2017 | Dearest Lou

Sephora Holiday Favorites

Disclaimer: This post is a collaboration with  Sephora inside JCPenney. All opinions are mine alone. #SephorainJCP #SoWorthIt
Anyone else a procrastinator when it comes to holiday shopping? I’m the worst and just barely starting shopping this last weekend! One of my favorite places to shop is JCPenney. I love that they have a little bit of everything and it’s a one stop shop for my holiday shopping needs.

I’m a huge fan of their fashion and beauty products. When it comes to beauty, Sephora inside JCPenney has the best makeup, fragrance, and skincare products. I love this time of year because Sephora releases wish-list worthy exclusive gifts at a fraction of the retail cost.

Here are some behind-the-scenes photos of me shopping at my local Sephora:

These are some of the products I purchased for some special ladies in my life. I don’t want to disclose who since I know they read my blog (;
Sephora Favorites Kit- Get Glowing $42 ($123 value)- This is a limited edition kit that is new and exclusive to Sephora. It has a little bit of everything to reveal a more youthful-looking glow. It includes mini moisturizers, masks, treatments, and more. It includes some of my favorite skincare products. I love that the products are travel-size which makes it super convenient for traveling. Something I find difficult when traveling on planes or road trips is bringing my skincare essentials with me.
Urban Decay Naked Skin Shapeshifter $45- This is a three-in-one complexion palette. I LOVE this palette since it includes both powder and cream options. It is perfect for contouring and highlighting. It is lightweight and perfect for everyday use.

Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray Duo $42 ($64 value)- I was gifted my first makeup setting spray a little over two years ago and have been hooked ever since. I love this product and I know the ladies in my life I bought this for will too. My makeup stays on my face all day with this spray. I’m planning on individually tying a bow on each of these and gifting them to 2 friends.

Quantities are limited on their amazing gift sets, so run to your local Sephora inside JCPenney for your last minute holiday shopping needs.

Throwback to Summer 2017 Featuring Spanglish Heart

Modern Madre All Black Snap Back c/o || Cozy Blanket c/o

Throwback to green grass, pink hair, and warm summer evening cuddles with my boys. My sweet friend Melissa sent us some goodies from her shop, Spanglish Heart, earlier this year.

Modern Madre Snap Back Hat ($19)- I absolutely LOVE this hat. I wear it 3-4 times a week and own both the black on black version and the white and black.

Superstition Blanket ($24)- These blankets come in a variety of colors and I love the color Melissa sent me. I can't even begin to tell you how many times we have used this blanket.

I'm going to work on catching up on some old posts from earlier this year throughout the week so be sure to come back tomorrow.

Breast Feeding Thoughts + Prolacta Bioscience

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Prolacta Bioscience. All opinions are mine alone. This post shares my experience with breastfeeding along with information for mamas who may deliver a preemie. It is not intended to shame mothers who cannot, or have chosen not to breastfeed.
Shop my look: Top || Jeans || Sandals || Watch
Shop A's look: Romper
I’m very passionate about breastfeeding. I think it’s so cool that a woman's body can create liquid gold for their little one. With both of my boys, my goal has been to breastfeed through the one year mark and then wean whenever they are ready.

Now that Adrien has passed the one year mark I’m noticing more people saying that I can “finally stop breastfeeding him.” This comment started about the time I began incorporating solids into his diet and has become more frequent in the last couple months.

I love the bond Adrien and I share when nursing and I personally don’t understand why it’s such a common practice here in the US to wean babies off of breast milk before THEY are ready. There are so many benefits to human milk in the earliest days of life and even beyond year one. I gently started weaning Zaden when he showed signs of being ready around 18 months and am planning on doing the same for Adrien when HE shows signs of being ready. Breastfeeding helps me to slow down and live in the present and enjoy my baby while I still can.

Breast milk isn’t just beneficial for full-term babies. For the tiniest premature babies born too soon, breast milk is even more important. Which brings me to why I’m teaming with Prolacta Bioscience on this sponsored post today.

