Friday, May 27, 2016

Workout Gear Wish List

Hey guys! Today I'm sharing some of my favorite workout items! Some I have and love, others are on my wish list! I don't know about you guys, but getting new workout clothes (that fit appropriately post-baby) is a must. And a huge motivator to get my booty moving. A lot of sales going on right now, so get it while you can! Is it just me or is online shopping way less stressful?! I love comparing items and prices from multiple stores at a time and filling up my cart. HA! It's the little things in life, right? ;)

Also, this is my first post where I am posting links to items I like without showing them in photos (of me wearing them). Let me know if you like that or not? Or if it's too confusing, overwhelming or annoying to have to click on the link to see what I'm even talking about. Hopefully it's helpful even though you can't see the exact item until you click on the links.

Happy online shopping, friends!

Tops:
Must-Have T - love pain T's to go with my many different patterns of pants

Bottoms:
Strip Capri - so cute!
Swagger Skort - love for tennis + golf
Harem Capris - love!

Jackets:
I love having light jackets to throw on, even in the summer!

Shoes:
Flip flops - If you're anything like me, you can't WAIT to take off your shoes after working out! I always have flip flops waiting for me post workout. FREEEEDOM to my feet. ;)

Romper:
"Anywhere" Romper - love this! Have a similar one in black and I think I'll be living in it this summer.

Accessories:
Headband - I can't get enough! Have an entire drawer full of headbands!
JammyPack - Yes, please!!
Tote - So cute. 
            

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Loopty Loo Bows GIVEAWAY

I'm so excited to be teaming up with Loopty Loo Bows today! I am hosting a GIVEAWAY over on my Instagram account: @whatsup_buttarcup Head over to Instagram to see how to enter the giveaway. Good luck and don't forget to tag all your friends who might be interested in entering the giveaway. You can check out these adorable bows on her Etsy site HERE

Here is Blake rocking the *poppy* bow. I love. SO cute. 





That crinkled up nose! I can't. :):):)

You can see other pictures of Blake rocking her Loopty Loo Bows HERE.
The winner of this giveaway will be chosen this coming Sunday and will be announced on Instagram. 

Yardstick in photos made by yours truly. Blake outfit sold out, similar HERE.
            

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

White Denim + Mint Top

So somehow I missed the Bachelorette last night?! Say whaaaat?? I'm already excited for nap time so I can avoid the dishes and laundry (what's new?) and catch up on the Bachelorette. :) I am loving these stretchy white jeans. They make me so excited for summer! And this loose, airy top from Denver Street Boutique is the best. I love the mix of fabrics on it, and I don't feel hot in it. 

Rockin my LV speedy bag again. I have a bag obsession, you guys! I swear I could have 5,294 and still want more. And all the details that I love: monogram necklace (people always stop me to ask where this is from!), bright lips, stacked bracelets and nude strap shoes. Love these wedges because they are very low and realistic for a day spent chasing kids!









Blakely:
Jeggings or here // Similar top here and here

Me:
LV Speedy bag - similar here and here
Nude wedges - similar here
White denim here and here
Mint top here, here and here
Monogram necklace - similar here
Similar bracelets here and here
Ray-Bans // Buxom Lipstick in Fuchsia Fetish
            

Monday, May 23, 2016

Mommy Monday - Grateful

Morning mamas! One of my besties, Sarah, is talking today about her experience getting pregnant with her sweet little angel. Even though I already know her story, it was so beautiful to read through and I hope if any of you are going through loss or infertility, you know you are not alone. 

Sarah and I have been in a bible study together (with our hubby's) for over three years now. Getting to know her (and their marriage) on a deep level has been a huge blessing! I can't put into words how wonderful it feels to have not only friends, but couples in your corner when going through this phase of life. Sarah and Casey make a beautiful couple. I hope you enjoy her story. xo


.........................
Hi Everyone!  I am so honored and excited that Stef asked me to guest write on her amazing blog.  I first want to say a special thank you to her for being one of my go-to mom’s for times when I feel like I don’t know what the heck I’m doing, one of my best friends through good times and bad, and for many, many laughs together.  I am continually impressed with how supportive and encouraging she is and how great she is at building a “village” of other amazing moms so we can all help each other out and be there for one another.  Thank you Stef!!!  XO

When she first asked me to guest write, I had so many thoughts racing through my head…What should I write about?  How do I pick just one thing out of all the crazy things that motherhood brings?  What if people don’t like it?  Should I go for laughs?  Or should I open up about my struggles?  As I write this, I still haven’t officially decided.  So we’ll see how this turns out.  

