This is my goal for 2019, to be the best version of “me” yet. While that encompasses quite a few things, I truly think that there are small changes I can make in various areas of my life to better myself, my business, and how I interact with those around me. I feel like we are bombarded with the idea of “New Year, New You” every turn of the calendar…and the thing is, I like me already. I like who I am now. I’m not trying to reinvent myself or become someone that I’m not. But can I be a better version of me? You bet.

For starters, I’ve been wanting to get back to this blog forever. It’s gotten pushed to the backburner time after time. I mean…I was planning to do THIS post in January…and here we are. But part of working on being my best self is to give myself grace when needed. Which is something I don’t do nearly enough of. I’m always trying to do allll the things (and I tend to have this perception that I have to be the best at all of those things). So taking care of ME in all aspects is a top priority this year. If you’ve read my previous posts, you know that taking care of my health is very important to me. I’ve grown to absolutely love fitness over the years, and have really been working on taking that to a higher level in the past year or so. Workouts that get your heart rate up and challenge your muscles are known to have all sorts of health benefits. I wanted to show you all a few of my favorite workout moves that really sculpt the muscles!

This first move is a burpee on sliders. Form is more important than speed on this one, but use some power in your legs to come back up to standing from your plank position. Repeat 15x.

This next move is a lunge with a bicep curl. You do the curl using a medium resistance band and just curl up to 90 degrees. At the same time, make sure both legs are at 90 degrees in your lunge. Repeat 15x on each leg.

The third move is a bent over row with a step back. You do a narrow row up using your triceps, and at the same time, you step one leg back keeping all your weight in the heel of your front leg. You’ll feel this one work both the arms and the booty! Repeat 15x on each leg.

The last move I’m showing you today is one of my favorites (variations on sumo squats are SO good at shaping the legs!). This is a sumo squat hold with a hammer curl. Yes, that says hold. So you get into a sumo squat and then do 15 hammer curls (that work the biceps) while you hold the squat position. The quads will burn, but it will be worth it!

I post my workouts via Insta stories often, so you can always check those out. I’ll do another blog post again soon about my fitness and the workouts that I do (the moves shown here are all from the 80 Day Obsession program by Beachbody). I like to mix it up and am learning to train my body the way it needs in the moment…sometimes that’s high intensity, sometimes it’s muscle focused, sometimes it’s light cardio…all part of working on being my best self this year, and every here after!

xo,

Monica

 

Nope. Not doing it. I’m still not coming to you with all my Nordstrom anniversary sale picks and dressing room photos. Because at this point I’m certain that you’ve seen it all and honestly you don’t need one more person showing you their big yellow shopping bags 😉

But I DID promise to show you some more of my favorite summer trends in general, so here we go! I know you busy mamas are always telling me that it can be so hard to stay on top of  the trends need to make sure you snag and incorporate into your wardrobe. So I promise to show you things that are totally wearable and timeless enough that you don’t feel like you have to be “your 22yr old self spending fifteen bucks at Forever21” in order to pull it off.

First up, and this is a two-for-one here ladies….the main trend I’m talking about today is palm leaves. Also, so hot right now are one-piece swimsuits. So combine both of those, and you get one killer look for the beach! Maybe save the low cut version for vacay with the hubs….trying to wrangle your terrified-of-water-in-the-eyes 3yr old while wearing this one at the community pool could prove to be…problematic.

 

Another great way to execute the palm print is in a chic dress. Pick a silhouette that leans more sophisticated, and the palm print will translate as a super-luxe summer look.

 

The modern palm prints are NOT your grandmas palm prints, so snag a piece or two and embrace your inner beach girl. You’ll feel like you’re wearing a little piece of paradise even if the nearest actual palm trees are miles away.

 

Shop the looks here:

Banana Leaf One-Piece

Deep V Leaf Print One-Piece

Midnight Palmas Print Maxi Dress

Studded Sandals

 

xo,

Monica

I might be the only person on the planet not blogging about the Nordstrom sale today. And yet still talking about a style you need in your closet right now. So what do I have against Nordstrom? Not a thing! In fact, I’ve scored many great fashion finds from them over the years. However, sometimes you just need to NOT go with the flow, amiright?!

Since I own a boutique myself, to be completely honest, I’d rather be spending my time showing you the products I’ve curated. And when it comes to high-end luxury items, I’m actually Neiman’s girl….after spending a good portion of my adult life working for Neiman Marcus, they’ve got my luxury heart {and credit card! eek}.

