Life Archives - Page 7 of 11

My most memorable Valentine’s Day {Britt}

I love Valentine’s Day and thought it would be fun to share my most memorable one. Sam and I have been married for three and a half years, but we’ve been together for seven years! It’s pretty wild to think about. The Valentine’s Day that sticks out most in my mind is the first one we spent together. We were SO young – I was 20 and Sam was 22. We had been dating for about four months. He told me that he had made plans for us and that all I had to do was come 🙂 I borrowed a friend’s cute silk top and did my hair in a loose updo. He picked me up and I was automatically filled with butterflies. We went to his parent’s house and when we walked in it was dark with a bunch of candles lit and a big vase of gorgeous flowers for me. I was of course immediately smitten that he had taken so much time to create such a nice atmosphere. We had an amazing dinner of chicken cordon bleu and yummy side dishes. For dessert, he hand dipped strawberries in chocolate. I found out a few years later that him and his mom had been cooking all day long. So sweet. After dinner, he took me to see the movie “He’s Just Not That Into You” because it was the only chick flick that came out that week. If you’ve seen it, you know it’s the most depressing, negative movie ever. For some reason, it didn’t phase us too much. He topped off the night by telling me he loved me for the first time. I think it will always top the list as my favorite Love day ever!

Our Morning Routines

I love to hear about the details of everyone’s life right as they wake up. I recently met Forbes writer Samantha Ettus and loved reading her article ‘The Morning Routines of 12 Women Leaders‘. No two people have the same routine. Although we are twins Britt and I have different routines that work for us. We each have different nuances but generally follow the same timeline.

brooke morning routine

Brooke’s Morning Routine:

6:07 – I-phone alarm goes off. (Unless it is Friday, when I go to the gym at 5:45 opposed to my usual evening visit so that I can be free for date night.) I press snooze once while I check email and texts that come in overnight.

6: 15 – Wake up. Tip toe out of the room without waking the snoozing teddy bear (husband) next to me.

6: 20 – Put in Visine drops, wash my face and moisturize, apply base layer of makeup: foundation, eyeliner, brows. Straighten, curl, pouf, spray hair. When you work in TV multiple layers of makeup is necessary!

6:50 – Put on outfit for the day. Always laid out the night before if I expect myself to make it to work on time. If I am really desperate I will wear one of the 5 outfits I keep in the office for back-up. Put on warm cozy boots for trip to work while carrying stilettos to wear during the show. Choose a perfume to wear, right now I am rotating between Burberry Britt and Viva la Juicy.

6:55 – Mix together a quick yogurt parfait with berries and granola to go.

6:57 – Kiss husband goodbye.

7:10 – Carpool! Britt and I usually try to ride with each other if our schedules allow.

7:25 – Arrive to work. We are usually the first
ones in our building. Unlock the door, turn on the lights.

7:45 – Finish makeup and hair at the lit mirror in our office.

8:00 – Write and plan final details of the show with our show’s producer and editor. Talk to our floor crew and director about plans for the show. Answer emails.

9:00 – Talk with guests about their upcoming segment on the show (usually 5-10 per day), do mic checks, get on-set and get iPad set up with scripts.

9:15 – Pop in an Altoid mint, offer them to others 🙂

9:30 – Taping of The PLACE begins

Britt’s Morning Routine

6:15 – Calm sounding alarm goes off and I immediately get out of bed. I never hit snooze because I like to sleep until the absolute last moment.

6:20 – Wash my face and put on basic makeup. Like Brooke, I do a lot of final touches once I’m at work.

6:30 – Do my hair. I never shower in the morning because I hate blow drying my hair. Instead, I shower at night, loosely blow dry and sleep on it.

6:45 – Get dressed. I am known to wear ridiculous clothing and look somewhat homeless on the ride to work. I always bring a show outfit with me, but many times my only concern in getting dressed is what will keep me warm for the next two hours.

6:55 – Put together a healthy breakfast. My New Year’s Resolution is to not eat cereal every morning. I love it, but it never keeps me full. I am eating a lot of toast with peanut butter & banana, protein smoothies and yogurt parfaits.

