I cannot believe our big trip to the South of France has already come to an end.

After all, we were really only there for a quick 6 nights. We spend 3 nights on Holo Kai, a sail boat and then another 3 nights at Hotel du Cap. It was honestly the trip of a life time. Grant and I kept saying every day how amazing it all was. To give you a little rundown of our itinerary, I’ve shared where we ate most days. We pretty much posted up at Hotel du Cap the entire time toward the end because it was so magical and we never wanted to leave.

In Saint Tropez we ate at Le Cafe for dinner the first night. On our first day we hit up the popular Club 55 for lunch and then headed to LouLou’s for drinks. Both were amazing, but our absolute favorite lunch spot was Gigi’s. We ended up dancing and honestly had the best time {even just the two of us!}. Dinner on night two was at Le Opera. This is a great choice if you are coupled up because there is an “avant-guard” show to be entertained by. On our last night in Saint Tropez, we ate at an amazing sushi place called Kinguwa. It was very romantic and had great views!

After departing Saint Tropez, the boat cruised toward Hotel du Cap but not before we had one of the most memorable lunches ever. La Guerite is a truly special and once in a lifetime place that I will never forget having lunch at. The island is only accessible by boat and feels so remote, yet f-u-n. In case you missed the excitement on my Instagram, we sat right next to Beyonce, Jay-Z and their family. It was a struggle to keep my phone tucked away but we wanted to protect their privacy and allow them to have fun too. Well, that and they had a lot of security guards and it would have felt super awkward to pull my phone out and ruin their moment.

And what can I say about Hotel du Cap other than: WOW! If this place is on your bucket list of destinations then I would for sure leave it as a must see. I’ve been dreaming of going here for years and not a single moment was a disappointment. Our final dinner at Hotel du Cap’s infamous “Le Roc” was one of the best meals we have ever had! It was the picture perfect destination to spend our 10 year wedding anniversary. We even had some special photos taken {I’ll be sharing those soon!}.

In case you missed it, here’s everything I packed on my trip!

My  monthly “life updates” have started to feel like more generic family newsletters.

You know, those holiday newsletters you get from family members who really just offer up a cliché round-up of everything amazing that they accomplished that year. Sometimes they will sprinkle in a hardship or two, but it’s really just one big pat on their back for how they handled said hardship and came out the other side.

I thought that today, rather, I would offer up an honest update on what’s been happening inside my walls.

I’m in a style rut

Outside of the occasional “fake it ’till you make it” outfit you see on my Instagram and the few and far between dinners that I’ve been scheduling for myself as an excuse to get dressed, I have a confession to make: I am in sweats 24/7. I don’t know what is wrong with me but I’m in a huge style rut. I don’t want to put on make-up, I don’t want to get dressed and I don’t even want to dry my hair.

I’m hoping that when we go on this big trip to Europe it lights a fire under my ass because right now I’m totally accepting a healthy style regime of work out clothes and Lake Pajamas.

June is Sick

In case you missed the big fat announcement on IG, June is sick with an awful head cold. I’m don’t sugar coat it to anyone when June is sick because it really does take our entire family down for the count. She sleeps in bed with us, she cuddles with us nonstop and I have zero boundaries, rules, or tough love in my house when June is sick. All bets are off when she doesn’t feel good. Ice cream at 1pm? You’ve got it June bug! Whatever it takes to get her feeling better. Therefore, work, fitness, relationships, friendships, and anything and everything all fall by the waist side until she is feeling better. It really feels like we’re somewhat paralyzed when this happens.

We had planned to spend this week up at the lake house and against my better judgement, I pushed us to continue our trip on Sunday. I drove June all the 1.5 hour way up the mountain and then the next day we turned around and came home. I could tell she really really not feeling well once we got up to altitude. I had pushed her too hard.

Luckily, she seems to be rounding a bit of a corner as of yesterday. He fever is spreading out, snot is slowly down and cough is steadying.

I’m Over My Book

I know I shouldn’t say it, but I’m sick of writing my book. I have absolutely loved the process and I could not be more excited to release my book come Spring 2022 but right now, the entire thing makes me kind of want to throw up. I’ve just looked at it too much. I’m sick of it. I’m terrified by it. I’m disgusted by it. I’m excited over it. I’m all the things.

Opening A Store

A very secret project that Grant and I have been working on behind the scenes that no one knows about is to open a PERMANENT store at Platform in Culver City. Remember back in 2019 when we opened the “By Damsel” temporary Pop Up? Well, the owners of Platform liked it so much that they’re keen to partner with us on opening up a permanent space. I could not be more excited about this endeavor. In all honestly, I’ve been looking for a meaningful way to transition into a profession that feels more tangible and “IRL” (in real life) versus just typing to you guys over my laptop. I’m so thirsty to interact with people in person and to create tangible goods {yes, a product line too!} that this project has me all sorts of jazzed up. The downside is that I am not really sharing about it on social media quite yet. I worry that if I announce it too soon, it will lose momentum and “buzz” by the time we open {late Spring 2022}. More on that to come. . . I trust that my secret is safe with you, my trusted blog readers. x

I’m Really Obsessed with Yoga

I only do it twice a week but I’m having a mad love affair with yoga at the moment. I have not felt this balanced, healthy and centered in YEARS! I really hope that you all are able to find something that you can practice to help you feel grounded during these truly chaotic times in our world.

