The end of the year always gets me thinking about my life and taking a good look at what I am doing and where I am going. It also makes me want to take some time to plan for the upcoming year- especially this year.

In 2017 I plan on graduating from college and then (shortly after) becoming a mother and then moving to a new city. Needless to say, some pretty big changes are coming up this year and I could not be more excited for them!

I get asked a lot, "what are you going to do after college?" and "what kind of job do you want?" Although I believe motherhood is more important than any successful career I could ever dream of, I want to help support our family while Kody is in school and I feel like I have the know-how (and the degree) to do so. Up until a few months ago I thought I had it all figured out- I would finish up with school and then apply for a job as an on-camera reporter in Salt Lake City. I had had my resume and demo reels all set up and I was feeling pretty good about them! But a couple of super interesting classes (and a positive pregnancy test) had me re-thinking everyyyything and for a long time, I didn't know exactly what I wanted to do. I mean, I really enjoy the whole journalism-world, but a demanding, full-time, on-call job is not possible with a little one at home unless he goes to a nanny or daycare and I don't want to do that.

So, over the past few months I have spent a lot of time trying to figure out what exactly I want to do. I have always been the type to have a lot of different hobbies and interests. When I was a little girl, I felt like all of my friends had their "things". One girl was a gymnast, one played volleyball, and so on. I would get frustrated because could never decide what my one "thing" was. I liked gymnastics classes, and I liked a bunch of different sports, but could never settle for just one thing. When I went to college, I decided on a communications major because I knew that I could do a variety of different things with my degree. I always thought my in-decisiveness was a bad thing, but lately I have realized that it is good! Through all of it, I have been able to learn how to do a variety of different things.

For those who have asked, the whole "advertising-on-my-blog-and-Instagram" thing has been great, but I never planned on making it into a means of making a living; it has mostly just been for fun. I also don't feel comfortable being a "mommy blogger" and posting all kinds of photos of my baby online for the world to see, so I plan on slowing down on the advertising-type stuff (although, I will keep the blog for fun).

So, I decided to combine some of the business things I've learned, the social media, the advertising, the writing, the filming and the editing into something I think I can do as a mother of a newborn. After a lot of thinking and praying and talking with Kody, I have decided to start my own videography business this year!

I have done a lot of wedding photography in the past and really enjoyed it (and learned a ton), but after taking some filming classes and learning how to really edit video, I have found that I can bring more to the table than just photos. Since I was young I have loved making little videos and I think it is something I could really be good at and enjoy!

Yes, I hope to do some weddings, births, parties and things like that, but I plan to implement my own, unique twist on everything and really focus on other film projects that I will talk about more later :)

Over the next few months, I hope to set up a totally new website, get my hands on a few new things equipment-wise and get this thing going. I will be in school and work more than full-time this semester, so it might take me a little while to get it all together, but to answer everyone's questions regarding what I'm doing after I graduate- there ya go!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful start to a wonderful year!

xo

Today we got to FaceTime my cute missionary brother for the first time! He has been out on his mission for almost six months now so it was SO great to be able to talk to him face to face! I got married when I was 19, so I never really got a chance to serve my own church mission (although I hope to with Kody when we are older), so I love hearing about my brother's missionary experiences, feelings, etc.

He told us about how right now he is in a small town that isn't the wealthiest or the nicest. He talked about how a lot of the people he teaches and visits live in motel rooms and have really, really hard lives. I won't share the specific stories, but it was clear that his young, teenage heart just ached for these people.

I will admit that my first thought when hearing about drug problems or DUI's or convicts is something along the lines of "well, maybe if they wouldn't have done those things, they wouldn't be in that situation." I mean, it is pretty easy to feel love towards people with disabilities or poor little children in third-world countries, or innocent people like that. But people who are not cute, and sweet and innocent? It isn't always the easiet thing. Yet for my brother, it was. He says he absoluetly LOVES the area he is in and doesn't want to leave. He sees the potential these people have and wants to help them. Words can't describe how much that opened my eyes. After all, that's what the Savior would do. I don't think He even cares what a person does, He loves them just as much as anybody else. After all, we are all sinners and we are all needy.

I think sometimes in our society, we only want to help people that are easy to help. We often think we need to travel to far away countries, or have a lot of money to help people when the truth is that people who need help are all around us. In our neighborhoods, our workplaces, our classes, our families, everywhere. They just may not always seem like the typical, needy person.

