• I’m saying it: EVERY CLICHÉ THEY SAY IS TRUE. All the things I rolled my eyes at... like “it goes so fast” and “I can’t remember life without her.” Dangit guys, it’s real and they are right and I hate myself for falling prey to such cheesy lines but that’s where we’re at these days. I blinked and I have an 8 month old who has lashes I envy, a spunky personality, and a laugh that I’ll do pretty much anything to hear. One thing they did get wrong, though, people told me the days are long and the years are short and I must be living in some alternate universe because these days feel short... like, where is time even going? I feel like she’s always been a piece to our puzzle and every month when I write her little blog recap, I’m reminded at how much can change in just 30 days. Like we wake up and go through the motions and then all of a sudden we look in the mirror and somehow everything is different. I’m breaking down new milestones, a few regrets, my biggest struggles, a health update, and the things we can not live without in this season and it’s all on the blog with never-before-seen photos. Just click the link in my profile! What eye rolling life cliche have you found to be oh-so true in your life? I’m talking the Comic Sans quotes on the wooden boards home decor your mama has type cliches, don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about! 😂 Photo by: @child_indigo
    65K+ 827
    I’m saying it: EVERY CLICHÉ THEY SAY IS TRUE. All the things I rolled my eyes at... like “it goes so fast” and “I can’t remember life without her.” Dangit guys, it’s real and they are right and I hate myself for falling prey to such cheesy lines but that’s where we’re at these days. I blinked and I have an 8 month old who has lashes I envy, a spunky personality, and a laugh that I’ll do pretty much anything to hear. One thing they did get wrong, though, people told me the days are long and the years are short and I must be living in some alternate universe because these days feel short... like, where is time even going? I feel like she’s always been a piece to our puzzle and every month when I write her little blog recap, I’m reminded at how much can change in just 30 days. Like we wake up and go through the motions and then all of a sudden we look in the mirror and somehow everything is different. I’m breaking down new milestones, a few regrets, my biggest struggles, a health update, and the things we can not live without in this season and it’s all on the blog with never-before-seen photos. Just click the link in my profile! What eye rolling life cliche have you found to be oh-so true in your life? I’m talking the Comic Sans quotes on the wooden boards home decor your mama has type cliches, don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about! 😂 Photo by: @child_indigo
  • He looked in his rear view mirror and caught my eye as we drove to the shoot. “Business or pleasure?” I smiled, paused and responded, “Both.” I laughed. I told him I was modeling today and I still giggle when I say that because as a small town Minnesota girl that’s 31 years old and a size 12 mama, it’s still surreal that I get to do this. I assured him I wasn’t a real model, just an average girl called to show up REAL and told him I had my own business and he asked if it was a modeling business, I responded, “My business is in ROLE modeling.” Boom. I want the girl in the small town to know she doesn’t have to have small dreams. I want the woman with curves to know she can be on a billboard in Times Square. I want the moms to know they can mother and pursue their career. I want the entrepreneur to know that busy isn’t a badge of honor. I want girls to see themselves in mainstream media. I want women to know that absolutely anything is possible. It’s not too late, you’re not too old or too big or too much, you are enough. And when you show up owning your enoughness, you give others permission to do the same. That, Ed from Pittsburgh, is my business. My heart is so full after a day with my @aerie fam. So, so thankful that this is the “work” I get to do. Who is YOUR biggest role model? Tag them below! 👇🏼#aeriereal
    27K+ 597
