Fit Friday! - Leg Day Challenge

It's been a long week... on Tuesday Little Man and I had an 11.5hr travel day. 3 flights, 2 huge storms, rude people, not feeling well, etc. So the past two days were pretty much "recovery." I also got busy this morning and lost track of time, missing the Stroller Aerobics class at the gym, good thing I opened up my e-mail and this little baby was inside!
-Tay

As always, if you use Instagram don't forget to tag 

@thedaringdanedlion @active_freckals and this month #legdaychallenge

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Bringing back the Alphabet Challenge but this time we will be focusing on your bottom half. So spell out your full name with the alphabet below and GET TO WORK!

Remember you can break up the final total through out the day to make it more manageable. Don’t forget to take pictures then tag us @thedaringdandelion and @active_freckals to let us know you are following along!
~Adrien

Reaching Out

I hate being the "new girl" but inevitably I am every few years. New state, new city, new base, new roads, sometimes a new language, and always... always... new faces. 

Before we got married, I remember packing - well cramming - everything I owned into my Mazda 3 and making the grueling drive across the country with my dad. It was great for us, we bonded, stayed in crappy hotels, saw amazing things, and even went up inside the St. Louis Arch. The trip didn't change me, the day my dad left did. I was alone... my soon-to-be husband was at work, and I wasn't in Arizona anymore!

We flew back to get married but afterwards it was the same old story. Lucky enough for me one of my husband's friends and co-workers had a great wife! She invited me over, we went out to lunch, she let me get us completely lost then pointed me in the right direction, she went to the commissary with me for the first time, and we bonded really well. Later they threw a BBQ and there I was introduced to a bunch of the other Marine wives... now everyone didn't welcome me with "open arms" to say, but eventually I became good friends with most of them, which is quite a feat with a group of women, can I get an "amen?" Haha!

About 5mo into my time in Maryland a new wife from my husband's company arrived, she actually moved in one street away from me. I went over to say hello and from there I became the girl who invited her over, took her out to lunch, etc. She was also pregnant and when I found out she hadn't had a baby shower... that just wouldn't do, so I opened my home, planned the whole thing, and threw her a shower.

The majority of us have now left Maryland... Some (like myself) have already PCS'd again!  We are now in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Texas, and Virginia... but we'll never forget each other and the things that were done for us. From my second duty station I have friends back in Maryland, New York, California, North Carolina, Florida, Oregon, Colorado, Hawaii, Germany, Japan, and England (probably a few more I'm forgetting)! 

I tell you all of this to say- reach out! Don't let the "new girl" mope around in her house, be alone, and have to learn everything all by herself. Honestly, who wants or should have to do that? 

Obviously you won't stay in touch with everyone you meet. My super close friends are actually from our time in Hawaii rather than Maryland... but I am so thankful for my learning experience there. So please reach out, because who knows, your next best friend or deployment sister could be waiting!

-Tay

Almond-Coconut Cookies.

Cookies are so much fun to bake and my little man loves to help mix, clean the beaters, and watch them in the oven. These cookies are great since they are vegan and he can safely eat the batter, gluten free, and refined sugar free!

Besides my peanut butter cookies these are becoming a staple in our house and are in their way there in our friends homes as well!

Almond-Coconut Cookies

Gluten free, vegan

* ¾ cup almond flour, firmly packed 

* ¼ cup coconut flour, firmly packed 

* 1 heaping teaspoon baking soda

* ½ teaspoon sea salt

* Dash cinnamon 

* ½ cup coconut oil, melted

* ¼ cup maple syrup

* ¼ cup honey

* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

* 1 cup dark chocolate chips/chunks

1. Mix together almond and coconut flours with the baking soda, salt and cinnamon. 

2. Pour in the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, honey, and vanilla extract

3. Stir in the chocolate chunks

4. Preheat oven to 350*

5. Place dough in freezer for 10-15min (I mix my dough in the kitchen aid so I just place the whole bowl in the freezer)

6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

7. Roll dough into 1in balls and place 1.5in apart from each other

8. Bake for 12min

9. When you remove them from the oven leave on the baking sheet for 5min then carefully slide parchment paper onto a cooling rack - the cookies are fragile but completely firm up once cooled (however they are delicious and ooey-gooey out of the oven!)

