Goodbye 2015. Hello 2016.

I've always thought the new year should start in the spring rather than the middle of winter. You know a fresh start - green grass, flowers blooming, sunny skies... It might be 57* and pouring today, but it was 80* yesterday, say what?!

This scripture is always good to reflect on for the new year, Revelations 21:5, you can get the free printable by clicking here!

Anyway, I have a love hate relationship with the new year...

I love fresh starts, a blank slate, down-sizing, de-cluttering, an empty calendar, planning new adventures, and expecting good things to come.

I hate looking back and realizing all that I didn't accomplish or let slip by me. Right now I'm beating myself up over not getting hired by the real estate agency and not finding any other flexible part-time employment. I am annoyed that I am only into May on the 2015 yearly photo book (and if I'm being completely honest- I haven't made one since 2010s which is pathetic). I always planned to workout/meal plan and I'd do great for a few weeks then fall off the train.  I never take time for myself, I read 4 books all year when I used to knock out 20+. Not to mention for being a SAHM my son is now 14mo old and I have yet to write down anything in his baby book... Just hoping I can remember those milestones, ugh...

How does life always seem to slip by? This year we moved completely across the country, both of our sisters got married, we've hosted family and visited family, we've explored and adventured, we are still looking for a church to "call home," we don't have a solid group of friends yet and that is killing me (thankfully my Hawaii friends understand and are only a phone call/text away), and I haven't braved the base gym yet but I really want to try the stroller aerobics class.

So, for 2016 I've made these 4 goals:

1. Read at least 1 book each month.
   This should be totally do-able if I just spend 30min of me time before bed each night!
2. Try 3 new things.
   For example - a fitness class, volunteering, learn to crochet, etc.
3. Upload the monthly photos to the yearly book by the beginning of the following month.
   So January's photos should be uploaded by February 7th.
4. Jog 20 miles each month, roughly 5mi per week.
   I hate running, but I know it works and is good for me... *sigh*

I only gave myself 4 because I wanted to follow the S.M.A.R.T. guideline.

S - Specific

M - Measurable

A - Attainable

R - Realistic

T - Timely

Obviously I will continue to do my best to stay in the word, stick with meal-plans/other work-outs, be a present wife & mother, keep up with the household chores, create & maintain quality friendships, etc etc. 

Did you or will you be making goals for 2016? Please share in the comments! Also.. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

-Tay

PS: One of my friends, Alyssa, from Home Field Fitness is co-hosting an awesome "Get it Together: 2016" online course. It's FREE but the sign-up deadline is Jan 4th, so click the link now!

DIY Chocolate Peppermint Spoons.

In a pinch for a last minute gift? Try these chocolate spoons!

Ingredients:

Heavy duty plastic spoons - don't get lightweight plastic, we don't want to risk any melting during the creating process or for the gifted during their enjoying process! Peppermints (or candy canes), and chocolate of choice - white, dark, milk, semi-sweet...

Place your peppermints (or candy canes) in a ziplock baggie, gently (my first bag exploded all over my kitchen!) whack them with a wooden spoon.

Melt your chocolate either in the microwave or on the stove, watch closely as chocolate can burn! Dip the spoons and slowly rotate them to get a nice even coating.

While the chocolate is still melted, sprinkle with the crushed peppermint. Place on wax paper to dry. You can expedite the process by placing in the fridge or freezer, but I have much better luck just keeping them on the counter. Every time after I try using the fridge/freezer method they are moist to the touch and melt quickly once I take them out (not ideal for gift giving).

Seal as desired. I used traditional sandwich baggies, some scotch tape, and a bit of baker's twine.

Create your final gift by combining with hot cocoa packets in a festive mug (both can be found at the dollar store if you're on a tight budget!)

Do you have any awesome last-minute, but doesn't look "last-minute," gift ideas? 
Please share them with me in the comments!
-Tay

My Christmas Tour.

I've posted my DIY Christmas Wreath on Instagram, but I figure it would be nice to give you a "mini tour" of my home decor!

The front of my house greets you with bright multi-colored lights, candy canes, and of course the three wise men seeking baby Jesus.

My DIY wreath graces the front door, I used the remaining ribbon to wrap my banister. The centerpiece for my dining table is a mason jar filled with mini scented pine cones, a bit more of the ribbon, a $1 deer, and an apple-spice candle.

