Cambria's Birth Announcement With Tiny Prints

Monday, October 30, 2017

Thank you so much to Shutterfly for sponsoring this post! All opinions and experiences are mine alone. #partner

When a baby is born, they seem to bless the lives of everyone surrounding them.
They bring so much joy, love, and sweetness into the world with their tiny little bodies, completely dependent on their parents.
A baby is always something to celebrate and I think every parent has the right to show off their beautiful bundle of joy.
For that reason, I absolutely love sending out birth announcements when I have a baby.
It's so fun to celebrate this new little life with friends and family from afar that may not have been able to meet the new addition yet.
Plus, who doesn't love getting something in the mail??
I know I do! Unless it's bills...



Birth announcements double as keepsakes for me as well. 
I know both girls will love seeing them when they're older. 
When I was deciding where to get birth announcements, choosing Tiny Prints was such an easy choice.
They did our Christmas cards last year, and those were my absolute favorite cards we have sent!
They have so many gorgeous options that you just won't find anywhere else.



I loved how sweet and beautiful this design was and I really love the way the gold foil looks in person!
Designing this card exactly how I wanted it was so easy thanks to Tiny Prints!
Their site is super easy to navigate and they give such fun customizable options.
They even printed our return address and the addresses of the recipients for me!
And get this... they even sent the cards for me!
I'm not kidding when I say this was SO easy. Which is pretty much exactly what a new mother needs.



I had a few more cards and envelopes sent to me just in case I ran into someone I forgot about that lives by me and it was super easy to add that on.
I am always so impressed with the convenience of using Tiny Prints

Have you sent out birth announcements with your babies?
And aren't you so excited for Christmas card season?!

All my love,
Aleigh Joy

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5 Reasons Why The Little Gym Is Perfect For Toddlers

Thursday, October 26, 2017


This post is sponsored by The Little Gym of Orem. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Right after Cambria was born, I quickly realized that Oaklyn desperately needed something for herself. All eyes were on this new little baby and not only was it hard for her to adjust to not being the center of attention anymore, but she also was just flat out bored! Having a new baby means a lot of sitting around, a lot more naps, and a lot of well... nothing. That does not fly well with my incredibly active 2 year old! I quickly realized I needed to be able to do something for Oaklyn that she could look forward to. She's too young for school, we can't always rely on play dates, and dad isn't always home to wear her out at the park... that's when I looked into The Little Gym!


Our little gym is over by Target and Sodalicious so I definitely knew it existed haha. I just never took the time to check out the classes and see all it had to offer. Once I looked over their website and saw there was a class in her age range, I decided it would be so much fun for her! I told Oaks that she was going to go and she asked every day up until we went if it was time yet. She was SO excited! She already absolutely loved it after just the first class. And I'm not exaggerating... she was SO sad to leave and could not stop talking about it. It was so fun that she got to be the center of our attention and have involved play to get her wiggles out. So why do I think your toddler needs to go? Here's why!


1) There is a class for all ages: You guys, The Little Gym offers classes for ages 4 months-12 years! I wish I would've looked into it when Oaklyn was little because I desperately needed the time away from the house during her first year. I always thought it was just for toddlers but was pleasantly surprised to hear that it's for older ages too! The programs they offer involve movement-based learning and imaginative play to help build the confidence and skills needed at each stage of childhood. I love that! They tailor each class to fit the needs of each age. 


2) It's the perfect way to get your kid moving: Oaklyn pretty much moves 24/7... but it's usually just busy play rather than actually working out her body. I think it is soo important for our little ones to get time to be themselves and play without being in front of a screen. At the Little Gym, your kid will run around, play with other kids, dance, and climb all over gymnastics equipment. Basically, it means you'll get a goooood nap out of your kid that day ;) But really, I feel so good about Oaklyn learning to be active from an early age. 


3) It's one on one time you get to spend with your child: Oaklyn and I used to do literally everything together. We are still around each other all day but it's not just the two of us anymore.  We have another little person that needs mommy's constant attention and I know Oaklyn was craving one on one time. I love getting to go in the gym with her and help her with different skills and play around with her. I love that we get to have fun together and for once, I don't have to be the one in charge and telling her what to do haha.