10. Store in an airtight container in the counter for up to 1wk

Yield 24-36 cookies depending on how evenly you roll the cookies.

Thrifty Trends - Sprucing Up Your Laundry Room

This post is so refreshing considering this is what I deal with on the daily...

We're renting and the laundry is located below the stairs, across from the half-bath (which I actually stood in for the photos since the hallway is only wide enough for the bathroom door to swing open!). Aubrey even caught me on laundry day- so real life photo post of my laundry mess! My favorite thing about my laundry room closet is the sign above that I've had since 2011, haha! Someday when we purchase a house, I'll know exactly what I want after living in a new place every 2-4yrs!

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 @aubreylouiseb

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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Let's be honest, doing laundry is hardly anyone's favorite thing to do... but everyone has to do it so we might as well make it a pretty space! If you're like me, you hate spending a lot of money on decor especially for something that is to fit a specific space when you know you'll be moving in the future. But that doesn't mean you don't have to do anything to a room...small details likes rugs and wall art make a huge difference! Invest in pieces that you know can work in other spaces so that you can play Tetris with all your decor when you move.

Now I know not everyone has a laundry room with a sink or cabinets or room for large bins (heck, mine is literally a closet with bi-fold doors and a stack of builder grade shelves) but you can still make your room (or closet) a space that functions well. Here are a few thrifty tips on how to get a functional and beautiful laundry room.

1. Find a mailbox like this one here for $12.95 to put lint and small trash in (or just use a small basket)
2. Free printable from Pinterest put into a frame
3. Another free printable from Pinterest
4. Get two hooks from Lowes at $3.97 each, mount them on a scrap piece of wood to create a cool ironing board holder that hangs on the wall
5. Install a towel bar (cheaper than a curtain rod) like this one underneath a cabinet or just on the wall for a place to hang clothes
6. You can get glass jars like this at Walmart for $5.89 or you can find similar ones to mix and match at thrift stores (usually for just a buck or so). When you store things like laundry detergent, clothespins or oxi clean in them, it automatically makes them look fancier!
7. Use storage baskets like this for $12.99 at H&M and this for $15 at Target for storing towels, missing socks or just keeping your dryer sheets and Tide to-go sticks out of sight
8. Cover a sink front with a homemade fabric curtain to hide buckets and other utility items. I liked this particular fabric which is $8.99 for a 5'x5' piece at IKEA. Or visit your local craft store and raid the clearance bin for cute fabric. Buy some iron-on hemming tape (typically a buck or two) for a no-sew hack.
9. Use a storage bin or two to sort laundry
10. Don't forget to add a rug like this one from Wayfair for $45. A sturdy indoor/outdoor one would probably be best in a utility space but if standing on a fluffy rug would make doing laundry feel fancier, then get one!

Here is the inspiration photo that I used. Tracy at Right Up My Alley used some DIY hacks and simple little changes to update her laundry room and made it a bright and cheery little space. I love that she framed a little sweatshirt that all of her girls wore when they were babies...so sweet!!! And such a great idea to make personal art!

I also love how she chose to store her ironing board...brilliant! And her chandelier is great. Most people I know that rent, can't change their lighting...but if you can, please do! It makes such a difference. Find an old chandelier at your ReStore and spray paint it. Tracy added beads to hers and I love that detail.


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I know everyone has different taste and styles so here are a few more inspiration photos of beautiful and functional laundry rooms. They don't need to be anything fancy, I promise!


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There are a few things these spaces have in common...rugs, shelving, a space to fold clothes and a rack to hang items after they're washed. Add in some meaningful or funny artwork, some storage baskets and containers and your laundry room can turn from boring to beautiful! You don't have to spend a fortune to make your space more fun...go "shopping" in your own home and go explore your local thrift stores. Find some fun pieces and you'd be surprised how much of a difference a rug, some artwork and glass containers can make!

