Last year as I was preparing for our annual family photoshoot, my husband looked at me and said, “I feel like this is the worst day of the year.” My thoughts started spiraling. Is this process that chaotic? Is it truly that unbearable? Is this even worth it? At that moment my outlook changed, and […]
I don’t have any superpowers (I mean besides birthing children, duh!) that any other mom doesn’t also have. So when, as a mom of three kids including a child with special needs, I am asked how I juggle the kids and multiple businesses and a husband who is away for work constantly, my answer is […]
I don’t have any superpowers (I mean besides birthing children, duh!) that any other mom doesn’t also have. So when, as a mom of three kids including a child with special needs, I am asked how I juggle the kids and multiple businesses and a husband who is away for work constantly, my answer is […]
As our family has grown, the morning time chaos has as well. I’ve had a hard time figuring out how to get 3 kids up, ready for the day, fed, and out of the house by 8 am…. Let alone setting aside some time for myself to enjoy 1/2 a cup of coffee and a […]
If anyone knows how to shop for the best deal on things it’s ME!! Whether it’s the best price on my favorite grass-fed beef or the lowest price on those cute platform sandals I have been eyeing… I find a way to get the best bang for my buck. It is kind of like a […]
If anyone knows how to shop for the best deal on things it’s ME!! Whether it’s the best price on my favorite grass-fed beef or the lowest price on those cute platform sandals I have been eyeing… I find a way to get the best bang for my buck. It is kind of like a […]
Summer is here and it’s officially vacation season! Jonny and I are in countdown mode until we take off for our anniversary vacation, so I am in full preparation mode to look and feel my best while we are away celebrating together. Whether that looks like a family “trip” with all 500 of your kids […]
When a new product drops from Beautycounter, I always get messages from clients asking what I think of it…really. They know that while I’m a fan of Beautycounter’s mission and their products (hello, I work with them!), I’m also not going to push a product unless I believe in it and use it myself. In […]
When a new product drops from Beautycounter, I always get messages from clients asking what I think of it…really. They know that while I’m a fan of Beautycounter’s mission and their products (hello, I work with them!), I’m also not going to push a product unless I believe in it and use it myself. In […]
A few weeks ago, I was doing makeup for a client and she said something that spoke directly to one of my mama fears. My client is in high school but her maturity level is well beyond her years. As she was sitting in my chair, I told her how mature she is, how she […]
As we round out another VERY full year, I carved out some time to reflect and think through the highlights—for me and my family. Oh, and if you want a trip down memory lane, here is my 2020 year in review! 2021 Year in Review Two intensive PT programs for Jax Jaxlee did two separate […]
As we round out another VERY full year, I carved out some time to reflect and think through the highlights—for me and my family. Oh, and if you want a trip down memory lane, here is my 2020 year in review! 2021 Year in Review Two intensive PT programs for Jax Jaxlee did two separate […]
Back in October, Jonny and I were talking about the holiday season. We usually come up with one big gift idea for the kids together (sometimes it’s a combined gift and sometimes it’s an individual gift) and then I will shop for the smaller gifts on my own. But we wanted an alternative to the […]
Using the Beautycounter Good Glitz Duo from our exclusive holiday line, I created this Halo Eye Makeup look. This step-by-step tutorial guides you as you prep your eye shadow for that Christmas party you’ve got coming up! It’s perfect for your upcoming Holiday Festivities or just a step up from your daily look to help […]
Using the Beautycounter Good Glitz Duo from our exclusive holiday line, I created this Halo Eye Makeup look. This step-by-step tutorial guides you as you prep your eye shadow for that Christmas party you’ve got coming up! It’s perfect for your upcoming Holiday Festivities or just a step up from your daily look to help […]
All right, friends. Let’s be honest. A part of the fun of the winter season is getting to change up what we wear, the recipes we make, and our makeup and skincare routine. It’s the fun kind of change that gets us out of our rut, right? Here are 5 things I can’t live without […]
Hey moms, is a robe on your Christmas list again this year? Oh man, gotta love this SNL skit. I just rewatched it for the first time since last Christmas and it had me laughing just as hard as the first time I saw it…. because it’s a little more accurate than I’d like to […]
