Hello Ivory Rose

Janene September 7, 2021

Baylor Alumni Family Trip!

Woo Hoo! We jumped in the car early Friday morning to make it to our FAVORITE Texas family waterpark at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort! You can catch our previous family vacations HERE, HERE, and HERE! It has a zillion slides, a sandy beach, a huge baby/toddler swim area, delicious restaurants, cabanas, and beautiful rooms. It’s truly our favorite family spot right here in Texas!

One of our coolest memories was the moment we received the news that Aaron made it in to Baylor’s orthodontic residency program! The odds were SO slim (as in 6 spots and 320 applicants) and we were prepared to move out of state to continue his education. We had saved up for a down payment on our first home and had grown to love our community for those 4 years of dental school. The idea of selling our home and moving with our 3 young kiddos didn’t sound amazing… So match day was one of the best days of our lives! You literally get an email that tells you which school you “matched” with and where we’d be spending the next 3 years of our lives! Aaron was beyond thrilled to be accepted into his top choice and one of the very top orthodontic programs in the country, and we were both thrilled to be staying in Dallas!

Over the next 3 years Aaron grew incredibly close with his co-residents and amazing faculty/alumni that taught and mentored at the school. Every year the alumni from Baylor Ortho get together for a weekend of morning lectures for the doc’s and amazing dinners and relaxing by the pool for the families. Something we’re still laughing about was during the final evening with yummy dinner, kids awards, and DJ/dancing. All the kids got an award and got to go up to collect their medal. (like Ethan: “bravest big slider rider”. Avery: “best singer”). Well, when all the kids awards were handed out, a few medals were left so a girl gave one to her mom. Savannah quickly went up and very proudly and loudly announced in the microphone that she awarded Aaron “The Best Orthodontist” award in a room full of incredible orthodontists. The room erupted laughing, then some random booing. Aaron soaked it up and did some very obnoxious bows and fist pumps. The kids made fast friends over the weekend and all of us can’t wait for next year! I shared an IG post HERE

girls bikini | my swimsuit | necklace | pink lip balm | lip liner

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Janene August 28, 2021

13th Wedding Anniversary Vacation!

13 years with him!! 💍🥰 Celebrated our wedding anniversary on a beach for the week. We usually fill our trips with adventure but wanted this one to slow down and give us the time we’ve come to appreciate so much to cuddle & talk to understand each other deeply. Our marriage has had the highest of highs and lowest of lows. And when you’re in the thick of the “lows”, it’s easy to forget that it can be totally normal and temporary. For us the lows have become rare and much shorter-lived over the years. On Instagram, you see the sweet moments captured. I LOVE those just as much as I appreciate the countless hours we’ve spent having the tough conversations and learning what’s in our hearts. That time, with all of the playful moments on dates, at home after the kids go to bed, and on these special trips makes him my absolute favorite person. Forever & always💞

Click HERE to catch all the videos from our Cancun vacation!

Click HERE to see some favorite snapshots on my Instagram post

Click HERE to see Aaron’s Instagram post 🙂

We booked 6 nights at Le Blanc Resort in Cancun. The resort and beach views were stunning! Every floor has a personal butler, it felt so posh haha. I could message him from my phone asking for pillows, aromatherapy diffuser, drinks, food, etc. I left my dresses on the bed and he steamed them while we were at the beach one day! I even sent a request for him to draw a bubble bath and set the room up with bath salts and aromatherapy oil. We’ve never experienced such quality service! Truly, creme de la creme.

