Magnolia Market's Power Balls Recipe

Shiplap, #DemoDay and Farmhouses - oh my!

If you're like me, you're totally into Chip and Jojo, and the Southern dynasty they've built through their show and Magnolia Market.

Did you know that Joanna also has a blog? Yes, it's true! And yes, I'll wait while you go check it out.

Here's the link.


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...Insert Elevator Music... 


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Back? Great! Told you I'd wait.


If you didn't see it while you were there, don't miss her Power Balls recipe. 

Update in Under 20 Pictures

Well, hello there.

In my most recent post ("recent" being used very loosely), I said I was back. And then I disappeared for about 7 months. I like to keep people guessing...

I hope to check in a bit more regularly, so I thought I'd write a post to catch you up on where I've been and what I've been doing since March. It will be quick, so try to keep up. 

Guess who's back, back again...

Well, well. If it isn't little 'ol me again.

Where have I been? Let me just start by saying that life has been busy! 

I stepped away from this blog back in October (FIVE months ago!) and took a breath. A long breath. Things were busy, I was short on time and energy, and I had to prioritize. 

Fall Goodie Swap!

Hi, strangers!

Hope you've all been doing well since I announced my less frequent blogging. 

Guess what? I got to participate in a Fall Swap with another blogger...none other than Brittany from The Lady Lawyer! (yes, she is a lawyer, I work for a law firm...meant to be!)

I really enjoyed getting to know her a bit through email and through exploring her blog. If you have a few minutes, I would seriously recommend doing so! She's got great style inspiration and some drool-worthy recipes.

Forgive my Absence...

Hi friends! 

I wanted to stop by my little part of the interwebs to say hello, and to apologize for being so absent lately.

Blog-tember Challenge: A Letter to My 16 Year-Old Self

Today's "Blog-tember Challenge" prompt is to write a letter to myself at 16.  In order to do that, I need to think about what was happening at that point in my life...

Blog-tember Challenge: My Passions

Happy Friday!

Today's Blog-tember Challenge prompt is "What are you passionate about?"  So, here are some things that make me tick - I'd love to hear from you in the comments section about some things you are passionate about. Do we have any in common?

Blog-tember Challenge: Get to Know Morgan

I'm back! 

So, I have read a lot of fun posts from Bailey Jean's "2015 Blog-tember Challenge" which I am hoping will help me get back in the blogging game more consistently. Things have been crazy busy, but I will do my best! I'm a day late, but bare with me...

The first prompt is an introduction of moi. So, instead of giving the very basics (which you can find on my "About YDD" page), I thought I'd get more specific. So here goes!

21 Day Sugar Detox: DONE!

Hi, and Happy Friday!

If you've been following our 21 Day Sugar Detox (first post here, update here), you may know that we finished on Sunday! We did it! I'm so proud of Spencer and myself for sticking with it, even when it got tough.

The hardest parts were the cravings and how to cope when I didn't prepare well. The foods we could eat almost always required some sort of preparation, so just grabbing a "quick snack" wasn't always an option. We also went over our grocery budget.

Chewy.com Product Review: Orijen Angus Beef Dog Treats

I received a free package of Orijen Angus Beef Dog Treats from Chewy.com in exchange for writing an honest review of the product on my blog. I received no additional compensation in exchange for writing this review, and all opinions are honest and my own (well, and Piper's).

An Update: 21 Day Sugar Detox

Remember how I am doing the 21 Day Sugar Detox? Well, I'm still going, and am 11 days down. Half way! Wondering how it's going?

Join me on Camellias and Copper

So, yeah. I'm still training for my half marathon! 

In addition to a few lessons I've learned so far (which you can read here), I thought it might also be helpful for anyone considering starting a training regimen to share some things you should do before you begin. 

You can catch my post "What To Do Before Training For A Half Marathon" over at Camellias and Copper. Enjoy! (and say hello to Michelle while you're there!)

Until next time - - 

Recipe: Guacamole Zucchini Pasta

Welcome back! Hope you've all had a great week.

Today I wanted to share a really simple recipe I made for dinner this week (remember, we are currently on our 21 day sugar detox - post here). It is a great recipe for anyone wanting a light dinner, something healthy, vegetarian, or even vegan! It's also really easy to customize with anything else you want to add - meats, additional vegetables, cheese, you name it.

My 21 Day Sugar Detox

Y'all, it's official. I've lost my mind.

Not only am I totally out of character with my half-marathon training, but now - today - I am starting a 21 Day Sugar Detox (#21DSD). GASP. 

For a simple explanation, here are the Six W's of my sugar detox.