    He looked in his rear view mirror and caught my eye as we drove to the shoot. “Business or pleasure?” I smiled, paused and responded, “Both.” I laughed. I told him I was modeling today and I still giggle when I say that because as a small town Minnesota girl that’s 31 years old and a size 12 mama, it’s still surreal that I get to do this. I assured him I wasn’t a real model, just an average girl called to show up REAL and told him I had my own business and he asked if it was a modeling business, I responded, “My business is in ROLE modeling.” Boom. I want the girl in the small town to know she doesn’t have to have small dreams. I want the woman with curves to know she can be on a billboard in Times Square. I want the moms to know they can mother and pursue their career. I want the entrepreneur to know that busy isn’t a badge of honor. I want girls to see themselves in mainstream media. I want women to know that absolutely anything is possible. It’s not too late, you’re not too old or too big or too much, you are enough. And when you show up owning your enoughness, you give others permission to do the same. That, Ed from Pittsburgh, is my business. My heart is so full after a day with my @aerie fam. So, so thankful that this is the “work” I get to do. Who is YOUR biggest role model? Tag them below! 👇🏼#aeriereal
  • I solemnly swear to always keep to real, to never retouch this bod, and to sing every word of Missy Elliott’s “Work It” when it comes on at a party. I can promise you my life isn’t half as glamorous as these squares but it is a million times more precious offline and I’ll do literally anything to make my baby girl laugh. I’ll always spill the “secrets” that other industry experts covet, I’ll never forget what it felt like to sit in that windowless office and desire more, and I promise I’ll order you a spicy marg if we meet in real life and can chat face to face. I’ll never pretend that I record the @goaldiggerpodcast anywhere other than our spare closet filled with boxes and I’ll still show up on stories on the days I have spit up on my shirt and no makeup because it’s my reality 90% of the time. I will always imperfectly lead, stand in my truth, and I will never shy away from the hard seasons. When we run into each other out in the world, I’ll open my arms for a giant hug and I’ll awkwardly cradle your head in my hands. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Sorry, not sorry. Basically stated, you’re stuck with me and I’m so glad you’re here. Thanks for that! 🌼 Tell me one thing you’ll ALWAYS do and one thing you’ll NEVER do in the comments below! 👇🏼 Photo by: @evagracephoto #realnotretouched
    41K+ 944
    I solemnly swear to always keep to real, to never retouch this bod, and to sing every word of Missy Elliott’s “Work It” when it comes on at a party. I can promise you my life isn’t half as glamorous as these squares but it is a million times more precious offline and I’ll do literally anything to make my baby girl laugh. I’ll always spill the “secrets” that other industry experts covet, I’ll never forget what it felt like to sit in that windowless office and desire more, and I promise I’ll order you a spicy marg if we meet in real life and can chat face to face. I’ll never pretend that I record the @goaldiggerpodcast anywhere other than our spare closet filled with boxes and I’ll still show up on stories on the days I have spit up on my shirt and no makeup because it’s my reality 90% of the time. I will always imperfectly lead, stand in my truth, and I will never shy away from the hard seasons. When we run into each other out in the world, I’ll open my arms for a giant hug and I’ll awkwardly cradle your head in my hands. 🤷🏼‍♀️ Sorry, not sorry. Basically stated, you’re stuck with me and I’m so glad you’re here. Thanks for that! 🌼 Tell me one thing you’ll ALWAYS do and one thing you’ll NEVER do in the comments below! 👇🏼 Photo by: @evagracephoto #realnotretouched
  • It’s always been worth the wait, even when we felt stuck in the seasons of waiting. I’ve looked into those brown eyes since I was 18 years old and even though it took him a solid three years to realize that we belong together, it was worth the wait. I stood at the altar three years after he became my boyfriend and vowed to love him without caution and to laugh, cry, and grow old with him. Those vows that we use as a guide every single day. I was excited to be his bride but it was worth the wait. I sat in my windowless office feeling like my soul was slowly being sucked from me daily and dreaming of a way out. I craved freedom and for three years I dreamed of more until I finally put in my notice took the plunge, it was worth the wait. Last time we took a shot like this one, I was pregnant after a three year struggle to start our family. We were imagining what our baby would look like and while her eyes are neither green nor brown, those bright blue eyes were worth the wait. Sometimes those seasons of waiting are just as important as whatever it is you happen to be waiting for. 🌼 Don’t get weary while you wait, the future is unfolding. Open your eyes, your life is happening for you, not to you. I only wonder where life will take us in the next three years. Photo by our girl: @child_indigo Glam squad: @meiliautumnbeauty
