by Mariah | Aug 23, 2018 | Food
I didn’t know that a recipe I chose for a high school cooking class would later evolve into a Crouch family staple: a fiery Thai chicken dish loaded with basil. I enjoyed many flavors of the original recipe, but there were some ingredients that I just couldn’t stomach. When I made the dish at home […]
by Mariah | Aug 2, 2018 | Family Life
Beach or Branson for the family reunion? In the end, it was neither. We spent two days in St. Louis, and then we all went home to Mom and Dad’s where we really wanted to be anyway. It was a super fun family reunion, and it was extra-exciting because it was the first time since 2014 […]
by Mariah | Jul 30, 2018 | Crafts & Creations, Family Life, Party & Celebration Ideas
My two little daughters are super into Shimmer and Shine, a show about twin genies-in-training. Imagine a Lisa Frank-ish world, and then add glitter. And more glitter. The girls often pretend to be the main characters from the show. It’s the cutest thing to watch them play together, sporting high ponytails and necklaces on their […]
by Mariah | Jun 18, 2018 | Gift & Service Ideas, Reviews
*We received complimentary custom proclamations in exchange for our honest review. All opinions are our own. By now, you may have figured out that all the sisters of This Blue Dress are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. We love our church and are so grateful for the peace and happiness […]
by Mariah | Jun 8, 2018 | App Reviews, Marriage & Dating
I recently tried out Exciting Romantic, a new app designed to bring some spark back into a relationship. The app is easy to use. It has one page with 9 Category buttons on it: Crazy Plans, Presents, Movies, Recipe ideas to make together (note: the actual recipes are not included), Questions, Discounts, Bedroom Ideas, and then […]
by Mariah | May 18, 2018 | Family Activities, Travel
Last week, I got to cross “Visit Somewhere Out of the Country” and “Go On a Cruise” off of my bucket list. Back in October, my husband and I booked a 4-night cruise to the Bahamas on Royal Caribbean’s ship Enchantment of the Seas. At the time of booking, we weren’t sure when my dad […]
by Mariah | May 3, 2018 | Diet & Exercise, Reviews, Self-Improvement
In March, I tried out Avocadu’s 21-Day Weight Loss Challenge. Spoiler Alert: It went really well and I learned a lot. The Challenge is three weeks long, and is designed to be repeatable. You do it as many times as you need until you lose all the weight you want (each three-week completion is called […]
by Mariah | Apr 23, 2018 | Reviews
Disclaimer: Affiliate links included in this post. Thanks for supporting This Blue Dress! I have to credit my sister Maegan for introducing about a trillion cool things to me. One day in 2005, she brought home two books: a piano book with two witches on the cover, and a green book called Wicked: The Grimmerie. […]
by Mariah | Apr 1, 2018 | Diet & Exercise, Reviews, Self-Improvement
I just tried out the 21-Day Weight Loss Challenge from Avocadu, and guess what? It’s legit. While I’m not here to reveal their specific program or anything, I do want to share my three-week journey with you in case you’re considering trying out the program. (Note: I did not receive any freebies in exchange for […]
by Mariah | Mar 16, 2018 | Beauty & Fashion, Helpful Tips & Lists
We’re kinda all about dresses at This Blue Dress. No, we don’t sell them, but we love any excuse to get a new one! We especially can’t resist the call of spring dresses, because of their gorgeous florals, ruffles, lace, and pastels. Find your dress now on one of these fantastic websites! They offer almost […]
by Mariah | Mar 6, 2018 | Beauty & Fashion, Helpful Tips & Lists
We like to keep it classy, but we also like to feel like a million bucks. These 10 sites caught our attention for their wide selection of beautiful swimsuits that come in many modest cuts. We want to share them with you, along with the adorable suits we are eyeing this year! *This post contains […]
by Mariah | Feb 24, 2018 | Crafts & Creations, Party & Celebration Ideas
Throwing a birthday party during a move isn’t the easiest thing to do. On the day of my husband’s birthday, we had one foot in the old house and one in the new. I was frustrated! The original birthday plans for Jake went out the window, and any hope of making his day feel special […]
by Mariah | Feb 13, 2018 | Crafts & Creations, Holiday Posts, Valentine's Day Posts
Quilling is one of my favorite hobbies! It can be pretty time consuming, but the payoff is huge. There are so many designs you can make just by rolling paper! The cool thing is that the actual technique is pretty easy; you just need the right tools and a little bit of patience. The classic […]
by Mariah | Jan 28, 2018 | Food, Helpful Tips & Lists
There are several occasions throughout the year when I want to step my dinner game up a notch and make something really nice. Birthdays, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, and special visitors, to name a few. Crafting a beautiful and delicious meal is a great way to show love and appreciation for someone! If you’re looking for […]
by Mariah | Jan 26, 2018 | Crafts & Creations, Family Life, Party & Celebration Ideas
Looking for ideas for a fun and budget-friendly Princess party! You’re in the right place! My daughter, Claire, is going to be four this week. Four! We are moving in just a few short weeks, so we decided to have her birthday party a little early to alleviate some stress. Because even fun, birthday party […]