Like I said in my last post, California was perfect. My birthday on the beach was amazing and I couldn’t have enjoyed myself more. Scarlett loved the sand (eating it too), and enjoyed the serene sounds of the waves which her sound machine plays every time she sleeps.

I collaborated with Tobi.com for clothing on my entire California trip and loved everything they sent. This white lace up body suit was perfect for an overcast day at the beach. I’m not gonna lie, I’m kind of afraid of the ocean so I never really dive in unless it’s clear enough to see whats going on in there (cautious Kirst). The embroidered jacket and jean shorts from h&m were perfect additions to the look, all comfortable and practical for beaching.

Turning 31 let me look back to the last year and how much I have grown personally. I have accomplished things I never imagined and overcome trials I wished I never had but most of all, I have learned the wisdom in trusting in God’s plan for me. He knows what I need and the best way to help me learn it.

I’m sitting here at 4:30 in the morning with a terrible migraine, and loads of anxiety over Scarlett’s PKU levels (they have been high for three weeks) but I can’t help but think about all the blessings I have in my life. So many good people surround me and support me and my family. My husband is an angel and works so hard to take care of us. I have my talents that give me so much fulfillment and valuable resources at my fingertips because of the day and age I live in. Life is so good.

Jacket:  H&M similar

Bodysuit: Toby

Shorts: H&M 

Sunglasses: similar

Letterboard: Ash & Ivory

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I love fro’s, I actually love all things hair and since I have a ton of it I like to try new things. Last summer I did my hair in these tiny sponge curlers and when I took them out it was quite a site to see, tiny ringlets made up a HUGE fro on my head. I was a little nervous to walk around in public but I soon embraced it and pretended I was a white, freckled version of Beyonce.

Recently I posted a pic and an amazing photographer Amanda Henderickson wanted to do a sort of maternity shoot with the fro (thats its name). Of course I jumped at the opportunity to do it again and we set a date for this 70’s inspo shoot. The best part is that Harper’s Bazaar just posted how perms are coming back in style so I couldn’t think of a more perfect time to let out my inner Foxy Brown and strut my baby bump. The dress is from ASOS but was rented to me by The Dress Collective, a shop that literally has every dress you could imagine for rent. I was excited to do the collab with them because of their fashion forward style and the fact that renting a dress is soooo much less expensive than buying it for a few hour photoshoot.

I thought because I love my fro so much and although perms are great, I don’t want my hair like that forever so I would share how and what I used in order to do the 3 day fro.

1.First I went to Sally’s Beauty Supply and bought a few bags of the cheapest, smallest black sponge rollers they had (I think it was about $7). I ended up using 45 total rollers for my whole head and my hair is pretty thick and down to the middle of my back so that should help you with figure out the amount that you will need for your hair.

2. Then I showered and combed through my hair dividing it into three sections. I then split my rollers into three groups to pace myself, with the largest for the top section of my head since that is the most important.

3. I sprayed a light layer of hairspray over the section and then began to take small peices and roll them away from my face.

4. I waited all day for them to dry. The first time I did it, I slept in them and it was a terrible night so I decided to just let it go all day.

5. I used the blow dryer at the end before I took them out just to make sure the roots were dry.

6. Take the bottom ones out first and unravel them down instead of pull them so they don’t get tangled. Then pull each peice apart into small strands to give it volume and individual curls.

My hair didn’t need hairspray or anything it was just huge and amazing, but you can use bobby pins to pin chunks in certain places that look uneaven or didn’t curl as well, especially after day one. This style lasts for several days and is really hard to get out. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO BRUSH IT. Make sure you deep condition it before you shower and then plan on conditioning it several times in the shower. I didn’t notice any damage after I washed and I was careful when I combed it after the shower so it worked out amazingly.

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I have never really liked reading. When I was little I struggled and have always been pretty slow at reading so when audiobooks came out they changed my life. The first book I ever read by choice was The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. At the time I had no idea that he also had written Lord of the Rings and those were my favourite movies (I’m really into non-fiction fantasy stuff), and my mind was blown. It was my senior year in high school and it finally clicked, why people read in the first place, because they can use their imagination and watch the movie that appears in their heads when they read a story. Since then I enjoy reading much more, and since I am a creative, I have come to really love what I see in my head when I read. Sometimes I even go as far as finding music that just matches a certain moment perfectly or an image from pinterest that matches the mood.

This last weekend I was able to volunteer at the Book Festival in SLC which was meant to inspire children to read all summer. It was incredible the things some of the children were reading (way above their age level). Summer reading reminds me of my childhood of going to the library and wandering around the old building choosing out mermaid books and dragon tales with my sisters.

Since Tyler and I have moved to our new home, we go to the library alot for audiobooks and all the old movies you can’t find online. We love it! I thought this outfit was just right for the little book worm in me and the satchel is even more perfect for summer library excursions. It is such good quality and has a little pop of color with the woven design in the center. Since it has so many colors, it literally goes with any outfit you can put it with.

I would love to hear what some of your favourite books are so I can build my summer reading list 

Top: H&M- Similar

Overalls: H&M

Boots: Similar

Bag: La Pionera

Earings: Kate Koel

Photography: Nina Tekwani

MUSIC INSPIRATION: Final Song ~ MO

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Hello ladies! Since it is still chilly outside I thought I would give you a casual but warm outfit. Being cold is one of the three things that makes me a little unpleasant, along with being hungry or tired (just ask my husband). This is my everyday work outfit, its pretty casual but looks professional if you have to run to a meeting and the bag is the perfect size to fit your laptop and still look stylish. The jeans are high waisted although you can’t really tell, I love them because they are comfy and stretchy and you can dress them up or down. Of course my cute watch is one of my favs from this look. It is a newer company called Arvo and they have some seriously beautiful and very well priced watches. This one is the rose gold and tan strapped watch. Check out the details below.

Top: SheInside  |   Watch: Arvo rose gold   |   Jeans: H&M    |    Bag: H&M     |    Boots: similar

MUSIC INSPIRATION: No Scrubs ~ CAPPA

Photography by Nina Tekwani

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Hat: Forever21  |  Jewelry: Hepp  |  Dress: SheInside  |  Clutch: Forever21 (similar)  |  Shoes: SheInside

Date night is always the best night of the week for me. Sometimes I like to dress up and sometimes I don’t even put makeup on (my poor husband) but when I do decide to get dolled up, this is the perfect outfit for the occasion. Although it’s a dress, the flowiness and shape makes it less formal and more like an everyday dress. I just went from daytime with my little black hat and fun jewelry to night by adding some heels and a clutch. Soooo simple and so perfect. I think red is a color I don’t wear enough of, well lets be honest I don’t wear enough of any color but when I do I make sure I am making a statement.

PS. If you have any questions on the fit or fabrics of these items, don’t hesitate to ask, I hate when I buy something and am disappointed because it looked so much better in the pictures ya know.

MUSIC INSPIRATION: Trndsttr (Lucian Remix) ~ Black Coast, M. Maggie

or  Trndsttr ( feat. M. Maggie) ~ Black Coast, M. Maggie

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I have been missing my educational experience a lot lately and this shoot kind of reinforced that for me. I missed learning, although I do feel fulfilled in my career choice and opportunities, there is just something about the school environment and the wide variety of subjects that makes me love school so much. Luckily for me, it is education week at BYU, so I am determined to learn as much as I can and try to implement t into my life the best way I know how. I’m hoping it will spark some creative juices for some new exciting projects. We shall see!

Photography: Jorge Toreno

Company: Mission Belt

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