Hey moms, is a robe on your Christmas list again this year? Oh man, gotta love this SNL skit. I just rewatched it for the first time since last Christmas and it had me laughing just as hard as the first time I saw it…. because it’s a little more accurate than I’d like to […]
Maybe you feel like a self-care rookie…or you’re a luxe products fan but you don’t always feel confident about how to use the products. After 13 years in the Hair and Makeup Industry and 5 years as a Beautycounter Consultant, I’ve found that the biggest hurdle for women is that exact feeling—they don’t know the […]
It’s officially November and while some of you are normally on top of your Christmas shopping game this month, some of us (yes, yours truly), usually wait until Black Friday to start checking off our lists. But with the supply chain issues— you can literally see the ships waiting off the coast of LA— I […]
It’s officially November and while some of you are normally on top of your Christmas shopping game this month, some of us (yes, yours truly), usually wait until Black Friday to start checking off our lists. But with the supply chain issues— you can literally see the ships waiting off the coast of LA— I […]
On Aug 1st, 2020, the right side of her face unexpectedly went completely numb. After getting an MRI, she got the call from the doctor we all dread: she had a brain tumor. This is the start of the story of my friend Amber. We met wayyyy back when in the hair and makeup world. […]
Last week I was chatting with a friend at girls night and, in total 30-something women fashion, this friend started sharing her latest clean makeup finds with me. Yes, I know women my age are always talking about the new healthy creamer they tried or the moisturizer that they’re obsessed with, but this conversation was […]
Last week I was chatting with a friend at girls night and, in total 30-something women fashion, this friend started sharing her latest clean makeup finds with me. Yes, I know women my age are always talking about the new healthy creamer they tried or the moisturizer that they’re obsessed with, but this conversation was […]
I got emotional in the middle of my Peloton ride—and it’s not my first time that’s happened. (20 min country ride with Ally Love aired 10/3/21 if you want to hop on and ride this one) Has this happened to you? Like sweating my butt off, breathless and a tear or two falling down my […]
The question I got asked this week was, “Is she deaf?” As a mom of a daughter with special needs, I’m used to answering questions people have—or reading peoples’ faces when they have questions but are too uncomfortable to ask. This was the first time I had been asked this particular question, but when I […]
The question I got asked this week was, “Is she deaf?” As a mom of a daughter with special needs, I’m used to answering questions people have—or reading peoples’ faces when they have questions but are too uncomfortable to ask. This was the first time I had been asked this particular question, but when I […]
I hear from my clients all the time, “I don’t know how to do eyeshadow.” Although I wish I could pop into your bathroom every morning and do it for you, I have the next best thing to get you feeling confident about your simple & easy eyeshadow looks. Yes, it really did just get […]
When I was about two months postpartum, I got a call from a woman asking if I would share my story. I was in the throes of all things newborn life… little sleep, just trying to keep my head above water as I figured out how to manage life with three kids. But this woman […]
When I was about two months postpartum, I got a call from a woman asking if I would share my story. I was in the throes of all things newborn life… little sleep, just trying to keep my head above water as I figured out how to manage life with three kids. But this woman […]
All right brides. I see you over there, Pinning all the things and bookmarking pictures you want to show your photographer. Meanwhile you’re negotiating your guest list like you’re defending a bill in Congress, sending cute packages to your bridesmaids, and trying to fit in a date night with your fiancé that doesn’t include wedding […]
If you live here in California, you are well aware of the fires throughout the state. This isn’t new; it happens around this time every year. Hello fire season. When it comes up in conversation that my husband is a fireman, without a doubt whoever I am talking with (or whoever my husband is talking […]
If you live here in California, you are well aware of the fires throughout the state. This isn’t new; it happens around this time every year. Hello fire season. When it comes up in conversation that my husband is a fireman, without a doubt whoever I am talking with (or whoever my husband is talking […]
With the start of the new school year, there are a couple of things weighing heavy on my mind and one of them is the topic of disability inclusion. As a mom of a special needs daughter, this is something I manage almost daily as we interact with typically-developing kiddos and their families, but it […]
