friday five: trends I'm loving

dress | bag | sunglasses | shoes

photos by Ban Avenue Photography


Another week has flown by and I can't believe it's almost the weekend (in T minus 3 hours for us, when Zach gets home and we celebrate big time)! I told Z yesterday that while I feel so incredibly happy and blessed with our new family of four, I also feel like I'm struggling to get things done and adjust to our new "normal". My emails rack up to an overwhelming number before I can find the time to answer them, my to-do list keeps getting things added faster than I can mark anything off, and I haven't cooked a meal or taken a walk in two months because I simply can't find the time. I know we will adjust with time and I'll find a balance that works, but at this moment we call it a successful day if Bear isn't more than 15 minutes late to school and I remember to go pick him up. At the end of the day, though, I look at my boys and my heart feels like it could burst. I love being their Mommy more than anything and it's worth every struggle and Sonic run.

In the world of fashion, there are so many styles that I'm obsessed with right now. I've also purchased approximately 87 swimsuits in the past month because I'm dying over all the swim styles right now- high waisted and pom poms FTW. Here are some more trends I'm loving!

1. These sunnies. You've seen me wear these a ton already and I #cantstopwontstop because I love them, no pun intended. They are a great dupe for this designer pair and $10 vs. $508? No brainer on the dupe!
2. Polka dots. My inner 90's child is fired up about the polka dots we're seeing everywhere right now; I can't get enough of them, both big and small. You're going to be seeing a lot more on the blog soon because I just got in some fun polka dot sets I'll be shooting next week!
3. Comfy sandals. This is nothing new, as this is my shoe of choice every spring and summer but this year especially I am living in my Tory Burch Miller Sandals. I have them in "sand patent" but my next choice is "makeup" that I plan on getting sometime before summer. If you're getting a pair for the first time, I recommend one of these two nude shades that will match everything and elongate your legs! Also size a full size up- I'm normally a size 6 and I wear a 7 in these.
4. Wrap dresses. Dresses like the one I'm wearing above are flattering on all shapes, timeless so you can wear them for years to come, and nursing-friendly for breastfeeding mamas like myself. I love the ruffle details so many of them have right now- I've had my eye on this one from Nordstrom for weeks now and I think I'm finally gonna take the plunge (more polka dots, too!).
5. Two-piece sets. This trend started getting big last year but has only snowballed; now you can find adorable two-piece outfits in almost any store you walk into. I just got in some that I love and can't wait to wear! This one and this one are my favorites. 


Boone is currently taking a good nap despite Bear being loud and crazy, so we're gonna keep riding it out and try and get some things done! I'm hosting a baby shower from my friend Aimey tomorrow and have a few things left to do- can't wait to celebrate her baby boy! 
xo, Britt

no shame in the mom game

my swimsuit | earrings | shoes | sunnies
Shelbi's sarong | swim top | swim bottoms | hat | shoes | bag

photos by Ban Avenue Photography


I recently posted a photo on Instagram of myself in a swimsuit and within 5 minutes, had 3 not-so-nice comments criticizing what I was wearing saying that it wasn't an appropriate "mom suit". I'd be lying if I said comments like these don't bother me because I'm a people-pleaser by nature and a pretty sensitive person. I realize that in my field of work, criticism comes with the territory and you have to have pretty thick skin to survive the world of social media as a blogger. However, these comments and messages have started to occur more frequently for me and as a mom I have to wonder sometimes....are they right? Should I be in a black tankini with a matching skirt that goes to my knees? Should I be wearing a hat because sun protection is so important and my kids are learning through my example? Should I not be laying out because it's an invitation for melanoma? There are a million things I could do and million things that I don't do, because I'm not a perfect human. But that's not the point. The point is that as mothers, and women in general, we have got to stop hating on one another.

What we see on social media is only half the story (less really)- I refer to my Instagram as my "highlight reel" for a reason. There's always a big mess behind the scenes, but that's life! What the women who commented on my swimsuit photo on Instagram failed to realize is that I wasn't having a pool day with my kids. One fellow mom wrote: "This is a pretty provocative swimsuit for a pool day with your kids (insert frown emoji)", which has since been deleted because I want my page to be a place of happiness rather than negativity. The real reason we were at the pool at all is because I was doing a photoshoot there, and my boys (Zach included) got to come with me. There wasn't a single other soul there- we had the place to ourselves. Zach was watching both boys (#superdad) while I did photos, so a "mom suit" wasn't needed that day. The only reason Bear was actually getting to swim, and he had the time of his life by the way, is because I was shooting at the location. Had I been able to get in and splash around with him like I normally would, of course I would've chose a suit more comfortable for play. Honestly, it has nothing to do with how "provocative" the suit is....I'm breastfeeding so my boys see my boobs all the time. Bear could care less what swimsuit I have on as long as I'm in the water playing with him. And you know what? I'm not looking around at other moms, judging whether or not their swim attire is "appropriate". Because I'm in my own lane, doing my own thing. As we all should be. I'd much rather be enjoying my time at the pool with my little fishies than worried about what someone else is wearing.

