Jack Black Moisturizer – believe it or not, Will has started investing in his skincare too! Only took a couple years of convincing 😉 I’m going to get him this Vitamin C serum too for Christmas.
Cole Haan Dress Shoes – always good to have a nice pair of dress shoes for church, weddings, etc.
Kindle Paperwhite – we love to read together at night. Will uses the Paperwhite. I use the Oasis. Not much difference besides the price (now that the Paperwhite has warm light too!)
Bose Wireless Speaker – we use our wireless speaker all the time. Eating in the backyard, picnics, etc.
This post is a long time coming. I think I wrote the first draft of this post back in July 2021. I have been a little fearful to share my thoughts on this topic because I am NOT an expert and have never really wanted this topic to define me or have people look at me differently for what I’ve been through.
But I think I would’ve really appreciated reading something like this when I was going through this all those years ago.
So even if this post helps one person, it will be well worth my time.
Writing this all out has been an interesting experience for me… Definitely therapeutic. It was also interesting thinking about all of these details again. It almost feels like it was all a terrible TERRIBLE dream that I can’t believe I lived for so long… so if you’re currently in your own bad dream, I’m sorry and I hope this can help you get out of it.
So let’s get started on my story…
Let me take you back to the 8th grade.
Yes, THE EIGHTH GRADE.
That is the earliest time I can date back to me having a problem. I found a journal entry from 8th grade writing about how big I thought I was and how much I hated my body. I wrote that I thought I was so fat and hated every inch of it.
8th grade. 14 years old.
Yeah…
Fast forward throughout the next 11 years of my life, and it was a constant state of unhappiness with my body and a whirlwind of negative internal thoughts daily. My body never felt good enough. I constantly found something wrong with it. I never saw anything good about it.
I never went to talk to anyone about it. I still haven’t to this day, actually. I wish I would’ve. (If you are really struggling, please go talk to a professional. They can help you)
I don’t even think anyone close to me (besides Will) even knows how badly I really struggled day in and day out for so many years. My mind was in a constant state of turmoil about my body.
My lowest point
My lowest point was in 2012 during my sophomore year of college. I would wake up early in the morning and run 6 miles every morning before school. Then I would rush into Cougarette (dance) practice from 3-6 PM, hurry home to do all of my homework, sometimes go to work as a hostess at a local restaurant, and throughout that day I would monitor EVERYTHING I was eating minute by minute. It was exhausting. I was running on nothing.
It was all I ever thought about. It consumed almost every thought of mine.
I couldn’t even watch a movie late at night with friends or family without constantly thinking I should be going to bed so I could wake up early and run and still get my 8 hours of sleep in. Not exercising even one day was unfathomable to me. I remember always feeling so restless on Sundays and needing to go walk just to get out and move.
That February of my sophomore year, we had our Cougarette concert. When I walked out into the lobby after the show to greet my family and friends, I could tell something was off with my mom. After talking to her later, I learned she was completely shocked/scared at how frail I looked up on stage. I lived away from home so she didn’t see me every day and she didn’t know how much weight I had lost. She was so disappointed in me and pleaded with me to start changing whatever I was or wasn’t doing.
The scary part was that I still didn’t think I was “skinny”. At all.
Three months later, I left for Africa for some humanitarian work and things got even worse there. Food was already fairly limited but I would limit it even more and not eat any carbs even if that’s all we were served for dinner. The pictures of myself in Africa are the saddest for me to look back on. Skin and bones. Yet I was still running 6 miles every day in Africa and hated how “big” I thought I was… It was a mental illness I didn’t even know I had.
(let’s just say these pants were tight on my bum the beginning of that year)
When Will came home from his church service mission a couple of months later (he had been gone for two years), I was down to my personal lowest weight and I didn’t see what everyone else saw. I hadn’t had my period in a year and seriously had no clue why that would be. I even went to a doctor wondering if I could get some answers as to why I didn’t have a period. I was in denial. Will was upfront and honest with me a couple of weeks after he got back home saying I was looking very thin and he wanted to help me get healthy again.