Back to school for kids is usually synonymous with “lots of time in the car for mom.” AM I right?! After a full first week of school and driving everyday back and forth between Jaxlee’s therapy, there are a few items I just can’t live without. I’m all about making life on the road easier […]
Back to school for kids is usually synonymous with “lots of time in the car for mom.” AM I right?! After a full first week of school and driving everyday back and forth between Jaxlee’s therapy, there are a few items I just can’t live without. I’m all about making life on the road easier […]
If you have followed along our journey, the whole reason I write about clean living is because of the transformation I’ve seen in our daughter Jaxlee. (More about her story here!). Because the special needs community, especially all my other special needs mama’s, have made such a huge impact on me, I wanted to share […]
In the fall of 2020, I found myself waving the white surrender flag saying, “this is too much.” Everything felt SO big and so hard and I thought, I can’t live like this anymore. At the time I was a mom of two with another one on the way. Jaxlee was doing remote kindergarten– which […]
In the fall of 2020, I found myself waving the white surrender flag saying, “this is too much.” Everything felt SO big and so hard and I thought, I can’t live like this anymore. At the time I was a mom of two with another one on the way. Jaxlee was doing remote kindergarten– which […]
From the minute my parents let me wear makeup, mascara was one of those “can’t live without items,” so much that when we played the “desert island” game on road trips and late night parties, my answer was always MASCARA. So yeah you could say that I take my lash game pretty seriously! As a […]
I have officially hit the wonderful 4 month hair loss postpartum stage. The other day I could literally hear my hair strands ping-ing out of my scalp. I shed a tear on behalf of every single strand. Although there are many beautiful moments in motherhood, I wouldn’t count this as one of them. And if […]
I have officially hit the wonderful 4 month hair loss postpartum stage. The other day I could literally hear my hair strands ping-ing out of my scalp. I shed a tear on behalf of every single strand. Although there are many beautiful moments in motherhood, I wouldn’t count this as one of them. And if […]
July marks a huge milestone for me: five years ago I started my Beautycounter business. (Want to read my 4 year anniversary blog post? → Click here!) After receiving some Beautycounter samples in the mail from a college friend, and learning all about the toxins I was putting on my body– and my baby girl– […]
When I was on maternity leave, I asked my subscribers what topics they would like me to cover in upcoming blog posts. A few different people wanted me to talk about how to build a business without using social media. Although I do believe social media is a great (free!) tool to help build your […]
When I was on maternity leave, I asked my subscribers what topics they would like me to cover in upcoming blog posts. A few different people wanted me to talk about how to build a business without using social media. Although I do believe social media is a great (free!) tool to help build your […]
As a first time mom of a daughter with Cerebral Palsy, I didn’t spend much time at playdates with other kids Jaxlee’s age. I preferred to hang out with my friends who didn’t have kids or friends whose kids were significantly older than mine. Looking back, I realize this was an act of protection and […]
It’s 11:25 a.m. I just got off my Peloton bike. It was my hardest ride yet—30 min Tabata Ride with Ally Love. I’m just shy of three months postpartum, but making time for a workout is already a huge priority for me. No, this isn’t because I feel social pressure to get my body back […]
It’s 11:25 a.m. I just got off my Peloton bike. It was my hardest ride yet—30 min Tabata Ride with Ally Love. I’m just shy of three months postpartum, but making time for a workout is already a huge priority for me. No, this isn’t because I feel social pressure to get my body back […]
It’s that time of year when you’re pulling out the beach bag and unearthing pool floaties. Maybe you’ll find a random pacifier and an old sunscreen stick wedged at the bottom of a pile of goggles and pool rings. If you’re in a rush, you’ll head out the door and hope the sunscreen you found […]
Are you looking a little ghostly these days? Now that the sun is out and the weather is heating up, our skin tends to get some more color. Even though your skin tone may not change much because you don’t go a day without SPF on your face (wink, wink), it is time to update […]
Are you looking a little ghostly these days? Now that the sun is out and the weather is heating up, our skin tends to get some more color. Even though your skin tone may not change much because you don’t go a day without SPF on your face (wink, wink), it is time to update […]
