2018 Year In Review

2018. I'm not sure if this has been the fastest year of my life, because I literally blinked and its over, or the slowest, because so so much has happened! Either way, this year has taught me more than all of the other years of my life combined. I've experienced my highest high and my lowest low. I've learned that I'm not in control. And I've learned how to live in the present more than ever before.

Last year I took a look back (see the post here) and I love the format of that post, so here are the highlights of 2018! I'm going to post some never before seen pics here in the post but will link to other pictures/posts throughout as well.

Meant To Be - A Decade Together [Our Love Story]


Ten. Years.

Sometimes if baffles me that I'm old enough to have done anything for 10 years straight. It's flown by and then again we've done so much.

It worked out for us that our wedding day and dating anniversary fell on the same day, so today marks three years married, but ten together.

Last Minute Gifts For Her Under $25



Click the items on the image above to shop!

This week is officially your last chance to get those online items your family and friends (and yourself) are hoping for!  Christmas is comin' in hot ya'll!


Book Club - Girl, Wash Your Face


A little over a year ago I was in a book club with several of my co-workers.  I'm not a huge book worm but I decided to join for the community more than the reading.  I'm so glad I did because it was a wonderful place to share and connect with women who are now my good friends.

I tell you all that because even though our little group no longer meets, 2 of the girls from it recommended Girl, Wash Your Face.  Which is why I decided to pick it up despite the fact that I don't typically read.  I should clarify - don't typically read books, I'm more of a blog/article reader and actually read all the time in that sense.

Warm Winter Part 4




We did it! Today I'm sharing my final outfit idea if you're currently surviving a warm winter. I'd love what you'd like to see next as well as which look of the four is your favorite! Tell me in the comments below or on Instagram

Warm Winter Part 3


Hump Dayyy! You're halfway through the week, and we're 75% down with this series! I do hope you have enjoyed it - I had a lot of fun creating the looks and doing the shoots. I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments, so I can plan for another series if this is something you like.

You also still have time to enter to win 1 of 2 Kendra Scott gift sets - go back to this post for details!

Warm Winter Part 2


 Welcome to day 2 of my Warm Winter series (catch up on Part 1 here)! Today's outfit is a little more formal and could be worn to a work holiday party or for date night!

Funny story - when I was little I used to ask my mom her favorite color and she said black and I would get mad and say that didn't count. Well guess what, black is one of my favorite colors now too!

Warm Winter Part 1 {+Kendra Scott Giveaway!}


So so excited to share this post with you today for several reasons!
1. I haven't shared a fashion post in wayyyy too long (especially considering this was once solely a fashion blog :P).
2. This is just part 1 of a 4 part series I'm calling 'Warm Winter' (details below).
3. Read through to the end for an awesome giveaway that I personally wish I could win myself!

Potty Training, Teething, Talking - oh my! Avery Update


I absolutely love sharing photos and videos of Avery with you guys on Instagram stories but I realized I don't ever really give actual updates! So for my memories and to keep you all in the know I decided to write up what's going on in the world of Avery these days. Honestly I regret not doing this monthly since she was born, but you can only keep up with so much as a mom, am I right? Plus I have the milestones recorded in her baby book - okay enough justifying myself, here we go! :P

Avery is 10 and a half months old! I can not fathom that! I swear we were just anticipating her half birthday and here we are starting to plan her first *cue the mom tears*.

How To Stay On Budget This Holiday Season


Today's post is a little different and on a topic that is really important to me and I hope to share more around in the future! Like it or not, money is an important part of our lives, in fact it's a critical element. And when you think about how little we're actually taught about money and how to handle our own, it is concerning.

With the craziest weeks of shopping upon us, I thought it would be a good idea to pop in with a little reminder to not get sucked in to the materialistic world we live in, especially on social media!

Dreams Don't Work Unless You Do - Life Update


I've started this post at least three times now and I think I finally know what I want to say!

I always like to keep my posts conversational, we are friends after all! I hope you think of my blog like you're catching up with an old friend, that is my ultimate goal.  I wanted to write today's post to share some big news with you, because it feels weird to me to just go on as if nothing has changed (don't worry - it's good news!).

Baby's First Gift Guide - Best Gifts For The First Year

gift ideas for one year old

This post contains affiliate links

Blogging Q+A - How to Start a Blog


In October of this year Sugar Spice and Sparkle turned FOUR years old! I can't even believe it has been four whole years.  Many of you may not know this but I also had a blog that focused on craft tutorials prior to switching over to the fashion and lifestyle niche, so I've been doing this for a long time (here is my first ever post, oh gosh why am I sharing this with you?? #embarrassing).  Blogging has been a constant in my life through many seasons.  I've taken quite a few breaks, posted consistently, posted sporadically, grown and plateaued, and it's been a fun ride!

A Week Without Instagram - What I Learned


If you're following along on Instagram (which of course you are, right?!) then you know that last week I #snapped.

Okay that is a bit dramatic!  But I did decide to do something I don't think I've ever done before which is delete Instagram from my phone for a whole week.

Our Weekend At Aventura: Universal Orlando Hotel Review


Today I'm excited to share with you about our stay at Universal Orlando's Aventura Hotel!  We spent the weekend there a few weeks ago, which you probably saw if you follow along on Instagram.  This blog post will have more details about the hotel and my thoughts on everything we experienced.

