Jenna – Small Fry

Home Tours: Jenna’s Kitchen

I feel like the luckiest to have our OG Small Fry, Jenna Rammell of @jennaskitchen back today to share part of her beautiful home today! You’ll have to beg her for more, but I can’t wait to show you a glimpse! Don’t be confused, it is not her kitchen as the title says, but master bathroom! They did such an amazing job as you will see. If YOU have a space you’re proud of and want to share, e-mail me! I’m excited to present this series and to have my best boo Jenna here to kick us off!

HI Small Fries!!

It’s been a minute since I’ve been here and I’m SO honored that Emily invited me back to share with you our newly finished Master Bathroom! Since I’m not an interior designer I’m totally nervous to share this with y’all and I know that interiors are such a work in progress, so here are the beginnings of this space we love SO MUCH!

We spend a lot of time here so I wanted it to feel spacious and breezy! One of the first things I chose was our shower door. I knew I wanted something modern and euro where the glass meets the floor and feels seamless – I think this opens up the space so much!

I chose our shower door from Coastal Shower Doors. They are serious industry leaders in modern and gorgeous shower doors, just check out their website to see what I mean. We chose the Value Line Illusion Door and have been super happy with it so far and haven’t had too hard of a time cleaning it which I know was an initial worry for me! I’m also OBSESSED with their Gridscape line as well and debate with that.

All our plumbing fixtures are the Champagne Bronze finish from Delta Faucets. They are SO GORGEOUS.

I wanted to be sure not to have too brassy of a look but still achieve that gold look and this finish achieves that perfectly. I love our sink faucets, they’re very simple and straight forward and also I love that no build up happens on them since they’re wall mounted, they’ve stayed so clean and nice looking.

I’ve been loving our shower too (obviously)! After having smaller showers you can’t beat this large one – big enough to hose my entire family down in 😉 I love this shower head and handle because you can control the water volume and the water temperature separately which is a cool feature. I also feel like it’s the perfect amount of heating up or cooling off so babies don’t get shocked when you change the water. I love the modern sleek look of it as well – it’s so subtle yet so pretty.

Our tub is probably my favorite part of the bathroom. I’ve dreamed of a freestanding tub and now we have one and I love it! My husband is 6″4 and he wanted one that was big enough for him and also didn’t flex or bend when he went in it and we’ve been super happy with this one! Definitely the best part of this set up is the tub filler from Delta. It is the prettiest thing EVER and has a detachable hand shower as well which I really like and has been so helpful with babies and shampoo!

When we built the house I was excited about this layout of the master bathroom that we chose. Typically you’ll see dual sinks right next to each other but I love having them across from each other to create a bigger feel. Here are sources for the wall sconces, mirrors and flush mount which I think eventually I’ll trade out for a larger fixture.

I always get a ton of questions about the cabinetry too. The color is and the hardware is from good old Amazon! I hated covering up our herringbone tile floors but I needed the bathroom to feel a bit cozier and this Caitlin Wilson rug does the job! The vanity paint is “Paint It Black” by Sherwin Williams.

I think that’s it! If you have any questions about sourcing leave them in the comments and I can edit the post for you!!

I hope you enjoyed this little peek in to a corner of our home we love so much and thanks for having me back today 😉

SOURCES:

Shower Door

Sink Faucets

Shower Head and Handle

SaveSave

One Last Jenna FRYday

Small Fry Tribe:

I can’t believe the time has come to tell you, I am closing my chapter here. It is time for me to do less with more focus, a mantra I have held dear and learn and relearn often (remember this post and awesome printable?)

Don’t panic – Nicole + Emily will be here making this place as beautiful as ever, they’re the better halves anyway. ❤

Photo by Ashley Thalman circa 2012

From the moment we came together to create this blog I felt so ignited and alive with every post creation. I look back on the pages and pages of archives and see all the love, life and energy we put in to every post.

My kids grew up here. I struggled with infertility here. I moved away from my home town, learned how to adult, fell in love with community and stories, all here on Small Fry. I found my voice and you gave me the permission to speak it.