The food was delish! When we arrived, we set dinner reservations at all of the restaurants for the first few nights. Once we discovered our favorite spots, our butler set reservations for the rest of the vacation. Most of the nights we ate dinner while listening to live romantic music (saxophone player, guitarist & singer, etc..). I highly recommend asking which restaurants will have live music and make sure you book your dinner reservation there! There was a buffet that you could serve yourself and Aaron loved getting the tacos made-to-order! My favorite thing was ordering food and drinks from the beach and pool chairs. I could eat the chips & guacamole + pico + extra lime for every meal every day haha. We tried room service for breakfast and dinner. The Japanese restaurant had an amazing appetizer. The Italian restaurant had phenomenal main courses. The rooftop Terrazzo restaurant had our favorite brunch and dinner dishes! The Mexican restaurant had yummy tacos. And we stopped by the dessert shop every night for an evening treat of macaroons and homemade crepes stuff with nutella + cream cheese + strawberry! Every time we walked outside towards the pool, staff members would quickly come to help us find lounge chairs and an umbrella. They would set up towels on the lounge chairs and brings us an ice bucket filled with bottled waters. Then they would ask if we wanted any fun drinks or food. It was heavenly to say the least. This vacation felt very relaxing and calming. If you’re looking for a beautiful, relaxing, adults-only, all-inclusive resort with impeccable service, this is your spot!

Bubble Bath & Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

| swimsuit | necklace | self tanner |

| dress | bracelet | self tanning mousse |

| swimsuit |

Janene August 16, 2021

Shop my kitchen & pantry

| big bowl |

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Janene August 3, 2021

All my favorite skin care products

Tula Discount code : Janene for 15% off

Dime Discount code: JANENE for 20% off

Step 1: First I cleanse my face with the Tula cleanser. I LOVE this cleanser because it’s gentle enough for my sensitive skin. It’s definitely not drying. To remove makeup, I first apply THIS CLEANSING OIL. I’ve used this cleanser combo for a few years now. A few months ago I started using this Cleanser + Vit C duo and my skin has loved it too! It’s on the pricier side but if you’re looking for another option, I’d check out this brand!

Step 2: Toning. I used to skip this step but I added toner into my routine and love it. I smooth it all over my face before I apply my serums!

Step 3. Apply Serum! This is one of my favorite parts of my routine! Eye Serum has hyaluronic acid in it which helps with hydration and anti-aging. I use the Vitamin C serum during the day. I use the Hyaluronic Acid serum at night. I also occasionally mix this Brightening RoseHip Oil with a moisturizer at night and my face is always extra glowy in the morning!

Step 4: Moisturize! This is probably the most important step, aside from washing my face every night. It’s all about hydration! I’ve been using the Tula overnight repair treatment for almost 2 years and I swear by it! It keeps my face hydrated all night. I apply it after my serum at night after I wash my face.

Step 5: Under-eye care! This is so so important. The skin around our eyes can wrinkle the fastest because it’s incredibly thin, so making sure you’re using a good under-eye cream or serum is key! I LOVE this dime Luminosity and Eye boost serum. I use it every morning and night.

The most common question I get is, “I’ve never invested money or time into skincare, where do I even start?!” I would start with a good moisturizer and sunscreen. Then begin adding antioxidants with the serums! A vitamin C serum during the day to brighten and protect your skin and a hyaluronic acid serum at night to plump and hydrate. Next, invest in a retinol to apply at night. If you’re having specific skin struggles, go see a dermatologist! Feel free to leave any questions in the comments below! xo

| Eyelash boost serum | Luminosity eye serum |

Dime Discount code : Janene for 20% off

| Microdermabrasion Wand | Nourishing Face Mask |

60% off wand using code: JANENE60

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Janene August 1, 2021

7 Years Cancer Free

Celebrating the strongest girl who fought the hardest fight. You’re the sassiest, baddest, and most beautiful babe we know. There’s no one like you. I shared a short video on Instagram HERE. I also saved fun videos from the weekend HERE IN MY STORIES. Check it out!

“Don’t hide your scars. Wear them as proof that God heals.”

This week was the anniversary from when Mel was first told she had triple negative breast cancer. We were all sitting around at a play date with our 2 year old firstborns. WE WERE SHOOK. She went through so much over the years and this week we spontaneously kidnapped her in celebrating of her 7th survivor-versary. We wanted to treat her to a weekend to honor the queen she is. We love you Mel!!!