I acted like I cared that everyone was trying to help me but I’d just tell them what they wanted to hear. I didn’t see what they saw! I legitimately saw myself as “big” and didn’t understand how they didn’t either. But I pretended to care, gained a little weight to please them, but also still exercised excessively and watched everything I ate, and remained a prisoner in my mind over the number I saw on the scale each morning.
I think I had some sort of body dysmorphia. My eyes couldn’t ever find anything positive about my body. I only saw the negative. I am unsure if would label me as “anorexic” or “bulimic” (I threw up on occasion… like if I ate a huge meal and felt sick after). And as I said, I’ve never talked openly about this before so I am unsure what label you would put on what I had.
The next couple of years were still hard but I tried to act like I was all better. I had gained some weight but still constantly thought about everything I was eating and my exercise regime. I remember multiple occasions going to exercise before we left for Disneyland at the crack of dawn.. as if 16,000 steps wasn’t going to be good enough 🙄
Will was supportive but I kept a lot of what I was dealing with to myself because I was embarrassed at how much it consumed me. I would wake up, weigh myself, and the rest of the day dictated what I saw on the scale.
Now let’s fast forward to the years that started to change me and my life.
Things starting to change…
In August of 2017, I was pregnant for the first time (surprise!) and had symptoms I had never even heard of before. I had always heard of people’s pregnancy symptoms being nauseous, throwing up, and having aversions to so many foods but I had the exact opposite. I woke up one morning when I was 6 weeks along and had the MOST ravenous hunger pang I have ever had… to the point I had to crawl to the kitchen to see what I could find. Actually, CRAWL… I couldn’t stand up without feeling like I was about to faint.
This extreme hunger went on for another 22 weeks or so. I was hungry non-stop, all day, NOTHING would satiate me. I would go to Cafe Rio the second they opened, eat a burrito the size of my head, and leave shaking because I was so hungry I felt like I was going to faint. So, I would go home and eat more. All-day long. All week long. All month long. I couldn’t even care WHAT I was eating because I was just desperate to feel full to stop shaking and feeling like I was going to pass out.
After years and YEARS of hardly eating any carbs (and not even putting butter in my egg pan 😤), I felt like God was trying to teach me something…
This was not my only pregnancy symptom by accident.
I gained 10 pounds before I was even 10 weeks along.
Trying to keep my first pregnancy a “secret” was so hard because I felt like everyone was going to be able to tell right away that I was pregnant. By week 6, I didn’t fit into any of my regular jeans (normally pregnant women can fit into their regular jeans longer than that) and I was gaining more and more weight by the day. I also stopped exercising because I didn’t have the energy even though I was eating all day long.
After years of strictly monitoring every single thing I ate and exercising 6-7 days a week, you would think I would be horrified at all of the rapid weight gain, right?
I couldn’t care less.
I had never loved my body more. Dead serious. Seeing it grow a little human inside of me was the most incredible experience of my life. It was like a spell had come over me. The fact I knew I couldn’t limit my food intake or exercise excessively to protect my baby I was growing was the most liberating feeling. The fact I felt like I had no choice but to take care of this baby set me free.
Near the end of my pregnancy, I started getting a little nervous. Was this “spell” going to go away? Was I going to hate my body again after I was done being pregnant? What would getting back to my “pre-baby” weight be like? Would I turn back into my old, sad, miserable self?
To my surprise, my love for my body only grew. I loved it through all of the postpartum phases (after all, I just delivered a child into the world! A true miracle!) and realized that food is NOT the enemy. Our mind is.
Food is not the enemy. Our mind is.
Postpartum, I was still eating all the carbs and desserts I wanted and was happier than I had ever been. I found that by allowing myself EVERYTHING and not putting any food “off-limits” I craved less! I’m not kidding. I am also shocked at how so many of my stomach pains/issues went away since I stopped eating only “sugar-free” candies/desserts. I used to have stomach pains to the point I’d have to unbutton my pants, lay down, and not move. Now, I NEVER do.
I didn’t want to share any of this for a long time because I almost don’t want my past self to be what I am defined as today… But it is a huge part of my story and now that I am in the healthiest mindset I’ve ever been in, it’s time to try to help others. I KNOW so many women struggle with this still and it breaks my heart. It’s not a way to live!
