Happy Wednesday, yall! Today’s post is a little different around here! I asked you guys to ask me questions and I picked 32 to answer for my 32nd birthday! Being in the 30s isn’t quite as bad as everyone makes it out to be, but I just wanted to share a little bit more about our life and what goes on behind Little Lovelies!
I chose 32 of the frequently asked questions and here are the answers:
1. What is your job title?
I’ve been into style my whole life (with a few years of lapse in judgement when I wouldn’t give up Tweety Bird tees and barrettes in my hair…as my parents told me), but I started this blog back in January 2012 as a New Year’s Resolution! It has accidentally (or by the Grace of God) turned into a daily place for people to come! Never in my wildest dreams did I believe this would be what it is!
3. How do you manage a successful blog and take care of two kids! Do you have a babysitter or help?
4. What is your morning/daily routine?
I wish I could say I had some life-changing routine but basically I’m just a mom trying to get by! I don’t wake up before my kids do (unless it’s a school day) and I am frazzled for 90% of the day, but we manage! I am usually up making breakfast + coffee (ALL THE COFFEE) and then while they eat and have morning play time, I work. Then, I’m playing…making lunches…wiping hineys….trying to sneak in a few bites that aren’t the crusts from my kid’s PBJs…until nap time. While they nap (which is scheduled and at least 2 hours long) I manage to whip out as much work as I can! I am intermittently answering emails and signing contracts, etc and playing/tending to them during the day. My goal this year is to have a “work schedule” and only work during those hours. I need my husband to be back home for that to happen though, so hopefully SOON!
5. How long were you blogging before it became your full time job?
4.5 years. I would say I was making income around year 3, but not enough for it to be considered a full time job. Last year was the first year (year 5 of blogging) that I made a substantial income for our family.
6. What do you get out of blogging?
The community is the best part of blogging. I LOVE meeting women that are in the same stage as me. I love helping women find outfits that make them feel good! I love getting to meet up with other bloggers that I talk to daily! It’s the community that has kept me going and READERS!! You guys are what makes this so worth it. It’s just icing on the cake that I’m able to have this as my job!
7. Is there anything you regret [don’t like] about blogging?
I don’t love the time that it takes away from my husband and the girls, but it’s one of those jobs that you get out what you put in. I can’t just sit back and do nothing and expect to make my income. We have also learned that in order to understand that I’m not taking away time from my family is to treat this as a job; which it is. A full time (and a half) job.
8. Does your husband get bothered by the fact your on your phone a lot because of your job?
I think at first it was hard. I wasn’t very good a balancing my time (and am still learning) but I think it got a little easier once he was seeing that it became a job and I was making money + bringing opportunities and experiences for our family that we would have never had before this!
9. Do you have any tips for someone starting their own blog (increasing traffic, turning it into a business, etc.)?
Be consistent! Consistency is EVERYTHING. Once you start being consistent and letting your readers KNOW what to expect from you, people will start coming back for more.
10. What camera do you use?
I have a Canon 80D for my professional camera, just got the Canon G7 x Mark ii for video and also shoot with my photographer and friend, Lissa Anglin for blog photos. My iPhone photos are taken with the iPhone X. I edit in LightRoom and VSCO.
Personal
11. What is something not many people know about you (i.e. hidden talents, quirks, pet peeves, momfessional, etc.).
Growing up on a farm in the panhandle of Texas, my dad always wanted me to farm, be a barrel racer and rodeo….I was the opposite. I loved cheering, gymnastics and dance. I even accidentally drove a tractor into a fence and a truck off a cliff once. I think it was then he realized that I was no farm girl! 😉 I competed with gymnastics through Level 7 when I was in 6th grade and then started cheer and competitive cheer in 7th grade through college!
As for hidden talents…hmm….I can pick things up with my toes? That’s so weird. IDK why I told yall that. I can’t whistle. I HATE DIET DRINKS. I also cannot stand sweet tea (I know, totally UN-Texan and UN-American of me). I have quite a few pet peeves…and momfessionals are a mile long! 😉
12. What is your greatest passion in life?
My family! 100%. I have a strong faith in Jesus, and I also hope that that is shown through my daily life!
13. What failure/insecurity have you learned from the most/overcome?
Caring what people think! I am a people-pleaser through and through, but having this space has taught me to have thick skin. I’ve always said, if I’m helping ONE person it’s all worth it.
14. Have you always lived in Texas?
Yes! I’m a Texas girl at heart and will probably live no where else! #TexasForever
15. Would you ever consider going back to teaching? Do you miss it?
I do miss teaching at times. I taught Kindergarten for 4 years and do miss parts of it. I don’t miss so many parts of it as well, but definitely loved the kids and families that I got to know and love. I think God has me right where He wants me, and I don’t have the desire to go back. I wouldn’t mind teaching teachers someday, or teaching in another form – but I don’t feel called to be back in the classroom!
