MAMA'S CHRISTMAS LIST

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I’ve been so excited to share with you my favorite Christmas list items this year!

Most of these items are very reasonably priced, but there is maybe (okay yes) one big splurge on there if you’re a coffee drinker. And honestly, this is more of a family present if you’re wanting to make an investment to have Starbucks-like drinks in your home!

I personally own 6 of these items, so they’re coming to you highly recommended. The other 6 are actually on MY Christmas list! (wink wink Blake. ;)

I hope you love these as much as me, and if there’s anything else you love and have on your list, share in the comments below! I’d love to see what you’re asking Santa for this year!

 
 

***EACH OF THESE ARE EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND CAN BE ADDED TO YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING LIST JUST BY CLICKING THE LINK WITHIN THE TITLE OF EACH ITEM!

 

  1. COMFIEST PILLOW EVER (SO I’VE HEARD)

    What I love: I have heard from SOOOOO many people that this pillow is amazing, and I’m also a big believer in Amazon reviews. Those people don’t lie haha! I also oddly enough have very bad allergies to many pillows, and with this one being hypoallergenic it’s a for sure Christmas list item for me!

    What they say: Made in USA. Fully ADJUSTABLE PILLOW with our PROPRIETARY MIX of SHREDDED VISCO ELASTIC MEMORY FOAM - ADD or REMOVE foam to adjust to your comfort, perfect custom made pillow each time - for all sleep positions. Allows greater ventilation - Promotes proper alignment allowing deeper sleep through the night. *PATENT PENDING. REST ASSURED - CertiPUR-US Certified foam. Our pillows are made without ozone depleters, PBDEs, TDCPP, TCEP flame retardants, mercury, lead and heavy metals, formaldehyde, phthalates regulated by the CPSC, or CFCs. Our foam has been analyzed by independent, accredited testing laboratories. WHAT IS IN YOUR PILLOW? Our pillows meet the CertiPUR-US standards for content, emissions and durability, and are analyzed by independent, accredited testing labs. HYPOALLERGENIC & DUST MITE RESISTANT - allergy sufferers no longer need to compromise comfort! EASY TO CARE FOR - MACHINE WASHABLE - 5 Year Warranty - Guaranteed it will not go flat.

  2. BEST STRAIGHTENER (PERFECT FOR LOOSE WAVES) FOR THE BEST PRICE

    What I love: I’ve been in need of a new straightener since I’ve had the same one for about 10 years (since early college). I’ve heard great things about this one, so this is a must have on my Christmas list! MY NUMBER ONE REASON FOR WANTING IT THOUGH? -there’s an auto off after 90 minutes of non use. And to me, that’s worth it. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve accidentally left my straightener on, and this feature is golden!

    What they say: LCD digital display. Safety auto off after 90 minutes of non use. Heat up to 380℉ at constant temperature in 15 seconds, takes less time to design a hair style and helps prevent damage.

  3. YETI MUG TO KEEP YOUR COFFEE WARM FOR LONGER

    What I love: We have this (both Blake and I have one) and for the mama who re-warms their coffee 8,000 times this is for you! It actually keeps my coffee warm longer and I don’t have to rewarm it! Plus they’re actually not bad looking which I love too! It also comes in a MILLION color options!

    What they say: The YETI Rambler 14 oz Mug is the toughest, most over-engineered camp mug out there. The full-loop TripleGrip Handle is comfortable for wider hands, so you can fit your mitts fully around your morning joe. Duracoat color means no scratching, peeling, or fading here. Vacuum insulation keeps cold drinks cold and hot drinks hot until the last sip. No sweat design say adios to damp or frostbit fingers. And of course dishwasher safe

  4. BEST REAL LEATHER TOTE

    What I love: Got this tote as an early Christmas/ Birthday present and can’t recommend it enough. If you’re needing a real leather tote that goes with ABSOLUTELY everything AND fits your laptop case, AND will hold up for ALL the years. this is it. Plus, there’s just nothing quite as amazing as the smell of fresh leather! The quality is perfection!!! Love that they’re made right here in the USA too.

