3 years and a baby later, we finally got our HONEYMOON- Italy

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Ah Italy... you really are what dreams are made of! and jeez you were worth the wait! 

One of the first things Josh and I bonded over while dating, was our dream to go to Italy some day! We really wanted to go there for our honeymoon... but then we got married during finals week... 

Then, once we were married, we started saving some money for a trip over the summer. I had called the travel agency, picked our dates, everything, and then... we found out we were going to be having a baby that summer! haha 

so it took some patience, but this trip did, eventually, fall into place at just the right time!

So, you'd think after all this waiting I would have hardly been able to stand waiting any longer! but as many of you know, when it actually became a reality I started freaking out! You see, when your a mom you suddenly change all perspective... and going on a international adventure was not so simple anymore!

What if Isla misses me!

What if she doesn't sleep well!

What if she doesn't like me anymore when we get home!

What if we spend too much money!

What if our hotel bookings go wrong!

What if she cries the whole time we’re gone!

what if the driving is so sketchy we can't get anywhere!

what if she thinks we abandoned her!

what if we miss our flights!

what if 

what if

what if 

Well guess what? worrying is about as effective as chewing bubble gum to solve an algebra problem! Almost everything I had worried about didn't happen, and anything I didn't think of did! But that's OK! That's where the memories and adventures come in anyway. 

Isla was FINE! In fact, she LOVED staying with her Grandparents! She got way more spoiled and more attention than she could have ever hoped for! And she learned new things too-- and practiced being adaptable.

I actually feel like I need to tell parents out there that are thinking about going on a little vacation, with your spouse, to GO! 

If you have relatives you absolutely trust, (and are amazing enough to be willing to help) and your kids absolutely love, they will love it too! You will get that invaluable time together with your spouse! 

It's a win win for sure! 

Here's the number one question I got asked: Expenses!

GUYS heres a big thing! We actually found this deal on Groupon- of all places! It included flights, hotels and a car, and I really thought it was too good to be true! but it was true!!! 

I am definitely the type that likes to save money, so even buying a sweater is a big thing for me! You can only imagine my anxiety buying a Groupon for a vacation! 

But it turned out to be a pretty good deal after all. (Although now that were a little more familiar with Italy we might be able to match it on our own... )

Also, something we did to ease my anxiety before the trip: was map out an excel sheet for everyday of the vacation, and the expenses we were going to have to pay- right down to gas money for the car. We upped everything to a few dollars more after the euro translation- just to be sure- and then when we ended up spending much less than we budgeted for, it felt so good! It also gave us some good wiggle room for those unexpected expenses that pop up out of no where!

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Anyway... I'm kind of just wring this for memories sake, or to maybe encourage another anxious mama out there that if you can do it, you really should :) Hope you enjoy some highlights from our trip, and hopefully it will help with planning yours!

Positano

Ah, the town I had pinned on Pinterest 5 years ago! This was one of our first day trips because it was at the top of my list of places I wanted to see! I had spent months researching how to get there from our hotel, and pretty much all the info said DON'T DRIVE!
This was literally one of the craziest, twisty turny, narrow, cliff side roads in the world, but after researching bus schedules and blah blah blah we decided to just go for it! After all, Josh felt his Ghanaian driving experience had pretty much prepared him for anything!

and I'm SO glad he drove!
Holy cow, I would have had a heart attack! but instead I got to enjoy one of the most breathtaking experiences of my whole life!
Looking over those amazing cliffs, into the turquoise water, and beautiful colorful towns! it was MORE than picture perfect.

Once we got to Positano, we easily found an expensive parking spot (something everyone said we would not find ha) and just explored this absolutely charming town on foot. On our way back up, we stopped at this restaurant that had a table right on the edge of the cliff-- overlooking the whole town! It was incredible.

This restaurant! This view!

finally, a car my size!

Ravello

On another day trip, from our hotel around the Sorrento area, we took another absolutely crazy drive trough the back roads of Naples and up and through the mountains to get to Ravello. (we only stalled our manual car in the middle of a makeshift, narrow, intersection- but it's fine!!) 

This was a quiet town in comparison but so lovely! We had great pizza and gelato- but what else do you expect! 

We also marveled through an ancient garden, adored with statues, that overlooked the turquoise sea... so ya... that too

don't mind the fact that my eyes are always closed! Also, getting a shot of both of us was quite difficult when no one knew how to use our camera and we couldn't explain it to them because they didn't speak English. You'll see lots of single shots haha 

Capri

We took a boat straight from our hotel to the Island of Capri! The water was mesmerizing! The most clear crystal blue you've ever seen! but the main city was crowded and full of designer shops! I was just like, "of all places, you're going to put Louis Vuitton and Gucci on this tiny little island in the middle of nowhere?!" haha but apparently that's what its known for! The vacation spot for the rich and famous... except we weren't rich or famous... so maybe that's why Capri wasn't necessarily my favorite- but still not complaining!!!! Everything in Italy is amazing, this was just maybe a level 2 ya know? 

if you kiss under that arch legend says your love will last forever- we kissed under that arch

oh just another casual lunch view...

