5 Tips to a Healthy Marriage After Kids

Hi friends! I am here today to talk about some tips I have found helpful to keep your marriage thriving after you bring a kiddo into the mix.

Let's all be real here. You love your spouse, but the second that baby enters the world, you're a puddle in their tiny hands. And, unfortunately, it is your relationship that may fall by the waste side for a period of time.

I'm not expert, but I have 6 years of marriage under my belt, and experience with a toddler, and I still very much love my husband.

Here are my tips on how to keep a healthy marriage after kids:

1. Be easy on yourself and realize that ALL relationships ebb and flow. No marriage or relationship is perfect. Chris was my whole world...until Graham entered the equation. Now I had two whole worlds who both needed all of my attention and it was hard! It was rocky, and there were ups and downs, but we both knew that was just a season. Things will get back to normal and new stressors will come into play. Just know that it is okay if your in a low spot. You will get out of it!

2. Let one another do what they love or need to feel like "them self." For me, that was getting back into working out and being with my friends. I've worked out my entire life. I started playing softball in 3rd grade and didn't stop until I was 21. I was put on bed rest with Graham at 27 weeks for two weeks. After that I couldn't workout. Then, I had a newborn and had no time to workout. It wasn't until a year ago when I decided I NEEDED that time to go let out some stress and get back to feeling like myself. For Chris, he needs guy time, or just time to work outside. You have to let your spouse do whatever it is that fill their cup.

3. Take trips together! To each their own, but nothing brings Chris and I closer than taking a trip with just the two of us. I left Graham for the first time to go to Napa when he was four months old. It was hard, but once I went and did it, I felt confident in traveling more without him. Just this year Chris and I have traveled to Germany, Amsterdam, London, and Maui all without G! We try to get away, just the two of us, once every couple of months!

4. Be kind to one another and realize you are each other's best friend. Chris and I are super competitive. It is definitely something we struggle with in our marriage because we are constantly comparing loads of laundry to minutes spent with G. It has bitten us in the butt more times than I'd like to admit, but realizing that we are in this together helps. If I need a minute to catch my breath or go out for a girl's day, Chris is more than willing to take on the G duties. One the flip side, if Chris needs an evening with his friends, or an afternoon to watch football with the guys, I realize that.

5. Rely on help. I know this isn't the case for everyone, but we are blessed to be surrounded by our family and friends who love Graham just as much as we do. Graham has more aunts and uncles that any other kid I know and we truly mean it when we say they are family. Heck, two couples built houses right next to us, so they must like us! Anyways, rely on their help and don't feel bad about it. Parenting is hard enough, so don't think you have to do it all alone!

Bonus: If you can, hire a cleaning service! Seriously! At the end of the day, everyone is tired. I teach all day long then tend to a toddler until Chris walks in the door. Chris works hard all day and walks in to me begging him to take G for 5 minutes so I can pee alone. So, the LAST thing we want to do on a weekend, or when we get free time, is clean! I know this isn't in everyone's budget, but I highly recommend it! Now, Chris and I never argue about who has to sweep or vacuum. Or, who has to do all the dishes, or clean the shower. It is just done and it leaves time for us to spend as a family!

Do you have any tips?? I'd love to hear!

$4 DIY Balloon Garland

I've been dreaming of making a balloon garland for weeks now! I am hosting my best friend's bridal shower in two weeks and really wanted an excuse to practice before the big day. Luckily, we were asked to host our friend's gender reveal, which lent itself to be the perfect opportunity for me to try out making a balloon garland!

Y'all...it was SO EASY! And SO CHEAP!

I spent $4 on 60 balloons from Wal-Mart and followed this tutorial. From start to finish it took around one hour. And, we LOVED how it turned out!

Have y'all ever made a balloon garland? I can tell you now that this will not be the last time I whip one of these babies up!

Happy Monday!

Decor Favorites: Midcentury Edition

Happy Monday, y'all!

Today I wanted to share some things I am loving in our new home, as well as some things I am eyeing!

I am not sure how we ended up going with the midcentury vibe, but I am happy we did! I would ask Chris's opinion on everything I bought and he always leaned towards the midcentury items.

1. First off - this floor lamp! All the heart eyes. It has a marble base, so it is really sturdy. I was reading reviews and one guy called it the "divorce lamp" because his wife and him struggled so much putting it together. I was crying I was laughing so hard at the review. So funny!! Chris put it together by himself in about 20 minutes, and we are still married, so I would highly suggest the lamp.

