New Blog Design + A Giveaway //

If you haven't noticed I got a new blog design!! Every once in awhile I just get that itch and when I do, I always turn to Brielle from Breezy and Co. I've been meaning to do this post for awhile now, but then ya know, you spill a huge cup of water on your laptop so you let it dry and pray it recovers well. By some miracle it did! But anyway, back to the blog design...

Just check out Brielle's portfolio and you'll see why I always turn to her. She always does an amazing job, in fact I pretty much just let her do her thing. I sent her a few examples of blog designs I liked, created a mood Pinterest board for her to look at ... and voila! Here we are with a blog design that is unique and so Brooklyn!

She's actually re-opening her blog design shop, so you're in luck! To celebrate her re-opening, she's giving one of my readers a $30 shop credit! You could use this towards anything in her shop....

Custom Blog Design

Invitation Design

Business Card Design

and many other awesome quotes she's designed as well as custom work!

You can use code BROOKLYN15 for 15% off anything!!!!

It's super easy to enter! Use the Rafflecopter below! And tell me... what do you think of my new design??

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Jane Iredale Review // Glow Time Full Coverage BB Cream + PurepressedBase Mineral Foundation

*This post contains affiliate links, thanks for supporting the brands that support my blog!*

When I was attending hair school, they carried a make up line called Jane Iredale. We received a makeup kit when we started school and I tried most of the Jane Iredale items on myself and loved everything I tried! Jane Iredale is called The Skincare Makeup. They claim to be makeup that is actually good for your skin! You can read all about the Jane Iredale Difference here.

The Jane Iredale company sent me a few products to try and review for my blog! It's been about a month and half since I started using the products, I wanted to make sure I had a really good feel for them before I started reviewing. And he's what I'm reviewing first...

Glow Time Full Coverage Mineral BB Cream:

(found here)

Glow Time is meant to cover blemishes, minimize pores, disguise wrinkles, and smooth/brighten the skin. I've been a big fan of BB creams since they became the hip thing, but I love that this one has a little more coverage than many of them out there. My stress acne has got the best of me lately so I want to be a little more covered, I prefer a medium coverage and that's what I would say this probably is. 

There are 8 different shades. I did get the lightest color of the Glow Time because I'm always the lightest color in makeup, and surprise! It was TOO LIGHT. So any of my fair skinned beauties out there, this line likely has a light enough color for you. 

If it matters to you, all the BB cream options are wheat free, vegan, and all of Jane Iredale is animal cruelty free, which I actually love about the company. I have not tested this yet, but it says the BB Cream is waterproof for up to 40 minutes. Say what! That's pretty crazy. Someone try it and let me know how that goes. 

PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation:

(found here)

Most days I like to set my foundation (whatever the heck that actually means because I'm not makeup guru) with a powder. So lately I've been setting my foundation with PurePressed Base Mineral Foundation. It's AMAZING! I love the way it makes my skin look, and I really do think that the more I use it the more it improves the overall look of my skin.

I ordered Light Beige which is the lightest of the "Cool" toned options. It's got a more matte coverage and is free of chemicals and oil. It contains antioxidants such as Pine Bark Extract and Pomegranate Extract which help protect your skin from UV damage. This product also has a 4.7/5 star review on the Jane Iredale site which is amazing! 

This makeup is also gluten free, and vegan. Of all the products of Jane Iredale I have tried, this is my favorite so far!

Get the Look:

Weekend + Update on Us //

This past weekend was a 3 day weekend for us here in Utah thanks to Pioneer Day! The short of it is that Pioneer Day is a Utah state holiday celebrated on July 24th. It commemorates the day Brigham Young and the first set of Mormon pioneers entered the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. It's basically a second 4th of July celebration here in Utah which is amazing because I love the 4th of July.

The 3 day weekend gave Colten and I time to finally get our house under control. With both of us working full time, it can get kinda crazy. I also ordered a Passion Planner to help me block out times every day for the things that I need to accomplish each week. I've been feeling really overwhelmed with all of our responsibilities lately. Colten and I both have fairly demanding callings for church as he is the Elder's Quorum President and I'm 1st counselor in the Young Women's presidency. We both have a desire to serve more like our Savior Jesus Christ, so we are putting a little more focus on our callings, which does translate into less free time.