Pompeii and Herculaneum 

OK so this was cool! We decided to take a guided tour through both cities so that we didn't just make up our own imaginative facts along the way, and it turned out to be great! 

I say "it turned out to be" because when we first got there we were so mad at ourselves for booking a tour because we were about 30 years younger than anyone in the group. 

We were like "oh great, this is going to be a long day..." 

and it was. 

But we learned so many things we could have never even made up in our minds! And saw so many more important places than we could have found on our own. It was absolutely fascinating to be walking down 2,000 year old streets that were almost perfectly preserved. A must see for sure. 

79 AD

Rome

We left our hotel in Sorrento and went to stay in Rome! They're not kidding around when they say this place in eternal! 

Literally, almost everything you see is 2,000 3,000 years old! Absolutely mind blowing! and we got to cross a lot of checks of our bucket list!

Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Sistine chapel, Vatican CityTrevi fountains and so much more! 

I'd say the only down side the time I threw up in a Mercedes Benz Uber-- ya... it was bad. I got so sick one of the nights but luckily the driver was really sweet and didn't kick us out- not sure how I get the stomach flu on every international journey I've ever taken, but I've come to expect it now. 

But back to the amazing part! It was amazing... ok end of story.

in anther country! Vatican City!

another "quality" shot by a stranger! Grateful for them though, some people straight up said "no"- those who actually took our pictures were really nice! Made a lot of friends trading taking pictures for them too!

just posing with gelato because #tourist

I hope you didn't mind my super casual writing style, I just wanted to get this all down real quick before I forgot if I waited any longer! 

I just want to end with this sentiment: 

Don't let your anxiety win. And this doesn't just apply to traveling-- whatever dreams you have-- go for it, go live them! 

Life will happen in all the moments you never even thought to worry about. So, you might as well go out there and live your life to the fullest! 

I'm not saying leave all your responsibilities behind, but every once in a while we deserve to treat ourselves to experiencing something you've always dreamed of doing! 

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It's now back to the #momlife for me, but boy does absence make the heart grow fonder. This was just the refresher I needed to feel like myself again but also somehow bring it all back to her, and my husband, and just how much I love them. 

We now have these memories to cherish for a lifetime. 

I wouldn't have our "honeymoon" any other way.

Red Lipstick

Dress and top// Love Winnie James 15% off their site with code: LOVEABBY

Hey guys! Just wanted to do a little intro because it's been a while! 👋🏼 

so random fact: 1. I feel most like myself in red lipstick 💄

2. I love telling stories, so here's a story for ya 😂

I always wanted to be that girl who was brave enough to wear red lipstick- on any occasion- but I was too afraid of standing out and never thought I had big enough lips to pull it off haha.

It took my first time living in Uganda, for a whole summer, for me to realize that I didn't just want to wear any old thing anymore but I actually wanted to have a style- something I felt good in and was true to who I am.

I remember sitting in an Ugandan Internet cafe and exclaiming to my friend that I was going to do it!

"I am going to go home and be brave enough to wear red lipstick! and wear it any dang day I want to!"

And I did just that.

On my layover in London, on my way home, I stopped at one of the fancy makeup counters

- in my worn out orphanage shirt, and dirty old khaki pants I'd worked in the whole summer- not a dash of makeup on and rainwater hair-

I asked the woman at the counter if she could try some red lipsticks on me. She looked at me a little funny but helped me find that bright, true, red I was looking for.

It felt a little weird walking through London like that, but it was my first test at not caring what other people thought or if I was standing out- in fact, I learned that day that wearing red lipstick was a great conversation starter!

And from that day on, I wore that red lipstick through my college years like it was my thing! 💁🏼

Like many new moms, I've felt a little loss of some of who I used to be. It wasn't until a few months ago, after putting away that lipstick through pregnancy and breastfeeding, that I found that exact little silver tube I got in London so many years ago.

I put it on, and for the first time in a long time, I looked in the mirror and saw a reflection of who I used to be ☺️ and it made me feel like myself again.

It's been hard to always find the motivation to get dressed up as a mom (and most the time I don't because it's just not practical), but I've made it my new goal to try and find my style again, because you know what, it makes me feel good.

What you look like is not so important as how you feel.

And sometimes it's in the little things that can empower you the most. 💄

so be bold, be bright, be YOU ♥️ 

GIVEAWAY for $50 gift card on my Instagram page!

Buahin's Take Maui: tips from newbies on traveling with a baby

Swim suits // Kortni and Jeane, Albion Fit, Lime Ricki Dress // Amara boutique

So we survived! ok more than survived, we vacationed! It was our first real getaway since Isla was born and I was extremely excited for this trip up until about two weeks before- when I actually started to think about the realities of traveling with a baby. It wasn't going to be all just fun in the sun like usual. And the FLIGHTS! I was practically ready to cancel our trip thinking about the 12 hour journey, but we did it! and guess what? It wasn't so bad!