How are YOU!?

We booked a quick 2 night getaway trip to Cabo this week and it was more than enough time for us to recharge.

The month of July was filled with a lot of family time for us. With our trip to my in-laws ranch, Texas for the 4th of July we focused a lot of our time on the weekends and moments in between with family. June also started school, moved into her big girl bed and recovered from a 3 week long cold. It was all quite a doozy and with very little sleep, it left Grant and I feel quite depleted. Luckily, we were able to book a quick 2-night getaway to our favorite hotel in Cabo, Las Ventanas.

I wish I could have taken every parent along with me who is in need of some R&R. We feel so incredibly spoiled by this trip and didn’t take a single moment for granted.

Below are a few snapshots from our trip and here is everything I wore on the trip:

My Favorite Sunglasses // $40 Straw Tote // Reformation Floral Midi Dress // Faithfull the Brand Polka Dot Dress // Black Bikini Top by Magda Butrym // The Fishnet Sarong // The Sidestroke One Piece in Olive Green // Toteme Striped Sarong // Dior Book Tote

Sound the trumpets, fire up the engine, and get those bottle of champagne poppin’ because Grant and I have officially planned our 10 year wedding anniversary trip.

When we married, 10 years ago in September, we vowed that for our 10 year we would go big. While we had originally dreamed up the idea of doing Bora Bora or Tokyo, given the current circumstances of the world (along with our mood), we finally selected a place that has us both feeling ultra excited.

In early September we’ll be making our way to the South of France (insert party emojis here). I could not be more excited. I’ve only spent a few short time in Nice many, many moons ago. Grant has been to Saint Tropez and has rave reviews.

We’ll be staying on a boat for the first half of the trip and then we’re checking in to the iconic Hotel du Cap Eden-Roc (as seen in the feature image by Slim Aarons). To say that I’m excited is an understatement. This will be our first time back to Europe since 2019 when we spent the summer in Italy. I’m really looking forward to some alone time with Grant, getting inspiration for our travel plans for summer 2022, and exploring a part of the world I’ve never been.

And did I mention the packing? I’m also looking forward to that. Here are a few things I’ve already purchased for the trip: Agua by Agua Bendita Floral Dress {order a full size up} // Johanna Ortiz One Shoulder Maxi Dress // Galvan Midi Dress for Anniversary Dinner Night // Faithfull the Brand // Black Tie Bikini

Have you ever been to South of France? Have any amazing restaurant recommendations or must see places? We will be staying on a boat for the first half so we’ll have some flexibility to move around.

One of the most popular questions I get from fellow small business owners is how to know when it is time to seek additional help.

I started my blog 10 years ago this fall and in the beginning, it seemed like everyone I knew was hiring assistants left and right. It wasn’t until my business was truly standing on its own two feet, about two years in, that I figured out why I needed help. E-mails were going unanswered, scheduled conference calls were being missed, and sponsored posts were being dropped left and right. I simply couldn’t keep up with my own calendar and the output of work started to slowly slip.

Listen, I am really awful at managing and hiring people. After all, I started this blog and my business as a way to avoid working in a red tape environment. I never took any management courses in school, never in a million years dreamed that I would be responsible for managing a staff, and I am not the best at hiring. I was exceptionally lucky to have found my first few assistants, but in between a rough patch I knew it was time to seek outside help.

One of the strongest things you can do as a small business owner is to come to terms with your weak points and hire people whose strengths outweigh your own weakness.

Once upon a time I somehow got on The Grapevine newsletters where they blast out potential jobs to people. I was always drawn to their listings because they seemed to creative in nature, yet offered stable and “good” jobs in LA and NY. I knew needed help to find someone perfect for my own company, so I reached out to Grapevine.

Lori helped me find my last assistant, Erin, who was with us for nearly 3.5 years. It was an incredible match. Rather recently, Erin spread her wings to become an editor. Without hesitation I reached back out to Grapevine to help us find a great fit and we’ve been so happy since. They made the entire process feel so easy and were able to find a great match for us within 2 weeks! We were also offered peace of mind with the way Grapevine does their secure background checks and industry insights on salary, etc.

Whether you are using an incredible agency such as Grapevine, or hitting the pavement to seek talent on your own, here are my top 5 tips when seeking employees:

1. Make a List

Over the course of a week, make a master list of all the things you hope for your employee to tackle. Any and all things you are hoping to delegate that take up too much of your time should go on this list. This will also help you formalize a job title.

2. Figure out what type of assistant you need

Take a look at the list you’ve compiled and try to find a common theme. Are most of the tasks of personal nature or more administrative? It might involve a little bit of both, and that’s okay. Just be very clear with exactly what type of help you need so you can include it in the job listing.

3. Take Notes

During interviews, be sure to take a lot of notes. You’ll be surprised by how much you may forget when you are stacking interviews back to back.

4. Get Creative With Interviews

Sometimes I’ll ask candidates for a list of people they are following on Instagram. Or, I’ll give them a random question to shake things up and see how they respond. It’s a quick and easy way to get a gauge on someone’s personality.

