get to know me q&a!

I know I say this all the time, but will never be able to accurately put into words how truly grateful I am that you guys choose to follow me and read my blog everyday! I know watching my stories or reading my blog or whatever could take up a decent chunk of your time so I want to help you guys really get to know exactly who you’re watching on IG every day haha! Peel back the curtain a little bit and help you get to know me. I’d so love to be able to meet each one of you in person, chat, get to know each other over a glass of rose…but in the meantime, this will have to suffice!

I put a question box on my instagram stories last Thursday and told you guys to ask me ANY thing you wanted to know! I’m going to answer 20 of the most frequently asked questions in today’s post! (Edit: ended up answering 31 lol). Let’s get started!

Did you drink coffee during pregnancy? Yes! I had one cup a day every single day. And cherished that one cup haha
Do you fast? Do you stop eating at a certain time? No I do not! I’ve never done intermittent fasting and don’t really have an interest in it. Most nights I have dessert around 8 or 9…and then I typically have a snack before my workout in the morning around 6:30am.
How old are you? Just turned 30!
How tall are you? I’m 5’7″
Do you want more kids? Yes! We aren’t in a hurry but would love more kids one day
What is your typical diet when you aren’t doing whole30? I try and eat relatively ‘clean’ – lots of protein (eggs, chicken, fish etc), fresh organic fruits and veggies, etc! I don’t follow any specific diet or eating plan or ‘track’ anything though! I have a major sweet tooth so I always have dessert at night (ice cream is typically my go-to) and I’m also obsessed with cheese haha. I think healthy eating / living is all about balance and moderation and not restricting yourself.
Favorite loungewear / workout brand? I’m typically lounging AND working out in lululemon haha. Lulu is hands down my favorite workout brand. For loungewear, I also love Aerie and Lou & Grey!
When did you start blogging? I actually started ‘blogging’ by writing for someone else’s blog for a year – that was in August of 2014. Then, I launched my own website in October 2015! So I’ve been blogging for about 5 1/2 years!
Favorite workout shoe? See this roundup blog post of my favorite workout shoes / what I wear each shoe for!
Favorite protein powder? I love Orgain protein powder! It’s organic, plant-based, and tastes amazing!
Favorite skincare line? I could never choose between Drunk Elephant and Vintner’s Daughter! I also love Skinceuticals!
Do you take probiotics? Yes! I was taking Seed probiotic for a while but recently ran out. I also like this gummy probiotic! (I’m a child and love gummy vitamins way too much).
How do you stay close to God? I think this is a lifelong battle for any believer! And I could write a mini novel with my answer to this ha but I’ll try and condense! I stay close to God by spending time with Him every day. I try and wake up before Michael and Shiloh get up, and before I get a workout in…I make my coffee and spend time reading my Bible, a devotional, and praying / journaling. This time with God always makes me feel closer to Him, gives me peace, and grounds my mind in truth for the day! Another way I stay close to God is by surrounding myself with people who also love the Lord and are actively pursuing Him! So, Michael, my girlfriends, my sisters, my mom…we often talk about what God has been teaching us, what we’re reading, how we can be praying for each other etc. Having people in my life who challenge me to walk more closely with God is so impactful!
How do you stay focused running on a treadmill? This has become much harder for me recently since I’ve gotten so used to going to workout classes! I try and just run outside as much as possible. But if outdoors isn’t an option…I will listen to one of my favorite podcasts on the treadmill or watch a show on my iPad. Or just listen to a really good playlist on Spotify that helps me kinda zone out!
What did you study in college? I majored in Apparel Merchandising and minored in Business Administration.
What is your favorite thing about being a mom? Gosh. SO MANY THINGS. Currently – I love seeing Shiloh develop her own little personality (and all the sass that comes with it!) and explore/discover the world around her. She loves to point to a car and say “car!” or blow people kisses when she’s telling them bye on Facetime. Seeing her go from a baby, to her own little person is the coolest thing. Overall though, I would say my favorite thing about being a mom is the unconditional love I experience for Shiloh on a daily basis – that I’d never experienced before I became a mom. It truly is the coolest reflection / glimpse into how God loves each one of us.
How many times do you do cardio vs weights? Up until a few weeks ago…I would usually do cardio-focused workouts (ie: running or a peloton class) 4 days a week. And do weights maybe 2 days a week. If I did a 45min Peloton class though, I would still do weights after for 15mins. So I was always mixing cardio with strength training, but definitely more heavy on the cardio! Recently I’ve been changing it up for the first time in maybe…ever…and doing strength training workouts 4 days a week, cardio one or two days a week! I’ve only been doing it for a few weeks but can already tell such a difference in my body and I’m really enjoying the change!