    82K+ 1K+
    It’s always been worth the wait, even when we felt stuck in the seasons of waiting. I’ve looked into those brown eyes since I was 18 years old and even though it took him a solid three years to realize that we belong together, it was worth the wait. I stood at the altar three years after he became my boyfriend and vowed to love him without caution and to laugh, cry, and grow old with him. Those vows that we use as a guide every single day. I was excited to be his bride but it was worth the wait. I sat in my windowless office feeling like my soul was slowly being sucked from me daily and dreaming of a way out. I craved freedom and for three years I dreamed of more until I finally put in my notice took the plunge, it was worth the wait. Last time we took a shot like this one, I was pregnant after a three year struggle to start our family. We were imagining what our baby would look like and while her eyes are neither green nor brown, those bright blue eyes were worth the wait. Sometimes those seasons of waiting are just as important as whatever it is you happen to be waiting for. 🌼 Don’t get weary while you wait, the future is unfolding. Open your eyes, your life is happening for you, not to you. I only wonder where life will take us in the next three years. Photo by our girl: @child_indigo Glam squad: @meiliautumnbeauty
  • I’m tempted to write something deep about footprints in the sand but It’s Friday and I’m way too tired to write a caption... seas the day, friend 🌊! Does that count? #kutchersinkihei Photo by: @child_indigo Dress: @showmeyourmumu Glam: @meiliautumnbeauty
    34K+ 536
    I’m tempted to write something deep about footprints in the sand but It’s Friday and I’m way too tired to write a caption... seas the day, friend 🌊! Does that count? #kutchersinkihei Photo by: @child_indigo Dress: @showmeyourmumu Glam: @meiliautumnbeauty
  • LIFT YOUR EYES. 🤳🏻 Do more things that make you forget to look at your phone. I was at dinner with a friend and they commented, “You’re not like other Instagrammers, you’re rarely on your phone.” Thank you, that’s my goal. If you’ve ever hung out with me IRL, you’ve probably noticed that I’m rarely on my phone. We don’t sleep with them in our bedroom, we charge them in our kitchen, we don’t allow them on date night or at dinners and while I can get sucked in like everyone else, we actually have pretty strict screen boundaries. Your life is happening while your eyes are down RIGHT NOW... let’s change that. I’ve got a challenge for you! 👊🏼 Set limits on your screen time! There’s only a few weeks left of summer, so let’s aim for less screen time and more eye contact and human connection. Post an emoji below if you’re in on the challenge, tag someone who’s eyes you want to look into more, play hide and seek with your phone, and set some limits if you need extra accountability. On an iPhone head into Settings > Screen Time > App Limits or Downtime to follow through! 🙋🏼‍♀️ You in?
    20K+ 622
    LIFT YOUR EYES. 🤳🏻 Do more things that make you forget to look at your phone. I was at dinner with a friend and they commented, “You’re not like other Instagrammers, you’re rarely on your phone.” Thank you, that’s my goal. If you’ve ever hung out with me IRL, you’ve probably noticed that I’m rarely on my phone. We don’t sleep with them in our bedroom, we charge them in our kitchen, we don’t allow them on date night or at dinners and while I can get sucked in like everyone else, we actually have pretty strict screen boundaries. Your life is happening while your eyes are down RIGHT NOW... let’s change that. I’ve got a challenge for you! 👊🏼 Set limits on your screen time! There’s only a few weeks left of summer, so let’s aim for less screen time and more eye contact and human connection. Post an emoji below if you’re in on the challenge, tag someone who’s eyes you want to look into more, play hide and seek with your phone, and set some limits if you need extra accountability. On an iPhone head into Settings > Screen Time > App Limits or Downtime to follow through! 🙋🏼‍♀️ You in?