Speaking of free time... this is as good of place as any to announce, but I'm taking a couple months off from doing hair. My stress and anxiety levels have been through the roof lately, and I really want to accommodate everyone who wants their hair done. It breaks my heart to say no, but after praying about it and reading the talk Of Things that Matter Most by President Uchtdorf I know that this is what I need right now. I simply don't have the free time to work full time and do hair on the side right now. October usually slows down so I am planning on taking appointments again then, but I'm not pre-booking anything, just check back then or let me know if you'd like a recommendation for a great hair stylist, I have a few friends in the area who are amazing!

I've also started working remote which means I get to work from home for my job! I've started a new morning routine in the time that I used to commute that I will most likely be sharing on here soon and after today I KNOW that this is the way Heavenly Father wants me to connect with him each morning before I begin working. I'm excited to see the influence this 25 minutes routine has on my life. Do you have a morning routine? Share it with me below! I love to be inspired by other people's routines that keep them sane.

Last but not least this weekend we went to my hometown to attend my little brother's Eagle Court of Honor and to see him become ordained a priest. We also saw my dad be set apart as bishop of his home ward. I am so excited for him to be a bishop. I've always admired his compassion and work ethic and know that he will do an amazing job. During the sacrament meeting where they switched from the old bishopbric to the new, the spirit was so strong. I know that God has called him.

We have less than one month until our 2nd anniversary and 2.5 months until our Disneyland trip! Colten has officially been in school for 18 months and I have officially been done with school for a few months now. Maybe one day I will finish a Bachelor's Degree, but for now I am very content with my Associate's and my Cosmetology License. Life is crazy but we are so blessed. So so SO blessed.

Staying at Paradise Pier Hotel // Disneyland Resort

Quite a few years ago, my parents joined the Disney Vacation Club. I'm still not 100% sure how that "timeshare" works, but I know that being a member of the club made it so we were able to stay at Disney resort hotels when going to Disneyland. We've been so spoiled! Over the past few years I have been able to stay in each of the 3 Disneyland Resort hotels (Paradise Pier, Disneyland Hotel, Grand California Hotel) at least once which has been amazing! Now that I've stayed at each, I decided to write a little blog post for each about my likes and dislikes about each hotel. Disclaimer- Your fun might not be my fun! And if you've got a bucket list, you should totally add staying at each Disneyland Resort hotel to decide which is your favorite for yourself ;)

Being up front and honest, Paradise Pier hotel is my all time favorite Disneyland Resort Hotel. There are so many things that I love about it. It's named Paradise Pier because many of the rooms of the hotel 

Price: 

While more expensive than non-Disney property hotels, Paradise Pier is the most affordable of the 3 Disney hotels. 

Rooms:

I've read that Paradise Pier rooms are the most spacious of the 3 hotels, which after staying in all 3 I honestly believe it! Though I don't have the blue prints to back it up. I love the beach theme of the hotel. It's very relaxed and the rooms are clean. They were also recently updated with new furniture and all that good stuff. 

Dining:

PCH Grill is a character dining breakfast. It is so yummy! Fruit, Mickey Waffles, Eggs, Bacon & more. The grill however is closed for lunch and the characters do not appear at dinner. Surfside Lounge is another table service restaurant inside the hotel. They offer breakfast patries, coffee, sandwiches, burgers and salads. This is more relaxed that PCH and is good if you are in a hurry. 

Activities: 

The BEST part about this hotel in my opinion is the fact that you can watch the Disneyland fireworks from the pool level roof. They even pump the soundtrack in to match the fireworks which is so magical. We've always got there about 5-10 minutes early and there's always seating. It's SO much better than waiting at the park for forever and standing for the entire show. (although I'm totally up for that any night!) 

Near the check in desk there is the Paradise Theater where kids can watch classic Disney movies. This is a nice place for kids to relax if they need a break from the parks for awhile. 

For you park-goers, the hotel offers Trivia Challenges! You get the list of questions from the Guest Services desk in the Main Lobby, take them with you and fill them out throughout the park. Once you've answered all the questions you can bring it back to Guest Services for your gift! We did the A Pirates Life for Me Challenge and got lots of booty!! ( Chocolate coins) They also have an It's a Small World, Ariel's Under the Sea, and Trader Sam's Challenges. 

The pool there isn't huge, but it is pretty! My family isn't super into swimming while on our Disney vacations so I'm not sure I've ever actually swam in it, but it's definitely there if you're into that. 

Overall: 

If I could choose any hotel to stay in while on my Disneyland vacation, it would be Paradise Pier. And it's surprisingly affordable for a Disney hotel. Read all about HERE on Disney's official site. 

Do you have a favorite hotel to stay at in Disneyland? 