5. Don’t Settle

The worst mistake you can make is settling on someone that you think might end up working out in the long run. Trust your gut and at the end of the day, hold out for the right person… not the right person right now.

Do you have any pro tips for hiring? Leave a comment below!

There we so many things to celebrate this weekend in Concan, Texas.

Firstly, the fact that we were even able to travel to Texas for the 4th of July felt amazingly freeing, liberating and joyful. After being so carefully locked up for over a year and a half, to have the opportunity to spend time with all 30 of my family members felt like the greatest gift ever.

We all flocked to the hill country area of Texas that I grew up going to as a little girl to celebrate my grandmother, Meme’s, 90 birthday. We also celebrated my dad’s 15th anniversary of sobriety (Go Dad!).

Between all of the swimming, eating and catching up, June had a blast. She dipped her toes into the Frio River for the first time ever and went nuts over the fireworks we set off on the 4th. It was incredibly to watch her eyes light up.

Minus a pretty chaotic travel experience (insert toddler tantrum here), the trip was definitely one for the record books and we made memories that I will treasure forever.

I have always dreamed of staying at San Ysidro Ranch and it exceeded any and all grand expectations that I had.

Now I’m only kicking myself that we didn’t come sooner. Montecito has long been our list of places we would one day love to live. In the meantime, I cannot suggest the San Ysidro Ranch highly enough. It is hands down on my top 3 favorite hotels of the world list {which also includes Il San Pietro and Amangiri}.

Everything from the impeccable service to the incredibly stylish, yet relaxed design was a 10 star review in my book. I couldn’t stop drooling over the delicious food and decor. It was the perfect setting for June, with plenty of gardens and walks to explore.

I cannot wait for the day we get to return!

(this post is not sponsored or gifted)

What We Wore:

Janessa Leone Walker Hat // Dior Book Tote // Zimmermann Floral Dress (Jacey) // Zimmermann Floral Dress (June) // Vineyard Vines Blue Sweatshirt // Vineyard Vines Blue Romper (June) // Splendid White Ribbed Tank // Toteme Wrap // Khaite Cardigan

Hi my name is Jacey and the past two months have been a complete an utter whirlwind.

Where shall I begin?

We Moved

All in all, the move ran exceptionally smooth. We went up to the lake house for 2 weeks while our new house was being worked on. I’ve never been more thankful for Lake Arrowhead than I was during that time. It truly felt like a home away from home. June was also very comfortable there and we were able to avoid having her live in a construction zone.

I was anxious about the transition for June but she did so incredibly well. The first two weeks in our home were incredible. June slept every night without any issues and outside of my closet being built along with a few last minute repairs around the house, we didn’t have a lot of construction going on.

We’ve had several friend groups over for pool days and have been checking out the new area for restaurants and markets. I am obsessed with our new place and I cannot wait to share more about this soon!

We Got Sick

Ugh. The last 10 days or so our house was very sick. June had a head cold and then felt good for one day. Then she got a gnarly 24 hour stomach bug that caused her to run a 103 fever and she slept for nearly 18 hours straight! 

In the meantime, I tore my calf so badly that I could barely walk that week. I also had a IUD procedure done on Wednesday and come Thursday I could barely walk. I received X-Rays and an MRI and had a doctor instill the fear in me that it might be inter muscular lympha. Thank the heavens above that it was just a Grade 2 tear and I’m on the road to recovery!

June slept in the “big bed” with us while she was sick (that’s 9 nights going strong) and we basically were walking around like zombies for over a week.

We Healed

The first party that we’ve attended in a VERY long time was an epic pool party my brother threw for Pride. Even though we were still running on zero sleep and June was still slowly healing, we snuck out for a few hours while June napped to celebrate PRIDE!

About two weeks after sleeping in bed with us, we finally decided that June was fully healed and ready to try out her new “Princess bed.” June has been crawling out of her crib and the mattress is on the floor so we decided she was ready.

To our complete astonishment, we put her to bed and hit a home run on night one. I’m not counting my blessings quite yet as I know this was probably beginners luck but hey, we’re taking this as a WIN!

Book & Travel

Outside of the big transitions at home we have a lot on the forecast that I’m super excited about. My full manuscript is due in a couple of weeks so I’ve been spending every extra second of my time getting to fine tune my book which I’m super excited about. We also have not one, but two trips on the horizon.

Next week we’re heading up to Santa Ynez to see Grant’s family and we’re staying at San Ysidro Ranch. I’ve always dreamed of staying there! For the 4th of July we are headed off to Texas for a very big birthday celebration from my Meme. I cannot WAIT! This will be the first time June has seen a lot of my family since she was born.

How are you guys holding up? Have any fun things planned to look forward to?

Since January, I have been unconsciously making major shifts in my life to reduce stress and anxiety. As someone who has struggled with depression and anxiety for many years, I have always been pr0-therapy and self- help. My moments of depression and anxiety come in seasons. There will be months on end where I feel...

It’s no secret that I am pro-therapy.

