THE EVERYDAY EXCHANGE

Maybe you went on vacation for the holiday weekend (or maybe you're still on vacation).  We went on a fun little trip to Savannah (recap coming soon!).  When I am on vacation, I try very hard to fit in a few workouts.  That being said, I usually let myself relax and enjoy the down time (and the vacation food) more than I would at home.  Which means when I come home I'm ready to get back on track and detox from all the yummy food I ate while I was away (and let's not forget about that wine).  My...

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When it comes to swim suits does anyone else feel like Memorial Day Weekend is similar ripping off a band-aid?  We know it's going to hurt a little but it's unavoidable.  We want to go to the beach or the pool but our pale skin and 3-month-old pedicure is telling us to GET IT TOGETHER, WOMAN.  Praise hands for spray tans & tan towels.

And can we take a minute to talk about mom bod for a minute?  While I am proud of what I've accomplished (birt...

As a former athlete & coach I really, really enjoy being a part of a team.  Any gym or class that gives me that team-like feeling with the added benefit of competition is right up my alley.  For my Atlanta peeps some of my favorites are: Crossfit South Cobb, Orangetheory Smyrna, Flywheel Midtown, X3 Sports West Midtown.  Add in a trainer/coach that pushes me to my limits and I'm sold.  Recently, though, I've been in a season of life where I have to make do with what I can do gym-wise.  My h...

I truly believe you get what you pay for when it comes to consumer products but there is something to be said about convenience and science.  Science has made it possible for so many products to be just as good (if not better) than a lot of their higher-end counterparts.  On the other hand, convenience drives a lot of my decisions these days as the mom of a busy toddler.  Gone are the days when I could casually browse the beauty aisles at Nordstrom.  Now it's mostly an all out race to the finish...

 photo credit: Annie Smith

This year, Mother's Day has me reminiscing about that very first year as a new mom.   Sam isn't even two and a half yet but it feels like it was a lifetime ago (time does fly, people).  I have had the privilege of watching friends become new moms (and second and third time moms) and wanted to share my own personal new mom essentials or what I like to call my "new mom survival strategy."  

Moms on Call - Praise the Lord for the precious nurses who wrote this boo...

When traveling with little people I go by the "whatever it takes" philosophy.   If you treat it like a little mini vacation for them it CAN BE one for you too, I promise.  I see those hours in the air as a "free zone." Completely inconsequential to all of the regulations I might have down on earth (ie: television time, nutrition, etc).  So with that being said, here's a few tips I will share with those of you who have the privilege of traveling with toddlers:...

Wine has become synonymous with funny memes about #girlsnightout and #momlife but it really is all-encompassing and appropriate for every occasion.  Date night? Wine.  Hostess gift?  Wine.  Holiday Dinner with Family?  Definitely wine.  There are so many different types of wines that choosing one can easily get overwhelming if you're not very familiar with it.  While I'd love to talk about all of my favorite little boutique wineries & shops until your eyes glaze over, I've made a list instead of...

I am always on the hunt for the next can't-live-without-it beauty product.  I have favorites that I come back to again and again and I love adding to that collection.  Life is so much easier when you find those go-to products.  I have found a couple of great ones in this batch so let me tell you a little bit about why I love them each of them.

 moisturizer | balm | face wash | serum

Tula Hydrating Day & Night Cream: This is a great every day face cream.  I gave the discovery kit from Tul...

Mother's Day has quickly become one of my favorite holidays now that I am a mom.  It's a good day to be thankful and remember how blessed I am to have my little family and a truly wonderful mom & mother-in-law.  I also love any reason to be pampered ;)  I've listed some great gift ideas for the moms in your life as well as some thoughtful non-traditional gift ideas below!

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1.  Gold Initial Necklace: This is the one piece of jewelry...

I'll be doing a little segment on here all about traveling including a special hobby of mine - wine travel.  My husband and I discovered a love for good wine about two years after we got married.  It's something we love to learn about together, and we enjoy collecting bottles of our favorites from our travels around the world.  Each year we choose a wine region to visit - just the two of us - anywhere in the world.  

NON-WINE DRINKERS: HEAR ME OUT.  Here's the deal with w...