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Soooo I’m not always great at answering my DMs and doing Q&A’s on Instagram is a great way to share info *but* it disappears after 24 hours on Instagram stories, so I wanted a more permanent place for your questions to live! Let’s see how a monthly Q&A blog post goes, shall we?
Do you like promoting stuff on IG?
I really do think of it like sharing with my girlfriends. I’ve said many times that a partnership for me needs to meet a couple of criteria…
- it’s either a brand I already use and love.
- it’s a brand I’ve been wanting to try AND I think you will love. 99% of the time I will TRY a product before committing to share.
I’ve been lucky enough to be able to be more selective with my partners and I have a strong, long-term relationship with many of them.
Do you have that rotating car seat? Still like it?
I have this one and I still LOVE it. I convinced my sister to put one on her registry! They’re especially great if you have other kids who have to climb in past the rear facing seat and for anyone who has back problems. // shop it here
Link to your wristlet/wallet please!
Linked here! I have an olive green wristlet and a navy wallet – I love having everything in one spot AND supporting a small, women-owned business. // shop it here
Just an FYI you’re the only blogger I follow who follows all the rules and actually discloses stuff
Well that’s a bummer! Not only is it disingenuous, it’s against the law. I’m really proud of my paid partnerships and the products that I choose to affiliate link so no reason to hide it!
And I think that people really appreciate a little transparancy – always happy to keep it real!
Best part of being a mom?
Awesome question – I’d say getting to watch my kids become their own people. All 4 of them have the most distinct, unique and special personalities and I feel lucky to get a front-row seat. Also the snuggles. Also those 26 seconds a day when they play nicely together :).
Lakehouse couch with washable covers?
Linked here – it’s fabulous. I wish our house was big enough to fit them – they’re pretty deep. This is what we have at our house. // shop it here // see the lakehouse here
What’s the app you used to predict baby sleep?
Huckleberry! We used it for Auggie (it was free then without sleep coaching) and the Sweetspot algorithm tells you when your baby is tired but not overtired – it was a lifesaver for us. Definitely worth the couple bucks a month!
How do you keep the fruit in the jar from getting condensation? I always get little water droplets…
I dry it reallllly well but you can also stick a paper towel in the bottom or top to absorb some moisture. Here’s my whole blog post on fruit in mason jars!
What’s Auggie’s naptime schedule?
He’s 18 (almost 19) months and generally naps once a day, after noon, and sleeps anywhere from 1.5-3ish hours. He goes down for the night around 7 and wakes in the 7 o’clock hour.
We’re definitely NOT super strict with his schedule just because we really can’t be with so many other kids in the house.
Paint colors in lakehouse?
I kept it pretty basic! The ‘grey’ is Edgecomb Grey and the black is Tricorn Black. // see the lakehouse here
Could you link the cute chunky blanket on your bed?
I do really really love this blanket – I’ve had it for almost a year and – honestly – it’s held up much better than this one, which was an Amazon alternative. // shop it here
What’s your face cleaner spatula thing?
Ha, I know *exactly* what this question is asking for… THIS! It’s a little face wand that uses micro-vibrations to vibe the gunk out of your pores. Has other settings/functions as well but that’s how I love to use it! // shop it here
Link to bunk bed in Emmy & Cooper’s room?
We still LOVE this bunkbed – it’s definitely holding up to the standard wild kids’ shenanigans they do on a bunk bed. // shop it here
Do you usually plan our dinners ahead of time or usually decide last minute what y’all will eat?
Ahhh I *wish* I was a better meal planner. For awhile, we got in the habit of planning out our meals on Sundays and having a ‘menu’ for the week but that’s really fallen by the wayside. Typing this out is re-inspiring me to actually get my shiz together and plan it out weekly again.
I always have a general idea, Home Chef one of the nights, eating out another night, but not a set menu. Fun fact: Chris actually LOVES when I have a meal plan so he knows what to expect…
What was your job before Instagram?
Really my entire career led me here which is pretty damn cool! My major is in Strategic Communication (I have a Bachelor of Journalism from University of Missouri – Columbia) and my first job out of college was in email marketing for a women’s retailer.
