Welcome!
Thank you for visiting my Clean Up Your Act site. I felt driven to start this website so I could connect with and help other women. I am a wife, a stepmom, a mother, a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner, and an educator for Beautycounter.
Ever since I can remember, I dreamed of becoming a nurse, finding the man of my dreams, settling down, and having kids. Sometimes our reality does not live up to our well laid out plans or dreams. Accepting the difference between what you had envisioned for your life and your actual reality can be difficult to work through. You are not alone. I have experienced disappointment, loss, sadness, and heartbreak as well. I am not an expert, but I am hopeful that as I work through some of my struggles, I may be able to help you as well.
Our Story
Josh is my best friend and we are happy, but we have been through a lot in our 6 years of marriage. We encountered some difficult moments and losses in our first three years of marriage that many couples may never have to navigate through as husband and wife. My life as a step-mom to Reece is an evolving process. I love and adore her, but navigating my role with her can be difficult at times.
Our son was born extremely premature at 23 4/7 weeks. After an extremely scary and difficult roller coaster ride, full of more ups than downs (praise God!), we brought William home after spending 91 days in the NICU. Considering his rough start, he is incredibly healthy and a true miracle, but due to his extreme prematurity, he does struggle with some things on a daily basis which is difficult for me as his Mom to watch.
We wanted to expand our family, so after we were cleared by a specialist, I became pregnant but at 14 weeks I delivered and we lost our son Weston. Later that same year I lost another baby at 8 weeks. After the loss of my children, pieces of my heart are missing and I will be forever changed. We decided that we would not try again for a biological child because the the pain of the losses are just too difficult.
Moving on past grief
My career as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner has evolved in so many ways over the past 6 years. After having William so early and spending time in the NICU as a parent, my perspective has completely changed. I personally know how difficult the NICU journey is and the helplessness you feel as a parent watching your child fight for their life.
If I’m being completely honest, I also struggle with some PTSD after having William so early as well as being around babies all of the time at work after my losses. Professionally, I always try to do my best while at work, but personally and internally, I do have difficult moments.
Clean Beauty
I became an educator for Beautycounter in April of 2017. After having William prematurely, losing two babies, and trying to raise a teenager, I began to educate myself more on clean living. Once I learned about the lack of regulation here in the U.S. in our personal care products industry, I could not dismiss it and carry on without changing my ways.
What you apply to your body and that of your children matters and it can affect your health. Many of the products you buy off of the shelves in stores contain chemicals that have been linked, but not limited to skin irritations, asthma, infertility, premature birth, endocrine disruption, early-onset puberty, and cancer. Beautycounter is a disruptive company dedicated to providing safe personal care products for you and your family with intentional banning, rigorous screening, full transparency, education, and advocacy.
My website is a place where I hope to encourage you to Clean Up Your Act and start living your best life on the inside and out! Your life may not be what you had completely envisioned for yourself, but we must learn to embrace it, take control of it and start making better choices. Your life matters! We only get one shot at this, so take care of your body and treat it well from what you clean your home with, to what you eat, what products you apply to it, and your physical activity.
Healthy Mental Well-being
We must also nourish and care for our mental well-being. Life can be difficult and just down right hard sometimes, but how we cope with it and choose to handle those struggles is ultimately up to us! My goal is to share coping mechanisms, encouragement, education and advice as I navigate my way to living my best life! Please join me!