Hell I even have an entire “Mental Health” category on my blog. I used to be very ashamed of my struggles with ADHD and postpartum, but then I found that the more I talked about it the less alone I felt. Many of you have shared your stories and it truly helps to feel less isolating when you share.

I was first introduced to therapy in the 5th grade when I developed a fear of going to school. Without diving into the true ins and outs of everything, I later learned through my therapist that I was nervous something bad was going to happen to my parent’s while I was at school {we had a few deaths in the family that year}. Together with my therapist, we created a toolbox that I later used to conquer my fears.

Managing my mental health became a top priority later in life during my marriage. You’ll read more about this in my book, but in order to save my marriage and myself, I dove into a weekly session with my therapist and here I am six years later.

This is the longest, most consistent therapy I have done in my entire life and I’ve never felt better.

Even during my postpartum depression I felt as though I was able to handle it better because I had a support system in place.

Sadly, not everyone has this type of support in place. Which is why I am so proud to partner with Jo Malone London today. For almost 10 years, Jo Malone London has supported those struggling with mental health through their UK charity program, empowering people to recover, reconnect and grow. Today, they are extending their mission to North America with the launch of the White Lilac & Rhubarb candle.

For each White Lilac & Rhubarb Charity Home Candle sold in the U.S. between May 13, 2021 and May 13, 2022, Jo Malone London will donate 70% of the purchase price, less tax, to Fountain House, a leading mental health organization that empowers people to live and thrive in society. The donation will support the growth and expansion of the Fountain House youth initiative and College Re-Entry program, helping students achieve their educational and vocational goals.

Mother’s Day has quickly become one of my favorite holidays.

It’s not because of the amazing fact that my sweet husband and daughter spoil me rotten with breakfast in bed, extra snuggles and home-made cards {that doesn’t hurt!}. It’s because it’s a beautiful day to stop and truly savor the progress that I have made as a new mom over the past few years. It’s also a great moment to truly appreciate the journey of motherhood.

When June was born, I had absolutely no idea what I was in for. As I celebrate my third Mother’s Day this year, I can honestly say that I still have no idea what I’m doing {ha!}. However, I am more comfortable in admitting that now than ever before. Do I have all of the answers? Absolutely not. Do I have days where I break down in tears, feeling like I’m doing a terrible job? You betcha! Would I trade anything in the world over being June’s mom? It’s honestly my favorite thing in the world.

I am so proud, happy, thankful, humbled and incredibly grateful to be celebrating today as June’s mom.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of my fellow mama’s out there… to all of the mom’s, grandma’s, mother’s who have lost children, those who have lost mother’s, those yearning to be mother’s and to mother’s in strained relationships with their child – wishing you all love, peace and happiness today and always.

April felt like one of the craziest months we have had in years.

The U.S. {specifically Los Angeles} is re-opening, we traveled to Cabo for my birthday, we purged, we launched a collection and we adjusted our our sails. Phew!

In many ways, April felt like a whirlwind but it also felt like a nice coast. Aside from a gigantic purge we did with our house, all of the other things we have going on in our lives seemed to fall easily into place which was really nice.

The Great Purge

Our moving date is next week, so we spent the entire month of April slowly, but surely, cleaning and purging and organizing. My goal for the new house is to “begin as we mean to go.” There is not a single rubber band, spoon or t-shirt that is coming to our new house that we do not 100% love, use and feel a need for. Our old house was very good at collecting clutter and this was something that was honestly cluttering up my mind. Grant and I are not known to be “hoarders” or people who have a lot of “stuff.” But in this house there just seemed to be so many closets and drawers full of junk! It felt so good to sell, donate and get rid of the things that do not serve us.

My Amazon Collection Dropped!

The Amazon Drop Collection we launched in April exceeded any expectations I had set. I am beyond thrilled with my partnership with Amazon and the reaction from all of you over the collection. I’m dying to do another one! Please leave a comment below on what types of pieces you would like to see me design. We’re in talks with Amazon about renewing our contract {fingers crossed big time!}. They have been one of our greatest clients to date.

More Life Updates

Family

Life Updates {March}

Family

Life Updates {February}

Still Writing My Book

My full manuscript is due in August so I’ve been spending a lot of time working on my book. I have to say that it’s been a bit draining, emotionally. You will see when the book releases, but there are a lot of deep, personal stories included that I’m having to revisit. I didn’t realize how emotionally taxing this process would be. But at the same time it is also quite therapeutic.

Yoga, Yoga, Yoga!

Oh man do I love my weekly yoga. Right now I’m taking a private 3 times per week with Joe at Urban 728. They stream classes for *free* so be sure to head over to their website here. As someone who has been “pro-therapy” for my entire life, this practice allows me to really focus on putting the mind, body and soul pieces together as one.

Post-Partum // Infertility

I have mentioned a time or two that I will not carry another baby. We froze embryos back in February 2020 as a back up option. Through the process I was advised by multiple doctors against getting pregnant again. It’s something that I *think* I want to write about eventually. Is that something you guys even want to read about? I’m still kind of coming to terms with it all. I think between the pandemic, Polly dying, June growing as a toddler and just “life” getting in the way… I haven’t had much time to truly process these new feelings. But I’m open to sitting down to write about it if that’s something you are interested in.