We're currently teaching Bear the timeless Bambi rule- If you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all. It's amazing how many adults struggle with this simple concept. I realize that every outfit I wear is not going to appeal to everyone. In fact, I look back and don't even like certain outfits that I've worn! I don't like everything I see on Instagram; I don't think anyone does. But I would never, ever comment something negative on someone's post because....what's the point? It accomplishes nothing. If you don't like what you see, it's easiest to unfollow someone or just keep scrolling. It's quite simple, really. If something deeply offends you, of course you have a right to say something. But a bathing suit photo shouldn't rock your world to that extent. Rather than pointing out what you don't like, focus on what you do. We should be building each other up, especially as mothers. This parenting job is HARD, y'all. We should be rallying around each other and telling one another "You got this, mama!", no matter what outfit we might be wearing. While it's my job to promote things like clothing, that's so trivial in the grand scheme of things. Our focus as moms should be on raising our babies as best we can and knowing that the mom down the street might do things a little differently, and that's okay. If I see the mom down the street on the struggle bus one day (Lord knows I've been there), I'm going to encourage her and tell her what a great job she's doing. A few kind words could make all the difference in her day.

I want to be better about this....I think back to times when a stranger has paid me a compliment and how much that made my day. I want to be better about giving strangers I pass in the grocery store or the mom I always see but never speak to at baseball practice a compliment. You never know how a kind gesture could positively affect someone and help them in some small way. I'm challenging myself to spread more positivity and do everything I can to stop the mom shaming, because it's a real thing and it's not okay. We're all just doing the best we can as wives, mothers, daughters, friends, sisters, girlfriends, etc. Empowering and encouraging another mom might help them more than you even realize; it means the world every time someone does this for me. If you are a mom and you're reading this post, know that you are doing an amazing job and you should be so proud. You may be exhausted, running on fumes, having your fourth cup of coffee at 10am, and trying to tackle a mile long to-do list, but know that you are killing it. You love your kids, and they know that, and that's what matters. Wear what you wanna wear, do what you wanna do, and keep on mommin'. You got this.

xo, Britt

our morning routine + the car seat you need

To be quite honest, our morning routine these days is a bit of a blur and all over the place. Depending on whether or not it's a school day for Bear (Tues./Wed./Thurs.) we are more rushed some days than others and y'all know that I am not a morning person. I'd love to say that we get up bright and early and have a gourmet breakfast spread around the kitchen table as a family but alas, that isn't so. Zach leaves pretty early, around 7:15am and grabs breakfast on his way out. On Bear's school days, we wake up with just enough time to throw on our clothes, brush our teeth, grab his backpack, and head out the door. He's not much of a breakfast eater, like his Mommy, but I still have him eat some cereal or a Go-gurt (he eats lunch within 2 hours of being at school). 

After dropping Bear off, Boone and I come home and I take 10-15 minutes to straighten up the house with Boone in the swing. Bear is a bit of a tornado, as you can imagine, so there are always lots of toys to pick up! Once I feel like things are somewhat in "order", Boone is usually napping and I sit down at the computer to answer emails and try and get some work done. I haven't been drinking coffee for months now so the struggle is real to stay awake and focus but I try and fight through it. I also eat breakfast during this time because I'm always starving now that I'm breastfeeding. Usually it's a bowl of granola cereal with strawberries or a piece of pumpkin bread (my Mom made me a ton of loaves when she was here after Boone was born and we froze them- best thing ever). The morning flies by and we're usually off to run errands and meet friends for lunch before picking Bear up from school. 

On these busy mornings, the one thing I love not having to worry about is safety. My "mom brain" is in full effect and with the new Sirona M with SensorSafe 2.0, I know Boone will be riding safely to our destination. 

Originally developed to prevent the rising number of infant hot car deaths, Sirona M with SensorSafe 2.0 goes a step further to monitor the well being of Boone while I'm driving. The Sirona M with SensorSafe 2.0 sends an alert through both the vehicle receiver and the my cellphone if I were to accidentally leave Boone in the car, if Boone unbuckles himself while I'm driving, if the back seat has become too warm or too cold, and if Boone has been seated for too long —all through a user-friendly app, that also provides guidance on installation, how-to videos, FAQ’s and more. It's genius and provides so much peace of mind to this mama who often forgets what day it is- I need all the help I can get!

On our busiest of mornings, I love knowing that Boone will be safe despite the rush we're almost always in. The car seat is also very comfy- he doesn't cry at all when we put him in it and almost always falls asleep within 5 minutes of driving. If you're another Houston or city mom, you'll especially love the safety alerts because driving in traffic can be stressful and I'd hate to think Boone unbuckled himself without me knowing, or that Bear accidentally pressed a button and turned the heat on in the back seat when it's 110 degrees out. 

I thought installing the car seat would be difficult because of it's advanced technology but it honestly couldn't have been easier. We had it hooked up in less than two minutes and the SensorSafe app is free and very user-friendly. The Sirona M with SensorSafe 2.0 also goes up to 65 pounds or 4 years, so it will last us a long time and is still reasonably priced around the same as other car seats on the market right now that don't provide all of these amazing safety features. For us, it was a no brainer to get the Sirona M with SensorSafe 2.0. Easy to use, super safe, and looks good in my car. :) Winning all around!

Hope you've had a great weekend!
xo, Britt


*Thank you to Cybex for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.