Celebrating Rowen’s 1st birthday!! Mel and I met when our firstborns were 10 months old! I showed up to a playdate that a girl had setup at a baby gym. I didn’t know anyone, haha! I saw this cute girl Mel chatting about her son’s first birthday plans. I told her that I was planning a Winter ONEderland since Savannah’s birthday was a few days after Christmas. Wellllll whadya know, Rowen’s 1st birthday party was going to be a Winer ONEderland too! I knew I would love her from that moment on haha. We met up with a group of 10 of us girls for a playdate a few times a week. Our mama’s group planned annual trips starting in 2013 up until last year! We met on an online website called Baby Buddies (I don’t know if it still exists?). It was like a tinder but for new moms, haha. Girls would arrange played and I’d rsvp and show up with Savannah ready to play while not knowing a single soul there. Some of us connected more easily. We went through EVERYTHING together. All of these friendships were so important to me for that new mama season I was in the thick of experiencing. Some have moved. Some maintained busier jobs. Some formed other friendships. Over the last 9+ years of knowing them, I’m forever grateful for how much my heart needed them during those emotionally and physically exhausting years. They helped me truly understand how I never needed to feel guilty for not being the perfect mom. Our playdates, girl night outs, one-on-one sessions were allowing safe spaces to express heartaches, successes, and failures. Shoulders to cry on during divorces, miscarriages, moves, job losses, etc.. I whole-heartedly believe people find their way into our souls to help us through those seasons. And I’m forever thankful each of them allowed me to play a role in their lives.

My best advice for new moms… If you see a mom that you wanna get to know, PUT YOURSELF OUT THERE. Get her phone number. Arrange the playdate. Plan the dinner. Just got for it! Don’t worry about the “what ifs”. We only have one life to live and mamas need a support group.

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Janene July 28, 2021

Cute Outfit Ideas!

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Janene July 17, 2021

Hot Tubbin’

Let’s jump right in to share allllllll the details about the Master Spas Clarity Hot Tub we purchased in January! We moved into our home 3.5 years ago and the best selling point for me was the beautiful pool! We have loved every bit of it and decided last year it would be worth the investment to turn our backyard into a more livable/entertaining space. During the spring when it was still super cold, we spent nearly every night in the hot tub as a family. And when the pool was almost, but not quite warm enough, the kids would go between the hot tub and pool and play for hours! Aaron loves the therapeutic back relief from the massaging jets and heat. He’ll often jump in at night for 20 minutes if his back is feeling extra tight.

When we started looking at hot tubs early last year, they all had a 6+ month waiting list. Ugh. We also were saving up for the backyard renovation (extending the patio and fire pit space), so I put the hot tub on the back-burner considering the waiting list. Well, for Christmas, Aaron scheduled a surprise visit to a local hot-tub dealer for us to take the plunge. He had been secretly researching all the different brands and he knew how much I wanted this! We looked at all the hot tubs and learned about the different colors for the inside and outer shell, sizing, jets, etc. We loved darker grey color for the exterior and a white on the inside. If you get a dark color on the inside, you won’t be able to see the glowing lights as well. A white interior was a no-brainer! We chose the Clarity Balance 8 to comfortably fit our family and for its 48 massaging jets. As far as the timeline, once we put in the order it would take 6 months for it to be delivered to our home. BUT, Master Spas looked at their inventory and saw they had 1 grey hot tub with a white interior shell that was in stock. It could be delivered to our home in 2 weeks. DONE. YES.

Most Common Hot Tub Questions:

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Janene June 23, 2021

Tulum

Well heyyyyyyyy there! Aaron and I share a birthday week in April and so we skipped town to jet off to Mexico to celebrate together! It was our first visit to Cancun and it was the perfect balance of adventure and relaxation! We were on the flight out to Mexico when I started thinking about how fun and sweet it would be to get some photos on the beach with just the 2 of us. I booked a photographer for our last day of the vacation while I was on the plane to Mexico, haha! I’m a last-minute, spontaneous creature.

And after 5 days of soaking up all the yummy buffets and restaurants, we slipped into our snug-fitting bathing suits and hit the Tulum beach at sunrise. Watching the sun come up is not something on my vacationing bucket-list (because #sleep, ha!) but seeing the colors explode over the ocean was quite possibly the prettiest scene we saw that week.

