria showroom.
 
While I wasn’t considering updating my grey subway tile backsplash, Laura mentioned that Cambria had recently launched a new design called Brittanicca Block that complimented Brittanica. I went back and forth about whether or not I wanted to also update the backsplash (since my subway tile was in perfectly good condition), but ultimately decided to update it, as well, to complete the look. Ultimately, this was a GREAT decision. The use of both Brittanica with the complimentary Brittanica Block transformed my kitchen entirely.

​Laura put me in touch with one of the most talented fabricators in the DFW area, Isidro. His company is called Granite and Marble Design Company. Not only is Isidro the nicest and most pleasant man to work with, his craftsmanship is incredible. Why is this important? Well, I decided to do things like include a 2 inch mitered edge, which meant that they’d make the countertop look thicker by adding a border to the existing edge to thicken it by two inches. In doing so, the fabricator must match up the seams of veining or it won’t look right. Izzy is a master at this! 

In addition to the mitered edge, Isidro went above and beyond to ensure that the job was done right, including a farmhouse sink install. Everything from demolition to install and caulking to cleanup, I give Granite and Marble Design Company an A+.
Instagram: @granitemarbledesignco_ 
Phone: (214)356-7018

​In addition to the countertops, I decided to add new pendant lights, a farmhouse sink and a new faucet.
 
The pendant lights you can find here.
 
The farmhouse sink you can find here.
 
And the faucet, you can find here.

Overall, I am beyond grateful for this beautiful kitchen. I really do think a kitchen update/renovation is TOTALLY worth it. It not only adds financial value, but also adds emotional value! For me , the kitchen has always been and will always be the heart of the home and creating a space that evokes joy and comfort is what Cambria USA provided. As a family, our kitchen brings family together together in a way that no other part of the home does. It is the space where we congregate in most often, and needs to be an inviting, open, enjoyable, happy place. We created this with Cambria USA.

And for those asking, here is a before and after shot...

As a mom, it's hard enough taking care of children let alone getting ourselves dressed for the day. But if you've been following me, then you know how much I prioritize getting up and getting DRESSED in the morning. And that includes getting myself dressed AND my kids.

Fundamentally, I believe that getting dressed sets the day into motion. It activates energy for the day and propels you into action. Alternatively, if I were to keep the kids in jammies (and myself in jammies) I would feel much less productive. This is the exact opposite of what I set out to do as a stay-at-home mom!

With that said, I understand how difficult it can be to find great outfits, especially for our baby, Beauden (6 months). When looking for baby clothes, I look for aspects similar to what I would want for myself. I want outfits that are both functional, yet cute; affordable, yet high quality; those that can be easily mixed and match. And if it's organic... well, I might as well be queen of the world.

But, it's not so easy to find baby clothes, is it? Even though it's my third child, I've still had a difficult time when it comes to searching for baby clothes. That is, until I found the Modern Moments Collection by Gerber. Functional and cute; affordable and high quality; can be easily mixed and matched. AND, made with organically grown cotton.

First off, Gerber is an iconic and well-trusted baby brand that has been around for years. There is something about purchasing baby gear from Gerber that brings back a bit of nostalgia to my own childhood, which I love. But, while Gerber is a deeply rooted baby brand, the company has also adapted to suit the needs of modern moms by providing fashion forward outfits and accessories.

A few things I love about the collection is the mix-it-up aspect. Because the outfits are made with similar coloring, silhouettes and designs, it is easy to mix and match the outfits without having to worry about the laundry or running out of options. For instance, if you purchase several sets of onesies, pants, shorts and socks, they can easily be mixed and matched with one another. Each outfit is designed keeping the mix-and-match aspect in mind, and includes modern colors (neutral tones: grey, beige, tan, etc.) and modern designs, making it easy for parents to combine outfits in multiple ways.

I also love that Beauden looks and feels comfortable. This is because the fabric is made with 97% cotton with organic fibers and 3% spandex. The organic cotton provides high quality comfort and the spandex provides the perfect amount of stretch. Beauden is able to move freely without being restricted, while also looking fashion forward. 

And you get all of this for an affordable value. Retail prices range from about $2.84 to $12.84. You really can't beat it!

The line includes all of the everyday, core layette apparel including bodysuits, coveralls, rompers, sleepwear and accessories that mom needs for baby’s first years. Sizes range from newborn to 12 months.

Walmart! Yes. Online or in-store, you can find the Modern Moments collection by Gerber.

