This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
I am loving the Erin Condren Gift Wrap Book. Create an account through my link for $10 off your purchase at erincondren.com.
Category: Lifestyle
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
This simple smoothie is so delicious. With just five ingredients + ice, this smoothie is healthy and easy to make.
This berry smoothie is my favorite for a healthy breakfast or an afternoon treat. The sherbet makes it a little on the dessert side, but I like how the fresh berries and juices give me my fruit serving for the day. It’s super easy to make and is delicious!
You’ll need:
- 12 oz. Raspberry Juice
- 9 oz. Orange Juice
- 1c. Scoop of Raspberry Sherbet
- 1/2c. Scoop of Raspberries
- 1/2c. Scoop of Strawberries
- Ice
Combine all of your ingredients into a blender and pulse until the ice is blended & you have that perfect “smoothie” consistency.
Categories
DIY Home Fragrance
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
I love it when my house smells good — when we’re cooking, or if I have candles burning. I love that fresh laundry smell or fresh ground coffee smell. #allthesmells … but not all at once, obviously.
Recently I’ve been trying to avoid Fabreeze-type air fresheners and traditional candles because of all the chemicals. I don’t want to breathe those toxins just to have a “fresh” smelling house, so I have tried out some homemade fragrance ideas I saw on Pinterest…and this one is amazing. This DIY Home Fragrance is natural and smells amazing!
It’s super simple! All you need is:
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
Foldio – pop up photo studio
I want the Foldio 2 because it’s a little bit bigger and has two sets of lights. I love taking pictures and I would love to have a mini studio for blog pictures or fun close-ups.
My contract is almost up and I would like the new iPhone 6s coming out in September. I thought about getting the plus version, but it might be a little too big for me. I read that the plus had better battery life and a better camera which would be great. I’m just hesitant about the AT&T Next plan. I don’t really want to pay monthly installments for a phone… :/
Green tea – tea daisy
I got a sample of the green tea and I loved it. It’s loose leaf (not in a tea bag) so you have to use a strainer to steep it. Green tea has a ton of great health benefits too, so I definitely will be getting some more soon.
Hypnose Drama mascara – Lancome
My 2015 birthday wishlist includes my favorite mascara. I love how it makes my lashes look super thick and dark. I recently got the waterproof type by mistake and I’m so happy it’s nearly gone because I prefer the regular version.
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
I am currently loving my 2015 Erin Condren Life Planner — making lists and writing down my plans is my favorite way to help me stay organized. I love how the EC Life Planners are colorful and interesting because it helps me to stay excited and motivated about being organized.
Recently, Erin Condren came out with a new layout for the Life Planners — Horizontal Layout. The horizontal layout is more traditional; it’s what all my past planners were — before I got started with my first Erin Condren Life Planner. So when I saw that Erin Condren was offering a Horizontal layout, I knew I would love it. I ordered the Prism Metallic Platinum Life Planner in peacock blue.
I was interested in the metallic planners before, but they only offered maybe three colors with either gold or platinum foil & there was only that one Fleur Feliz pattern. I like the pattern, but the metallic versions are more expensive than the regular planners & it was more than I wanted to spend if I wasn’t in love with the pattern. This year, there was a new cover pattern option for the metallic which I love — Prism.
This order was $75.05 including shipping (the planner was $60; shipping $9.95; tax $5.10). If you’re interested in buying a Life Planner & want a $10 coupon, sign up for an account through my link.
I ordered my new 2016 Erin Condren Life Planner and shipping took forever! There was some sort of delay with the foil printing, so Erin Condren sent me an email update and a coupon for $20 off my next order! Excellent customer service & I didn’t mind waiting because I really can’t use the planner until 2016 anyway. I decided to use my $20 coupon right away and purchase a new Notebook and the LifePlanner Launch Bundle that I was kicking myself for not ordering with my planner initially.
Finally, my Life Planner arrived! YAY!! I personalized it with “MC” for MuffinChanel & I love it. The metallic planners also come with the elastic bands that help to hold you planner closed which is definitely a nice perk. Even though it’s not 2016 yet, here is my Erin Condren 2016 Life Planner Review:
There is a velum + foil sheet next to the inside cover that is such a nice touch — it just makes my planner feel a little more special. I also like how the spot to write your personal info (for if your planner gets lost) is no longer on the inside cover, but on the first real page of the planner. This is especially great if you do change your covers.