I posted the photos to my instagram page here. Our photographer was the beautiful Silvia.

We spent the next hour doing our best to not let our awkwardness show through the lens. Which meant there were tons of explicit conversations whispered between the two of us. The BEST part was when our photog asked me to hop onto Aaron’s shoulders. Well, sure! Our skin was slippery with lotion and sea water as he bent down for me to straddle the back of his head to get the fun shot. I successfully straddled his head while he started to lift up from his squatting position to a standing position. The higher he went the faster I slipped right off and plunged face first into the ocean. Scroll down to see the pic of our resurrected photo with us still laughing while my eyes were burning from the salt water. haha, good times. I adore these captured snapshots that are filled with silly memories. With our lives here on earth being so fleeting and temporary, time was the most precious gift we could’ve given to each other.

Aaron, you bring out the best in me. I don’t mean the most appropriate manners or whatever else the world expects of us. I mean you make me want to take risks, run wild, drive fast, act inappropriately, and pursue my dreams with a healthy passion. Around you, I start living. I couldn’t tell you if I loved you the first moment I saw you, or if it was the second or third or fourth. I described to my roommate that butterflies were exploding out of my tummy moments before you walked through my door to pick me up for that first and last blind date. But I remember the first moment I looked at you looking at me and realized that somehow the rest of the world seemed to vanish when I was with you. And that I couldn’t bare to lose you. My next breath came without hesitation.. “I love you!” I want you. I want your sleepy confused look when you wake in the morning. I want to be the hand you can’t help but touch when I’m within an arm’s reach. I want to explore the deepest corners of your mind. I want to be stubborn and quick-witted with you. I want to have differences between us and all the hard discussions. I want for you to trust me and for me to trust you. I want your flaws. All of them. I want to love you too much and too hard. Love is the only thing that outlives anything else I could give. I’ll love you forever.

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Janene June 18, 2021

My Fav Makeup Products

Yesterday I chatted with yall on IG stories while getting ready with makeup for the Jurassic World Exhibition. The kids had a blast! Then my DM’s filled up with questions about what makeup I was using. Here is a fast cheat sheet for products inside my makeup bag!

SKINCARE PREP: Before I applied makeup, I washed my face with THIS and smoothed on THIS VITAMIN C SERUM. I let that dry for a minute and then I mix THIS MOISTURIZER (code: JANENE) with THIS TINTED SUNSCREEN (medium/dark). I let that dry for a few minutes and then applied a thin layer of THIS BRIGHTENING PRIMER (code: JANENE). I curled my hair to let my skincare and primer completely set before adding makeup.

Step By Step Makeup Routine:

under eye brightening corrector (light/med)
under eye brightening setting powder (color #1)
cc+ cream (neutral med)
bronzer and brush
blush (that peach tho)
highlighter stick
mascara (code: JANENE)
eyebrow pencil (taupe)
setting spray (water mist glow)
pink lip balm (orgasm)

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Janene June 4, 2021

Backyard Fire Pit!

Nothing says cozy and comfortable like the nostalgic crackling of flames crackling in a backyard fire pit. One of our favorite things this warm season has been gathering friends and family, roasting hot dogs and making s’mores surrounding our own fire pit during cool spring nights.

We wanted an oasis in our backyard and went on the hunt for sustainable furniture that wouldn’t need replacing any time within the next few years! I’ll link everything below, can’t recommend these products enough!