Thank you for years of openness, for coming back to the blog for more and supporting us and my family. The beginnings of my online journey were born here and I learned so much about myself.

When we started I didn’t know how this would end. Three women running a business, we had the odds against us. Friends have come and gone, but my sisters Nicole + Emily always remain. They know every last thing about me. They know all the annoying things I do, all my faults, all my strengths and they embrace them all. They are my family – my best friends – my sisters.

Nicole – spend one minute with her and you’ll understand why the world is addicted to her. She lights up the room with love and affirmation – she is always thinking about how to lift those around her and is uninterested in tearing anyone down. She has endured so much heart ache in the 5 years since we started this journey, but on the other side I see the most magnificent woman who has been refined and not defined by her experiences. Nic, I love you. Thank you for showing up for me, for rooting for me and my family.

Emily – since we were running around in braces in the 8th grade till now, this girl has never been afraid to be herself. She knows who she is and never wavers from the course she has set out for herself. She is determined, focused and a warrior friend. I can spend hours on the phone with Em talking ideas, raw feelings and honesty. She’s always given me the space and permission to grow, evolve and change. I love you Em. Your fierce loyalty has been a constant in my life and I am forever grateful to you.

To our readers – I love you. Thank you for riding this ride with me. Thank you for lifting me out of darkness, laughing with me and maybe at me sometimes. Thanks for letting me be human, make mistakes and ask for forgiveness. Small Fry is a space where you, the real you, is welcome, any time. It’s about you, your kids and your life. I hope you feel of my love and my love for this space from here until forever!

Xo –
Jenna

Easy Budgeting Tips

By Jenna, brought to you by Progressive.

By now you’ve all heard our exciting news I hope! We will be moving back to Utah and building a home there! Ever since we started saving for our house I’ve been trying to find new ways to budget. I’ve done the whole Dave Ramsey thing (you know, the no nonsense budgeting guru) that I love but just can’t see going as far as the cash envelope system. Maybe one day, but for now I’m sharing super easy and tangible tips you can apply to everyday decisions that aren’t overwhelming, or at least they weren’t for me!

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1. Make a list of your last 25 credit card transactions. Not kidding this is life changing. It revealed so much about myself! Scary stuff. I was able to see where I frequent — and I chose to avoid those places for a month. I know, sounds crazy, but I did it and it saved a TON. (Want to know my top 3? NO shame in my game. Target, Chick Fil-A, the gas station.) YIKES!

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2. I stopped going to bulk warehouse grocery stores. Sad day, but I had read once that it should be the first to go. Excessive food buying (I blame the samples) and unnecessary purchases were killing me there (yes, I for sure need 30,000 AA batteries). I’ve saved $300/month not going. Yep, I was buying $300/month in unnecessary items. I just buy diapers and wipes in bulk with Prime now.

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3. Re-sell your goods! Open an Instagram shop, hold a yard sale, or there’s several buy sell and trade groups on Facebook. I recently started using the app ‘Poshmark’ which makes it incredibly easy, even down to printing a shipping label for you. I started organizing our closets, which felt super satisfying and sold some gently used name brand clothing on it. We donated the stuff without resale value and ‘dejunking’ felt awesome. I told myself I could only buy clothing for our family with the money I earned from selling the things we didn’t need anymore. I made $700 my first month, so cool!

4. Budgeting Apps! We use “Mint.” The top rated apps of 2016 (by the Huffington Post) were also Wally, Level Money, GoodBudget and Unsplurge! Mint specifically helps track your purchases, automatically categorizes and files them away. So you can set a budget and it will go on red alert when you go over budget in any given category. So typically mine will start yelling at me “stop buying clothes!” It really is helpful. I think the best part of budgeting is not to restrict, but to make you aware of how much you’re actually spending! Once you know the real numbers you can make more intentional efforts to be better.

5. Make your savings automatic. What that means is your saving should be just like any other payment –not optional. So, just like our car payment, we have a certain amount of money withdrawn from our checking every month and put it into a separate savings that can’t be transferred online. That way the money feels like it’s gone forever and not touchable until we close on our home. I think it can feel very overwhelming when we decide we want to “budget” and I think some of us like to go harder than others with it. But I’ve found that it’s really small changes that make the habits last for our family! What are some small tips that you have for saving money? How have you saved for big life changes? I really would love to hear your suggestions in the comments because we need all the help we can get!