4) You and your little one can make new friends: I hear moms of all ages talk about how they just wish they had mom friends. I know it can be hard to find a mom friend that you click with, but I can promise you they aren't just going to pop out of nowhere! Usually you kinda have to find them ;) The Little Gym is a great atmosphere for you and your kid to develop relationships with other people! The moms and kids in Oaklyn's class are so fun and we love laughing together at the kids when they do something funny. It's great for both moms and kids to socialize with others!


5) Help them hit milestones: As I was saying earlier... each class is geared toward different ages. The teachers help the kids practice skills based on their age group and always send the kid home with a challenge to work on. I still think of Oaks as my little baby sometimes, so I feel like I often limit her on what she can do. I couldn't believe that she was able to walk on a balance beam, swing from the rings, jump on a springboard, and even do a handstand! She wouldn't have learned any of these skills without The Little Gym!


Basically, I have nothing but good things to say about our experience with The Little Gym! I went into it having no idea what to expect and they far exceeded my expectations! I can't wait for Cambria to be able to start in just a month and a half!!

So, what class is perfect for your kid?? Check them out here!

All my love,
Aleigh Joy


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Just Like Her Photo

Monday, October 16, 2017

In the world we're living in, it seems that so many women and girls are defining their worth based off likes, comments, and photos they post on social media.
I know, I know, coming from me (a blogger) this post may sound lame... but hear me out.
Deep down, we all know we're worth more than the numbers on our social media account.
But, the sting is still there if the selfie you just posted gets maybe half the engagement your usual photos get. 
Right? I know you feel it too.
I could easily get on here and type out things that I truly believe like: "The numbers game on instagram is ridiculous" and "post photos for memories not for likes" or "stop comparing your life to what you see on social media" but instead I'm going to say this... JUST LIKE HER PICTURE!

Since social media is my job, I'm constantly hearing about and researching what instagram is doing with their platform.
I know all I can know about the dreaded "algorithm" and how most of your followers don't see your pictures anymore... but I also know that more people do actually see it than how many actually liked it.
So, hear me out for a minute... We're seeing articles all over the place advertising to women that they need to stop comparing their worth to the likes they receive, but we're all still doing it.
So, while I see those articles as beneficial and a way to lift spirits, I also think simply liking each others photos ain't such a bad idea either!
A mom should feel comfortable posting a picture where they feel good in what they're wearing without first second guessing if anyone will like it, a newly engaged girl shouldn't have to worry if her proposal picture is too grainy for likes, and a college freshman shouldn't have to feel sad if their mirror selfie is only liked by their mom...

We live in a world where jealousy takes over several friendships and relationships and it kinda makes me sick.
No, I'm not perfect either... but I write what I need my own self to hear so maybe this is more for me than anything?
I just can't seem to understand why you would follow someone and just scroll past their photo without taking the quick second to double tap.
Not actually seeing someone's pictures is one thing, I don't see many anymore to be honest... but if you do, why not just give them a little pick me up by liking that picture?
It's kind of like a virtual hug, ya know?
I think if more of us women had these virtual hugs more often, there wouldn't be such a comparison feeling on instagram. 
I think if we just supported each other and let each other know that we do in fact like what their posting, there would be a lot less feelings of inadequacy and "social media fasts."

I'm in several groups on Facebook.
Some are for moms, some are for wives, some are religious groups, and some are for bloggers.
However, despite the differences of the types of people in each group, in just the past week I have seen a few posts in each group from women talking about how Instagram is getting them down.
How they post a photo and it seems like no one really "liked" it.
Maybe it seems silly to you, but after seeing all these posts I felt so sad that maybe a fifteenth of the people that follow you, actually like your photo.
And the thing is, if you switch to a business account (which anyone can do) it shows how many "impressions" were made or rather, how many people viewed the photo without actually liking it.
I just keep thinking, why follow someone if you aren't actually going to like their content?
I know there are bigger issues in the world, but let's save our friends from the heartache and just double tap while scrolling.
I've been making more of a conscious effort when I actually look at instagram to like people's photos, because if I like that person enough to follow them, then I must like their content too.

So anyways, I personally think this will do more good than harm and really, it takes a matter of seconds to just like the photo ;)
Now go show your friends some instagram love!

All my love,
Aleigh Joy

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Life With Two... So far.

Monday, October 9, 2017


This post is somewhat of an update on life and somewhat of a follow up post to this one.
I also haven't blogged like... at all... since Cambria was born so I figured I'd do that ha.

