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Archives for July 2018

Finding out our heritage (and if we are really identical twins) with AncestryDNA

Our birthday month continues and we just keep on celebrating! We wanted to do something significant for our 30th so we reached out to AncestryDNA. We are lucky enough to have them headquartered nearby in Lehi, Utah. More than 10 million people have taken AncestryDNA and uncovered something new about themselves. Pretty cool, right? We wanted to learn where our family really came from and if our results would match up.

Prior to our visit to the Ancestry offices, we took the “AncestryDNA test”. They make it very simple by mailing you a clear tube that you spit into and then ship back to them. That’s it! By far the easiest test we’ve ever taken! Your results are then processed and AncestryDNA’s cutting-edge science compares your DNA to people all over the world. The neat thing about Ancestry is the focus they put on technology. Everything you are seeing in your results is the latest, absolute most accurate and up to date information. You can view all of your results online, which makes everything so convenient and easy. Our mom was the one who gave us the idea after doing her own AncestryDNA test. She loved it and encouraged the rest of the family to take their own. After going over her results, we knew we wanted to do it.

When we arrived at the Ancestry offices we had two big questions:

  • Are we really identical twins with matching DNA?
  • Where did our family come from?

Family Historian Lisa Elzey was kind enough to guide us through our results. She dropped several bombshells while taking us through our results. She told us that we are indeed identical twins, but our results did differ slightly, which was very surprising! She also took us through hundreds of years of our family’s history and migration, which was absolutely fascinating!

We found out that more than half of our ethnic makeup is from England and Wales. We were raised thinking that we were predominantly Scottish, so it was all very eye-opening. The most surprising ethnicity found was the fact that we are both 10% Swedish! It was so nice having Lisa there to explain the how and why of each of our numbers and percentages. The website is super interactive so you can dig as deep as you want into your heritage. You can watch our full reaction in the video at the bottom of this post.

If Lisa looks familiar, it’s because she is the family historian that has worked on many of the celebrity cases on the television show “Who Do You Think You Are?”. She said working with famous people is fun, but she has realized something – we are all just people who want to know who we are and where we came from.

We think everyone should take the test! There is something so grounding about looking into history and learning about the names, faces and stories of your family members. We are so grateful we had this amazing opportunity! Huge thanks to the team at Ancestry for partnering with us. Now we need to go work on our family trees. 

If you want more information about getting your own AncestryDNA test, go here.

July 31, 2018 Leave a Comment

A GRAND 30TH!

When I started thinking about mine and Britt’s 30th birthday I knew I wanted to do something special. Since having babies, Britt and I often talk about the luxury it would be to go to a hotel for one night, no babies, and sleep in our own fluffy beds without worrying about waking up with a baby. I decided I wanted to make this a reality for our birthday, selflessly or not haha! I immediately knew that The Grand America would be the perfect venue to make us feel pampered and doted on for our little getaway. To make things extra special I put a little bug in the staff’s ear that it was our 30th birthday and that I would be surprising Britt. Of course, they came through 1000%!!! We were upgraded to the Executive Suite which is just pure heaven and so spacious. It has been SO hard to keep the getaway a surprise from Britt but it made the moment I told her that much more special! And yes, her eyes glistened a little as she thought about a full night’s sleep in her own quiet room after taking care of a sick baby all week.

To make things even more fun the staff had a personalized chocolate mousse birthday cake waiting for us in the suite! (Go to La Bonne Vie and try it immediately, so decadent and fluffy!)

All-in-all the weekend was picture-perfect.

Here are some insider recommendations for making the most of your weekend stay at The Grand America:

  • Let the staff know what you are celebrating! They are incredibly accommodating and can point you in the right direction whether that is a spa day or breakfast buffet in the Garden Cafe.
  • Speaking of the breakfast buffet – don’t miss it! This is fine dining at a really fair price point. You have your choice of everything from cronuts to savory cheese crepes. Being that breakfast is our favorite meal of the day we were in heaven.
  • Make time to relax by the pool. The gardens surrounding the pool area are manicured to perfection and the setting is ideal for a fun beach read on your Kindle under one of the bungalows. The staff makes you feel extra special by bringing around little snacks every hour or so ranging from frozen grapes to mango smoothies. We also snacked on their queso and pico de gallo dip which we highly recommend. Next time we have a goal to try the gourmet popsicles that are made on-site.
  • If you are staying without kids or babies check out The Grand Spa. It occupies 4-stories of the hotel and is on a completely different level than any other spa on earth. You can experience the relaxation rooms, 360 waterfall showers, and hot tub area. And once the clock strikes 9 pm the area is strictly 18 and up if you are looking for some peace and quiet.

Whether you are looking for a girlfriends getaway or want to surprise your spouse with a night away this is the place to do it. Thank you to everyone at The Grand for helping us ring in our 30th right! Here’s to the best year yet!

July 15, 2018 1 Comment

Kortni Jeane Swimmers

While having babies is definitely the most joyful thing we’ve ever experienced, it also throws your body for a loop. Learning to love and appreciate the postpartum body has been a challenge. Both Brooke and I work hard to stay healthy, exercise 5-6 times a week and live a good lifestyle. Even with all of that, some things are just never going to be the same. Facing that and learning to be proud of our bodies for what they accomplished and what they do for us each day has been really life-changing. Our cute swimsuit designer/mogul and friend Kortni Jeane asked us to be part of her #TheKJWomanIsGood campaign to talk about what makes us feel good. We are so honored to be part of something that promotes body positivity no matter your size or stage of life. Although we were hesitant to model swimsuits, it turned out to be a great experience. You can learn more about the campaign here.

Here is the fun video they put together:

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July 13, 2018 1 Comment

Hi! We are identical twins, Brooke & Brittany. We test the latest trends in fashion, beauty, travel and fitness so that you don't have to.

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