Rain drops on my sunroof. Four years ago today. . Dustin just reminded me this was Jack’s due date. 4 years ago today, I sat outside of Whole Foods (was going in for lunch) watching the rain drops. Waiting. Waiting to become a mother. And, if I’m honest about it, I remember being nervous. Unsure. I remember feeling “not ready.” . Don’t get me wrong, we had all the things. The stroller and the car seat and the crib, and a million little onesies. . But, inside. I was excited…But, I wasn’t sure I was ready. Was I fit to be a mom? Was I ready to be a mom? . But, that’s the thing about life, isn’t it? We’re never really ready. . My gosh, maybe I wasn’t “ready.” But, there was no going back. I had to dive in. And, I did. 5 days later our beautiful baby boy joined us here earth side. And, life as we know it has never been the same. THIS LIFE, this beautiful life. Motherhood. Allll of myself as I know it. I wasn’t ready, but it was meant to be. I wasn’t ready, but it turns out, it was what I’d been waiting for my whole life. . This unknown, not ready for it, scary-on-the-other-side life change was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I used to not understand when people said that. “The best thing that ever happened to me.” But, I get it now. . My point? We’re never really ready. Sometimes we just have to dive in. Right now, a lot of us are in unchartered waters. Life as we know it is looking different now, and it’s going to look different in the future. For some of us our jobs have changed (or evaporated), our schools have changed, our social interactions have changed. Our days have changed. And, our new normal that we’re about to walk into is going to look a lot different than our life before – we’re just sitting here looking up at the raindrops on the sunroof right now. Waiting. . But, if there’s anything I’ve learned in life it’s this: We’ve got to jump in. And, the optimist in me can only hope that what’s on the other side for us coming up…. Eventually, is going to be even more beautiful than life as we knew it before. . “There are far far better things ahead than any that we leave behind.” – C.S. Lewis
Happy (almost) Valentine’s Day, everyone! Jack gave out the cutest little handmade valentines this week, made by my friend Goulla at Eggs and Bakie (see below). And, since I’m all about chasing dreams lately, I just looooove when other women make their dreams into a reality.
Homemade and handmade Valentines made by Eggs and Bakie
With that, I’m sharing my five favorite female owned companies below. The founders of these businesses inspire me. They impress me. And, more than anything, I’m so thankful that they followed their dreams, because their businesses make my life better, for real. And, if you live in Dallas, you’re in for a treat, because 4 of the top 5 female owned businesses I love are right here in your own backyard. Check them out below.
Session Pilates
Session Pilates, Lakewood. One of three locations of the best pilates studio in Dallas.
THIS, you guys. This is my favorite workout. This might be my favorite place. The Lakewood location is a 3 minute drive from my house, and the classes are a quick 50 minutes. That means I can be in and out of a class and back home within an hour. THAT is how I’ve gotten consistent exercise back into my life post baby #2. I sneak these classes in mid workday, and it never cuts more than an hour out of my day over lunch or mid-afternoon.
That is why it’s convenient for me to go. But, why it’s one of my top 5 female founded businesses? Because of the energy in this place. When Session Pilates opened in Lakewood, I was dying to try it. Grace was 4 months old. I was back to work. And, I was craving a workout I could do consistently for ME. I was so scared to try pilates for the first time that I begged a friend Sarah to come with me so I wouldn’t be the “new” girl in class all by myself.
But, let me tell you, the instructors here are so warm and inviting. Not to mention COOL. And, they walk you through everything you need to know, before your first class, and during the class. The instructions are always really clear. The music is on point. The energy is amazing. And the 50 minutes fly by.
Since I started going to pilates at Session, I’ve tried a few other pilates studios in other cities when traveling for work or visiting family. And, let me tell you, nothing compares. If I first tried pilates somewhere else, I probably wouldn’t have stuck with it. I probably wouldn’t have gone back. But, this? I love it. I enjoy it. I look forward to it. And, I feel so much stronger now that I do it regularly. The owner, Britany Grignon, got everything right about this place. And, I’m so glad she built it (and the two other locations in Dallas). She inspires me like crazy. It’s no surprise they seem to be winning all sorts of awards these days, most notably, the Best of Big D 2019: Best Pilates Studio. Let me know if you want to catch a class together! I’m always down for company at the studio.