The buffet features small decor gifts we have been given over the years, our wood penguin plaque, and my scentsy with the nativity wrap. My mantle is wrapped in garland, LED candles, stuffed snowmen, a driftwood nativity I purchased on our Edenton trip, and the stockings we had made in Hawaii.

The final pieces adorn our bookshelves: German nesting dolls from our trip to the Baltimore Christmas Village, an antique Christmas swing from my grandma's house, an LED glass gift my mom made, then another wood nativity and my Santa nativity (yes I love the nativity, I have a beautiful stained glass one my grandpa made but we couldn't figure out where to put it without risking little man breaking it). The tree is "toddler safe," plastic, wood, and metal ornaments only this year... Maybe our glass & reisin ones can be added back in a few years.

Besides decor, scents make me feel more in the holiday spirit, so I burn a candle nightly. We also watch cheesy Christmas movies often.

How is your house looking?

-Tay

Thrifty Trends - Holiday Decor.

Aubrey is back with some holiday decor inspiration!

I'm in the middle of deep cleaning my house one last time before the year is over, then I am going to pull out my Christmas decoration  boxes and thin out the items I no longer use, like the look of, or I got super cheap from the dollar store for our first Christmas together. I think it's time to start investing in and creating things I want to keep for a long time!

If you complete a project inspired by her post let us know in the comments, if you use Instagram you can also hashtag #thedaringdandelion #freshlybrewedhome #thriftytrends and tag @thedaringdandelion

After you check out this inspiration post, make sure to pop on over to Aubrey's website [A Freshly Brewed Home] for more tips, tricks, and ideas! 

-Tay

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So now that we are past the wonderful holiday of Thanksgiving, it's safe to say that we're completely in Christmas territory. Most of you have your trees up and you are wearing your cozy Christmas jammies every night. It's such a fun and beautiful time of the year and whether you are hosting parties or not, you want you home to feel cozy, welcoming and festive. 

So how do you achieve the look you want? Sure, you can go to Target and buy all the things in the dollar spot, a few packages of ornaments, some wreaths, lights and a whole bunch of knick knacks and your house can look like their advertisements. But I really feel that the coziest homes have a mix of a few thoughtfully selected items and homemade or found decorations. The best homes look curated...as if all their contents have been collected over time and they have meaning. It's always the details that make the difference.

I love natural garlands, pine cones, cranberries, white lights and wooden accents. There's something special about the natural beauty of winter that I love to bring indoors. I'm sure that as my little munchkin gets older, she will want some Santa things and bright colors but I want to maintain the reason for the season and keep things minimal and meaningful, which I'm sure will include a lot of her homemade ornaments. 

Here are a few tutorials that I have found around the web (because I'm terrible at tutorials) and some thrifty tips to create a beautiful and natural home for the holidays.

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I love the simplicity. If you have children, go on a nature scavenger hunt to find pine cones. Then hot glue some twine for a hanger and add a bow in any color ribbon you want!

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This tutorial is great and paper snowflakes are so classic!!! And inexpensive ;)

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This tutorial is a little more in depth and might take some time but I just love love love this!!

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This one uses birch paper which is super cool but you can use whatever paper you want! Another cheap classic.

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These are so fun to make! I covered mason jars with epsom salt and put candles in them for our wintry outdoor wedding and I loved them so much!

Take away Tips

• Keep it simple and use things around your house/outside to create natural decorations. Get creative! Buy a bag of cranberries (usually on sale after Thanksgiving) and string together a pretty garland.
• You don't have to spend a fortune on Christmas decor! Shop your dollar store for craft supplies and greenery. Take advantage of holiday sales to get your big ticket items like trees (or go cut your own real one!! Usually it's only $10-$20 a tree-or at least around Colorado it is) Costco has huge packs of lights for cheap and usually Walmart does too. Shop around and piece together your look.
• Shop the after Christmas sales for the next year! 
• Have fun! The holidays can be such a stressful time but they don't need to be. Enjoy time with family and friends and don't worry about your home being "magazine/Instagram worthy." Keep it simple and meaningful to you and your family.

Happy Holidays,

Aubrey

Toddler "Hulk" Muffins.

We'll be traveling soon and I bought WAY too much baby spinach and bananas... so I scoured the internet for a recipe I could doctor to my liking. I call these "Hulk Muffins" because of their ridiculous green color!