7:10 – Carpool. It’s actually really fun to ride to work with Brooke. We get to chat a little bit about our personal lives before we have to focus on work. We also try to listen to either a scripture or an inspirational talk during our 20 minute commute.

7:25 – Arrive to work. I try not to open my email until I arrive to work. Otherwise, I am already anxious and somewhat stressed before I even sit down to start my day.

9:00 – Make sure I look decent and go chat with guests and The PLACE team to make sure we are ready for the show.

9:30 – Begin taping

At this point in time we are grateful for normal schedules that allow us to spend time with family and get a good amount of sleep because that hasn’t always been the case in our TV careers. We would love to hear your tips and tricks for making your morning successful.

9 Last-Minute Halloween Costume Ideas

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Halloween is around the corner and it is time to share some last-minute Halloween costume ideas! We are huge costume fans so we decided to round up our 9 most popular last-minute Halloween costume ideas from years past. Why are we sharing these Halloween costume ideas? Well first off, they are all super simple to DIY at home and take no longer than 30 minutes to create.

#1 Pinata Halloween Costume This pinata costume is colorful and fun! It is also very affordable, all you need are some simple party supplies and colorful tights! I wish I would have used this party kit – it would make the assembly a snap! Click here to get the full instructions for this fun pinata costume!

#2 Unicorn Halloween Costume Unicorns are a trend that we LOVE! This costume is fun for all ages. When Britt put this unicorn Halloween costume together she had her husband wear the same thing and it ended being a really cute couples costume! We found this baby unicorn costume that is super cute. For full instructions and a supply list click here. Update: They now have unicorn hats that LIGHT UP, how fun would that be for trick-or-treating?!

#3 Tooth Fairy Halloween Costume The Tooth Fairy Halloween costume is very simple! We went with some cute shoulder feathers found at the craft store, a wand, and a big tooth! This costume can be whipped up in under 10 minutes! These are the wings I recommend. Full instructions here.

#4 Amazing Race Contestant Costume We love a good reality show, and Amazing Race happens to be one of our favorites! This is a great couples costume as well. All you really need is matching athleisure wear and some simple signs. Use it as an excuse to buy this cute zip up! To see how we did it go here.

#5 Price is Right Contestant Halloween Costume COME ON DOWN!!! This is a great costume idea for college kids. Grab your newest college swag and make yourself a Price is Right nametag. Click here to see the supplies we used.

#6 Bat Halloween Costume Broken umbrella anyone?! This costume can be completed in a few simple steps. Other than the umbrella you need a black top and bottom, which lets be honest, we all have! Here are the instructions.

#7 Mrs. Frizzle from Magic School Bus Costume

The Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus Costume was one of my absolute favorites! Did you know the show is on Netflix right now?! Yes, you should totally watch some episodes for nostalgia and costume creating purposes. I did this costume as part of a live Halloween show on TV. My hairstylist friend helped me achieve the perfect Frizzle hair with this spray and it was a piece of cake from there. Here is how I did it.

#8 Bank Robber Costume This is a classic and can easily be turned into a family costume if you have a new baby that can operate as your money bag! Here are the supplies Britt used.

#9 Flapper Costume

Flapper will never go out of style as a Halloween costume. It’s flirty and fun, especially if you don’t want to look gory or silly. This dress on Amazon has a Great Gatsby vibe and I LOVE IT!

What are your Halloween traditions?

Hopefully, this list of 9 last-minute Halloween costumes is helpful to you in your Halloween party prep! This year Britt will be hosting a couples party where there will be a costume contest, bobbing for apples, and of course homemade rootbeer with dry ice in a cauldron! Have a fun holiday!

Fun Food at Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa in Hawaii

We had such a blast “working” in Hawaii! We spent four days at the Disney Aulani Resort & Spa on the island of Oahu. It exceeded all of my expectations. Brooke told me it would be amazing, and it really was! One of the highlights was the food. It was different from what you can find at the Disney parks, but also had a fun Disney touch. Here are a few of our favorites:

This photo is from our “fun food” segment during the shoot. I was forced to try each item and they were all delicious! From left to right:

Spam Musubi: this is a hawaiian delicacy. All of the locals we talked to loved this and regularly ate it. I had never tried spam, and thought this particular dish tasted sort of like sausage, in a good way.

