My Favorite SUPER Quick & Healthy Meal - Healthy Choice Power Bowls!

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Healthy Choice.

If you've been following along in 2019, you may already know - but for this year, I've chosen the word REVIVE as my inspirational, intentional word of the year.

Choosing to eat a more balanced diet is definitely part of my healthy/reviving plan in 2019, but if you know anything about me and my food habits - you know I love flavor so I can't just give up all the "good stuff".

Luckily I've found the answer to my flavorful healthy food needs in Healthy Choice Morning, as well as their vegan and vegetarian Power Bowls! Coming in clutch, Healthy choice has created the most epic Breakfast and Buddha Bowls that we all want to eat, rich in fiber and full of quality ingredients - whether you are eating a vegan bowl, vegetarian bowl, or a morning Power bowl, you know you're filling your body with nutritious goodness!

Healthy Choice Morning Power Bowls provide people like us health conscious, quick, nutrient-dense breakfast options. Each flavorful recipe is the perfect mixture of leafy greens, proteins, ancient greens, and steel cut oats. With 10-15 grams of protein and 3-5 grams of fiber, these are the perfect way to make sure you are starting out the day the right way. I was sent the Turkey Sausage and Egg White Scramble and the flavors were delightful and so satisfying. With turkey sausage, egg whites, and veggies all served on to of steel cut oats, farro, and buckwheat and red quinoa with a creamy avocado sauce  what's not to love.

Speaking of love and satisfaction, this year I've learned that veggie-filled meals can be more fulfilling than their counterpart. That's why I'm so stoked these Power Bowls also came in some super delish vegan and vegetarian options like Cauliflower Curry or the amazing bowl I was sent - the Mango Edamame! With so many rich flavors mixing together, 10-16 grams of protein and 7-16 grams of fiber, these Vegan and Vegetarian Power Bowls are lacking nothing and so amazing!

What makes these bowls different? Well, beyond the fact the nutrient rich meals are specially formulated, with each bowl having the perfect base mixture of whole grains (like red quinoa or whole grain barley), leafy greens like kale, chard, and spinach, and proteins - these bowls are actually made of fiber. I mean the actual bowl is plant-based and totally recyclable... truly, every ingredient in these Healthy Choices bowls matters - even the bowl itself!

So tell me, what have you done in 2019 to revise and renew your life? If you're trying to eat healthier this year, I highly suggest you give these delicious Healthy Choice power bowls a try!

Refresh Your Workout in 2019 for just $1 with Planet Fitness!

This post is sponsored by Babbleboxx & Planet Fitness,
regardless all opinions expressed here are completely my own.

As you may have read, in 2019 my goal word is REVIVE. I'm looking to refresh and renew myself in every way - physically, emotionally, within my soul.

On the same token, I'm learning to give myself a break. After all, life isn't perfect, but it is pretty great when I stop expecting perfection.

Instead of stressing about the little stuff, I've already started writing for fun again, I've spent time painting with Delainey, and I've created designs for my creative business that are outta this world. So I'm on the right track.

I've been doing everything I possibly can to have a renewed and grateful outlook on life and I'm learning to appreciate every aspect of it. I can already tell this refreshing disposition has made a difference in myself and the way I treat those around me. But if we are being real, another step I needed to take towards this revived and renewed me was making sure I'm keeping my body active. My mind can't relax enough to accept imperfection without a good workout, it's just who I am.

I've been doing my best to keep up with at-home workout routines, but sometimes a girl just needs a place to do some endurance or strength training and what better way to do that than in a judgement-free, easygoing fitness center like Planet Fitness!

With an environment for "everyday people" like myself, I love that I don't walk into a macho man zone - it's 100% the place for a girl like me to hop in and get a quick, relieving work out in without having to stress about who's watching me or if someone is going to linger too long and make me feel judged. It's like I walk in and I have a huge home fitness center, everyone respects each other and it's never a place I feel uncomfortable - which I can't say about other fitness establishments.

Speaking of uncommon things fitness centers offer... Beyond pizza night or lunk alarms, the reason I love our local Planet Fitness so much is the fact it went SOLAR! That's right, our St. Pete Planet Fitness is solar powered. How epic and eco-conscious is that?