  5. MATCHING FAMILY BASEBALL CAPS

    What I love: We also got these as an early Christmas gift for the girls and I and ohhhh my word, I can’t tell you how many compliments we received wearing them! They’re all made with the best quality and the blush pink color is legit perfection. The girls actually LOVE wearing theirs and I love that they will grow with them because the backs are adjustable! So it’s an investment hat for over the years! Plus the modern initial is just the sweetest!!!

  6. COMFIEST SLIPPERS EVER

    What I love: I’ve had these for 2 years now. They were my babymoon gift to myself before I had Hadley and they are my go - to slippers every day. I love that they have hard soles (which makes them totalllyyyyy appropriate for wearing outside the house haha!) The super soft interior is hands down the coziest ever anddddd I love that they come in a ton of color options! In my opinion, you can’t ever go wrong with Uggs! p.s. I also have these Minnetonka ones, and they too are highly recommended as I’ve had these for about 8 years and they’re still in perfect condition!

    What they say: A water-resistant suede slipper is trimmed with shearling and lined with UGGpure, a textile made entirely from wool but shaped to feel and wear like shearling.

  7. WIRELESS HEADPHONES

    What I love: I just signed up for another marathon next spring, so these are the gift I’m asking for to make my marathon training so much better! I am so tired of that stinkin’ cord for my headphones, and these will make all my tangle nightmares disappear! I also love that the reviews for these are amazing, which can always be hit or miss with electronic devices!

    What they say: Just take them out and they're ready to use with all your devices, put them in your ears and they connect instantly. Double-tap either AirPod to activate Siri, without taking your iPhone out of your pocket. 5 hours of listening time on a single charge thanks to the W1 chip. iPhone, iPad and iPod touch models with iOS 10 or later Apple Watch models with watchOS 3 or later Mac models with macOS Sierra or later. Made to keep up with you, thanks to a charging case that holds multiple additional charges for more than 24 hours of listening time. AirPods with Charging Case: More than 24 hours listening time,(3) up to 11 hours talk time(6). Need a quick charge? Just 15 minutes in the case gives you 3 hours of listening time

  8. PORTABLE PHONE AND CAMERA PRINTER

    What I love: I have been wanting this for a few years now and this year I’m really asking for it, because I really want to get better at documenting pictures (and not having them pile up on my phone or computer!) This gives me an easy quick way to print at home, but I ALSO love it because it’s such a perfect printer for putting pictures in my Bible for journaling! I want to start praying for specific people, and this is the perfect answer for that!

    What they say: Printing off social media photos has never been easier from your smartphone. Connect your social media accounts to the free-to-download HP Sprocket App and instantly turn those photos into colorful prints. A Social on-the-go portable printer: Sprocket uses seamless Bluetooth connectivity, so you can set it up at parties and events, and everyone can print their favorite moments from their smartphones or tablets

  9. COMFIEST PULLOVER

    What I love: I’ve been eyeing these for years, and I finally got one during a Labor Day sale this year! AND I bet they’ll be on sale so much during the holidays! So this is your time to get one or add it to your list if you’ve been eyeing them too! They’re super trendy, come in multiple colors AND of course the comfiest pullover ever!!!

    For reference, I am around 127 lbs and 5’4” and I got a size small and love that it’s more on the fitted side as seen in the pic below!

  10. CUTEST KITCHEN BAKING BOOK

    What I love: I am a sucker for cute coffee table books, and this one is just perfection! I obviously love pink, and this one is just the perfect touch to add to our cookbook collection!

    What they say: Home Baked is a beautiful collection of van Boven’s favorite baked goods—warm bread from the oven, sweet banana bread, a gooey cinnamon and caramel pull-apart loaf, rich chocolate cake, shortbread cookies, and more. And alongside these beautiful images of delicious treats, van Boven provides step- by-step instructions for how to make them in your own home. And she leaves no one out—working with different types of flours (including gluten-free) so there is something for everyone to bake. 