Use the link, here to shop now!

Hey y'all!

Our family has been hit hard by sickness this season. This means that both Vance, our three year-old, and Beauden our baby, have been put on antibiotics. Like most mommies, I have a love/ hate relationship with antibiotics. I love antibiotics because they help rid my babies of sickness by stripping the bad bacteria out of their systems. But, while antibiotics strip the bad bacteria, they also inevitably strip the good bacteria, which is where my disdain comes in. If that good bacteria is not replaced, this is when little immune systems can become compromised. Although antibiotics may be necessary, you can keep your little one's immune system strong and replenish good bacteria with the use of probiotics.

Recently, I took Beauden to Urgent Care after four days of sickness. The doctor noticed that his ears were infected, and suggested an antibiotic to help speed up the recovery process. Like I always do, I asked her if the antibiotic was necessary. She told me that in this case, she felt that it was. I agreed to her counsel. We continued talking about the pros and cons of antibiotics, and being the curious mother that I am, I asked her about the use of probiotics in tandem with the use of antibiotics. She responded positively, saying that she absolutely recommended probiotics for use in babies and children, especially while simultaneously taking antibiotics.

The conversation continued and she told me that the best time to give my baby the probiotic was at lunch. He would be taking the antibiotic morning and night and if I gave the probiotic at the same time as the antibiotic,  the antibiotic would instantly kill the probiotic. By spreading out the dose of probiotic and by giving it at lunch, it would help my son get that good bacteria without the antibiotic killing it.

I thought this was great advice, and decided to follow her direction. In times past, I had noticed that my boys would develop a strong diaper rash as a response to antibiotic use. Why does this happen? Well again, when antibiotics strip the bad bacteria, they also strip the good bacteria. This good bacteria helps to prevent things such as yeast infections, but when it is stripped, yeast can grow and dark, wet places, like in a diaper. Thus, after using antibiotics, my kids always had to fight bad diaper rashes. As Beauden took his probiotic (while on his antibiotic), I watched carefully to see if the diaper rash in fact developed. I couldn't believe whent it didn't! Well, actually I could believe it. The probiotic truly helped Beauden maintain that healthy bacteria and healthy gut, preventing the diaper rash.

As with everything, I only want the best for my children. This is why I choose brands that are highly reputable and have research to back them up. This is a big reason why I choose Evivo when it comes to probiotics.  Evivo is the only baby probiotic clinically proven to restore the good bacteria, B. infantis, while reducing bad bacteria in baby's gut by 80%. Bad bacteria in baby’s gut is linked to higher risk of autoimmune and metabolic issues such as colic, eczema, diabetes, and obesity later in life. When more good bacteria are present in the gut, it creates a strong, protective wall and crowds out the bad bacteria. ​Evivo is the result of over a decade of research and clinical trials at the University of California, Davis Medical Center. Further, Evivo's breakthrough findings about the baby gut microbiome and infant probiotics have been covered in well-respected publications around the world.

Evivo is simple and easy to use, which is one of the reasons I love it. Evivo will ship the product directly to your door. Immediately put the product in the refrigerator or freeze for proper storage (remember probiotics are living organisms!). Each probiotic comes in a packet with the proper amount. Simply tear the top of the packet and pour the probiotic into the mixing Tupperware. Mix with breastmilk, and use the syringe to administer the product into baby's mouth.

What I've realized is that if you have children, it is inevitable that they will face sickness. And with sickness, they will need antibiotics every now and again. As mommies, we don't have to settle for compromised immune systems! The great thing about Evivo is that we can help keep our children healthy, especially our babies, whose six months of life are crucial to autoimmune and metabolic development. To help protect baby's gut, Evivo is the answer! Check them out and use this code for a discount. Talk to your pediatrician about Evivo and the benefits of infant probiotics, and don’t miss out on your chance to get $10 off your Evivo starter kit of 4 weeks with code BLOGD59NKV, or receive $20 off your Evivo starter kit of 8 weeks or more with code BLOGH78N29!

Hey y'all!

Today I wanted to talk about breastfeeding. Whoa. And I'm going to share a product that has made the process a heck of a lot easier on me, enabling me a little bit of independence while maintaining my feeding routine. Let me start by saying that with all three of my boys, I have been fortunate enough to be able to breastfeed each of them. That said, breastfeeding didn't always come easy. For starters with my first son, Rhett, my nipples cracked and bled, and I almost quit within a week. But my mom swooped in and encouraged me to stick with it. She told me that if I could give breastfeeding a bit more time that eventually it would become some of the sweetest moments I shared with my baby, as she reflected on those times with my sister and I. So, I took her advice, and persevered through the pain of breastfeeding - nipple bleeds and all. Soon enough, I found that was right. Eventually breastfeeding time with Rhett became some of my most cherished memories.

