Twin Tested

Hazel & Lila are ONE!

Just for the fun of it, we are posting a little bit about what our babies are like right now so that we never forget.

Hazel is:

Walking everywhere (like so fast I can barely catch her!)
Saying a couple of words “hello”, “Lila” and “Dada”
Has four teeth, two on the bottom and two on top that just came in
Loves food! Oddly enough I think her favorite thing to eat is chicken
Loves to play with the hose and in water of any kind
Loves to give real kisses and blow kisses
Not the best sleeper – still wakes up a lot in the night
Knows how to wave and sign “more” and “all done”
So determined!
Hilarious and makes us laugh about a million times a day
Snuggly – she still loves to cuddle and it’s the best thing in the world

Lila is:

the happiest baby on the block
life of the party – loves being around people
almost walking, but is a very sassy crawler
says lots of words like “bubbles”, “Hi”, “Buh-bye”, Dada, Mama, Woof Woof and more
loves to eat
So sweet and happy
Has 6 teeth – 4 on top, 2 on bottom
Constantly giggling and making everyone around her smile

Lila’s 1st year and what I have learned about being a mom

Labor Day 2017 I was floating in the lukewarm water of the neighb0rhood pool, finally letting my joints feel relief from my large belly that was due with a baby girl that very day. Little did I know, later that night I would be having our baby girl. After returning home from the pool I realized the slight trickle of water down my leg was not from the pool water in my swimsuit and that my water had broken. At that very moment, I remember getting into the shower and tears streaming down my face because of the unknown that lay ahead. Giving birth for the first time is a life-changing, gigantic experience. But the fact that I got a little brunette with sparkling eyes that crinkle when she smiles makes every discomfort and pain worth it.

Now that Lila is a true one-year-old I wanted to share a few of her favorite things and what has helped me the most this year. (Besides grandmas and a twin sister going through the exact same thing at the same time!)

Wubbanub: If your baby takes a binky, these are hands down the best! Lila loves the elephant that is attached to hers and it is pretty much the cutest thing ever to watch her fall asleep stroking the ears with her tiny fingers. (Now I am starting to face the fact that she cannot have a binky forever and need a game plan for getting rid of it…)
A set of her own keys: My mother-in-law is a genius and got together all of her old keys and keychains, sanitized them, and then gave them to Lila. This way she has her own set of “real” keys to hold while I do everyday tasks like locking the door, starting the car, etc. without a fight.
Minky Couture blankets: They are super cozy and soft, but most importantly MACHINE WASHABLE! There is nothing sweeter than a babe fresh from the bath cozied up in her Minky. (I might just have a giveaway coming up on Instagram this week so pay close attention!)
A gym pass: Britt and I do a gym swap at Xcel Fitness each morning where we take turns with the girls to attend a workout class. Whether it is High Fitness or Reformer Pilates it has been a lifesaver to feel that part of my pre-mom self. I am happier because I get that moment to myself each day and I feel zero guilt about it because Lila is playing with her cousin. Plus, who says the gym isn’t a social event?! I have made some great friends there!
Fun clothes, okay these are not necessary but dressing a baby girl is FUN! I can’t get over these striped jumpsuits, and you shouldn’t either because they are $6.00!

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.

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!

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:

DIY projects that are actually fun and easy!

Britt and I were invited to try out Anders Ruff Workshop Holladay. They recently opened their doors in May and we just need to talk about how cute the shop is for a second. I want to move in. From the gorgeous original, exposed, brick wall to the streamlined projects. Even the bathroom is gorgeous! They have a full catering kitchen so you can have small or large parties too.