  11. BEST HAIRDRYER FOR THE BEST PRICE

    What I love: Blake bought this for me during Prime Day earlier this year, and can I just say I never knew a blow dryer could change your life! hahahah! It’s amazing how much time I save now by actually using a blow dryer that works well! I’m not kidding, this blow dryer is heaven sent and it works so quickly on the girls’ hair too! With a house full of girls with lots of hair (and a hubby with zero hair who just DOESN’T get it ;) It’s important for us to have a good blow dryer!

    What they say: Professional AC motor,1875W high speed could let your hair dry soon, lightweight than other professional blow dryer, perfect for thick hair. Negative Ionic, good for your hair and your healthy, resulting in softer, healthier hair with less static, great to use before flat iron

  12. BIGGEST FAMILY SPLURGE CHRISTMAS PRESENT

    What I love: I of course had to add one big splurge on here, and that’s our coffee machine that we get asked about allllll the time. If you’re a coffee snob, and love your espresso drinks from Starbucks, this is a must. Everyone that comes over to our house asks us to make them a cup, and it truly is Starbucks grade. We love coming up with fun new recipes, and we know this was an investment that will last forever. (p.s. it may even follow us to a coffee shop we plan on opening in the future. ;)

 

Rey to Z hats, Portland Leather Goods tote, and Abercombie pullover seen here.

 

p.s. if you loved this list, then you will also love my Life Hacks blog post, that is my #1 blog posts of all time! The items found here would also be AMAZING Christmas presents for you and your family, and they’re all cheap! So make sure you visit the blog post here to check out my life hacks on a budget. :)

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If you loved this gift guide, or wanna save it for future reference, be sure you pin the image above to a pinterest board so you can come back to it! It means so much to have your support and to have you reading! I pour my heart and time in these posts, so your love and encouragement means more than you know! If there’s anything else on your list, let me know in the comments below. Santa needs some things to get too! ;)

Happy Holiday Shopping.

XOXO, Amy

 

HALLOWEEN COSTUME ROUNDUP

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costumes halloween.png
 

It’s finally here! Our Halloween costume roundup! This is great for anyone needing to throw together a last minute family costume, and even great for those planners who are ALREADY dreaming of next year’s family costumes! (me - haha!)

I hope you find something that catches your eye, and I also hope you are able to pay a visit to so many of these wonderful families who have put together the cutest, most clever, silliest and pretties costumes EVER!

We are honored to be able to feature them here, and be sure to pin this image below to your pinterest board for easy reference for years to come!

We can’t wait to see what you dream up this year! (Be sure to tag us so we don’t miss it!)

 
 

Below you will find a collection of curated halloween costume images, collected from Instagram. Each owner of the image is tagged below their picture, and you can visit their profile for more details on the costume!

I chose to feature costumes that were mostly DIYs, as we want these to be fun to make and create, and we always love that with DIYs you can add your own personal touch!

I’ll start with our own family costumes from the last few years. You can find all of these on my personal page @amylouhawthorne. They were so fun to make!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Golden Girls by @theblushingbluebird

 

UP by @elsabowman

 
 

Be sure to pin this image to pinterest for years to come so you have an easy reference for future Halloween costumes!

I hope you loved seeing these as much as I loved curating them!

Now, let’s get to creating!

XX, Amy

FALL BUCKET LIST

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It's finally here! My favorite blog post of the year : Fall (Halloween) Bucket List!

We go into full Fall mode on September 1st here to squeeze every bit out of this magical time of year that we can! From pumpkin painting to roasting pumpkin seeds to decorating your front porch with fresh pumpkins and mums, here you'll find a mixture of everything to help you celebrate every day like it's a holiday. 