Things I've learned while making these muffins:

1. I really need a Ninja or Vitamix
2. I would like one of those huge mini muffin pans
3. Purplish-brown batter = green muffins?
4. While little man likes them as is... They are a bit bland, so I may up the spices/fruit next time. I guess you could also add a drizzle of honey, or slap some butter on!

Okay onto the recipe...

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Toddler "Hulk" Muffins  
Dairy free, nut free 

• 2 bananas, mashed
• 2 cups PACKED baby spinach
• 1 cup frozen berries (I used blueberries, blackberries, cherries)
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• couple twists on a sea salt grinder

1) Preheat oven to 350*
2) Blend bananas, spinach, frozen berries, applesauce, and egg in blender 
3) In a medium sized bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt
4) Stir in mixture from blender
5) Fill muffin cups 2/3 full
6) Bake 20-25min until knife comes out clean

Yield: I got 12 regular sized muffins and 7 mini muffins

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I told you... these things are GREEN!

Blend.

Stir.

Combine.

Marvel (haha, get it?) at the unique color!

Cool.

And because I'm guessing many of you are saying - "sure, like any kid would eat that" - here's proof of my little dude enjoying one!

 

Alright, so about that blender. Ninja or Vitamix? ...and go!

-Tay

Giving credit where credit is due: Original Recipe

Fit Friday!- Yoga for Colds.

 

Adrien from Freckled & Free is here to talk about utilizing yoga to help with colds... If you're following my Instagram you'll notice I just posted about easing back into working out with yoga after my nasty cold. Gotta thank little man for bringing it home from the church nursery, hah!

If you're on Instagram remember to hashtag #fitfriday #yogaforcolds and tag @thedaringdandelion @active_freckals. Thanks for taking this journey with us!

-Tay

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Yoga for Colds
Its full swing cold and flu season everywhere, especially here in our home.

So far my daughter and I have had two colds each in just over one months time. I was explaining my cold woes to Tay and she suggested yoga, hey at this point I’ll try anything to kick these cold germs to the curb.

So I did a bit of research and found some moves that best worked for my chest congestion and joint pain that I have been experiencing with these past couple colds. Now if you are experienced yogi you can hold these moves for as long as your body can handle, but for most I recommend only holding these poses for 30 seconds to 1 minute max. You can always repeat the moves but I don’t want you to over-stretch.

Bridge Pose: Great way to open your chest. Make sure when you are in this position pushing your pelvis in the air that you are keeping your knees directly over your ankles. Also, no turning of your head so as not to hurt your neck. I choose to grasp my hands rolling my shoulders together but if you prefer less pressure leave your hands relaxed with palms down and shoulders relaxed on the floor.

Camel pose: Another great even deeper position that will open up the chest and back. If touching your feet is too intense place your hands on your lower back with fingers pointing down and just bend back till you feel the stretch. Keep the weight in your knees to really deepen the stretch. Remember to breathe deep in these poses as well to get the most out of your time.

Bow Pose: Stretches the neck, chest, stomach, and back. Hold your toes or ankles pull and lift as high as you can balancing your weight over your belly button, creating a bow shape.

Child's Pose: I apologize for the super blurry picture but this pose always helps my joints feel better. Great pose for stretching out the hips, thighs, and ankles. I had a lot of joint pain this last cold in my hips. Your big toes should be touching during this pose and knees open and wider than your hips, getting your butt as close to heels as possible while lengthening your arms out in front of you, palms facing down.

Here is a better picture from yogajournal.com...

These poses really helped me with my cold and I hope that they also will help you to find relief from your colds.
~Adrien




Disclaimer: Adrien is a Beach Body Coach, however all the moves listed are done at your own risk. Please ensure that your baby can hold their head up on their own before attempting any of these moves. Be sure to consult a doctor before starting any exercise program. The Daring Dandelion along with Freckled & Free assume no responsibility for injuries that may occur while completing the moves utilized in this workout.

Edenton North Carolina

One of our really good friends is about to deploy and his wife will be headed home for the holidays so we wanted to make sure we got to see them before they both left! Living a state apart doesn't make it incredibly easy, but definitely easier than multiple states/across the country!