But here's the most refreshing part about joining this judgement free zone this year --- now through January 15th, new Planet Fitness members can join for just a $1 enrollment fee, then it's just $10 a month with no commitment. That means you and I both can start our journey to a new, refreshed, revitalized us for just a $1 this week! Who wants to join with me?

Visit your local Planet Fitness to Get Down with Your Judgement Free Self!

Revive - My Word of the Year in 2019 & 4 Awesome Ways to Refresh Post Workout

This post is sponsored by Babbleboxx, regardless all opinions expressed here are completely my own.

So far in 2019 on social media I've seen a lot of people sharing their word of the year. I'm not sure if I just run in an inspirational circle or if this is a yearly trend I'm just now becoming aware of... BUT I'm loving the idea of letting go of resolutions and choosing to live with a word of intention instead. Setting up goals is great, no matter what you want to call it, but I feel like intentional living is so much more rewarding and beneficial in the long run! Since it seems to be the thing to do I decided this year I also want to live with intention, so I'm choosing a word to live by in 2019...

This year I've chosen REVIVE as my word to live by. As defined in Webster's Dictionary, this word means to "to return to life, become active or flourishing again". I think we all technically know the definition, it's a pretty simple word - but this year it means so much more to me. After years of being wrapped up in my daughter, my creations, and my businesses, I've decided to take some time to really bring life back into myself - mainly so I can be more present and enrich the lives of those around me.

While that may sound a little cheesy, it actually seems to have really made a huge impact on me already. My daily routine feels renewed, my body is enjoying being active, and it's truly refreshing to know that I'm doing things that are not only good for me - but good for my mind, body, soul, and family. Now you may be wondering what I've done to change things up?

Well, it's been a whopping transition across the board. I started with a daily commitment to do yoga, a weekly commitment to eating more well-rounded meals at home, a monthly commitment to be better at time management and to make time for myself, and a lifelong commitment to "flourish" and I'm hoping this commitment makes it so I'm able to help those around me do the same.

While it all sounds like fun and games, the reality is post workout I'm sore more often than not, some days I don't even want anything but cake to eat... and my mind is just tired. Even though we're not even two weeks into my lifestyle change, I've already had to forced myself to feel revived on occasion. On that note, I've been spending time thinking of ways I can easily encourage myself to revitalize after a work out and somehow Babbleboxx just knew I needed these things to reset my resolutions in my life. I feel like I need to share these essentials with you - because we all need to refresh and feel renewed, right?

As I mentioned I'm starting the year off on the right foot by implementing regular work out routines, which not only leave me feeling like I've accomplished something - these work outs also leave me feeling a little sore (in a good, "I did something good for me" type of way)! This Athlete Recovery Sleepwear from Under Armour is seriously the answer to my comfort-wear dreams. This cozy little jumpsuit is powered by Celliant within the fabric which has been determined by the FDA to increase localized circulation, leading to faster recovery.

That's all fine and dandy, but what's it mean? Basically, the fabric returns infrared energy to your body, boosting localized blood flow and increasing the amount of oxygen reaching your muscles to restore your muscles faster! Did you know your pjs could literally help restore and revive your body? Check out these super soft knit Under Armour sleepwear.

I'm also a huge fan of Under Armour undergarments so be sure to take a second to add something cozy to your cart to wear under your romper!

Next on my list of items to refresh your new year, AfterShokz Trekz Air Headphones. These little beauties are legitimately my favorite headphones I've ever used - ever. So comfortable resting on my ear not within and the quality of sound is incomparable. AfterShokz Trekz Air truly are the next generation of headphones - lightweight, allowing safety since you still have an open ear to stay aware of your surroundings, and producing amazing quality sound with bone conduction technology! I've legit never been more excited to share any item on my blog. I've used these daily since they arrived and can't recommend them enough.

From listening to my favorite inspirational podcasts to rocking out to some 90's tunes while working out, the AfterShokz Trekz Air have been a part of my "new me" daily and I have a feeling they'll continue to be a part of my routine for many years to come - built with titanium wherever possible, these beauties are durable and produce amazing sound quality... what else could a girl ask for?