June

You guys, June is honestly THE BEST. We are so obsessed with her and somehow our love grows for her daily. She’s just so much fun to be around too! Grant and I keep saying how much we just love our little pack. June is desperate for playtime, action and activity. I’m currently looking into signing her up for soccer and she’ll start school in July {which is early for her age}. We are so excited!

That’s pretty much all for now. Are you guys liking these monthly check ins? I feel like it’s a nice time to really connect with you all and let you know what’s been going on in our lives.

Please note that this post is in partnership with Integrative Therapeutics®.

Over the past year, I’ve had several instances occur where it feels like my body is just quitting on me.

I don’t know if it’s stress related to the past year of anxiety, or perhaps it’s the normal weight of being a new parent. Or, let’s not also ignore that I’m officially in my late 30’s and my body is simply starting to slow down.

Regardless, I noticed that over the past 6 months, I started to feel more exhausted and depleted day after day. After a few trial and errors of looking for a “quick fix” answer, I decided to take control over my health and well-being.

Here are a few things I have done over the past 6 months that have truly made a big difference in my overall well being and health. I feel so much lighter, happier and energetic since making these changes.

1. Supplements and Immune Support*

I’ve been working with my Doctor on ways to focus on my health, and one of the things we discovered is that Immune support is a place I could really take action.* I was honestly quite surprised to hear about how little I was taking care of myself in this area and immediately developed a daily immune support regimen that would work best for me.* At the same time, my manager reached out to me about teaming up with Integrative Therapeutics. It was like a sign that I was on the right path! Integrative Therapeutics offers daily immune support, seasonal immune support and symptom relief products with various protocols that suit your needs perfectly.*

I have been taking their daily immune support products for over one month and feel like I’m supporting such a powerful part of my wellbeing – my immune health.* I have so much more confidence in my health and find their programs to be very tailored to my needs and easy to follow.

2. Working Out

I also recently found a brand new workout that I had never been excited about before: YOGA! You guys, I used to “hate” yoga but I found an amazing teacher who truly speaks to my soul. I now practice three days per week and it truly makes me feel amazing. It’s a full mind, body soul experience. Whether it’s hiking, running or even just going on a walk, I hope you can find something that fuels you the way yoga fuels me. It’s quiet, it’s peaceful and it’s an amazing work out! I do hot yoga so I am drenched in sweat after the hour and it feels very detoxifying.

3. Sleep

I don’t know why, but after we had June (two years ago) I have really really struggled with sleeping in. On the days that Grant promises to take over the morning shift {so sweet}, I feel a heavy sense of guilt that is so strong that I can’t even sleep in, even if I try. I pull myself out of bed with the idea that I always need to be awake when June is awake. I was literally running myself in to the ground until about a month ago when something clicked. I slept until 9am one morning and felt like a brand new person. I promised myself that I would take guilt-free advantage of this offer at least once a week and it’s been a true game changer. Speaking of, Integrative Therapeutics also offers a sleep support regimen you should check out if you are occasionally experiencing sleep issues like I am.*

4. Eat

It all sounds so simple, right? Take your supplements, get some sleep, workout and eat right. Somehow, at the end of the day, all of these things feel hard to do consistently. Another area I was letting slip over the past year was my food intake. Junk food was reaching an all-time high when we had bags of chips, frozen pizzas in the freezer and were ordering pasta and carb loaded dinners. We weren’t getting enough vegetables and healthy food options in our system – how could I expect to feel good at the end of the day? You guys, even just after making a few slight adjustments to our diet, Grant and I both feel so much better. We allow ourselves the weekends to eat “whatever we want” and strive to be very conscious during the work week.

How are you taking care of your mind, body and soul these days? 

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

We’re moving. But we’re not just “moving.” We are moving with a toddler.

Insert: Screams, clinginess, pushed bedtimes and added anxiety. Poor June. She has no idea what’s going on but over the past week or so she has definitely felt the energy shift in our household. As sofas disappear {we are selling a lot of our furniture} and boxes start to pile, her levels of insecurities have become obviously high. She’s hitting and has become more “mommy mommy” clingy. She also hasn’t been hitting her usual bed-time which June is typically great about.

I  did a lot of research online about how to handle this transition to make things easier on her. I knew it would be a little rough and that’s okay and to be expected. I’ve explained the move to her, taken her to the new house, reassured her, cuddled her more, etc. etc.. But when I posted about these challenges on Instagram, the infamous Dr. Organic Mommy reached out and offered her amazing services. Why NOT get some expert advice in this new arena we are in?! I was also so excited because I’ve been following her on Instagram for quite some time!

We had our call yesterday afternoon and thought I would post a few key takeaways from our chat.

1. Make a Book & Calendar Countdown

I loved this suggestion! We made June a book when she was having a hard time sticking to her night time routine and it worked like a charm. It makes complete since to print out photos of our current house, new house, and explanations of the changes happening in a book form. You can make it as simple as drawing stick figures {which I did the first time} or even have printed photos and tape them inside. For this move, I actually used Twigtale, which has easy to use templates.

Dr. Organic Mommy also suggested making a countdown calendar for how many sleeps are left before the big move. Because toddlers really have no concept of time, this made complete sense to me! We are already having fun crossing off the days and putting little stickers on the calendar together as part of our bed-time routine.