Kalua Pork Bratwurst dog: this was Brooke’s fave. She loves kalua pork and they put it in quite a few of their dishes at Aulani. A much more fun take on the regular old hot dog.

Malasadas: donuts without holes. These are little balls of heaven. I could have eaten all of them. They taste like a glazed donut covered in sugar.

Fried squid: I loved the saltiness of crunchiness of this one. Paired with one of the three dipping sauces, you can’t go wrong.

Sweet Maui Onion rings: I’m not an onion rings lover, but these taste very different from the ones I’m used to. They have thick slices of sweet Maui onions with a thin breaded and fried shell. I’m not sure what they put in the dipping sauce for these, but it is what makes the whole thing work.

Tropical juice in a pineapple: just as good as it sounds! It just tastes like Hawaii and you can’t go wrong drinking out of a pineapple when you’re on the island.

This is not your average snow cone. They fill the bottom with your favorite flavor of ice cream, then add the flavored ice — I got lychee flavor and it reminded me of a sour starburst, then they top it with sweetened condensed milk!

This is the Crunch Berry Crusted French Toast from Ama Ama — to die for! It has so many unexpected textures and flavors, I loved it.

Don’t worry, we found the cookies! They had these delicious cookies waiting for us when we arrived, do they know cookies are the way to our hearts, or what? They were extra chocolatey, thick and chewy. We ate at least one a day, don’t worry!

Things to Know about Food at Aulani

– There’s Dole Whip! It’s only available in one spot in the pool area, but you fill up the cup yourself, which was SO dangerous for me trying to pile it four feet high!

– Ama Ama is one of the fancier restaurants and it is delicious. You can tell everything is made fresh, it is my first choice of place to order fish at Aulani. I ordered the catch of the day (and took a dark flash photo that is too ugly to show you) and was really impressed by the quality.

– Minnie Mouse rice krispy treats: Brooke survived on them last time she was at Aulani and they are SO good! Available in some of their quick restaurants.

– They have mugs available to buy for $18 or $19 where you can fill them up an unlimited amount of times during your stay. If you’re into soda or lemonade, this is a great option because there are filling stations all over the resort.

– Their restaurants have live music in the evenings, so even when you are done eating, you have great entertainment.

If you ever get the chance to go to Aulani, GO! It is a total dream!

Why You Should Follow Your Dreams

We seem to have tricked some people into thinking that we were just magically placed on their television screen and that it has been a dreamy walk on the yellow brick road. While we know we have the best jobs in the world, we want to share a little bit of the back story on how we got there.

First, we grew up in a family that allowed us to make our own decisions. From the time we were 16, we told our parents we wanted to host our own lifestyle show. I’m sure in the back of their minds they thought we were crazy, but instead of warning us of the possibility of failing miserably or telling us we might embarrass ourselves in the process, they told us it was a great idea. (they laughed right along with Brooke after the fainting incident)

Second, we had each other. From our dating days when I made Britt call boys acting like she was me to find out why they stopped calling (face palm!!) We have repeatedly put each other in uncomfortable situations and learned a lot in the process. It is a lot easier to take a giant leap of faith when you have a twin sister pulling you or at times yanking you along. We have both been that person for one another. During our first year reporting on the red carpet at the Grammy Awards I completely froze during an interview with a celeb (I’m not telling you which one), Britt didn’t miss a beat and finished asking a much more coherent question. Definitely one of the perks to working with your twin sister!

Third, we sought out incredibly supportive mentors and friends. Our high school counselor and neighbor Carol took special interest in our careers and helped us get the experience we craved. Carol had never had students come to her with our career aspirations before so she created a brand new internship for us at a news station. As naive 17 year olds we were handed a camera and microphone on our first day and told to come up with some stories. Although looking back now we can laugh at how terrible they were (i.e. shaky camera, shaky voice, etc) it provided great hands on experience we could not find anywhere else at the time. We started to live by the motto, “The worst they can say is NO”. By doing this, we took responsibility for creating our own success and got the guts to just ASK.

