Replicating Swig Drinks at Home (+4 Other Things I’ve Learned Recently)

I promise I haven’t meant to fall off the end of the earth lately — it’s just that apparently getting ready to move, trying to do a bajillion house updates, and taking care of the three kiddos (especially during the week when my husband is staying away from us because he’s still working at the …

Why Tracking My Net Worth Has Been a Game-Changer (& Why I Think Everyone Should Do It)

If you would have asked me what associations I had with the idea of tracking my net worth a few years ago, I might have told you that it conjured up images of Prince John in the Disney movie Robin Hood–in other words, someone who greedily counted every coin and dollar and was constantly thinking …

Lazy Gardening Hacks Learned From Our First Year of Having Our Own Yard/Garden

Here in Northern Utah, the nights are getting COLD, and the days are pretty brisk as well (we’ve been around 45 degrees for a lot of today). As it’s clear that our growing season is quickly coming to a close, and I’ve been harvesting the last of our vegetables and trying to savor the joy …

What Your Photographer REALLY Wishes You Knew Before Taking Family Pictures

Historically, fall has always been (by far) the busiest season for family photographers, at least around here. With the trees bursting into fall colors and the temperatures down to a more comfortable range, autumn has always been the darling of the family photography world. This year marks my fourth year in the world of doing …

How to Cut the Fat of Almost ANY Baking Recipe In Half

I grew up in a very health-conscious home: my mom carefully planned our meals to include lots of fruits and vegetables, we ate a lot of whole-grain stuff before it became super popular, and our meals followed the USDA’s “My Plate” recommendations long before the official nutritional guidelines were released. So, you’d better believe that …

How I Taught Myself to Be Tidy (in 3 Steps!)

Ask any person who has ever lived with me (especially my college roommates and/or my mother), and you will quickly learn that I was not exactly the cleanest person growing up (or throughout my college days). While I’ve always known HOW to tidy up and the importance of BEING tidy, I’ve just always had a …

My Latest Life Hack to Up My Motivation (that cost me less than $5!)

I’ve found that it’s often the goals that scare me the most (and the goals that I usually want the most) that are the ones which are hardest to follow through on. It probably stems from my tendency to be a perfectionist (aka, why try at all if it’s not going to turn out exactly …

The Best Moving Tip I Ever Got

    Well, it’s almost here—The Big Move is TOMORROW. Kind of crazy. Although I’m no stranger to moving (I’ve moved over 15 times since graduating high school), this move feels more momentous. For one, it’s our first time moving into an actual house. For two, moves are a lot harder once you’re married and …