Let's get personal! Everyone loves a good Q&A sesh and today I'm bringing the questions to the blog! Usually I answer these on Instagram Stories but since Stories only live for 24 hours - this will be a little more permanent. You guys asked a LOT of questions... I chose a few to answer here.
Let's get right into the Qs!!!
Q: "Hi - you mentioned a new car? What did you get? Thanks!"
A: Yes! We just got a Volkswagen Atlas and we really like it! It's very spacious, has lots of safety options and in general is just a great family car. It has a sizable third row and we upgraded to the second row with captains chairs so it feels like a minivan but looks like an SUV. We highly recommend it!
Q: "How is the Hibiscus LaCroix?"
A: So earlier this week I was raving how I found Hibiscus LaCroix and I was pretty stoked about trying a new flavor. It's um, okay!?!? It tastes like the Berry in my opinion and isn't anything special. Will I drink it? Yes. Is it worth hunting down this seemingly rare flavor? Probably not. Apricot and Berry are my two favorites. BTW. Not that you asked!
Q: "How did you get so 'good' at blogging? It seems so overwhelming!"
A: Well the short answer is that I have been doing it for a long time. I mean, there wasn't even Pinterest or Instagram when I started. Which hardly even seems possible. But it's true. The long answer is that mostly I just tried things, failed, sucked and learned. I think trying is the key to success. I wake up everyday and I work on the blog. I've done that for 10 years now. Could I be better? Am I still learning? Absolutely. But you have to give yourself time to learn and grow and fail. That's the only way to get good at something. I also had the benefit of learning and failing when no one knew what blogs were so no one was really watching. Starting today would be much more difficult. But if it's in your heart go for it! And just work to improve each day!
Q: "Any recommendations on a more casual purse that pairs with joggers, leggings, mom uniforms?"
A: Yes ma'am! I love this leather tote or this nylon tote. They are classic and beautiful without being fussy and most importantly they hold up really well! Plus they hold ALL THE THINGS.
Q: "Hey Jill! Family-friendly winter vacay spots (maybe with child care for a 2 & 5 year old)?"
A. So I did not know the answer to this because we never traveled with our kids when they were little. So I asked you gals and these were your answers!
- Cruises! Great child care! (multiple recos for cruises)
- Kimpton Seafire in Grand Cayman - kids club and kids eat free!
- We stayed at the Riu Palace in Aruba, and it had childcare!
- Beaches Turks and Caicos!
- Ski resorts have great childcare options. Vail and Big Sky are two we've used and liked!
- Fairmont Scotsdale. The best with kids!
- Great Wold Lodge! I have four littles 6 and under and it's always a win!
- Boyne Mountain is a good place and you can send your kids to ski school! (This would be for locals)
- Hawks Cay on Duck Key, Florida was awesome and kid friendly! It has a pirate ship pool! (I got this suggestion twice)
- Beaches Resorts!
- Karisma Hotels owns a chain of hotels that are very kid friendly!
Q. "Favorite things to do at Disney? Going for Christmas and know you are a big fan!"
A: WE ARE GOING AT CHRISTMAS TOO. OMG. I can't wait. My answer is EVERYTHING. Do it all. But take breaks. But seriously though at Christmas there are large gingerbread houses/decor at 6 or 7 locations in the resorts. You can take buses from Disney Springs to any resort for FREE so choose a few locations. Last time we did The Grand Floridian to see the gingerbread house there and then got snacks and cocktails at their hotel bar. It was a fun way to see a new part of Disney without paying for a ticket. We also love Disney Springs too! It feels like Disney but it's free. Otherwise my tips are just don't stress, have fun, roll with the punches and eat all the treats! It's such a magical place to make memories! We highly recommend the Very Merry Micky Party too. The tickets are extra $ but it's really fun and the park is mostly quiet. Plus there are free snacks included.
Q: "Are you still doing FWTFL?"
A: So I actually answered this during the last Q&A on Instagram Stories - so I'm going to say the same thing again here! My answer is YES and NO. I started Faster Way in January 2018 and LOVED the program. Since then I follow it on and off. I personally find that being "strict" about a gram makes it more likely that I will "fall off the wagon" plus I felt like I was putting WAY too much energy into it. Obsessing over food/exercise is not a long term goal of mine. And it was starting to feel obsessive. So over this past spring and summer I practiced parts of the program (intermittent fasting and eating macro balanced meals) while ditching the macro tracking and carb cycling (though some weeks I do still carb cycle). My goal is to feel my best - both mentally and physically. So I have taken what I have learned and made it work for me at a pace I am comfortable with. No obsessing allowed is my goal!
In general I have decided that I don't want to focus on food/weight loss/weight in general/etc on my blog or really at all in my life. It doesn't fit with my long term goals. So that's why I don't talk about it as much. However I 100% think that FWTFL is a valuable system to learn - it has really taught me so much! Weight loss can be a side effect but it's more of a healthy lifestyle training when you are able to focus on health instead of weight. I have no interest in analyzing my weight or talking about weight. It serves me in no way. BUT health is very important to me and Faster Way taught me how to be healthier in a way that isn't widely available from other sources. You can find out more about the program HERE and decide if it's right for you.
Q: "What do you ask for when you get your hair cut? Looking to get a similar style."
A: To be honest I am so clueless about hair. But maybe I should do a Q&A with my hairstylist because you always have so many hair questions! I don't really ask for anything. Really I am always trying to grow my hair longer but it seems stuck at this length. So I usually only ask to have the dead ends trimmed off and I think she does a little face framing. Beyond that I have no answers! Sorry!
Q: "Go to snacks or mini meals for kids in sports? (ie, when they can't eat a big dinner before)?"
A: My sons usual has been a banana and an RX bar. But he has gotten so spoiled this year because one of the moms on the team is a caterer and she has been providing fully catered dinners before every away game for the boys. So I haven't been feeding him much lately!
Q: "Do you ever shop American Eagle? I feel like all the cozy they have is right up your alley!"
A: It IS right up my alley! But I don't shop there a lot. Not sure why? These leggings looks absolutely delicious and so does this sweatshirt!
Q: "Going somewhere for the holidays?"
A: We love to take advantage of the kids being off school! We usually go to Disney at Thanksgiving every year but we changed it to Christmas. We are still contemplating a last minute getaway over Thanksgiving but we haven't booked anything yet!
Q: "I know your family is busy. How do you manage meals?"
A: Um, this is a big fail for me this fall. I just have not been organized with meals at all. Like I mentioned above my son is eating with his team at least once a week, sometimes more and no one is every really home for dinner. This week we had leftovers/cereal on Monday, take out on Tuesday and Chik Fil A on Wednesday. You could say I am surviving not thriving with meal planning right now. We have two-ish more weeks of soccer and then I swear I am going to get my act together! I know you all love when I share meal ideas both here on the blog and on Instagram so I am going to try to be better!