One of the very first things I noticed about this new 2016 planner vs. previous Erin Condren planners is that the spiral binding is larger. It still feels super sturdy — not going to bend or come uncoiled in your bag, but now it’s pretty big. Here is a comparison with my 2015 Life Planner.
I love this change because now, I don’t have to clean out my planner of random papers and cards that I am always storing in there. 
I’m loving this watercolor/marble theme and more subdued color scheme. This 2016 Life Planner feels more mature and professional. The month’s quote is on the page before the calendar page.
The Calendar is more simple looking and “clean”. The color scheme is uniform and there aren’t any quotes on the calendar page. The horizontal layout is really clean and nice looking. I love the prism pattern along the top of the page and the subtle ombré. 
I like how there is a lot of space to write each day — a lined section and a small blank area for each day. There’s a section at the bottom right corner of every week for a “Thankful Thought”. Such a great idea.
2016 horizontal layout vs. the 2015 vertical layout
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
We found this Brownie Mix at Trader Joe’s over the weekend and decided to give it a try. I can appreciate a brownie every now and then, but I’d never made any at home. This Trader Joe’s Truffle Baking Mix is super simple and easy to make.
Basically just three ingredients:
- Trader Joes Truffle Baking Mix
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1/2 stick Butter
I also picked up these Trader Joe’s semi-sweet Chocolate Chunks to add. 
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Grease a 9×9 baking dish with butter and spoon in the Trader Joe’s Brownie Truffle Baking Mix!
Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes and let cool for at least 45 minutes.
These brownies were amazing and we will definitely keep a box on hand in case of “emergencies”. 
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
I just completed another juice cleanse (my second), and I am feeling great! Last June I did a Jus by Julie 3-day Juice Cleanse which was alright. There were things I liked and didn’t like about the Jus by Julie, but I did enjoy the “cleanse” part and was excited when my mom told me she had a Groupon for a 3 day cleanse from Juice From The Raw.
What I liked about the Juice From The Raw (aka Juice In The Raw) is that the juices are Organic, Cold Pressed, and Raw. Yay! The Juice From the Raw 3 Day ORGANIC Juice Cleanse – Whenever Cleanse – 18 Bottles
We order the juices to arrive on Thursday for our “Weekend Cleanse”. It’s really nice to do the cleanse with someone else because you can encourage each other and support one another when you might be feeling hungry.
The juices arrived frozen in a cooler bag insider a box. Rock hard frozen. We were starting the cleanse on the Friday so I put all my juices in the refrigerator to thaw. Then realized that it wasn’t going to be enough to have Friday’s juices ready to drink in time, so I left them on the kitchen counter overnight to thaw out. Juice From the Raw recommends leaving them out until they are mostly thawed & then putting them in the fridge to thaw completely.
We each got the Forever Cleanse which I prefer because I don’t care for pineapple or other “fruity” juices that their other types of cleanses include. The Forever Cleanse has the most green juices, a Spicy Lemonade, and a Coconut Juice.
These juices aren’t numbered like other Juice Cleanse bottles are. There is a little card stock included in the box with the recommended order to drink the juices and they have it on their website.
You drink the same set of juices each of the three days:
- Detox Greens
- Detox Greens
- Sweet Greens
- Spicy Lemonade
- Sweet Greens
- Coconut Fusion
My favorites were the Detox Greens and the Spicy Lemonade
These Juice From The Raw juices were really flavorful and filling. I preferred them over the Jus By Julie juices and I would love to do this cleanse again.
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
We went to Sephora’s VIB Rouge “Beauty Before Brunch” event this morning and we had a great time. The Beauty Before Brunch event was an exclusive VIB Rouge shopping event to launch the 15% off spring sale. I attended last year’s spring event, and overall, I would say that this event was better.
I RSVP’d right away for myself and a guest. We arrived today at around 9:30am and they checked us in at a table near the entrance — everyone was super friendly and energetic. I was really fun to be around people who are all excited about beauty, skincare and makeup.
For the Sephora VIB Rouge event there was a small setup of food in the back of the store — way smaller than last year’s spread. It was kind of disappointing, but I didn’t come here for the muffins & bagels…
I already had a list ready to go…with a few minor changes. And I found everything on my list! Yay!