I nursed Rhett (my first), until he was about fifteen months, which was also about three months into my second pregnancy. So, yes, I was breastfeeding my first son while pregnant with my second son. Then, after my second son was born, I immediately picked breastfeeding up again. And it was a breeze! Vance, my second son, latched like a champ and because there had been only a few months of lag time between nursing my first and nursing my second, there was almost zero pain involved. Breastfeeding was finally easy.

That is, until I encountered postpartum depression and my hormones went crazy around six month postpartum. At this time, I was also retaining about fifteen pounds of baby weight while nursing (which I learned was very common) and it started driving me bonkers. With all of this to consider, I sadly stopped breastfeeding my second babe at ten months. Yes, I was proud of my ability to go ten months!!, but I also share this story to show that breastfeeding - while beautiful - does have its hardships.

One aspect of breastfeeding that has always been a challenge for me is pumping. After I had my first son, I returned to Georgetown Business School, which was a full-time business school program. This meant that Rhett would be with a nanny twenty hours a week. Because I wanted to maintain our breastfeeding routine (and my supply), that meant I would have to pump at school. Because insurance covered a simple Medela Pump, I ended up going with that. This was my first mistake (more on this later). Why was pumping difficult? It took me a pretty long time to pump out ample milk (for a student with not a lot of time). Also, insurance didn't cover the electric version of the pump, which meant that I had to be in close proximity to an outlet when pumping. Needless to say, this pumping experience somewhat scarred me and deterred me from wanting to pump with subsequent children. When I had my second son, I pretty much avoided pumping altogether. I didn't set out to find a new pump, and revolved my days around feeding my baby, and was never away from him for more than three hours at a time.

Yes, I managed to avoid pumping with my second son, and it worked for me. But, by the time I had my third son, Beauden, I realized there were going to be times when I needed or wanted to get away from my baby for more than three hours at a time. For as much as I want to be with him (and each of my sons), after experiencing intense postpartum depression after my last pregnancy, I knew that time away from my baby was important for both my independence and mental state. As such, I started researching breast pumps. After all, it had been some time (almost four years) since I had set out to find and purchase a breast pump.

I didn't know much about breast pumps, but I knew that I wanted certain things out of a pump that I lacked before. For starters, I wanted a pump that was more efficient than one of the leading breast pump brands. In my case, this was the Medela. I also knew I wanted the pump to operate without the need of an outlet; one that could be charged and then used freely. And lastly, I hoped that I could find a pump that would cut down on pumping time, while increasing milk output... because with three kids, who has time to sit and pump for an hour only to yield an ounce or two of milk?

After doing some research and given the space that I work in, (given the opportunity to review the very best, latest and greatest mommy products), I was introduced to Motif Medical, a company who recently launched the Luna Pump. What I found when Motif set out to manufacture the Luna Pump answered one of my biggest problems with pumping. That was, Motif had the goal of developing a pump that performed better than two of the leading breast pump brands. Bingo.

After reading more, I found that... 

• 5 out of 6 moms yielded more milk in less time with the Luna Pump. And,
•  9 out of 10 moms preferred the Luna over their current pump.

Since using the Luna Pump, my view of pumping has changed altogether. Instead of feeling like pumping was a chore and something that literally and figuratively pained me to do in order to gain time away from my baby; now, I feel relaxed and comfortable with the idea and actual exercise of pumping.

The Luna Pump is quiet; it doesn't have that annoyingly loud pumping sound. The Luna Pump also includes a nightlight mode that would allow a mama to pump comfortably in the dark. The Luna Pump is pain free due to the strength of suction and design. And of course, it comes outlet free (also with a car charger) and yields more milk in less time. 

This is BIG NEWS y'all. This not only means that I am happy to pump, but it also means that I have unlocked a bit of freedom for myself. And if you've been following along with my platform, you know how big I am when it comes to mothers taking time for self care. A big part of practicing self care as a mom is being able to take time away from your baby AND being able to do so comfortably and willingly. Investing in a breast pump that allows you to do both is worth gold. Liquid gold.