A few weeks ago another special needs mom reached out to me on Instagram and asked if I would share about how we decided to have more kids after Jaxlee. My heart goes out to her and all the other mamas who are grappling with this same decision. Let me start by saying I have […]
Like so many of you, I start the new year with a bang. I gave my goals and lists and big ideas. Last January was no different. I had binged podcasts from Jenna Kutcher and Jasmine Star and even bought a course on how to create a course. But there was one area I had […]
Like so many of you, I start the new year with a bang. I gave my goals and lists and big ideas. Last January was no different. I had binged podcasts from Jenna Kutcher and Jasmine Star and even bought a course on how to create a course. But there was one area I had […]
When I first became a Beautycounter Consultant almost five years ago, my goal wasn’t to have a fun side hustle. We had a baby with special needs and Jonny was gone for days on end on his journey to become a firefighter. I couldn’t work my day job and my hair and makeup business and […]
I had it on my content calendar to write about hacks I’m learning as a mom of 3. But let’s be real here: I’m still figuring it out. I don’t have a few practical tips you can add to your day, but I can share what I am learning to do: pause and listen to […]
I had it on my content calendar to write about hacks I’m learning as a mom of 3. But let’s be real here: I’m still figuring it out. I don’t have a few practical tips you can add to your day, but I can share what I am learning to do: pause and listen to […]
I am proud to be a mother of a child with Cerebral Palsy. From our stint in the NICU when she was born, to learning how to communicate using her AAC device, and to her horse therapy, Jaxlee has moved mountains. I am constantly impressed by what she can do. And also… it’s hard. Every […]
When I met Jonny at the ripe age of 20, his career goal was to become a fireman. Of course I thought this was the hottest thing ever. I mean, what girl doesn’t love the thought of a handsome man in uniform? I immediately started dreaming about what my life would look like being married […]
When I met Jonny at the ripe age of 20, his career goal was to become a fireman. Of course I thought this was the hottest thing ever. I mean, what girl doesn’t love the thought of a handsome man in uniform? I immediately started dreaming about what my life would look like being married […]
I spent the morning ripping out and replanting our strawberry garden and the next morning I had a new baby in my arms. In some ways Tripp’s delivery went like clockwork, and in other ways it was entirely its own. So, here is the story of how I went from raking and shoveling in our […]
Like many entrepreneurs, my business has a few goals. Yes, I had a background as a professional hair and makeup artist. Yes, I knew I had the chops to be able to start a business with Beautycounter. But my reason “why” was rooted so much deeper than a new business venture. It was rooted in […]
Like many entrepreneurs, my business has a few goals. Yes, I had a background as a professional hair and makeup artist. Yes, I knew I had the chops to be able to start a business with Beautycounter. But my reason “why” was rooted so much deeper than a new business venture. It was rooted in […]
All right mamas, let’s be real. We need a break! We need time with girlfriends, time with our partner, and time…ALONE. But that’s not happening as often as we’d like, so we’ve got to find a way to treat ourselves at home– and it’s got to be quick. I’m all for the spa days and […]
If you’re pregnant or you’ve been pregnant, you know that one of the HUGE perks is having amazing hair during those 9 months. It’s thick and soft and flowing like you’re in a Pantene commercial. And then? It all falls out. While I do think there is an element to postpartum hair loss that we […]
If you’re pregnant or you’ve been pregnant, you know that one of the HUGE perks is having amazing hair during those 9 months. It’s thick and soft and flowing like you’re in a Pantene commercial. And then? It all falls out. While I do think there is an element to postpartum hair loss that we […]
Editor’s Note: I wrote this before our sweet third baby was born. I’ll tell you how this birth plan turned out another day. I’m not sure how you feel about birth plans, but I’m not a huge fan. If I have learned anything this far in life, it is that things don’t go “as planned” […]
Like any new parents, we wanted to do everything right to help our baby girl. If you know me, I’m not one to do things part way. I’m for sure a go big or go home kind of girl. So when Jaxlee, our first daughter, was born with Cerebral Palsy– with no history of any […]