This is how it works: you hop on their website and pick out your project. They have everything from wood signs to lazy susans to decorative pillows that you can create. Once you have your project chosen you pick the time that you would like to do it. I went with my mom, sisters, and sisters-in-law and we had a blast! The hours flew by and we had so much fun crafting, chatting, and snacking.

paint bar

craft project

The AR Workshop Holladay has kids camps going on this summer and they also accept walk-ins! The owner, Ginger, is as sweet as they come. She is also thorough and makes sure that every person has a project they are proud of when they walk out the door. And before you leave the shop be sure to check out the cute items that Ginger has handpicked at the front of the store like towels that are hand woven in Turkey and to-die-for small gifts. I am dying to go back and do the framed American flag as well as a Christmas sign! Check out all the projects here.

You need to add Loveland Living Planet Aquarium to your Summer Bucketlist!

Every summer I like to jot down a couple ideas for a summer bucketlist. That way, whenever we don’t have plans, I have a list of fun ideas. Well, with two 9-month-old babies in tow, this year’s bucketlist looks a little different. When we were asked if we wanted to bring Hazel and Lila to the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, we said of course! We have both visited before – Brooke even swam with sharks there once!!

We were amazed at just how much there is to see. You can easily spend an entire day there, which is perfect since summer temps are already above 90 degrees! It’s so much more than an aquarium. There are the cutest sloths, otters, clouded leopards and so many more unique animals you would not expect to see in an aquarium.

The babies loved it. It was so cute to see them in front of the fish tanks, they were mesmerized. The cool thing about the aquarium is that it’s just as fun for adults as it is for the kids. I pet a manta ray while we were there! I had no clue that it would be so slimy. It was fascinating. You can also touch tiny sharks and starfish.

We were both given season passes, which is awesome! I’m sure your kids are perfect, but our babies have a 3 hour maximum for any activity before they need naps. Which makes getting a pass so nice because you don’t feel like you only have one shot to see the entire aquarium. Instead, we plan on going back once a week for a fun little field trip to see something different every time we are there. We brought our mom and had a blast! Thank heavens for grandmas. Our babies absolutely love her, so we all had such a great time. Talking with our mama friends, they all say the aquarium pass is worth it simply for their amazing playground. Hazel and Lila are still too little for that, but it just goes to prove there is so much to see and do at the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium!

Aquarium Memberships are the best way to save. You only have to visit two to three times a year in order for it to pay for itself (but can visit as many times as you want during the year). On your first visit, you can put the value of your tickets toward the price of a membership if you choose to. There are several levels of memberships, including Individual, Family (two adults and four children *additional children can be added), Family Plus (two adults, four children, and two guests each visit) and Grandparent Memberships. You can get more information on memberships here.

They also have huge, nice areas available for parties, which would be so much fun. We are so excited for our summer of fun at the aquarium!

Two Utah Road Trips You Should Try This Summer

Brooke and I grew up in Utah, but have realized the last couple of years that we have not seen a lot of really neat places in this beautiful state. It’s been a goal of ours to go on more road trips and explore more of the diverse beauty Utah has to offer.

So, first off, have you been to Zion National Park? Just an hour outside of St. George, it is the perfect stop on the way to southern Utah. Sam and I took Hazel on her very first hike in Zion. We did the overlook hike – it was perfect, about one hour round trip and very easy. It was amazing what we were able to see in such a short hike! Gorgeous views, rock formations, and even mountain goats. I would highly recommend it. As a couple, we agreed we need to make trips to more of Utah’s national parks because they are so accessible to us. It was $15 for the entry fee to the park – it is different if you take the shuttle.

Next time we are there, we are going to try two of the most popular hikes:

The Narrows & Angels Landing

What to know about Zion:

Very popular, get there early if you want to go on a hike and not have it be too crowded
There are hotels right outside the park so you can stay there or drive to nearby St. George
The weather varies throughout the year but is quite hot in the summer. We loved visiting in Spring because it was not too hot yet!

Brooke and Parker took Lila on her first camping trip over Memorial Day weekend. They went to stay at a family ranch in Bicknell, Utah. Where the heck is that? It’s in central Utah right outside Capitol Reef National Park. It’s a tiny little town with a population of just over 300, but they do have a movie theater! A couple of things they loved doing: visiting horses, riding dirtbikes and enjoying gorgeous red rock views in every direction.

