Easter Sunday 2016

Monday, March 28, 2016

For the past 21 years of my life, Easter had been spent with family.
My own family obviously for the first 19 years. 
Our first year married we went to Hunter's grandma's house.
While it was lovely getting to know his side better and the food was great, I just couldn't help but feel a little homesick.
Our second Easter married happened to fall on conference weekend while most of his family would be in town so we decided to make it the weekend of our little Oaklyn girl's blessing as well.
It has been so fun being with family and having the meal made for us ;)


This year, was the very first year we planned for, shopped for, and prepared all of Easter dinner!
I made sure to document most of it because I felt like it was a big deal haha!
For years and years I watched my parents make Easter dinner and it was finally my turn!
I'll admit that it was a bit stressful... and ya know, expensive haha... but it was SO fun!
I made Hunter promise that he'd get me a triple oven when we one day have our own home (okay maybe just a double haha) because it was so hard to keep everything warm when they all needed to cook at different temperatures.
That being said, it still tasted pretty good if I do say so myself ;)


We woke up bright and early (8 is bright and early in this house) and headed to church at nine.
I wish I could say the messages were great, but Oaks was not very happy about us waking her up before she was ready so I didn't get to listen to much.
However, I did feel the wonderful Easter spirit in the building :)



We got home and prepped for dinner.
We then finally let Oaklyn see what was in her Easter basket! 
She was still pretty grumpy at first, but once she found the Easter eggs filled with jelly beans... she was so happy!
Seriously, the kid loves jelly beans!
After getting her fill of sugar, we headed outside to spend time in the sunshine and play on the grass/take lots of pictures ;)





Before we knew it, it was time for Oaklyn to go take a nap and buckle down to get dinner ready!
While Hunter set up the table and chairs, I got the centerpiece ready and it seriously only took like 7 minutes!
I got the little foam Easter eggs from the dollar store and did layers of them according to color. 
I then put the yellow bunny peeps on top so you could see them on the outside of the glass. 
I then added the flowers and arranged them how I liked. 
The flowers were from the dollar store too!
After that, was more layers of eggs and ta-da! Complete! So Easy!
I just used leftover plastic tablecloths from Oaklyn's party, our yellow dishes, and dollar store paper napkins to complete it!






As for the menu, we had honey glazed ham, kale poppy seed salad, funeral potatoes, oven roasted veggies, and rolls! 
We actually hardly had any leftovers and I was shocked! But so happy everyone liked dinner!
For dessert we had homemade strawberry shortcake.



We had 7 adults eating and little Oaksie as well.
It was definitely a whole lot of work but it was so much fun to put together!
It felt like a step in adulthood to plan and make my first holiday meal completely on my own ;)
Once everyone had left and Oaklyn was in bed, Hunter and I had a mountain of dishes to do, leftovers to put away, and floors to sweep.
As we were cleaning up we got time to chat with each other and decided that we loved hosting, clean up and all!
It was so fulfilling and exciting.



Throughout the day I was reflecting upon my Savior, Jesus Christ, and the atoning sacrifice he made for the world.
I felt so much happiness and such a wonderful spirit throughout the day as I thought of Him.
I cannot wait to teach our little Oaklyn all about Jesus Christ and the amazing example he set for all of us.
I can't wait to tell her about the great plan of salvation and that we can one day live with Him again.
And I am so very excited to teach her that He lives! That He is risen and made eternity possible!
This song was on repeat in my head all day long and the amazing message behind the words.
"Through the years and ‘cross the deep blue sea comes this mystery.
Why would the King of heaven and earth bow down to free me.Footsteps in the sand are drawing nigh.And raging voices echo in the sky.Angry eyes can't see that the man they sent to die offers life."


I hope you all had a wonderful Easter filled with friends and family!

All my love,
Aleigh Joy
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Easter Thoughts + Egg Hunt

Friday, March 25, 2016

I love spring!
I love the warmer weather (well, usually... come on Utah!), the flowers, the sunshine, the overall happiness, the excitement for Summer, and I love Easter most of all.
I feel like Easter, can actually be somewhat of an overlooked holiday.
Especially if you aren't religious.
I have always loved Easter traditions.
The baskets, Cadbury eggs, Easter dresses, the food, and the egg hunts...
However, over the past few years I have really thought deeper about why we celebrate Easter and I have come to understand better why I feel so much happiness on this holiday.