Like any new parents, we wanted to do everything right to help our baby girl. If you know me, I’m not one to do things part way. I’m for sure a go big or go home kind of girl. So when Jaxlee, our first daughter, was born with Cerebral Palsy– with no history of any […]
While I wouldn’t consider myself a tom-boy, I grew up playing sports, riding bikes outside with the neighbor kids, and taking dance classes just like a lot of my peers. When I pictured myself raising kids, I pictured the same things for them. After I had my first baby, the visions of these childhood activities […]
We have all found ourselves at one of those parties, thinking the only reason we were there was because we love the person who is hosting the party. We may not be excited about the content, but we showed up just to show our support. As a business owner and network marketing affiliate, this is […]
We have all found ourselves at one of those parties, thinking the only reason we were there was because we love the person who is hosting the party. We may not be excited about the content, but we showed up just to show our support. As a business owner and network marketing affiliate, this is […]
There was a time after Jax was born when I thought my life was over. I didn’t see a “hope and a future.” All I could see were feeding tubes, feelings of desperation, and what seemed like the never-ending race to find a diagnosis for her. I told myself there was no way we could […]
As many of you know, we dove headfirst into the world of clean living when our daughter Jaxlee was born six years ago. Our clean living journey was why I got into Beautycounter, and it’s why we are conscientious about what we eat, put on our bodies, or bring into our home. Yes, we still […]
As many of you know, we dove headfirst into the world of clean living when our daughter Jaxlee was born six years ago. Our clean living journey was why I got into Beautycounter, and it’s why we are conscientious about what we eat, put on our bodies, or bring into our home. Yes, we still […]
Almost three years ago, Jonny and I took a little anniversary trip to Nashville. As country music lovers, it was on our list of places to experience together. We had an AMAZING experience and cannot wait till we can fly back and soak it up again. We lived it up in the city that week, […]
So you want to grow your Beautycounter business but don’t know how? You’ve seen the compensation plan and you KNOW that there’s a way to make more than a few hundred bucks here and there. But HOW? How do these girls on Instagram do it? What kind of secret sauce are they selling? Okay, hold […]
So you want to grow your Beautycounter business but don’t know how? You’ve seen the compensation plan and you KNOW that there’s a way to make more than a few hundred bucks here and there. But HOW? How do these girls on Instagram do it? What kind of secret sauce are they selling? Okay, hold […]
If you are in the wedding industry, 2020 was likely not your best year of business. In fact, MOST service-based business struggled this year as a result of the restrictions and shutdowns. Loss of business means loss of income, which is just about as stressful as it gets. As a professional hair and makeup, I […]
This last November, I sold $15,000 worth of Beautycounter products. In one month. For some Consultants, that’s how much they sell every month. For others, it’s a number that seems outrageous– like did you work around the clock?? Let me tell you the secret– and it’s not some magic potion I have. Not at all. […]
This last November, I sold $15,000 worth of Beautycounter products. In one month. For some Consultants, that’s how much they sell every month. For others, it’s a number that seems outrageous– like did you work around the clock?? Let me tell you the secret– and it’s not some magic potion I have. Not at all. […]
As an Enneagram 3, I thrive off of making New Year’s resolutions, vision boards, goal setting… whatever you want to call it. I love setting goals and working throughout the year to achieve them. And man, when I do achieve a goal or a dream, it feels amazing. (Read more about my highlights from 2020 […]
If you haven’t figured it out already, I am here to keep it REAL. Yep, I like to put on makeup and make tutorials like what to wear to a holiday gathering, but I am ALSO here to keep it simple– and REAL. Clean living does NOT have to be time-consuming, and it’s NOT something […]
If you haven’t figured it out already, I am here to keep it REAL. Yep, I like to put on makeup and make tutorials like what to wear to a holiday gathering, but I am ALSO here to keep it simple– and REAL. Clean living does NOT have to be time-consuming, and it’s NOT something […]
If there is a theme that unites us most in 2020, one message that everyone has mumbled under their breath while staring at empty shelves or while logging on to another Zoom call, it’s this: 2020 is the worst year ever. And I get it. I’ve had my moments for SURE… like having to teach […]
