The Big Island of Hawaii with Proof Eyewear

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Growing up, I always wanted to go to Hawaii.  Since I have been married to Brian, we have now been three times! He just keeps making all my dreams come true.  We have witnessed so many beautiful things on our travels, so I thought I would share a couple from this last trip to The Big Island!  Brian and I are both wearing sunglasses from Proof Eyewear.  We LOVE them! I had such a hard time choosing my favorite pair because I wanted all of them.  The frames are made from wood so they float, which is not only awesome, but it also comes in handy with our lifestyle. We had fun taking pics of them in different places along the way!

This first spot was called Puako.  The waves crashing over the volcanic rock was incredible!  However, the most amazing part was all of the sea turtles.  THEY WERE EVERYWHERE! In one spot we counted eleven of them!  It was so neat.  We spent a lot of time exploring and listening to the ocean.

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Another incredible place we visited this trip is Waipio Valley.  The water there is so beautiful that it is hard to describe.  It is bright blue and green, and the beach is black sand.  The contrast was amazing! You have to have 4 wheel drive to get down to it, so we just watched the huge waves from the top.  We saw whales all over the place this trip, so that was fun to watch too!

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Next up is Akaka Falls.  We came here on our first trip to Hawaii and I have been dying to go back ever since! I took a hundred pictures of it last time, and they just don’t do it justice.  It is GIANT! Oh my goodness, and SO beautiful.  We hiked around a loop and ended up at the falls.  So many interesting flowers, trees, leaves…we even saw a neat little lizard!

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I’ve saved one of my favorites for last.  The end of the road at Hawi makes me happy.  The hike is definitely longer than the other places I’ve mentioned, which is one of the things I love most about it! As you are hiking down, this(below) is your view! Amazing, right?!  The black sand is so neat, and all that lush green…the best.

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We stopped halfway down to watch the whales and take in all the beauty.

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As we were exploring in the valley, we found this super cool log swing! I,of course, insisted that Brian take a photo with me on it.  There wasn’t anyone around to take it, so I set up our self timer…like a fool haha!  I only had a few seconds to run over logs, rocks, and make it onto the swing.  What I didn’t think through, though, was that with all my momentum there was nothing to stop me…and, yeah.  Totally threw both Brian and I over the back of the log and we hit HARD!  Because we are so blessed, the camera just happened to go off at the perfect moment to document my enormous fail. If there was ever a time for a million laughing crying emojis it would be now.  I had so much dirt and sticks in my hair(like full on sticks) that I couldn’t even get them all out.  They are probably still in there. My favorite part, though, is that Brian is holding on for dear life to the log trying his best to save us.  I honestly laugh out loud when I look at his hand in this pic.  Oh boy.  Well, my gross bloody arm is almost all healed now, but the memory remains…and its a good one!

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Our trip was incredible! We also spent some perfect days on the beach, paddle boarding, swam with dolphins and manta rays!  Truly the trip of a lifetime.

Thanks for reading! Hope you have a wonderful weekend! XO

Thank you to Proof for sponsoring this post

 

 

Holiday Hair Series:Christmas

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I can’t believe it is already Christmas Eve! It is always crazy to me how fast time flies.  I wonder if I’ll ever get used to it 🙂 Even though it came quickly, I’m just as excited as ever!  Such a magical time and I can’t wait to spend it with family.

The week of Thanksgiving, I posted part 1 of my Holiday Hair Series with my good friend, and incredibly talented photographer, Jennifer Munoz. This is part 2, and I can’t wait to show you.  I love coming up with fun new braids! This one looks complicated, but it is actually super simple. I would definitely wear it to a holiday party, or dress it down with a hoodie and a cup of cocoa.  It goes with everything!

To begin, section the top half of your hair off and clip it up.jennifer-munoz,boise-wedding-photographer,blooms-flower-studio,wedding-hair-tutorial-78

Next, separate the bottom half into two parts and fishtail each.  After you tie them off, slightly pull on the braids to loosen them.  To fishtail, you split the hair into two, take a small piece from one side and add it to the other.  Then, switch and take a small piece from the side you just added to, and move it to the first side.  Repeat until you near the end of your hair.

Pull the fishtails forward so they are out of your way.  Let down the top half.  I chose to French braid the top, but if it is feeling awkward to French braid behind you, you can just braid the whole piece at once.  To braid, split the top into three pieces and alternate moving the outside strands over the middle strand.  After you move the outside strand to the middle, it becomes the middle strand for the other side to cross over. If you move the strands under instead, your braid will be more raised(Dutch braid)jennifer-munoz,boise-wedding-photographer,blooms-flower-studio,wedding-hair-tutorial-104When you have all your hair tied off, braid the three braids together.  Move the outer strand over the middle strand, and alternate. Remove the three elastics, and attach all the ends together with one elastic.  I like to wrap a small piece of hair around it to cover it. jennifer-munoz,boise-wedding-photographer,blooms-flower-studio,wedding-hair-tutorial-114Gently pull and loosen the braid to give it some volume and help the braids work together.

Then you are set! Get creative with it.  It can be as tight and clean or as messy as you want!