 Easter is a celebration of the wonderful promise we have of eternal life through Our Savior, Jesus Christ. 
Because of him, and his great sacrifice, we are promised that there is no end.
What a powerful promise!
He died, so that we may be free from our sins and live forever.
I get teary eyed just thinking about it, and how much He loves each of us.


Today is something people call "Good Friday"
We don't necessarily "celebrate" this holiday in my church, but I always recognize it and reflect on it and all it means.
It is, more or less, a day to think of all the Good that Jesus had done, and all the happiness he brings us still today.
 A day to think about the atoning sacrifice he made, and to remember that he truly does love each of us more than we can comprehend. 



About 2000 years ago, on a Thursday, Jesus sat down for his last meal with who he thought to be his closest friends. One turned his back on him that night. Another claimed he would die alongside Jesus, only to deny that he even knew him in the next few hours. That Thursday night and into Friday morning, Jesus was betrayed, arrested, denied, endured trials, and sentenced to death. Friday he was mocked, tortured, and crucified. Matthew 27:50 tells us that he “gave up His Spirit” for every flawed person who would ever walk the earth. Yes, you. His atoning sacrifice was for me, and you... all of you.



I am incredibly grateful for the sacrifice our Savior made for us, and for the suffering he endured.
More importantly however, I am thankful that He has risen. 
I am so happy that He lives today!
Our Savior is the one who unlocks our passageway through death, to eternal life.
I know that the atonement and resurrection we essential to fulfilling the glorious plan that Heavenly Father has laid out for us.
I know that They knew this had to be, and that they made a sacrifice I can't ever imagine going through, because They love us that much.
I am so thankful that because of Him, I get to be with my sweet little family forever and ever. 

A few friends and I had a fun little Easter egg hunt today!
It was so fun being all together and watching our littles interract together.
I love this bunch of friends and I am so grateful I met each of them.
Obviously most of them were little babies, so we basically threw all the eggs and watched as they sucked on them and shook them unsure of what else to do haha.
One friend stuffed her eggs with cheerios and every baby loved those eggs!
We also brought picnic lunches and laid some blankets out to talk and eat.
Other than the wind, it was such a fun day!




So, Happy Easter my friends!
I hope you have a great day with friends and family and are reminded of Jesus Christ's love for you :)

All my love,
Aleigh Joy

ps. take a few minutes to watch this video. It's my favorite of all time along with this hymn. Ahh chills!

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Floral Forever

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Every day here in Utah has been different weather wise, but I can definitely feel that spring is in the air!
When I think of spring I obviously think of Easter, but I also think of bright colors, dresses, and of course... flowers.


I've always dressed on the girlish side and appreciated a pretty dress, but I mean, what girl doesn't love flowers??
Receiving them, planting them, painting them, wearing them, or even just looking at them... I feel like every girl just has to love them!
I for one, think that they totally brighten my mood!
Floral prints have always been among my favorites.
 They just always draw my eye.
I also love the convenience of a maxi dress, so when I saw this one from Lindsay's Secret Closet, I couldn't resist!
Floral prints are so classic, I really don't think they will ever go out of style.


That being said... I'm so excited to introduce this dress as the next dress in the series #mymammastyle!
It can be so much easier than you think to look cute as a mother of little ones so start with something cute like this dress!
I love that this dress can transition perfectly with each season.
The timeless floral print is perfect for both spring and summer, but the darker colors in the dress are also perfect for fall and winter!
I think it would look adorable with a jean jacket in the fall or a longer coat in the winter!


I also love that it is a maxi dress!
Maxi dresses look good on just about every frame. 
They aren't form fitted so they just hang on your frame creating a slim look.
Something I also love about maxi dresses is that they work perfect with heels or flats, so you can decide to either dress it up or dress it down.
This particular dress is made a little shorter, but I personally love that you can see all of my wedges!
These wedges are old, but were hidden in the back of my closet for far too long so I got to rekindle my love for them ;)
In fact, Hunter asked me if they were new when he saw them, haha!