So here are some things I have learned….
Make Peace with Food.
This one is first because I truly believe this one has helped me the most. We need to learn and educate ourselves on FOOD. Food is a GIFT. It’s not evil and there just to make us gain weight and be miserable… it is there to fuel our everyday life. It’s also a huge blessing to have food so accessible to us.
For years, I would CONSTANTLY label food. The “good” foods, the “bad” foods, and everything in between. I remember buying “sugar-free” candy at the store and only getting “reduced-fat” this and that. And guess WHAT? I had the WORST stomach pains of my life those years. Dellibitating stomach pains. Start learning how your body FEELS after you eat certain foods. You’ll automatically start craving the good, real stuff.
Nothing is off-limits for me these days and I am shocked at how healing it is to just tell yourself “I can eat ANYTHING I want!” You will actually crave less. I promise. I eat whatever bagel, donut, pizza, pasta, ice cream I want and go off how I FEEL both during and after. Educate yourself and research more on intuitive eating. Stop counting calories. Stop eating when you feel full. Start focusing on food that fuels you for the better. It is a miracle worker.
Throw away the scale.
Will helped me on this one. One morning, I woke up and went right to the bathroom to step on the scale and it was gone. What in the world? I could NOT find it. I asked Will where it was and he said, “Oh in the garbage outside!” I thought he was crazy and I was so mad but after I stopped weighing myself I could NOT believe how much it helped me. I used to feel like each day was either good or bad depending on the number I saw on the scale. Stop weighing yourself! It’s just a number. Why does it matter? And if you exercise and it increases, it’s probably muscle mass! Gaining weight is not always a bad thing. Throw 👏🏼 it 👏🏼 away 👏🏼
My mom has always been the best example of this. We never owned a scale in our household growing up, she never let us girls (my sisters and I!) weigh ourselves, and has always thought being skinny is the least important thing about someone. Thanks for your example, mom ❤️
For WHAT?
This one is a little harder for me to explain but it’s one that has really helped me…
In 2016, we went to Hawaii with my family on a trip. I remember hardly eating any desserts and running 6 miles a day getting ready for that beach picture I wanted with Will. One morning, I woke up early, went to the gym, exercised my little heart out, and then made Will come down with me for a picture. In the morning. Before we were even swimming. Big yikes.
After looking at the picture, I was hardly even pleased with it but still posted it anyways. After it was up for like twenty minutes, I deleted it. I felt weird posting a bikini pic and didn’t really want to post a bikini pic.
Sooooo… all of that for what? That deprivation, exercising, energy, focus, not eating the Hula Pie… for what? A picture? That I ended up deleting? Just don’t take the dang picture if it stresses you out that bad! Enjoy life! OR take the picture and LOVE how you look no matter what and STOP CARING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK. Easier said than done, of course. But constantly work towards that mindset.
Dig down and think WHY are you wanting to be so “skinny”? For what? For who? Is it really worth being so miserable? Find people that love you just the way you are.
Remember the miracle your body is.
I remember the first time I opened up about body image on my Instagram, I was flooded with so many messages from you guys that helped me so much. One message (I wish I remembered who it was from.. ah sorry!) said something so profound.
They said something along the lines of Imagine yourself getting to heaven and God asking how your experience on earth was and how you treated your body (your greatest gift!) and you said, “Oh yeah I hated it. It was never good enough, I wish I was skinnier, I hated my legs, and I never even enjoyed it. Thanks though, God!”
Could you imagine? Having a functioning body is a miracle from God we should never take for granted. Remember how when you’re sick you promise yourself you’ll never take your good health for granted again? Have that perspective for your body each and every day. What if tomorrow it went away? What if something happened and you could never walk again? What if something tragic happened? You would regret every second of not being so grateful for your body exactly the way it is.
Our body is the biggest gift God could give us. Embrace it how He made it. He made it special just for you.
Stop talking about weight with friends/family.
This one is a big one for me and one I am not perfect at.
