15 Posts You Would Have Loved--If I Had Written Them

My kids hanging out in Delaware, where we're currently staying. (Yet another post I'm sure to be delinquent on soon...)

Recently, one of my blogging idols--Ilana of MommyShorts--wrote a genius post. She owned up to all the blog posts she hasn't gotten around to writing, and it really rang true for me since I'm also verrry behind in blogging about my own life. So many things have happened this year (and, erm, last year) that I just haven't gotten around to blogging about yet. 

This is annoying for many reasons, not least of which is that I carry around so much guilt about it! I am constantly stressing about the blog posts I need to write. (Note: In nearly every case it boils down to something lame like me already having the photos--but having way too many--and not wanting to edit them. Pathetic!) 

So here's a few of the many things that I've been delinquent about blogging about. Tell me which ones sound most interesting to you, and I'll try to tackle those first!

Our Visit to Disney Aulani in Hawaii

Spring Break in Disneyland (um, this was 2017...EEK!)

The Best Parenting Advice I Never Took

My Son's 5th Birthday Party (Looney Tunes meets Cinco de Mayo!)

My Daughter's 8th Birthday Party (a.k.a. The Year I Finally Gave Up Stressing Over Pinterest-Perfect Parties and Succumbed to SkyZone)

Why We Had to Say Goodbye to Our Long-Time Nanny

Why We Decided To Get An Au Pair (And, Yes, She Lives With Us!)

I Sat Through A Taylor Swift Concert In The Pouring Rain Because I Love My Daughter (Ok, I Loved The Concert, Too)

I Survived Whole 30 (Part Two)

I Tried This Fat-Melting Treatment On My Tummy--And It Worked!

I Got Custom-Made Sandals at Amanu and I'm Obsessed!

TK More Great Books To Read Right Now

5 More Podcasts You Need to Start Listening To

Our Backyard Transformation

Our West Coast Road Trip

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So, tell me: Which ones should I start with?

My 2018 Goals

Photo by Caitie of @ktnewsms

Though I've always made New Year's goals and resolutions privately, surprisingly, I don't think I've ever actually shared them here in this space. Well, this year, I feel like I need the kick in the pants that comes with accountability, so here I am putting them out into the world. They're not revolutionary resolutions or groundbreaking goals, but they're mine. Read, enjoy, and please...help me stick to them!

1. Read more books. I talked about this in my Instagram Stories recently, but though I consider myself someone who loves to read, I don't actually read that many books anymore. I've really gotten into podcasts, and those have kind of replaced books for me in many situations where I used to read them (I.e. during a commute). I also spend a ton of my free time on my computer--on social media, reading political articles (ugh), etc. No more! I'm going to make reading books a priority, and my aim is two each month. (That's not a ton, I know--and I do hope to exceed that--but I need a doable goal to start with.) I recently started This Is How it Always Is, because it was on so many best-of-2017 lists, and so far it's great! And as soon as I finish it, I'm diving into The Bright Hour. It had already been on my Amazon wishlist for months, but then I read this amazing, beautiful story yesterday and realized I had to read it asap. (BTW, I had already read--and sobbed through, and adored--When Breath Becomes Air, but if you haven't read it, you need to do so immediately. It's incredible!)

2. Drink more water. This is a lame one, I know, but it's necessary. I'm so bad at drinking water and am pretty sure I have to be constantly dehydrated. And honestly, I feel like I'm starting to see my dehydration in my face! And the worst part is that I'm not one of those people who doesn't like drinking plain water. I love a glass of ice cold water! My issue is that I just never think to drink it.(Except at meals when I only ever have water. I don't drink soda, juice, etc.) If anyone has tips on how to make yourself drink more water (and how to track your ounces), I would love to hear them! In the meantime, I think I'm going to buy this cool water bottle, which helps track how much you drink.) I'm aiming for half my body weight in ounces each day, which seems reasonable. 

3. Put my phone away when I'm with my kids. Yes, sometimes it's necessary to be on it, but usually it's just not. Yet, I constantly find myself mindlessly scrolling through Twitter when I should be snuggling and engaging. This especially happens when I'm eating a meal with my kids or putting them to bed, and I've thought about it/felt guilty about it for some time now. But what really inspired me to put this on my list is this: Last night, while my son was brushing his teeth, I had my head down focused on my phone per usual when he suddenly said, "I don't like it when I try to tell you something and you are on your phone and are not listening." Heart. Broken. I shouldn't even have it with me during moments like that, I know, so going forward, I won't. (BTW, I need to get my husband on board with this goal, too!)