However, in the midst of all this positive support, there were still plenty of people who told us not to try. There are people out there who feel like it is their responsibility to give you a “dose of honesty” or to “lower your expectations”. DON’T LISTEN. There have been so many amazing experiences we never imagined were possible. We have always followed the thought process of “someone has to do it” when it comes to any career goal. Why shouldn’t that someone be you? Go for it because you believe in yourself and because you know you are capable.

So, how do you go for it? Here are three ideas.

1. Find a small group of people you can fully trust, tell them your ideas and aspirations and keep them updated on your successes and failures.

2. Work hard. Like really, really, really hard. This involves doing the beginner jobs you don’t want to do, most likely to include terrible shifts, long hours, and tasks you are not fond of. Once you commit to trying your best, good things will come. One of my favorite mentors constantly stressed that consistency is the most important quality a person can possess. Consistency in the quality of your work, in the energy you bring to your job and in your work ethic.

3. Learn from the haters. If there is anything good that comes from people being mean, it is that you have to find strength inside yourself. Over the span of our careers we have learned to be assertive, confident, and honest (and to go cry in the bathroom and buy yourself a chocolate chip cookie on the hard days).

Now, the real words of wisdom. I asked some of my greatest friends and inspirations to share their advice on following your career dreams.

Tori Dumke: mid-twenties, just finished business school and landed her dream job at Adobe in San Francisco.

I have adopted Thoreau’s aspiration: live deliberately. You make your life. It is up to you how you want to spend your time, effort, and talents. Be proactive in your approach–no one cares more about your career than you do.

“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.” -Leonardo Da Vinci

Enjoying the process, not just the achievement
You make your life – live deliberately
Don’t hold yourself back

Mary Bevan: a lawyer and brand new mom

Growing up, I told myself I could do whatever I put my mind to. Some goals just require more hard work and dedication than others. I pushed myself to accomplish things outside of my comfort zone causing me to be prepared to overcome the many challenges I faced in law school and in becoming a lawyer.

Kristin Rocke: an interior designer and mother of two

I judge my success by the quality of my work and both the personal and client’s satisfaction. I subscribe to the mantra that every time I touch something I take it as far to completion or resolution at that moment in time as possible. I love my work and I love the people I get to work with. I am fortunate to work in a time when I have access to so many artisans, amazing product and inspiration at every turn.

Aubrey Nelson: a mother and hair painting genius

My career in hair started when I accidentally fell in love with the chemistry of color and the opportunity to connect with women in my chair. It was a combination of my life long dream to live in New York City and competitive drive that led me there to work and train with the best artists in the industry. I learned early, that no amount of success comes without hard work and years later with the news of a surprise baby on his way into my life came my very purest inspiration. I started my own business with nothing but love for the tiny baby in my belly and that same love is what continues to motivate me today. I am a better mother because I work in an industry I am passionate about and I am better at my job because I am inspired by my son. I believe in dreaming big and working hard, with a good heart inside you and a lot of love behind you, you will find success.

For more inspiring words check out our interviews with Martha Stewart and Blake Lively!

And if you still need more, check out these quotes from 17 inspiring entrepreneurs.

The 8 treats you should buy at Trader Joe’s

As most of my friends and family know, I {Brooke} am a Trader Joe’s junkie. I allow myself 2 new items to try each week during my regular shopping trip. By doing this I have discovered some pretty amazing products! I decided I should share, in hopes that some of you have some secrets you want to share as well.

1. Milk Chocolate Mini Peanut Butter Cups: Hands down, best item in the store.

2. Overnight Chocolate Croissants: My dear friend told me about these. All you have to do is let them rise overnight and pop them in the oven in the morning. Voila! Fresh pastries for breakfast.

3. Miniature rose bush: these are a treat in the “treat yo self” sense. Mini flowers that come in a tiny pot. Doesn’t get much cuter. (The hydrangeas are also gorgeous!)