2. Sit With Feelings

June has been saying things a lot lately like, “Oh no! My Couch!” Before I spoke with Dr. Organic Mommy, we were somewhat brushing her through the space and moving along to the next activity. Rather than dismiss this comment, Dr. Organic Mommy suggested sitting with June as she is expressing her emotions. Next time June says “Oh no! My Couch!” for example, we will respond by acknowledging her feelings. “Yes June, the couch is gone, but we are getting a new couch. (pause)  Our house looks different right now. (pause) It’s okay to be sad that the couch left. (pause).” Pauses are very important because it takes toddlers longer to process their feelings.

“Our home is always you, me and daddy. And we are here with you, always.”

3. Connection Time

During this time, Dr. Organic Mommy suggests finding ways to connect with your little ones, especially if they are being clingy or having a hard time falling asleep. June has been resisting bedtime and has been extra clingy. She suggested incorporating her even more into my activities, such as cleaning up after dinner or brushing my teeth. We always try to incorporate June into our little, mundane day-to-day activities, but are doing this even more now.

4. Visit The New House

Not only did Dr. Organic Mommy suggest introducing June to the new house as much as possible leading up to the move, but she said on moving day to spend as much time as possible in her new room. Read books, cozy up, play and get June very, very used to and comfortable in the space.

5. Give Something To Look Forward To

Our new house comes with a pool which is very exciting for June. It’s all we talk about when we talk about the new house and this gets her nice and excited for the move. If your little one can understand, try and incorporate them in the choices being made for their room. “What color do you want to paint your room” is an easy and popular way to give your little one some sense of control and something to look forward to.

A few more key takeaways that Dr. Organic Mommy gave me when dealing with any and all toddler tantrums, challenges and situations was to remember the 3 parenting mantra’s:

1. It’s my job to keep you safe
2. It’s my job to keep you growing
3. It’s my job to keep you kind

Have you moved recently with a toddler? Have any pro tips to share? Leave a comment below! 

I had a nice, big trip planned last year for Grant’s 40th birthday.

Unfortunately, Covid-19 had other plans for us, along with everyone, that involved cancelling.

So, this April {fully vaccinated and all} we were particularly looking forward to celebrating not only my birthday {April 17th} but an early birthday for Grant {May 4th} and what better place than our favorite place: Cabo!

While we have traveled to Mexico quite a bit, we’ve never stayed at the beloved, cult-favorite, One&Only Palmilla.

As people who love to travel, this hotel has been on our radar {and bucket list} for quite some time. And boy oh boy did it live up to the expectations. Here are a few of my favorite moments. Cheers to 38!

We spent a lot of the weekend relaxing by the beach. It’s so rare to be staying right on a swimmable beach in Cabo, so we definitely took in every second of that.

When we weren’t at the beach, we were by the pool eating the warm chocolate chip cookies. Not to be dramatic, but they changed my life. I also got the nachos poolside at least 3 times over the weekend. Also, life-changing. And again, not being dramatic.

Summersalt

The Ruffle Oasis

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13

Le Specs

Air Heart Sunglasses

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I think my most favorite part of the trip had to have been the private cabana at the hotel {a close second was the outdoor “couples” massage Catt and I got}. They provide food, drinks, sunscreen – pretty much all the necessities to your very own poolside escape. Talk about luxury. I would highly recommend booking this if you’re with a small group of people.

Whether you’re traveling or still working up your post-Covid bucket list, Cabo is always a good idea, and I can now confirm the Palmilla is as well.

If you could travel anywhere right now, where would you go? And let me know if you have any questions about this trip in the comments below!

Do you guys use CBD?

My amazingly chic friend, Courtney, launched her equally chic CBD line in 2020 {perfect timing}. Whether you want to smoke her pre-rolled joints, take a full dropper of her oil or simply soak in a tub with Stevie’s bath salts and a candle, I am obsessed with everything this brand is doing.

It feels like January, but it’s March.

I think it’s because we were completely stunted and stuck in January 2021 with intense shut downs and scary headlines of Covid-19. We retreated to Texas for a month and now that we are back in Los Angeles with a “sold” sign on our house, there has been a LOT of wheels in motion. Maybe too many wheels, if I’m being honest.

I’m one of those types of people who loves to stay busy. In fact, when I sit still for too long it doesn’t do great things for my mind. I start to feel the walls caving in and like I’m going to explode. However, some times I will admit that I bite off a bit more than I can chew in effort to keep myself from being too still. For me, there’s a nice balance between the two but sometimes I lean too far in one direction or the other and either sit “too still” or move “too fast.”

Lately, I’ve been back pedaling to get back to a nice neutral speed because I have hardly even had time to post to this very blog which is my entire life’s work {and that makes me sad}. So, I figured that since it’s Monday I would start the week off with a fresh update on what’s been going on in our house.