2. This chandelier. At under $200, this thing is a STEAL! It is way bigger than I was anticipating, but I love it. And, Overstock's customer service is amazing. Graham broke one of the glass bulbs and they sent us a whole new light fixture right away, no questions asked! IT was really easy to hand and I love how it looks!

3. This mirror is going up in our half bathroom and I. can't. wait to show you! I am waiting on Chris to install my shiplap and then we can hang it up!

4. Bringing plants into a home instantly warms up the space. Unfortunately, I have a toddler and a black thumb, so no plants will ever survive inside (or outside for that matter!) the Tucker home. Thankfully, this plant and planter is right up my alley and I have a feeling he will be here for years to come!

10 Things About Me

1. I always drive in the fast lane. Always.

2. If my flat sheet and comforter are not perfectly aligned, then I make Chris get out of the bed to fix it :) They have to be perfectly lined up for me to sleep.

3. I am 5'3.5". People always seem to think I am taller than I am.

4. I cannot handle when my student's tooth falls out. Legit gags me every time. I usually just cover my mouth, look away, and aggressively point them in any other direction that towards me. So gross.

5. I thought I'd have my kids closer together. Then, I realized that sleep is life, and I really enjoy not feeling like I got hit with a stack of books everyday, so we've just been holding off because...sleep.

6. I do not get embarrassed easily, nor do I have any fear of public speaking. I honestly don't care what anyone thinks about me, so I'm always the one who gets volunteered to quiet a crowd or make an announcement.

7. I got married when I was 22. Like what the actual heck were my parents thinking? 6.5 years later...I guess we are doing pretty well!

8. Teaching is my second career. I have an MBA and was in accounting before spending my days with small children. My dream job would be to own a home staging company or become an interior designer. Or a real estate agent, but I don't want to work nights or weekends...ha!

9. I cry in church almost every Sunday. Those songs just get me! Chris always just looks over and rolls his eyes! Ha!

10. I have really bad anxiety. I get it from my dad. Some nights I can hardly breathe. Some nights I pace the floor. It can be over tiny things, or things that *might* happen in the future. I once had a panic attack because we forgot Graham's monitor on vacation. He was sleeping in the room next to us and I could. not. sleep. I felt like I was having a heart attack because I couldn't hear or see him. Chris went to the store and bought a monitor so we would have it the rest of the trip.

Welp, now that y'all all think I'm super strange, what are some things about you!!??

Nashville - Round Two

This summer was the summer of Nashville. Besides NYC, this city is a close second on my favorite cities list. Everything about Nashville is easy. The distance to the airport, finding good food, finding good entertainment, location of hotels...everything!

In June I went there for the first time for my best friend's bachelorette party. We had SO. MUCH. FUN. So much so that when Katie text me asking if I wanted to go again in August, I instantly said yes!! 

Katie and I have known each other for years through blogging. But, we brought our relationship to a whole new level when I started Isagenix in June! (I STILL have two shakes a day; one for breakfast and one for lunch!) Katie and I started texting daily about Isagenix and then she told me the Isagenix World Convention was being held in Nashville in August. I was so excited to be going back!

This time in Nashville was a little different than when I went for a bachelorette party, although it was very similar, too. I was with a fun group of girls who love to have fun and eat good food...so basically the same. The only difference was that we got to attend info sessions and learn about the company we are all really passionate about!

As far as Nashville goes, here's what we did:

- Dinner at Pinewood Social: If you're ever in Nashville, you have to go here! My mouth is watering thinking about their French Onion Dip appetizer. So good! It is such a fun place with the most amazing Frosé I've ever had! They also have a pool and bowling alley, so this would be the perfect place for gatherings with friends. 

- Lunch at The Southern: This place came highly recommended. Once again, the appetizers were on point! The main meal was not life changing, but we all agreed that we were glad we went. 

- Party Wagon: We combined groups with some other girls and got on a huge trailer pulled by a tractor. This would be perfect for a bachelorette party!! When I went in June we did the Sprocket Rocket and I think I prefer that, but both were fun!

- Wild Horse Saloon: This place was hopping! We were treated to a dinner by our Isagenix leader, so we had the whole upstairs to ourselves. It was such a fun atmosphere and the music was great!

 

Needless to say, this will not be the last time I go back to Nashville! 

Have you ever been? What do I need to do next time?

Hello? Anyone there?!