So what are some must-have’s right now?! First up, let’s talk shoes. Shoes are literally my achilles heel. That sounds like some kind of wanna-be pun. Really not sure. But seriously, shoes are a total weekness for me. Our shop just got in these gorgeous blush-colored slip-on athletic-y flats…and they are to.die.for.

 

A few more designer faves…for when you want to “step” it up a notch. I know, these wanna-be puns are literally terrible. But who cares when you have pretty shoesssss!

 

So go girl, and make sure you’ve got some sophisticated kicks “added to cart” because this look is not going anywhere anytime soon! Stay tuned for more summer must-have picks from me — and tell me what YOUR favorite new summer looks include!

Shop the looks here:

Cotton Candy Flats

Sophia Webster Riko Low-Top Sneaker

Michael Kors Trent Crystal Skate Sneaker

Adidas Iniki Vintage Runner

 

xo,

Monica

I’m all about accessories. But I recently discovered my least favorite one, a type of necklace if you will. ‘Wait, Monica, I thought you were going to update us on how your surgery went?’ ….Yep, believe it or not, that’s how I discovered this dreaded necklace. Back to that in a moment. I’m officially two weeks out from my surgery day, and I’m so happy to say that everything went really well.

The surgery itself and the recovery were both everything I had imagined, and nothing like I had imagined. I went into the morning of surgery with a little bit of anxiety, but I was feeling good about things overall. I knew I would be staying at least one night at the hospital, so my mind was really just set on getting the surgery over with and getting back home as soon as possible. Bucky was with me every moment they would let him be, and of course they managed to give the poor guy a huge scare within moments of leaving my side. Apparently about 10min after they wheeled me toward the OR, he heard an announcement requesting the “rapid response team to report to OR for intubation issues”….and knowing that it was right about the timeline they would be putting me under, he immediately thought it could very likely be me that was having issues. So he was pretty anxious for the next hour till he realized it was clearly pertaining to someone else since no doctors or nurses had come over and alerted him to any problems. As for me, at that point, I was just enjoying a nice midday nap, haha.

I do remember waking up. I remember being mad because I had been dreaming and really just wanted to go back to sleep. But then I felt it. The nurses start asking you right away what your pain level is “on a scale of 1-10” and I immediately knew why. I could feel ALL of the pain and was quick to respond “8” ….”or maybe 9″….ok, and she’s putting something in my IV. The pain didn’t disappear instantly, but they did have it under control within about 15min or so, and honestly, after that point and throughout my recovery, the pain was never really all that bad. In fact, once I left the hospital the next day, I never needed anything more than some over-the-counter motrin here and there. I was in the big “waking up” room….(recovery room? I don’t know the technical terms here really) for what seemed like forever and I was pretty coherent as soon as I woke up. It was amusing to me to hear the nurses telling other patients “ok sir, you’re awake!! Surgery is over!! You’re awake! You need to breathe! How is your pain! Don’t forget to breathe!” The first time, I was a little worried that the person was actually having trouble breathing or something, but then I quickly realized they were saying that to EVERYONE. The poor guy next to me really had a rough go at it. He kept insisting to the nurse that his pain level was “still at a 9” even after she had made *many* additions of painkiller to his IV. Either he had really been through something pretty intense, or else his pain tolerance ranked right up there with the dreaded “man cold”. Given that he wasn’t screaming or writhing in pain, and that I could literally feel the nurse rolling her eyes the last time she added the good stuff to his IV, I’m gonna go with the latter. Luckily, I didn’t have to stick around much longer….I had heard the nurse call someone instructing which room to send my husband to, and soon they were wheeling me out to meet him in “my” room.

I didn’t sleep much that first night…hospitals are just not set up for comfort. And even though the pain really wasn’t bad all things considered, I just couldn’t get comfortable. So I basically spent the next 12hrs asking Bucky to fetch ice chips for me (thanks hun!). Everything looked good the next morning so around noon they said I could start getting my things together to head home. The ride home wasn’t so fun, but I was so happy to be in my own bed.

