40+ Questions Answered- Botox, Golden Goose shoes, Meal Planning and More

Happy Wednesday! It's been a while since I did a fun and random post full of reader questions so today is the day. I often get questions on stories and I'm happy to shoot off an answer but every so often I like to file things away here on the blog too. I don't take for granted how amazing it is that you guys ask for my recommendations and I sure appreciate you contributing and sending me your recs as well!

Shop the Post

ANINE BING TIGER TEE // ZEBRA CORK EARRINGS // ARIZONA SILVER BIRKENSTOCKS // 711 SKINNY ANKLE JEANS // RAY BAN AVIATORS // THIN BLACK LEATHER CUFF

I recently asked for questions on Instagram and so I'm doing my best to answer quite a few of them here. There were so many topics covered so bear with me if it seems all over the place! 

How do you not feel tired at the end of the day? I ALWAYS feel tired at the end of every day. I'm more tired these day than ever before. Don't even think other wise. :)

Do you pick our your outfits in advance? I do if I am traveling or if I have a specific photo shoot but not on a day to day basis. 

How do you store your earrings? I use a big tray. I also use a smaller tray on my nightstand. 

How was your recent blood work/Dr. checkup? Thank you for asking! I actually passed just fine! 

Are you from KC? I am! I grew up in Liberty. 

What made you decide on an undercut? I wanted to do something different. My stylist had one and I copied her. :) 

Do you decorate your home yourself? I do. I would probably be happy to have more help with that but haven't found a friend who wants to do it yet. I enjoy it but it's not my "thing".

Is it hard to stay modest when your job is in fashion and more times than not fashion isn't? It definitely can be challenging. But that's been my whole life. And I enjoy being different and finding unique solutions to challenges. I think trying to be modest helps push me to be even more unique in my own style and I appreciate that- but not always in the Summer time! ;)

Where did you get your camo pants? I have several that I love. These are the more affordable pair and these are the splurge pair that I would recommend. 

Do you have your boys do chores? What do you have them do? I do have them do chores, but not from a chore chart. They are responsible for putting away their clean clothes, making their beds, vacuuming their rooms, feeding the cats and emptying the dishwasher regularly. I also often make lists for them on Saturdays or in the Summer that have more chores that need to be done that day from wiping down doorknobs with a Clorox wipe to vacuuming out the van.

What is the upkeep on your undercut? I trim it myself every two weeks or so with a 1/2" guard or a number 4. I go in for an overall cut every 6 weeks or so and my stylist will sometimes even trim it down with a 3.5 guard.

Have you ever shared pics of your closet? How do you store your clothes? I really haven't because it's not big or easy to photograph in a pretty way. It's a walk-in closet that I share with Soren although I have about 3/4 of it. I actually sell my clothes often enough that it's not as big as you might think. I am always buying new clothes, but I go through and do closet sales every six months or so and that clears it out. 

Favorite parenting advice? I recently was in a class with a counselor and she really recommended getting rid of time-outs and instead thinking of it as that child needing time together. She pointed out that sending a child away to handle their big feelings on their own is asking too much of them and teaching them to stuff their feelings. I love the idea of sitting with them with their feelings and not sending them and their bad behavior away. 

Do you make vegan leather earrings? We don't right now. It's been a topic of discussion lately as to what that would look like- but at the moment we only have genuine leather. 

What is your favorite earring ever? I really love our Lip Gloss Leather Earrings. Ironically I didn't think I would like them at all when we first found that leather, but they actually turned out to be my favorites. They go with everything!

What are some of your favorite snacks/meals for your kids? I don't think I have a great answer here. In the phase of life we are in, feeling people is getting done that the bare minimum. I'm a big advocate of fruits and veggies so I'm always cutting them up as snacks. Carrots and Ranch and peanut butter and celery or apples are staples. Most of the things we eat don't take a lot of preparation so it really does look like a bowl of grapes and a bowl of baby peppers as a snack or on the side with dinner. 

Did you ever massage Rush's scar? We did....a little bit. He hated it and after all he had been through up to that point I really couldn't put him through anymore. He also wasn't letting anything near his mouth during the period of time that we were massaging it. Even forks and spoons as we tried to feed him. Once we stopped he started eating better and I had so much less stress. We did use scar cream for a little while too, but as he as grown and started to use his mouth so much for talking and making sounds it kind of massaged itself. The scar tissue broke up through his own movements. 

Have you ever gotten botox or fillers? Thoughts? I haven't and I don't plan to at this point. It scares me and I feel like really taking care of my skin with a great, regimented skin care plan has made a huge difference. It really isn't on my list of plans at this point, but I know a lot of women who do get it and to each their own for sure. 

What is your exercise routine? Lately I have been running again after a long, long hiatus. For the most part though I would say that running from one thing to the next all day everyday is my workout routine. 