The day Cambria was born I was instantly in love with her. Like smitten, maybe even obsessed? Hunter said recently that Cambria "walks on water" in my eyes because literally everything she does is adorable to me. I was so happy that this time around, the bond was instant. If you've been a reader for a while you know I had pretty severe PPD with Oaklyn and I think that really hindered the bond I had hoped for with her. Luckily it came later and we pretty much became best friends. However, it was so nice to feel the instant connection I had seen so many other moms experience this time around. The hospital was such a dream. She slept in my arms or on my chest the entire time, nursing was fairly easy, I felt mostly calm and relaxed... I couldn't believe how different this experience was. When we got home my mom was there to make dinners, take care of Oaklyn, let me recover, hold the baby while I showered and then my mother in law came the week after to do exactly the same thing. It was wonderful and I even thought to myself, "maybe two kids isn't so hard after all!" 

When both grandmas left, I pretty much became a one man show. Hunter has two jobs and goes to school full time so to be honest, he's not home much... I was tired and some nights were rougher than others, but overall I was shocked at how much smoother the transition from one to two was. Oaklyn was the type of baby that I literally could not put down. So far, Cambria has been a much more mellow baby and that has been a huge blessing. Oaklyn has also gotten a little more used to being home more often. Before Cambria was born, we were only really home to sleep during the night and nap time. Other than that, we were out playing! She loves being active and exploring so I just always had activities planned constantly. With a nursing baby, that became pretty complex. So we're still kind of adjusting to a slower lifestyle. 

As far as sharing the love goes, that has actually been pretty hard for me. I'll be honest in saying I'm not much of a baby person. Generally when babies cry it's a guessing game for me and makes me anxious and nervous. They're sweet and adorable but I'd much rather babysit a 4 year old than a 2 month old. That being said, I can't get enough of Cambria! She gets the hiccups and it's cute, she cries and it's cute, she smiles and my heart could literally burst. It definitely helps that she's such a sweet baby. Unfortunately, Oaklyn is going through a tough age right now and throws tantrum after tantrum all day long. When she's sweet, she's the sweetest. When she's not, well... it drives me nuts. I feel like everything with her is a fight right now and it stretches my patience pretty thin. I feel bad because I have to tend to Oaklyn's constant meltdowns and messes so I feel like I hardly get to hold Cambria. But then I also feel bad because when I am holding Cambria I'm talking to her sweetly and tending to her every need whereas with Oaklyn I expect more of her and get upset when she purposefully acts out. It's a balancing act for sure and while I love them both to pieces, this is just a hard phase. Babies need a lot of constant attention and care, and toddlers need constant stimulation and well, are just a lot for a mom haha. I know that this time is short and they honestly won't even remember it, but I'm always worried they can't feel how much I truly love them both. 

I feel like I get asked quite a bit how the two kid thing is going... and I generally answer with, it's going! I feel like my life is kind of a circus right now and most of that is just where we are in life. Hunter is SO close to graduating and I can't tell you how excited we are for him to be done. No more homework, no more classes, no more group projects... we can't wait! His two jobs also take up a good chunk of time and energy and I'm left feeling exhausted because I'm at home with the kids by myself most days. 

So, if you're nervous to make the transition from one to two kids... In my experience it hasn't been nearly as hard as I thought it would be. It's challenging but motherhood is in general. Getting sleep is hard, doing your hair is hard, and finding time to yourself is hard... but that's just the newborn phase in general. I'll report back when Cambria is sleeping through the night and taking two solid naps a day ;) I'm honestly just trying to figure it all out and hoping I don't totally screw my kids up along the way, ha!
It's still so weird to me to say "my kids" like... I'm a mom. But not just a mom to a kid, but kidS!
Where has the time gone?

Anyways, there's a jumbled post on my thoughts on two, 8 weeks in ha.

I have some other posts that I'm really going to try to work on in the next few weeks that are a little more thought out. 
So please forgive me for my absence in this crazy time of life!

All my love,
Aleigh Joy
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Prepping For Fall & Winter With Mama & Baby Essentials

Monday, October 2, 2017
This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com. All opinions are completely my own. Thank you for your support on behalf of all the brands that keep my blog up and running!