One thing I was totally not expecting was how emotional I would be, especially during the first day or two after surgery, but really even that whole first week. The realization of what my body had been through, the relief that it was over, the full reliance on my husband for every little thing because I was so sore/uncomfortable, and honestly just feeling ugly. Ok yes, you’re not supposed to feel like a supermodel right after surgery, but that’s not what I mean. After a mastectomy/reconstruction, things don’t look totally “right” at first. Everything is so swollen, the skin is kind of bumpy and yet tight at the same time, and you’re pretty bruised. I can promise you that within this two weeks of recovery I’ve gone from “will the girls ever look normal again?” to “ok, they actually already look pretty freakin good”…..so if you happen to be facing or considering a similar procedure, don’t worry. In fact, I really can’t speak highly enough of the surgeons that we chose to work with. Both of them put our minds at ease through the whole process and we knew we were in very capable and skilled hands. They both have proven to be perfectionists at what they do, and yet their personalities are so warm and easygoing – we truly felt like they really listened, they answered any questions and concerns very directly yet with encouragement, and they truly were looking out for my best interest in my specific situation. No two patients or their situations are identical, so this is so important. If you’re ever in a situation where you need to select a doctor/surgeon for a serious procedure, its so important that you choose someone who you feel completely comfortable with. It’s a stressful situation, but the right doctor will make you feel more like you’re dealing with a small speed bump rather than a large hurdle.

Ok, so back to those necklaces. I’ve already been asked a few times, “so what has been the hardest part of recovery?” and that’s such a tough question depending on when you ask! Honestly, recovery has really not been bad at all. Yes, there is soreness. Yes, it took about a full week to feel like my body was “reset” after the anesthesia and meds finally make their way out of your system. But if you were to ask the one think I disliked most, it would have to be these necklaces. They’re actually lanyards with clips at the end that held drains that were implanted in my sides. I was fully aware that I would have drains in, and that they were completely necessary to promote healing and help prevent infection. It’s just that I had pictured them differently in my mind. Smaller, much much smaller and more discreet, easier to manage….is what I pictured. In reality, they were more like soft plastic grenades with several feet of tubes hanging down from where they had been placed next to my incisions. Every single time I got up or even shifted my position in bed, I had to manage them to make sure I wasn’t about to accidentally rip them out of my body…or at least that’s what it felt like if they got tugged on in the slightest. Oh and the drains had to be emptied twice a day. Yeah, that’s a big NO for me. I’m a really tough girl. Too tough sometimes. But give me anything related to spiders or open wounds in my own body and I instantly turn into a huge baby. Thankfully, Bucky pretended not to mind it at all and measured/emptied/cleaned the drains like it was no biggie – while I looked away and whimpered. He’s a keeper, that hubs of mine.

So, here we are two weeks after surgery, and I’m doing really well. I’ve had a slew of post-op appointments, all which have shown that everything is healing exactly how it should be. The drains were able to come out last week (thank you, Jesus!), and my stitches came out this week. They had sent all the tissue they removed to pathology – even though I had tons of testing done before the surgery, testing the actual tissue is the most accurate way to know exactly what is going on in there. Everything came back completely normal, with no signs of anything pre-cancerous brewing, so I was able to rest assured that all of this is being done 100% preventatively and to just eliminate future risk (REALLY REALLY thank you Jesus!). I’m so anxious to get back to my normal super-active self, but I’m abiding by doctor’s orders and taking things slowly. I’ve worn hats more than ever lately – its still tough to reach up high enough to do my hair, haha. And I am eternally grateful for the prayers, the childcare help, the meals, the care packages, and the endless kind words that have come from family and friends. Thank you for making all of this a little easier.

xo,

Monica

Time flies when you are going to doctor’s appointments every other day (ok, that’s definitely a major exaggeration…but seriously, I’ve had more doc visits in the past few months than I’ve had pretty much ever). Oh and you know, trying to run a business at the same time and trying NOT to stress about all those said doc appointments. I’ve met with surgeons now and have decided on the team for my first procedure. And as I mentioned, time flies, and now I find myself just a couple weeks away from that procedure. Going on the advice of several of my trusted doctors, I’m doing the mastectomy first. Due to my age, they are trying to hold off on taking the ovaries out for a little while longer {even if that may just mean next year}….plus the hormone supplements I may need after that can’t be given to someone with the brca1 gene while they still have their breast tissue. So, first up for me is the double mastectomy with reconstruction. I’ve got this scheduled for the first week of May, and that sure is just right around the corner. All of my tests have come back great, so I’m not rushing into this for any other reason other than to just get it over with and be able to move on. And to be totally honest, I want to get it over with before we get too far into summer so that my incisions can be healed and don’t have to be worried about missing those awesome days spent at the pool with family and friends. But more on that in a minute.