Let’s try to stop the conversations about people gaining/losing weight with our friends and family.
If you are surrounded by people who put too much emphasis on body image, sit them down and tell them how it affects you. A lot of people don’t know they’re being hurtful.
Also, don’t bring up weight in front of your kids! Don’t let the next generation fall into the trap that bodies are what define people. I never talk about weight with my daughter or talk about other people’s weight in front of her. They are listening and can be affected at such a young age. I was!
Buy clothes that fit you
I am a size 8 shoe. I would never walk into a store and buy a size 6 and hope one day it will miraculously fit. It is never going to fit.
The same goes for our bodies. We are all BUILT (by design) differently. All of us. And it’s the most beautiful thing ever!!! Imagine how spooky it would look if we all looked the exact same. Diversity is a beautiful thing.
Are you still trying to fit into those jeans that fit you years ago? Do yourself a favor and go buy clothes that fit RIGHT NOW! Buy clothes that you are obsessed with and that fit your body type in this season of your life. There’s nothing better than feeling incredible in an outfit you’re obsessed with. Even if that means you go up a size. Or two.
Positive Self Talk.
Your mind is a powerful thing. So powerful it can completely dictate everything you do in life. I personally love mantras when my mind wanders to things that stress me out. Brene Brown also suggests switching to gratitude anytime you have a negative/anxious thought.
If you have a negative view of your body, come up with a mantra! Put it as your phone background, write it out, print it out, and scream it out until it is ingrained in your head.
Example:
Mind: thinks about how badly you hate your body…
You: My body is a gift. I am grateful it allows me to walk and run wherever I need it to. Thank you, God, for this gift.
Mind: thinks about how terrible you are for eating that bowl of sugary cereal…
You: having food so accessible is such a blessing. I am grateful I honored my craving and had that cereal. Maybe tomorrow night I could try something that doesn’t give me a stomach ache after!
Mind: ugh I wish I had her body
You: I am so grateful we all have different bodies that God gave us. I am going to focus on feeling my best, healthy self and not let how other people look affect me.
Say those mantras over and over until you actually believe them. I set a mantra one New Year as a resolution as it literally changed my LIFE.
Who do you follow?
Speaking of, how do you feel after scrolling your Instagram feed? Uplifted? Sucky? Worse off than when started? Go through your following list and simply unfollow or mute any accounts that don’t make you feel good about yourself. Some fitness “motivation” accounts can simply only depress you rather than motivate you. Follow body positivity accounts like Happily Fed, Beauty Redefined, etc. instead. Take into account your feelings after you scroll through social media and take charge.
In the end…
You deserve to feel your absolute best every day. This life is SO SHORT and so unpredictable. Enjoy it! Wear the dang two-piece swimsuit, play with your kids in the water, and love every inch of the greatest blessing God has given to you. Cellulite and all!
I love you. God loves you! EXACTLY how you are. Express gratitude for the body you already have. It’s our greatest gift.
-Liv
Please use this website as a resource if you ever need help ❤️
Happier with Gretchen Rubin (I’ve listened to every single episode of this. Haven’t missed one lol)
Kindred Conversations
How I Built This
The Morning Toast (warning! LANGUAGE. But it’s my happy escape every day haha don’t judge meee)
Meaningfull Living
The Ed Mylett Show
Skinny Confidential Him & Her (warning: language again but I looove the people they interview! Some episodes are so fascinating. Listen to the Andrew Huberman ones)
The MomForce Podcast by Chatbooks
All In (LDS Living Religious Podcast)
Don’t Miss This (Religious)
Just Ingredients
Cold (old but kept me HOOKED when I listened to it years ago)
Podcasts you guys recommended that I’m excited to check out:(in order of what was recommended the most)
What We Said
The Bad Broadcast
Normal Gossip
Your Own Backyard
Crime Junkie
Armchair Expert
Smartless
Unlocking Us by Brene Brown
How’d She Do That
The Daily NYT
Better Than Happy
Oprah Super Soul Conversations
Office Ladies
Blonde Files
Wake up with Weslie
On Being
Popapologists
Serial
Be There in Five
The Dropout
Dr. Death
The Birth Hour
Brooke Snow Podcast
Dave Ramsey Show
The Weekly Trash
Lipstick on the Rim w/ Molly Sims
Beautiful Anonymous
The Come Back Podcast
Pod Meets World
Revisionist History by Malcolm Gladwell
What’s the Juice
Life Coach School
Strangerville
Sounds Like a Cult
Don’t Mom Alone
How to Take Over the World
Be Well by Kelly
Morbid
Mombrain with Daphne Oz
In the Dark (Season 2)
The Book Pile
This American Life
Miraculous Mamas
Every Single Album for lovers of Taylor Swift, One Direction, Adele etc.