This post brought to you by Progressive. See how much Progressive could save you when you bundle your policies.

Nickelodeon Resort Punta Cana

By Jenna.

Back in August we were so privileged to represent Small Fry at the Nickelodeon Resort Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic! It was MAGIC. Seriously we felt so blessed to have this opportunity on behalf of SF. We are always looking for ways to vacation with our kids that make it as easy as possible, although we know traveling with kids is never really easy is it? 😉When we arrived we were met with a green drink (just some fun Nick juice for the kids) and a smile. The staff at this resort was absolutely incredible. SO kind and loving. The resort is quite large so you take a golf cart to get all the many places you need.There are pools that wrap around the entire premise of the hotel, larger pools, a huge water park and lazy river. I mean the swimming is endless. I’m kind of embarrassed to say we went to the beach once time the entire week we were there! The kids were just having WAY too much fun at the pools.Guys there is a freaking Sponge Bob Pineapple you can stay in…is that not to die for?! It will cost ya, but YOLO! My kids were dying to stay there 🙂 There is a fun (free) character breakfast with a bunch of the Nick characters. I loved that everything was all-inclusive so I didn’t have to worry about grabbing food or paying extra for events. Another cool thing that is included in your stay is the kid’s club!! Open to ages 5 + it’s a kiddos DREAM and a parents too!! You can drop your kids off for a quiet lunch or to enjoy laying out by the pool..and the kids have a blast. Win, Win!

If your’e in the market for a killer family vacationing the Caribbean , we would totally recommend the Nickelodeon resort.

Beauty Faves: Jenna

Good morning! Here are my faves from the Amazon 20% off sale! Enter LUXMAKEUP20 at check out.

1- I am LOVING this OPI matte top coat, it helps your at home manicures stay forever.

2- I’ve been living for this olive color for Fall and now that my whole wardrobe is full of it, it’s time that my nails look like it too!

3- Obsessing over this bar that cleans your brushes…no more waiting for them to dry.

4- I recently had the opportunity to meet Sara Happ, she’s as beautiful as her products. The Lip Slip is the ultimate in lip gloss.

5-I have always been a huge fan of the Stila tinted moisturizer, can’t believe this goodie is on sale.

6-I’ve never used this product but now I’m going to have to…this packaging?! I can’t! So cute. I love a creamy blush and these hues are perfect too.

7-Winter is coming and my bod is realllll white. Love this Bronzer.

Fryday – a night in Beverly Hills!

Hi!!

I recently was invited to a California girl’s overnight in LA and had a blast. Its aways fun to connect with my friends who also happen to be bloggers! We get to chat about business, how we manage our families and our successes and frustrations. I miss the community of bloggers I used to have in Utah so it’s been fun to build these new friendships! And since these girls are all killer fashion bloggers – they have you get in a bed with matching robes for pictures. I was an active, willing participant and these Plum Pretty Sugar robes are to die for.

Leanne // Lisa // Kailee // Merrick

We stayed at The Beverly Hilton which was so iconic and absolutely amazing!! I mean the pool area lights up pink at night – what more do you need for a girl’s night?! The atmosphere is so easy, chill and uber chic. Also the fooooood. We literally had a 3 hour lunch sitting around talking and just feasting on the most gourmet grub. I was SO impressed with the food there – which obviously means I’ll go back. I only wish I had this caftan i just found on prime….YES PRIME. So there will most definitely be a next time.

My aviators here but I also found almost an identical pair for $12 here.

My dress and sunglasses.

We ate dinner at Ceccoinis in West Hollywood which was a recommendation from a friend. Appetizers were stellar but my main dish was okay. Ambiance is super LA and cool but it was sooooo loud! It’s kind of a hot spot but I’m just telling the real truth on it in case you’re considering it 🙂 After dinner was Sprinkles Ice Cream, always.