We picked a day. Google mapped the "middle" and found a town nearby that offered golfing for the guys and shopping/historic sites for us girls. That my friends is how we ended up choosing "the South's prettiest small town," according to their website. 

We kept little man's morning schedule as close to normal as possible, but it was moved up one hour. We got up, cuddled/played, ate breakfast, changed clothes, and got in the truck. We packed a change of clothes and shoes for all of us along with sweaters in case the weather got funky. Husband and I had our hydroflasks (love them!) and baby his nuby bottle, along with a bag of adult road trip snacks (beef jerky, granola bars, nuts, and Annie's bunnies) and baby snacks. We set up his "command center" with binky attached for easy access, a swaddle for comfort, a couple books, and his current stuffies of choice Panda & Honu. Away we went!

We met at the golf course and the boys checked in for their tee time while us girls took to Facebook (because where else do you get up-to-date event info?) to find events taking place in the area. We ended up at a craft show at the American Legion, even being one of the first 50 to arrive, earning us a "swag bag," haha! We each purchased an adorable handmade nativity scene to put up next month. Then we headed over to the local farmers market where we bought mini pumpkin bread loaves and chatted it up with the locals. 

Once we ran out of "events" we headed to the town Visitor's center which is actually in the Historic Barker House (built in 1782) right on the Edenton Bay. We sat on the porch for a bit, learned about their Tea Party (happened after Boston's), and got the info for the lighthouse tour. We decided to wait for the guys and do the tour together, so we walked Broad Street (basically their Main Street), and ended up popping into the Edenton Coffee House for some chai tea freezes and turkey panini's. After refueling we walked through all the cute shops before we found the Veterans Memorial, pretty cool considering it was the weekend prior to Veterans Day. We received the phone call from the guys that they were done golfing and headed to the visitor's center so we started our walk back.

Once we met the guys in the parking lot it started pouring, the kind of rain that comes in heavy sheets! So we ran into the visitors center so the guys could check it out and we could buy Christmas ornaments. My husband and I, as well as our friends, purchase an ornament from all the places we travel together. Our Christmas tree is basically the story of our travels! We took more photos on the porch, talked about the future, goofed off with the baby, and the rain finally slowed down enough for us to change shoes and head to the lighthouse.

The Roanoke Lighthouse sits directly on Edenton Bay, it was originally in the middle of the Roanoke River and Lightkeepers completed 3mo rotations. The house had a living room, kitchen/small dining area, and two bedrooms, along with a wrap-around porch. Not too shabby if you don't mind being in the middle of a river! It wasn't a spectacular tour, but our guide was funny and gave us dinner recommendations. Plus it was only $3.50/per... After the tour we walked around the Cupola House and Gardens before heading to Waterman's for dinner.

Once dinner ended we said our "goodbyes" but are already looking forward to getting together next year! I gave my friend a "deployment survival kit" with specific orders not open it until after he leaves... My way of being there with her even though I physically can't. That first week is always rough so I hope the items I included can help with the transition just a bit... Maybe I'll do a post on that later... Since my husband drove there, we prepped baby then it was my turn to drive. It was a whirlwind day, but totally great. If our friends are willing to meet us halfway, I don't see us saying "no," because true friendships are always worth making the trip!

Have you ever done a day trip to visit friends?

-Tay

Introducing "Thrifty Trends."

I am so excited to introduce this segment, which will be featured on the 1st of every month. Aubrey is another amazing friend I met in Hawaii who just so happens to be an interior designer! I had asked her a while back if she would be interested in guest posting for me and am so happy she said "yes!" 

Each Thrifty Trends post will show you how to achieve the desired look for less. If you're anything like me, I love getting my money's worth, but I am also stingy with what I spend it on.

I don't drink coffee (I know *gasp!*) but I do love tea... here is a current photo of my "tea bar" (*ahem* tea tray) which unfortunately has to sit on top of the microwave in my extremely-limited-counter-and-storage-space of a kitchen. After reading this post I think it's in need of a make-over!

If you complete a project inspired by her post let us know in the comments, if you use Instagram you can also hashtag #thedaringdandelion #freshlybrewedhome #thriftytrends and tag @thedaringdandelion

After you check out this inspiration post, make sure to pop on over to Aubrey's website [A Freshly Brewed Home] for more tips, tricks, and ideas! 