Anyways, sorry for the rambling but my brother is such a great example to me and I just love him so much. Merry Christmas!!!

xo

Like I said in my last post, I totally thought this baby would be a girl. I didn't mention, however, that I was secretly wishing it was a boy! Kody thought it would be a girl and so did pretty much everybody else I talked to! I had pinned tons of baby girl outfits on Pinterest and we started thinking of girl names. I thought for sure it would be a little gal, even though I was secretly crossing my fingers for a boy. I did't care that much, but I have always imagined myself with a boy first. I don't know. There is just something about little boys that is so sweet and adorable. Maybe it is because I grew up with brothers. I don't know!

We ended up going to Fetal Fotos, an ultrasound place here in Utah, for a 14.5 week ultrasound (it is an awesome place). I wasn't sure if we would be able to see anything just because it still seemed so early on, but thought we'd try anyways. They had a big TV on the wall so we could see the baby so clearly and we were SO suprised by how much he had grown since the last ultrasound! His little head and profile were so cute and clear!!

For the first few minutes he had his little legs crossed so we couldn't see anything! I tried moving around and shaking him a little bit and although he was a stubborn little guy, eventually we were able to see as clear as day that it was a little guy!!!!

We couldn't believe it! But then right away, it all seemed so right. It was our little boy!




He was jumping all around and scratching his little face with his little hands. Every time I saw him moving, I would laugh and that would make him move even more. It was so surreal. I couldn't get enough of watching him.

Kody said afterwards that his face was hurting because he was smiling so much! It was the sweetest thing ever!!!! He is so excited. I am now crossing my fingers that this little guy is as cute as his daddy! I am SO grateful to have my best friend right by my side through this whole thing. Laying at the ultrasound place with him right next to me was one of my favorite memories. He is going to be an amazing daddy :)

We also got to Arizona yesterday and got to tell my family in person! They are so excited too. Time to start the baby shopping!

Thank you so much for all the sweet wishes! It means the world to us! We really have the BEST friends/family/aquaintances and feel so blessed.

So beyond excited!!!!!!!!

xo

Every year I get so excited for all the sales that come with Black Friday and Cyber Monday! However, I have also learned that preparation is key to getting the good deals. When you don't plan, and you just go shopping for anything and everything, you are bound to spend WAY more money than you need to/should. Now is the time to look around for the best deals and get ready!

Since lately most of the things I've been blogging about have been beauty-related, I thought I'd put together a giant list of all the best deals on beauty products. All of these deals either already started or will begin at midnight on Black Friday. I am sure you can find these deals in-store as well, but why not just stay in your PJ's?! :)

Click on each product to see how cheap you can find them this weekend!



-BROO Hair Products are 50% off at Target!

-Smashbox Light it Up Pallette $39 at Nordstrom.com

-Abba Shampoos and Conditioners are 40% off at Ulta.com

-Cutest Marc Jacobs makeup bag $50 off at Nordstrom.com.

-Buy two Catrice products get one free on Ulta.com

-Lorac Dance 'til Dawn Eye/Cheek Pallette for only $19 at Ulta.com

-Bella J Lip Glosses are only $6.50 at Nordstrom.com, usually $12.50. 50% off isn't bad!

-Get 2 Beauty Blender sponges for $32 at Nordstrom, usually $40

HAPPY SHOPPING!

xo

Supise, suprise!!! Kody and I are so happy to finally announce that we are having a baby! It has been so hard to keep my mouth shut, so this feels good!

Baby is due June 13th, 2017 and right now I am about 3 months along. Boy has this pregnancy made this difficult semester even more difficult! I am totally not complaining though becuase I am so happy and this morning sickness/constant exhaustion is so worth it. BUT I am happpy this semester and this first trimester are both coming to an end. I am hoping my energy comes back a little bit and that I can start to enjoy food + smells again.

I have already been documenting a little bit of this pregnancy (that I shared in posts below), just so I didn't forget and I hope to keep updating every few weeks. You can read more about when/how we found out and all that stuff in my 5 week post, more about all the sickness in week 8 and about our first ultrasound in week 11.

Anyways, we are so excited! Being a mom is all I have ever wanted to do since I was a little girl. Thank you so much for all of your sweet words and support.

xo

Today was one of the neatest days of my life! It was our first baby dr. appointment and first ultrasound! I had been looking forward to it for so long. I was super excited but also pretty nervous. I wasn't sure what to expect and I was really hoping for good news- which was exactly what we got (right after we stopped for breakfast at Chick-fil-a).