Oh, look. There’s me at Session Pilates!
Eggs and Bakie
You’ve heard a lot about this one from me lately. This company that makes the homemade sensory play dough kits for kids you’ve seen me talk about on my stories. And, the owner is also a passionate baker too! This mom of twins (Goulla Angelides) and I met in our postnatal workout classes the year our first babies were born. Since, I’ve watched her (re) grow her business she originally started back in London, here in Dallas. The play dough kits are amazing (they keep my kids busy for long periods of time – win!), and the baking side of her business is both beautiful and delicious.
I love seeing other women follow their dreams, chase their passions. Make their business ideas a reality. And, this woman who I have the pleasure of actually knowing in real life is doing all of that!
The best little set up for our Eggs and Bakie toddler cookie decorating party last week.
The Little Things Kids
Gracie baby waiting outside of The Little Things last summer… when we didn’t realize that they don’t open until 10am on Saturday. Thank goodness White Rock Coffee is right near by.
You can find this retail shop just next door to Session Pilates (ok, Hillside Village shopping center, take all my money). It is the cutest. They carry alllll the good little kid brands, the store is adorable, and it’s the perfect place to pop in to grab a gift for a birthday party or a new baby on the way. They also always have a good stock of little party decorations and/ or plates and napkins at any given time too.
They carry brands like Kickeepants and Kyte Baby for baby pajamas, and have the most beautiful boutique brands for little girls’ dresses and such. Boy clothes are on point too. I am so grateful the owner of this business made her retail shop a reality, because it is for sure a regular stop in my world… and I’m so very grateful to have it in our neighborhood.
Baby G shoe shopping at The Little Things Kids. Note: 3 different shoes. One on each foot and one in hand. So many cute brands in stock all the time here!
Freshly Picked
That’s my all time favorite Freshly Picked diaper bag backpack right there. THE best.
Ok, you guys… this one isn’t local. BUT, speaking of great kids clothing brands, I have long been a fan of Freshly Picked. If you’re living under a rock (or maybe not a parent) this company was started by mom, Susan Peterson in 2009, right out of her kitchen. According to their website, “She made the first pair of leather moccasins using yard sale scraps for her baby boy’s chubby feet. She found she wasn’t the only one searching for cute baby shoes that wouldn’t fall off, and Freshly Picked began.”
Both of my kids basically lived in these little moccasins their first year of life. And, then graduated to their sneakers. And, just a few years ago, the company launched the Best Selling Diaper bag (me with said diaper bag below). I love it so much, I have it in two colors. It’s actually really cute. Like, so cute that a friend of mine (hi, Kelsey) said she’d want it as a carryon for vacations, and she doesn’t even have kids. SEE, it’s a cute backpack. Not a diaper bag. But… it’s designed by moms, for moms. You can see their initial and hilarious youtube video from when the bag was released here.
Anyway, I love that his one was started by a mom. I love that she kept going. I love that they’re in every baby boutique I ever go to now… and that their diaper bag backpack is the best selling diaper bag at Nordstrom. This one is an example of taking an idea, going with it, putting in allll the work, and becoming a big, national, well-known brand. I love their products, and I am beyond inspired by their founder and her team who made it all happen.
Modern Alchemy Jewelry
If you need some bright jewelry to brighten your day or wardrobe, this company is for you. Alethia Vitale and Beth Price are two friends who love jewelry and all things bold and bright. I wore their earrings to both of my baby showers, to countless weddings, on allll the vacations, and any time I actually remember to swap out my small gold stud earrings… or to put on some actual bracelets.
I have loved watching this business grow from two friends making jewelry for fun, to a full-blown business. You can catch them on the regular at pop- up shops around Dallas, and on Instagram or Etsy. And, while it’s one day before Valentine’s Day, they also have the cutest modern heart shaped earrings! (Hint hint people of the world looking for a cute, fun, fashionable gift for the woman in your life).