Okay, well, maybe there's a few more things a girl could ask for... like pain relief post-workout! Ha. Y'all know that burn means you are working it good, but no one really likes having to walk like a cowboy the day after leg day. That's where Tiger Balm comes into the picture - helping provide relief for your muscles with penetrating heat. The Tiger Balm Patches providing a relief that can't be found elsewhere with contouring abilities and hydrogel technology, just peel and stick where you need relief the most.

The Tiger Balm Ultra is a stain-free ointment that contains the highest concentration of herbal ingredients to provide pain relief. That means whether your back or your joints or sore, Tiger Balm has the right amount of relief for you... and for me... and lord knows I need it.

The last item that came in this Renewing Babbleboxx was one I've actually used in the past in it's canned form and loved then... and I still love it now in these convenient little powder sticks too. CELSIUS On-The-Go Powder Sticks are basically amazing little pockets of energy. Available in Orange, Berry, Coconut and Cranberry Lemon - to provide you with just the right amount of variety while getting your daily boost. CELSIUS is the perfect on the go pick-me-up and based on my own personal experience it's most definitely just the right amount of torque to get my ball rolling in the mornings and to leave me feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day.

So tell me, how do you revitalize and revive yourself? I'd love to hear in the comments below!

Learn something new daily - 35 new skills to learn today!

Learning something new daily is something that is equally rewarding and entertaining and I totally adopted this habit recently after watching my toddler develop "overnight", she is learning a new skill or task daily, if not hourly - so I figured I'd follow suit.

Interested in picking up a new hobby or learning how to do something new? Instead of having to search for the answers - I've compiled a list of 35 different ways you can learn something new, today, for free!

So what are you waiting for? It's time to get "woke" and learn all kinds of new skills!

Start with 1 and work your way down to master all kinds of fun skills!

Learn how to:

1. Crochet
2. Speed Read
3. Read Music
4. Play the Guitar
5. Speak a new Language
6. Break Dance
7. Dance Disco
8. Give a Speech
9. Negotiate
10. Remember names
11. Take better pictures with your phone
12. Take better portraits in general
13. Take better Photos of Kids
14. Knit
15. Sew
16. Start a Blog
17. Change a Car Battery
18. Draw
19. Build a Fire
20. Give a Genuine Compliment
21. Play Bridge
22. Play Cribbage
23. Play Chess
24. Tie-dye with natural ingredients
25. Unclog a drain
26. Start a simple vegetable garden
27. Make No-Sew Curtains
28. Paint a room
29. Paint furniture
30. Jump start a car
31. Create an Abstract Painting
32. Play the Piano
33. Give a Neck Massage
34. Make Balloon Animals
35. Juggle

Fight the Flu Bug & Cold Viruses with These 4 Easy Tips to Keep You Healthy this Season!

This post is sponsored by Theraflu but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

It's that time of the year - well, there's technically lots of "that's" that I could be referring to... and while I wish this was all about pumpkin pie or christmas lights - today I'm talking about flu & cold season.

That's right, those nasty viruses and bugs are floating around and I'm doing my best to battle them before they hit our house. But, sometimes they sneak in to our house & we are feeling ill before we even realize it.

Instead of waiting it out, anytime I feel a scratch in my throat or start to get a cough - I take it on head first... I'm doing sick differently this year. Want to know how you can battle the bugs this year? Here's my list of ways to make sure you are truly "living your best life":

https://ooh.li/47334f1

1. Sip on this - Theraflu Powerpods are the answer to your sick woes. That's right, there is a new way to tackle the cold and flu season with Theraflu PowerPods — “do sick differently” and get fast relief, brewed instantly. Compatible with almost all single serve brewers, these little babies are literally brewed in seconds and SO valuable for those of us sniffling and sneezing already this season.

Whether you are just feeling it come on or in the thick of it, I suggest you head to Walmart and grab a pack of these handy little cups! Stick one in your brewer - Press. Sip. Relief - it's THAT easy!

