New Year! New Gear!

Those sales! Its like my brain is short circuiting and I don't know where to turn. As we flip the switch into the new year, these are some of the items that I am filling my shopping carts with! Here are some of my favorites items for the new year with a healthy twist!

Leggings!
I promise myself everyday that I am not going to wear leggings and then I give in. They are just amazing in every way :) And much easier to chase two toddlers in! I found ones from crisp winter snowflake white to a fun fake leather for a night out on the town! :)

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Detox Tea!
I got a cute little steeping mug for Christmas in my stocking and it has set off a new obsession with loose leaf tea. I found this awesome company in boulder colorado that makes picking out tea like choosing candy out of a candy jar.

http://theteaspot.com/

Skinny Jeans!
Yes, I know these are not at the top of your list right now but they will be. And these are my FAVORITE! They pretty much feel like leggings and you get to order a size smaller. Win. Win. I may also have put this in my wish list. I can't help it. #lovenordstrom!

Lemons!
I really don't make New Years resolutions, but my biggest change this year is going to be my morning routine and drinking lemon water. (Yes I realize I just went from talking about Nordstrom to lemons, but its all about balance right!?!?!)

Check out all the benefits of drinking warm water with lemon in the AM. Pretty doable right?

The Happiness Project Book!

I read this last January and am bringing it out again. I love the simplicity and the message it brings. Plus it is very motivating to kick the New Year off right!

Sugar Paper Weekly Planner!

I am a huge Google calendar fan, but for some reason I have kept all my coaching to-do's and monthly goals hand written. They say if you write your goals down...as in use a pen and paper, you are 80% more likely to accomplish them. I say that is reason enough to buy a cute weekly planner! These are from Target and come in all shapes and sizes. I love it!

New Weights!

I am kicking off a new fitness routine on January 4th. Its still 30 minutes a day but incorporates some heavier weights. Santa stocked me up with 5, 8, 10, 12 and 15 lbs. I'm excited! :) You don't need a lot of equipment to get in a great workouts. These are from Amazon, but used weights at a Play it Again Sports store are a lot cheaper.

I hope this inspires you to do a little bargain shopping this season!

Healthy Holiday Travel Tips!

Its that time of year when travel picks up. I have to admit I am not excited about packing (and we aren't even going that far!) but I always follow a few steps to try to stay on track (and on schedule with the twins) the best we can.

Make a list. 
I have a list for everything, but about a week before (or the night before) I start writing things down that cannot be forgotten.  That way when things get hectic I don't have to think!

Pack Snacks. Lots of snacks.
I always pack snacks. Lots of snacks. I pack everything from pre-packed bags of pistachios, to kind bars to apples and string cheese. I stash it in my purse and my suitcase. (For the girls you can never have enough cheerios and cheddar bunnies!)

Pack then unpack.
A little trick my grandma taught me (who was an expert traveler), is to pack everything you need then take half of it out. I know right? But honestly you never really use everything you bring and its ok to re-use. Its so much easier to get around with less luggage. Plus the chances of you having extra things to bring home is pretty high! (For this I always pack a collapsable bag. You can carry it on the plane and check the rest of your items if needed).

Bring caffeine.
Whenever I get tired, my willpower goes out the window. So I bring my favorite tea to distract me from cravings. Plus the holiday travel always requires a little extra energy!

Plan to go off the plan.
Yep, I know am probably going to have 1 extra glass of wine or a few pieces of chocolate so I try to cut back during the day. Eat a smaller breakfast, skip the carbs in the morning and focus on protein.

Keep moving.
All my workouts are streaming online or on my phone. Or I just go out and run. Just pack a good pair of shoes and you are ready to go! If you can pack a yoga mat. If you can't bring shoes a yoga mat makes about any surface useable. The goal is to move just a little extra. You can even call ahead to some hotels and ask them if they have workout gear to borrow or running paths close by.