4. Eat for health. This is a bit vague, I know, but I'm not trying to adopt some crazy diet here. I just need to eat in a more health-focused way. I'm not looking to lose a ton of weight or become a vegan or anything dramatic. But I do need to do a few key things. I need to eat fewer carbs (sadly, they make up the bulk of my diet right now. Me love carbs.), I need to eat more protein, and perhaps the biggest one: I need to eat more veggies. Above all, with every meal, I need to remember to eat to nourish my body, not just to fill it with stuff. That means meals with veggies and fiber and protein--and not just a bowl of cereal or pasta because it's easy. 

5. Spin at least twice a week. I do private Pilates sessions twice a week, religiously, so I'm really good about getting in my core work/stretching. But I'm abysmal at cardio, these days. And worst of all, I have no excuse for this one considering we have a damn Peloton bike in our bedroom!!! So I'm setting a very reasonable, very doable goal of two Peloton sessions a week. And then hopefully I'll become hooked again and will do it a lot more!

6. Blog three times each week. Or, okay, maybe twice a week. But more than now! You guys, I'm sorry. I've never been the type of person who blogs every day, but yikes--my blogging schedule this past year was, shall we say...irregular. I'd like to make three times a week my goal, but I also want to make sure I'm not bringing you crap, so let's say two to three times a week. One things for sure: I'm going to be here for you more this year. Promise.

7. Do a blog re-design. Another huge goal that I have for this space is a re-design. My site has actually never been redesigned. And I've had this blog for almost seven years now. It's gotten embarrassing...and it's beyond time. (If you know a great blog designer, let me know! I have started looking into this a bit, but I'd definitely like to get more suggstions.)

8. Start an email newsletter. Here's something else I've been meaning to do forever. But I never wanted to do a newsletter just for the sake of doing one. I only want to do it if it's going to provide new info, cool recommendations, exclusive giveaways--basically fun stuff you haven't seen or read before. I can't stand newsletters that exist solely to regurgiate what you've already read on someone's blog. But I feel like I've got a good plan for a cool newsletter now, so this is my year. If you are interested in being one of the first people to read it when it (hopefully!) launches, you can sign up for it here. Note: I will NEVER sell your email or use it to spam you. I will also send my newsletter very rarely--once a week max, probably even less. (I mean, you know me...!) Basically, I promise to never, ever clog up your inbox.

9. Get rid of clutter. I have so much stuff, you guys. I buy too much stuff, I get too much stuff for free thanks to my job, and I am bad (like really, epically bad) at getting rid of stuff. As a result, my house is in a constant state of clutter. And while I'm not one of those people who needs no clutter in order to function happily, the amount I have is just too much, even for me. I didn't connect with the Marie Kondo method, and I'm not even sure if I need a method, but I do need to get rid of stuff. So, I'm going to set aside two half days each week to go through all of my crap and get rid of it. (Salvation Army, get ready!) P.S.: If you guys have any pieces of advice for sorting through stuff--or any favorite books, articles, or organizing doodads--please send them my way!

So that's it. I have a few additional personal and professional goals, of course, but these are some key ones. And the ones I really want accountability on! Would love to hear if any of my 2018 goals coincide with yours. What are we all aiming for this year? Tell me below!

Your Favorite Blog Posts of 2015

One of my favorite photos that ran on the blog in 2015.

It's fun doing year-end wrap-up posts. Not only am I reminded of posts from months back that I'd forgotten about, but looking at your blog purely from a numbers perspective, allows you to see what people really respond to. For me, it felt very reaffirming, because the stuff that you guys gravitated to--a combo of beauty, parenting, fashion, entertaining, home decor, and books--was the exact mix of this blog, so it feels like maybe, sort of, kind of that I'm on the right track? 

It also lets you pat yourself on the back a little. I constantly hem and haw over my traffic here (is it high enough? how can I boost my unique users?), so it's nice to remind yourself that there were in fact highlights. One of the posts below reached over 250,000 people on Facebook this year; another was featured on Today.com where it reached over four million (!!) in just a few days.

I hope you enjoy looking at this list (and going back to read anything you may have missed) as much as I enjoyed compiling it. In descending order, from #10 to #1, here are the top ten most popular blog posts that appeared on The Sparkly Life this year. Have fun!

10) Why Do We Care If Women Are Getting Their Hair Done After Giving Birth? - Remember when that story about women getting their hair and makeup done after having babies made the rounds?  (And then, of course, it shamed them.) Here's where I tell people to mind their own business and let those women be.

9) 10 Great Books to Read This Summer - I shared ten books that I read and loved earlier this year. (And, pssst--they make great winter reading, too!)