So grab a cup of PSL (pumpkin spice latte), a hot cup of tea or some warm apple cider, cozy up with your favorite flannel throw, light a fall scented candle and join me as we look into a season full of bucket list adventures! 

You can download the bucket list here to print it out at home (or blow it up at an office store)! Then you can laminate it and mark items off the list as you make memories this fall. 

 
 

Create magical costumes via Becky Kimball

 

Winterize your garden via Makelle Ahlin

 

Watch spooky movies (Hocus Pocus is a fave!) via Jessica Garvin

 

Collect new mums via Katie Westphal

 

Make ghost pretzels via Kendra Henderson

 

Hay ride adventures via Caitlin Teal

 

Pumpkin carving sink baths via Melissa Brookes

 

Halloween coloring via Katie Prouty

 

Homemade cinnamon rolls via Caitie Newms

 

Dreamiest porch ever via Kindred Vintage

 

Searching for unique pumpkins via Kayla Sampson

 

Pumpkin patch adventures via Celeste Wright

 

County fair cuteness via Sarah Schneider

 

Pumpkin painting via Brittney McNutt

 

Pumpkin carving and display goals via Jessie Pennington

 

Farmers market fresh flowers via Liz Marie Galvin

 

Camping and glamping adventures via Sarah Schneider

 

Sweetest pumpkin painting via Amanda Rydell

 

Pumpkin seed picking and roasting via Amy Hawthorne 

 

Mum picking adventures via The Shine Project

 

Paper bat decorating perfection via Jessica Garvin

 

Outdoor movie night adventures via Between You and Me Signs

 

Butternut squash soup making via Amy Hawthorne

 

Spooky book reading via Stephanie Kursar

 

Spider web magic via Jessica Garvin

 

Perfect pumpkin finds via The Vintage Exchange

 

Simple fall decor via Hooray Everyday

 

Yummy spooky brittle via Albionfit

 

Family pumpkin carving via House of Lu

 

Spookiest pretty porch display via Urban Outfitters

 

Trick or Treating adventures via Cassidy Compton

 

Gorgeous apple pie via Casey Wiegand

 

Yummiest pumpkin pie via Heid Matson

 

Spooky books and Halloween jammies via Sarah Anderson

 

Leaf jumping adventures via Elsie Larson 

 

BOO cookie cutters via Raven Vasquez

 

Sweetest Halloween jammies cuddles via Calli Fox

 

Ghost pretzels via Stephanie

 

Fall wardrobe goals via Jessica Oakes

 

Pumpkin spice latte bliss via Jessica Garvin

 

Remember always, that as much as we want you to make memories and celebrate life with those you love most, never accept quantity over quality. Make the memories you make count. Chase after the quality of each adventure versus the quantity of adventures you create. So if you finish all 50 of these or just 2, make them count.

xoxo, Amy

HALLOWEEN PAJAMAS

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I'm a sucker for cute, comfy and festive pajamas. Let's face it, we basically live in pajamas so I love finding ones that go with the current season or holiday we're in! 

I just found some of our newest jammies for the fall and Halloween, and I HAD to share these great finds with you! 

Plus, they're almost ALL on sale right now for Labor Day!!! So it's time to stock up now. 

***all are linked directly by clicking on the title of the pajama. Happy shopping and lounging! 

 
 

LABOR DAY SALES

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GUYS. I'm all about a sale. I rarely buy anything at full price! Anyone else?!

I have been eyeing so many things at Abercrombie, H&M and American Eagle lately just hoping they'd go on sale, and guess what?!?!? Their Labor Day Sale is already live! 

I wanted to share these finds with you first before they sell out!

So happy shopping!

***All items are linked below if you click on the title of the item! 

 
 
 
 
 
 

OUR SHOP STORY

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The week The Ever Co went from being a full time hobby to a full time job.

and also the week I had to personally make the decision to sink or swim.

Here's our story.

