Abong Bain

It’s this guy’s 40th birthday today and I’m so sad he isn’t even here to celebrate! He’s in Sydney for 10 days for a work retreat and having the time of his life! If you know TJ, you love him because you can’t help but feel genuinely loved and accepted by him. He has a gift of really understanding people he meets and he truly sees them for who they are. He is patient, selfless, and kind. He sucks at putting away my laundry after he washes and folds it but, hey, we can’t all be perfect. And sometimes when he cleans the toilets on Saturdays, he doesn’t clean all the pee off the sides, but again, I’m slowly teaching him 😜. I’ve always been pretty self confident but this guy is the reason I am the way I am. Just knowing someone like TJ always has my back, always believes in me, and always thinks I’m beautiful is all I need in this life. When your husband is your # 1 fan and really shows you, you can’t help but feel like you can do anything. ♥️ He really is the BEST person in the world. And it doesn’t hurt that, even at 40, he’s got the best body ever! ☺️ Happy birthday to my best friend, my lover, and my soul mate!

This weekend, as my entire family gathered for my cousin’s wedding in Denver, my mom and dad told me some incredible stories about their escape from Vietnam. These were stories I had never heard before and I was blown away. I cried a few times imagining myself in their shoes and I don’t know if I could have been strong or brave enough. I used to be embarrassed by our “weird” non-American traditions but now I am proud of them. I want to raise my kids with the same respect and appreciation for these beautiful Vietnamese traditions. I’m so thankful for parents who were brave beyond belief and for this life they gave me.

Welp, there you have it. All three kids in school all day long! I can’t believe how quiet it is in my house 😱 Am I sad about my baby going to kindergarten and my oldest going to middle school? Sure, I am. But I think I’ll feel better once I take a nice, hot, quiet, undisturbed bath with aromatherapy and zen music and then enjoy a nice lunch without anyone asking me for a bite or two or three. Yeah, I think I’ll be just fine.

When they have props and ask you to take a photo, you reply with YEEHAW! It felt like a thousand degrees today and we were all sweating but we got free hot dogs and toys so all in all, I’d say it was a win! 🙌🏼

Another fantastic week in Lake Powell ♥️ So grateful for this family I married into. Not everyone could handle a full week with their in laws but I’m proud to say I’ve got the greatest of them all!

Years ago, when we first started our online boutique, I was doing the photography so it became a little hobby of mine. Then for a brief moment, I got into portraits and that was fun but too much work. I still love taking photos but glad I can do it just for fun now. You guys seem to love the before and after so swipe left and you can see how I cloned the grass so the bright spots were gone. I’ll be showing you how to do this on the tutorial coming soon. Kyson has been loving his dirt bike. So much so that we may be getting some when we head back to Austin. The ear to ear smile he has while riding is something I want to see year round. I’m grateful to have family here to take my kids to do all the fun things I’m too lazy to do. 🤣♥️

Looking at this photo, you may think TJ and I were on some remote island vacation right? Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case and there were about a hundred other people there. Either way, we had a lot of fun exploring Hamilton Pool. Swipe left to see the before image. 😱 EDIT: I’ve got lots of messages to see how I’ve done this. If you want me to do a little video, comment below and I’ll what I can do 😉

This guy. We try to celebrate him always but for Father’s Day, we made him a little video and I’m happy to say he cried his little heart out. We feel so blessed to have someone who loves us as fiercely as he does. We feel safe and loved because of the way he loves us. Happy Father’s Day to him and to all fathers out there. ♥️ Swipe watch the video ☺️

Tatum and I got to sleep over at the San Antonio Zoo the other day with her Girl Scout troop. We met a few of the animals and got a special night tour of the zoo too! It was our first time to the SA zoo and it was so fun! I seriously learned SO much - like did you know when kangaroo joeys are born, they’re only the size of a jelly bean and they have to climb up their mama’s into the pouch without any help? 😱 Yeah, me either! I also saw a bunch of animals I had never even heard of like the okapi, tenrec, and cassowary. Animals are so incredible and this trip gave me even more love and respect for them ♥️

My cute (and single) sister came to visit this week. She’s always the most supportive of my kids and they’re so lucky to have her. We laughed and we cried this week and it was just about perfect. Cheers to seeing her again in two weeks in LA.

If you guys watch my stories, you know by now how much TJ adores his little girl. Their relationship is like nothing I have ever seen - true soul mates. I think a lot of Tatum’s confidence comes from knowing she’s got a dad who has her back no matter what. Today, I watched TJ and Tatum practice their Daddy-Daughter dance and my heart felt so full. I looked at all the fathers on the stage and felt so much love knowing each one of these dads adore their daughters as much as TJ adores his. Imagine the world we would have if every single woman on this earth felt that type of love, felt that type of security and safety. This is my thank you to all the dads out there who are changing the world one daughter at a time. ♥️

Totally a day late and a dollar short but this gray-bearded man and I celebrated our 14-year anniversary a few days ago. I couldn’t let it go another day without praising this man who is my rock, my biggest fan, and my best friend. As I’m typing this, he’s doing the laundry - and not because he likes it but because he always aims to serve. He works hard to provide a good life for us and even when he comes home, he asks ME how he can serve me. Sometimes, we fight over who does the dishes, meaning we both want to do them and let the other relax. He makes me feel beautiful and sexy even after having three kids and wearing pajamas. He has supported me in every role I’ve ever held: business owner, feminist, and stay at home mom. He values me the same in each role - truly understanding the work and effort each one takes. Because he respects me, I am heard and understood but that’s especially important when we disagree because that is quite often. He puts up with my almost OCD and sporadic moodiness. He knows when I need a nap because I’m a little grumpy and he knows not to ever wake me from said nap. He’s patient and kind and has the biggest heart if anyone I know. I’m forever grateful he is my person and I am his.

Some of my proudest moments are the ones I hear of my kids doing kind, good things. I really don’t know what I’m doing over here but those moments make me feel a little better about it. I’m grateful for kids who forgive me when I mess up and love me in spite of my flaws as a mom. I’m also grateful for my own mom and mother-in-law who are examples of love and kindness in our lives. Happy Mother’s Day to all you beautiful moms out there! ♥️

I am the worst keeper of surprises. I pretty much spoil every surprise I ever plan because I get so excited. So, I have no idea how I managed to keep my mouth shut for over a month but I did it! Tatum and her brothers (and cousins) had no idea we planned a surprise visit from the “Utah Bains”. We had the best weekend just hanging out, eating, talking, and laughing. Swipe left to see the surprise video. Thanks to @cortniebain and @bainjaren for coming to see us and making some incredible kiddos.

He’s such a turd sometimes but he makes me feel beautiful 100% of the time. He does all the laundry and dishes and worships the ground I walk on. I feel safe, desired, honored, and respected by him. He believes in everything I do whether it’s a business, podcast, or another DIY project. He’s my number one fan. We have completely different opinions about a million different things but our love and respect for one another keeps our marriage strong. And there is no one else in the world that makes me laugh like he does. We have so much fun in this thing called life.