Sponsor Q&A with Danielle-Marie

As (I hope) you've seen, this month's Sunshine Sponsor is Danielle from Danielle-Marie! Danielle is a Christian wife and mother, living abroad in...get this...Thailand! She's adopted two gorgeous children, and supports her missionary husband amazingly. Be sure to click on over to her blog to get to know her even better (and to see some fun facts about Danielle - including the fact that she lived in Columbia for 12 years - !!!! - visit her About page). 

Get Organized in Less Than One Month (+ a Printable!)

Happy Friday! 

I hope you had a great week, and that you have something fun planned for the weekend. Spencer and I will be in New Jersey celebrating the wedding of two great friends. Yay!

This week, I ran across an article from PopSugar that lists 116 items to throw away (or donate) in your home. If you're anything like me, a list of 116 items seems pretty daunting! Have no fear. I am sharing the list with you (original article here) and also suggesting a way to tackle it.

Three Things I've Learned (so far) During My Half-Marathon Training

Hey there!

Long time no see. My fault. Sorry about that.

I thought I'd stop in and give you an update on my half-marathon training. The race is November 14th, so we still have some time (thank goodness). 

My training buddy, Stephanie, has been absolutely awesome through the process so far. We are half way through our 5th week of training, and if it weren't for her holding me accountable, I probably would have quit after about 3 days. Seriously.

For those of you in the same boat (don't love running, but are trying to make a habit of it), allow me to share three lessons I have learned so far.

1. Find someone who will hold you accountable.
No, this cannot be yourself or your conscience. For me, it also could not be my husband. I am too good at talking my way out of things with him! And he keeps quiet so that I don't feel badly (smart man). Stephanie was the perfect partner for me for a few reasons: we are on similar fitness levels, we both really want to see it through, and we live in the same neighborhood which makes running together convenient. 

2. Invest in key items.
These items may be different for each person. For me, the key items have been a Garmin watch (old model, but can track distance), some running capris (running + shorts = too much rubbing), and a good pair of shoes. I had an employee at Fleet Feet watch my run and measure my feet, which was critical in finding a good pair of shoes. I learned that I overpronate (which basically means my feet turn inward when I run), so I knew to look for a pair of shoes that corrects that issue. In the long run, this should save my feet and my joints!

3. Running is 90% mental.
Spencer used to tell me this all the time, but I just would not believe him. Turns out, he was right (shhh, don't tell him I said that). If I keep a steady pace, it really is a matter of pushing myself to keep going. Of course, if I go too fast, I will certainly tire out. The key is to set a pace (for me it is somewhat slow right now), keep your breathing steady, and tell yourself that longing to quit is all in your head. Because, guess what? It really is!



Are you a runner? What tips can you share with me as I continue my training?



Don't forget to check out this month's Sunshine Sponsor, Danielle! View her blog here.

Until next time - - 

Ad Space Giveaway!

Guess what - It's time for the best giveaway ever again...that's right, The So-Called Homemaker's famous/infamous ad space giveaway! I have teamed up with her and 16 other bloggers to giveaway a total of twenty-three (that's right, TWENTY-THREE) ad spaces! That means that 23 lucky readers will walk away with FREE ad space, no strings attached! The spaces being given away range from 200x200 spots to in-post ads, and are from bloggers you've all heard of and love!

Classy, Sassy, & a Bit Smartassy // Wife Mommy Me // Southern Hope // Sage // The Jessa Olson Blog // All the Joys
Whimsical September // Sea Salt Secrets // Love the Here and Now // Alanna & Company // Yellow Door Diaries
Everyday Thoughts // T.O. & fro // That Southern Mama // Keeping Up with Ashley and Cody
Bourbon, Lipstick, & Stilletos // Southern Beauty Guide // The So-Called Homemaker

Exciting Week

TGIF!

Hope you all had a great week. The past week has been full of some exciting things. My cousin, Casey, had a baby (a girl! Lilly) last week, and I get to meet her tomorrow! Our friends Joey and Natalie also had a baby girl, Simonne, this week and she's a doll. 

Aside from baby news, I have completed my third week of half-marathon training with my friend Stephanie, and we're still going strong - well, we're still going. Yay!

Today is an important day here in SC. If you've been under a rock the past couple of weeks, there was a tragic shooting in Charleston last month, and since then a lot of people have been pushing to remove the Confederate flag from the State House grounds.

A Simple & Silly Survey

Hope you had a wonderful 4th of July weekend! Do you follow me on social media? If so, you may have seen some pictures. If you don't, let's connect!

I found this A-Z survey on Peanut Butter Fingers (she's adorable, and pregnant with her first child!), and I really enjoyed reading her responses. I thought it was so fun, I decided to share my answers as well!