She Got an Iphone for Valentine's Day & I Didn't Get A Thing

It's true. My husband & I kinda decided last year to not do Valentine's gifts and we still didn't this year. That doesn't mean we never will, but for now, it just doesn't really matter to us. We like to save & splurge a little more for our anniversary. (Valentine's is almost exactly our half-anniversary. Kinda like half-birthdays yeah?)

There's a girl I went to college with that got an Iphone from her husband for Christmas. And for Valentine's Day? A new tablet. Probably worth close to $1000. My eyes were popping out of my head? Aren't they "poor college students" just "trying to get by"? How in the heck do they afford that?? Then, I pull up Instagram, and I see that someone is going to Europe for a 3 week trip for their anniversary in a few months. And then on Twitter I see someone say how grateful they are for their NEW CAR that their husband got them for Valentine's Day. And then I see all the millions of dollars worth of flowers on Facebook that men are buying for women. It's pretty easy to start to feel envious isn't it? 

Jeffrey R Holland said it best...

"Brothers and sisters, there are going to be times in our lives when someone else gets an unexpected blessing or receives some special recognition. May I plead with us not to be hurt—and certainly not to feel envious—when good fortune comes to another person? We are not diminished when someone else is added upon. We are not in a race against each other to see who is the wealthiest or the most talented or the most beautiful or even the most blessed. The race we are really in is the race against sin, and surely envy is one of the most universal of those.

Furthermore, envy is a mistake that just keeps on giving. Obviously we suffer a little when some misfortune befalls us, but envy requires us to suffer all good fortune that befalls everyone we know! What a bright prospect that is—downing another quart of pickle juice every time anyone around you has a happy moment!"

My happiness should NEVER rely on what happens in other people's lives. Isn't that an interesting way to think about it? My life isn't any worse just because someone is going to Mexico for the 3rd time this year. My life isn't any worse because my sister and brother in law were able to afford a house worth $100,000 more than mine. My life isn't any worse because my friend's parents paid for her schooling and she doesn't have debt. My life is the same. Regardless of what happens to others. 

How sad it would be, to live a life so full of negativity, that we never get to celebrate the success of others. To let Satan make us feel inadequate or worthless, just because someone else is succeeding. We are important. Your marriage is important. Your job is important. And you have a role to play in your life that no one else can ever fill. 

We may feel envy occassionally, that's pretty normal. But what we do with that envy is what matters. If you can't talk yourself out of the negativity, the envy, and the judgement, pray your way out of it. Life is hard enough already. Why would we honestly choose to down a quart of pickle juice every time someone else has a happy moment?

So when you see the girl who gets the Michael Kohrs watch for Valentine's Day, tell her it looks amazing on her. I promise, you won't ever regret being a little too kind.

July Goals //

July is one of my favorite months of the year. I love the summertime, I love the 4th of July (& the 24th which is a Utah holiday!), and I just love the feeling that it brings. 

I've fallen out of routine on a lot of things. It's SO EASY to get complacent in life isn't it? It can be hard to stay motivated and focused on the things that matter most. So this month I'm trying to keep it real simple, just focusing on the things that matter most & not worrying about everything else.

1 // Read from Jesus the Christ every evening. 

I've been reading from this book most nights for about a month now. It's given me so much to ponder about, I love learning about my Savior Jesus Christ. There is so much I don't know about his gospel and this book is helping me get a little more understanding. I find myself pondering on His life & His mission more. I'd definitely recommend it to any Christian. 

2 // Exercise at least 3X a week & do 8 different types of exercise.

I've been trying to do at least a 10 minute workout every couple of days. It's not much, but I feel better when I start my day with yoga, or end with a walk around the block, it's just so hard to make that a priority! I'm writing up my list of 8 different types of exercise and I'll share it here on my blog once I've got it nailed down. I just want to shake things up & keep it interesting.

3 // Put my phone down more to live more in the moment. 

Social media has become a habit. I wake up, I check twitter. I get off work, I eat dinner while I browse Facebook. I take a bath and peruse Pinterest. Stop the social media train I want off! I am trying to limit my social media a little more. I want to be more aware of what is happening. I want to dream big & have good conversation with my husband over dinner. I want to take a bath and indulge in a good book that makes me ponder. I want to work out and catch up on Netflix without feeling like I need to check my Instagram. Truthfully, social media is a real addiction & I'm working on it. I want to be a better example of wise time management. I keep saying I never have time for important things, but I'm sure I would if I put my phone down more. 

Do you have any goals for July? If you've written a blog post about it, share it with me in the comments so I can go read your goals!