I blogged about these shoes earlier in the week and they’re just THE BEST and a fall must have for everyone. I also found a similar grey tone in an awesome boot for 1/4 the price here. Also can I just say about bodysuits that I TOTALLY remember wearing them as kid and was astonished when they made a come back. But here’s the thing….your shirt NEVER comes untucked. That’s huge. And worth it. I love this one because it’s actually not tight. It’s mean too be a looser fit body suit so if you’re going to start somewhere, here’s a good place to.

Pedicures at Olive & June only the prettiest place to ever get your nails done. I want to live in there it’s THAT good. Their nail art is seriously on POINT too and so detailed.

I convinced everyone we should work out! And then we gabbed till 2:30 am and had to go to a spin class at 8 am. Worth it – we had the best time and I’d never been to Flywheel before. I’ve been wearing a hat I got there religiously. My leggings are a random Lululemon purchase which means you won’t find them online BUT I found these crazy cute similar (and inexpensive) ones – love the laser cut. Also my Nikes are on sale here.

And to end I’m just going to share with you something I learned and love about each of these women. I think online as bloggers we can assume a lot about people who share their “lives” when really it’s just a tiny portion of who they actually are.

Leanne // is hilarious and unassuming. Do you follow her on snap chat? Then you may know. She is witty and never at the expense of others – she is so kind hearted.

Kailee // is smart, savvy and such an inspiration to me. She NEVER complains online but her husband has been in medical school/residency for 9 years now and she has 4 kids! I mean she’s a freaking rock star and doesn’t pat her own back about it when she totally should.

Lisa // is strong. You could easily think her life is “charmed” when in reality it’s just her perseverance and fierce love for her kids that has made her have a life that you might envy. She’d give you the shirt off her back – in fact she offered to lend me the dress off her own body for a trip I had coming up 😉

Merrick // is quietly confident. She is so humble but knows her boundaries. She knows that she’s doing the best she can and doesn’t carry guilt around her as a constant burden. She is light, easy and focused. She has so much I can learn from!

Omg this was long (as always) but hope you enjoy getting to know these women like I have!

Adjusting to 3!

Adjusting to life as a mom of 3 has not been easy for me. I remember reading a blog post from a particularly popular blogger saying it was no big deal and not hard to adjust to 3 and feeling like a big.fat.failure! Parenting looks different on everyone and while I have my bearings now and have grown to love and cherish my 3 ring circus – it still is never easy! kellyfondots_jennaactiva-5306 Here’s a few of my unsolicited tips for transitioning to more kids! One thing I’ve learned to let go of is making everything from scratch for my kids to eat! Whether it’s a granola bar, trail mix, pre-packaged fruit or veggie cups, having them prepared for me makes the biggest difference!

Feeding myself is also something that comes last and it’s not good because I can’t think clearly on an empty stomach! I have a busy life and on top of all my motherhood responsibilities, I work, so it’s nice to have some easily accessible options in my fridge like Activia® Fruit Fusion. They have probiotics and taste delicious. I feel like on the really hard days it’s the only thing I can quickly grab to keep me full and focused. I feel better about using Activia® Fruit Fusion as a snack because of it’s nutritious benefits. kellyfondots_jennaactiva-5304

Second – find help that you trust. For me it was a cleaning lady. Someone that can dedicate a block of time that you might piece together over the course of a week takes so much pressure off me. Knowing I can rest easy, even under the clutter my house is clean. I have a lot on my plate with work as well so hiring myself an assistant has been amazing. Someone to do the tasks I dread and procrastinate, to keep me on task, and be my extra hands makes my work life possible. And as always, working mom or not, we all need breaks. So having someone that loves my kids on call for when I need a date night or have deadline is so important. Stealing away 10 minutes here, an hour after bedtime there wasn’t feasible for me and I love being able to focus solely on my kids, or solely on work. I find I’m more successful in whatever role I am devoted to at the time this way.

I’m here to say that any adjustment no matter one kid, three kids seven, is tough! You’re dong such an incredible work – so be kind to yourself. Allow simple moments in your day to enjoy peace, quiet and hopefully a little bit of tasty yoghurt 😉

This post was sponsored by Activia®. Explore all of Activia’s delicious fruit fusion flavors at Activia.com!