16. How did you and your husband meet?
We met in college! Brett jokingly asked my dad to marry me after we met for the first time and then I started dating someone else! Ha! A year later, we connected at WTAMU Homecoming (I cheered and he wore ridiculous overalls on an Ag float in the parade) and started talking! He told me about asking my dad if he could marry me and I told him maybe we should actually go on a date before we got married! Ha! I need to write a post on this – such a funny story! 4 years later, he proposed and we’ve been together since! 11 years and counting!
17. What does your husband do for a living?
Brett runs a cotton gin! I actually plan to do some videos on this soon because I’ve mentioned it in IG stories here and there and I think many of you are confused on what a cotton gin is! So, it’s where all of the cotton that the farmers harvest gets processed to make into cotton bales. From there, the bales are sold and made into our clothes! It’s a pretty cool process, and he works really hard! His busy time is October – February (which leaves me as a gin/harvest widow for those months).
18. How do you get quality time/have dates nights given he has such a busy schedule?
We don’t get to do much during his busy season. He gets home very late and leaves very early, but we make up for it in the other months! We’re excited to get away just the two of us in a few weeks!
19. Will you have more babies? If so will you stick with an “L” name?
We hope (I hope – Brett isn’t 100% convinced) to have more children! We don’t know about names. Probably depends on the gender, but I doubt we can think of another L name we love! haha!
20. How did you come up with your girls names?
Laikyn Cree – We couldn’t decide on a name and I found the name Laykin in a baby book! We both finally agreed that was it at around 30 weeks (I know…late) and then my mom came up with her middle name because she saw it on American Idol! Ha!
Lennyn Kate – Brett actually did not like “Lennon” at all. I had to convince him…he wanted to name her Lainey. I wouldn’t give in and then finally at 34 weeks he went on a bachelor party trip to Vegas and I said…I’m naming her Lennon – do you like Lennyn or Lennon? He chose Lennyn and named her Kate for middle name after his sister. I love her name so much! I actually found the name Lennon from the sisters on the show Nashville – Lennon and Maisy Stella!
21. Can you tell us all about Tucker?
Tuck is our Great Dane that we’ve had for 5 years now! He will actually be 5 next month on February 19th! He is THE BEST…he’s been kind of naughty lately but I think it’s because Brett hasn’t been home and he knows I’m a softie.
Diet/Exercise
22. What is your favorite (easy) dinner recipe?
I’ve been sharing more of these on IG stories lately! I need to compile them into a post. The Easy Pork Tenderloin recipe is always a go-to that we all love around here!
23. What do you eat on an average day?
What don’t I eat? I literally eat my kids crusts of their PBJs for lunch. Usually I live on too much coffee + leftovers. Ha!
24. Do you workout? If so what is your routine?
I don’t exercise regularly. I wish I could say that I did, but we don’t have a gym with childcare and I can’t motivate myself to workout at home. I am very active chasing two toddlers and try to find time to do lunges through the house or walk an extra mile with the stroller. I think that’s the only way I’ve stayed fit!
Beauty
25. How is your skin so smooth and flawless? What are your favorite skin products (moisturizers, anti aging, facials, peels?
I think it’s a genetics thing. I use Rodan and Fields as well as TULA products. I also LOVE doing microdermabrasion treatments.
26. Have you done botox before and if so will you keep doing it?
Yes, I sure have and I actually LOVED it! I will be going back for more next month.
27. Your eyeliner always looks perfect! Is it tattooed on? if not what is your brand of eyeliner?
I do have permanent eyeliner that I got done when I was 21. I got it touched up about 2 summers ago. Looking back, I wish I wouldn’t have because some days I don’t love it, but then again it is so nice to wake up and have it done! I also have my eyebrows microbladed.
I switch up my shampoo and conditioner ALL of the time. I don’t wash my hair daily. I actually try to go about 5-7 sometimes even 10 days. It has made all the difference in my hair and how healthy it is! Pregnancy actually made my hair thicker too! You can read my post on how to train your hair to go longer without washing it in my Dirty Hair Challenge. I plan on doing some hair tutorials for yall this year!
The High-Waist Live In Zella is the best leggings for the price! I also REALLY love these leggings that we probably all have but they are great for lounging. These will be my next purchase because the reviews are insane!
I don’t have a set budget, it’s just dependent on what sponsorships I have, what trips we have coming up, etc! I try to clean out my closet every 3 months to make room for more! It’s the revolving closet! ha! I don’t have a set budget for my girls’ clothing either. Usually I’m only buying for a campaign or for their school clothes, so I just try not to go overboard.
I donate some, give some to friends/family and then sell some on a local BST page if I have bought them and they’re in good enough condition to sell! I keep mostly all of my girls’ clothes in case we have another….girl! ha!