Well, hello there!

It has been quite some time! Life is crazy, and I am a firm believer in enjoying the season you're in. It is HARD for me to not think about the future, but I've learned to be happy, relax, and enjoy life. As much as I wanted to blog about our new house and all that was going on, it was really nice to leave this little space be for awhile and tend to my family.

Since I last blogged, we have moved into our new home, I started a new job at a new school, and G went through his fair share of school debacles and sicknesses. It has been a rollercoaster, that's for sure!

I am going to dedicate a whole post to our new house, but, for now, I wanted to show y'all a few pictures! If you follow me on Instagram (@SarahTuckerUp) then you may already have seen the house progress! (All product links are at the bottom, for those who have been asking!)

I hope to get back into blogging more often, because this is a scrapbook of my life! For now, though, I will leave you with some house pics!

Easy DIY Photo Backdrop

Last month I headed to Nashville for my best friend's bachelorette party! I am the MOH, so I felt like I had to go all out! M bestie is so deserving of the best and I wanted to give that to her...but on a budget, hah!

Besides a budget, I also had to figure out how to get all the decor from Dallas to Nashville, so I had to really think things through. I knew we had to have a photo backdrop and after scouring Pinterest and Etsy, I just wasn't willing to pay tons of money for something that could potentially get ruined after being shoved in a suitcase.

That is when I came across this tutorial and it was SO easy and I am pretty impressed with the results! One tip I will add is to make sure you have really sharp scissors or a paper cutter. I ended up using my paper cutter and it made things go so quickly!

Formulate Launch!!

Hi friends! I have something REALLY exciting for y'all today! And, there is even a giveaway at the end!

I have had the privilege of helping launch a new CUSTOM shampoo and conditioner company called Formulate! You can watch their charming video that explains all about their products.



The way it works is that YOU take a quiz about YOUR hair! Then they create a CUSTOM shampoo and conditioner based on YOUR hair's needs, not everyone else's hair needs. 

The last time I got my hair cut, in November, my hairdresser was VERY disappointed in my hair's condition. I've been going to the same girl for seven years now and she nearly yelled at me when I told her I was washing my hair with cheap shampoo and conditioner. Seriously, she scared me.

So, when Formulate reached out to me I was THRILLED to accept because, per my doctor's hairdresser's orders, I need to update my hair regimen game, bad.

NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY! (ENDS JULY 24TH!)

Formulate is giving one of my followers a chance to win one shipment of CUSTOM shampoo and conditioner! You can enter HERE. It is super easy and you'll instantly love the look of Formulate's website!  

Also, here are 10 access codes for my first TEN followers to take their hair quiz HERE.

1.    ZOERRCG8QJ
2.    DRF3EH7JRU
3.    HRS0YSJYYM
4.    SZBIKDQMOL
5.    ZKXPZCIRAM
6.    LADUJR7ZIX
7.    VBPQIHS1TJ
8.    QLRWNMTFZI
9.    SSMDYHGMJ0
10.    PTLPJCL5KR

I will have a product update in the coming months to showcase how my custom shampoo and conditioner are working for my (dry and brittle!!!) hair!

Happy Tuesday!

6 Things I’ve Learned in 6 Years of Marriage

I cannot believe I’ve been married for 6 years (as of Saturday!). Who let a little 22 year old get married? What were my parents thinking? What were Chris and I thinking?! No, our kids cannot get married that young :)

My marriage is something I am proud of. For this day and age I can confidently say that Chris and I ‘do’ marriage really well. Do we fight? YES. Sometimes they are simple arguments and sometimes major tears are shed, but that is always bound to happen when a lot of love and passion is involved. What I’m proud of is that we know we are in this TOGETHER, for life. At the end of the day, we are family and there are always ups and downs, but family is family and that is so important to us.

Getting married fresh out of college, Chris and I have been through many stages of life together. We have grown up together. We have matured together (although men never fully mature…). I think we surround ourselves with other strong couples who encourage our marriage and that is a major blessing. We have now successfully parented for two years together and life just couldn’t get any sweeter having Chris by my side.

We also have two sets of parents who have over 60 years of combined marriage experience. Neither of our parents have ever told us marriage would be easy. We’ve witnessed the good, the bad, and the ugly from both sets of parents, but they have never been anything short of loving and encouraging and the best examples for us.

Although 6 years isn’t long to some, I feel like we’ve learned a lot in six years of marriage.