FRYday at Alt

Today’s FRYday is all about our weekend at Alt Summit! This being their last conference in Salt Lake City (basically our hometown) and also Emily’s 30th birthday we knew we wanted to make it happen. We have such great memories at Alt in the passed and this year was no exception. Next year in Palm Springs is sure to be the same! Here’s what we packed:

JENNA:

WEARING: 1. I am obsessed with this top and I just discovered it in white too! Need them both .And at this price point it’s totally doable. 2. Look no further, I have found THE PERFECT T!!!! YES it’s expensive, but look you’ve bought 12 black tees this year so let’s just count this as the one that will last forever okay?! BUTTERY soft, perfect length, perfect cut on the arm. Perfect. Just perfect. Okay? Stop worrying and just do it – you’ll thank me later.

3.Okay obviously black was a huge theme for me this year because I”m still dealing with a post baby body I’m not familiar with. Black helps take the guessing game out too! It’s always stylish and classic and everything goes together. I haven’t taken the plunge on a good pair of jeans in FOREVER and I’m so glad I did. There really is such a difference in a quality pair of denim. Seriously I LOVE these.

USING: Answering a ton of questions here, because I recently did a Periscope on my makeup routine and I want to break it down for y’all who watched!

This Primer gives me LIFE. It gives such a beautiful glow to your skin. I love it so much. NARS Sheer Foundation is a came charger. I’ve been wanting a foundation with more coverage and this totally does the trick without being too heavy! This concealer is my favorite because it has a perfect yellow tune and calms down red spots and is LONG lasting – seriously the pot will last you a life time, mine has lasted two years now. This TARTE blush in tipsy and BB Bronzer are also a favorite!! Of course you need Anastasia Brow Pomade but to take it next level invest in the brush – I Just did and I don’t have ANY idea why I didn’t before.

EMILY:

For our first dinner I wore the thing I wear pretty much everyday (thanks to Nicole for the find!) a swing turtleneck with Jcrew Toothpick Maternity Jeans and Over the Knee Boots. It’s so great for the stage when your belly isn’t nice and round and still a little flabby. It hides it all! I got every color from Zara, but they’re gone now – sad! Asos has a few similar styles that are crazy cheap though. // For our day of classes and meetings I wore this floral dress, these split shaft boots (which are the best deal in town and such great quality!) and this two-tone cross body bag! // Then for the Starrry Night party I kept it easy in all black but made it special with these glitter platforms! Such a steal and pretty comfortable, considering.

[With our Chapbooks and Raising Wild fam! Check out RW’s new suit – perfect for V-Day, no?]

You all know how I love a bold lip so I alternated between Pure Zen

during the day, and Diva and So Chaud at night.

Also it should be noted that we received the most amazing gift bag from our dinner with Collectively! I’ve been using all the products since and wanted to share:

Bare Escentuals new line of facial care. This cleanser gets my face feeling so clean an soft and the moisturizer is one of the few I’ve tried that doesn’t feel like it leaves a film or residue. Also been loving Kleenex’s new exfoliating pads and make-up removing cloths. The packaging is so great, too. They also gave us a few products to try from Living Proof! Jenna has been raving since she worked with them for this post and she’s right, everything is amazing! Also another gift to note is the Rosy Lip balm from Vaseline. I love anything rose and this has been vital for my dry Winter lips. You can get it at any drug or Target style store.

NICOLE:

WEARING: I’m on an Overall kick – love this pair! For our first Alt dinner I wore it with this perfect tee. // The next day in my favorite high waisted denim with this rad sweater. It’s only $35 and still comes in every size, which is such great luck! // And for the evening those favorite high waists in black with my new (old) obsession: the body suit! It’s so feminine and slimming for a high waist pant. Love this one, and I have these two (1, 2) as well! I wore a version of these boots all weekend long, mine are sold out but these are awesome, too!

Taking it With Me: Jenna

Next up on our mini 2015 recap Fryday series is Jenna! Things acquired and learned in 2015 that she’ll be taking into this new year.