4. Chocolate Milk: I’ve searched long and hard and this is the most chocolatey, satisfying drink you will ever find.

5. Strawberries: Always fresh and pretty. I get all my produce at Trader Joe’s.

6. Greek yogurt guacamole dip: A lighter option for guacamole that still tastes delicious.

7. Chocolate covered pretzels: No explanation necessary.

8. Cat cookies: No these are not for your pets, they are just delicious, chocolate, graham crackers that are a tad addictive.

I still have a few things I want to try like their cold pressed watermelon juice, uncured bacon ganache bar, and salted caramel bread pudding.

What are YOUR favorites?

How to Pack for two weeks in Europe in a CARRY ON

The prettiest store front in Rome

When Sam and I were planning our trip to Europe last year, we decided to only bring carry on bags. Sam fit everything in a large backpack and I brought this rolling carry on, which Sam carried over cobble stone streets 90% of the time. If you plan to fly any budget airlines in Europe, you can only take a carry on bag, which is another reason why we did this. You should also make sure to check that your bag measurements work for the different European airlines. We were so glad that we chose to pack light. I’ve been asked a few times how we did it, so here is a packing list.

EUROPE PACKING LIST

2 jackets – one active/workout and one for sightseeing

1 pair of comfortable leggings (I wore these on all travel days- planes, trains & everything in between)

2 comfortable lightweight dresses (good for hot weather and can be packed very tightly)

1 pair of pants (I took these navy blue pixie pants from Old Navy because they are stretchy and not too hot)

1 embellished top (for when you want to class things up a bit)

1 cardigan sweater (lightweight)

1 short sleeve top

2 comfortable t-shirts

1 swimsuit (this is HARD for me as I love to have options, but seriously worth saving the room)

1 pair of athletic shoes

1 pair of walking shoes (I will swear by these Keds until the day I die because they were so comfortable!)

1 pair of flats

7 pairs of underwear (we bought laundry detergent and washed them halfway through our trip in our sink in our tiny room in Florence, Italy)

2 normal bras (cuz let’s be real, you’re gonna get sweaty)

1 sports bra

10 pairs of socks (I packed a lot of super thin ankle socks to wear with my walking shoes and was so glad I had them so my shoes didn’t smell and I didn’t get blisters)

1 money bag (this is a small pouch you wear around your neck and keep credit cards and cash in. After seeing a girl get her purse stolen in our first couple of days, we were so glad we used this)

1 small over the shoulder purse with some kind of locking clasp (I found my small bag (similar here) at Forever 21 and it was perfect. A great bag makes all the difference)

3 CARRY ON PACKING LAWS:

1. Pack in like colors. I picked cream, blue and gray as my main colors so that I could mix and match all of my pieces. This really helped and I would highly recommend doing it.

2. Don’t pack any jewelry. I had one pair of earrings in the entire time and I was so glad I didn’t bring my wedding ring or anything else that could have been misplaced.

3. Less is more. If you leave a little space in your bag, you can buy clothing on your trip, which is the best part!

If you can’t fit everything in your bag, just sneak the extras into your husband’s backpack and he won’t notice until you’re already in Europe!

Hope this helps if you’re planning a trip!

10 SUMMER Date Ideas

c/o Jessica Janae Photography @ Soulstice Retreat

This summer is flying by waaaaay to fast. In the midst of prepping and launching our new show the summer has started to dwindle away. Now that we are a month into the show it feels as if we are finally getting into the swing of things and finding a little time for fun. That being said we wanted to share a few of our favorite things to do with our significant others when we can be together.

1. Pool time: No explanation is really needed here. Although these are few and far between there is nothing that beats laying in/around/near a pool and relaxing in the sun. Our new favorite is Stein Eriksen where they serve you chilled pineapple pops! Our favorite suit this year is the flamingo one-piece (so flattering!). Or a fun group date that we have been wanting to do is play a game of slip-n-slide baseball, have you seen THIS video?

2. Hiking: Nothing is more soothing than being in the mountains enjoying some quiet time. Some new trails we have tried this year are: Lake Blanche, Blood Lake, and Big Water. Please share some of your favorites with us!

