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You get a once-in-a-lifetime dog… and Bella is m

You get a once-in-a-lifetime dog… and Bella is mine. 🐾
I fiercely loved this little dog for her entire life. All 14 1/2 years. And I’m going to miss her with my entire heart until we can be together again one day. We lost her on Friday and the emptiness is crushing. She brought so much joy and love into our home and I'm so thankful that we had each other. Sharing more on the blog this morning, but I wanted to say thank you to all of you who have reached out and sent prayers for this sweet, sassy girl. I hope she's sitting on my Tata's lap watching golf right now, sprinting with the big dogs, and eating whole rotisserie chickens. 💕

Sweet Bell. My "person." 🐩 🐾 Just this week

Sweet Bell. My "person." 🐩 🐾
Just this week, our sassy chicken-loving fur baby was diagnosed with a type of sarcoma- a large metastatic tumor that's invaded her eye, the bones in her face, her nasal cavity and is now in her jaw and ribs. In the past three days, I’ve cried until I was sure I had no more tears left. I think I’m ok for a little while and then before I know it, tears are once again streaming down my face uncontrollably. My heart is literally broken and this feels like something too cruel and unfair even for 2020. I can’t imagine life without Bella and it’s a horrible reality I’ll have to know sooner rather than later. She’s been there with me my entire adult life: through major life events and changes. We call Bella “the healer”- she always knows when you’re sick or sad.
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The only thing that’s brought me a tiny bit of comfort during this week has been the fact that I’ve never taken her for granted. I’ve always told her and shown her how much I love her and how much she means to me. I remind myself that the intense grief I feel is a small price to pay for the endless joy and love she’s brought into our lives.
We're determined to make the most of the time she has left and spoil the heck out of her. (Caro is also enjoying the whole "eat whatever they want" thing that's happening right now. Salmon, turkey, chicken for days, and lots of eggs and bacon with their dog food.)
Sharing a full update on the blog this am. Thank you for those of you who have sent heartfelt DMs and emails to check in on Bella. I appreciate it more than you know. 💕

Sometimes you just need a little sweet treat 🍫

Sometimes you just need a little sweet treat 🍫
(Or something you can make and leave a ton of the batter in the bowl for yourself... anyone else do this?)
Sharing this quick and delicious gluten-free dessert up on the blog today! What's your go-to when you want a little sweet treat? 🤗

Crunchy almond butter chocolate bars
Ingredients:
5 cups puffed brown rice cereal
1/3 cup coconut butter
2 tablespoons butter (or vegan butter)
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
2/3 cup smooth almond butter (or nut butter of choice)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extra
Big pinch of sea salt
1/2 bag of chocolate chips for dipping

Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper. Pour the brown rice cereal into a large bowl.
In a small saucepan, heat the coconut butter, butter, cocoa powder, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt on medium-low heat until smooth and creamy.
Pour the mixture onto the brown rice cereal and gently stir to coat.
Gently press the mixture into the baking dish and set in the fridge to harden, about 1 hour.
In a glass bowl, microwave the chocolate chips for 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth and melted.
Remove the bars from the pan, using the parchment paper, and cut into 24 pieces. Dip each bar into the melted chocolate and place back on a parchment-lined serving platter or the baking dish to set in the fridge.
Serve and enjoy! 🌟

GIVEAWAY TIME 🎉 My friends at @embracescarthera

That one time when lunchboxes almost made me cry:

That one time when lunchboxes almost made me cry:
I ran into the grocery store and was bombarded by back-to-school lunch supplies...and my heart stopped. I grabbed the few things we needed, on the verge of dinosaur crying the entire time. I wanted to be packing little lunches this week. Labeling personal items, washing new uniforms, and sharing the excitement for the kids to be reunited with their beloved friends and teachers. Instead, I'm scrambling through digital class links, combing through emails for details that aren't there, and just generally overwhelmed.
We put a smile on our face while we navigate these scary and unknown times with our kiddos. We don't know what's happening and how long it will last. But here we are, going on nature walks, having kitchen dance parties, making pizza at home, shielding our babies from the weirdness of it all. Some parts are beautiful, some parts are horrible, and a lot of it is simply exhausting.
Hang in there, friends. 💕