-Tay

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Coffee Bars are pretty trendy right now and I see them everywhere! Whether you sleepily fill your mug with keurig coffee, use a french press or you have your own espresso machine, an at home coffee bar is a great accent to your home. The key to creating your own is to accent the pieces you use often with beautiful accessories and consolidate everything onto a shelf, cart or other piece of furniture. Find an area in your kitchen or dining room that is convenient and has an outlet close by. Use whatever fits in your space and piece it together as you find things that speak to you. 

If you're like me, you're on a pretty tight budget. However, that doesn't mean that you can't have a beautiful home. This coffee bar I saw as a great inspiration is actually a DIY project that Natalie at Natalie Creates designed herself. She used a really ugly white dresser and painted it this awesome mint color and added some fun knobs to create her coffee bar.

Case in point...use what you can find at Restore, Goodwill or garage sales and use some creativity (and Pinterest tutorials of course) to make it what you want! I pieced together some inexpensive accessories to give you some inspiration that can take a project to a fabulous spot in your home.

1. This clock is $8.99 at Target

2. This tray is $11 at H&M (but I see similar trays for a buck or two at Goodwill all the time)

3. Find free printables on Pinterest for your artwork! (I do this all the time)

4. This shelf is $12.99 from IKEA. If you don't have access to IKEA (sad day) Walmart has cheap ones as well

5. This French Press is expensive (even on sale) but I see these everywhere-Starbucks, TJ Maxx, etc

6. Just another free printable! (Seriously, there's soooo many cuute ones out there!)

7. You can find hooks anywhere (these are $5 for 15 at Lowes) but make sure you find ones that will fit your mug handles

8. This chest is pricey but it's a good option if you don't want to DIY (but seriously, just find an old bookshelf, dresser, desk...anything that is table/counter height and it will work!)

9. This jar is $5.99 at Target and is perfect for storing k-cups or blends (use whatever works for you or what you have around the house...repurpose those spaghetti sauce jars, mason jars and other glass things!)

10. Find some candles, flower pots, bowls, etc to accent the aesthetic in the rest of your house. 

11. These are so great for storing syrups if you make your own. Just a set from Walmart will do (or make your own using empty wine bottles and oil spouts from Amazon). 

Take away Tips:

• Don't clutter the space...just display your favorite mugs and hide the rest in the drawers or bins
• Let it reflect your style...don't use bright pops of color if you love neutrals and don't use vintage accessories if you love modern things 
• There is no right or wrong way to set up your coffee bar. You can make it as big or as small as you want with whatever pieces you like
• Remember the purpose of a coffee bar...I know that as a mama and lover of coffee, I need a place that's easy for me to grab everything I need for a pick me up (or really a wake me up..ha!)

Here is my little coffee bar-nothing fancy at all but it has a couple of my favorite things.

And here's some more inspiration I'll leave here for you all!

~Aubrey

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Source-and a cool tutorial of how they changed the space

Fit Friday! - Challenge Update.

Adrien from Freckled & Free started hosting the Fit Fabulous Fall Challenge on October 2nd.

I forgot to take a beginning photo... but I did take one at the halfway mark and today (technically day 28 for me). I don't know if they show much change, but my legs are definitely feeling it and looking WAY more defined!  

If you're on Instagram remember to hashtag #fitfriday #fffsquatchallenge and tag @thedaringdandelion @active_freckals. Thanks for taking this journey with us!
-Tay

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Fit Fabulous Fall Challenge - Update

So did you do it?

Did you complete the Fit Fabulous Fall Challenge?

I’ll be honest - I got behind and then got my butt kicked with a super duper sucky cold. Eek. So I am only on Day 17 but I will finish this challenge even if it is later than everyone else.

That is the nice thing about exercise, as long as you keep trying everyday to get closer to your goals and never give up, you will eventually reach them.

Here are a list of things I have learned since beginning this challenge…

• My legs, my body are stronger than I imagined.
• I am capable of doing 100 squats in under 5 minutes.
• My daughter loves to watch me workout. Sometimes I hold her while squatting, other times she is on the floor playing but no matter what she is doing, once I begin squatting she squeals and laughs the whole time. She is my favorite little cheerleader! 

I hope you were also able to learn some new things about yourself while completing this challenge. If you have not finished the challenge yet, keep going!
~Adrien

Below is my “Before” picture and me today:

Halfway and almost Done!