Thursday, August 16, 2018: We were prepared to launch a new line like every other limited edition line we'd launched for the previous 8 months since our little shop came to be. 

Except this time, I could tell something was different. The feedback I was getting from our community at The Ever Co was CRAZY. I was gaining an abnormally high number of followers by the minute, and I could tell this was going to be a very successful Back to School / early fall launch.

But what I didn't know was how successful it would be.

We launched four designs and in total, 520 shirts were purchased in a combined total of 8 minutes.

 

The shirt that changed our business. 

 

You would probably think that we were poppin' bottles of champagne and celebrating huh?

You hear all the stories of shops having their "moment". Their claim to fame per say. And quite honestly, our tees went on a mini viral spree. The instagram algorithm which has worked against small business owners for soooo long was actually working for me and spreading our tees like wildfire. Honestly? Who knows how many shirts would've actually sold had the stocked inventory  been "unlimited." We'll never know. 

But my celebration never happened.

and honestly, it was quite the opposite.

From the moment we sold out of 520 shirts at 10:02 pm on Sunday August 19th, 2018, to the moment my tired wet eyes finally fell asleep the next morning at 2:00 a.m., I sat in my office and cried.

Not quite the success story I imagined.

But I wanna share why this hit me so hard, and try to explain a little about the business model we are aiming for here at The Ever Co.

My hope is that in sharing these words you will understand why we have limited quantities, why we more than likely will always have limited quantities and why my heart was so crushed to sell out so fast. You've watched this business go from dream on a paper napkin to full blown reality, and it's an honor to share this story with you. 

 
 

On June 4th, 2018 I officially became a "stay at home mom." 

Up until then, The Ever Co was truly just a hobby. I put in minimal time to the business, but in June I knew I needed to start pouring my heart and soul back into a community I was so eager and passionate to Found last December. 

What I didn't realize was that our little Everly was going to be diagnosed with Austim this year and that there would be so many other huge life changes for our family that would be continuous competing requirements with my desire to jump in head first to this business. 

It's all taken so much energy from me - more than I realized I had. And every single morning I open my eyes, thank the Lord for another day here on this Earth, place my feet on the ground and pray for energy and grace to get through another day living selflessly for so many people I love. 

(side note: I wrote a post on Time Management Hacks if you're interested in reading it. It's saved me time and time again.)

So I've continued to just give as much as I could to this business while not jeopardizing time with my family. That's a choice I've made and will always make. The hubby and those two little girls will always always come first.  I've heard too many stories of entrepreneurs losing their relationships because they poured too much of themselves into their businesses. Cause their hustle couldn't stop hustling. And I never want that to be the case for me. I think that's why I dream of doing something that the family can be involved in. One day, our little pumpkin patch or Christmas Tree farm dreams will come true. 

 
 

In making that decision though, I've had to make some major business decisions as well. While Blake is still equally the co-founder of The Ever Co, he's also still an active duty army pilot, which means understandably he doesn't have nearly as much time to put into it as myself. He handles all of the day to day financial management, inventory input, buyer analytics, shipping material purchases, product photography, and actuary type risk management data analysis. (ha!) 

I've had the honor and burden of single handedly running the other 80% of this business. You can call me a 

  • marketing strategist
  • brand and content curator
  • graphic designer
  • merchandiser 
  • social media manager
  • customer service agent
  • community outreach coordinator
  • inventory manager

And this is what EVERY SINGLE small business owner has to decide when the moment comes.

When is it time to outsource some of these duties? When is it time to ask for help? When is it time to allow yourself to grow while being able to stay true to who you are and what your brand was intended to be.

So many decisions came pouring in this weekend. And while Blake was sleeping cause he had to be up early for work the next morning, I sat in my office and cried big ole alligator tears that poured straight onto the keyboard I'm typing this on right now. 

How did we get here so fast? What am I supposed to do?