For my face: Okay the secret’s out and here is what changed my skin this year. It’s two fold 1. Rodan and Fields and 2. Hydrofacials from Spa Trouve. Okay wait third thing, Microdermabrasion. Contact my girl Kylie inspiredbyky@gmail.com and tell her I sent you – she can help hook you up with the same schedule I use. Also, call Spa Trouve if you’re a Utah local and get a hydro facial…IT’S LIFE CHANGING!

For my health: This year was a year of changes for me as we welcomed our third baby in to the family. Until you’ve had three kids I don’t know that you quite understand the adjustment it can be – at least I didn’t. So while I haven’t had the time I’d like to work out, eating well is still a huge priority for me. Additionally the he best thing I’ve ever done for my health is of course essential oils. I’ve taken these from year to year and there isn’t any stopping me now – they are truly life changing for our family.

For my body: Dry Brushing! I know it sounds wack a doodle but I’ve LOVED it. Here is the one I use. When you dry brush it drains the lymphatic system and is so good for skin health and kidneys!

For my home: I’ve loved finding new ways to make our rental home cozy. It may be “temporary” but doesn’t feel that way at all. We’ve been here over a year and I love that it feels like home. My new rug,

bed, picnic table

and Letter Folk board are some of my favorite purchases this year.

For my well-being: This has been a year of discovering how I can have mental well-being, silence and joy all in the amidst of a chaotic life. It may sound silly but an evening bath has been so much a part of the serenity I’ve found. I’m obsessed with the Zoe Organics Bath Soak and this waterproof speaker. I hook up podcasts from Brene Brown, my church leaders and Ted Talks and soak. I meditate, I pray and I have a minute to myself. It really has been an enriching thing to do for myself every day if I can.

For my kids: My kids have been SO in to this weather we have here in Southern California. It’s been so fun to be able to scoot and bike ride any time of the year.

Lesson Learned: 2015 was a year of independence and growth for me. I learned how TRULY capable and strong I am. With no family close by we did it all on our own and met friends a long the way who loved us and supported us. I learned that my critics don’t count and that I am brave enough to do anything. In 2016 I hope to better hone the craft of saying no. To set boundaries for myself and keep them, without feeling guilty.

Letting go of: Saying Sorry. I’m sorry about everything. I’m sorry I didn’t shower, I’m sorry I was late, I’m sorry I’m sorry. ALWAYS SORRY. Saving my sorries for the stuff that matters and giving myself grace to stop apologizing all the time.

Living Proof

We were so excited when Living Proof asked us to come in to a salon where their products are carried to put them in the test. Jenna was the lucky girl chosen and of course brought a long her best girl Lolly and a camera to document her experience.

We hadn’t heard much about the products before but now we’re hooked. Jenna is more of a naturalist, but she learned from the educated Stylist, Rachel, that when you use GOOD products your hair style lasts longer and is healthier. Two things we busy moms are always looking for! What’s super cool (and mind-blowing) about Living Proof is they’ve literally created a molecule that is incorporated in their products that promotes healthier and fuller volume hair. Pretty insane and you can read more about the science here. Rachel first started out by washing Jenna’s hair with Living Proof’s Restore Shampoo and Conditioner. Going blonde can damage hair so it was the perfect solution to that problem! She also suggested using the Living Proof Hair Mask as a treatment to restore your hair once a week! Next up is this Blowout Styling & Finishing spray which incredibly protects your hair against up to 450 degree heat should your hair style ever require being on fire. 😉And because Jenna typically does her hair in waves she wanted to try her blow-out straight so Rachel used Living Proof’s Straight product which acts as another heat protectant and shines up the hair for a perfect straight look.Rachel finished up the hair with the Control Hairspray which has a great hold but doesn’t feel sticky or crunchy!

We hear you – “How hard is it to have great hair at the salon?” Not hard. So check back next week to see how Jenna is using the products at home to achieve killer results on her own!

Thank you to our sponsor Living Proof for introducing us to your beautiful products and inviting us to participate in the #yourbesthair initiative!