8) Beauty Secrets: Andrea Lavinthal - My friend, the fabulous (and hilarious!) People Stylewatch Style & Beauty Director Andrea Lavinthal, shared her favorite beauty products, plus the awesome tips and tricks she's picked up over the years.

7) Monday Wish List - A few of the fashion items I was lusting after at the time. (I ended up buying that blue-and-white wrap dress!)

6) The 3 A.M. Struggle Is Real - This was one of my favorite posts I've ever written. (I lost track of the number of people who told me they had tears in their eyes after reading it!) It's #6 on this list, but in a way, it's really my biggest post of the year, because way, way more people read these words than anything else I've ever written on this blog. That's because, soon after it was published here, it was republished on the Today show's Today Parents site, where a few days after that went up in March, I found out that it had reached over 4 million people there! And then, just yesterday, I got confirmation that it held its own all year, and ended up being one of Today Parent's most read posts of 2015. Definitely a highlight of the year for me. Still waiting for my call to chat with Matt and Savannah about it though... ;)

5) Why Snow Days Are Like Being In Prison When You're a Parent - Thanks to a snowstorm, I was trapped alone inside my house for a full day with my bored kids and no cable. I survived to tell the tale. Barely.

4) The Lazy Girl's Guide to Outdoor Entertaining - I love entertaining, but I'm super lazy. And this post showed that the two things aren't mutually exclusive! Here, I share how to throw an outdoor party for basically zero effort. 

3) My Outdoor Space Transformation - I gave my drab, dreary outdoor space a major makeover with a few pillows and fun accessories--and I have the before and after shots to prove it!

2) 11 Cool Things To Buy Right Now - This became a surprise hit after it was picked up by Tend. A fun little roundup of some of my favorite things including this J.Crew sweater and this wallpaper, which is now hanging in my powder room!

1) "Why I Kept My Baby a Secret Until She Was Six Months Old" - Not only was this my most popular post of the year on the blog, but it was my most popular post of all time. By a landslide. It actually went semi-viral on Facebook, reaching nearly 280,000 people there. I was floored. If you missed it, definitely check it out to see why my friend Nadine had to keep her baby a secret for several months. I (and many others) didn't even find out she had been pregnant until after the baby was born! (I really loved this story and am so happy so many people got to enjoy it!)


So, that's it! Which one of these posts was your favorite? Or did one of your favorites not make this list? Tell me below!

And P.S.: Here were your favorite blog posts of 2014.

45 Great New Blogs to Check Out {a.k.a. My Alt Summit Recap}

Just a few of the business cards at Alt. (Ten points if you can spot mine in this photo!)

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that earlier this month, I attended Alt Summit for the first time. If you don't know what that is, it's a blog/digital/creative conference held in Salt Lake City twice each year. The trip was very last minute (I actually won a ticket via an Instagram contest!), but I'm so glad I went. 

I learned so much, attended some amazing seminars, and best of all, met a lot of really cool people. Since Alt is attended primarily by creatives, it's become famous for its inventive business cards. People really bring their A-game when designing these things and there are so many cool ones! 

Since I've been home, I've been pouring through my card collection, checking out everyone's site. There are so many great ones, so I thought it would be fun to share them with you. So here we go: Here's 45 of the people I met at Alt and their amazing online worlds.

A Bubbly Life: Laurel's crafting blog is really cool! She has fun, very different DIYs like this how-to for making GLITTER PILLS. I do not need a glitter pill in my life, but now I so want a glitter pill in my life.

A Girl Named PJ: PJ is actually a real-life friend of mine who I knew before the conference. (We met through blogging, though!) She runs a great lifestyle blog that is a daily read for me. PJ is a bit of an Alt veteran, so she knew lots of people there and was great about introducing me. Thanks for letting me tag along, PJ!

Alexis June Weddings: Brandi is a talented NYC-based wedding photographer and one cool chick. We had never met before Alt, but she drove me to the (gorgeous!) mall the first day so that I could buy some hair spray, so for that I will be forever grateful. We also had an awesome chat over lattes that afternoon, and I can't wait to hang out (and hopefully collaborate!) with her now that we're back in NYC.

A Ruffed Life: Alix is a talented crafting/party blogger who taught a great, helpful roundtable on working with brands.

Barefoot Contessa Boutique: I sat by Eva in one of the breakout sessions. She runs a string of clothing boutiques in Canada, and also has a blog.