Absolutely Not
You’re Wrong About
We Can Do Hard Things
Thoughts on Thoughts
Hidden Brain
1000 Hours Outside
Hope that helps you find something good to listen to!
It is hands down my favorite time in Utah right now. The air is starting to feel crisp and it’s my favorite time to get outside in the mountains. Today I’m sharing some of my current favorite fall hiking pieces from Backcountry. They’re always my go-to for anything I need for the outdoors!
First up is this cute Nike pullover! It’s so warm and comfortable and I love the fit of it (slightly cropped). I am wearing a size small right here.
Next up are my OnCloud Running shoes! These shoes are theeee comfiest. I played pickleball in them last night and they were perfect. By far my favorite OnCloud’s I’ve owned so far!
And lastly is this Girlfriend Collective exercise dress! Girlfriend Collective is a brand I have started to love more and more and I’m so excited that Backcountry is now selling it! They are sustainable and each piece I’ve ever bought is INCREDIBLE quality. I am wearing a medium here!
You can use code OLIVIA15 for 15% off on Backcountry! First time orders only. Exclusions apply.
If you’re reading this post, you are most likely expecting a baby. First off, CONGRATS! I was so terrified during my first pregnancy… I was SO worried about motherhood but I can tell you this- these kids have brought me more joy than anything else in this life. These 40 weeks might go by so slow (and I mean SO slow) but just know the best journey awaits. You will be amazing!
Here is a list of some of my pregnancy must-haves:
Good pair of maternity jeans – I personally can’t stand the side panel ones. Over the belly all the way! I own the exact ones that I linked and wore them pretty much every day. I also love these ones. And how adorable are these overalls?! Obviously depends of the time of year you’re pregnant. If you’re pregnant in the summer, dresses are your best friend! Maybe try to find some with buttons so you can use them for breastfeeding afterward… (No judgement if you’re not breastfeeding 🙂
Align Leggings – I reached for my Align leggings over and over again while pregnant. They were so comfortable. I sized up one while pregnant but can still wear them afterward as well.
Onesies! – Okay every. single. time. I posted me in this onesie on Instagram, I was floooooded with messages of “But how do you go pee?!” 😂 you guys! It takes 5 extra seconds (maybe 3!) of what it would normally take and they’re soo amazing to not feel like something is cutting you off at your waist. I lived in my onesies! Just trust me!
Hatch Body Oil – every time I showered or before I went to bed at night, I rubbed this oil EVERYWHERE! Stretch marks are hard to prevent (more so with each pregnancy) but this definitely helps.
Belly Butter – I loaded up on both oil and butter while pregnant. Did I still get stretch marks with my 3rd? Yes. But I still think these helped a ton.
Beyond Yoga High Waisted Biker Shorts – these are the perfect amount of high-waistedness (not a word, I know). I preferred these over Align Bikers! I still wear them after too.
Beyond Yoga Racerback Tank – easily my FAVORITE tank/top I wore while pregnant. So stretchy, the shelf-bra wasn’t too tight… It’s a good one!
Prenatal vitamins – one of my favorite podcasts I listen to recommended Pink Stork and I loved these ones! Love that they have DHA included too.
Stanley Flip Top Tumbler – I was SO THIRSTY while I was pregnant. Literally so thirsty constantly. This water bottle was my constant companion.