Every mom has such a special journey through pregnancy and then into motherhood that help shape you into the woman you become once you’re a momma.  There are ups and downs for everyone and as I share my story, I hope I can help someone feel supported through their own journey.   

Today is my daughter’s ½ birthday!  She’s 6 months old already!  As all moms know, the time just flies but I can say that the last 6 months have truly been the very best moments of my life.  I am so grateful to be in the place I am today, but the path to her arrival felt like a road less traveled…even though I know it probably wasn’t.  When it seemed like all our friends, co-workers and even celebrities were getting pregnant left and right, it wasn’t happening for us. We tried for about 2 years before one night, I was with Stef at a Nuggets game and she looked at me and said she was sure I was pregnant, I did not believe her because I was very used to the monthly disappointment and was over getting my hopes up.  She made me promise to take a pregnancy test that night when I got home.  So I did, but I was SO tired so I took it and fell asleep before the test result appeared.  I woke up early the next morning to head into the office and there it was sitting on my bathroom vanity – a positive pregnancy test!  WHAT?!!!?  How did Stef know?  I was thrilled, but didn’t quite believe it.  So on the way to work, I stopped at Target and got more tests.  I think I took 3 or 4 tests and all of them were positive.  I remember being so excited to share the news with my hubby!  On the way home from work, I went shopping to pick up Sophie la giraffe, wrap it up and give it to him that night as an announcement gift.  I’ll never forget the moment…standing in our living room crying tears of joy – we finally have our baby!  Our first appointment was amazing…we heard the baby’s heartbeat, she measured right on point and we were so thankful!  The next appointment didn’t go so well….it felt like the rug was pulled out from under us – no heartbeat, we lost her.  

It was quite a road of recovery, some of the lowest moments in my life followed. I named our lost baby girl Hope and we’ll forever hold a very special place in our hearts for her.  Once we were able to try again, we did.  We knew we wanted a baby and we didn’t want it to take another two years! We made the decision to see a fertility specialist, with whom we are forever grateful for. I’ll never forget the day I got pregnant with our sweet Avalon, it was St. Patricks day last year and I headed to the doctor’s office before work, about an hour after my husband had been there to leave “his goods” haha.  My fertility specialist did an IUI (a glorified turkey baster) and then turned on an old school kitchen timer so I could lay there with my hips elevated, once it beeped I could head to work and go on about my day.  I laid there and prayed to God to let this procedure work so we could finally get our baby.  And it did!!!  The support we received from our fertility office was amazing that first trimester with weekly ultrasounds, lots of progesterone shots and overall being with us every step of the way to watch this pregnancy closely.   I lived in this place of being so grateful, all the while experiencing horrible morning sickness, throwing up, bruises and lumps in my hips from the shots to mention a few…. but none of that mattered, I was pregnant and couldn’t be happier about it.  

Our little Avalon arrived the week of Thanksgiving which was so fitting.  We are so thankful for her in our lives.  I thought that the hardest part was behind us, but boy was I wrong!   There are so many challenges of being a new mom that I could talk about, but the one thing that surprised me the most was my journey of breastfeeding.  I was so determined to be successful in breastfeeding, but it did not come naturally to me, nor to Avalon.  She was an early arrival and had jaundice, which I now know made a perfect storm for a “lazy” eater.  She had major difficulty latching and wouldn’t wake up to eat when she needed to and wasn’t gaining weight like she should.  I was a zombie during this time so everything is a bit fuzzy, but I remember getting a recommendation to see a lactation consultant.  I found Marianne Kmak within the first two weeks and she was a God-send!  She worked with me one-on-one to find my groove with Avalon and then encouraged me to come to her support group.  I’ll never forget how I sobbed in that first support group, but Marianne and the moms there were so amazing, helpful and understood what I was going through – the fact that I wasn’t alone in my struggles completely changed my outlook.  Through the bloody nipples, latch problems and many tears, both Avalon’s and myself - we pushed through.  Fast forward 6 months later and we are exclusively breastfeeding, Avalon latches like a pro and I wouldn’t change a thing.  I’m so thankful yet again!  