Bree Johnson: Bree and I actually never met! You see, the last night, there was a series of bulletin boards where you could leave some of your business cards and take some others. Bree's card stood out to me because of the cool gold-foil printing and the fact the she referred to herself as a "Glitter Lover." Her blog has DIY, her own (wonderful!) photography, and more.

Cyndie Spiegel: Cyndie is a NY-based creative consultant and business coach who is very cool. We met in the bathroom! (This is what happens at blog conferences, people.)

Caitlin Wilson Design: Caitlin introduced herself to me at dinner the first night and I've been drooling over her textiles and interior design work ever since. (Seriously. Check it out. It's unreal!)

Confetti Sunshine: Sara is an SLC local who very sweetly gave me a ride to an off-site dinner the first night. Her blog is a great collection of DIYs and crafts, not to mention the most beautifully bright, airy photos. 

Design For Mankind: I met Erin the first night and didn't realize at first that she was who she was. (She's a big, super successful blogger, BTW!) After bonding over beauty products and babies over dinner, we shared an Uber back to the hotel. I'm not usually one to say that someone has "great energy," but well, Erin has great energy! So nice, so genuine.

Fabric Paper Glue: If you love DIY and crafting, you'll love this! Mandy also offers craft parties in Nashville, which look so fun and make me wish I lived in Nashville.

Forever Heyday: Amanda has her own design and letterpress studio and her work is beautiful. Be sure to check out her Etsy shop where she sells cards and other designs like this cool alternative to a guest book.

From Rain To Shine: Jess is an L.A.-based graphic designer who also has a cool lifestyle blog. I really like her weekly link roundups.

Good Dogs & Co.: I met Lucy the last night at a party. She runs a blog with tips, reviews, gear, and more--all revolving around canines. I need to start following it because my dog is batshit crazy.

I Heart Cleveland: Charity and I met while taking headshots! (More on that below...) Her lifestyle blog covers design, style, food, and more in Cleveland and beyond.

I Heart Naptime: Oh yeah? Well, I heart your blog name. I sat next to Jamielyn in an (amazing) Pinterest Analytics roundtable and I'm so glad I did. Her site is full of lots of fun recipes, crafts, DIY, and more.

Instantly Framed: I met the ladies of this new company at a roundtable on working with brands. I'm excited to try out their iPhone app, which allows you to quickly and easily frame your photos.

Izzy Hudgins and French Knot Studios: Izzy is a Savannah-based photographer who partnered with stylist Audrey to take headshots of attendees at the conference. I haven't gotten my photos back yet but the ones I peeked at on Izzy's camera are amazing. Oh and both of them are super sweet.

Jess Lively: I was SO excited when I found out Jess was going to be at Alt, because I am a huge fan of her podcast, The Lively Show. So I was having a huge fangirl moment sitting there in her (awesome, super inspiring) roundtable on podcasting. I also had a chance to spend some time chatting with her one-on-one at a party that night and she is so sweet. 

Jessie Black: Jessie is an Australian who I had such a nice time talking to at the Downton Abbey-themed party the second night of the conference. Mugs Buckley of Chairish (who is amazing and is one of my favorite people I met the entire time, BTW) was part of the convo, too, and revealed that Jessie has the most amazing lifestyle store in San Fran selling to-die-for cashmere. I can't wait to get to the Bay Area so that I can check it out!

Legal Miss Sunshine: I picked up Andrea's card at the creative and awesome cactus-themed party she threw the last night. Her beautiful lifestyle blog covers recipes, parties, travel, and more. 

Megan Tsang Studio: Megan is a supernice wedding photographer who I sat with at lunch one day. Love her work!

Modern Patina: I sat next to Sarah one day at lunch, and learned that she is just starting a blog, so she is just getting started in this journey. Best of luck, Sarah! Can't wait to see what you come up with.

Sarah Hearts: Sarah was so lovely and sweet! And her brilliant DIY blog is just as cool as she is. 

Style & Pepper: Okay, I knew Jessie (a.k.a. style blogger extraordinaire) beforehand (Hoboken, represent!), but it was great seeing her at Alt and sitting in on the awesome class she taught with Hilary Rushford about monetization. 

Oleander + Palm: Recipes, DIY, home decor--Jeran's blog embraces breezy, California-living at its finest.

Our Style Stories: Hilary co-taught that amazing podcast session, and I've been listening to her great show ever since. She interviews tastemakers and stylish people about their lives and it's very cool.

Pars Caeli: I met MJ the first night and I ran into her smiling, friendly self many times throughout the conference. Her great-looking blog is packed with crafts, recipes, blogging tips, and more. 

Petit Elefant: Allison runs this online parenting magazine, which covers style, travel, beauty, family, etc. 