This dress is from Lindsay's Secret Closet and I am totally loving this online store!
Every single thing in the shop is super affordable and trendy and perfect to add to your "mom wardrobe."
Is there a better combo?
This particular dress is actually under $30! Score!



I'm so excited to style this dress differently through every season.
I'm sure you'll love something from Lindsay's Secret Closet so I have partnered with her to bring all of my wonderful followers a promo code!
Go ahead and use code: ALEIGHJOY for $5 off your purchase of $35 or more! :)


What is your current favorite print?
Let me know in the comments!
And, don't forget to tag your photos with #mymamma style to get featured on my blog!

All my love,
Aleigh Joy
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Tasty Tuesday: My Favorite Green Smoothie

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

I like green veggies, in fact, my favorite veggie ever is hands down broccoli.
I love salads, zucchini is a staple in our house, and I crave balsamic baked asparagus!
However, I'm definitely guilty of not eating my greens every single day.
Or.. smothering them with cheese or salt to make them taste even better!
I also struggle to get my 13 month old to eat her veggies.
So, I decided to try out making a green smoothie every day!
It came out so great on the first try and I've now been making this exact smoothie for the past few weeks every single morning.
I literally crave it if I don't have it and it is totally making me feel better throughout the day.
It is such a quick and easy way to load up on my greens and fruits.
I usually give Oaklyn some in a sippy cup as well, but she doesn't always drink it... we're trying!
This recipe should make two full glasses (I use mason jars) and just one glass is really filling!
I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!



Ingredients:
-1 cup (more or less depending on the consistency you like) 100% apple juice (I use Motts)
-1/4 cup vanilla unsweetened almond milk
-1 cup ice (pebble ice is the best!)
-1/2 of a frozen banana 
-3 or 4 cut up strawberries
-2 huge handfuls of spinach (seriously put as much in as possible!)
-1 big handful of kale
-1 tbsp vanilla Greek yogurt


Directions:
1) I always put my ice in the blender first. I like when it gets crushed up well, so I want it to be the first thing to hit the blade.
2) Add your fruit! I usually buy a bag of bananas from Costco. I'll go home and peel them, then cut them in half. I stick them in a Ziploc baggy and put that in the freezer so they are all ready for my smoothie! I don't freeze the strawberries (but you could if you want!) and I just cut the stems off and cut them in half and throw them in the blender!
3) Stuff in your greens! Seriously guys, that was a rough estimate of how much I put in, but I load my greens up to the top. You can hardly taste them! I buy the huge bag of spinach from Costco and Kale from Sprouts. 
4) Add your Greek Yogurt. You don't have to add this, but I think it sweetens it a little and makes it a little more creamy.
5) Add your juice and almond milk! I don't actually measure these but what I put above sounds about right. Play around with it to get your desired consistency.
5) I blend until everything is blended together really well. You did something wrong if your smoothie doesn't come out green haha.


I hope you guys enjoy this simple recipe!
I would love to hear how you make your green smoothies!
Let me know your favorite recipe in the comments!

All my love,
Aleigh Joy



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Here's Why You Need a Multi Use Cover

Monday, March 21, 2016

I know, I know, another thing to add to the ever growing list of baby supplies that you just need that our parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and so on managed to live without...
I totally understand that it can get annoying with everyone saying you need "this" and can't live without "that" but this is one baby product I highly recommend you invest in.
I had a huge list of baby products in my purse before Oaklyn was born.
I continually added on to it every single day and before I knew it I practically purchased half of Target and most of Buy Buy Baby...
I realize every baby is different and prefers different products, but here's why I think you need to invest in a Copper Pearl Multi Use Cover for your infant.



Keep Your Baby Safe From Germs
As a mother, you love to show your new baby off... from a distance. Thinking your tiny baby might get sick from all the people that are trying to hold and touch him or her is a terrifying thought. So, why not just keep your little one safe and hidden with a Copper Pearl cover? This cover fits snug over the car seat and is the perfect way to tell others you don't want them holding your little one without actually saying it ;) There is also a hole at the top so you can look inside and make sure your baby is safe. 