Because Marianne is seriously amazing, for any momma’s out there needing some extra breastfeeding support, please follow this link to contact her – www.kmakbreastfeeding.com
And for anyone wanting a wonderful resource for fertility, this was the office we went to and I highly recommend it.  I felt like part of a family there and Dr. Albrecht is so compassionate. http://albrechtwomenscare.com/

Thank you for reading a little bit about my journey! 

Love, 
Sarah
Little tiny Avalon! So sweet! Hope you all have a wonderful Monday.

You can catch up on other Mommy Monday blogs here:

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Alchemy Beauty - Organic Spray Tan

Hey guys! I have to tell you about the best thing ever, Alchemy Beauty. This is a full serive mobile salon!!! Say whaaaaat?! They bring whatever service you're wanting straight to your home (or office or wherever you want them to go).

Bree came over to my house last week to give me a custom, organic spray tan - in my living room! Bree is darling and so professional. I call this spray tan "custom" because you can tell her exactly the color you want and where you don't want it. I didn't want it on my chest (I am still nursing) and wanted it lighter on my face, feet and hands. When you get a spray tan in a booth, you can't be so specific. The tan was a beautiful color and I wore shorts all weekend! I promise you I wouldn't have dared to wear shorts with my Casper legs before Bree came to give me a spray tan - ha!

The amazing thing about this tan is it shows immediately and darkens over time. I loved the immediate results and wish I would have taken better pictures! But here is a before and after pic of me. This is less than five minutes after she finished! I felt so pretty with this tan and even my husband noticed! HEEEEEYYYYY... still got it! ;) But seriously, I swear I could dye my hair bright blue and he wouldn't notice. But I get a nice spray tan and he notices?! That's awesome. Or annoying? I'm not sure. ;)

I told you they weren't the best pics. Ha! But... I felt instantly tan! And I swear my face looked thinner immediately. God love you, spray tan!


This picture was taken a few hours after the tan - see it getting darker? Love it. This is just one of the many services they provide. You can check out there website HERE to see other services they offer. Also, call if you have any questions about pricing (price varies depending on location).

Bree mentioned hosting parties before and I thought that would be so much fun! Have a bunch of friends over once the kids are in bed and get a mani/pedi and a spray tan?! I'M IN!

I thought this would be a great gift if you're looking to pamper anyone in your life. What a fun and unexpected gift! Who doesn't love being pampered? Plus, not sitting in the car for 20-60 minutes each way to the salon? Huge bonus.

I'd love to hear about it if you guys try any of these services out! Bree is so sweet, I'm sure you'll love her!

It felt so great to wear this dress knowing my legs weren't GHOST white.
You can check them out on Instagram as well! @alchemybeautysalon

Dress // Heels
Similar bracelets here and here
Similar clutch here and here
            

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Black Distressed Denim

Is this Colorado weather confusing anyone else?! I keep busting out my Uggs and I am soooo over it. COME OOOOON, summer!! This outfit is perfect for the transition between seasons. This sweater is lightweight and I don't feel overly warm in it (which I like!). I'm loving these distressed black jeans and they are sooo stretchy. Every mom needs her jeans to be stretchy! I'm sure I'll continue wearing these throughout summer with flip flops and tank tops on cooler summer days/nights. 

I love these wedges and I want to get them in nude, too! They are so comfortable and cuuuute. I love when I get to bust out my LV bag. I usually don't take it unless I just have one kid (or zero!) with me because I just prefer to have my giant diaper bag with everything I may need in it. Tooth got me this bag for my birthday a couple years ago and I love it in the summer time! Shockingly, I haven't had any issues with it getting really dirty (which I was really worried about. Especially with babies!) 