Drink water!
Stay hydrated. You'll feel more rested, your skin will have a healthy holiday glow and you will feel so much better. The goal should be to drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water a day.

Relax.
I'm a huge planner, I have backup plans for backup plans, but this time of the year, its OK to just go with the flow and relax :)  Everything happens for a reason right?

Safe travels and happy holidays!

XO -
Holly

Deck the Halls!

We are officially in the full swing of the holiday season. I thought it would be fun to put a collection of pictures of our adventures over the last week, including some of our holiday decorations! (I kind of LOVE decorating for the holidays!)

Adding a little sparkle inside...

And little sparkle on the outside...

And a lot of sparkle all around! Breakfast with Santa and cookie baking! :)

I hope you and your family enjoy this special time!
XO -
Holly

Holiday Gift Guide - Healthy Cooking Cookbook!

I love a good cookbook. Not only because I drool over the pictures but because it always inspires me to take on new challenges in the kitchen and try to change it up in terms of our family meal planning. I decided to combine my love of cookbooks with my love of gift guides and came up with my Healthy Cooking Cookbook Gift Guide for 2015! All family friendly and toddler approved!

Skinnytaste --> For those of you that follow me on FB or have been in my challenge groups, you know I LOVE this cookbook and website. 90% of our family meals come from this amazing site and collection of recipes. We make the butternut squash rolls for the girls all the time and freeze them for when we travel.

100 Days of Real Food --> Eating clean has been a goal of mine this year and this book was recommended by one of my clients. Its great inspiration and easy to follow.

Whole 30 --> Contining on the clean eating path, I love a good challenge and the Whole 30 eating challenge and meal plan is something I have dabbled in and out of all year. This is on my list to finish reading over the holiday break!

Fixate --> This program changed my life and the cookbook is amazing. The turkey chili and the macaroni are delicious!

Practical Paleo --> I LOVE this book. If you have ever been interested in the benefits of Paleo and are just looking for some good healthy recipes, this is the place to start. Its for informative, easy to follow and has a ton of resources.

Picky Palate --> This is one of my favorite bloggers who now has a cookbook. The recipes are amazing and super family friendly. Her desserts are to die for!

Everyday Detox --> A healthy guide to detoxing naturally, all year round -- no dieting, juice fasting or calorie counting. Sold. This is on my wish list and I can't wait to see if Santa brings it! Plus there are over 100 recipes to try!

I hope you are as excited about these as I am ! Happy Shopping!
XO -
Holly

O'Christmas Tree, O'Christmas Tree...

...how lovely are thy branches! We are going on a tree hunt and we are going to get a big one...

Our original plan was to use our artificial tree this year, but then Saturday morning we decided to just go for it and cut one down ourselves. The problem? Most lots were picked over, we are always on some sort of time crunch (i.e. food, snack, nap etc.) and we did not plan ahead! Opps. But it worked out. It was a gorgeous foggy morning and the girls had a blast!

Post nap, these two weren't quite sure what was going on, but they soon got into it! (And yes, I planned these shirts to wear for decorating! Gap kids. Best cotton t-shirts ever.) 

Trying to take pictures of 2 year olds decorating a tree is like chasing a mouse. Just saying...I think Scott and Heather had a little fun too :) 

We tried to take a family pic of all of us and this was the best we got! We were all singing to make the girls smile :)

And with that we are officially done with decorating...I think! I always seem to find something else to do! I will be back later this week with a recap of the rest of our holiday decor!

XO -

Holly

Holiday Gift Guide for Toddlers!

Its the week of gift guides and I am back with my toddler favorites. If you didn't catch my fitness friendly guide, check it out here. These two are into EVERYTHING these days. Sometimes dish towels are their favorite toys, other days they actually sit for 30 minutes and play legos. Here are some of my favorites that are on their wish list :)

I would recommend these items for ages 1-3. Most are not gender specific but a few are just a little girly! I could honestly make a list 100 items long for these two!