I was supposed to have an office. Yep, when we moved into our house, I was going to have this gorgeous boho-themed office where I was going to move mountains and handle client work for hours, and then shimmy back into the living room to play with the girls and get dinner prepped. Ahhhh, wouldn’t […]
I was supposed to have an office. Yep, when we moved into our house, I was going to have this gorgeous boho-themed office where I was going to move mountains and handle client work for hours, and then shimmy back into the living room to play with the girls and get dinner prepped. Ahhhh, wouldn’t […]
I don’t know about you but these days I really need to FEEL & SEE that I am making a difference. I need all the mood-boosting endorphins to pick me up and put a smile on my face and remind me I can be the light in someone’s day. This is the magic of the […]
Don’t you love it when Facebook or your iPhone Photos app reminds you of pictures from the past? Because it’s the holiday season, I’m seeing all these pictures pop up of Jax with Santa, or Braedy opening gifts for the first time. When I am getting ready to sleep at night, I can’t help but […]
Don’t you love it when Facebook or your iPhone Photos app reminds you of pictures from the past? Because it’s the holiday season, I’m seeing all these pictures pop up of Jax with Santa, or Braedy opening gifts for the first time. When I am getting ready to sleep at night, I can’t help but […]
I’m up reallllly early on the weekends these days. My alarm goes off before I hear the chickens or my kids and I’m up gettin’ ready for the day because it’s WEDDING SEASON, ya’ll! For 13 years, I’ve been a professional hair and makeup artist. While I don’t book nearly as many weddings as I […]
Maybe you’ve already got your Christmas gift list organized, or maybe you’re waiting until Black Friday. But wherever you’re at on the spectrum of last minute shopper to Mrs. Clause herself, this gift guide is FOR YOU! And if you want to make sure you’re not disappointed come December 25th, just copy and paste the […]
Maybe you’ve already got your Christmas gift list organized, or maybe you’re waiting until Black Friday. But wherever you’re at on the spectrum of last minute shopper to Mrs. Clause herself, this gift guide is FOR YOU! And if you want to make sure you’re not disappointed come December 25th, just copy and paste the […]
This weekend our friends and I had a Friendsgiving and let me tell you— it gave me SO much life. I got to prepare a homemade cranberry sauce, coordinate my outfit and new boots, and spend some time in the mirror getting myself ready. Yep, I actually got to put on makeup in front of […]
Maybe it’s the kids who don’t sleep, maybe it’s our work that keeps us up too late, or mayyyybe we’re just getting older and wiser and it’s starting to show. But there are often mornings where we wake up feeling like we need a little touch up, right? This is when we want to make […]
Maybe it’s the kids who don’t sleep, maybe it’s our work that keeps us up too late, or mayyyybe we’re just getting older and wiser and it’s starting to show. But there are often mornings where we wake up feeling like we need a little touch up, right? This is when we want to make […]
When I held my second child in my arms for the first time, I experienced something new. Feeling her nurse, spending our first night together, and taking her home with me from the hospital felt like small miracles over and over again. It was a deep reflection of God’s grace, and I’m so grateful that […]
If you’re new to Beautycounter or need a refresher on basic skincare and makeup, then it’s helpful to wrap your head around two VERY popular products: Dew Skin Moisturizer and Twin Skin Foundation. They can be used separate or together, but these two clean beauty products pack a punch, both for your look AND your […]
If you’re new to Beautycounter or need a refresher on basic skincare and makeup, then it’s helpful to wrap your head around two VERY popular products: Dew Skin Moisturizer and Twin Skin Foundation. They can be used separate or together, but these two clean beauty products pack a punch, both for your look AND your […]
Whether you’re on your way to the pool with the kids or making the MOST out of a weekend getaway with your hubby, you want to make sure you’ve got the good stuff to make you look and feel fabulous. When it is HOT as heck, even packing essentials like sunscreen can feel like a […]
To kick off 2023 we are starting our 3 week intensive Feeding Therapy & Physical Therapy!! You know the drill for the next three weeks… well actually, maybe you don’t? My oldest daughter Jaxlee was born with Cerebral Palsy (she is 8 years old now 🥺) and every 6 months for the last 2 years […]
To kick off 2023 we are starting our 3 week intensive Feeding Therapy & Physical Therapy!! You know the drill for the next three weeks… well actually, maybe you don’t? My oldest daughter Jaxlee was born with Cerebral Palsy (she is 8 years old now 🥺) and every 6 months for the last 2 years […]