Yep. We’re all set. 🍷

Yep. We’re all set. 🍷

It's always interesting to see that the top search

It's always interesting to see that the top search terms that lead people to the blog often have nothing to do with fitness, like: guinea pigs, baby food (still one of the most popular after 8 years!), potty training, gallbladder and... divorce. 😳

It shouldn’t surprise me. I mean, the Pilot did have a mysterious 7-month absence from the blog while he was deployed. Plus, social media so often only presents the highlight reel which often leaves people guessing about what’s really going on behind the scenes. The reality is: maintaining a functional relationship is really challenging! The Pilot has been traveling consistently for years, and I’m trying to balance primary caretaker with my work here (while the kids are at home).

The struggle is real, but we make it work. Why? Because we’re dedicated to not giving up. We listen to each other, make time to do things together, and put in the maximum effort to ensure the best possible balance between work, family, and our relationship. There are times when one of us gets run down, so the other recognizes it, and steps it up. It’s not always pretty, but we’re always thankful we fight for each other. Sharing more about this up on the blog this am (link in stories). Cheers to finding a partner that is equally weird and equally dedicated to our love and our family. 💕💕💕

GIVEAWAY for a $250 athleisure gift card has ende

GIVEAWAY for a $250 athleisure gift card has ended! Huge congrats to @hazelspf3!! Stay tuned for more giveaways coming soon! 🎉

Jackfruit is one of my favorite vegan meat substit

Jackfruit is one of my favorite vegan meat substitutes. (Not a vegan - I just like vegan food!) It's simple, like a blank canvas, and doesn't contain any sketchy ingredients. 🙌🏻 It's just jackfruit! 😍
My fave way to enjoy this is by making jackfruit carnitas into a giant burrito bowl. 🌯 🥘
Here's how to make the jackfruit carnitas:
Ingredients:
* 20 oz jackfruit (brined in water), drained and shredded
* 1/4 red onion, small diced
* 2 cloves of garlic, minced
* 1 teaspoon oregano
* 1 tablespoon orange zest 🍊
* Juice of 1/2 orange
Saute on the stovetop for about 7 minutes, until fragrant. Then pop it under the broiler on a lined cookie sheet for about 10 minutes until the edges are crispy! 💃🎉
To serve, I like it with cilantro lime cauliflower rice, fajita veggies, black beans, guac, salsa, lime wedges, and cilantro. Super easy and leftovers are even better. 🤓
Have you had jackfruit before? What's your fave recipe? It makes awesome shredded BBQ "meat," too.

Friendly reminder to take time each day for someth

Friendly reminder to take time each day for something you enjoy - something just for you, even if it's only 5 minutes. ☕️😴🧘🏻‍♀️📖

For me, things I used to do regularly without thought have turned into this beautiful act of self care. Before the world turned upside down, I didn't think twice about getting in a fitness class, meeting a friend for a cup of coffee or glass of wine, going shopping alone, or reading.

Now things are obviously a bit different, so I try to schedule something to look forward to each day. Maybe it's a bath, a short restorative yoga class, reading on the patio while the kiddos play, watching 20 minutes of Netflix before bed (Down to Earth is SO good!!) or even taking time to make a "real meal" when it's really much easier to pour chocolate chips out of the bag. 🤫😬😬

Nurture yourselfsome way each day, even if you don't have a ton of time. It's worth it for mental health and happiness, especially when we're living in this Groundhog's Day situation. 💕

xoxo

Sunday morning vibes 🍳 🥓 ☕️

Sunday morning vibes 🍳 🥓 ☕️

This photo was taken when quarantine first started

This photo was taken when quarantine first started. The Pilot had just returned from a 6-day trip, so I asked him to watch the kids so I could get some quiet time aka hide in the closet and drink a can of rosé. 🍷 Needless to say I was quickly discovered. 🤷🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️😂
Despite all of the unknown, worry and sadness that have shrouded the past few months, every time I look through my camera roll, I smile or get a little laugh at our random adventures and the girls’ silly antics. These babies keep me busy and endlessly entertained...and they’ve helped me make some lemonade out of ‘Rona lemons. 🍋

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