Quite honestly, this weekend was the first time since I started putting pen to paper a year ago to make this business happen that I wholeheartedly believed in myself. Believed that this could really be it! This could be my "job" for the rest of my life. The Ever Co could actually retire us.

the first time I truly believed I could swim. 

But ironically, it was also the first weekend that I doubted everything I was doing. That I started questioning if I was in way too deep.  If we were growing too fast and couldn't keep up. 

the first time I truly believed I would sink. 

It's crazy that your heart and mind can go to completely opposite ends of the spectrum in a moment like this. But every single possible thought of success and failure crossed through my mind and I felt like I was drowning in my own thoughts. 

I sat on my phone and read nearly 300 messages from people asking why we sold out. why a pre-order didn't have unlimited stock. when we were gonna restock. why their carts had items in them and then the items sold out before they could check out. and the list goes on. I then read another 100 emails echoing the same thoughts.

i was sinking fast.

I hopped on my phone and texted two of my closest friends and business partners Haley of Indy and Pippa Co and Blake of Jean and June. 

and I just said, "help." I feel defeated.

For the next hour at 10:00 pm they assured me that I was okay and they gave me the boost of confidence I so desperately needed in a moment I felt all alone. They continued to remind me that I was doing everything I could and didn't know this would happen.

But they both continued to say something that will resonate with me until the day The Ever Co no longer exists: You are doing ALL YOU CAN while not jeopardizing time with your babies and hubby. 

And they were so so right. That was all I needed to hear to start swimming out of deep waters into shallow territory.

i started to swim again.

I hopped back on Instagram and carefully wrote some defensive messages about why our shop is the way it is, and instantly started receiving so many messages of encouragement. It was as though everyone knew (without knowing) that I was really having a hard time. The messages of encouragement flowed in and finally by 2 a.m. I was able to close my eyes and look forward to the joy He so graciously brings anew every morning.

 
 

So a night that I should've been celebrating, I felt defeated.

And here's why.

I am a people pleaser by nature. I've been that way for my entire life. I've gotten sooooo much better at it over the years (mostly since meeting Blake and being in the Army), but I'm still a pleaser by nature.

And it's not because I want to necessarily make everyone happy and make everyone love me. Quite honestly it's just cause when I care about something or someone, I care about them hard. I am so passionate about the things I love, and when they hurt, I hurt. When they worry, I worry. When they're disappointed, I'm disappointed. So I'm overly passionate about this community because I truly LOVE you all. I want to serve you, because you allow me to pursue my passion. 

I wrote a blog post when I first started the blog called "Redefining profit" and the main theme was that I didn't care how much money we made. My promise was to always pursue the people.

you. 

So when all of the messages started pouring in of disappointment for selling out too fast, I felt like I let an entire community down. I felt so painfully defeated. The anxiety that I deal with daily started pouring in the floodgates and I was sinking. fast. 

I started questioning how I could've done everything better instead of being down right grateful for 520 orders. 

but joy comes in the morning.

And I woke up this morning feeling revived. Blake and I had a "business meeting" hahah! for about two hours and I placed another huge order of shirts to get us through fall. 

i'm swimming again. 

So here's the deal.

I don't think we're gonna change much about our business model. For now. I know that for this season that we're in - it's what's right for our family. I can't risk it for them.

Our shop was founded to inspire you to celebrate holidays and create family traditions with those you love most. 

Our tees were created to inspire you to ACT. To get out and make memories with your loved ones.

Because each of our tees has a distinct purpose and correlates with a specific event or holiday, we release them in limited quantities because they are unique to a certain time of the year. 

We did this to limit the amount of dead stock we would maintain. Our goal was to sell through 75% of our inventory every month so we wouldn't have to maintain a lot of stock on our shelves as we move to the next holiday. In doing this, it allows us to continuously bring you new trendy and hip designs for every season and occasion! So if you don't snag one one launch, you can hopefully get one at another. 

Being that we are a Military family, this is CRITICAL for us. We cannot maintain a lot of stock because we are constantly moving. It's just not smart for us. 