Have More Control Over The Temperature
As a little baby, Oaklyn slept quite often in her car seat. I didn't want to wake her up to bring her wherever we were going, so we kept her in the car seat in the stroller. She was born in February meaning we still had quite a few cold and windy days ahead of us. I wanted to ensure that she would stay warm without having to use a million blankets. I bought the normal car seat cover that latches on to the top and you lift it up as needed. It worked fine inside, but was terrible outside! Any time I wanted to check on her, I had to lift it up and let the cold air flood her face which usually woke her up. Another thing I hated was that it would fly up because of wind and unless I wanted to attempt to push the stroller and hold the cover down, there was no way around it. I'm so much happier with my Copper Pearl Cover because it fits snug over the seat meaning no matter how strong the wind blows, the cover will stay put. I also love that I can just look through the top hole to check on her. 


Nurse Comfortably Without Being Exposed
We took Oaklyn to Disneyland when she was only a few months old. She was never the best at nursing, so I made the decision to exclusively pump. I tried to wait as long as I could. but by noon I was so engorged I could hardly stand it. I desperately needed to pump but couldn't find a place without anyone around... I mean hello, we were at Disneyland! I sat on a bench with my old nursing cover and tried my best to strategically pump without exposing myself. It was a nearly impossible task! I kept telling my husband that I wished my whole back wasn't showing so he stuck a blanket behind me. That helped a little, until I decided to move... The Copper Pearl  multi use covers are basically a poncho, so everything is completely covered and you can nurse, or pump, comfortably anytime and anywhere!


Keep Baby Clean In the Cart
Oaklyn loves to touch everything! I don't blame her, she's just super curious! However, I can't prevent her from touching the part she sits in, in the cart. I have used several anti bacterial wipes to wipe it clean before sticking her in, but I never know how much that actually helps. It is so relieving to just use my Copper Pearl multi use cover! It fits over most shopping carts and keep your little one from touching the same spot the baby before her sucked on...


I have completely fallen in love with our Copper Pearl Multi Use Cover!
I also love that it is gender neutral so I can continue to use it for the next baby whether it's a boy or girl!
I have a feeling all of you will love this item too so I have teamed up with Copper Pearl to bring all of you 10% off your purchase by using code JOYOFLIFE at checkout from now until Thursday night!
Also, don't forget to enter the giveaway on my instagram to win either a set of bandana bibs or a multi use cover from Copper Pearl!

All my love,
Aleigh Joy



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7 Ways To Comfort Your Teething Babe

Sunday, March 20, 2016


If your baby is anything like mine while teething, you've been up all night, countless nights trying to help them feel better while teething.
I always feel so bad for my little girl when she is teething because she has no idea why her mouth hurts so bad. She is so confused and all she knows, is that she is in an incredible amount of pain.
I've searched the web, asked for tips from friends, checked out pinterest, called our on call nurse, talked to the pharmacist at Target and tried everything I can think of to comfort my sweet Oaklyn.
Below you will find my go to ways to comfort my teething babe.
The tips down below mixed with a whole lot of snuggles usually help significantly. 



1) Store Bought Teethers
We've been through quite a few of these, and every baby is different, but some just aren't worth your time and money. This one is our favorite hands down! Technically it is a feeder, to help your baby feed themselves, but we love using it as a teether. Most teethers have to be completely put in the freezer making the handle cold for baby to grip. With this one, you just stick ice, frozen berries, or frozen veggies inside the mesh net and let baby hold the room temperature handle. Oaklyn loves sucking on it and the cool berries, ice, or veggies soothe her sore gums.

2) Veggies
Once you don't have to worry about your baby choking as much anymore, hand them a cool veggie to gnaw on! Our absolute favorite is giving Oaklyn a raw baby carrot that had been in the fridge all day. She eats the entire thing because she loves how the carrot feels when she bites down and she is actually eating! Most of the time when she is teething, she doesn't have an appetite and won't touch her dinner so we give her a carrot and it soothes her gums long enough to help her eat other things on her plate. We also love giving her cucumber slices, celery, apple slices, string cheese, and cut up bell peppers.


3) Frozen Baby Food Drops
For Oaklyn, this only works occasionally... but she just hates purees in general. Other babies however, I'm sure would love this! I take a piece of parchment paper and stick it on a baking sheet. I'll then put her purees in a plastic bag and snip the tip to make little dime size  drops on the parchment paper. After I have made all the drops I freeze the entire baking sheet and pop a frozen puree drop in her mouth when I can tell her gums are hurting and she just needs something cold to suck on.