Nursing Bra – yes, I know you’re not nursing yet but I loved wearing this bra in my pregnancy! Other bras were soo uncomfortable (maybe because my boobs felt huge) but I loved these so much. Bought in 3 different colors because I need one for every day haha!
Parenting books – during my first pregnancy I feel like I was reading constantly to try to prepare me for the next phase of my life. I linked my personal favorite books here.
A babymoon! Okay maybe not a necessity but I loved looking forward to a babymoon with each pregnancy and loved completely relaxing the ENTIRE trip. Also feel free to book a prenatal massage. You deserve it!
You might need other things like a belly band, acupuncture, a pregnancy pillow, etc. but I personally didn’t use any of those a ton! But every pregnancy is so very different.
We had the BEST couple of weeks in California with both of our families (I’m currently trying to convince Will to spend all of our summers in California starting next year. Stay tuned lol) and made the best memories all together as a family. We did the first 10 days with the Gochnour family in Newport and then spent a week with my family down in Oceanside. The fact both trips were back to back perfectly was a dream come true! I don’t think I could’ve done that car ride twice haha.
The kids matching in their Kortni Jeane suits!
With the Gochnour fam we did Disneyland, a Dodgers game, pool days, and beach days. I also loved getting to hang with one of my greatest friends Sarah who lives in Laguna! She somehow convinced me to run with her a couple of days of our trip and wow… those first postpartum runs are rough! But it was worth every early wake-up call to see her and chat.
While in Newport, we always love to go to Roger’s Gardens, Rose’s Bakery, Lido Island, Balboa Island, Fashion Island Mall, Bear Flag Fish Co., and so many other favorites. We’ve been going there every year since I was a little girl!
The little Duffy boats around Lido are so much fun.
We decided to mix it up with my family this year and do Oceanside! It’s about 50 miles south of Newport and it was so fun to adventure around a new part of town. I especially loved going to explore more of Encinitas, Carlsbad, San Diego, and more. My work used to be based out of San Diego so it will forever have a special place in my heart!
We did family pictures (on my camera lol) down in Torrey Pines, went to Moonlight Beach, VG’s Donuts, the flagship Vuori store, The Taco Stand, UTC mall, Din Tai Fung, etc. I could’ve stayed another week to explore more! Maybe next summer… RIGHT WILL?! Hehe.
Man, I’ll be honest, the beach with kids all different ages can be quite the… adventure. There’s just a whole lot of gear required to come but it is always so worth it in the end! My advice would be to not stress about nap times. Just stay the day and let the kids have fun! It’s too much work to get all set up just to leave in time for naps.
Here’s what we brought to the beach and loved!
Veer Gear Tent – this was an absolute game changer. So easy to set up and take down! I’ll use it at kids sports games too for sure in the future. For some reason, they’re discontinuing them so snag one while you can!
Veer Gear Sand Blanket – Will can’t stand sand so the second he saw these sand blankets he knew we needed one. It filters out the sand so you can relax in peace!
Dockatot w/ Cabana – this is what June laid in at the beach! We just brought her Dockatot and put the cabana over it for extra protection.
Yeti Chairs – comfiest chairs ever! They’re heavy but totally worth traveling with for the cup holder, height for nursing, etc. Love them!
Bogg Bag – these are slowly but surely making it to the west coast big time! Every local mom had one (they’ve been big in the south/east coast for years!) Totally waterproof and my new pool bag for life.
Geometry House towels – re: Will hating sand. These are the best towels and he wants to buy a thousand more he said! They don’t have the traditional towel fibers so they don’t get sandy and are great for laying on and drying off. Game changer!
I’ll be honest. Two Disneyland days were rough at times but overall we had a great time! It’s all about setting your expectations low, and staying calm (I fell short at this at one point 😩), and consuming a churro an hour to power through 🥰 George didn’t nap at all the first time we went and the second time he did. You never know what to expect so might as well go with the flow and just try to stay positive.
Will’s family is a BIG Disney family so my family is lucky to reap the benefits of his (mom’s) knowledge of the park/what to do first etc.
Here are a couple of Disneyland tips from Will!