1. Saying sorry is the best thing you can do. Sorry goes a long way and, as stubborn as you may be, saying sorry can really help heal the situation.
2. Do not assume your husband can read your mind. When you are glaring at them because they are relaxing and you’re doing the dishes, they seriously see nothing wrong with that situation. If you want help, ask. 99% of the time Chris will do or help with whatever I ask of him. My passive aggressive suggestions of him helping never get us anywhere. I’ve learned to ask and don’t assume he knows what you’re thinking.
3. It doesn’t matter how long you’re together, having kids changes things. Chris and I have been together 9 years and had Graham after being married for almost four years and things changed. Not necessarily good change or bad change, but things change. You go from life being easy and carefree to all of a sudden sharing attention and affection and it can be hard. But, I’ve learned that is just a season and, although things will never return to how they were, things are feeling more “normal” as we have adjusted to having a child.
4. Don’t compare your marriage to anyone else's. That couple looks happy and soooo in love. Good for them! But, you never know what people are going through and the best thing to do is worry about your marriage and know that each marriage is unique in its own way.
5. Allow girl-time and boy-time. Yes, your spouse is your best friend, but it is SO important to have friends outside of just you and your spouse. Aside from being a wife and mom, I am a friend to many girls who I love and care about. It is so important  for both Chris and I to get time with our own friends. Guys need guy time and girls need girl time and there is nothing wrong with that.
6. Listen. This one is HARD. Y’all, so hard. Everyone always wants to “win” an argument, but marriage is not about winning because you’re on the SAME TEAM!!! Chris and I are FAR from perfect, but we try to tell the other person when we need to be heard. Listening to what the other person says and needs is vital in keeping a marriage strong.

What is your marriage advice? What is the hardest advice to follow? It is number six for me!!

Maui: Days 3 + 4

Happy Tuesday, friends! I am trying to crank out these Maui recap posts so I don't forget how amazing this trip was! I still haven't had time to download all our pictures, but I am making due with iPhone pictures!

Day 3:

Monday morning was our third morning in Maui and I had read all about these Brekkie bowls. I have had one acai bowl here in the Dallas area and it was to die for, so I was excited to try one in Maui. No one else in my family had had one before and we all agreed they were okay. Honestly, the one from The Juice Bar in my absolute favorite! 

After powering up on acai, the boys headed out to golf and the girls were on a walk on the boardwalk. My mother in law wanted to see the other resorts next to ours (The Grand Wailea) and the best way to see them is from the boardwalk.

The weather was still hit or miss, so after our walk we decided to go explore some towns around Wailea. I had a list of pie places we needed to try and Maui Pie did NOT disappoint. We tried four different flavors and they were all some of the best pie we have ever had! If you're in Maui, this is a must stop!

That night we stayed in, packed our bags, and prepared to move to a different resort on a different part of the island.

Day 4:

A few months before we left for Maui we all decided that, instead of staying in Wailea at the Grand Wailea the whole week (like we had originally planned), we should split it up to see another part of the island. Now that it is all said and done, we wish we would have stayed at the Grand Wailea the whole week, but we are glad we got to experience South and West Maui. 

Tuesday morning we woke up and walked down to the pool one more time. The weather was still not total pool weather, but we didn't care! We LOVED staying at Ho'olei at the Grand Wailea. If you're traveling with your family, this is the BEST place!

The flowers on the walk smelled amazing. WE wanted the best ocean views which meant we were the very back row of condos. We got our workout in just walking to and from the pool. 

The time came and we had to say goodbye to our beautiful condo! We all agreed that we WILL be coming back!

On the way up to Kaanapali and Lahaina we had to stop at the famous pie place, Leoda's. I am a banana cream pie lover and this was so good! And, yes, I did eat the entire thing in one sitting by myself :)

I spy with my little eye my spray tan rubbing off. Allll the heart eyes (not!). 

We stopped in Lahaina to check out the Banyan Trees and eat at Paia Fish Market. We did some shopping and killed some time before our check-in time at the next resort. 

We made it to our resort, Honua Kai, and were taken away with how beautiful the beach was. The beaches on this side of the island are definitely better, but NOTHING beats the Grand Wailea. 

We got settled in, went to the pool, and then decided to walk along the board walk before the sunset. 

 

We ended the night eating at Duke's, which has my most favorite dessert in the world, Hula Pie!

And that concludes days 3 + 4! Hopefully I can squeeze days 5 + 6 into one more post!