2 night stay at Aventura Hotel courtesy of Universal.  All opinions are my own.

All About Podcasts!


My newest obsession is listening to podcasts on my commute.  I know I'm probably late to the podcast game, but I also know there are still a lot of people out there not taking advantage of this free entertainment!  It seems like every time I turn around someone is starting a new podcast, so I decided to share my favorite shows, and a few specific episodes that have stood out for me.  When I polled y'all on Instagram to see how much interest there would be, one of my friends suggested I also share your favorite shows!  So that list will be at the end, by category.

Get to Know Me - Q&A


Hello my friend!  It has been a hot sec since I've formally introduced myself!  I know there are some new faces around here and whenever I 'meet' someone new on the internet I like to get to know a little about them, so I wanted to do the same for you.

I asked what you wanted to know about me on Instagram so I'll be answering those questions and more here, you can also visit my About page (I just updated it!) for more info about the blog and my goals.  I'm going to break up the questions into categories to help share my story in a more organized way ;)

6 Things I've Learned In 6 Months Of Motherhood


In July Avery turned 6 months old.  I can't even wrap my brain around how that is possible!  So much has happened and changed in my life in the past 6 months.  I wanted to share a few lessons (believe me there are many more than what I'll share here) that I've learned on this crazy journey of being a new mom.

New Mom Q&A



Today I am going to be answering some of your questions about being a new mom!  I asked for questions on Instagram, so make sure you're following along to catch the next time.

6 Month Postpartum Update: Workouts and Weight Loss


Where did the last 6 months go?  If you're not a mom just yet you can't imagine how fast time flies once you have a baby, and if you're going through it as a mom with me then know that I feel for you.

When I was pregnant I never really worried much about my weight and didn't really think about what my body was actually going through.  Going through pregnancy your body changes so gradually that you don't really notice how much you've changed until you look back at a year old picture.  There was only one day that I can remember when I was pretty large that I got that little panic inside me - "will my body ever look the same?".  And the answer is no, but it will still look good.

26 thoughts on my 26th birthday


Well, well, well... June 19th we meet again!  How in the world has another year gone by?  This is my 4th birthday post here on Sugar Spice and Sparkle, click here to read the last three!

If this is your first year here - welcome!  Each year on (or right around) my birthday, I write a post with essentially random thoughts so that I can look back and see where my head was at at each age.  It's really fun to do and something I would highly recommend even if you don't blog - get out a journal and write yearly.  My husband and I also write to each other each year on our anniversary.  I'm a very sentimental person and if you follow me on Instagram you know how much I reminisce!

Tips For Shopping Sites like SheIn, Romwe



We've all seen the ads for super cute, on trend clothes at amazingly low prices and thought - what's the catch?  Well technically there isn't a catch - the clothes tend to look like the picture, of course the quality isn't what you'd expect from a boutique or department store, but for the price it's decent, and shipping might take a little longer than your Amazon Prime orders, but other than that it's pretty legit!

Sites like SheIn and Romwe are great places to get trendy pieces without breaking the bank.

Returning to Work After Maternity Leave


As my maternity leave was coming to an end I shared several times on Instagram how I was feeling about leaving Avery for the first time.  Now I've officially made it through 2 full weeks back at work and wanted to share what it's been like for other moms worried about the transition.

Weekend Recap | First Night Away From Baby Girl

The one selfie we snapped on our way out of the resort!
This weekend was a lot of fun!  It was filled with surprises and unintentionally ended up being a pretty social media free weekend, which was amazing.  However I did want to share a little recap of a super fun weekend since I was MIA.  Keep reading to hear how my first night away from baby girl came to be and how I handled it.

3 Ways To Use Your DocATot


If you're pregnant or have a baby you have most likely heard of DocATot.  I'd call it the current hottest trend in baby products, it seems like everyone has one!  They are also what I would consider a luxury item based on the price point.  When I first saw them I didn't get what all the fuss was about, or how you could justify the price for a little baby bed.

Once I tried one out with my babe, I quickly learned why they're so great and more than just a bed!  Here are three ways I use my DocATot!

Baby and Mommy Nighttime Routine | 10 Weeks Old


As a new mom figuring out a routine for you and your baby can be a little overwhelming at times!  Especially when you read Facebook mommy groups and everyone else seems to have it down pat.  I certainly don't have it all figured out but we have seemed to settle into somewhat of a routine these days so I wanted to share that with you all in the hopes that some nugget of information may be helpful to you and yours!  Here we go:

Newborn Essentials Under $40 + What You Don't Really Need


When I was pregnant I was always scouring the internet for blogs and YouTube videos about newborn must-haves.  I found them so helpful because there is an endless number of products for those tiny humans and so many different brands and styles to choose from, it's nice to hear from actual people on what worked and what wasn't necessary.

Baby Girl Baby Shower | Floral Baby Shower Theme


Well, well, well, procrastination strikes again.  But this time I have an excuse (kind of)!  My baby shower was on December 2nd and then we had the holidays and then baby decided to come early so there wasn't much time for blogging.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it!  Regardless - I am so excited to finally share all the details with you!  My shower was such a wonderful day!  I had fun writing this post and reliving all the beautiful details.  There is nothing I love more than a room full of my friends and family - especially when we're all celebrating my sweet little angel girl!