While I've only been at this whole "mom" gig for 2 1/2 years, I will say that in those two and a half years I have definitely tried out my fair share of products for mamas and babes. With my first little girl I think I tried just about every brand of baby products out there because being a first time mom, I only wanted the best for her. Now that I'm on my second, it feels so much more relaxed already knowing what we do and don't love. I'm excited to have partnered up with BabbleBoxx to share some of our favorites with you guys that will surely help during fall and winter. There were plenty of awesome brands to share with you guys included in this box so let's just dive right in!



Osh Kosh B'Gosh Baby Clothes: Right from the start of being parents, Hunter let me know how much he adores baby overalls. Osh Kosh has some of the absolute cutest ones and they're super soft! They're also easy to get on and off because of the buttons along the inside pant seam. The buttons are also super convenient for diaper changes. The set also came with this darling long sleeve onesie that is so girly and cute! Osh Kosh has the cutest selection of both baby clothes and toddler clothes that go up to size 5t! You can get 20% off a $40+ purchase online with code: OKBG3352 and in store with code: 036992.


Mustela Hydra Bébé ® Body Lotion: This natural baby lotion is great for both mom and baby! It is also a best selling product from Mustela. I put lotion on my babies every single night and I love that this one is hypoallergenic, 97% of the ingredients are from natural origin, and it helps preserve baby skin’s cellular richness. It is so nice to know I'm putting pure ingredients on my little newborn as we enter the dry months! You can get 20% off at MUSTELAUSA.com with code: BABBLEBOX17


Boudreaux's Maximum Strength Jar: In my time of being a mom, I have dealt with some seriously rough diaper rashes! Oaklyn has really sensitive skin and just eating something that doesn't sit right with her belly has resulted in a really painful rash. We have loved this brand right from the start! It was actually one of the first rash creams I put on Oaklyn as a tiny newborn. It is pediatrician recommended and made without harsh ingredients. I'm so glad we have this big jar for Cambria! Head to www.buttpaste.com to check it out. 


Vichy– Mineral 89: As a young mom with little kiddos, I don't get much time to myself anymore... but when I do, I make sure to take care of myself. I have always loved different skin care products that help me keep my "youthful glow." I’m really excited about this hyaluronic acid face moisturizer! I wasn't familiar with Vichy products so I did some research on the brand and I'll save you the trouble by letting you know why you need it! All of their products contain mineralizing thermal water from French volcanos! How cool is that?? It strengthens your skin against internal and external aggressors such as pollution and stress. You can get 20% off + FREE Shipping with code: BabbleBoxx. This offer is good from 9/1 – 11/30 2017.


Playtex Nursing Bra: I remember making a list of everything I needed when I was pregnant with my first daughter. I had the usual things like a swing, a diaper bag, clothes, a crib, etc... However, my sister in law brought up how important it is to have an awesome nursing bra! At the time, I totally didn't get why, I mean a bra is a bra right? Wrong! I quickly learned having a comfortable nursing bra is exactly what every new mom needs! This nursing bra from Playtex is so comfortable and has everything a nursing mama needs in a bra. When nursing, your cup size fluctuates a ton! This bra has the ability to span two cup sizes and one band size! It also has front adjustable clasps, a fabric designed to keep you cool and comfortable, plus a wider back and higher sides to keep mama comfortable. 


Mumbrella: Okay this is totally one of those products you wish you would have thought of! Like seriously, how did no one think of this before?? It’s an umbrella that is designed to protect you from rain, sun, and other weather while you push a stroller. It is so cool to be able to have an umbrella that I don't have to hold! It is water resistant and 50UV coated as well! This is one of those things you don't think you need until you're running across the parking lot in a rain storm umbrella-less because while pushing a stroller, you just don't have enough hands! You can use code: BABBLEBOXX for free shipping!


Land's End Diaper Bag: This Land's End Diaper bag is the lightest diaper bag I have ever held! As a mom, that is super important. I always joke that once you become a mom you turn into a pack mule with everything you have to carry, ha! The last thing you need is a heavy bag weighing you down! It has easy access to everything you need to grab, comes with a changing pad, and is durable. It also has an adjustable webbed strap that is designed to loop around a stroller handle! This would be an awesome baby gift for a new mom! 

Which products will you be trying out this fall and winter??

All my love,
Aleigh Joy
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