I got the new Marc Jacobs #InstaMarc Light Filtering Contour Powders in 40 Mirage. This was the main reason I went into the store instead of ordering online. The 40 Mirage shade has been sold out online for a while but they said it was available in store. I went to the Marc Jacobs section right away and they were out of this color….I was super sad until I turned around and saw it on a “Contouring” podium. hallelujah!
These powders are so soft and the brush is mega soft, plus the compact is HUGE!!! I can’t wait to use it!
With 15% off, I picked up another Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Foundation. I love the coverage of this foundation and how easy it is to apply. I first picked this up at Sephora’s Spring Sale last year!
I picked up the Dior Lash Plumping Serum as an eyelash primer and I got the waterproof version of my favorite mascara — Lancome Hypnose Drama!
I’m really happy with my purchases and the sample baggie we got. Great customer service today as well — really makes VIB Rouge feel a little extra special. We got a ton of awesome samples and color matched for two great foundations. Everyone was awesome today and I’m really happy we went.
What did you pick up today? Or what will you be getting during the sale? 🙂
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
Erin Condren just released new Notebooks! So exciting! I love my Erin Condren Life Planners so much but I was really interested in one of the new notebooks for just jotting down quick ideas, making lists (I make a lot of lists), and planning larger events/goals.
There are two versions of the Erin Condren Notebooks — the Keep It Simple ($22) and the Deluxe ($35). You can choose to get the Keep It Simple version or the Deluxe version in either 7″x9″ or 8.5″ x 11″. Use my link to create an account for $10 off.
Both versions have a snap-in ruler, 66 sheets of college-ruled pages, and 10 pages of blank pages. They also have the aluminum coil that the Life Planner has and will accommodate interchangeable covers as well.The Deluxe version has a few extras — stickers, folder pocket, and a ziplock pouch.
I chose the 8.5″ x 11″ Keep It Simple version in hot pink with white lettering in the X Prism style.
The box was larger than the normal Life Planner size to accommodate my large notebook.
My Erin Condren Notebook was covered in bubble wrap and bright purple tissue paper.
I love the 8.5″ x 11″ size for my Erin Condren Notebook. It is a nice standard size that is easy to handle.
My Life Planner looks like a baby next to my new Notebook! They are both so pretty; I’m so excited to start using the Notebook.
The pages are lined with cute colorful accents on the corners and borders.
The blank pages in the back also have super fun boarders and colors.
Are you getting/have you already gotten one of the new Erin Condren Notebooks? I’m loving mine!
Also, the Life Planners are now 40% off. If you are interested in trying them out, they’re only $20 when you use my link to make your account! See my Review of the 2015 Erin Condren Life Planner.
Categories
Fitbit ChargeHR | REVIEW
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
Like the Fitbit Flex I had before, The Fitbit ChargeHR is a fitness band that mainly tracks your steps and is a motivational tool to help you be more active throughout the day. The Fitbit app for the phone and the main dashboard on the website are very user-friendly and make it easy to monitor your progress during the day.
I’ve had my Fitbit Charge HR for just over three weeks now and I’m ready to give my review! The Fitbit ChargeHR comes with a USB charging cable and a wireless syncing dongle.*
Design
The Fitbit ChargeHR has textured wristband that is soft and smooth underneath. The band is .83 inches wide & has a watch-clasp closure that feels very secure. 
The display is larger than the Fitbit Flex display and will show your daily activity stats and real time heart rate.
Sizing
I got the Fitbit ChargeHR in size Large. There is a sizing guide on Fitbit’s website to help you determine the best size for you. I picked the Large size because Fitbit recommends wearing the ChargeHR higher up on your wrist for a more accurate heart rate reading. They suggest about 2-3 finger widths above your wrist bone which is pretty comfortable to me. I probably could have been great with the Small size band — I’m wearing the Large at the 3rd to tightest hole in order to wear it higher on my wrist.
Charging
The Fitbit ChargeHR was about 50% charged out of the box. I fully charged it before using it and the battery lasted about 4.5 days before I got an email to let me know the battery was low. I’ve consistently gotten between 4-5 days between charges. Charging the ChargeHR takes about 1 hour. The charger plugs into any USB power source and then into the underside of the Fitbit ChargeHR display.