First off, if you park in Mickey & Friends (that’s where we always park! Go into the far right lane right when you pull in. It’s always the shortest line) and are planning on taking the tram into the park but have a big stroller already packed to the brim that you don’t want to collapse it in the tram… just take the elevator to Level 2 and just walk into the park! It takes maybe 10 minutes but is worth not collapsing the stroller (in our opinion!)
Download the Disneyland app and make sure your entire party’s tickets are linked together. This makes it easier for one person to make reservations for everyone in the group.
Ask everyone what their one “must-ride” is (or must-have treat 🥰) to make sure you prioritize those throughout the day. Especially if you’re only there one day, since you won’t be able to do it all.
Paying for the Genie+ Pass is 100% worth it if you don’t want to wait in lines all day. It’s an additional $20 per ticket (🙄) but worth it because you can get soo much more done. Read THIS ARTICLE for more in-depth info on how to best use the Genie+ Service.
As soon as you get into the park, reserve your first Lightning Lane pass to one of your top priority rides. You will be able to get a new Lightning Lane pass after you use scan the one you have (if under 2 hours), or after two hours since your previous reservation.
Make sure to set an alarm to remind yourself to book a new one if you end up having to wait the full 2 hours.
Think ahead to order food. You can order in the app and they will give you a return time to pick it up and you can skip all the lines. You can also order Naples pizza (my FAVORITE!) and eat it inside the park.
If you have ANY babies in your group, get a stroller swap! Go up to the attendants in the Lightning Lane and they’ll scan a ticket and give 3 people an extra Lightning Lane pass to go after everyone comes out. To be honest, we sort of stopped doing the stroller swap because it adds on an additional 20-30 minutes but it worked out because not everyone wanted to ride every ride. Having people be flexible and understanding helps so much! Not everyone is going to get exactly what they want all day 🙂
Disney packing list:
A good stroller! – We used the UppaBaby this time since we have three (get the Piggyback so someone can stand in the back!) but in the past we’ve used our Zoe double umbrella stroller and it worked so great too. Use OLIVIABETH+ZOE for a discount!
The Mommy Hook – to hang any additional bags on the stroller
Stanley Flip-Top Tumbler – for you AND the kids! Save money on those $5 water bottles. You can get ice water from all of the restaurants and fill it up all day.
Portable Fan – you can clip it right on your stroller! The best.
Somehow it’s already been two months since our baby daughter came into our lives! It’s been the best two months snugging this little bug as well as an adjustment to being a family of five!
After receiving a couple of questions asking what I’m using this time that I haven’t used in the past, I thought I would compile this list of 10 things that I feel like have been game changers at this stage I’m in.
Here you go!
The Artipoppe Carrier – this carrier has been a game changer with my 3rd! Since I have two other little kids needing my attention more, I need to be as hands-free as possible while also still snuggling/keeping my baby close. I’ve loved this carrier that my friends have been raving about for so long. Some people ask, is it really thaaat different than, for example, the Ergo Baby?! Short answer: no. Long answer: I love that I can start babywearing in this one earlier. I first put her in it when she was 1 week old and it fit her perfectly. My friend also made a good point this other day… it’s more of a “complete the outfit look” rather than “ruin the outfit look” if that makes sense. It’s almost as if it’s a part of your outfit to make it cuter.. not uglier. But the quality is amazing and definitely worth the hype, in my opinion. Email me if you want a $58 discount code!
Elvie Hands-Free Pump – another huge game changer has been the Elvie! I was skeptical about if I wanted to splurge on it but it has been sooo helfpul. ESPECIALLY at the beginning when my milk was coming in. I will pump a bottle when I’m running an errand, as I’m doing the dishes etc. Same as the first bullet point. Being hands-free is KEY! Especially with two other kids to take care of.
Halo Bassinest – since we live in a three-bedroom home, I needed a bassinet for the first time since my daughter was going to be staying in our room longer! We’ve loved the Halo for these reasons: it is the height of my bed that makes feeding super easy, the Dockatot fits right inside (if you’re into that), and the mesh makes me feel like she’s is super safe sleeping in there. The cons: it’s huge, heavy, and a pain to store for people!