I love that the owners of Modern Alchemy actually DID it. They didn’t just talk about it. They did it. They made the jewelry. They created the Etsy shop. They went to (and hosted) the pop-up shops. And, they’re serving so many women by doing so! I love their stuff. And, if you haven’t come across them yet, I’m pretty sure you will too.
Alethia Vitale and Beth Price of Modern Alchemy
And, finally… a bonus female owned company that I love:
SPANX
I know, I know… it’s a huge brand. It’s well known. You see them everywhere. They were on Oprah’s favorite things years ago (and probably many years since). But… I had to include them in the list first because in the last 6 months I have bought FOUR pairs of pants from Spanx. Like, not undergarments… but actual real life pants. If you didn’t know they’re making clothes now, run, don’t walk, to their website and order some.
The work pants (like slacks) were the gateway pant for me. They pull up and feel like yoga pants, but they look like formal work slacks you can wear with heals or flats to a business meeting. Then, I bought their jeans… in blue… then black. And, same deal, they pull up and feel like work out pants, but look like you have your life together and are wearing pants. I recommend them all, 100%.
But, the second reason this one makes my list is because Sara Blakely, mom of 4 and founder of Spanx is the most inspiring human on the planet. And, if you want some inspiration in your life and you don’t already follow her, I very much recommend following her on instagram. She is everything. And, for those two reasons, Spanx is 100% on my list of favorite female founded companies right now.
What are some of yours? Write a comment so I know you read this! Is anyone out there other than my sister reading my blog? 😉 Love you guys, xoxo.
It turns out if you want to be a blogger, you have to actually blog about things. So, here I am, living my dreams (seriously though) and blogging about a pretty kids’ party we threw last weekend for Jack’s class for Valentine’s day.
My parents always threw the best parties for my sister and I when we were kids. My mom is the queen of attention to detail, and my dad, well… he just loves making crazy ideas happen. And, because of that upbringing, I can’t help it, I love a good kids’ party. I love coming up with the details, I love kid friendly themes, I love seeing their little faces when they’re all having so much fun. So, when I saw a post from my friend Laura at Harper Home Designs, I was inspired to throw a Valentine’s Day cookie decorating party for Jack and his classmates from school.
Saturday’s set up for our toddler cookie decorating party!
But, here’s the deal: I know Valentine’s Day is in 2 days as you’re reading this blog post, so rather than give you tips for throwing a great Valentine’s Day party next year, I thought I’d share a few of my favorite tips for kids parties in general. You’ll find them below.
Guest list for them, not for me.
This one is an easy one, but a new one for me. When Jack and Grace turned 1, we threw a big blowout party for each of them respectively. I mean, I’m talking Taco Truck and everything. We may have even had a keg at Jack’s first birthday. What can I say? We were proud we made it a year! And, I was so excited to be a mom and finally throw a kid’s birthday party. We invited everyone we knew…. And every kid from every family we knew and socialized with. It was a blast! But, on Jack’s second birthday, we dialed it down a touch – but still invited basically ALL of our friends (read our friends, not his necessarily).
He was overwhelmed, and quite honestly, he didn’t have much fun at his party at all. So, for his 3rd birthday, you know what I did? I realized once it’s past the 1st birthday, the party is actually for HIM (or her, if you have a girl). And, the guest list should reflect that. So for Jack’s 3rd birthday party – and for this cookie decorating Valentine’s party – we invited his actual friends, from school. Keeping the guest list manageable and not overwhelming: his 11 classmates from class.
So, the moral of the story here is this: invite your kid’s friends. Keep it small. Keep it intimate. And, that is the best way to ensure THEY have a good time. I know it seems so simple, but I learned this one the hard way myself, so I thought it is worth mentioning.
Serve Iced Coffee for the parents.
This is one of my favorite tips for a kid’s party. Now, my kids are both under 4, so the parents 100% stay with the kids when they attend a party at this point. We’ve found a sweet spot with a 10am party. Then you’re off the hook for serving an actual meal (lining the party up just between breakfast and lunch) and not really expected to provide much in terms of food and drink. That being said, I always do some snacks for kids and grown ups – usually in theme if possible.