Any updates on the Dallas storefront? It's still in the works. We have signed a lease in the West Village shopping center and are working on getting the build-out started. It's been a learning curve as we try to make plans and then have plans delayed. We're coming- just not sure the date!

Where do you buy your favorite white v-necks? I often wear men's v-necks as my basic tees. The Hanes Premium Slim Fit Tees come in a four pack and they are pretty great. They fit slim, aren't too sheer and the v isn't too low. They don't hold up forever, but they are so inexpensive that they can almost be looked at as disposable!

How do you balance quality time with your kids and run a business? This is definitely a struggle and there isn't an answer that solves it forever. Lately it has been going to eat lunch with my school age kiddos. I work close to their school so it's really easy to pop over there and see them for the 20 minutes they have to eat. It's fun to chat with their friends and see them away from their brothers. I've also tried to do things like one-on-one outings to get ice cream or browse Target. Those usually happen once the other boys are close to in bed so it's a double treat to get to stay out later with Mom. 

Do you use an eyelash curler? Any recommendations? I don't! I've used on in the past but the benefits haven't ever seemed worth the extra step. 

Where is your store located? Our original store is located on 111 N Water Street, Liberty MO 64068. Our new flagship store is located at our headquarters- 801 Haines, Suite 800, Liberty MO 64068.

What sunless tanner are you using? I'm currently using a few things. On days when I need instant color I use this one. If it's bedtime I use this on my face mixed with my moisturizer and this sprayed on and then rubbed in with a mitt. 

Where did you get your Lego shelves and storage? All of our Lego room storage is from IKEA. It's the Trofast system. 

What kind of coffee do you drink? I actually don't drink coffee or tea. I do drink Pero as a warm drink coffee substitute and I for energy I typically drink Strawberry flavored Crystal Lite. 

How is Rush's palate now that he has had surgery? Rush's palate is doing amazing. I looked in there the other day and it looks so good. The roof of his mouth looks like it's always been that way. I'm so thankful! He still has a cleft in the bone/his gums so some food residue can still make it's way up and come out his nose, but for the most part he is doing so great. The bone will be fixed once he is quite a bit older. 

Golden Goose shoes review? This my be worth a full blog post. GGDB shoes are the most expensive shoes I have ever bought and I have only bought them to celebrate or commemorate big moments. That being said, I really do love them. They are a QUALITY  shoe. They do have support in them and are extremely comfortable. My all white pair even has terrycloth on the inside so that you can wear them without socks and it helps absorb the sweat. I recommend getting your normal size and can say that if you do invest in them, you will wear them often. I bought the all white, clean pair of Superstars to start and I'm glad I did. The classic look is dirty and distressed but I knew the clean ones would be dirty and distressed soon enough. They did and they still look like the classic roughed-up pair, but maybe a little less roughed up than they would have been if I had bought a broken in pair. PS- GGDB shoes are made in Venice- which just makes them that much cooler to me!

Do you ever enjoy a glass of wine? I don't, but I definitely have days where I get why people do! The health code that my religion dictates prohibits alcohol and I do my best to follow it. 

Where do you go to get your nails done? I got to XO Nails in Liberty. I highly recommend it. 

How do you handle meal planning with such a big family? At this point I don't have any tips for you. Lately meal planning has not been happening. I typically buy a lot of the same groceries so I know we have the basics for our go-to meals on hand. I wish I had a better system for this. 

Do you want more kids? Yes and no. I don't want to be pregnant again and right now five feels like that's it. That being said I still have times where I wish we had a girl and adoption seems like an idea we could entertain someday. 

How do you balance being a working mom and not lose your mind?

Have you thought about buzzing any more of your hair? I have, but I won't. I don't have very thick hair so I can't afford to buzz anymore unless I buzz it all. 

What are your go-to teacher gifts? Nickel & Suede earrings, a candle, more Nickel & Suede. :) 

Can Rush have his own fashion account? Totally love that idea. I wish I had the bandwidth because it would be so great.

What do you pack for the boys' lunches? To be honest Easton (10) and Kesler (8) both eat school lunch. Knox did as well until I started looking at what he was buying and found out it was always the peanut butter and jelly sandwich option. We started packing his lunch and that is literally what we pack. PB&J, carrots, water, some kind of treat. That is basically his go-to. 

What size earrings should I buy? I always recommend size medium, even though I only wear size large. Medium is a great statement-making size for all ages. However if you are very petite or have n ever really worn earrings, a size small earrings also make a great statement. 

Favorite way to relax from the day? A hot shower. Watching Parks and Recreation. A bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. 

I hope you enjoyed today's post and maybe learned a few things! Stay tuned for a new podcast episode coming Friday plus new arrivals from N&S and more!