1. We’re Moving

Okay, so you know that. But as we’ve been answering questions and tying loose ends with our current house, we’re also working our faces off on making big decision on our new house! Between design meetings with our gates designer and meetings with our contractor on changes we want to do such as new paint, tiles and building some walls/architectural details, it’s been a lot of work behind the scenes. I definitely want to share this all with you when the time is right, but we’ve been going back and forth and back again on a lot of these decisions and are spending countless hours on research. Grant and I made the choice to tackle this project 100% on our own, just like we did on our previous house project. So it’s all hands on deck for the design, furnishings and build out.

Speaking of house stuff, our kitchen was featured in the March issue of Good Housekeeping! (See photo below)

2. Postpartum Blues

It’s been over two years but I’m still dealing with a lot of … stuff. I’m going to do an update blog post about this subject very soon but as I continue to go to doctors appointments and specialists, I’m still trying to really zero in on a treatment option that is best for me. I briefly shared my more recent sadness on Instagram after a yoga class. I shared how I was feeling sad because I was really coming to terms with the emotional aspect of not being able to carry another child on my own. This is something I definitely plan to write more about – in depth, soon.

3. Mental Wellness

Speaking of postpartum complications, the one true saving grace that I’ve been enjoying thoroughly lately is YOGA! You guys, I used to despise yoga. I just didn’t get it (see: Jacey hates sitting still). But  after my girlfriend convinced me to give it a try, I fell completely in love. I started with once a week, one hour, hot yoga with Joe at Urban 728 Yoga in Los Angeles (he does live streams too). I truly think it’s the instructor that makes yoga amazing. I am so hooked. I’ve now upped my game to three days per week and if I could manage more, I would. It’s been a saving grace. Additionally, as I’ve always shared, I’m still talking to my amazing therapist Kathryn once weekly and she’s been working on with me for over 4 years.

4. June Started Ballet

I cannot handle how cute June is right now. She’s speaking full on sentences, understands negotiation and reason. I don’t know how it’s possible that I love her more today that I did yesterday. It just keeps getting better and better.

5. Other Projects

We’ve gone up to check on the Lake Arrowhead project a few times over the past few weeks. I’m also knee-deep in trying to get my manuscript for my book complete by August and we’re close to my clothing collection launch for Amazon! My birthday is coming up in April {right after my Amazon launch}, so Grant and I are trying to plan a trip to Cabo {hip hip hooray} to blow off some steam.

How are you guys doing? Are parts of the world, wherever you are, starting to open up where you live? What do you week to weeks look like lately? 

I don’t know if you noticed, but I took down the travel category on my main menu last year.

Man do I miss travel. I miss the flights, the food, the smells of checking in to a clean hotel and I even miss the bustling cities filled with traffic and bumping in to strangers. I miss the inspiration I drew from my trips and the days I would lost inside a temple, a park or a conversation with a local.

It just pained me to even think about travel during 2020. So, I simply reconfigured our lives by taking the topic completely off the table. To give you frame of reference, prior to the pandemic we would travel 2-3 times per month on average. I understand this is insane for most people, but it was very much a part of our job, our lives and our way of living.

Yesterday I spoke with one of my favorite travel PR firms, Laura Davidson, about the landscape of luxury travel in particular. I took a poll on Instagram and 88% of my followers said they would love to hear my thoughts the topic.

So, here are a few key take aways from our discussion.

Please note that this post is not intended in any way to strike up a debate about whether or not it is considered “safe” to be traveling during 2021. I am not saying that you should or should not be traveling. This is simply a forecasting post for when and if you choose to take a trip in 2021, what trends I’m thinking are on the horizon.  If this post feel triggering to you at all, I invite you to not read it.

Optics Count

The reality is that people have been traveling a lot sooner than they are sharing on their Facebook, Instagram and other social media channels. I have a lot of friends and people in my life who have been secretly taking trips and not posting about them. From an optics perspective, as influencers start to travel in 2021, I think they need to be very cautious and careful about how and when they are sharing these trips. People will make mistakes, they’re only human, but in the defense of a lot of social media influencers and bloggers, this is a huge part of how we make an income. I would suggest not entirely flashing your trip in the face of your readers. Sensitivity is key. I also think that sharing how different the experience is now, versus a year ago, will be interesting for many people to see as they are considering trips.

The majority of the world is still not in a position to be traveling. I would also suggest giving your community the option to subscribe or unsubscribe to your travels this year. Seeing a photo of someone on a beach can be very triggering for a lot of people right now. But as the world starts to slowly reopen, I do believe that influencers will begin to travel as early as this spring. That might feel a little too soon to their “followers”. But I can also confidently say that “influencers” are usually a few months ahead of most trends. So while you might not feel 100% ready to take a trip, you might start to think about it in the summer or fall. Travel is coming back – it just might not look the same.

Hotels vs. Home Rentals

I personally feel like people are going to want to stay in hotels {nice ones}. 2021 feels like it will be the year of revenge travel where people say “screw it, I deserve a hotel with room service and house keeping.” We’ve all been cooped up in a house for the past year {and then some}, so I can definitely see a return of the hotel economy. With that said, for people traveling with children and for those who are still struggling with Covid PTSD, the home rental option is a very safe and more accessible route.

Closer Destinations

For east coasters, I expect more Bahamas and BVI’s and for west coasters, I could see more trips to Cabo and Hawaii happening in 2021. In a nutshell, I think travel seekers will be sticking to designations a bit closer to home that require either an easy drive OR one non-stop flight.