But, the ONE thing that has been the biggest hit is serving canned iced coffees to the grown ups. I mean, of all the things I want at a toddler party on a Saturday, caffeine is high on the list in most cases. And, a craft iced coffee in a can is a total win. I like these two kinds below. Get more than the number of adults you are expecting, so everyone can have at least one if they want it.
You can get both of these at Whole Foods, Target, and Amazon.
And why ICED coffee you may ask? First, because both Jack and Grace’s bdays fall in summer and spring respectively, it’s usually warm. That’s why I’ve done cold coffee in the past. But, also, because nothing says hazard to me quite like piping hot liquid around 12 people under the age of 4. It’s a recipe for disaster, if you ask me. But, iced coffee, not disaster. Iced coffee is a win.
Don’t get too caught in the details.
I love all the little details and decorations. I made the cupcakes for Jack’s 2nd birthday party, in blue-like-the sea pre-ordered cupcake holders made of adorable tissue paper. I bought handmade paper sharks with googly eyes glued to tooth-pics to put on top. I stayed up until midnight frosting cupcakes with a 2 month old baby Grace in the baby carrier bc she wouldn’t sleep any other way. And, you know what? I enjoyed it.
But, as I get older, and as time goes by, I’m realizing that most of us parents don’t have the time or energy to do that stuff. And, honestly, the kids don’t care about those details anyway. We’re really doing them for ourselves… or possibly for the other parents to enjoy (or be impressed by – eye roll… but true, likely even for me, though I hate to admit it).
That being said, I really DO love pretty details. I like instagramable décor and treats. I enjoy coming up with ideas and decorating and getting the perfect picture. The creative process gives me joy. So, I do it. But…my advice to all the parents out there is, let’s do it in moderation. AND – we can do just one or two things and still have a cute party. For this cookie decorating party, I literally sent the evite out 1 week in advance. And (see tip #5 to outsource) I outsourced most of the work to someone else. But, I did do two things worth sharing.
One: the only real piece of décor I worked with was this one little heart garland from my favorite décor and party company, Meri Meri. (Cost: $11.00). It was all we really needed for a casual cookie party. And, sometimes, less is more anyway. I was able to cut it into 4 pieces because of the length. I used the first piece above the vent on the stove. The second and third to add some heart themed décor to the front door (on wreathes we already had), and the forth on the outside of a vase as you can see below. And, that was it!
Two: the second thing worth mentioning is sometimes doing something super simple but different can LOOK cute but take no effort. We actually already had a bunch of Costco apple sauce pouches in our pantry, so I threw them on this cake stand – viola – and we had a cute little snack set up. I also put the Annie’s cheddar bunnies packages in a big decorative bowl for little hands to grab when hungry, and placed graham crackers on a nice white serving dish. These three things took no effort, but looked pretty good, if you ask me.
OPT – “Other People’s Toys.”
Not too much to report here except that OPT (other people’s toys) will always provide more entertainment than expected! I’m always racking my brain trying to come up with activities to keep the kids busy at our house. But, at the end of the day, making sure there is an open area with a bunch of your kids toys set out is the best thing you can do.
Because when your little guests see a bunch of toys that are not theirs, they will be entertained for hours and not want to leave. We did exactly this at the cookie decorating party, and it was a hit! Other than decorating cookies for 15-20 mins, the kids spent the remaining 1.5 hours or so playing with Jack and Grace’s toys. And, we parents got to sip iced coffees and chat. Win, win!
Outsource where you can.
I’m really big on this one now. Haven’t been in the past. But, I’m a full time working mom. Dustin is a full time working dad. Most of our family lives out of state. And, we have 2 kids. So, guess what? We can’t do it all… without sacrificing our work, our sleep, our sanity, or our time with our kids. So, for this party, I outsourced most of the work!
I hired my friend Goulla from EggsandBakie, who does kids’ baking parties as a part of her business. She literally did alllll the work and did it beautifully. She baked the cookies, made the icing, came over 30 minutes before the party and set everything up, she brought boxes for the kids to take their cookies home in. And, she cleaned up!