Interface
There is a small button on the left side of the display which lets you toggle through the time display, daily steps, distance walked, calories burned, stairs climbed, alarms, and heart rate. You can customize what categories are displayed and in what order they appear. You can also set a shortcut for a specific display by double tapping the Fitbit ChargeHR. I have mine set to display the heart rate since that was what I was most interested in purchasing the ChargeHR.
Sleep Mode
I really thought the sleep tracking data from the Fitbit Flex was great, and I think it’s even better with the ChargeHR. The ChargeHR automatically records your sleep without having to do anything. With the Flex, you had to tap it to tell it you were going to sleep, but the ChargeHR detects it on it’s own & it’s super accurate. The ChargeHR will tell you how long you slept for and how many times you were restless in the night. It’s awesome.
Heart Rate Monitor
The heart rate monitor is accurate. I compared it with a pulse counting app and each time it is within 10 BPM which is great for me. The Fitbit ChargeHR uses LED lights to reflect off your skin to detect changes in your blood. When your heart beats, your capillaries expand & contract, the ChargeHR measures those changes with special algorithms to display your heart rate.
The display shows you live heart rate monitoring and what “zones” you’re in while working out. The three zones — Fat Burn, Cardio, and Peak — are calculated based on a max heart rate of 220 BPM minus your age, but you can adjust it and make your own custom zones. I like to check my heart rate and see how intense my workout is.
Workouts
If you press and hold the side button, the Workout mode will begin and track your exercise activity. I like to review the workout data because it isolates your heart rate data for the workout and helps me stay motivated throughout the day. My workouts are mostly jogging/running so the Fitbit ChargeHR is tracking my steps as well.
Overall, I love my Fitbit ChargeHR. The heart rate monitoring is the main reason to get this fitness band; it’s accurate and easy to view your data. The band is comfortable and it has good battery life. The sleep tracking feature is better than before and also very accurate.
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
I’ve had the Fitbit Flex for just over a year and a half and I’ve loved having a lightweight fitness band to track my steps and help me stay motivated about staying active. When I heard about the new fitness bands from Fitbit, I was curious. I’ve always been interested in tracking my heart rate, but I didn’t think a chest strap monitor was right for me. So, when I saw that Fitbit had a new fitness band that could track heart rate — the ChargeHR and the Surge — I thought this would be perfect for me.
I started researching the Fitbit ChargeHR but I wasn’t getting all my questions answered. How accurate is the heart rate monitor? How often do you need to charge it? How can I transfer my data from the Flex to the ChargeHR? I kept checking my local Target to see if they were available (at fitbit.com, there is an 8-10 week backorder) and I got very excited when I found the Fitbit ChargeHR at Target yesterday. I decided to buy it today and here are my first impressions.
I bought the Fitbit ChargeHR in Large in the color black. I thought I might like the Plum color, but it wasn’t available in store and the Plum display band seemed a little to pink for my liking. I plugged the ChargeHR into my computer to charge it while I went through the setup process.
Some of the first things I noticed:
- They band is soft and textured. Unlike the flex which feels more rigid and smooth.
- There is a regular watch band with a latch. The Flex had the pin locking closure.
- The display is clear and large and the Flex’s screen was minimal with the 5 display dots.
I synced up the Fitbit ChargeHR very easily through my computer and Fitbit asked me if I was replacing the Fitbit Flex. I clicked “Yes” and that was it — all of my data was ported over very easily. The entire process took maybe 7 minutes. I’ll do a side by side comparison post soon between the ChargeHR and the Flex.
The Fitbit ChargeHR was 50% charged out of the box, and just having it plugged into my computer while I did the setup, took it to 100%.
I then wore it for a treadmill workout to see what the heart rate monitor was like. I ran for 30 minutes and the heart rate seemed very accurate. I also have a Heart Rate monitor app for iPhone that has you key your pulse beats for 10 seconds and it tells you you BPM. Both heart rate numbers were with in 5 BPM each time I tested it.
The band was very comfortable during my workout. Fitbit recommends wearing the band higher on your wrist for more accurate heart rate results. I wore it about 1.5 finger lengths from my wrist bone. I’m excited to see more of my heart rate data throughout the week.
A more in depth review to come after I’ve had time to really use the Fitbit ChargeHR for a while. Let me know if you have any questions so I can include them in my review post. So far, I like the ChargeHR and it’s very comfortable. 🙂
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
This breakfast sandwich is incredible easy to make and it tastes great. You can make this in the mornings before school or pre-make a week’s worth and warm them up before you head out the door!