Capsule Wardrobe Update //

It's been 63 days since I started my Capsule Wardrobe, and boy the things I have learned!

1. When you wear the same clothes over and over again, they wear out REALLY fast. 

I'm not ashamed to say that sometimes I just do the sniff test. If it stinks, I wash it. If it doesn't, I hang it back up. I wash my clothes in cold or "eco warm" water and the dryer is never above medium. If it can hang dry, it hangs dry.

2. Replacing clothes you love is hard!

In the past few weeks, I've lost 3 of my favorite shirts from my capsule. All of a sudden I don't have any really nice tops to wear to work, so I started shopping for some. After 10+ stores, 2 malls, and tons of online shopping I finally bought 2 more this weekend. It's just so hard for me to spend the money when I know I can't just go buy another shirt if I decide I'm not in love with it when I get home. 

I spent $38 on one shirt and $16 on another. This is more than I ever spent on clothes growing up, however, I knew that I'd regret it if I didn't buy them, so I did. Many of my clearance purchases never make it out of the closet. Occasionally I'll find a really good steal, but some of my most worn pieces are shirts I paid full price for, and that's worth it to me. 

3. My attachment to clothes is real. 

I wrote last time about how I wanted this capsule wardrobe to help me live more like my Savior, and to spend less time getting ready in the morning. I didn't want to be so worried about what I was wearing. In some ways, this really has helped. Until I lost a couple of pieces due to holes, I basically stopped clothes shopping. I didn't need to. I loved everything I had. 

When people ask about my capsule wardrobe I get embarrassed. I feel like I don't have a good explanation for it. I feel like they'll judge me, or think I'm judging them. And once I lost those favorite pieces of mine I panicked.  I couldn't wear the same top to work every day! What would people think of me?? And when I was shopping I'd try things on and then think it was too flashy and people would notice that I only own about 5 tops I wear to work. 

Swiping my credit card releases endorphins and makes me feel HAPPY. I don't want my happy to come from purchases, I want it to come from serving. Aka, I still have a long way to go. 

"Following Christ is not a casual or occasional practice, but a continuous commitment, and a way of life." // Dallin H. Oaks

I'm happy to be living in a capsule wardrobe. I'm grateful for what it's teaching me. I'm grateful for my Savior, who lived so simply. And I pray that one day, I can live just as He did. 

UNITE U Oil Argan Oil Review //

I'm really excited today because this is the first of many reviews of UNITE Hair Care Products. UNITE has graciously sent me a few different products to try and honestly review (I promise to be honest!) & I decided to start with the U Oil Argan Oil. And it was a home run! 

What are the benefits?

___________________________________________________________________

-Creates soft, weightless shine

-Seals and repairs the cuticle

-Natural UV and thermal protector

-Reduces blow drying time

-Extends color life

-Free of parabans and Sodium Chloride

-Pure Argan Oil

___________________________________________________________________

How's the Scent?

I wasn't sure if this could bypass my love for Moroccan Oil brand oil, but alas, I think it has! The only thing I like more about the Moroccan Oil is the scent. UNITE's U Oil Argan Oil really didn't smell like anything to me. I had my husband smell and he couldn't smell much either. So if you're not a fan of highly scented products... You'll love it!

How Do I Use It?

 Before blow drying- I put 3 drops in my hand, rubbed it around, and then put into my hair really focusing on the ends. Then I used the left over on my hands to run my fingers through my hair. After blow drying- I put 2 more drops in my hand and focus on my ends again.

I love that it is a heat protectant. With all the blow drying and flat ironing we all do these days, it is ESSENTIAL to protect your hair with a heat protectant EVERY time before blow drying or flat ironing.

How Much Does It Cost?

Price: $47.95 for 3.3 ounces. At 5 drops per day, the 3 ounces will likely last you quite awhile. Most of my oils around 3 ounces last me about 6 months, I estimate this one will be the same.

Where Can I Buy It?

Online or in UNITE Carrying Salons. Go HERE! 

My Overall Opinion

I was expecting to like this product but not love it. And instead I give it a total thumbs up. I really was blown away by this product. I have short, thin hair and it did not weigh my hair down at all. I would recommend this product to anyone who wants to take good care of their hair, especially if you have processed/damaged hair. I'd also recommend this product to someone who doesn't like that "product feel" in their hair. It's lightweight enough that you won't feel all grimy, but it a multi-tasker so you don't need 5 different products to achieve your look. After using for a couple weeks now, I can definitely say this is one product that everyone should try!