Yes, of course, I spent a little more money than I would have if I baked the cookies, bought the supplies, made the icing, set up, and cleaned up myself. But, the time I saved, the sanity I had, made it worth it. She did an amazing job! I recommend her 100%. And, if you’re not doing a baking party, I recommend outsourcing something: the food, the drinks, the cake. Outsource once piece you’re tempted to do all by yourself – and you’ll be so happy you did.
Goulla Angelides from Eggs and Bakie
And, finally: Ask for Help.
My favorite chapter in my favorite book right now is the chapter on “Asking for Help” in Rachel Hollis’ “Girl, Stop Apologizing.” The book is all about chasing dreams (like I’m doing here). But, this mother of four also reminds us that while we should be chasing our dreams, we also cannot do it alone. We have to ASK FOR HELP. From our spouses, from our friends, from our nannies and childcare providers, and from our families. To pull off anything in life, but especially cute fun parties that kids and parents can enjoy, we need to be ok with asking for help! Outsourcing certainly helped here….
But so did having both of my parents in town this weekend. So did asking Dustin to pick some things up at the store. Heck, I even asked the other parents to each bring their own step stool (BYOSS haha) so the kids could reach the countertop. At the end of the day, beautiful blog feeds and picture perfect parties are great. But, they don’t happen without a village. And, let’s be real, they are really FOR the village.
It’s not about the pictures, or the party, or the decorations when all is said and done. It’s not about the adorable little white aprons on toddlers ( P.S. I did get these for $23 on Amazon and they were the cutest). It’s about making memories. It’s about spending time together. It’s about time well spent doing things we love with people we love, and seeing smiles on our little ones’ faces. So, while I hope some of these tips help you to throw a great kids’ party, I also hope we don’t lose sight of what it’s really about. All you need is each other… and maybe a little snack. Togetherness. That’s all it’s really about.
Happy Partying, friends! xo.
Thank goodness my mom was in town to help with this party. So very grateful for her and my dad and the errands they ran to help make this thing go down.
This body right here? Sometimes it feels good. Sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it feels strong, and fierce, and amazing. Sometimes I wish it looked “better in these jeans.” . Sometimes I don’t post a picture because I don’t like the way it looks (perhaps like in this photo from 2018 that I never shared). . But F that. . THIS BODY? . It grew two healthy babies. It walked me down the aisle. It won the county swim meet in 1996. It scored winning goals, and won dance contests in Tahoe (remember that one girls 🤪)!? It nursed two tiny babies for almost 10 months each. . These arms? They’ve hugged my loved ones in times of need. They are strong enough to carry 30 lbs. of 3 year old, and 24 lbs. of (almost) 2 year old… AT THE SAME TIME. . This body right here? It is everything. So, enough with not posting the pic. Enough with caring how it looks in jeans, or a swimsuit, or on our next Christmas card. I am so very grateful for this body. . And, this body now that I’m a mother? . I move it almost daily. I exercise to make it *strong*. I exercise to FEEL good instead of to look good. I move it to keep up with my kids, and I move it so I can *be here* for my kids. . I love it. I praise it. I am joyful about it. . For me… and for her. For teeny tiny Gracie baby. Because I know she’s watching. And, eventually, one day the media, and even well-meaning friends and family, might try to tell her that maybe she shouldn’t love her body too. . But, not today. Not in this house. . Because HERE, we love our bodies. So, wear the suit. Post the pic. Be the example, mama. Because, our girls are watching, my friends. And, come to think of it, our boys are watching too.
