• SimplyHollyJo

    • Achieving My Pregnancy Goal

      by SimplyHollyJo on April 21, 2017 , No Comments

      So, I did it! Baby and I made it to 37 weeks (full term)! I’m actually at 38 weeks and change as I type this. I’m so excited that birthing at my birthing center is a real possibility now.  But now I have a “problem.” I’m in the “waiting game” phase of pregnancy. It’s so weird to be just kind of moving about life waiting to see when God will spring labor on me! It’s a new experience for this pregnancy!  It’s also new being in this stage of pregnancy. I had only JUST started feeling uncomfortable in my last […]

      Motherhood, Pregnancy
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    • Pregnancy Goals

      by SimplyHollyJo on March 29, 2017 , No Comments

      Based on my two pregnancies so far, I usually stay pretty mellow. I think that’s just my personality.  I am blessed to not have fertility issues this far, and I usually have pretty uneventful pregnancies. That doesn’t mean I don’t have nausea for 10+ weeks, back and hip pain, and round ligament pain. It’s just that I kind of see them as a part of the package for me and know I’m blessed to not have worse things to deal with. (I also frequent my chiro, which helps immensely!)  This pregnancy has been slightly different since I’m not working, but […]

      Motherhood, Pregnancy
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    • When Life Gets in the Way…

      by SimplyHollyJo on February 26, 2017 , No Comments

      Man, it’s been a while…and it’s been a whirlwind of a couple months! You might wonder what has kept me from writing anything, and the answer would be: Life.  Here is a look at some of the stuff that’s been going on since December: I got a cold on Christmas Day that didn’t go away for three weeks (yay pregnancy immune system). Little Man got his first cold and was a snotty, cranky mess for a couple of weeks. We moved houses…which meant closing on both houses about a week apart…moving almost everything ourselves, unpacking everything, and making the house […]

      Photography
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    • How to Sell Your House with a Toddler

      by SimplyHollyJo on December 6, 2016 , No Comments

      It sucks. It’s not easy. I don’t suggest it. But I’m going to share some tricks about how to sell your house with a toddler (or other small children). Pair Down, EVERYTHING  The first thing your realtor will tell you to do is to get your house show ready. That means clearing out personal items and scaling down clutter and decor. You want your stuff to showcase the house, not hide it. Store things away that you don’t really need, or that could cause clutter and messes that take too long to clean up on a whim. Minimize Toys Put […]

      Motherhood
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    • Easy DIY Christmas Ribbon Wreath

      by SimplyHollyJo on November 16, 2016 , No Comments

      So I made a thing. For some reason I’m dying to decorate for Christmas. Between having a toddler that loves to destroy all the things and trying to sell our house, it’s just not in the cards this year! At first I wasn’t going to do anything, but after picking out a fall decoration for the table on the front porch, I found the cutest top hat basket to hold a mini Christmas tree. It will replace the fall decor outside once Thanksgiving is over! I’m way over excited! In Christmas spirit, without going crazy, I have some cinnamon pine […]

      Crafts + Creations
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    • Pregnant with Baby #2!

      by SimplyHollyJo on November 8, 2016 , No Comments

      Baby Hanks #2 is on it’s way!! We always said we wanted at least two kids, so when Little Man turned one, the discussions began. Hubby wanted to start trying immediately, but I was more hesitant to have two under two for some reason. I just wanted a bit more space between the two. Just like with our first pregnancy, I worked out the “perfect timeframe” for when to conceive and therefore when to deliver. ? I’m crazy like that. Ultimately we started trying a month or so before I had originally planned. Hubby was concerned that it might take […]

      Babies, Motherhood, Pregnancy
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    • 6 Reasons I’m Always Behind on My 365 Photo Project

      by SimplyHollyJo on September 15, 2016 , No Comments

      In my current 365 Project, I often find myself playing catch up. I sometimes chuckle to myself when I realize just what has held me up, so I decided to compile a list. My 365 has been a great adventure so far and I am so glad that I am doing it, but sometimes life can get in the way of good things. The only thing you can do is keep moving forward, no matter the set backs! Challenging Prompts – There is always a prompt here and there that REALLY stumps me. I might have every photo taken after […]

      Photography
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    • How Having a Kid Changed How I View Road Trips

      by SimplyHollyJo on September 12, 2016 , No Comments

        Road trips. They were a big part of my childhood. I mean if we did go anywhere, we drove. I use to love it…sleeping, playing games, eating gas station junk food…what’s not to love? I also remember staying up late playing navigator to my dad with a REAL PAPER MAP. It was awesome! Fast forward many years and I still loved road trips. Blaring music, gas station junk food, and chair dancing. Yes! Fast forward again…kids. Hmm. They can put a damper on road trips. We live about 8 hours from my family and many of our friends. We are lucky […]

      Motherhood, Photography, Travel
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    • My New Addiction to Wet/Dry Bags

      by SimplyHollyJo on September 6, 2016 , 1 Comment

      When I started diving into the world of cloth diapers, I came across wet bags – Bags made to hold dirty diapers. Well, they can be used for all sorts of things – clothes, rags, laundry, food utensils, you name it – but I was introduced to them in relation to cloth diapers. I quickly stuck a few on my baby registry. I didn’t end up getting them, but I ended up winning one in a cloth diaper giveaway. I was instantly in love. It was so handy to have on outings and stick wet or blown out anything in! Contain […]

      Motherhood
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    • My Cloth Diaper Stash

      by SimplyHollyJo on August 29, 2016 , No Comments

      To cloth diaper, or not to cloth diaper. I knew what cloth diapers were. My mom had used them on us as kids, but they were this huge undertaking in my mind. I was starting to learn about them prior to having kids, and I loved the idea of them, but I was hesitant to commit. Would my family think I was insane for even thinking about it… Then my mom and sister asked me if I was going to cloth diaper…and encouraged me to do so. THEN we saw adorable cloth diapers in the store…SOLD! Once Little Man was […]

      Babies, Cloth Diapers
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    • Learning How to be in Front of the Camera | Self Portraits

      by SimplyHollyJo on August 22, 2016 , No Comments

      In taking on a 365 project, I’ve had to start getting serious about self portraits (since it’s the theme for the day multiple times). I have always been hesitant to be in front of the camera, but I am starting to get better at capturing myself. Mainly I take a million photos until I get at least one That is semi-decent. Some times I don’t get any “good” shots, but I’m relaxing a bit on my high standards for self portraits. As a new mom, I’ve come to realize how important it is to get photos. I don’t just want […]

      Photography
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    • My Photography Style | Photography

      by SimplyHollyJo on August 16, 2016 , No Comments

      It’s taken a long time for me to really find my photography style. I have been shooting artistically since middle school and I have learned and grown so much as a photographer. I find it funny that finding my style has helped me identify different aspects of my personality as well. I’ve always seen photography as an art therapy of sorts, and through that therapy I am constantly learning about myself. But that’s a different, more lengthy post for another day! There were always photos that I was drawn to, but I could never quite put my finger on what […]

      Photography
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