You guys know I love my accessories! :) This necklace is old, but I'll link similar ones I'm loving below. Mixing up my arm candy is one of my favorites and I'll also link beaded bracelet's I'm digging. These Ray-Bans have gotten a TON of use. I actually have them in two colors (green and hot pink) and love them both! They are so light on my face and I think aviators are flattering on all face shapes! I kinda have an obsession with aviators!! 

As always, you can "momiform" this by taking off the big necklace, switching wedges out for flip flops or converse and throwing your hair up! Outfits that are easy to switch into mom-mode are a must for me.







Black denim here - similar here
Black wedges - similar here and here
LV speedy bag - similar here and here
Similar sweater here and here
Similar statement necklace here, here and here
Similar stacked bracelets herehere and here
            

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Kathleen Peachey Photography

I am just slightly behind in posting these! Oops. But OMG I LOOOOVE THEM! I can't believe this was almost four months ago! (Insert ugly Kim K cry.) Kathleen has serious talent and captured our adorable babies perfectly. These moments will be treasured forever and ever. I know I've said it before, but Kathleen works so well with young kids and babies. She is patient, sweet and makes the entire experience very calm and pleasant. I swear every time we have profession pictures taken by her our kids are crying, tired, hungry, unhappy, etc. I'm always so worried that we were unable to capture anything worth framing! It's SO HARD to get great pictures with young ones. When you're putting time, money and energy (getting outfits together, dressing the family the day of, etc) into a photo shoot, it's hard not to feel stressed about getting a good picture.

But Kathleen truly makes it so calm and smooth. She manages to capture the wonderful moments in the most beautiful way! If you are looking for someone to take some family pictures for you, I highly recommend her for the job! I have referred Kathleen to SO many friends and they all love her. I love seeing her beautiful photography framed in all my friends homes.

We asked Kathleen to take some pictures of our family for Blakes six month birthday. She came to our home and shot in Blakely's bedroom. It was pretty quick and easy and she made Ryder excited about taking pictures!! My adorable boy who I can never capture because he hates the camera SO much! He was more than willing to pose and smile for Kathleen. Even saying, "hey, look! Take my picture!" Ha! Silly boy. I love him so much. And of course she captured my little girl perfectly. Those rolls and those eyes. GUUUHHH I love.

This boy loves his daddy SO much. They have a very special bond and I love watching them together.

I mean, come on! He is so handsome and sooooo old! WHERE IS MY BABY?!

I rarely put her in dresses because I am always worried about her being cold, it's hard to buckle the carseat and it just annoys me when the fabric is all over the place! But when I do put her in a dress... ALL the heart eyes! She looks so girly and sweet. Tim can hardly stand it! He just melts for her and this ballerina dress. Stop it. THEE cutest. 

I love this picture. Our sweet babies!

I love this goofy boy more than I can express.

My heart!!!!

You guys. Those ballet slippers?! I can't. She's so beautiful. I can hardly stand it!

My sweet snuggly girl. I love that she lets me get up in her grill and smoosh my face into hers. The best!



THOSE CHEEKS! LOVE


I can't even handle this picture. Her adorable little toes?! That dress. Her bow. Daddy kissing her. Those cheeks. GUUUHHHH. I'm so overwhelmingly in love with these people. God has blessed me and I thank Him every day!!

You can see more of her work on her website HERE. I mean, you can't deny the talent! Kathleen, thank you for being so wonderful. We love you and have so many wonderful pictures to treasure forever thanks to you! XO
Kathleen Peachey Photography

Blakey:
White Dress
Similar ballerina dress
Blake also wore this for shoot - not pictured here
Similar to her ballet slippers
Faux Fur Pillow //  Shag Rug

Ryder:
Button Up // Jeans

Tim:
Sweater // AG Jeans

Me:
Sweater dress - similar here and here
            

Monday, May 16, 2016

Mommy Monday - A Better Plan

Yay! It's Mommy Monday! Today one of my best friends, Heather, is telling a little bit about her birth story. I read this last night and was getting all teary eyed in the beginning (when she talks about our friendship) and then crying laughing later because she's hilarious!!!!! :) I love you, Heather! Thank you for always keepin it real and making me laugh. Even when life/being a mom is hard and the days are long, she can send me a text and have me laughing in a second. I hope you all enjoy....