 

Huge thank you to Jennifer Munoz for the photography. I adore her! Check her out HERE and here:

Instagram- @jennifer.munoz
Website- http://www.jennifermunoz.co
Phone for Wedding or Lifestyle Photography- (208)557-1566
Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/jennifermunozphotography

Thank you also to  Blooms Flower Studio for letting us shoot in your gorgeous space!

Stay tuned for part 3 coming next week.  Have a wonderful Christmas!

Holiday Shopping with Penny+Boss

_W6A2511Confession time…I’m super old.  Well, not in real life, just compared to my husband.  We grew up together and even attended the same high school, just not at the same time…Yeah, he was in 8th grade when I graduated  haha! Anyway, he has lots of really great friends that I didn’t know growing up (and some that I did know, considering I babysat them) that now I get to be friends with too! I hear all kinds of stories about them, and pretend I was there too.  So, he has this friend from high school named Suzy.  She’s like insane talented, creative, beautiful, etc so obviously I decided to piggy back on their friendship. Thankfully, she and her friend Sydney started a blog named Penny and Boss.  I love it, and I’m sure you will too! Maybe we will get lucky and some of their coolness will rub off on us 🙂

Suzy was in town and we decided to do a little holiday shopping together, and I’ll share some of the darling things we found with you!  Our friend Chantel is an amazing photographer, and we were lucky enough to have her with us! Check out her beautiful photos on instagram @chantelcheriephoto she really is so talented! Contact her at chantelmoorhouse@gmail if you want some awesome photos done

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First, my favorite holiday gift idea for you are these earrings and bracelet! The earrings are so neat, they are 3D and catch the light so beautifully.  Both the earrings and the bracelet are from Roma Designer Jewelry and made from sterling silver.  They are overlaid with rhodium (a precious metal closely related to platinum) to resist scratches, abrasion, and corrosion. They would be a perfect gift for any/all your favorite people…or maybe just for yourself!  Use the code “FRIENDLY25” to get 25% off your purchase through the Roma Designer Jewelry site.  I’m in love! _W6A2581_W6A2803

Suzy, Chantel, and I had way too much fun shopping at Anthropologie and Paperie and Pen.  I could buy everything in those stores (and as a result, have the most darling house in the world) but I had my sweet husband there to pull in the reigns.  He is so patient haha _W6A2714_W6A2722I absolutely loved this cute mistletoe…and of course, this handsome man!

My top picks from Anthropologie are here, here, here, here…aaaand here! Are you kidding me with those aprons?! Also, love this shot of the bracelet from earlier!

Paperie and Pen had some of the most darling gifts, like this.  Of course, they also had the cutest paper (we may have gotten in trouble for this one…oops)

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_W6A2667Long story short, we had way too much fun…but then again, there’s no such thing! Happy shopping 🙂

Effortless No Heat Curls

Its no secret, heat is damaging to your hair.  I am constantly trying to find ways to reduce the amount of heat my hair is exposed to.  From air drying, to braids, to my arsenal of products used to reduce/prevent damage, it is no small feat to maintain the integrity of my hair.  Especially when it is long, and colored!

You can image my excitement when I discovered Savvy Curls!  A headband that curls your hair…without heat…while you sleep? AMAZING, sign me up!

“These headbands are exclusively made with thermal insulating materials & curl forming materials to work with your head’s natural heat zone & produce beautiful, bouncy curls.

There are two options, a single band, and a convertible band.  Not to mention, lots of fun patterns!  I used the convertible band, and I loved that I could snap off the top and use it as a single band as well.  Before you wrap, it’s important to have your hair slightly damp, and brush a mousse through it to help the curls set and stay for the whole day. Wrap right after applying the mousse, before it dries. This is my hair before, it looks so sad I know, but it is just air dried.  I allow my hair to air dry as much as possible!

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To use the convertible band, section off the top of your hair, and clip it out of the way. Move the top band in front of that section.  Begin wrapping the bottom half of your hair from your face back.  Do one side, then the other, meeting in the middle near the nape of your neck.  Wrap the ends in together, and secure with a bobby pin or two.

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Next, let down the top section and wrap in the same pattern as the bottom. I chose to sleep in the band.

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When you wake up, unwrap the band, shake it up a bit, and you are ready to go!  My husband is so grateful.  Thanks to Savvy Curls, I can now make it to church on time haha.  After sleeping in the band, I woke up to these voluminous curls!!!

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To use the single band, you will wrap all your hair around at the same time, instead of sectioning it into two.

It is also an option to just leave the band in for a couple hours.  That is what I did here, with the single band, and the results were a looser curl. Still very pretty!

IMG_8348  I pulled them back into a simple pony, and loved the result! Thank you for reading 🙂 Savvy Curls has offered a discount code for $2 off a band of your own! Just use the code “savvyc1” Hope you all have a wonderful week!

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Holiday Sparkle

The Holidays are so much fun! I feel like there are wonderful, kind things happening all around that warm my heart.  It has been magical to experience all the joy with my sweet little girls!  They make everything better.