 

I mentioned in my last post that I feel compelled to take action regarding this gene and have the necessary procedures done for maximum prevention. There are plenty of other options for just monitoring everything alot more closely, especially given my age, but I feel like I’ve been given this knowledge so I can act on it now and not have to worry about it in the future. We’ve all heard the phrase “timing is everything” and in some ways I agree, but ultimately I’d rephrase it to “God’s timing is everything.” He knows what we need to do, when we need to do it, and He is there guiding us according to His plans. My mom learned she has the brca1 gene about a month before I found out that I do. She went through the same routine of tests and doctors appointments and such. Due to her age bracket, it was decided that it would be best for her to get a hysterectomy done first before any breast procedures. She knew there was more urgency on her for getting the procedures done in general, compared to someone my age, and she faced a few frustrations along the way with appointments and surgeon consultations not happening as quickly as she would’ve liked. It’s been about a month now since she had her hysterectomy done, so all things considered, her surgery timeline was still pretty quick. With this gene, they typically test the tissue/cells that are removed as a precaution to ensure that nothing was “brewing” that couldn’t be detected during testing. That’s where God’s timing comes in. She got a call that they had indeed found cancer cells floating around….but get this, they had not yet attached or implanted in any way. Praise God. What incredible timing for her to find out about this gene and take action right when she needed to. The nurse that called her with the results said this was a “textbook case” of exactly why doctors urge people with this gene to have the preventative procedures done. She’s doing well and we are all incredibly grateful for the timing.  God is good.

So back to me and my upcoming procedure. You can see why I’d like to just get the procedures done and be able to move forward knowing that I’ve taken all prevention measures possible right?! I’m not looking forward to the surgery, just knowing that I’ll definitely have pain/discomfort afterwards and the recovery and healing probably won’t be super fun. But I’m not really dreading it or anything, just ready to get it out of the way. I’m actually in a position where I could have it a bit easier than alot of people undergoing this same procedure. I actually already have breast implants….I got them done about six years ago, as a completely elective procedure. {And if you’ve ever wondered about implants…a *gasp* boob job….yes, they’re amazing…LOL. I’m happy to answer any and all questions} I guess I should specify ‘appropriate’ questions. Ha.         So, the downside is that I’m a little jaded in my expectations. I’m really hoping for the reconstruction results to be the same as the augmentation results. But we’ll see. That may be a little bit of wishful thinking. The good news is that my muscles are already stretched and my body/skin has “room” for the new implants to go in right away. Also, the procedure is NOT the same, but I do at least have some small idea of what the healing process will feel like. So, for all of you thinking that I’m being really “brave” about all of this…I’m just telling myself that it can’t possibly be all that different from the recovery after my boob job. There’s a good chance that line of thinking is super naive and I will be laying in bed asking all of you to bring me ice cream for three weeks straight. Stay tuned!

xo,

Monica

Wow, y’all…thanks for all of the support shown on my last post. You really make a girl feel loved and supported by her tribe. I was surprised how emotional it was for me to take everything I’ve been feeling for the past few months and put it out there for the world to see. So seriously, thank you. Now, let’s get to a little more lighthearted topic for a bit!

Let’s be honest here….some days #momlife is hard, some days it’s amazing, and it is ALWAYS busy. When you’re on the go 24/7, staying on top of trends is difficult enough. Executing them and taking the time to look good in them is another thing entirely. Trust me, I run a fashion business and yet half the time you’ll find me running my errands in my workout gear. And I do love my workout gear….I mean, how can you go wrong in yoga pants?? Comfy…check! Can chase after the kids without fear of ripping any seams…check! Makes the butt look amazing…check! So yeah, the fact that #athleisure is still trending so hard is definitely in our favor, haute mamas.