3. Developing a new hobby: We both married husbands that are pretty obsessed with golfing. Britt has taken lessons, while I have just started my attempt at hitting the ball. Overall, it is usually pretty entertaining and you can’t beat the scenery. Our favorite course right now is Wasatch Mountain in Heber.

4. Sunset scooter rides: they may seem immature, but they sure are a good time! We have gone up the canyon or to a sunset point. Hit me up if you would like to start a scooter gang!

5. Outdoor concert: we love heading up to Deer Valley for their concerts on summer nights. This summer’s favorite was definitely Kristin Chenoweth! She is hysterical and mega talented.

6. Snow cones: we have decided it is our personal mission to find the best snow cones in the Salt Lake valley. We have agreed that Hokulia are the biggest and by far the best! If we’re missing something fabulous, tell us! I have major FOMO when it comes to the best snow cones.

7. Outdoor movie night: grab a projector and a sheet and your good! This has become a favorite summer tradition because for some reason watching a movie outside is WAY better than watching one inside. Just make sure you pack lots of blankets and pillows! (and just watch Heavyweights because it’s the best movie to watch in the summer)

8. Baking: this goes against all things summer since it’s hot, but we’ve still found plenty of time for baking. Thanks to Si at A Bountiful Kitchen I have found my new go-to recipe. Best cookies I have ever made! Her recipes are always good.

9. Farmer’s market: SLC has one of the best downtown farmer’s markets. The produce is local and amazing, plus a bunch of other fun vendors with creative food and drinks. Don’t forget to stop by the Drake Family farm booth for some goat cheese, it is our favorite! Then take all of your goodies and go on a picnic.

10. Star gaze: this is different from the kind of “star gazing” I did in high school, this is where you actually look at the stars 🙂 But really, summertime skies are so beautiful and all you have to do is ask Mr.Google to help you download an astronomy app and you have a fun little date! This app is our favorite and we’ve found that it works a lot better than the free versions.

Hope you are all enjoying these last few weeks of summer! Thanks again for all the kind words about the show, we are really loving it.
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Bad Blood Music Video Auditions AKA Our First Time Boxing!

Spoiler alert: we didn’t actually audition for the Bad Blood music video (Taylor told us we’re not tall enough), but we did try boxing! Britt and I are up for pretty much anything when it comes to fitness. We love to try new things and get out of our routines. Britt started going to a boxing class and raved about it all the time. I was really hesitant for a few reasons:

– I have weak hands/wrists. (I’m a wimp)

– I don’t want bruises all over my body (I wasn’t aware that they have shin guards for you to wear in the boxing studio)

– I won’t look cute/calm/pleasant while doing it (you know that’s why we all love barre class!)

She talked me into attending a class this week when I complained about needing more cardio. So I headed down to Xcel Fitness, signed up for the XMA strike class, and it was an awesome experience! I started out quite nervous and reserved with all the punches, kicks, and knees. Jess, the instructor, was having none of it! haha. He quickly showed me the correct form and made me feel more at ease and comfortable with the gloves and punching bag. After a while I discovered a rhythm and started to really enjoy it. The class is great because it is truly a full body workout. In between boxing sets you are doing burpees, push-ups, and core exercises. I will definitely be going back. Now, I just need to find a solution for that horrible smell that you find in freshly used boxing gloves 🙂

A couple things to know about boxing if you decide to try it:

1. You need to buy your own hand wraps. They only cost a couple bucks and they save your hands! They add the cushion you need between your gloves and your skin.

2. You sweat a lot! It’s a tough workout, but you feel so tough doing it.

3. You burn anywhere between 600-1,000 calories per hour boxing. Amazing!

Any fun workouts we should try next?

Baby Shower

One of our very best friends Mary is expecting. She currently lives in Omaha, but somehow we got her to come out to Salt Lake so we could throw her a little party. Mar has known us since junior high. She is exactly the type of friend everyone needs in their corner — someone totally and completely supportive and loving, while also being the person who will ugly cry with you from laughing so hard! We cannot wait to meet little Rose Olivia soon!! We held the party at our friend Melanie’s gorgeous new home in Heber. It’s seriously perfect and she designed the entire thing! It was such a fun day of celebrating with the best of friends.

“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

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