Knoxville Photographer – Mom Life – 10 Things I’m Loving Right Now

Knoxville Wedding and Lifestyle Photographer serving East Tennessee and beyond while living Mom Life in Knoxville

10 Things I’m Loving Right Now

Mom life as a photographer is no easy trip. Last month I celebrated 3 years being a full time photographer here in Knoxville and I’m so thankful that I get to work from home and watch my kids grow up. Staying at home, my lifestyle consists of practical things to make my life easier but I also need some essentials that keep me healthy and do my soul good. So with that said, I’m starting a new series, “10 Things I’m Loving Right Now.” I’ll be sharing this series monthly in hopes that it will also help you simplify and make room for more joy. These items consist of big supply chain products but also some lovely local Knoxville finds. So let’s get started…

1. Simplified Life by Emily Ley – If you’re a mom like me, you welcome all the practical tips on how to make your home better organized and create a little more harmony among your family. This book not only gives intentional insights but is also interactive, goal oriented and even has recipes that I use weekly. The best part about it? It’s not a rule book. Grace is the key theme of this read.
2. OXO Handheld Veggie Spiralizer – We’ve been taking a hard look at the way we eat in our house. Ben and I have been had some health concerns in the last few months and made the goal to choose better foods and order less pizza. So I turned to zucchini noodles and oh my goodness. I’m obsessed. I was surprised that my husband, the pickiest vegetable eater, enjoyed the zoodles as well. We call them green noodles for Sam. What’s great about this handy little tool is that you can use it for other kind of veggies. It doesn’t take long at all and is super easy to use.
3. Lifeway Kefir Peach Smoothie – I’m going to be really honest with you all. Ever since I’ve had Joy, I’ve had some issues with dairy so I cut it out of my diet. After talking to my doctor, she recommended Kefir. This may be an easy answer for some of you but it helped regulate my digestive system and get my gut back on track. You can purchase this at Kroger or Walmart.
4. Target Find: Mad Love Footbed Sandals – Confession: I have 3 pairs of these. The floral ones are my favorite. I know Birkenstocks are known for their comfort and durability but I can’t bring myself to pay $$$ for them. So I saw that Target had these on sale last year and thought I’d try a pair. Ya’ll these are so comfortable! I’ve photographed weddings in these sandals. If you’re wanting some Birkenstock type shoes but aren’t willing to pay, check these out. Also, you can get them 20% off right now before July 4th.
5. Baby Dove Tip to Toe Wash – I’ve been waiting for Dove to come out with a baby line because I’m obsessed with their body bars. I tried lots of other soaps for Joy and they kept irritating her sensitive skin. The wash moisturizes her skin so well and has helped her cradle cap in the middle of all that hair. You can purchase this at Target or Walmart.
6. Electric Blue Suede Earrings by Ivy Lane – If you’ve seen my Instagram, you’ve seen me sport some of Ivy Lane’s beautiful earrings. I’m not one to wear big earrings or a lot of statement jewelry because I hate the heaviness. But these earrings are so light I can hardly tell I have them on. I have too many pairs of these but I just got these and I’m obsessed.
7. New Eve Jewelry Copper Hairpin – Another local Knoxville find and this one is a practical find. My girl Megan of New Eve Jewelry made these earlier this year and she’s sold out of them a few times at the Farmer’s Market. I wear this mostly on wedding days when I need my hair out of my face. I was afraid it wouldn’t work with my short hair but it totally does. And it doesn’t move! You won’t regret this sweet little piece of beauty.
8. Target Find: Plastic Flatware – I have fiesta ware and we use it most of the time. Sam is outgrowing his kid plates. He’s got a bigger appetite now, especially on pool days. We’re also teaching him to take his dishes to the sink after we’re done which is why I don’t want him messing with the fiesta ware. So I found these last week at Target for 79 cents a piece and they’re perfect for outside picnic on the porch or just an effortless dinner night.
9. Focus on the Family Podcast – We are not perfect parents and never will be. But we have learned that we need to always be students of our kids. Sam is schooling us big time right now. He’s three and he’s in what we call a sour patch kid phase. We need all the help we can get right now and Focus on the Family Podcast is a wonderful resource we use often to understand this journey of parenting a little better. Currently, our favorite episode is by Hettie Brittz called “Nurturing Your Child’s Personality”. It was so eye opening to how we can parent a boy who has a personality just like mine.
10. Day Designer for Blue Sky 2018-2019 Academic Planner – I started keeping a planner last year and was terrible at sticking to it. After I read Simplified Life, I had a whole new view on using a planner. The wonderful things about this planner is that each day comes with a daily to-do list, a schedule, a notes section and a place to plan your dinner. I had this one last year and got it at Target but couldn’t find it this year so I ordered it off of Amazon.

If ya’ll have any questions on any of these things, please feel free to ask! If you take anything from this, know that these things have not perfected my life by any means but have simply made space for me to enjoy my family and make space for more joy and simplicity not just physically but mentally and spiritually.