Not that I need a reason to buy a new book (just ask my husband), but the holidays are my favorite time to stock up. I absolutely LOVE snuggling up with my favorite blanket, a cup of coffee and a good book. Seriously, that is my idea of bliss. Friday night, Monday afternoon, Saturday morning, whatever day or time of the week--that is my sanctuary. When we lived in Dallas, you could often find me Barnes and Noble and Half Price Books. In San Francisco, I have loved exploring t

You may have seen my skincare products post from last week. After I wrote that post, I decided I'd write a Benefit Cosmetics post because I realized I have so many Benefit products I love, and I think you'll be intrigued by them, as well. I've known of Benefit for a while now, but I didn't own any Benefit products until I moved out to San Francisco. There are Benefit boutiques everywhere, and conveniently, there is a boutique walking distance from my office and apartment. I a

Katie was a normal elementary-aged girl. She had sleepovers with her friends, argued with her older brother, danced like no one was watching, and loved her dad with all of her heart. Then, when she was eight years old, every parent’s worst nightmare became reality for the Madsen family: their baby girl was diagnosed with cancer. Katie woke up in the middle of the night with severe, excruciating pain in her hip. After a trip to the emergency room and a misdiagnosis of a virus,

When I find skin care products I love, I am loyal for life. Our skin isn't getting any younger, so it's important to take care of it and be proactive starting yesterday. You may have noticed some laugh lines developing, and that's natural (you shouldn't be upset that you've smiled so much), but it's still good practice to take care of your skin regardless. Above are my favorite skin care products, and below you'll find further info! 1. Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser. This is

It sounds glorious. Two weeks off during the holidays, spring break and given you don't teach summer school, two whole months off during the summer. School starts at 9 a.m., school is over at 4 p.m., and then you're free for the day. You just babysit kids all week. Why aren't more people teachers?! More people aren't teachers because, simply put, not everyone can teach. Just because you're a mathematical wizard or a literature enthusiast doesn't mean you can stand in front of

I am so excited to introduce my new series: Branch Out. This idea came to fruition on our four-day excursion from Dallas to San Francisco. I really started thinking about where we were in life (reminder: moving to the west coast after living in Texas for the majority of our lives) and decided that this move to SF would be the beginning of series of exciting changes in my personal life and in our relationship. We get so comfortable, and ultimately stuck, in the redundancy of n

I'm the type of person who falls in love with jewelry and sticks with that brand. I have my staple pieces that I wear every single day, and I look forward to refreshes and adding new pieces from the brands that I fall in love with. Kendra Scott is one of those brands. When I was thinking on what I wanted to feature in my next giveaway, I quickly decided on Kendra Scott. Kendra has something for everyone, whether it be a neutral pair of earrings, a long necklace or a stylish,

To say that I love the holidays is an extreme understatement. I would have a Christmas tree up in our home in October if my husband would allow it (not that I need his permission, but I do realize this is a bit extreme). I am a huge Halloween hater, so as soon as Nov. 1 rolls around, I am ecstatic to begin decorating for and celebrating my favorite two months of the year. I am drinking an iced peppermint mocha as we speak! One of the biggest reasons I love Christmas is becaus

No, this post is not my take on one of my favorite songs of all time, but instead a simple reminder to just let it be and let others be. I'm young. I may feel old at times, but I know I am young. People are not shy in letting me know they think I look young. Sometimes I don't take that very well; it depends on the day. But what I always despise is when people question me for getting married "at such a young age." My decision to get married when I did has absolutely nothing t

With the holiday season officially in full gear (thanks for coming and going, Halloween), it's time to ensure you are fully stocked on all of your travel essentials. I have a love-hate relationship with the actual traveling part of travel, and for me, in this case, it's the destination, not the journey. However, the following items make traveling more bearable for me, and hopefully you find a few new items to add to your travel haul. First things first: toiletries bag. Previo