Ingredients
- fresh baby spinach
- 1 egg
- chopped onion
- 1 english muffin (toasted)
- shredded cheese (try pepper jack for extra spice!)
- salt + pepper
- cooking spray
sauté the onions and spinach until the spinach is slightly wilted and the onions are translucent.
Add the cheese and stir until slightly melted
Add your egg, and scramble all together
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add your spinach and egg to the top of your english muffin and place the other half on the top to complete your sandwich.
And you’re done! So easy and delicious. I like to cut up some fruit to eat on the side as well.
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
I like to plan ahead. If my gas tank in at the halfway mark, I’m planning my next trip to the gas station. I like to do things on my terms. I won’t wait until the gas indicator light comes on and be forced to go out of my way to get gas when it might not be convenient, but have to or else my car wont run. My future self always appreciates my present self getting gas before it’s an emergency. It’s a simple way of being in control of your life.
A huge way to take control of your life is to wake up early. Most of us have obligations in the day — work, school, other responsibilities — with so much going on, it can be hard to get up earlier than necessary. I’ve found, however, that setting an alarm just a little earlier can be all the difference in setting the tone for your day.
How many times have you pressed the snooze button on your alarm for 10 more warm minutes snuggled in bed? You may have gotten 10 more minutes in dreamland, but now you are rushed and running late for school. It can be hard to train your body to wake up earlier, but you will be more prepared and relaxed throughout the day.
If you set your alarm just 15 minutes earlier and get up out of bed, you are telling the day that you are in control. You aren’t waiting around for the alarm to tell you what to do — YOU are choosing to get up earlier and you are in control. Get in the habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time, even when there is no obligation to get up. Your body will appreciate the consistency and you will be more productive.
With your extra 15 minutes in the morning, think of all you can do!
- Yoga/Stretching – Just 15 minutes of stretching can help blood flow and keep your body limber. Any kind of activity in the morning will encourage activity throughout the day.
- Go for a walk – a 15 minute walk can help you wake up, but also be a good way to clear your mind and sort your thoughts.
- Meditation – Focusing on your body and your breathing can be so therapeutic. Meditation helps memory and reduces stress. Spending 15 minutes in the morning to center yourself can help you be more productive throughout the day.
- Make breakfast – hopefully, you are already eating breakfast everyday. But with 15 extra minutes, you can skip the Pop Tart and make yourself some oatmeal and fruit.
Just taking 15 minutes in the morning to take control of your day will set you up for success! Give it a try and your body will thank you.
This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here
Happy New Year! Time for a fresh start and new goals. So many people make unrealistic resolutions and get discouraged before they even start, but if you make the right kind of goals, you will be sure to achieve anything you set your mind to.
So how can you make sure your goals are attainable and ensure your success?
SMART goals! You might have heard of this concept in school or at work, but you can apply it to your personal goals as well. SMART is an acronym to help you define your objective in a way that sets you up for success.
What is a SMART goal?
- Specific – get detailed about what you want to achieve
- Measurable – quantify what success is/set up a method to measure progress
- Achievable – how can you make your dream a reality? what needs to happen to reach your goal?
- Realistic – be honest with yourself about how much work you are willing do do to reach your goals.
- Timely – set up some time specific deadlines
These five factors can help you formulate goals that you can reach and feel proud about. Think about it, a lot of people say, “I’m going to start working out in January so I can lose weight.” How long does that resolution last? It depends on the person, of course, but the goal is so vague, it can be easy to rationalize and say, “I have done two workouts this week, so maybe I’ll just take the day off and start up again tomorrow.” One day off turns into two and it’s hard to get back on track.
Say instead, that you made a SMART goal about working out — “I’m going to do 4 workouts a week; 1 weight training, 1 yoga, and 2 running for at least 45 minutes each time so that I can do 50 pushups and run 5 miles by the end of the year. I’d like to be able to do at least 25 pushups and run 2.5 miles by July.” This goal is very SMART; it’s Specific about what these 4 workouts are going to be each week. The goals are Measurable and Timely — “50 pushups and 5 miles by the end of the year”. I know what I’m working towards and I know that I can make it if I keep up with my plan — Realistic and Achievable!
Set yourself up for success this year and make your resolutions SMART!