I was right on the dot for guesing what my due date would be. Dr. confirmed June 13th. My mom's birthday is the 12th, my parents' anniversary is the 14th and my birthday is the 16th. Plus father's day tends to fall during that week, so we are looking at a crazy few days in June! :)


The ultrasound was such a neat experience. Kody and I were so excited as we watched a little baby pop up on the screen! I didn't think it would be as big or as clear as it was. You could clearly see a big head, little arms and legs and a cute little bum! We got a kick out of how much it was moving around. Its arms were going up and down and it's teeny legs were kicking. IT WAS THE CUTEST THING. We are already obsessed with this baby. We also got to see a very clear heartbeat which was very comfoting and again, very cute :)

I also got to get my long list of questions answered and it was such a good experience. My docotor seems super sweet and cool so far so I felt good. The whole thing actually seems real now! Even though I can't feel it moving quite yet, there really is a little baby growing inside of me.

I haven't had any big self-esteem problems in the past but, I mean, I'm a girl. So, there have been lots of times where I haven't felt pretty or skinny enough. Especially lately. I have definately gained weight in the past few weeks (probably more than I should), and I just haven't felt super cute! But today I got a little wake-up call about how dumb it is to be so hard on myself. OUR BODIES ARE SO COOL. No matter how fun it is to make them look pretty, that isn't really the main point of them. Heavenly Father was thinking about a lot more than our looks when he made us. I looked at that baby on the screen and thought about how happy my parents must have felt when they saw a tiny version of me on their screen and they probably felt the same way I did. Kind of a random thought, but it's true! Our bodies are SO VALUABLE no matter what they look like. Our bodies constantly change. We are WAY too hard on ourselves and it is ridiculous! For the next 7 months I know my body is really going to change, but I hope to be able to look beyond the stretch marks, the spider veins and the number on the scale, and see what is actually important. I am so beyond grateful for this body and for this baby.

xo

I am so exited to talk about another awesome product from D'OR24K! I tried one of their eyelift serums a few months back and LOVED it, so I was so happy to try their Non-Surgical Lifting Syringe.

It is in the coolest little syringe which makes it super easy to apply. You don't need to use it every day, thought. I would reccomend saving it for special occasions when you need a little lift! It goes well under makeup, too as long as you let it sit and dry for a minute after applying. You also can use it on other parts of your face too, not just your eyes!


Like the title says, it isn't surgical but it does help that super sensitive area under your eyes. Even I, at 21-years-old can notice a nice difference after I put it on. I even had my cute mom try it and she loved it, so I'd reccomend it no matter how old you are.

If you are someone who notices bags/wrinkles under your eyes but don't want to go through plastic surgery, this is the stuff for you!


You can use code PROMO25 to get 25% off your purchase, too.

xo

If you read my blog, you know that this isn't my first time talking about HASK hair products. I LOVE THIS BRAND. All of the flavors smell so yummy, they are totally affordable and I noticed them at Target the other day! Just another reason to love Target.

Today I'm talking specifically about their Superfruit hair line. This is probably my favorite line that HASK has. It is definitely the best-smelling and that says a lot because all of their products smell SO good. This line also makes your hair especially smooth and shiny. I love when my hair looks as soft and smooth as it feels, and this line totally makes that possible.

Like I said earlier, you can find them at most Target and CVS stores or you can find a location near you here. Let me know what your favorite line is!

xo

Big thanks to HASK for sponsoring this post!

On Sunday Kody and I went for a little teeny drive to take pictures for our Christmas card! Kody isn't a huge fan of pictures. Actually he hates them. BUT he loves me, so he was a good sport about it :)

Lately I have been thinking a lot about how fast time has gone since we got married. It has been about 2 years since we got married and 3 years since we first met. However, it has felt more like a couple of months.

Not even kidding at all.

I now understand what adults always meant when they said "time flies" or "the older you get, the faster time goes." It is so true!

Sometimes I am happy when time goes fast. For instance, this semester has been so hard so I am happy that it has gone by pretty fast. But sometimes I feel like I just want to stop, pause everything and take a while to soak it in. So today I want to talk real quick about how I feel right at this moment about my husband. I usually hate the super cheesy blog stuff but what can I say? Sometimes I just need to be cheesy.

At the beginning of college I was not planning on getting married right away. As a matter of fact, I thought I wanted to wait until after I graduated. Little did I know, you don't really get to choose when the right person comes along! Looking back now, I wouldn't have it ANY other way.

When I was little, I had a list in the back of my journal of the qualities I wanted in a future husband (that's normal, right?). Every time I thought of something new, I'd write it down. My "list" ended up having some really important things (speaks kind to me) and some not-so-important things that my 12-year-old self thought was so important at the time (likes Disneyland a lot). After dating a lot and being married for a little while, my little list has changed and I have been able to see what qualities really, truly matter in a marriage.

Girls, I know that you don't need to get married. I am aware that it is 2016 and women are strong and independent and all of that. BUT if you do, make sure you marry someone who has a sense of humor and can make you laugh. Marry someone who will speak kindly to you. Marry someone who LOVES the Lord and shows it. Marry a man who is patient. Marry someone who is selfless. And marry someone who can handle difficult situations.