4) Gum Massage With Orajel
Oaklyn kind of hates Orajel, but I know it helps her a ton! I try to give her a little gum massage while applying it and she is usually pretty calm while I do so. She sticks her fingers in her mouth all day long touching the area where a tooth is coming in trying to make it feel better. She loves when I rub it a little to try and help. I also feel like it helps the tooth pop through a little quicker... but maybe that's just me!



5) Keep Baby Dry With Copper Pearl Bandana Bibs
Most babies drool quite a bit when they are teething. Oaklyn doesn't drool quite as much as other babies but there have been plenty of times throughout the day when I feel a drool droplet hit my arm while holding her... gross. When your baby is teething and drooling, it can be so hard to keep them dry and comfortable throughout the day. That's why Copper Pearl came out with these adorable bandana bibs! They are cotton and absorb the drool throughout the day to ensure your baby stays dry and comfortable. They also have adjustable, nickel free, snaps to adjust the size for babies ages 3-36 months! However, I think my favorite part about these bibs is that they are stylish and trendy! They have adorable designs that you will love! I chose the Paris set and love every single bib. Another little tip is that you can roll them up to be a super cute little baby scarf! Because I know you will absolutely love these bibs, use code JOYOFLIFE at checkout for 10% off your order from now until Thursday night!



6) Teething Crackers
I used teething crackers like crazy when Oaklyn started teething. They helped tremendously! I went through quite a few brands and found that my favorites to start on were these and I then transitioned to these. Not only did they soothe her sore gums while teething, but these crackers kept her completely entertained for long periods of time. It would entertain her the entire time I was grocery shopping, cooking dinner, in the car, etc... I love these things! They are a bit messy, but so, so worth it! I also love that it helped teach her how to self feed. 

7) If All Else Fails... Medicine 
I know, not many moms will approve of my use of motrin, but we totally use it around here! I think medicine was made to be used and it helps my little girl so I give it to her when she is in pain. Because I don't want to be giving her motrin throughout the entire day I also love Highlands teething tablets.  I usually just add them to her bottle and she sucks it down without even knowing. I feel like they work instantly! A friend of mine also introduced me to Camilia Teething Drops and we use these sometimes as well! I love these and how easy it is to give them to Oaklyn.


I hope some of this helped!
I feel like I've tried everything to get my little girl to feel better when she's in pain from getting some new teeth and these tips along with a good amount of snuggles, are what I have found work the best.
I would love to know what your favorite tips are!
Let me know in the comments!
Also, don't forget to check out Copper Pearl and use code JOYOFLIFE at checkout for 10% off your purchase!
And, it just gets better!
I've teamed up with Copper Pearl to give away a set of bandana bibs or a multi use cover to one lucky instagram follower!
Just head over to my account by clicking here and follow the steps to enter! :)

All my love,
Aleigh Joy





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Easter Basket "Must Haves"

Wednesday, March 16, 2016


We have been absolutely loving the spring weather we've been having lately!
All the snow is melted in the valley and the sun is shining bright!
It's still in the high 50's/low 60's but we've had a few days in the high 60's and I'm totally soaking it up!
If you follow me on snapchat (@aleighjoy) then you know Oaklyn and I go to the park at least 3 times a week, but usually more!
I love that it gets all her energy out before nap time and ensures we get fresh air every single day.
It is feeling so much like spring and we're just giddy over here!

Hunter and I love going on walks and I noticed some of the "popcorn trees" are starting to get blooms on them and we both got so excited!
I can't wait until the mountains are filled with green, the canyon is blooming with wildflowers, and we can sandals again!

I get so excited over just about every holiday and it's ten times more fun with a baby.
I loved that for as long as I can remember, my mom always had an Easter basket laid out in the morning for us.
I'm so excited to carry on that tradition with Oaklyn.
I know she won't fully understand what is going on for at least another year, but I'm still going to give her an Easter basket this year :)
Here's a few "must haves" I've come up with!







What are your Easter basket must haves this year??
I'd love to know!
Especially must haves for men... Is that a thing?
Do I get my husband an Easter basket?
I hope you're all enjoying the sunshine as much as we are!

All my love,
Aleigh Joy
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