Additionally, we are a live debt free kinda family. Both in and out of the business. We pay for everything on our credit cards and ensure we are able to pay it off every month to build up our credit while maintaining no debt. Every month, we then put 40-50% of our paycheck into savings or investments. We've implemented these same principles into our business and are doing everything we can to remain debt free. In doing this, we are only using the money made from previous launches to reinvest into the company to fund future launches + more! 

So the better our sales do, the more we can bring you in the future. 

Because our shirts are made custom for our shop from scratch right here in the USA, our turnaround time is very long. From the moment I pay for an order, it takes 4-6 weeks to have the fabric cut, sewn, dyed, screen printed and sent back to me to send to you! I am extremely involved in the process and keep an eye on the timeline throughout it all to try and get the shirts as quickly as possible, but I also know that it's because we are getting the BEST quality organic cotton shirts and so every minute and day that we wait is worth it because of the quality. 

However, with this timeline, that also means we have to "front" the costs of all tees. Even if we do a pre-order, we are paying for the tees up front because of the timeline. This is specifically why our pre-orders also have "limited stock". We will continue working to announce and release pre-orders sooner so that customers are actually able to front the costs for their own tees, but that will all be a work in progress. The end goal will be to have unlimited pre-order stocks. 

So... for now we will continue releasing limited quantities at each launch and based on the response and time available we will do a "pre-order" sale shortly following the launch.

 
 

We just started all of this 8 months ago. We just ask for so much grace upon grace as we continue learning to swim over and navigate these new waters. 

And if you can put your trust in me, I promise we will continue to learn and be the best Ever Co tribe leaders we can possibly be. 

I pray that this blog post (which was probably way too long and way more than you wanted to know-story of my life) brings some light to our shop and how it came to be. I hope that it will answer questions in the future if we run into this again. 

I also pray that I don't have a night like that again. I know that there will be so many sink or swim moments for our Ever Co journey, but I hope every time we find ourselves in that rip tide:

we're able to swim.

And lastly, If you're a small business owner and are reading this, are you sinking or swimming? I pray with every ounce of my being that this post gives you a little boost of encouragement to reevaluate your passion and your purpose. Don't over hustle the hustle. Keep reminding yourself why you started and who you serve. 

there you will find shallow waters.

there you will swim. 

xoxo,

Amy

 

 

 

 

KENTUCKY DERBY AND CINCO DE MAYO TRADITIONS

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Being a Kentucky girl, we ALWAYS celebrate Derby day! But when it falls on Cinco De Mayo, it is a super duper extra special treat for us here at The Ever Co!

 

Skirt: Francis and Benedict

 

Blake, our Ever Co papa bear, LOVES LOVES LOVES him some Mexican food, and for Derby I always make an antipasto platter with Kentucky bourbon sliders! 

 

Rug: Rugs USA

Table Runner: Anthro (similar available at Target!)

 

So today, we're having our traditional Derby food for lunch and our taco bar for dinner! 

 
 

This morning we started the day with a milk bath for the girls and let them both take their horses in! They loved it so much cause typically their horses stay downstairs in the toy bin.  They're both not old enough yet to understand the Kentucky Derby, but they do both love horses! 

MILK BATH RECIPE:

  • 1-2 cups milk of choice (breastmilk, cows milk and powdered milk all work)
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1-3 drops lavendar oil
 

Hair Clip: Ryan and Wren

 

We then turned on our ALL TIME FAVORITE show, SPIRIT: Riding Free on Netflix! Everly is absolutely obsessed with the show and Hadley just ADORES dancing to the intro song!

After some screen time, we always try to go outside to play before naps. We let the girls take their horses outside (something we also typically don't let them do) and it was precious watching them play with the horses after watching the show.