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Hey everyone! My name is Heather Braasch and I’m so excited to share with you all! I met Stef several years back, but we reconnected when my husband and I moved to Colorado about 4 years ago. We quickly found out that we basically live across the street from each other, and let me tell you what a BLESSING that has been. As I’m sure you all know, “mom friends” are hard to find, and great mom friends are even more harder. One where you know each others garage codes and can barge in with pajamas and Starbucks in hand, not caring what you, your kid, or your house looks like. Or one that drops off cookies on your doorstep just because! Seriously Stef, I’m not sure I would survive this motherhood journey without you! Thank you for being so genuine and honest, and always being there when I need it most. I stinkin' love you lady!

So I will keep this short but there are a million things any mom could write (A LOT) about, but I chose this because it was the first thing that truly made me realize that motherhood wasn’t going to be the fairytale I had planned in my head! Because we all have plans, right? How you will give birth, the “type” of mom you will be, what school they will go to and when, etc. But boy was my world rocked from the start when I found out my firstborn was breech. At first I thought, “OK, no big deal. There is plenty of time for him to flip".  My doctor gave me a sheet of all these exercises and techniques to use that had high success rates. So, I did them. Every. Single. One. Acupuncture? Check. Moxibustion? Check. Chiropractor? Check. Aversion? Check. (I felt pressured by the doctors to do this and I do not, I repeat do not, recommend this… just wave the white flag at that point! Ha. But that's just my opinion!) Handstands in the pool? Check. (You can imagine the show the lifeguards were getting because I was very pregnant and NOT graceful! My husband even had to help hold my feet up while I was under water. HAHA. I am dying laughing just thinking about it!) But wait there’s more! Playing music towards my lady parts? Check. Husband singing to my lady parts? Check. LOL! Oh my gosh, there was just no way I was having a c-section… NO ONE in my family or even anyone that I knew had one, and in my mind c-sections only happened if something was wrong with you or the baby. I had a plan, dangit! I feel like I was very well educated with the whole birthing process being that I had three sisters and had even been in the room with one of them… and she had such a smooth, easy delivery... that’s how mine was going to go, too! Duh! :)

Unfortunately, that was not in the cards for me. Baby boy did not flip and I’ll never forget the day when I realized I was officially having a c-section. I bawled. And bawled. I was so, so scared. I didn’t sleep for days just thinking about it. But at the end of the day I knew I just needed to be thankful that I had a healthy baby and that everything was going to be OK! And guess what, it was. My experience was very pleasant. I was thankful it was planned versus an emergency. I was thankful for a safe delivery. I was thankful for my healthy baby! Once I saw him all other thoughts went out the window. I simply didn’t care that I had a c-section anymore. I was just happy he was here! I later came to find out from the doctors that the umbilical cord was around his neck not once, or twice, but three times! Which apparently is pretty rare. No wonder he didn’t, or couldn’t flip! It was then that I was incredibly thankful that my birth plan did NOT work out. God once again had the best plan for me and my baby boy all along. Funny how that always works out!? And now I have many friends that have had similar experiences that I can chat with about it. Where before, I didn’t know a soul and didn’t realize just how common they really are!

So maybe your birth plan didn’t go as expected either… maybe it was really frightening or an extremely long labor; or maybe it was a smooth and wonderful experience. No matter the case, WE DID IT. We are pretty much super heroes if you think about it! :) So here’s to you mommas! We gave birth, we recovered (somehow! lol), we became mothers, we have gorgeous babies, and we all have beautiful and unique stories to share.

XO
Heather Braasch
How beautiful is this family!? Love them all.