I learned a TON about e-commerce, coding, and segmentation and targeting. From there, I went to a major shoe retailer in St. Louis (formerly Brown Shoe) and worked on email but segued into Social Media. I managed the social media presence for the Naturalizer brand for a couple years before ultimately deciding that Corporate America wasn’t for me!
I’ve been doing this – lovelyluckylife.com and all that goes along with it – since 2015, so it hasn’t been fast, but I’ve loved (almost) every minute of it.
What’s your workout routine, how long do you do it and when?
Ugh, I’ve definitely fallen out of any kind of routine. I definitely try to at least go for a walk a day with the kids, but I need to hop back on the MYX bike (it really is a *nice* bike) or start an OpenFit program. Or go back to Barre3.
Before about halfway through my pregnancy with Auggie, I went to Barre3 4-5 times a week. I had pretty bad Symphasis Pubis Dysfunction with him, which really limited my mobility and he was born basically right before Covid so I haven’t been back.
Whether it’s at a facility or at home, I realllly need to get back on it for my mental health and just to feel stronger. Will keep you posted when I finally get my ass in gear ;).
A long time ago you did a laundry room tour – can you link your wooden drying racks please?
That was a hot minute! Maybe I’ll clean it up and show you around again someday ;). Love these drying racks, they’ve held up really well and they’re actually pretty to look at. // shop them here
New to potty training – any recommendations?
Good luck, Godspeed, and I have all my tips in this post.
How much help with the kids do you get from the grandparents?
A LOT! Fortunately, both sets of our parents live in St. Louis and are all retired. My in-laws take Auggie 2 days a week and my mom comes over to watch Auggie 1 day a week. My oldest 2 are in school full time and Emmy is in preschool 5 mornings a week and does 2 full days.
If we need a weekend sitter or go on a trip without kids, the grandparents help out a TON but we will also use the occasional sitter if needed.
What’s the new shampoo you’re using for your daughter?
I shared this on stories but Quinn’s hair had a waxy buildup from cheap product so at our stylist’s suggestion, we switched to this. I like it so far, it’s fairly inexpensive, you can use on the whole fam, and it smells good // shop it here
Link for the new face masks for the kids?
My oldest 2 kids wear masks all day at school; Old Navy didn’t have any of our faves so I ordered these for the kids. // shop them here
How do you deal with the anxiety of sending your 4-year-old to preschool without a mask?
Honestly, when she went to preschool last year as a 3-year-old, I just couldn’t expect them to mask that young. It’s the same school and even though Delta this fall is different than the virus last fall, I don’t have a TON of anxiety around it, strangely.
Do you wear your regular size in the Able tee?
Yep! I wear a small in this tee (25% off with my code VAL25) + they just dropped some cute new fall colors in the tee as well! Currently available in an XXS-XXL. // shop it here
Link to the outfit Auggie wore to your sister’s wedding?
It was actually SO cute, Aug was only 6 months at the time and he wore the 3-6 month in this little baby ‘tux’. Super soft and not itchy or rough for a tiny baby. // shop it here
What was the name of that kids’ monthly craft subscription box?
Annie’s Kit Club! I *think* my code LUCK50 might still work for 50% off? // shop it here
Favorite recipe these days?
Ah, tough question! Our family favorites of all time are this Egg Roll in a Bowl, this Taco Soup, and this Salmon.
Free People Shorts: Comfy or dig in too much?
I love that the Free People hold you in but I went with a small and the elastic rolls a little so maybe should’ve grabbed the medium? I also LOVE these shorts and they smooth you out without digging in at all. // free people linked + amazon alternative linked
Can you post a link to the white & colored striped kids bag?
You betcha! Linked here. I have one for each of my big kids – really cute, washable, and high quality. // shop it here
Did you plan on 4 kids?
That was always the plan :). Chris has 2 siblings, I have 1 sibling, and we both felt like a family became a BIG family at 4. We also cannot name a family with 4 sibling that we know that isn’t super fun and/or close and we really wanted that loud chaotic tribe for our family.