 
 

We gifted Everly her very first Spirit + Lucky set today and we think we've started a new tradition of giving the girls a new toy horse every Derby! It'll be so fun to see their collection grow over the years and it'll be something they look forward to every year...that is until they start asking for a real horse! :) 

 
 

During nap time, Blake and I watched Seabiscuit, one of our favorite movies! Tonight we plan on watching Warhorse to end the night after the girls go down to bed. 

A couple hours before bed we FINALLY got to watch the main event! The Derby!!! It is always so much fun watching the horses every year, and I can't wait to take the whole family to the Derby in real life one day!

After the Derby, we finished the night with the girls watching CoCo and eating our dinner which you can read about below! Our dinner was all about Cinco de Mayo. We just love making these traditions with our family. 

Now on to the food! 

For lunch, we made our traditional Derby appetizers/ lunches: antipasto cheese platters and Kentucky Bourbon sliders! (with a side of margaritas. :) 

Here's what I always get for my cheese boards! 

  • Smoked Gouda Triscuits
  • Ritz Crackers
  • New York Garlic bagel crisps
  • Salame
  • Proscuitto
  • Minced Garlic
  • Roasted Red Peppers
  • Capers
  • Kalmata Olives
  • Garlic dip
  • Mozzarella balls
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Feta
 
 

Here's the ingredients + instructions for the sliders!

  • Roast Beef or Beef Brisket (I used the Jack Daniels Beef Brisket from Walmart!)
  • American Cheese
  • Mayo
  • Hawaiian Rolls

For dinner, we made our traditional Cinco de Mayo taco bar! (with a side of margaritas yet again. :) 

 
 

Here's what I always get for our taco bar! 

  • Hard and soft taco shells
  • Multigrain tostito chips
  • Green Peppers, onions, red peppers (for fajitas)
  • Fajita chicken and beef
  • Ground beef or turkey
  • Corn
  • Salsa
  • Hot Sauce
  • Sour Cream
  • Guacomole
  • Refried Beans
  • Mushrooms
  • Mexican Rice

We sure do hope you've had just as much fun with your family celebrating both Cinco de Mayo and the Kentucky Derby! Next year, if you don't already, maybe you can incorporate some of these traditions with your family! We're big believers in celebrating everyday like it's a holiday and creating traditions that'll last forEVER! 

I'll end with some cute pics that we got of our little Hadley bug wearing her Derby gear. :) 

 
 
 

Hat: Target last year

Outfit: Thrifted

Shoes: Old Navy

 

xx, Amy + The Ever Co

YEAR OF LOVE

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Such a mixture of emotions leaving 2017.

BUT.

So much hope + so much love for 2018.

2018 is my year of love.

A year where I transition from being an active duty Army helicopter pilot to a stay at home mama, serving in the Army reserves. To continue my love serving our nation.

A year where I lean in more with my relationship with Christ. Where I show Him more love through acts of discipline and dig deeper into His word.

A year where I prioritize my marriage more than I ever have. Where I am intentional in dating, compromising more, caring more, respecting more and loving more. 

A year where I focus on the kids and their development-emotional, physical and spiritual development. Where I show the kids just how much I love them so.

A year where I put my heart and soul into this business. Where I share my indescribable love for holidays and traditions and can share that passion with you.

Which is why I designed our Valentines collection. To share in my quest for loving myself and loving others more. To inspire dating your lover, to inspire acceptance for others and to inspire a love for self. 

So what's 2018 look like for you? I'm eager to watch you grow this year too. 

You can shop our collection here. 

 

Halloween Dress Up

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Never knew how much I’d enjoy playing dress up with little humans, but Halloween time and October give us all the excuses to buy fun wigs and pretty accessories to do just that!

 
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The girls, even at the tender young ages of 10 months and 2.5 years old have such a blast seeing mama wear funny things.  We try hard as parents to inspire our littles to use their imagination, and I’m a firm believer that the encouragement of creative thinking enhances cognitive development in our children. 

Albert Einstein once said, “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”  Right on, Al.  We couldn’t agree more.