I think it goes without saying that YOU need to have these qualities as well, but I am just assuming you do :)

The other day one of my friends asked me how I knew I wanted to marry Kody. Honestly, there wasn't one single moment I can remember thinking, "Oh, I must marry him! It is meant to be!" But after going on several dates and hanging out a lot, I realized I didn't want anything else! I HATED saying goodnight. I didn't like going on dates with other guys or flirting or any of that. I didn't care what else was out there. I only wanted to be with him.

I feel like I am the luckiest girl in the world. I could NOT have asked for a better husband for me. He may not like country music and he may like playing basketball a lot more than I do but I'll gladly take him anyways! I have been able to see that what is really important isn't always exactly what 12-year-old Ivy thought was and I am so grateful for that. Also he is so hot (not super important, but it's a pretty good bonus if you ask me).

Soooooo that's basically my little Thursday night ramble.
Happy almost-weekend!! :)

xo

It is only Monday and my brain is already fried from schoolwork, so I am taking a little writing break. I never really know how these posts will come out. I kinda just start going and see where it takes me! :)

I can't beleieve that Election Day is almost here! Am I the only one who feels like this thing has gone on for like 1,000 years?

Not going to lie, election day is kind of like my version of a superbowl. I think I have a pretty good guess as to who will win, but I am anxious to see how it will all go down. I got all my news reporting stuff done today so I could just chill tomorrow and follow it all! As lame as that may sound, it's true. I am kind of a nut when it comes to this stuff. I blame you, mom for listening to all that talk radio in the car when I was growing up :) 

This was the first time I could vote in a presidential election! Last time I was only about 10 months too young and I was pretty bummed about it. I honestly wish I could be one of those people that says, "I just don't get into politics" or "I really don't care who wins. I don't like any politicians." but I just can't help myself but get into it all! I have had a lot of thoughts about this election and yes, I have my opinions on who I think should win. I don't reallly like to talk about it on my blog though. All I really want to say is that in the end, America is the greatest nation in the history of the world and will continue to be so, no matter who the president may be.

I feel like everyone is soo gloom and doom about this election (including myself at times). Our ancestors didn't give their lives for a nation, just to have it ruined by one (or a few) bad presidents. You can still feel pride for your country, you can still be grateful for your freedoms and you don't have to move away if someone you don't like gets elected.

So get out and vote with all your might and remember that this is YOUR country no matter who happens to be in the White House.

flag top is from Coco & Main

xo

I am so behind on my blogging lately. School and work is literally killing me! Annnnd something else totally crazy happened on top of all of that, that I will talk about a little more soon. Needless to say, I am a little behind on everything in my life right now!

However, today I am SO excited to talk about Jord Watches! How unbelievably cute is this watch?! As you probably know, I am crazy about any kind of cool, cute accessories especially watches. I have about 5 different watches that I like to switch up everyday but this one is so unique compared to the others! It is one of my favorites because I feel like it could honestly be styled with any outfit, ESPECIALLY fall fashion!



Today Jord is hosting a giveaway for my readers! The winner will recieve a $75 gift card for anything they'd like from Jord. This giveaway is huge, so be sure to enter by clicking HERE :)

Also, eveyone who enters the contest will get $20 of credit. These watches are perfect gifts for Christmas! They have a huge variety of watches, so beleive me when I say there is something for everyone.

You can shop women's watches HERE and men's watches HERE!

The contest will close on November 20th and the $20 codes will be good until January 1st. So go, go, go!!



xo

Watch Gift Ideas

The weather here in Utah has been so nice lately! At night it is a little chilly, but most of the day it is the perfect fall weather. It is still warm enough to wear short-sleeves during the day but cool enough to also wear sweaters in the evening! It is perfect. I am trying to soak it all up because I know the freezing cold snow is right around the corner.

Today I am sharing the details of the outfit I wore this past Sunday to church! It is the PERFECT fall outfit and I am obsessed with it. The skirt is the perfect midi length. You can pull it up a little higher like I did in the photos or let it be long! It also looks super good with the shirt tucked in. I am LOVING the tight-midi-skirt look lately. They make you look so long and slim and they are 100% modest. I am such a sucker for anything that is stylish and makes you look super good, while being modest at the same time! It IS possible to have both :)

The shirt and skirt are both from Liam's Loft (one of my new favorite online shops) and both pieces are on sale on Jane.com right now!!

top
skirt 

I bought these shoes a long time ago, but here are some similar styles that I think would go well with this type of outfit!



Happy Friday!

xo