BLACK ROCKER CHAIRS

BLACK CHAIRS

PATIO PARTY LIGHTS

CONCRETE FIRE PIT BOWL – 42”

PROPANE TANK COVER

BLACKSTONE GRIDDLE – 36”

CEILING FAN – 62”

ROUND WOODEN BOARD

SKEWERS | MARSHMALLOWS | CHOCOLATE

FAMILY SWIMSUITS (20% off: 20JANENE)

PATIO FLOOR LIGHTS + TAPE

‘WHERE THE WILD THINGS PLAY” DOORMAT

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Janene May 21, 2021

School’s Out! Texas Vacation

It’s official!!! School is out and summer vacation has begun! We booked 5 nights at our favorite family Texas resort JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa. If you want adjoining rooms, it’s easiest to call and book your trip. We’ve been to this resort 5 times since Avery was born and it’s been such a blast every year! The kids love all of the slides (there are 5 big ones!), the lazy river, large sand area, and the big hot tub. It’s a fantastic resort with yummy restaurants! In the past, we’ve never left the resort during our stay but this time we booked a few activities since this will be our only long trip during the summer (unless I can convince Aaron to close his office during his peak season 😉 Doubtful and I don’t blame him!). We spent the first few days playing all morning and night in the water park! Then on day 3, we jumped in the car and went to the Natural Bridge Caverns. YOU GUYS… it was unreal!

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Janene April 25, 2021

Couples Vacation to Mexico

Couldn’t have picked a better place to celebrate our birthdays!!! I turned 33 and he turned 35. Cancun was only a short 2+ hour flight from our home in Dallas, TX. We had never been to an all-inclusive resort with just the two of us and the idea of eating what we wanted whenever we wanted sounded like perfection! Our favorite kind of vacation is spent half with adventure and half being lazy as can be. I’d heard incredible things about HOTEL XCARET–everything from the food to the activities. It was all-inclusive, so we didn’t pay for anything other than our accommodations, tips, and souvenirs for the kids. I think we paid close to $3k for the accommodations. I’ll share a short recap of our experience and what we would or wouldn’t do again when we return with the kids! Definitely equally fantastic as an adults-only or family vacation.

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Janene April 15, 2021

Cleaning Up the Easy Way!

Sharing all of my favorite tried & true cleaning products! Everything from our vacuums to my steam mop that I use on my hardwood floors… I linked it all!

It’s the time of year when we spring clean! We sift through each closet and hiding spot. Decluttering and de-junking and deep-cleaning. I used to have a higher tolerance for disorder: piled up dirty laundry, dishes filling the sink, stuff literally everywhere.

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Janene April 8, 2021

Easter

Easter with these cute peeps 🐣 Notice anything different about the ears? Ethan slipped on the wolf ears so he could chase & eat the bunnies (aka his sisters)😂 Happy Easter!!! Spent the day the best way we know how with lots of homemade food & treats + egg hunts + the sweetest, most comforting assurance that I wasn’t meant to walk my path alone. Teary-eyed today as we chatted our way through breakfast with the kids about the added peace and purpose we feel because He is risen.

“TODAY we celebrate the gift of victory over every fall we have ever experienced, every sorrow we have ever known.” – Jeffrey Holland

Pop over to my INSTAGRAM POST to see Easter 3 years ago!

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Janene April 8, 2021

Colorado Snowboarding Trip

4 kids that have never seen a snowboard AND aren’t comfortable with snow. Only 1 experienced snowboarder in this family and it ain’t me. Yet here we are!!! 4 full days of snowboarding for this family! And if you wanna see the cutest little video with clips of Aaron teaching Avery (3) to snowboard then tap HERE.

Snowboarding on the mountains was WILD with my minis! Learning a new sport together was the best thing that’s happened to us. I still can’t believe how incredible they all were! We stayed 5 nights in Breckenridge, Colorado and booked 4 full days of ski lifts. We spent about 6-7 hours each day on the mountain. We were the kids biggest hypes! Each morning we covered them in pep talks and fed them hearty breakfasts. Aaron wore a black backpack that we filled with a few water bottles, granola bars, and fruit snacks. I think the biggest help for having happy kiddos is keeping them warm while up on the mountain! Everyone needs a light thermal layer, heavier layer, and snow bib and jacket! We took 1 long lunch break and went back on our boards for the rest of the afternoon! I snapped a ton of videos while snowboarding and you can check out everyone here on my SNOW TRIP STORY HIGHLIGHTS. Can’t wait to take the kids snowboarding again next snowfall!

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