the importance of a family trip is to spend time together and bond with those you love. but every family vacay, and well any vacay, is made better with a little shameless vacay swag.

this year, david and i initiated an annual sibscation. after everyone jumped on board, we picked our destination and agreed on sibscation thailand 2018. being the cheese ball that i am (cheese ball and proud) i started researching fun swag for our trip and found the cutest monogrammed totes for the ladies, personalized sibcation t-shirts, monogrammed necklaces and monogrammed dop kits for the gents.

the totes and dopkits are two of the handiest when it comes to traveling. especially if you plan on doing a little shopping (which most of the time, is just a given). the monogrammed initials add such a special touch, especially when everyone you are with share a last name! my favorite part is that this tote has a zipper. if you’ve been following along for a while, you know i avoid all purses and bags without a zipper or secure closure because #safetyfirst. [i ordered a size large in the totes]

the dopkits are the most perfect size to hold all of the guys toiletries + room to dig around and find what you need. this was david’s favorite and i plan on picking up a few more for Christmas gifts this year!

on to the shirts! what family vacation is complete without matching shirts?! these were made so quickly and are the softest shirt! i wear mine to bed now, because it is just that cozy! the guys loved them just as much as us ladies, so they were all around winners in our book. [i ordered teal, size small]

these monogrammed necklaces are another favorite of mine. after david proposed to me with a rose gold engagement ring, i have eyes for all things rose gold. i was searching for a dainty monogrammed necklace and this one was perfect! you can pick the length you like, the color you like (gold, silver or rose gold) and viola the perfect little monogrammed necklace awaits you! i’ve been wearing mine non-stop and don’t plan to change that any time soon. this is another one that would make for a perfect Christmas gift for the ladies on your list. also- wait until you see the price tag! such a steal! View Post

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for as long as i can remember, i have always wanted to travel to hawaii. crazy enough, we planned this trip only 4 hours before before flying out. not quite how i imagined it going, but i wouldn’t have changed a thing!

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as you all know, i recently participated in the Frost Bank, Opt for Optimism Challenge. so for 30 days, my inbox delivered a sweet little e-mail with a simple optimistic task. on one day i was asked to write a letter to someone i cared about, another i was asked to tidy up a small space. each day was different, and each day was a beautiful reminder that life can be as good as you make it and well, you can make it pretty good.

i’ve always considered myself an optimist, a glass half full kind of girl. however, after participating in this 30 day challenge, i’ve realized there is always room for improvement. especially as we get older, and our lives get more complicated. starting each day with a random act of optimism changed my perspective for the day. no matter what was on the agenda, the stresses and pressures seemed to magically ease. it was an incredible discovery.

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“when life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. and when life is bitter, say thank you and grow”

shuana neiquist

if you’ve been following along on this incredible journey of optimism, then you know we are nearing two weeks of embracing each day with a new perspective. a perspective of joy, hope and gratitude.

my journey has taught me so much about gratitude. over the past few days, i’ve gained a greater appreciation for the things and people right in front of me. it’s so easy to always look to the future, or constantly think about the “what’s next?” starting each day with an optimistic view has taught me to be more present in the now. to make the most of each situation, each encounter and each moment.

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i can honestly say that i have never been this excited to join a campaign. i can finally announce that i’m partnering with Frost Bank to kick off The 30-Day Optimism Challenge.

seriously cannot contain my excitement for this one. i’ve always considered myself a glass half full kind of girl, but that doesn’t mean i don’t have my glass half empty kind of days. which happens every once in a while because, well, life happens. when i’m having those glass half empty kind of days, i do my best to surround myself with reminders of positivity, or things that bring me joy. some of those things include, bright colors, sunshine and popsicles. i have a slight obsession with popsicles, and who can have a bad

day with a popsicle in hand!?

to be completely honest, i wasn’t having the best of days before these photos were taken. the crazy heat topped with even crazier humidity wasn’t helping either. View Post

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