Dockatot Cabana Cover – a fun addition to our Dockatot has been the cabana cover! I take it with me to the pool, to the beach, etc and she sleeps so well in a covered area that’s also netted for bugs.
Target Nursing Bra – where was this bra with my first two?! Probably around I just didn’t know about it. But I’m soo glad I do know because I LOVE it.
Carseat Cover – baby #3 = always on the go. I love this car seat cover because it’s not an eye sore and it keeps her covered when we get to any destination so she (hopefully!) doesn’t wake up or get any sun.
Portable Sound Machine – once again, always on the go = you need a good sound machine to take with you. My sister in law had this one and we have loved it. I have it hanging in the car by her car seat too so my eldest will turn it on once she starts crying.
Sound Machine in our Bedroom – since she sleeps in our room now, we got this sound machine for our room and it’s been great! I had been wanting this one and am soo glad we went with the cheaper one. It does what it needs to do and is so easy to travel with too!
Postnatal vitamins – don’t judge me, but I was so ill-informed with my first two and didn’t know I should be still be taking vitamins post birth! I now take a postnatal probiotic, my prenatal, collagen, fenugreek and vitamin d. Most of my vitamins are from Mary Ruth’s Organics! Use OLIVIA20 for a discount.
Changing clutch for my purse – an absolute game changer! I love having this in my purse if I don’t want to bring my entire purse everywhere. Use OLIVIA10 for a discount.
Don’t forget to check out my original BABY MUST HAVES blog post here.
That’s it! Hopefully that helps any of you new mamas out there.
Wowwwwww. It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these! I was doing these (almost) weekly for YEARRRRS but then all of the sudden haven’t done one since January (?!)
I genuinely love doing a round-up each week and always love reflecting on what I loved a year ago or two years ago or three and realized if I love doing them, well, I am going to keep doing them!
Here are this weekend’s Weekend Links. Hope you enjoy and are having the best 4th of July weekend!
Top Links from This Past Week:
Freya Sweater Set – I bought this sweater set in Oatmeal and now want it in every single color! It’s soo good. I got an XS. The waistband is pretty tight on me. See a picture of me in it HERE.
IceFlow Flip Top Stanley – DUH! These are the best. I have the 30 oz and the 20 oz and love them both. My kids drink water out of their 20 oz ones every single day!
Summersalt SALE! – the magical 30% sale is (somehow) STILL GOING ON!!! Go snag a cute suit for summer or a coverup. See a roundup of my favorites HERE.
Imogene Sweater Set – another sweater set we all seem to be loving. Getting me excited for fall?!
It’s 4th of July weekend and that means one thing.. it’s time for the COCONUT ALL AMERICAN CAKE. Tag me if you make it.
If you’ve been wanting a good Weekender bag… if you buy one today, you’ll get a FREESatchel bag!!! I love using the Satchel bag as my diaper bag but you can easily use it as an everyday bag too! It’s honestly such a good deal and you’ll save $140!
Geometry House is doing a huuuuge sale this weekend. They only do this sale twice a year! But sitewide is 20% off (excluding Not Paper Towels, Beach Towels and Dishcloths) but my discount code OLIVIABETH15 STACKS to make it 35% off!! My favorites are the Bar Towels for cleaning and the Tea Towels for decorating. You’ll love them!
I can’t seem to stop listening to THIS ALBUM. It’s just so perfect for summer 🎶
Ever since my youngest was born, my daughter and I have been obsessed with watching “cooking videos” every morning together in bed. They’re the Stories on THIS INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT and it’s so cute to see how much my daughter loves her and the recipes. We are now wanting to buy THIS COOKBOOK asap.
The Nordstrom Sale is coming up and I am thinking I am finally going to pull the trigger on THIS BABY.
I can’t even begin to explain the love I have for THIS HOME. My dreammmm.
Today is Madewell’s last day of 40% shirts, shorts, and swim! Shop their sale HERE!
Will and I are currently watching THIS SHOW together and are loving it. It’s intense! And scary! You’ve been warned.
That’s all for this week! Stay tuned for more fun coming 🥳 Thanks for being here.