Another thing I think is fun about the Holidays, is that you can dress up a little more.  Also, you get to drop hints to your significant other for awesome things like these earrings and ring from Roma Designer Jewelry! Sneaky, sneaky!  Seriously though, I’m in love with these.  I sold engagement rings during my college years, and I fell in love with this style of ring.  I have wanted one ever since, and this one is amazing! I just stare at it every time I wear it.  The way that it, and the earrings, catch the light is beautiful! They are made with Preciosa crystals, which have their own unique faceting making them some of the brightest crystals produced.

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Roma Designer Jewelry is so generous to offer a discount code for my friends so you can shop with them and receive 25% off!  Use the code “friendly25” on their site, click HERE to shop!

Hope you are enjoying your week, and all the delicious hot cocoa options out there this month!

 

Huge thank you to Stayc Smart Photography for these photos! She has been my friend for almost my entire life, and I love her.  Check her out on Instagram @staycsmartphotograhy!

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Thank you to Roma Designer Jewelry for sponsoring this post!

Holiday Hair Series: Thanksgiving

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I am so excited to be working with my incredibly talented photographer friend Jennifer Munoz to bring you a three part holiday hair series!  We took these photos in Blooms Flower Studio, and I don’t think we could have found a more lovely spot.  Working with Jennifer is a dream.  She has such an elegant style, and I love her work!

There will be a step by step guide for each look in our series, making it simple to recreate these styles for any holiday event.  The first up is a Thanksgiving inspired style.  It is simple, works on any hair type or length, and can be casual or dressy!

To begin, take a small section of hair from the right side.

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Softly twist it as you pull it across the back of your head to the other side.

Using a bobby pin, secure the first twist in place.

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Now, take a small section from the opposite side and twist it across.  Pull it over to cover the bobby pin from the first twist.

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Secure with a bobby pin on the opposite side.

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Take a third piece of hair from the original side, and twist again.  Remember to use the strand to cover the previous bobby pin.

Bobby pin on the opposite side.

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I stopped at this point, but feel free to continue the pattern as far as you would like!

 

Let me know if you try this out! I would love to hear what you think! Stay tuned for part 2 of the holiday series!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you to Jennifer Munoz for the phography. Check her out HERE and here:

Instagram- @jennifer.munoz
Website- http://www.jennifermunoz.co
Phone for Wedding or Lifestyle Photography- (208)557-1566
Facebook- http://www.facecbook.com/jennifermunozphotography

 

 

Perfect Plaid

 

I love wearing dresses! However, most of the time I can’t wait to get back into my sweats as soon as possible.  Finding a dress and shoe combo that I want to wear all day long is gold! This plaid shirt dress and boots from Piper Street Shop are just that.  I’m totally loving the details on these boots.  Also, I can comfortably wear them running errands, helping in my daughter’s classroom, carrying my babe all over, you name it! Pretty sweet.

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You will be seeing much more from Piper Street on here in the future, which is fun for all! If you haven’t already shamelessly stalked their cute stuff, you should get on that.  You won’t be sorry.  They come out with new releases all the time too, so get ready for Christmas all year long!

Sorry I have been a little MIA! So many fun things going on, I’m figuring out how to do it all and not have my children starve or my house be condemned haha.  If you have any tips or great books on how to balance life, I’d love to know them! It’s really a bummer that I have to learn everything in life from experience.  If I could just glean all the amazing knowledge from others, I would save myself a lot of time haha! Maybe I’ll learn how to do that some day ha but until then…another white board to-do list it is! 🙂

Photos by Cole Maxfield Photography

 

 

 

Family Pictures, Lavender, and Heat

Oh my! My poor family.  I love getting family pictures done, so I do it often. My husband is very patient with me and is usually a good sport about it (for the first half at least) Myla lives to pose for a camera, so we are golden there, and Vivian is just sweet and whatever happens, happens.  No way she was going to give me a big smile, though.  Not happening.  My good friend Johanna takes our pictures, and has for years, so we always come up with some cool place we want to try next. She came up with the idea of this beautiful lavender field.  I loved it so we planned it all out.  Well, turns out there is a small window of time that the lavender is in bloom, so we had to take our pics in July.  It was so hot.  Like SO hot.  109 degrees.  We had to take a break in the middle of pictures to go sit in the air conditioned car.  Haha my poor family, WE WILL TAKE PICTURES! They are sweet, less sweet in 109 degrees and dripping from sweat, but still sweet and I love them.

Photos by Johanna Hallenberger

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Little Head to Toe GIVEAWAY!

 

I have yet to find a person that doesn’t think baby shoes are the cutest ever.  They just are. I love them, but I have a hard time keeping them on Viv’s feet.  She will kick and pull on them until she gets them off!  BUUUT…not these cute little shoes from Little Head to Toe!  She wears them all day and loves it.  I don’t blame her.  They look amazingly comfortable, and adorable. What more could she want from shoes!?

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Chanel from Little Head to Toe just launched her fall line and there are so many darling designs.  Also, she is the sweetest! I am hosting a GIVEAWAY with her for one lucky winner to get their very own pair of shoes.  Head over to my instagram (@savanahpoulsen) to enter! Hurry though, it ends tomorrow night!

Also, click HERE to check out Little Head to Toe and use code “BBLIFE” to get 10% off your order!