Prolacta reached out to me to help spread awareness to expectant parents on the importance of breast milk-based nutrition in the NICU and beyond. This article explains more about why human milk matters.

While breast milk alone is sufficient for a full-term baby, preemies need their breast milk “fortified” with additional protein, calories and minerals to help them grow. To provide this added nutrition, NICUs use  something called human milk fortifier (HMF). But don’t let the name fool you!

Did you know that nearly all HMFs are made with cow milk?! Often, because cow milk contains foreign proteins, some babies and especially preemies, struggle to adjust to and digest cow milk in their diets.
This can cause serious complications, like NEC (necrotizing enterocolitis), a leading cause of death for preemies (see study here and here).

But there is an alternative. Prolacta Bioscience makes fortifiers using 100% human milk from moms who donate their excess breast milk. How amazing is that?

This video shares one family’s story and a special message detailing the difference 100% human milk-based fortifiers make for preemies in the NICU. This video brought me to tears. If you find yourself or someone you love with a preemie in the NICU, ask your doctor about Prolacta.

Staycation at Stein Eriksen Lodge

We were compensated with a free one night stay at Stein Eriksen Lodge, all opinions expressed are 100% my own.
Earlier this month we had the opportunity to do a staycation over at Stein Eriksen Lodge! This was our first time staying there and it was absolutely incredible. 

When we arrived we were greeted by a valet service and staff eager to unload our bags. Our car was quickly valeted to their underground parking garage and our bags brought to our room. The staff was amazing, I have never felt more welcomed at a hotel in my life. Everyone was so friendly and accommodating to our needs. A lovely member of the staff escorted us to our room and briefly showed us around.
The grounds were beautiful. There were great views of the surrounding mountains and the lodge captured a homey feel.

We learned Stein Eriksen Lodge has an awesome shuttle service. They shuttled us down to main street and dropped us off in front of our destination. We didn't have to worry about parking or navigating the unfamiliar city. We were surprised to hear the shuttle service will also come pick you up where ever you may be on main street.
We arrived a little later than expected and had plans to hang out with Fati and Ben for the evening. Take a look at the fun we had around Main Street:
Dress-Brickyard Buffalo || Hat- Brooklyn Hat Co. || Boots- Famous Footwear

Later that night my in-laws dropped off Adrien and we had a little one on one time with our youngest babe. It was so fun watching movies on the big screen TV while Adrien excitedly explored our room. The room was cozy and perfect for our overnight stay. I really loved the black out curtains that allowed us to sleep in and take our time in the morning.

We didn't have a chance to check out their restaurant or spa but it's definitely on our bucket list for next time (;
We had an amazing staycation at Stein Eriksen Lodge and hope to return again soon.

#StepForward with Famous Footwear

Thank you to Famous Footwear for kindly sponsoring this post. All opinions are 100% honest & completely my own.
"Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success." 

Famous Footwear has challenged me to #stepforward and set a goal for myself. Something I have been lacking to do as of late is get ready in the morning (or at all😂). Days when I actually get up before my boys and take a little me time to pray, read my scriptures, and get ready are my most successful days! Now I know that getting ready isn't everyone's secret for success but it's something small I can do to help me be more productive during the day.

Ever since becoming a mama, my style has transitioned to only wear pieces that are comfortable. I will not choose fashion over comfort... ever. There's nothing more annoying than trying to take care of my boys in uncomfortable clothes. When it comes to shoes I know I can count on Famous Footwear for cute and comfortable shoes. They carry a huge selection of big names that I know and love.

My go-to booties that help me feel like a "cool mom" are these Westin Booties. The side-cut out trend is something I'm really digging right now and I hope sticks around for a while. I also love that these are slip on shoes. I rarely do ties, buckles, or any of that nonsense. The cushioned comfort footbed makes these perfect every day shoes. I have worn these while shopping around for hours without any problems whatsoever! I also love the chunky two inch heel that gives me a little bit of height without sacrificing any comfort.

These booties are perfect for a busy mom who doesn't want to sacrifice comfort for style.

Outfit details:
Dress
Hat
Booties