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What are your favorite lulu pieces? See this blog post highlighting each of my favorite lululemon pieces for workouts and everyday wear!
What is your favorite bible verse? “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith – that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” – Ephesians 3:17-19
Where are your favorite Dallas spots? Like restaurants? Cane Rosso for pizza, Oishii for sushi, Mesero for Mexican! Just 3 off the top of my head haha. R+D Kitchen is also one of my all-time favorite restaurants.
What did you do before blogging? I worked as a Merchandise Coordinator for Neiman Marcus Direct in the Fine Apparel buying office! It was such a great job and i got a lot of really good experience in the fashion industry and just the corporate world in general! I loved the people I worked with!
How do you stay motivated? Motivation is something that comes (in my opinion) when you are taking care of your mind and body – getting enough sleep, taking time to ‘unplug’ and rest, eating well, living in healthy relationships with others, etc. I think when you are really taking care of yourself, you are motivated to be your absolute best – for yourself and for others around you. That being said, I definitely have mornings where I am NOT feeling a workout or I don’t want to tackle my to-do list. In those moments, I remind myself of a few things: ‘what doesn’t challenge you, doesn’t change you’…and i remember that my future self (myself in an hour) will thank me for pushing through and getting the workout done or checking the boxes off my to-do list. Sometimes I don’t FEEL motivated but try and practice ‘mind over matter’ in those moments. But, if you are consistently feeling unmotivated and bleh…ask yourself why! Are you getting enough sleep? Fueling your body properly? Practicing healthy relationships and friendships with others? Don’t be afraid to check in with yourself and figure out what is exactly making you consistently feel unmotivated. Lean in to that. Pray about it. Talk to a friend about it!
How do you manage being a mom, a wife and working? Not being afraid to ask for help! I hated the idea of putting Shiloh in Mother’s Day Out or getting a nanny because I thought ‘well Michael and I are both home. We should be able to play with Shiloh all the time.” But the truth is, we need to work and can’t play with our toddler 24/7, and there is nothing wrong with that! So we have help with Shiloh for a few hours, 2 days a week which has been a huge help. I also have a (small but mighty!) team of people that help me with my business and I’ve had to learn to delegate and ask for help because I certainly can’t do it all! I have learned that in order to be the best wife, mom, and business owner I can possibly be…I need to be okay with asking for help and accepting I can’t do all the things all the time!
What are your favorite hobbies? I honestly love working out and get a lot of joy from challenging myself with a new workout or class, running outside, a yoga class etc. I also love skincare and nerding out researching new products or ingredients. A few other hobbies: I love writing / journaling, music (listening to music / finding new music / singing), and baking if I make the time for it!
Where are the gold bracelets from that you always wear? Miranda Frye! You can get a discount with code LKS!
What prenatal vitamins do you recommend? Ritual FOR SURE! You can get a discount with code LAUREN10.
What self tanner do you use? I rotate between a few different ones. My two current favorites are Loving Tan self tanner and the Isle of Paradise self tanning drops. Check out my Ultimate Self-Tanning Guide for how I apply this combination of self-tanning products throughout the year!
What does your husband do? Michael helps me full time with my business! He helps with contracts, takes care of taxes / payroll etc, takes all of my photos, helps with website / tech stuff, etc. He also stays home + helps with Shiloh all day! So thankful the 3 of us get to all stay home together!
What are your three favorite brands? Madewell, Lululemon, Everlane (gosh that is a hard question. But if I HAD to pick, I think those would be my 3).
What is your favorite makeup remover? This makeup melting butter cleanser by Drunk Elephant OR these new makeup wipes from Billie!
How is Shiloh doing with PT? Is someone still working with her? We had a physical therapist and speech therapist come to our house to work with Shiloh, once a week for about 3 or 4 months when we were living in Colorado and they were AMAZING! Once we moved to Dallas and got established with a new pediatrician here…after evaluating Shiloh, the doctor said Shiloh doesn’t seem delayed and she wasn’t concerned about her development at all and said she didn’t think Shiloh needed therapy anymore! Shiloh was slow to crawl, walk, etc. But once she started crawling (at 12 months) and walking (at 15 months) she really has just taken off in her development!

Okay wow, I had originally planned on picking 10 questions to answer but y’all had so many good ones that I thought 31 sounded like a good number lol! I hope this helps you guys get to know me and my heart and my family a little bit better! Again, I am SO thankful for this community here and that you guys choose to follow along with my life! I’m convinced I have the sweetest, most supportive, loving readers and I am beyond grateful.