They come in a night time formula to help you get some sleep by relieving your severe cold and flu symptoms including nasal congestion, sore throat, cough, headache, body aches and fever. Obviously, please only use as directed.

Want to learn more about these pods? Click here.

2. Use essential oils for everything - Next on my list for battling the cold season is essential oils. We use a variety of oils in our diffuser to keep the air fresh & clean in our house and we even apply some blends to our wrists on the toughest of days.

3. Sanitize after every outing - That's right, we bust out the hand sanitizer or wash our hands after we leave almost everywhere we go. I'm not a germaphobe but I do want to avoid getting sick so I help D learn to keep her hands clean. If we go to the library and do a lot of play time with the toys there, we ALWAYS make sure her hands are clean before we leave. Touching a cart at Walmart? Use the in-store provided wipes and avoid getting anyone else's germs! The way I look at it is, it's easy to clean two little hands or the cart... (or whatever else) but it's definitely not easy being sick.

4. Live healthy - This one may be obvious but a healthy diet & exercise are vital parts of keeping your immune system strong! In our house during flu & cold season we eat extra fruits and veggies and spend more time getting our heart racing - that way we are doing all we can to help our body thrive!

With that said, how do you plan on fighting the flu bug & cold viruses this year? Be sure to check out how Theraflu PowerPods could help you this season!

The Ultimate List of Unique Holiday Gifts for Kids (with discount codes)!

This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com.

I can't be the only one scrambling to find Christmas gifts for those I love... I mean, I have the best of intentions and I always start out on the right path.

I firmly believe as Christmas season rolls around each year that I have plenty of time to get presents under the tree, but as Christmas Eve quickly approaches I inevitably realize I forgot someone super important or as it happened this year, I spent all month searching high and low for the perfect gifts.

If you're in the same boat as me and you just didn't know what to get the loved ones on your list, then I've got news for you. I have, right here, the ultimate list of Holiday Gifts for Kids. We all know Sally your sister's daughter is sweet as pie but she has everything - but does she have a Circuit Scribe Drone Builder Kit? I mean, seriously,  does it get any more epic than building your own drone?

With this STEM-based toy your little worker bee won't even notice that they are learning while creating! Plus, you both can have hours of fun flying the drone up and down with the CSDrone Network app on your phone. While D and I won't be participating in the building of this, I can't wait to share this one of my lovely nieces!

This all-inclusive kit teaches you how to draw the "wires" to the motors with conductive ink & then make cardboard from nothing into something truly extraordinary, a handmade drone! This truly is one of the coolest toys I've seen for bigger kids and well, I think D will be watching over her cousins shoulders as they play with this!

Something that NEVER gets overdone in our house is books - I mean, we had over 100 books in D's library before she was even born, so the fact that we are bookworms is likely not a surprise to most of you. What is a surprise is The Little Red Chicken is back in this sequel to The Interrupting Chicken!

We absolutely love this sweet little read aloud book, The Interrupting Chicken and the Elephant of Surprise is easily a new favorite in our house. If you haven't read it, now is the time! From David Ezra Stein, this book is sure to make everyone in your house giggle as you read it. Want to snag this good read and others? Check out Candlewick.com & use code CANDLEWICK for 25% off (only valid in the US).

I think the gift D and I both loved the most were the sweet treats she now so sweetly cause "Grinch candies". PEZ candy dispensers were totally one of my favorite stocking stuffers as a child and now thanks to Babbleboxx, it may be a new favorite for D. I think adding PEZ Holiday gifts in her stocking will be a new tradition in our house, actually.

While D obviously loved the candy she's pretty keen on that green fella so she loved the fact the Grinch PEZ gift tin is shaped like the Grinch himself.

Then when she flipped it around and saw Cindy Lou Who I'm fairly certain her heart grew even more love for this fun little gift set. With Fred & Max in the box too, she was overjoyed and we both are so excited to see the new Grinch in theaters - I'm thinking maybe it'll be her first "real" movie in a theater!

Speaking of some firsts, these epic craft kits are just what mama was looking for while hunting for gifts for my crafty toddler. The Clothespin Zoo, in particular, is right up her alley!