 

But, there are times where even “casual” calls for a little more pulled-together look. Our next go to? Jeans and a tee, right? Or shorts once it hits May and you’re in the South like me. So how do we take that jeans-and-tee kind of look, and add just the right amount of trendy to cement our cool mom status for another season? A few key pieces will make that happen effortlessly. Enter the graphic tee. It’s the way to say exactly what you’re thinking without causing a scene. While all the *ahem*….youngsters…are throwing around their “bye Felicia’s” we don’t have to stoop to that. Let your tee do the talking…

Shop the looks here (some styles not identical):

Haute Mama Tank

Bright Mesh Sports Bra

Cropped Leggings

Bold Running Shoes

Adios Tee

Black and White Aztec Printed Shorts

Rosegold Slip-on Shoes

 

xo,

Monica

Disclaimer: its not so haute. But, as all of us strong #hautemamas do, you take life’s challenges and allow them to make you stronger. I’ve actually been debating back and forth whether or not to share about all of this publicly. I’m not usually one to shy away from sharing my life…the good, the bad, and the crazy….but this is a highly personal topic. It has taken some time for me to even wrap my head around it myself. It’s something that I literally knew nothing about though, like didn’t even know it existed, until several months back…and I’m hoping that sharing my experiences over the coming months might somehow help someone out there look a little deeper into their family history and be able to make some wise choices about the future.

Last Fall, my aunt was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Completely out of the blue and with little-to-no symptoms, we were all pretty shocked by this diagnosis. During the next few months of doctors looking into our family history, it was determined that it would be a good idea for close relatives to have some genetic testing done. Apparently, there are several genes (genetic mutations, to be exact) that can lead to a very elevated risk of developing certain types of cancers. These genes end up running down the family tree, and the children of someone with the genetic mutation run a 50% risk of also having the gene. Pretty scary odds, especially to someone like me, who was learning all of this for the first time and never realized there was even much of a family history with cancer.

My mom was the next one to find out she also had this gene, brca1. This meant that I would have a 50/50 chance of having it too. After a discussion with my doctor, it was quickly determined that I should go ahead and have the testing done as well…after all, knowledge is power. The test itself is quite easy, just a simple blood draw. It takes about a month to get the results, and during that time, I didn’t really feel super worried about it…I had easily convinced myself that I was just going to be in the 50% that didn’t have to worry about it at all. So, when my doctor called one random day about a month later to let me know that I do indeed also have the brca1 gene, to say I was surprised would be an understatement. If knowledge is power, then sometimes ignorance is bliss.

After several chats with my doctor, a blur of plans and appointments were made: breast and ovary screenings, meetings with genetic counselors, and discussions with surgeons for preventive procedures. That was the point where my emotions and anxiety finally overwhelmed me. All of this new information had to be processed so quickly…and though my doctors have truly been so helpful and supportive, at times it felt like I was suddenly at imminent risk. The doctors handle this gene with as much concern as they should…after all, a quick Google search of brca1 will leave you with daunting information about just how incredibly high the risks are with this gene compared to the average population. So naturally, it took some time to wrap my head around the fact that I wasn’t suddenly “sick” and in fact, am no less “healthy” than the day before I found out I had the gene….or any other part of my life for that matter, since it was a gene I was born with. After a 3D mammogram, a breast MRI, and ultrasounds of pretty much all of my lady parts (its been a fun couple of months, let me tell ya! ugh), I was able to rest a little easier knowing that I’m healthy right now. I’m able to fully focus on prevention at this point, and that in itself isn’t exactly a breeze.

I have made the decision that I am approaching all of this with a positive mindset and a grateful heart. I’ll be totally transparent…there have already been many days where I’ve failed at this, and allowed fears and “life’s not fair” thoughts to creep in. I have to check my attitude and remember that things like facing preventive surgeries in the months/years ahead isn’t anything compared to the “life’s not fair” that my aunt has had to deal with in actually having the cancer. She has handled it with such grace, and with reminders to all of us females on her side of the family that hopefully her experiences will allow each of us to tackle this risk before it has a chance to become anything more than a risk. I am grateful that God has allowed us to have this knowledge (though some days feel like blissfully ignorant would be the easier option) because now I have the ability to act. I will take every opportunity to eliminate risk. For me, this means I will be choosing to have a bilateral mastectomy sometime this year and to have my ovaries and fallopian tubes removed sometime within the next year or two. There are definitely people who view this as jumping to extremes, but after discussions with my husband and my doctors, I know this is the right choice for me. I have faith that God is the one who holds my future in His hands, and I also believe that He provides us with information and opportunities to take action when necessary. I’ll be taking action, and I’ll be sharing my journey with you as I go. After all, I’ve got these two cuties to love on till I’m 110 or so  😉

 

The cold shoulder trend is alive and well. So very alive and well in fact, that this season you will be hard-pressed to find many tops or dresses that DON’T have some sort of shoulder cut out. So go and brush your shoulders off…this is one trend you want to embrace fully 😉

 

In terms of “showing some skin” the cold-shoulder look still leaves plenty to the imagination. And unlike the typical excuses of “I don’t like my legs/arms/tummy” that some of us haute mamas can use to avoid many of the trends, there’s really no hiding from the fact that basically everyone has showoff-able shoulders. The look is subtly sexy too.