Happy Decorating,
~Aubrey

You can find me here:

My Website

(where I post inspiration photos daily)

and

Instagram

Fit Friday! - Stroller Leg Workout

Thanks to a nasty stomach virus Friday was pretty much a blur... and I completely missed posting this (last) week's Fit Friday, I sincerely apologize (especially to Adrien!), but I promise it's still great! So... since today is a day off from work for many, if you can get outside or to an indoor track if it's raining/snowing like it is for me, this is going to be a fun workout for mom (or dad) and baby/toddler!
-Tay

As always, if you use Instagram don't forget to tag 

@thedaringdanedlion @active_freckals and this month #strollerlegworkout

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Like many families out there, ours is a one-car family, and we simply cannot afford for me to have gym membership. So workouts have to either be quiet enough to happen during baby girls naps or they have to be baby friendly. Not to mention my husband and I also really missed being able to run with each other. So after much research and asking my fellow mom friends their thoughts on different types we decided to invest in a jogging stroller.

Best decision ever. I get to go running at least 2 times a week (more when we all go) and my daughter gets to see her parents stay healthy and active. Plus she loves being outside so she really enjoys the rides.
~Adrien

Freckled & Free

Below is a short stroller workout you can add to your walk or jog.
Take pictures of you working out with your little loves and tag us on Instagram
@active_freckals and @thedaringdandelion

 
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.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Hearts

Reese's are like my favorite "candy bars," with PayDay's in a close second... But I also want cleaner ingredients so I found Detoxinista's recipe and used some IKEA silicone ice molds for a spin. You may have all the ingredients in your pantry right now (the only truly "unique" ingredient is coconut flour)! I just made these for my family and neighbors to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Peanut Butter Hearts (or balls/any other mold you have):

Gluten free, vegan
Filling

1/2 cup natural peanut butter, I used chunky because I don't mind the crunch

2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

1 Tbsp coconut flour

Coating

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

1/2 tsp coconut oil

Melt the dark chocolate chips and coconut oil together, if you are using molds put a layer in the bottom.

If you aren't using molds...

Combine peanut butter, maple syrup, and coconut flour together, you can roll into balls/shape hearts and place on waxed paper. Use a fork to dip the balls into chocolate (or just drizzle over the top - you may need more chocolate to completely cover them).

If you did use molds, place the peanut butter mixture on top of the chocolate.

You can pop them in the fridge or freezer to speed up the setting process.

I hope you enjoy!
-Tay

DIY Watercolor Prints

I'm going to come out and say it... Pinterest has made motherhood ridiculous.

Okay, now that that's off my shoulders I have an EASY toddler friendly craft for you. Just be smart and buy washable water colors and know that there will be paint on the baby, the floor, and possibly the wall next to the stairs (I still can't figure that one out, he's a magician I guess).

Here's what you need:

- Cardstock Paper (I actually used thick sketch paper)

- A white crayon

- Washable water color paints

- Thick paint brushes for little hands

Optional: newspaper in attempt to contain the mess!

Steps:

1) Draw your designs on the paper, make sure you have GOOD lighting, especially if you want to go over the same area a couple times to thicken up the design. I did this the night before after I put my son to bed.

2) Set-up your paint station.

3) Wet brush, and dip in paint.

4) Show toddler how to paint the paper.

5) Randomly trade out brushes with new colors.

6) Just go with the mess!

The beauty of these are that you can change the designs for any time of the year... Spring flowers, fall leaves, etc. 

Don't have kids? That just means your watercolor art can be "perfect." Think color gradients, even and matching strokes, non-soaking wet paper, haha!

These Valentine's are on their way to family all over the country (hopefully they already arrived so we don't blow the surprise!), if you make some please share with me either in the comments below or on Instagram by tagging @thedaringdandelion.

Happy painting!

-Tay