Filling Your Cup

It’s interesting: At the beginning of the pandemic I thought to myself that once the world started to put its pieces back together that I would immediately begin planning all of my great bucket list trips. Japan, India and Fiji were all places on my list that I thought about. But now as we slowly step our way out of the pandemic, the kind of trip that I’m really craving includes a glass of wine and bowl of pasta {Italy} or a warm beach {Mexico}. I’ve been really day dreaming about destinations that I have already traveled to, which feels strange. However when I spoke with the Laura Davidson team and my fellow friends, they all said they felt the same way.

I believe that a lot of travelers will go back to a destination that feels familiar to them. I think it’s because there’s a sense of security in knowing where you are going, the hotel you will stay at and what that vacation feels like. It’s less of a gamble and risk of trying a new place that might not necessarily check all of the boxes that you are craving after a year of hell. You know what you are in for, and you deserve it.

Healing Experiences

Last but definitely not least, I think that our travel experiences will be redefined by offering more of a self healing approach to activities and less thrill seeking day-to-day adventures. For example, I don’t know about you, but I am not really in the mood to go on a crazy rock climbing, bungee jumping trip right now. I am desperately craving a mind, body and soul heal from the PTSD that has occurred from Covid. We all need to nourish ourselves right now and I think an amazing way to do so, if you are able and feel comfortable, is through travel. I think we can expect to see more healing experiences such as morning meditation, beach yoga, painting classes or a cooking class. I think that travelers will be looking for experiences that they can take back home with them, to extend the life and feeling from a trip.

Travel allows us time in our lives to hold space for ourselves. It’s a pause. It’s inspiring. It’s uplifting. And It’s down right fun! To me, travel reinvigorates the soul and I don’t know about you, but I am very eager and excited to get back on the map.

Will you be planning any trips this year? Share where you are thinking of going in the comments below! Or if you have traveled recently, please share your insight about that experience below. 

I really do believe that we’re in the home stretch of this pandemic!

We recently teamed up with our friends at Capital One to show you new ways you can enjoy staying home, and earn cash back while you’re doing it – it’s a win-win!

While restaurants, fitness classes and life outside in Los Angeles are all slowly reopening, we are also still being advised to {when in doubt} stay home.

As I hit the one-year mark on my Covid-19 quarantine {wow, a whole year} this week, I thought it would be a nice time to take a walk down memory lane and share different ways I’m working hard to stay excited to stay home.

1. Start A New Hobby

I’m sure you guys started a new hobby during quarantine to try to keep things feeling fresh. But perhaps some of those new activities have fallen by the wayside. As I am currently working on writing my book, I took the opportunity to order new journals, candles and pens to keep my workspace feeling inspired and creative. If you’re looking to revamp a hobby, consider using your Capital One Savor card. Eligible Capital One cardholders can use their rewards to shop millions of items at Amazon.com. Or, customers can seamlessly redeem rewards at online stores when they check out with PayPal, including places like Target, Apple, and The Home Depot.

2. Cook Up Something Fresh

I love checking out new recipes, especially from my favorite foodie blogger, and fellow Capital One cardholder, What’s Gaby Cooking. And for those nights you don’t have the energy to whip out a new recipe, you can always dine in too! Savor cardholders earn unlimited 4% cash back on dining and entertainment, 2% at grocery stores and 1% on all other purchases.

3. Live Presently In The Moment

Lately the COVID fatigue has been hitting really hard. I feel like we’re doing the same thing day in and night out. When it feels like the finish line to something is so close, it’s easy for time to start to crawl by. I’m trying to stay focused on making the most of every single moment by putting my phone away, playing with June and really soaking in this time we have as a family at home.

4. Spoil Yourself

If you told me two years ago that I’d be forced to sit home, be still and try and do “nothing,” I would have made you a list of things I would have looked forward to: reading books, watching movies, cracking open that nice bottle of wine. Somehow, I have blinked and it’s been a year of staying home and I haven’t really done much in terms of, well, doing nothing! Grant and I have been ordering in a lot and binge watching the latest shows, and best of all, we’ve been able to earn rewards on our at-home dinner and movie nights! We always earn 4% cash back on dining purchases with my Savor card, and through April 30, 2021 we are earning 4% cash back on select streaming services including Netflix, Hulu and Disney+.  I’m also really trying to soak in my days by reading more, taking more bubble baths and not feeling so guilty about practicing the art of doing nothing!

How are you trying to make staying home feel more exciting these days? Leave a comment below!

Thank you to our friends at Capital One for partnering on this post. 

Well, well, well… it’s that time of year again and I couldn’t be more fired up about it.

Happy National Margarita Day!

To celebrate this very  important holiday, I am passing along the best classic margarita recipe ever. It’s also so unbelievably easy, This has been my go-to for years and years, and I can’t wait for you all to give it a go this fine Monday! Any excuse to celebrate these days, am I right?

Ingredients

Ice

2 oz blanco tequila {any brand works, so pick your fav!}

1 oz Cointreau

1 oz fresh lime juice

Cointreau

Orange Liqueur

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Enjoy!