See more sunsets. It’s something I’ve decided I want to do. . There was a time, back in my twenties, when I’d catch a sunset almost every day. I worked hard and days were busy, but free time was truly free. And, I’d almost always jog after work. The sunsets on those post-work runs grounded me. . No matter how stressful my day was. Or how many “no’s” I got in sales, or how behind I felt in anything, the sunset brought me back to earth. . Sunsets were free. They were constant. They were something I could count on (except, perhaps, for on a rainy day). They were something I looked forward to. . But, then life happened. Busy-ness happened. Teeny tiny amazing (best thing ever) kids who take up lots of time happened. And, somehow, here I am: a person who almost never sees the sunset. . But that changed tonight. Tonight, on a Monday…on a regular old weekday, the Wesley family loaded up in the car, and we went to watch the sunset. Because it’s something I really love. And it happens every day. And I didn’t want to miss it. . For you, maybe it’s not sunsets. Maybe it’s gardening, or going for a run, or baking the perfect pie. But, there’s something. That thing that used to ground you when you were younger. That thing that you did consistently back when you had time. Could you work it back in this week? Because if you don’t have time for it today, on a Monday, after work. When will you? Let’s stop waiting for “some day” to do the things we love. Let’s do them today. ❤️ Especially if we can do them with the ones who we love most.
Some of my favorite influencers have shared their tips and tricks for beautiful, light, and bright photos. And, I was so grateful for them sharing this info. So, I’m passing it along to all of you. First we’ll start with tips for great photos. Then, we will dive into the two tools that I use to edit my photos before I post them online.
First things first, tips for a great photo:
Use Natural Light – I think the best photos are taken in natural light. Ideally, earlier in the morning, or later in the day (late afternoon/evening) when the sunlight isn’t too harsh. For indoor photos of people, turn off all the lights in the house – and get near a window. This lets the natural light do it’s thing. From there, you can always brighten up with Lightroom (one of the tools I love) if you feel like it’s too dark without the lights on.
Clear the clutter – This one is easy, but so often overlooked! If you’re taking pics of kids, or people, or something in your house, get rid of all the clutter in the background! If you push any toys or junk out of the frame of the photo, the eye will draw to the subject of the photo. And, the image will look clean and crisp! *Note – this one doesn’t really matter if your just trying to capture memories. Capture memories! Capture real life. Let it be messy. But, if it’s for a Holiday Card, or for another reason you want a professional looking crisp photo, clear the clutter. 🙂
Take a million pics! – Seriously, to get one good photo, especially of a family or kids, it’s going to take a lot of tries. Be ok with taking 20 pics to find the ONE you want to edit and share. Plus, sometimes when you take a ton, you end up getting a really good “real” and natural photo of the kids or you in your element that you wouldn’t get if you only took 2 or 3 pics.
Ok, now for the best tools I have found to easily edit pics on the go. Seriously, it takes me 1-5 minutes to edit a picture. And these are the two best tools I know of:
Lightroom (cost: I use the free version. Upgraded version is $9.99/month). This tool allows you to edit exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites, and blacks, as well as adjust the temp, tint, and vibrance. You can also crop with the basic version of this tool. For light and bright photos: up the exposure, decrease the contrast, always get rid of a lot of the “shadow” and increase the “whites.”
2. FaceTune (cost: $2.99 – worth it) : I use FaceTune for 2 things: to blur the background of a photo, and to brighten the “whites.”
So, here’s the deal: FaceTune can technically be used to blur out wrinkles, fix blemishes, whiten teeth, etc. I don’t do any of that (anymore). I believe we already filter ourselves and our images enough – smoothing wrinkles and whitening teeth is too much. It’s too fake.
That being said, I for sure use it to edit my photos. The “blur background” tool is really easy to use, and I like to use the “whiten” tool to make my whites brighter. (Like if I have a white kitchen in the background – I will use it to make the white’s pop).
I also occasionally use FaceTune to “patch” something like a stain on the kids’ shirts, or a spill on the ground that looks messy. (I did this for our Christmas card this year – we were standing in front of a big old mural, and the gravel on the ground had a bunch of dirt spots and spills – I just made them all one color so the image would be cleaner and so that people could focus on the cute saying on the wall and the people in the picture, instead of the dirt on the ground).
Ok, that’s it! These are my tips to get (what I believe to be) great photos! Have a great day everyone.
Oh… and please let me know if you found this useful. Either here, by commenting on the blog, or on the original instagram post. I would SO appreciate it. xo.
Lauren V Wesley 