A new kind of vacation:

I can sum up our experience in three words: pool, beach and, NAP-TIME.

But oh, it was SO worth it to get away from the everyday! and just spend time in a beautiful, fun, place with family!
Isla loved playing in the kiddie pool, and Josh and I loved to be in the clear blue ocean, that's really all you need anyway.
Pretty much just being able to spend time together, after such a busy last year, was such a blessing!

Airplane:

here's a review of some tips you guys gave us for traveling with a baby- and my review of what worked for us :)

1. bring lots of toys and snacks- I packed like four of those baby food pouches, and then lots of munchies.

2. drinks- something I didn't really think about at first. I brought a bottle and sippy cup and filled them both up with water after we got through customs. I also brought little 4 oz. apple juices to mix with the water on the plane, and baby formula.  Note: airports will let you bring a "reasonable" amount of extra liquids if they are for a baby. You will just get stuck in customs for a little longer while they check them- and they'll need to see the baby present with you.

3. have them suck on something at take off and landing

4. a change of clothes for both you and the baby

5. baby carrier (we brought a stroller- you can take it all the way to the gate and then check it on)

6. baby Tylenol- just in case

7. have your baby used to sleeping with nosies before your trip! check!

My review: these were awesome tips! Luckily, Isla only needed to use a few of them though and she really didn't even cry! We kept her entertained by just being there (she's a people person) and the number one thing that helped us, was bringing her stuffed bunny that she loves to chew on while she falls asleep! She also loved the apple juice and all the SNACKS!

Only thing I would do different: not bring so many toys because she really didn't need them. Always a good idea to be prepared just in case though :)

Spray tan: 

Another thing I have to mention is my spray tan I got right before we left! I had to ask a lot of people if this was a good idea because the last time I got one was like 5 years ago- and it was BAD! like super orange and blotchy bad!
I didn't want that to happen again, and I also didn't want to have it streak and fade into a blotchy mess while swimming in the ocean all the time. But the majority of you told me to go for it! So I did:

My review: I opted for a hand sprayed kind (if thats what its called? haha) and I think it helped make it look more natural. Although, I think I made the mistake of taking a shower too soon... I waited the recommended 8 hours after getting sprayed, but still felt like it faded too much. The picture above is day one of Hawaii (one day after getting it). 

As you can tell, I wasn't necessarily a bronzed goddess or anything but I definitely felt more confident out in the sun (I'd normally be glowing white- like blind your eyes white).

This color lasted like a day, and I have to say, I think it helped me not get burned (but don't try this at home) I didn't wear hardly any sun screen for the whole day and had absolutely zero burn! but then I tried again the next day and it totally backfired! By then the spray tan had faded a lot and I got super brunt! (stupid I know). 

By day three I was wearing LOTS of sunscreen, and I'm pretty sure the spray tan had completely faded- but by then I was mostly naturally colored with my very own burn anyway haha 

so would I recommend a spray tan before a vacation? YES! I really loved having it-- even if it was only for that first day before I had time to get tan on my own. 

Tips: I would wait longer than 8 hours to rinse it off initially. Also you might get some blotches, I would bring some exfoliant to remove it from those trouble areas (cleavage area and neck) it seems to stick to much longer than the whole! 

 

And bonus #1 tip: 

bring your extended family!! It was seriously so much fun having them there and so great to have extra helping hands!

ALMOST summer fashion and average model me

Photography // Chloe Anne Makeup // Katie Adair Clothing // Shop Talia 

I'm not gonna lie, when I was asked to model for this online clothing company I was like, "who me? you realize I'm like 5'2 and still trying to loose all the baby weight right?" I'm not really a "model"

But then I realized, "who am I not to be a model?" 

I think the difficult thing for me is that, although social media is pushing for lots more "plus size models" (which I think is wonderful!), there's still not a whole lot of "average models" out there... 

you know? Like the ones that are short and "average skinny" but still have lots of dimples on their thighs! We've got the "super tall skinny models", and the "plus size beautiful girls", but not a lot of the "in between"! 

So here I am! A nice mix and "in between"... haha 

The point is, YOU too can be a "model"! Don't be afraid to post those pics where you might not look perfectly shapely or the angel might just be a little off- but you're still looking gorgeous! 

We NEED to see those kind of pictures because we all need to know what REAL and the "in between", looks like! 

In fact, win a photoshoot to start practicing! haha 

Now until Wednesday evening we have a GIVE AWAY including all the girls apart of this shoot! 

you can win a FREE photo shoot of your own! (any occasion) 

You can enter on my most recent post :)

Now go post those REAL photos of yours, and I'll try to work on being better at that too! 

xo,

Abby

ps I'm super loving the Velvet trend this year!