Helping us create TEN different animals, learning about each one while playing with materials that are familiar and building fine motor skill, these preschool aged kits are a dream come true! I'm so excited for her to open this up on Christmas and really get crafty!

Speaking of excitement, D literally couldn't wait to get into the Klutz Sewing kit. Interestingly, I think she inherited that excitement for thread & needle, my grandmother actually used to sew and even wrote instructional books on needlepoint. Beyond being a crafty author, she also sent the COOLEST gifts every Christmas that were always educational and sometimes would include some of her work (now my Aunt has carried on this tradition).

Between her and my Aunt, I've been blessed with some of the most unique gifts and I must brag for a moment and say both are so gifted at sewing. While my Grandmother is no longer with us and I'm no expert at sewing, I'm so excited to encourage this hobby in my little sweetie. It's a family tradition to learn to sew, so this skill-building kit is just perfect for her. Helping her create while encouraging fine-motor skills is something my paternal grandmother would be so proud of and since it's a plastic needle and it comes with a little "training card" I'm certain D will get the hang of this quickly - imagine that, my two year old will be sewing soon!

Last but certainly not least in our Babbleboxx was this fun little Dumbledore Pop Figurine from Funko's 5 star line and The Illustrated Edition of Harry Potter and The prisoner of Azkaban! D has recently started watching Harry Potter flicks at nap time and she's pretty much obsessed. We both loved that the little figurine brought one of her favorites to life, putting the "magic" in her hands. She can create her own moments  in the Harry Potter universe now and she was delighted that Fawkes the Phoenix was included in the box too, she even called him her friend!

This little figurine was the perfect compliment to the Harry Potter illustrated book! The book is by far one of the coolest things we'll be putting under the tree for D this year, with vibrant illustrations and a cool ribbon bookmark - she's going to love it that one of her movies is actually available to her in book form now too! Want to snag some Funko Collectibles? Check out these deals and use the code "Babbleboxx" to save!

I'm not going to lie, this Babbleboxx was AMAZING! I'm not a kid anymore, but I'm totally excited about everything in this box - so I know the lucky kiddos that receive these gifts under the tree will be delighted as well! So tell me, what is your #1 pick for your kids this year? I can't wait to hear!

Cheesy Potato Balls with Stella - The Most Unique & Delicious Way to Use Left Over Mashed Potatoes

This post is sponsored by Stella® Cheese but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Here's the thing, you probably already know that I'm not so traditional when it comes to life, but I'm truly a little off the wall when it comes to the holidays. As far as our most recent holiday, Thanksgiving - well, if I'm being totally honest, it's definitely not on my list of favorites. Mainly because I don't love turkey and I think we should be thankful everyday, among other reasons. To make up for my lack of turkey lovin', I like to get super creative with side dishes.

This year I went totally left field and made something super unique that I've never made before and that my family seemed to really enjoy - even Miss Delainey loved these, once she finally took a break from playing long enough to eat.

What's so amazing about these Cheesy Potato Balls? Well, to put it simply... everything! These little balls of heaven are perfectly seasoned and just the perfect size to "pop" in your mouth during a holiday party or after a family meal as a little snack.

Filled with the most delicious Stella cheese, this is not only delicious - it's a GREAT way to get rid of left over mashed potatoes from a family meal as well. Have the left over potatoes but need the cheese? Find Stella cheese at a location nearby you using the locator on their website!

Enough about how amazing this recipe is though, here's how you make it -

Ingredients:

4 tbsp Stella Gorgonzola Cheese
3/4 of 8 oz block of Stella Fontinella Cheese
Half of red bell pepper, diced into small pieces
3 minced scallions
5 cups cold mashed potatoes
3/4 cup + 2 tbs of flour
3 pieces of bacon, diced into small pieces
2 eggs, beaten
Oil (for frying)

Heat oil up to 375 in a deep fryer (or a in a pan).

While oil is heating, mix all ingredients together in a bowl.

Form the "dough" into small balls and drop them into the oil a few at a time to not overcrowd the deep fryer or pan. Cook approximately 5 min or until edges look browned and crispy.

ENJOY!