Mega Blocks --> We actually already have these and the girls have had them since they were 1. They still play with them all the time and they are the one toy we take everywhere with us. They even went in our suitcase when we traveled to Florida this summer. Everyone loves Legos!

Winnie The Pooh --> Pooh is our current obsession and so are stickers. This combines the best of both worlds. And yes we will be purchasing two because sharing is not something we have mastered!

Puzzles --> Melissa and Doug are my go to favorite puzzles. They are large enough the girls can do themselves, and guide them with learning their shapes and colors.

Tea for Two --> We love Minnie Mouse and a good tea party. I hope Santa brings this for the girls because our current plastic cups have seen better days. Plus it all packs away nicely! (Something this mom appreciates!)

Outfits --> I LOVE buying the girls clothes that look like adult clothes. Old Navy has some amazing deals this year including fur vests, boots and some awesome winter outfits.

Fleece Jams --> You can never have too many "comfy cozy" jams as Savannah says. We live in these. Even in the summer!

Knit Hats --> I just love these. Period. Sometimes a custom Etsy accessory is just what a gal needs!

Mommy and Me Scarfs --> Continuing on my Etsy kick, the girls and I sported these this fall. (Ok so maybe there is one gift on here for me! lol).

Art Easel --> We love crafts. We use a lot of paper and this is a great way to save paper and space. Plus the mess is much more contained.

Happy Shopping!
XO,
Holly

Holiday Gift Guide for your Fitness Loving Friends!

Its that time of year again where my inbox is flooded with sales and gift ideas. I LOVE putting wish lists together and this year put together some of my favorites for your fitness loving friends and family. Here are my TOP TEN favorites for 2015!

Leggings --> I mean you can never have too many! I have been LOVING these Fabletics leggings and have them in EVERY color.

Fit Bit --> I got back and forth using mine, but I do love the motivation it provides. I would recommend the Fit Bit One. I like that you can clip it on your clothing and aren't tied to have it as a bracelet.

Road ID --> Awesome for those outdoor running and biking enthusiasts. Safety is always first right?

Stitch Fix Personal Styling --> What? Yes, because once you feel awesome you want to look awesome and this service has changed my entire outlook on shopping and wardrobe. Just $25 bucks get you your own personal stylist.

Fleece Wrap --> Look stylish and comfy after a long workout. I have 2 of these and already want 2 more. They are so comfy and cute!

Intelligent Water Bottle --> You should be drinking 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water daily. Need a reminder? This is perfect!

Everyday Detox --> The best selling detox / clean eating cookbook around. Amazing inspriration.

Yoga Mat --> Lululemon gets me everytime. This mat is perfect for those winter Yoga / PiYo workouts.

Best Tank Ever --> I have one of these in gray and I wear it 2-3 times a week. It is the most flatter, sweat proof, comfortable workout top I own. Buy one for your secret santa and another for yourself. Athleta also makes t-shirts and long sleeve shirts in the same style...and LOTS of colors!

Workout Partner --> Yes, you can give this gift for under $50 for 90 days!. (Average subscription is $18 a month). Give your bestie 90 days of personalized workouts, coaching, nutrition and meal planning! (Buy a membership for yourself too and keep each other accountable!) The perfect workout partner!

I hope you love these ideas as much as I do!
XO,
Holly

Happy Birthday with F-R-I-E-N-D-S!

Heather turned 17 this week. Hard to believe!

She recently finished watching FRIENDS on Netflix and asked for a FRIENDS themed birthday brunch. We decorated with her favorite quotes and turned our dining room in the Central Perk. It was really fun to get creative and decorate with this theme. 

We also hung quote bubbles all over the house. The kids had a homemade waffle bar complete with a donut tower :)

The best part of the party was the cake (of course!) and a photobooth we setup. It was a great way for Heather to remember her 17th with all her close friends. 

Happy Birthday to Heather! :) I'd say it was a great success! And now I want to go back and watch all the FRIENDS episodes!

XO - Holly