 

While an exposed shoulder is super easy to pull off, it’s a bold look in terms of exuding a level of feminine confidence. There’s something a bit fierce about it.

 

So go…shop…find yourself a cold-shoulder look {or ten} to rock this season. I promise you’ll love this trend as much as I do!

The hubs and I celebrated our 10yr anniversary a few months ago. Ten years! There has been a whole lot of life lived in those ten years of marriage. And honestly the decade just flew by, and we’re suddenly ten years older (and hopefully a little wiser).

Anyone who has been married for a little while (or maybe even on day one, haha) has said something along the lines of “well, you’re stuck with me now”…usually jokingly…usually. And while its something meant to sound sarcastically threatening, there’s quite a bit of comfort in knowing that you’re stuck with eachother. Committed to eachother. A guarantee that you’ll always have your best friend/lover/partner in crime by your side.

Being stuck with your spouse means “for better, for worse” you will always have someone “to have and to hold from this day forward” – which again, provides a lot of comfort in that commitment you have made to eachother and to God. But here’s the thing, in order to have many more of the “for better” days than you do the “for worse” days, you have to continually CHOOSE eachother. Rather than just coasting through life with the comfort that you’re now stuck with eachother, a great relationship – a great marriage – requires that you truly choose one another over and over again.

You choose eachother through the all the little things that really end up being the big important things in life. When I find a handwritten note wishing me a good day, when he kisses my hand before he leaves for work each morning, when he ensures that he ends every phone call with an “I love you”…I know that Bucky is choosing me. And he knows that I would always choose him. I would choose him even on his cranky days. I would choose him even if Channing Tatum was on the menu. I would choose him even on the days where I don’t feel like he’s doing enough to choose me. Because I know through these ten years that he has constantly chosen me over and over again…and I know that next time I say “well baby, you’re stuck with me now” he will be the first to assure me that there’s no one he’d rather be stuck with.

 

 

It’s been a while since I’ve posted. Like a long while. I’ve been a bit busy, but that’s ok…I’ve been busy pursuing a dream. And sometimes that takes time. A lot of time. Many of you may already know and be following along, and supporting (thank you!), but for those that don’t, in July I launched an online fashion boutique, Makaila James.

It’s been a lifelong dream to have a shop of my own, and with a ton of work, plus lots of help from family and friends, I’ve been able to turn my dream into a reality. Here’s a little about the shop:

Makaila James was created for the dreamers, for the ambitious and hard working #girlbosses…for the free spirits, no matter how “settled down” they have become. 

A little back story on me and my boutique: After college, I embarked on an exciting, fast-paced fashion industry career path and absolutely loved being able to shape and influence numerous corporate retailers and boutiques. As long as I could remember, I had dreamed of starting my own shop, but that’s all it was: a dream. 

In the midst of my ambitious career pursuits, life and love happened as well. After a few cross-country relocations for my husband’s employer and the ever-increasing “mom duties” for our growing daughter, it was time for me to reevaluate my calling. Inspired by the idea that professional career women and supermoms don’t suddenly lose their wanderlust and desire for free-spirited fashion, the idea for Makaila James started to take shape. My two passions—all things fashion and all things tropical—suddenly seemed to collide in the most beautiful way.

FAQ: Why the name Makaila James? It’s kind of a combination of the two people I love most in this life. My personal support system, our gorgeous and energetic daughter, Keilyn Makaila, and my wonderful loving husband, Bucky James, are my daily inspiration to do what I love and share it with all of you. 

Check out the shop, makailajames.com ~ we’ve carefully selected a mix of West Coast-inspired trends as well as timeless styles that will appeal to all the boho babes and haute mamas out there! Our first three months since launch have been amazing…and terrifying at times…but we have been so overwhelmed by the amount of support we’ve gotten so far. We are in full-blown Fall mode right now, and my hubs-turned-photog has been taking every opportunity to capture the new arrivals outdoors as we see the “Fall colors” starting to arrive. We make photoshoots a family affair at this point, and there’s always lots of laughs!

xoxo,