What to know about Bicknell:

It’s a relatively short 3 hour drive from Salt Lake City
It’s a perfect place to camp if you plan on visiting Capitol Reef National Park
It does get chilly at night – around 40 degrees – so make sure to bring your layers!

You can get more information on Utah’s national parks here.

Makeup must-haves from our group course

Life is as busy as ever as we forge ahead with some new projects and soak in all the time we can with our baby girls. If you are new to the blog -welcome! We will be posting more regularly and will try to keep everyone updated on what is going on. We post all of our Makeup Monday’s on Instagram, so make sure to check them out each week over there. Group Makeup Classes have been SO MUCH FUN! We have loved meeting so many of you and getting a chance to be a part of your GNO’s.

Since we get a lot of questions after the classes about the products that we use I wanted to create a space where you could find links to all of them! These are all of the essentials that have been tried and tested over the years!

Step 1 Primer:

This is what you want to apply right after your favorite moisturizer. A primer gives makeup something to cling on to and helps your makeup to last longer and crease less. Our go-to right now are either a silicone based primer if you want to fill in fine lines and wrinkles Smashbox Primer or our favorite spray:MAC Prep + Prime Spray

Step 2 Foundation:

Urban Decay All Nighter Foundation is a godsend! It has 4 times the amount of pigment as other foundations meaning it gives full, matte coverage and you only need to use a little amount. Win-win! Highly recommend buying if you have a big event like a wedding or family photos coming up… or just want to look bomb every day!
If you don’t want full coverage and would like something lighter for everyday use we recommend IT Cosmetics CC Cream. It has medium coverage but what we really like about it is the dewy look it gives to your skin.

Step 3 Concealer:

This is for dark spots, under the eyes, and blemishes. Our all-time favorite is IT Cosmetics Bye bye UnderEye. It is waterproof, perfect for a long day at the pool looking flawless!

Step 4 Setting Powder:

This is a nice thin veil over the face to set the foundation and concealer that you have just applied. Our favorite is BECCA Soft Light Blurring Powder. The Ulta brand setting powder is a great cheaper option.

Step 5 Bronzer for contouring:

Our very favorite bronzer in the entire world is Vita Liberata Trystal Minerals Self Bronzing Minerals. Quite a mouthful but this bronzer is worn and raved about by celebrities like Emma Watson for a reason! It is a bronzing self-tanning powder so the color really stays on. It looks good on every skin tone we have ever put it on, we swear its magic! Plus, it comes with a nice fluffy kabuki brush for smooth application. Our second favorite bronzer is pressed powder by NARS.

Step 6 Blush:

NARS The Multiple in Orgasm just can’t be beat. It’s quite affordable considering mine has lasted 2 years! Make sure you get it in the orgasm shade – no product promises haha. We really like using the stick and powder versions. The closest cheaper option we’ve been able to find is L’oreal Infallible Blush Stick.

Step 7 Highlighter:

Becca cosmetics reigns supreme when it comes to making your skin glow. This BECCA highlighting compact is our favorite! A great cheaper highlighter is the Ulta brand.

Step 8 Eyeshadow:

Moving onto eyebrows and eyes you can do a ton with the NAKED palette by Urban Decay. This is what we use to fill in our brows, line our eyes and then apply eyeshadow. Very versatile.

Step 9 Lipstick:

To finish the look our favorite liquid lipstick is by STILA! We recommend the shade “Patina” for everyone! A cheaper option for liquid lipstick is NYX Lipstick Lingerie,

One of the most popular lipstick in class is COLOR CHANGING lipstick. It is by Lipstick Queen. They also sell a cheaper version on Amazon (here). It works the same, but is not as moisturizing.

As for tools, we prefer using IT Cosmetics brushes. We really like this set. Follow along @TwinTested on Instagram for all of the latest beauty tips and monthly challenges. We have some BIG things planned this year and are excited to share them with you!

*there are affiliate links in this article

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