Pretty Prudent Home: This talented duo threw an awesome party the last night, and I picked up their card there. Their site encompasses DIY, home, parties, recipes, travel, and more. Plus they have a book coming out in March! #impressed 

Rachel Swartley: Rachel's lifestyle blog focuses on crafting, family, food, and more. She's also a mom of three (I bow down to her) and had super cute, hexagon-shaped business cards.

Rad Mom Cool Kid: Here's another one that I plucked from the leave one/take one bulletin board. The blog's name caught my eye, and now I'm loving checking out all the posts on family, style, travel, and more.

Riana Nelson: I met Riana at the Downton Abbey party, but did not realize just how accomplished she is until I checked out her site. She's a graphic designer, a recording artist, a singing teacher, a composer, and more. She's also really pretty. And really nice. Ugh. (KIDDING!!) 

Taylor Takes A Taste: One of the ONLY guys at Alt (seriously, there were maybe, like, three of them), we sat next to each other at the podcast roundtable. Taylor has a food blog with his mom, teaches food photography courses, runs his own business-related podcast and blog, and generally just made me feel like I was accomplishing nothing in this world. (Just joking--he's also really nice!)

Trisha Zemp: Trisha is a talented Utah-based photographer, who shoots for many huge blogs such as The House That Lars Built and Oh Happy Day. She won for my #1 favorite business card of the event, too: It's a thick, beautiful, stop-motion animation flip book! She is currently mulling over coming to NYC for the summer for an internship and I spent a lot of time trying to convince her. Because I thought it was a good, smart move, for sure. But also because I desperately want her to shoot for this blog! 

The Bannerie: How cool are Gilit's glitter banners? Love! I so want a custom one that says "The Sparkly Life" and I also officially need one for every single one of my daughter's parties going forward!

The Crafted Life: Rachel is so nice! We bonded over the fact that we both have "The...Life" blogs. Hers is crafting focused though (obvs) and has lots of great DIYs and beautiful photos.

The Creativity Exchange: I sat behind Cyndy at the Pinterest roundtable and she graciously let me take a photo of her handout since they had run out. If you love DIYs, designs, and food, her blog is a great resource--there's tons of stuff!

The Road to The Good Life: Eden does social media for Alt (and also has her own lifestyle blog), so we've been connecting online for months now. It was so great to finally meet her in person and to get a chance to chat when we sat next to each other at lunch the last day.

The Roc Shop: I picked this card up at a party, so we never actually met, but I'm so glad I did. Her party supplies (cake toppers, swizzle sticks, etc) are really cool, and I totally need some of her stuff for my daughter's upcoming party which I am in mad planning mode for right now.

Velojoy: Susi's site is specifically about cycling in NYC. It's a great resource and I love how specific her niche is!

Wit Wisdom & Food: Anne and I were in the podcast roundtable together, too. She runs a recipe, decorating, and DIY blog with lots of great stuff. And her blog name is kind of amazing, no?

Are you fans of any of these blogs already? Do tell!

Note: If we met and you're not on this list, it means I lost your card somehow! So please comment below or email me, and I'll add you to the list!
  

Hey Bloggers: Do You Have An Editorial Calendar?

Today's post is for all the bloggers out there. I'd love to know: Do you use an editorial calendar to plan your content? And, if so, is it kept on a physical calendar? An app? Your iPhone? 

Even though we have editorial calendars in the magazine world (and "lineups" for each issue that we live and die by) it kind of never occurred to me to have one for this space. I'm sure that must be surprising considering how well-oiled a machine my blog tends to be (ha! #sarcasm), but I think it might be time.

Up until now, with occasional, well-planned exceptions, I've posted about whatever I happen to feel like posting that day. (And it's almost always a game-time decision!) This has probably helped my content feel more natural, more off-the-cuff, more "me." But it also has the side effect of making me forget to post about certain things until it's too late. It can also induce major panic when it's 10pm and I realize that the blog fairy hasn't yet visited to sprinkle me with some "genius blog post" inspiration dust.

So, my early New Year's resolution is to put together an editorial calendar. I won't be crazy about it--if I feel like posting something else (or nothing at all) one day, that's what I'll do. But hopefully it will make all of the content here better, me less panicked, and the blog a bit more reader-friendly since you all can come to expect certain things on certain days.

If you're a blogger with an editorial calendar, I would love to know: Has having the calendar helped you out? How far out do you plan? And where the heck to you keep/manage it? (Is there an app for that?) I'm thinking either old-school paper calendar or the calendar on my phone, but also thinking there has to be a better way. Would love to hear your thoughts!